Ging Recommends!

And so, we consolidate the blogs

2010-05-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

This is the last post I'll make on Ging Recommends! since I now have the freedom again to post anything on the mother ship blog.

I love all the products and people mentioned on this blog, though, so I want them to live on.

Until I can figure out a way to make both these blogs one entity (and roll all these reviews into one site) THIS site will stay live, and it will host the reviews. I'll refer back often, I promise.

Much love,
Ging

Happy Birthday, Marilyn Santulli!

2010-04-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

I've met a lot of great people in the gluten-free world since I became gluten-free (and a blogger) three years ago.

One of my favorites, Marilyn Santulli, the genius behind America Gra-Frutti, is having a birthday today, so I wanted to use this space today to celebrate her, and celebrate her commitment to the gluten-free world.

I've written about American Gra-Frutti products a lot here on my blog, and I do it because the product is so thoughtfully prepared. First, Marilyn's Cobb County kitchen is a dedicated gluten-free facility. She has a completely safe environment for gluten-free people like me.

A few months back, Marilyn gave me a tour of the kitchen. There she bakes cakes, cupcakes, and now cheesecakes and ginger snaps! She's recently created a wonderful Caramel Crunch, which is addictive. There are also angels and coconut drops and oh yeah, a rocking Peachtree Pimento pimento cheese.

And as of today (Wednesday, April 7) her "They'll Never Know" and "You Know you Love Chocolate Chip"5 oz. cupcakes are available at Turner Field. Woo-hoo!

I've pretty much tasted everything Marilyn makes, and I'm always impressed. Oh, I have my favorites -- I love the Peachtree Pimento (spicy, please) and the Peppermint Cremes and Angels. And the cakes. And the cheesecakes. And...

Here's Marilyn and America Gra-Frutti's mission statement: American GraFrutti, LLC is passionately devoted and focused on gluten and dairy intolerances by creating decadent, nutritious and healthy desserts, as well as deli products for the consumer’s well being.

I'm happy to recommend Marilyn's products to consumers and to food establishments. Her cheesecakes are on the featured menu at Figo Pasta along with their gluten-free pasta menu. Her almond and coconut drops are sold in Tampa at Abby's -- she's from Tampa, so that is a coup. And Mom's Organic Market in the Rockville and Bowie, Maryland area can't keep her products in stock.

And in Atlanta? Return to Eden and Whole Foods!

Yep, Marilyn Santulli is a pretty special woman to the gluten-free world, and I'm proud to call her my friend. She makes every occasion complete!

You can follow American Gra-Frutti (and Marilyn) on Facebook and Twitter

Much love, and happy birthday, Marilyn!
Ging

P.S. Marilyn has a beautiful and talented artist daughter named Meredith Dahle. I wanted to give her a shoutout here because she's about to graduate from college, and then head to Alaska! Meredith, as well as Marilyn's sweet husband Paul, are all part of the American Gra-frutti team. You might see Meredith out at a sampling some day soon.

South City Kitchen: A Gluten-Free Success

2010-04-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Heather and I answered an invitation to dine at one of the Fifth Group restaurants, to sample their gluten-free menu.

I chose South City Kitchen in Midtown for two reasons: the gluten-free menu looked delicious, and the location was convenient for both Heather and me (I was heading to my Dad's).

I give it Two Yums UP!

We made a great choice, and I would heartily recommend the gluten-free menu at either South City Kitchen location. For one, it has "regular" food that can be presented and prepared gluten free. And second, it's a delightful place to have dinner! This is the kind of place I'd like to take a bunch of gluten-free friends for a celebration, or a Gurlz night on the town!

After one of the best martinis I've ever tasted (seriously) we started with appetizers -- I had luscious mussels, and Heather had barbequed shrimp. The mussels had a smokey bacon flavor, with lots of lemons. They were perfectly cooked. And Heather's shrimp were the BBQ Shrimp I remember from Louisiana -- piquant, spicy. So you see the mussels below, before they disappeared....

I wish I had a picture of our beautiful salads -- I ate mine so fast I didn't get to take a photo. I had Cane Syrup Roasted Beet Salad with shaved beets, fennel-pear slaw, Valbreso feta cheese, cider-cane syrup, and truffle oil and Heather had a Caesar Salad.

Ah, but the entrees...Heather chose the Filet Mignon with smashed sweet potatoes, wilted swiss chard with Benton’s bacon, and green peppercorn steak sauce. I ADORE Benton's Bacon, and that chard was amazing...Look how happy Heather looks! I took a picture of the plate too, but her happiness was so nice to see!

I had Sautéed Shrimp & Scallops creamy stone-ground grits, with roasted pepper coulis. It was lick the plate delicious! I had a side of Brussels spouts (never do I pass up beets or Brussels sprouts)...

I do, of course, have suggestions for Fifth Group. These all are filed under "give me a gluten-free menu, and I'll ask for more" suggestions, but they're important, I think. First, I think several of the delicious dishes I had BEGGED for a toasty bread. And thanks to some frozen, artisan breads out there, you could easily add them to your freezer and make them quickly, on demand. Small space. (Email me for suggestions.)

Second, though the house sorbet was delicious, I don't know why you couldn't make your house Pecan Pie in a small ramekin, crust free, but still gluten free. There are some easy and decadent desserts available in Atlanta (American Gra-Frutti cupcakes come to mind,) and there are others I personally love -- Moondance Bakery Cheesecake and brownies, for instance.

And finally, it's easy to add gluten-free pasta to an Italian menu. If pasta is a staple on the restaurant menu (it's not at SCK, but it is at others) check out the availability of good gluten free pasta today. There is so much good dried and frozen GF pasta out there -- we'll marvel at the ability to have the sauces on a pasta we trust. Either that, or offer your wonderful sauces on polenta. But I know a lot of GF folks who don't consider an Italian menu GF unless it has pasta.

I'd like to thank Paul Hymel, the general manager of SCK Midtown, for a delightful evening. I am proud to recommend your restaurant to my friends and readers, and I am certain I'll return again very soon.

Much love, and thanks for the dinner!

Ging

Udi's Gluten Free in Georgia!

2010-03-30T18:41:00.001-07:00

From Carol Hinton, Branch Manager of the Middle Georgia GIG:

Udi's Bread has arrived in Middle Georgia!

For those of you who have tried Udi's bread elsewhere or have read about it online, you can now find it in Middle Georgia. I visited Yvonne's on Vineville today to find both Udi's white bread and Udi's whole grain bread in the freezer section. They also had Udi's muffins.

I also visited Mia's off Vineville and found Udi's muffins as well. I would expect them to have the bread in the near future.

If you haven't tried Udi's you will be surprised at how good it is. It does not need to be toasted and stays fresh on the counter for several days.

If you visit either store to purchase Udi's, let them know where you heard about it.

Carol

Middle Georgia GIG

Much love, Ging

A Giveaway from My Blog Spark and Yoplait Greek Yogurt!

2010-03-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

I love Greek yogurt -- all kinds, any kind -- so I was delighted to see a new brand on the market -- Yoplait Greek Yogurt.

(Go to this spot to get a free coupon to try out this new Yoplait yogurt!)

In fact, just last week, I was instructing Randy on the wisdom of choosing a non-fat Greek yogurt instead of a watered-down nonfat house brand. I love the richness, creaminess, and body of Greek yogurt. I often use it instead of sour cream.

Here's the scoop on Yoplait's new product:

With 12 grams of protein -- twice that found in leading yogurts-- new Yoplait Greek nourishes from the inside out. Available in four delicious flavors, Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla and Plain, the brand’s newest offering has a unique thick and creamy texture with the unmatched taste expected of Yoplait.

My Blog Spark and Yoplait have offered me the opportunity to offer YOU a chance to enjoy some Yoplait Greek Yogurt and Nourish your inner Goddess. That's right -- we all need a little nourishment, don't we? They are providing the following fabulous gift for one lucky reader of my blogs. (This link is cross posted on my sister blog.

To celebrate its new Greek yogurt and to encourage women to nourish their inner goddess, Yoplait has teamed up with actress Izabella Miko, who plays Greek Goddess Athena in the epic adventure new Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ film “Clash of the Titans,” in theatres April 2 in 3D.

Now, here's all you have to do to win this Spark!

Simply put your name and your email in a comment below, and tell me your favorite recipe using Yoplait Greek Yogurt. I will use the randomizer to pick one lucky winner on Tuesday, April 6 at 9 p.m. est. I will email you for your mailing information (so if you leave out that email, you won't get to win...). And Yoplait will send you TWO free coupons and a Goddess Pack!

Please remember that Yoplait is made by a company that labels gluten -- and it is a yogurt that many gluten-free people feel comfortable eating. Please read labels if you are gluten free!

Much love, and good luck!
Ginger

P.F. Chang's Launches Expanded Gluten-Free Menu

2010-03-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

P.F. Chang's Launches Expanded Gluten-Free Menu: "PRESS RELEASE: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--P.F. Chang's Chi..."
bIG HOOPLA.
But in truth, Much ado about nothing.

I know several of my GF blogger buddies have been about excited about this, so Randy and I went to P.F. Chang's in Tampa at Westshore Plaza to try the beef entrees. I did this with trepedation, mind you. I've been glutened severely at P.F. Chang's and Pei Wei on my last three occasions (I know, why go back?) But I wanted Mongolian Beef. I miss it.

Randy had the Sichuan Spicy Beef. We weren't sure 1. that is was beef; 2. that it had been seasoned at all; and 3. that the cook had a clue. It was like chewing a paper towel roll.

Mongolian beef? Tough and stringy. Only three pieces were soft and crunchy. The sauce was over salted.

SO we complained to our sorry excuse for a server (another story) and finally flagged down the manager. No one cared. They took one entree off the check (as they should have).

Our sorry excuse for a server offered me a fortune cookie at the end with the words, "I don't know what gluten free means, so I don't know if you can eat this."

I hear more and more from GF diners who say their experiences at P.F. Chang's is very spotty -- sometimes GF, sometimes not, riddled with error when the crowd is large. I have a solution for that. The one I should have imposed last week.

I won't go back. Ever. Again.

Much love,
Ging

Norlander's Gluten-Free Sauces!

2010-03-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

At a Twitter party a month or so ago, I won some Norlander's Original Gluten-Free Teriyaki and Mesquite sauces. These new gluten-free sauces are gaining a national reputation -- especially the Teriyaki Sauce, which is a huge step above the usually available gf teriyaki brand.

I had a wonderful discussion on the phone with Michael Norlander, who owns the company with his wife Tina. They're really a wonderful couple, and I think their product is pretty special in our gluten-free world. They've sent their regular products (the beef jerky) into outer space on the Space Shuttle to the International Space Station. They've got a regular line, too.

Here's their story, from their website:

Tina and Michael Norlander continue the family tradition of providing quality products that enhance just about any food. Michael’s father originally developed the family’s first Teriyaki marinade recipe in the 1960's. Friends and neighbors always enjoyed the food the Norlander’s prepared using their special marinade. By modifying and reducing it into a concentrate, Michael made the family's teriyaki recipe his own. Michael later developed the Norlander’s Original Mesquite Sauce & Marinade Concentrate. The Mesquite Sauce provides a western Mesquite smoke flavor and has been a winner from the start.

They have developed their regular and gluten-free Teriyaki and Mesquite gourmet sauces and marinades to bring a new taste and experience to their customers. Either flavor can be used as a sauce or marinade on beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood, wild game, pastas, vegetables, beans and rice. Their sauces can also be poured straight from the bottle onto foods like hamburgers, ribs, and steak. They welcome you to try their products and hope you enjoy them as much as they do.

But this line is special. It is made just for us!

With grilling season coming in strong now as Spring is Springing, I wanted to share with you a couple of ways I used these sauces successfully.

One of my favorite recipes ever (and, might I say, perfect for the Easter/Palm Sunday dinner table) is

Freakin' Awesome Tropical Chicken
(Recipe from Jen, adapted by Ging)

Serves 12-16:

8 lbs. cut up chicken (or 4 pounds boneless, skinless breasts)
*Ging note: If I were doing this in the oven for a potluck again, I would use boneless, skinless thighs. They will hold better. I also think this would be FA with boneless pork chops!
Marinade
1 Cup Norlander's GF Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup prepared mustard (I used French's and Dijon, mixed)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger (I used ginger juice)
-these were my additions-
2 T. Chinese Chili Sauce (optional)
Six cloves fresh garlic, crushed

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Marinate chicken in mixture (ziplock bag/fridge) for at least 4-6 hours. (I did mine overnight with no ill effects).
Outside directions: Drain the marinated chicken into a bowl through a colander, reserving marinade, and grill on your favorite grill til done. A nice addition -- sliced fresh pineapple, grilled on the side.

Rainy-day Indoor Preparation: Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken and about half the marinade (try to keep the pineapple and garlic part) in roaster-type pan – the chicken should nearly be covered with the marinade, but not quite). Bake until done -- it took me about 75 minutes in a convection oven.)

For both: BOIL to a hard boil and slightly reduce the remaining sauce with garlic and pineapple. Use it as a sauce.

Wonderful with grilled or roasted fresh asparagus and fluffy white or brown rice.

Super Easy Mesquite Ribeye

Honestly, folks, I did this beautiful saucy steak in a toaster oven! Season one side with the spices and herbs of your choice -- I use salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb, and some Tony Chachere's seasoning.

Put the steak under the broil and cook for 9 minutes. Brush Norlander's GF Mesquite Sauce on both sides and turn and cook the second side for about 5 minutes for medium.

Let sit for 10 minutes and then devour. It tastes like it was cooked out on a mesquite fired grill!

YUM.

I really can't wait to try these recipes on the Norlander's site. I don't know anyone who makes a GF garlic chip, but I think Mary's Gone Crackers Onion Crackers are a great addition, broken up just a little bit,

And we're going to have the dip the weekend while watching the college basketball finals.

And then, when I get the Big Green Egg back in Georgia, well, this is sure to be a staple in our grilling sauce repetoire! (Don't know if we'll use the BGE this week on Spring Break, but it might come home with me. Who knows?)

There is one thing about Norlander's GF sauce that might be a drawback for you -- I think in the effort of full disclosure I should mention that both use a GF Soy Sauce that contains corn syrup. Michael and I talked about that, actually. And while I feel it's important we all know the ingredients, it clearly didn't stop me from using it in moderation.

And using it again soon, I shall. I wish Michael and Tina and the cool ship from Norlander's Original all the best.

Much love, and let's get grilling!

Ging

Purely Elizabeth Mixes are Purely Divine!

2010-03-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

Oh the places I could go with the Purely.... analogy....

Purely Delicious.
Purely Healthy.
Purely Unique.
Purely Decadent.

I have to add Purely Elizabeth to the list of the most innovative gluten-free products out there. They are simply -- Purely -- amazing. They're wheat, gluten, dairy and sugar free, with a healthy mix that includes great flours and nutritious #gf seeds.

It's taken me far too long to get this post up, and for that I apologize. I hate that I've kept from spreading the good word about this incredibly delicious product. But you can order then for a great flat-rate shipping fee. And I know you'll enjoy them!

This is not what I'd call a mainstream gluten-free product mix though. That's a good thing, in this case, because it's incredibly high in fiber and low in sugar additives. So for someone with Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance and Diabetes, this is an awesome product to use.

Of the three mixes provided me by Purely Elizabeth, the two I found most different and intriguing were the Pancake Mix and the Ultimate Cacao Muffin Mix.

Here's the info on the Ultimate Carob Muffins:

And here's the back of the bag.

I include this to show one thing several people have mentioned about this product: it requires you to add a lot of ingredients yourself -- not just an egg and water, for instance. But that's OK. These aren't your average muffins -- they're really an artisanal muffin, of the highest quality. And you can adapt the additives to make it more special (for instance, I wish I'd added carob chips and used Chocolate Unsweetened Almond Milk in them...and a little more agave. But I ran out of agave as I was making these).

They're wonderful. I have to go easy on them because of all the seeds (because of my gastroparesis). But they're lovely.

Ingredients: Millet Flour, Corn Flour, Almond Flour, Organic Raw Cacao Powder, Flax Seed, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Chia Seed, Aluminum Free Baking Powder, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt

But I found that the most important thing about this muffin mix. I can add agave nectar (if you're keeping score, this is my third pro-agave post in a month). It has no refined sugar.

And it's really yummy. Here's what they looked like out of the oven:

A key test was the one-hour post snack blood sugar reading. There was NO impact on my blood sugar. I love it. I froze the rest and have been parceling them out over time for breakfast. They hold up well out of the freezer (I don't even reheat them when thawed sometimes) but they're best warm and yummy.

I also loved the pancakes I made from the Ultimate Pancake Mix. Like the other mix, I used Almond Milk, Olive Oil, and a free-range egg. But I also used Trader Joe's Maple Agave Syrup in them. Delish. Then I slathered them up and put on more syrup. I made two pancake sandwiches with the leftovers (with butter in the middle) and when I heated them the next morning, they were still light as could be.

Here are the ingredients: Millet Flour, Non-GMO Corn Flour, Organic Coconut Flour, Teff Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Flax Seed, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Chia Seed, Baking Soda, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am sad that I probably won't get to consume these delicious pancakes again, though -- I had an allergic reaction to them, one I didn't expect. They have Teff in them, and I have a weird sensitivity to Teff (and Quinoa, and Buckwheat). So the muffins, which don't contain these, are fine -- but these caused me problems.

But, if you want to make beautiful light, delicious pancakes for a special day, you should try these. They are some of the best pancakes I've EVER tasted -- gluten free or not -- and I think your family will love them.

Thank you, Elizabeth, and much love -- purely and truly!

Ging

And the BLISSFUL winners are...

2010-03-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

Nathan Rice said...
Oh I had the opportunity to sample Coconut Bliss and loved it! Would enjoy the chance to take that taste further.

@nathandrice
eightproductions@gmail.com

AND

Ice Cream Forum said...
Ooh mememe! I have to give a reason... does anyone really need a reason to want ice cream? Ok, the reason is because it's yummy! :)

I used the Random Number generator for the 11 comments. Number 2 was from my friend Kiley at Coconut Bliss, so I took that one out, and then I generated a random list.

The ones picked in order were 9 and then 8.

So let me know how to mail you folks these wonderful Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss coupons!

Much love, Ging

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss•••Plus a giveaway!

2010-03-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

Bliss. I love that word, bliss. It makes me feel peaceful. Serene. Blissful.

(I had a friend in college named Bliss Kalet. She was awesome. I wonder what happened to her...)

And I feel totally blissful when I have Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss!

I discovered Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss last year on Twitter, and I made a point of buying some at Abbey's food mart in Tampa after I tasted it at the Atlanta GF Vendor Fair. It's not sold near me in Milledgeville, sadly. I have to go to Atlanta or Tampa to find it.

But you know what? Every time I want a cold, delicious, frozen dessert, this is my choice.

Here's why:

1. It's sweetened with agave nectar and made with coconut milk. Before you blow a gasket, it's not the full fat coconut milk that's bad for you -- it's the good kind. And agave nectar is good for diabetics -- it metabolizes in such a way that my blood sugar doesn't spike. And because it's lactose free...I don't get lactose tummy. You know?

2. It naturally gluten free. Of course, that should be my no. 1, but it's kind of obvious, isn't it? I wouldn't eat it if weren't.

3. It is a versatile addition to recipes and desserts.

•Mint Chai Tea: I made an incredible cup of chai tea a few weeks ago -- put a big scoop (1/2 cup) of Luna & Larry's Mint Galactica in a large mug. Pour a fresh-brewed pot of Chai tea over it. Let it slowly melt, sip, stir, enjoy. (I used Teavana's mixture of Macadamia Rooibos Chai (two parts) and Azteca Fire (one part).

•Gluten-free Brownie Bliss: Make your favorite gf (sugar free or agave sweetened) brownies and either 1. cut while warm or 2. warm gently in the microwave. Top with a BIG scoop (OK, a 1/2 cup) of your favorite L&L. I think cappuccino is my favorite here...and drizzle with a GF-SF chocolate syrup. Top with your favorite whipped topping.

•Blissful Sammies: Take your favorite GF cookies (I actually used two Glow Gluten-Free Gingersnaps, which are low sugar and have fiber and 220 calories) -- and put a big scoop (OK, 1/4 cup) of Coconut Bliss Pineapple Coconut (slightly melted) into the middle. Smush and then wrap in foil and refreeze. A Blissful Sandwich! Ginger. Pineapple. Coconut. YUM!

4. It's yummy. Great flavors, of course -- my favorites change every time I try a new flavor.

So here's the fun, yummy part! Luna & Larry have given me TWO coupons for free products for the readers of Ging Recommends! If you want to try one, post a comment below and tell me why you should get this wonderful product! Deadline to post your comment is at midnight March 10. I'll draw randomly from the comments. You don't have to stand on your head, dance, or anything creepy to qualify.

Much love, and thanks for everything, Luna & Larry!

Ging

Welcome to the March Gluten-free Lifestyle Blog Carnival!

2010-02-28T18:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the March 1, 2010 edition of the gluten free lifestyle blog carnival. It's my pleasure to host this here on "Ging Recommends!" Many thanks to all!

Product Reviews

Yadi presents Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix posted at The Gluten Free Diaries.

Recipes

Aubree Cherie presents Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie posted at Living Free.

Adam presents Gluten Free Playdough Recipe | Natural Parenting Tips posted at Natural Parenting Tips.

lisa viger presents February 7, 2010 posted at Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!), saying, "Raw, vegan, gluten free recipes ... full day menu on $10 or less ..."

Sarah Collins presents Happy Valentine?s Biscuits posted at Sustaining Health Holistically, saying, "Gluten-free and vegan baking can be pretty and yummy?"

Shirley Braden presents Perfect Pound Cake posted at gfe--gluten free easily, saying, "Even if you are gluten free and dairy free, you can still enjoy the wonderful pound cake that you so fondly remember."

Kimberly Bouldin presents Naturally Gluten-free - Lentils posted at Gluten-free is Life, saying, "Recipe & information about a naturally gluten-free ingredient -lentils"

Support & Advice

Shirley Braden presents Flourless Oatmeal Cookies posted at gfe--gluten free easily, saying, "A great, easy flourless recipe is offered as well as information on which gluten free oats are safe to eat."

Tips

Wenchypoo presents Rethinking Protein Sources...Again (L-O-N-G) posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Tamara Duker presents Gluten-free Guide to Chinese Food posted at What I'm Eating Now, saying, "Chinese food can be one of the trickiest cuisines to navigate for the gluten-free crowd. That's why I prepared this guide to help make it a little easier for my fellow celiacs to satisfy their cravings safely!"

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
the gluten free lifestyle blog carnival
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

blog carnival index page.

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Gluten Free Sandwich Petals by Raquelita's Tortillas

2010-02-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

I have a new staple in my refrigerator: I am really a huge fan of Gluten Free Sandwich Petals by Raquelita's Tortillas in Denver.

It's true that I received my sample of these wonderful little breads a while back now, but I've been trying them in so many incarnations! Really, they're the most versatile wraps out there!

Here's why I like Gluten Free Sandwich Petals by Raquelita's Tortillas in Denver so darn much!

• They're made of a healthy grain mix of 10 GF flours. Now, admittedly, I have issues with some of the grains in this product, but so far, I've seen no reactions. Here's the flour mix/ingredients/ of the Petals:

Glu10Free™ Gluten-Free Proprietary blend of milled and whole grains (Corn, Flax, Sesame, Buckwheat, Brown Rice, Sorghum, Millet, Quinoa, Teff, and Amaranth), Water, Organic Agave nectar, Raisin Juice, Molasses, Proprietary blend of Pharmaceutical Grade (Short Chain Fructooligosaccharides and HiDHA Omega 3 Micro-encapsulated Tuna Oil), Tapioca Starch, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Xanthan gum, Fumaric acid, Sodium Propionate and Sorbic Acid. Then we add our appropriate flavors of either: Chimayo Red Chile (Chimayo and Chipotle pepper, garlic, green bell peppers), natural flavor, salt, chile powder, spice extracts, or Spinach Garlic Pesto (spinach, garlic, basil, parsley), salt, canola oil, spice extractives, natural flavors, artificial color.

•Three lovely, very different flavors: Spinach Garlic Pesto, Chimayo Red Chile, and Agave Grain. Green, Red and Beige. Three different flavors entirely! And they are soft, and pliable, and they make a million dishes. They're shelf stable and need no refrigeration, but I find them easy to reconstitute with just 10 seconds from the fridge. (I have to refrigerate -- I live in the south).

•Cost: $25 for a whole package of three flavors, but Mondays is BOGO day!

•They aren't cardboardy like corn tortillas, though they can be used in place of them.

•Carbs are about 24 per petal, with three grams of fiber, and they're sweetened with agave nectar. Only four grams on sugar. This works for me.

OK, so now, on to recipes!

First, the Red Chamayo Chile petal makes a mean Migas! SOOO savory and delicious.

Second, how about a cool corn dog? I used an Agave Grain petal, some slices of pepper jack cheese, and a Applegate Farm GF Uncured Hot Dog to make one mean corn dog. Heat the petal for 10 second, cover with cheese, add the hot dog, roll, and secure with a toothpick. Cook for about 1 minute in the microwave until the hot dog is done. Seriously? Seriously.

Oh, and I've had Bailie's Peanut Butter/Banana/Honey Roll-ups with the Agave Grain Petal a couple of times. This is named for Bailie Eliason, whose mom is Sharon in our Middle Georgia Gig Board. The original appeared here:
You need: One Agave Grain Sandwich Petal, 1 banana cut in half, peanut
butter, honey. I heated the Sandwich Petal for 10 seconds in microwave
(makes them more pliable and easier to work with), then when cool spread
peanut butter (to your liking) on each tortilla. Drizzle honey (I now would use 100 percent Agave Nectar) over that and lay 1/2 banana on one edge of tortilla. Wrap and "seal" with the peanut
butter. (Another version - Bailie's Daddy likes these- is to use raisins instead of
the banana).

Here's another couple adaptations;

•Now, I saw this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Casserole a while back, and it was really a hot item in January. I think it is perfect for the Chimayo Red Chile petals. Simply replace the corn tortillas with 1/2 a petal -- and this amps up the taste like you would NOT believe.

My friend Shirley GFE gave me permission to share the recipe as it's written on her site. I didn't make a big casserole, but I'd think five to six Petals would be the equivalent of 10 corn tortillas, and so much more pliable and delicious! (I made a half recipe to try it).

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

From Shirley Braden at Gluten Free Easily

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder (I’ve substituted taco seasoning before when I was out of chili powder)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 Tbs. cilantro, chopped (optional—I add when I have it on hand)
3 cups chicken cooked, boned, shredded
1 tbsp lime juice
1 jar salsa (16 oz) (whatever hotness you prefer—mild worked well for us)
5 Chamayo Red Chile Sandwich Petals
8 oz shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend—your preference; read labels to ensure gluten-free status)

Sour cream, jalapenos, and cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large, deep skillet with little bit of oil; heat over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add one cup of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cilantro (if used). Cook 5 minutes.

Dump shredded chicken over tomato mixture in skillet. Spoon lime juice over chicken. Stir chicken and lime juice into tomato mixture. Heat a few minutes, if necessary. (If chicken is still warm from cooking, you will not need to heat more.)

Spread one half of the jar of salsa in an ungreased 9″ x 13” baking dish; top with 5 tortillas (break into pieces as needed to mostly cover salsa).

Top with chicken mixture; sprinkle with half of the cheese.

Top with remaining tortillas. Spread with remaining salsa; sprinkle w/remaining cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and casserole is hot, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Adapted from Valerie and Woman’s World

•Spinach Garlic Pesto Petals? How about my Italian Stuffed Lasagna recipe? Just substitute five to six Sandwich Petals cut into long strips to use instead of noodles. Yummy!

I'd like to thank the fine people at Sandwich Petals for sending me the three-pack sample to try. You have a real winner here! I wish you more success, and I can't wait to meet you when I'm in Denver next August. They're a company with a heart, to be sure. I love that!

You can find them, once again, at sandwichpetals.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @GFpetals.

Much love, (p.s. xoxo to GF Dee who connected me with them)!
Ging

Soup's ON! (Part Two) Two Companies with GF Soups that will warm your soul

2010-01-31T18:51:00.001-08:00

To quote Mick Jagger:

"You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime, you just might find, you'll get what you need."

I feel that way about gluten-free soup. Prepared soup. Canned soup. Packaged soup. You know. CONVENIENCE soup.

I miss it. I'm sorry. There. I said it.

Now, I love a good vat of homemade soup like the next person, and yes, I can make it with the best of them. I make an awesome minestrone soup, and my taco soup is mighty fine. You should try my cauliflower and leek soup, too. And I have this tomatoey veggie beef soup that puts Rachel Ray's stoups to shame.

But seriously. I have used canned soups all my life. And being GF, we have been limited.

While I was sick in January, though, I refocused my attention and discovered to GREAT lines with great soups for the GF. And honestly both lines got me through last month's illnesses.

I present them both to you in alphabetical order. With all my love.

Amy's Kitchen Organic Soup

Out of the blue last month, I got an email from Debby Fortune who represents Amy's Kitchen, asking me if I'd tried their products. I of course had -- the pizza is a staple in my Kroger (I got it there...hehehe) and I love their Cheese Enchiladas and Tamales.

But the kind representative from Amy's Kitchen offered to send me a sample of their soups, and I realized that in almost three years of gluten freedom, I'd not tried them! In fact, I didn't even think of Amy's when I thought of soup.**

Well, I do now. I received a package with three cans -- Spanish Rice and Bean, Vegetable, and Tomato Bisque. And now I have a new favorite soup in a can. OK, a bunch of new favorites. Because they make a lot. And usually (now that they're on my radar) they're usually about $2 a can in my Kroger. And there are LOTS of GF Flavors.

Let me wax nostalgic about one of them, though. Tomato Bisque. See, I was always a Campbell's soup girl, and tomato was always my fave. Do when I had to give it up, I began a search for a good one. Why I didn't try this, I don't know, because it is AWESOME! When I'm sick, I want tomato soup and cheese straws. I now have that -- with the Tomato Bisque and Grainless Baker Cheese Straws. YUM. Yes!

(And Amy's got a great shoutout this week from Michael Pollan on the Oprah show. I'm just glad I was a fan before Oprah.)

Kettle Cuisine

My first encounter with the Kettle Cuisine Brand of frozen soup was at the Gluten Free Vendor Fair. I tasted a couple of soups and got three $1 off coupons, and I looked forward to a time when I could purchase this product.

I gotta say, I really LOVE the people at Kettle Cuisine -- their local rep (by Twitter Friend @gfsoupmom) and their national reps @Kettlecuisine are awesome.

When I got to Tampa for Christmas, I had the chance to purchase three soups at my favorite HFS. And I brought them home just in time for my sickness.

OMG. OMG. OMG. What a phenomenal soup! I enjoyed beef chili and chicken noodle (and even got sent a coupon for a future bowl when I"m well). The third, their Organic Carrot-Coriander, which I used for something else.

Can I just tell you how much I love this soup? It tastes like my Daddy's -- I have never had to make chicken noodle soup because his is so good. This. Is. A. Dream. Come. True. With a coupon, it sold for about $2 for one container. I think it's wonderful. I have a free coupon and two $1 off coupons. I'm stocking up this weekend when I got to Atlanta!

I know it's sold at Whole Foods and Return to Eden, and in Tampa at Abbey's Health Food Store.

Both soups will be kitchen staples for me. Both companies have excellent web sites with nutrition information.

Both have rocked my world. I hope they'll rock your world, too.

Much love, and I tip my hat to you all! If I had a hat....
Ging

**Disclosure: Amy's Soup for Sampling were provided by the company. Kettle Cuisine Soup mentioned here was purchased by me.

There's a product giveaway!

2010-01-31T09:31:00.000-08:00

At Leslie Loves Veggies!

I hope to acquire some of these mixes to try myself. They have a country dumpling recipe that makes me think of one of my favorite southern comfort foods....

Much love, Ging

An App-propriate iPhone App

2010-01-28T11:13:00.000-08:00

I was so, so happy last week to acquire the Grocery Guide iPhone App from Triumph Dining! I have spoken to both Ross and Kay at Triumph, and I know they're proud it's out and working. And me? I'm so glad I have an iPhone (genuine endorsement, btw. I bought my phone in May).

I took it to WalMart on Friday and checked products on the spot. I especially enjoyed using it while looking at condiments like BBQ sauce and salad dressing. I also used it for cheese for someone on the Delphi Forum.

It's easy and simple to use. It's pretty darn near perfect.

The only issue I have is one that will change with time -- there are some brands not on there yet. But thankfully, most of the brands at major chains are there for our use. It's very complete, and it will only get larger and better. I find it a bit easier to use than some of the other apps I rock -- but having them all on my phone really is wonderful.

Do you have APP ENVY? (can't help you if you need the phone).

Do you want to try the iPhone App? Here'a a sweet contest from the Triumph Dining Newsletter.

Win Triumph Dining’s New iPhone App
To celebrate the launch of our new gluten free grocery guide iPhone App, we’re giving away 10 free copies to our blog readers. To enter the contest, just add a comment on our blog. (Of course, you’ll need to be an iPhone user to actually use the app…) We’ll choose winners next Friday and announce them right here, so enter soon and stay tuned!

The new App is the iPhone version of our popular gluten free grocery guide. Like the print edition, it lists over 30,000 gluten free foods, making it the largest gluten free product listing available anywhere. We worked with one of the best iPhone developers in the business to build a very fast, powerful App that’s really easy to use.

To learn more, visit the grocery guide app page at Apple’s App Store (the link will open up the iTunes Store on your computer).

Much love, and Thank you Triumph Dining.

A Gluten-Free Bookshelf Essential: Triumph Dining Grocery Guide

2010-01-19T19:11:00.000-08:00

When I first became gluten free, I was lost in the wilderness. I'd been gluten free for two months when I got the guts to ask questions on the Delphi Celiac Forum (and hey, got shot down a few times but went back anyway).

One of the first resources I heard about on Delphi was The Triumph Dining Cards. Soon, I became acquainted with the fine folks at Triumph Dining, and have written a number of reviews of their fine products.

Now we have this wonderful shopping guide. And I give it two thumbs up.

Just look at this page from this wonderful book.

The book is sold for $19.95. It's worth it. In fact, I gave my copy (provided from Triumph Dining for my review) to a gluten-free student at my university who is on her own for the first time. She's not only GF, she's DF/EF/YF and CF.

Try it!

Much love, especially to Triumph Dining.
Ging

P.S. I'm anxiously awaiting the new iPhone App from Triumph Dining...

The Grainless Baker Cheddar Cheese Cracker: Nature's Perfect Cure

2010-01-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

When I'm sick (as I have been for the past 9 days) nothing comforts me like a crispy cheese cracker -- what we call a Cheese Straw down here in Georgia and Florida. I know that's silly, but it's a habit my Mama started, and I find hard to break.

For those of you not of southern descent, a cheese straw is a crispy cheese cracker, made with butter and cheese, that is usually served at tea socials and weddings. Sometimes they're squiggly and delicate. Sometimes they're crisp and crunchy (like my Mama's recipe, which I prefer). Most of all they're redolent of sharp cheddar cheese...crispy, tangy, YUMMY!

Anytime I was sick as an adult, my Mama would make a batch for me. And I'd pretty much live off them for however long my sickness endured. I had a bag in my freezer when my Mama died, and like Jeffrey and his Snickerdoodles, I parceled them out over a year or so.

Once I went gluten free, I found it hard to find something that replicated a cheese straw. But back in November, at our Middle Georgia GIG Thanksgiving, my friend Jennifer Harris (JGF) brought a pack of The Grainless Baker Cheddar Cheese Crackers for the table. She mentioned they weren't very "crackery," but I liked them at first bite. I snagged the leftovers, and after more sampling, realized this is really the closest thing to a cheese straw I've found since going GF. Randy loved them, too.

And now, I'm addicted. I have to pace myself, really. They have flours I'm good with in them, they don't cause me gastric distress, and most of all, they have no added sugar. They also have protein, so a couple of crackers work for me as a quick breakfast. But I must restrain myself!

Who am I kidding. Since Thanksgiving, I've bought about 10 packages of these babies.

The only place I've found these great crackers is at Return to Eden in Atlanta, where I tend to buy them out every time I pass by. Last Friday, one of my students made a cracker run for me on her way home to Milledgeville. So as you can see, I'm good for a couple of....days? weeks?

But I digress.

At $3.99 a box, these are a great price and are really good for all uses. I haven't crumbled them into tomato soup yet...but that's not far away, I assure you.

Ingredients: Cheddar cheese, rice flour, potato starch, eggs, butter, Xanthan gum, salt and pepper. (The only thing I think it needs is a dash of cayenne -- but I can remedy that myself in the box!)

Try them. You'll love them!

Much love, and crunch crunch!
Ging

Finally, a good cornbread mix!

2010-01-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

I love cornbread. It is the first gluten-free recipe I converted, and I make it a lot just because I love cornbread. I can eat cornbread and butter and nothing else for dinner and be a happy, happy girl.

And now, I love Pamela's Products Corn Bread and Muffin Mix. I got a sample from the company over the holidays, and it is now going to have a permanent spot in my pantry.

There's a story, of course.

Now, I'm pretty picky about cornbread. If you like your cornbread with sugar in it -- Yankee Cornbread -- then I suggest you skip the next two paragraphs. I believe that taste is personal, and I don't want to offend...***

(See, I was raised in the south, and southern cornbread has two things going for it -- it is NOT SWEET and it has a crust. A thick crunchy crust. If you're a cook worth anything, you have a DCP -- a dedicated (and gluten-free in my case) iron skillet that you use only for cornbread. And for nothing else. Ever. You like your cornbread made with buttermilk, and you also like it white (though I DO like yellow since that is all I can get gluten-free most of the time. It was kinda funny -- my first husband wouldn't marry me til I could make cornbread like his mother. But that is another story...And they were also not sweet cornbread people. In fact, everyone I know likes southern cornbread the way I most always make it.

My mother wasn't a purist. She used Martha White White Cornbread Mix. And I always did too. I can replicate it, but it does take time and measurement, and so it became a pain...

***SKIP TO HERE: There is an exception to my cornbread rule -- some casseroles from my childhood, like my corned beef casserole and corn casserole, and the like, require Jiffy mix. Honestly, once in a while, I found myself wanting a Jiffy corn muffin. But it was never real and I'd never serve it with chili or on New Year's Day.

Once I went gluten-free, there was no mix available that didn't pretty much taste only like Jiffy. So it was OK when I made my casseroles, but I did miss the Martha White-style mix.

Until now. The versatility of the Pamela's mix is on the package -- you can add sugar, or leave it out. You can add buttermilk. It was mightly crusty in a regular pan, so I know it would be awesome in the DCP.

In other words. Easy, good, versatile, and GLUTEN FREE! Like the Baking Mix (which I use for EVERYTHING now) this will be a staple.

It can even be made with almond milk! Makes it even nuttier. I'm pretty sure you could make it vegan and CF/DF if you wanted to do so..

Kudos, Pamela's Products. Thanks for this. I can't wait to try to other samples and report back.

Oh, and check out Pamela's Favorite Newsletter, which came out today. Marion, who is mentioned, is from around here!

Much love, and pass the cornbread!
Ging

P.S. Here's the nutritional information and ingredients for your information:

INGREDIENTS: Organic Degermed Corn Meal; Brown Rice Flour; White Rice Flour; Tapioca Starch; Sweet Rice Flour; Potato Starch; Organic Degermed Corn Flour; Grainless & Aluminum Free Baking Powder (Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Potato Starch); Sea Salt; Xanthan Gum.

The Best and the Rest of 2009

2009-12-31T13:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I've been mulling the people, places, and things that have made my gluten-free life more bearable this year. I call it the Best and the Rest because, well, there are so many to name -- and they're all great. And yeah. This is a long list.

So in words, links and pictures, I'd like to present the first-ever

Ging Recommends! The Best and The Rest of 2009

I'd like to start with people, and at the top of my list, at 1. and 2. are my "Gluten Free Gurlz" -- Lori Pocock (on left) and Jennifer D. Harris (aka JGF).

These women have been such a wonderful addition to my life. I've really gotten to know them this year, and we've had great times at the Atlanta Gluten-Free Vendor Fair, and at brunch at the Four Seasons. And other places in between.

But the best of 2009 starts with these two GF friends. And OH, the things we have planned for 2010!

And trust me, folks, you're going to be hearing A LOT about and from Jennifer Harris in 2010.

Jennifer is also the GF Product Specialist at Return to Eden in Atlanta. Visit her when you're in town. A tour by Jennifer is worth your time, and worth the trip.

The rest of these people really rocked my world with their friendship AND their products this year.I feel a gluten-free kinship and fellowship with them all.

Marilyn Santulli and American Gra-Frutti

Everything Marilyn Santulli produces at American Gra-Frutti is product with integrity and lots of gluten-free love. I have to say I have my favorites -- Peppermint Creams, the It's Not Fruitcake, and also the They'll Never Know cake.

But my favorite product is the luscious Peachtree Pimento cheese spread! Here it is with another favorite of the year, Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread. Grilled.

Eric Larsen and the fine folks at Starfish Gluten-Free.

I love the battered cod, but more than that, I love the spirit and heart of this company. Eric Larsen has become and email/Facebook friend, and I'm glad I know him. And I'm always glad to reccomend this wonderful product.

And next year? Shrimp and tilapia. Can't wait.

Jill Brack and GLOW Gluten Free

Why I love GLOW and Jill Brack is simple: A heart for the community. She is one of the products featured in the first gluten-free food bank. Her generosity is amazing. Her cookies are better than home-made cookies. Win win. (see post below this for more).

Shelley Ritchie of Moondance Heavenly Desserts.

Shelley's from Georgia, and she's trying very hard to get into Whole Foods. I've been trying to help. She has THE BEST, period, bar none, brownies in the world.

They look like this

but taste...heavenly. And they're available through Gluten Free Mall.

The Best Gluten-Free Places of 2009:

1. Denver, Colorado, is the best gluten-free place on earth. It starts that this is the home my GF brother-from-another-mother, GF Steve! I truly cherish his insight and friendship and love. I can't wait to go to Denver to meet him and The Artist this August. While our friendship has grown from our blogs, it has transcended those blogs.

Also in Denver is perhaps the most important product I found this year -- Udi's Gluten Free. It wins the GF GOLD AWARD of 2009 in my book.

Because of Udi's, I will never have to settle for mediocre gluten-free bread again. Ever. The fact that the lovely Heather Collins at Udi's made me the Southeast Super Here (complete with cape) means I will do anything to get Udi's in a GF person's pantry. Seriously. I even went to stores in Tampa this break with Udi's to get the word out about their fine breads, muffins, and pizza crust. Udi's is Da Place. and Da Bomb.

Check out that sandwich above...wish I could show you my pizza I'm making for dinner.

Also in Denver is a special woman named Gluten-Free Dee, Dee Valdez.

She is the instigator of the first ever gluten-free food bank in Loveland, Colorado. She has inspired me to try to found one of these in my community, in middle Georgia, and in Atlanta. I know I will have great guidance and love with this. What a loving, giving spirit. So inspirational.

So yeah, I wanna go to Denver and take all of you with me!

And finally, the rest for 2009

Shoutouts to:

Gluten Free Gobsmacked author Kate Chan and the chicklet. How happy am I? Aunt Ging says hey!

The Atlanta Metro Celiacs and Middle Georgia GIG

Chef James Harris at Harrah's Atlantic City

Lee Tobin and the Whole Foods GF Bakehouse

GFMeals from Your Dinner Secrets (Pork cutlets!)

Nebo Restaurant in Boston

CurrySimple

Coconut Bliss

Blue Moon Pizza in Smyrna, Georgia

Outback in Roswell, Ga.

Sally's Bakery on Roswell Road

and of course,

My sweet Randy

and

to Lobster, the original GF food, anywhere

Much love, and here's to 2010.

Ging

Who needs a cookie swap? I've got GLOW!

2009-12-14T20:05:00.000-08:00

Because of issues with my autistic son's behavioral wanderlust, I didn't feel especially encouraged to attend my GIG's annual holiday cookie swap last weekend.

But thanks to Glow Gluten Free cookies, my cupboard is filled with delicious cookie treats!

I've said many times I'm not a baker -- my Mama, may she rest in peace, was the one who supplied our house with cookies and cakes. She was especially happy during the holidays, when she baked batches of Anise Cookies and Snowballs, and of course, Snickerdoodles for the love of her life, my son, Jeffrey.

Jeffrey loves Snickerdoodles. At first I thought they might be made with Snickers bars, but they're not -- they're a rich sugar cookie, rolled in cinnamon sugar. Sure, I could make them, but not like my Mama. (Jeffrey occasionally sneaks a package of raw dough into his grocery basket...and I baked some a while ago that were delicious.) But I'm no cookie baker.

When Mama died, there was a bag of Snickerdoodles in her freezer, and Jeffrey transported it to our freezer. He parceled out those cookies for about a year, eating them one at a time, about one a week.

I didn't think I could replicate my mother's Snickerdoodles, until a few weeks ago, when Jill Brandt, the lovely person behind Glow Gluten Free cookies, sent me a sampling of her wares. I actually approached her for additional samples -- I'd already purchased two types, the Gingersnap and the Double Chocolate Chip. I've bought both since, and will buy them again. (Hat tip toJGF -- she brought me the Gingersnaps....yummmmmmy!)

But oh, those Snickerdoodles. They're my Mama's Snickerdoodles, but healthier and better than ever.

When they're first out of the box, the Snickerdoodles are crisp. I actually put mine in the microwave for about 8 second, and it was perfectly warm and crispy. But I put them away after one cookie...and I didn't seal them well. But to my surprise, the second day, they were just a tad moister and softer -- exactly like my Mama's.

Wow.

Now, the unique selling point of Glow Gluten Free is that each cookie has two grams of fiber, is gluten and dairy free, and has 13 grams of carbs and nine grams of sugar. If you go to this page, you'll see ALL the nutritional information about these great cookies.

This Christmas eve, Santa will pull a fast one on Jeffrey. Instead of his leaving cookies for Santa, Santa will be stuffing his stocking with Glow Gluten Free Snickerdoodles, a real taste of home.

Thank you, Jill. You and Glow really have made my holiday season this year!

Much love, and I'm all a GLOW!

Ging

The cookie details: Seven per package, and each cookie is a generous serving.
Cost: Around $7 a package

Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for...

2009-12-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

You heard me saying a prayer for...
Glluten-free pizza I could care for

With apologies to Rodgers and Hart (and everyone who recorded it,) I think of that song every time I think of Blue Moon Pizza in Marietta and Vinings (We visited the one just off I-285 at the S. Atlanta Road exit).

A few weeks ago, my Gluten-Free Gurl Jennifer Harris invited me to meet her for lunch at Blue Moon. I'd heard and read the raves for the pizza there, but we were in search of the gluten-free pizza. Jennifer and another of the GFGs, the fabulous Julie Arens of Outback in Roswell, had tried it, and I knew I had to try it, too.

See that beautiful pizza? I gotta say, it is THE BEST gluten-free pizza I've ever had. The. Best. Ever. And I also tried the cheesy bread, which is JGF's favorite there.

The crust was crispy, the meaty toppings fresh, and the whole thing was just amazing...

This is Kelvin!

I met Kelvin Slater, who the proprietor with his wife Mandy, and I congratulated him on the great product. There's a lot of neat stuff about their menu and motive on their beautiful website, too. That's a great feature there about JGF, too!

Blue Moon Pizza's motto is, "life should be less ordinary". The gluten-free pizza sure isn't ordinary -- it's extraordinary.

Much love, and can't wait to go back next weekend!

Ging

Here's the hot slice:

The menu: (my gluten-eaters loved it, too. They had a bacon cheeseburger pizza)

2 Great Locations!

Marietta Store:
Phone: 770-984-2444
Fax: 770-818-2496
2359 Windy Hill Rd
Marietta, GA 30067
(1 mile west of I-75) Vinings Store:
Phone: 770-436-4446
Fax 770-436-4406
4600 West Village Place
Smyrna, GA 30080
(South Atlanta Rd. at I-285)

Follow them on Twitter @Bluemoonpizza and tell them Ging sent you!

email: contactus@bluemoonpizzaatl.com

General Mills has a new Gluten-Free List and Site!

2009-12-06T18:33:00.000-08:00

Check out the gluten-free list here!

Much love,
Ging

Fabulous Fruitcake for the holidays!

2009-11-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

OK, it's called It's Not Fruitcake. But American GraFrutti has got the MOST DELICIOUS cake of nuts and fruits I've had since I stopped eating gluten. I mean it.

Let me explain: I am a part of that rare breed of people who actually like fruitcake. A specific kind, from the city of Claxton, Ga., has always been a favorite. I love the mix of pecans and cherries, raisins and fruit.

I know. I know. I am the one who would claim the leftover bars given away at the office party (one year I scored EIGHT of them!)

But back to this cake. Wow. Amazing. I absolutely love it! Marilyn Santulli, the beautiful chef behind these luscious cakes, sent me a loaf for a Thanksgiving treat. I saved it until today.

Moist. Not overly, cloyingly sweet like most cakes. Crunchy pecans. Beautiful cherries. Amazing.

Here are the flavors and details.

TRADITIONAL
Gluten Free and Vegan

Gluten Free Flours, pecans, raisins, all natural cherries, raw agave nectar, natural oil blends, vegan beet sugar, soy protein, organic spices. 0 grams trans fats.

BERRY WONDERFUL (this is the flavor I enjoyed).
Gluten Free and Vegan

Gluten Free Flours, pecans, cranberries, blueberries, tart cherries, raw agave nectar, natural oil blends, vegan beet sugar, soy protein, organic spices. 0 grams trans fats.

CITRUS BERRY BLISS
Gluten Free and Vegan

Gluten Free Flours, pecans, blueberries, tart cherries, organic orange peel, raw agave nectar, natural oil blends, vegan beet sugar, soy protein, organic spices. 0 grams trans fats.

Now, I know someone out there has someone who loves fruitcake -- gluten free or not, this cake is a delicious, healthy holiday treat.

Trust me. I'm an expert.

Much love, and that cake is calling me.
Ging

Studying at the feet of the master

2009-11-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

This article with the recipe was published with Lee Tobin's permission. You can find other Whole Foods Gluten Free Recipes on the wonderful Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse Site.

When was the last time you attended a cooking class and didn’t worry for a second whether or not the food was safe for your gluten-free lifestyle?

When I heard Lee Tobin, the mastermind behind the Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse was holding a cooking class at Harry’s Farmers Market/Whole Foods in Alpharetta the night before 2009 Gluten-Free Vendor Fair, I couldn’t wait to sign up. An evening of gluten-free food from a gluten-free master? Heaven!

After all, who among us hasn’t marveled at the selection of gluten-free baked goods at Whole Foods? Whether it’s the pie crust (ah, the pie crust), the Nut Meal and Raisin Cookies, or the Scones, the selection at available at Whole Foods makes it a gluten-free person’s best friend.

But a cooking class with Lee Tobin? For me, it was like studying at the feet of the master. After all, Lee Tobin’s experience as a person diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 1996 led to his development of the Gluten-Free Bakehouse. If you read his inspiring story on the Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse websit you will see that it was both a love of food and a need for a quality, safe gluten-free product that made this product happen.

When I found my gluten-free friends Lori Pocock, Jennifer D. Harris, and Carol and Ron Hinton were going to be attending the class, too, I couldn’t wait for the evening.

The fifteen students in the class had the opportunity to taste a full-course meal called “Gluten Free Alternatives for the Holidays.” The menu included gluten-free chicken tenders, cooked with the new gluten-free bread crumbs, Turkey Pot Pie, Roasted Squash Stuffed with Quinoa, mini Yucca cakes with avocado vinaigrette, a classic Caesar salad with croutons, and a beautiful purple sweet potato pie.

With his kitchen helpers scurrying around him filling water and wine glasses and chopping ingredients, Lee prepared each dish for the audience. The chicken nuggets, soaked in buttermilk, were dipped in sweet rice flour, then in an egg wash, and dredged in the GF bread crumbs. Deep fried, the nuggets were crispy and delicious.

The turkey pot pie (recipe below) could become a standard around the holiday season. Though Lee used freshlycooked turkey, leftover cooked turkey or chicken would work. A step that that surprised me, though, was turning a GF pie crust into the top crust. I never thought to roll the thawed pie crust into a ball, then rolled it out for a pie crust.

My favorite recipe of the evening was the mini yucca cakes with avocado vinaigrette. Lee grated one yucca root, then mixed in a can of black beans, corn, red pepper and green onions. He seasoned with mix with cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper, and baked them in the oven. Topped with the vinaigrette, the caked were crunchy and savory.

As the evening’s meal came to an end, Lee asked the audience for any gluten-free requests. People suggested pita bread, French bread, and croissants, but several simply urged him to keep doing what’s he doing. For a long, long time, please?

If you want to see more pictures of Lee and Daniel Lyons in action at the GF Vendor Fair, go here:

Gluten-Free Turkey Pot Pie
Serves 6 to 8
There's always something comforting about eating rich and creamy turkey pot pie and this version is no exception. Use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, or even shredded roasted chicken, to make this simple take on a classic even easier. Lee Tobin adapted this classic Whole Foods recipe for the gluten-free diet.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 pound button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
3 tablespoons sweet rice flour flour
1 1/2 cups turkey or low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 1/2 cup fresh peas
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (9-inch) frozen Whole Foods Gluten Free pie shells (in pie pans)
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add leeks, carrots and celery and cook over medium heat until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and set aside. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in skillet. Add mushrooms and cook over medium high heat until they have given off their moisture and are tender, about 10 minutes. Add leek mixture to skillet and toss to combine. Add flour, stir well and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add broth while stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick. Add turkey, all but 1 tablespoon of the cream, thyme, salt and pepper and stir well. Transfer contents of skillet to a large bowl and set aside to let cool.

Remove pie crusts from the freezer and set one aside to let thaw. Fill remaining pie crust with cooled turkey mixture and moisten the edges with a bit of water. Roll second pie crust into a ball and after kneading it, roll it between two pieces of parchment paper into a round top crust. Place the crust on top of the turkey mixture, then crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush crust all over with remaining tablespoon of cream and bake until golden brown, crust is cooked through and filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Set aside to let cool for 15 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.

Much love, and Lee, many thanks for everything you do!
Ging

They'll Never Know...A GF Cake with an Edge!

2009-11-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

photo from the website

I was at Celiac Awareness Day in September at Harry's Farmer's Market in Alpharetta when I met a lovely woman selling a cake made out of spinach and squash. And carrots. Vegan. Gluten free. Non-dairy, too. I swear to you, my immediate thought was BLEAH.

But the cake was petite and beautiful, and aslice of it on the plate looked delicious -- like a gourmet carrot-spice cake, MY FAVORITE, I thought.

Being that I am watching my blood-glucose level, I tasted a small bite. I was BLOWN AWAY by the richness, the texture, and the spicy flavor. I told the baker then, I am going to write about your product on my blog. And while it has taken me a while, my thoughts are truly sincere:

Thank you, American GraFrutti. You sure named this cake right when you called it "They'll Never Know..."

I ran into the talented baker behind American GraFrutti, the beautiful Marilyn Santulli, at the Atlanta Gluten-Free Vendor Fair last month, and I told her I was still planning to blog about her wonderful cake. She gave me one to bring home and savor, and I greatly appreciated it. I managed to sneak a few bites of the sample, and again, it was luscious and delicious.

Marilyn's photo is from her website.

I am more like saving the cake, though, because it is the PERFECT dessert to take to a holiday party this year. First, it's priced very reasonably -- at Return to Eden, the cost is about $11 for the small cake. I also saw it at Whole Foods for a similar price. Also, it is a beautiful cake -- frosted in cream-colored rich icing, it has beautiful piping and is placed in a perfect little box and frozen. I think this cake would make a splendid gift for a gluten-free housewarming (or hostess) gift! I know I would love it!

But you know what else the wonderful Marilyn makes? Fruitcake. I didn't get to try it -- I don't know why--but you have to know, I ADORE FRUITCAKE and have missed is so much since going gluten free. So you can bet I will be ringing up Marilyn to order some fruitcake for the holidays. You don't have to worry, though -- I won't pass it on to you like some dumb booby prize in a "dirty Santa" game. I will keep it for myself and eat it greedily, little bit by little bit... They even ship nationwide!

But back to American GraFrutti. Did I mention the wonderful Pimento Cheese? I bought a tub for $5 and greedily scarfed it down on some Udi's White Bread for a sandwich I know and love...and Marilyn's is great. And there are the "trufflesque" Carob Coconut Drop Cookies, too. Oh my! I love them, too.

But the "They'll Never Know" cake has stolen my heart while not clogging it with cholesterol and bad things. You GOTTA love that.

This information comes from my friend

Jennifer D. Harris' post on Examiner.Com.

(Yay JGF!)

I think it's important to include the ingredient list, but for goodness sake, don't let this stop you from buying this wonderful cake! It is AWESOME! Like Marilyn said, "They'll Never Know!"

“They’ll Never Know” Cake
American Gra-Frutti, LLC
P.O. Box 72406, Marietta, GA 30007

INGREDIENTS:
CAKE: ORGANIC NATURAL EVAPORATED CANE SUGAR, TAPIOCA STARCH, WHITE RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, CHICKORY ROOT, SEA SALT, GRAINLESS & ALUMINUM FREE BAKING POWDER, (SODIUM BICARBONATE, SODIUM ACID PRYOPHOSPHATE, POTATO STARCH), ORGANIC VANILLA POWDERED (CONTAINS CORN DERIVATIVES, RICE BRAN, XANATHAN GUM), CAGE FREE EGGS, FILTERED WATER, UNSWEETENED PINEAPPLE, ORGANIC CARROT,ORGANIC SQUASH, GRAPESEED OIL, ORGANIC SPINACH, CINNAMON, BICARBONATE OF SODA, ORGANIC ALMOND FLAVOR),

FROSTING: ORGANIC POWDERED SUGAR, VEGAN BUTTER (EXPELLER-PRESSED) NATURAL
OIL BLEND (SOYBEAN, PALM FRUIT, CANOLA AND OLIVE OILS), FILTERED WATER, PURE SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR (DERIVED FROM CORN,NO MSG, NO ALCOHOL, NO GLUTEN), SOY PROTEIN, SOY LECITHIN, LACTIC ACID (NON-DAIRY, DERIVED FROM SUGAR BEETS), COLORED WITH BETA-CAROTENE FROM NATURAL SOURCE), ORGANIC ALMOND FLAVOR).
CONTAINS: EGGS, SOY

Much love, and you're right, "They'll Never Know!"
Ging

And the winner is....

2009-10-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

I used the random number generator here at Truly Random Number and the winner is.....

Karen at Fab Grandma!

Karen, send me an email (which is posted on my site) and I'll get the copy of Annalise's great book to you ASAP!

Much love, Ging

Delicious Dinners Direct to your Door

2009-10-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

Back when Jeffrey was an infant, we lived in Wurzburg, Germany. One of our favorite restaurants, just up the street from our economy apartment, was a Gasthaus that served delicious schnitzel. My favorite was always the pork schnitzel (there are lots of varieties) with its crispy crust and tender, spiced-just-right taste. Sometimes I'd order one for me and one for Jeffrey, which explains why I was so huge when we returned from Germany...but I digress.

I was never able to find that taste in an American product, but last week, I did, in the breaded pork cutlets made by gfmeals.

Selling at $20 a package (and a package has four servings according to the label) these cutlets took me back to the Schnitzel Factory near Kitzinger, Germany. I was in bliss! They also, I might add, are low in calories and carbohydrates, and have only one gram of sugar. That's great for my GF/SF diabetic diet!

There's really a lot to like about gfmeals by Your Dinner Secrets, and over the last month I've become a fan for two reasons. First, they're sold frozen and shipped for a reasonable shipping cost based on the cost of the order. Second, I really like the co-founded, Roni Piterman, whose son is recovering from ADHD through a gluten-free, casein-free diet (this product is free of most major allergins -- including gluten, of course, which matters most to me personally). According to their website:

Your Dinner Secret was founded in January 2007 to bring the finest entrees, sides and baked goods to the people of Los Angeles. In mid-2007 we recognized that people nationwide were desperately in need of frozen, ready-to-cook, entrees, sides and baked goods that are gluten-free and casein-free. Families dealing with autism, aspergers, ADHD and celiac disease embraced us, and word of our service spread across the US. We developed the brand gfMeals to serve this market. Now, since we use organic produce and all-natural meat, we also serve the nationwide market of people who simply want to lead a healthier lifestyle.

The website also has a wonderful section on the gf/cf diet for those considering it for a person with autism or ADHD.

I also tried the delicious turkey meatloaf. It's priced reasonably (about $16.50) serves three and is delicious. I'd consider having these in my freezer for those days when I've got to produce a meal but have no ambition when I get home. To me, though it's delicious, making meatloaf s a sloppy, intensive process. And I have to take my rings off to do it -- yuck. This meatloaf had an especially piquant sweet onion sauce. Though it's a little high for my low sugar diet, I liked the meatloaf fine without it, too. Either way works fine. Oh, and I love that there's no green pepper in it. I absolutely don't like green pepper in my meatloaf! This is actually very close to my recipe, to tell the truth.

Roni sent me samples of the pork cutlets and the turkey meatloaf at my request on Twitter, and she has secured a customer because of it. As soon as I can, I'm anxious to order a stock of the pork cutlets for my freezer -- they're perfectly sized for my diet, are delicious, and are very versatile. I thought about making pork parmegiana -- add sauce and cheese. Or Jaeger Schnitzel, bu adding a mushroom gravy. But I mostly like them plain. They're delicious and so easy to prepare, I can do them from frozen in my toaster oven in only 20 minutes. (Just be sure to spray the pan as directed.)

Oh, and they have weekly specials (which will tempt you in your email mailbox every week) AND a great newsletter called "The Secret Scoop.

Thank you, Roni, for the chance to sample your product. I'm so impressed.

Now, here's my idea for you, my readers. When people ask you what you want for holiday gifts, why not request a gift pack from gfmeals? It's a great freezer staple, no more expensive than some gluten-free products in the supermarket, and it's delicious. What a great gift!

Here's all the details:

Your Dinner Secret
www.gfMeals.com
888-700-5610
20929 Ventura Blvd., #22
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Your Source For Gluten and Casein-Free Entrees, Sides and Baked Goods Shipped To Your Door

Keep in touch with gfMeals on Facebook.
Keep in touch with gfMeals on Twitter.

Much tasty love!
Ging

A thoughtful book, and a give-away!

2009-10-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about a deal where you could purchase a Zojirushi bread machine and receive a copy of Annalise G. Roberts' Gluten-Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine.. I was thrilled to receive a copy of the book for review, but, with full disclosure, I admit I don't have a Zo, so I couldn't test the recipes.

I wish I did, though. Now more than ever. This book should be nicknamed Clarissa, because it explains it all!

If you are new to the gluten-free baking world, and you have a Zo, this book will make your life and baking very straightforward and deliciously easy. I love to read cookbooks, and after reading the sections of this book on the gluten-free baking pantry, the flour mix ratios, and so much more. I could feel my taste buds activating when I read about the cinnamon swirl bread...I learned a lot from the book, in short, and that's an essential tool in good cook-book writing, in my opinion.

Annalise Roberts is a baking goddess, loved and revered by members of the gluten-free baking world. And her book is a true service vehicle to those who are gluten-free. In short, it's a must have for your baking library -- as long as you have a Zo, that is.

So for that reason, I am going to make this book available to one of my readers as a prize. You see, I don't have a Zo, and as a college professor of limited means (read:furloughed but fabulous?) I don't see buying one in my future. So for me, while this books is delightful, inspiring, delicious reading, it does me no good.

So here's the deal: Tell me in the comments here why you think I should give you this book (which in a way will be a tribute to Annalise's fabulous work) AND then I'll use my husband's random number ap to pick a winner.

Deadline to enter and win: Sunday, October 25. 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. I'll announce the winner and ask him or her to send me mailing details. Cool enough?

Thank you Agate Publishing, for producing such a fine book. And thank you, Annalise Roberts, for ALL you do for the gluten-free world.

Much love, and best of luck!

Ging

A B-Udi-ful Product for the Gluten-Free

2009-09-30T06:55:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, I received what I've been calling "a box full of love" from Udi's Gluten Free Foods, a Gluten-Free Bakery in Denver, Co. My lil bro Gluten Free Steve, who lives in Denver, has been taunting me with tid-bits about Udi's for a year or so now. Finally, I got my chance to try this product.

And for three weeks, I have been savoring every last morsel of food from this box. I am in LOVE LOVE LOVE with Udi's, so much so that I want to move to Denver so I can camp out on their doorstep. Seriously.

Yes. It's bread that is THAT good. Muffins that are luscious and delicious. Pizza crust crispy and hearty.

Nirvana. Manna. Heaven on a plate. And no, I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean every letter of every word.

Yea, I know. I'm gushing. But here's why. Udi's products taste like they're not gluten free, which to me is the whole point.

My first sample was the blueberry muffin. Now, as you know, I'm a baking slug. I am too lazy to make even something simple like muffins (from a mix, no less). But this muffin....well, three things about it. Great crumb, moist and delicious, no after taste. Moderate carb content, so it didn't spike my blood sugar. And great shelf life -- four muffins for me lasted four days (thank you God Randy doesn't like muffins. Of course, I threatened his life if he ate one. But I did share with him....I promise). I love that these sat on the counter for a long weekend and didn't go stale or get moldy. WOW.

Aren't they B-Udi-Ful? Yeah, that hole is where I pulled out a blueberry the size of my thumb. Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Test two: A sandwich. Randy and I made sandwiches for lunch the next day. I made my one-slice wonder tomato sandwich on the Udi's bread, and I thought I was eating a gluten-filled bread. And Randy couldn't tell the difference. The white bread is like what good white bread should be -- and it, too had a shelf life of about three days. Of course, that's how long it took me to eat the whole loaf, two slices at a time, as a carb serving on my diabetic diet. It's perfect. IT IS THE BEST PACKAGED GLUTEN-FREE LOAF BREAD. I love that sold fresh it is ready to eat, but that it thaws to freshness and doesn't have to be retoasted or heated to taste good, too. Amazing.

I just wish I could buy it around here. Sigh. Every time I frequent a gluten-free food purveyor, I ask them to carry it. Honestly.

But I also want to add a couple of things. First, I've NEVER seen anything but a positive review of Udi's bakery and products. NEVER. Like this rave by the Denver Gluten-Free Examiner. Or this support by my lil bro Gluten Free Steve,

They're also on Twitter at @udisglutenfree. Follow, people! Follow!

And while I'm here, let me mention this. @GlutenfreeDee, the Twitter face of Udi's, is one of the nicest people I've ever met. (Here's her website.) She has become a virtual friend to me -- I can't wait til I get to Denver next summer! Gluten-Free Steve is going to take me to meet her. What a joyful day that will be! (and I can't wait to see my carry-on luggage on the trip back from that one...) I hear there are cinnamon rolls to die for there....

The Udi's site has all the details for purchase, but let me reiterate: You can find Udi’s Gluten Free foods in participating King Soopers, or ask for us in the bakery department at your grocer’s. Their dedicated gluten-free bakery is located at 101 E. 70th Ave (corner Broadway) in Denver, CO 80221 (303)657-1600. Café patrons can watch as our bakers work to get you the best gluten free product on the market.

Like I said. B-Udi-Ful!

Much love, especially to you, @GlutenFreeDee
Ging

Skipping along with Nature's Path

2009-09-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Not long after we got back from vacation, I got a box full of love from Nature's Path, the organic, and-- importantly for me -- careful with gluten-free products company.

I'll admit it. I'm addicted. Their products -- from Mesa Sunrise Cereal to the yummy EnviroKidz to Honey'd Corn Flakes to the Crispy Rice Bars, well, they're a fave.

But in addition to the product, I also fell in love the company, what it stands for, and especially, its excellent products.

Take for instance, its minifesto: First, from its website:

At Nature’s Path, we live for healthy, great-tasting organic foods. It’s why we get up in the morning. But we are also a company that wants to do more than just sell breakfast foods.

But this made me actually PROUD to be a customer of the company.

"We aspire to advance the cause of people and planet, along the path to sustainability. And we like to think we put our money where our mouth is. Or rather, where our heart is. Because growing organic, healthy foods in a sustainable way is our passion—the cornerstone of our family company. It’s where, and how, it all began.

But we also know that when it comes down to it—no matter what kind of a difference we want to make as a company, and no matter how much you share those values—if our food isn’t delicious and exciting, we’re not living up to our fullest potential.

Healthy foods don’t need to be boring and tasteless. Which is why we spend our days and nights dreaming up new recipes, tracking down exotic new ingredients, and researching the latest (or most ancient) superfoods. We know you’ll be pretty impressed when you read our labels. But we hope you’ll be even more impressed when you take your first bite."

Admittedly, it has taken me a long time to make this post, because my new diabetes concerns has caused me to have to significantly limit my cereal intake. For me, 3/4 a cup means 3/4 a cup -- most of us wouldn't recognize portion control like that voluntarily...I admit it.

Ok, so on to the product review. I give it THREE YUMS UP! I didn't try a single thing I didn't like and could not make, in a moderated portion, a part of my gluten-free/diabetic/gastroparesis diet.

For the kid in me -- EnviroKidz is yummy, slightly sweet, and crunchy. I especially like the Cereal Bars I like that I can buy both of these brands at my local Kroger. With a cup of vanilla-flavored almond milk, it's yummy for a bedtime snack!

And honestly, I keep one of the Crispy Rice Bars in my purse in case of a blood sugar low. It also makes a great snack that DOESN'T spike my blood sugar AND for some reason, I don't have an adverse reaction to it.

But perhaps my favorite was the Honey'd Corn Flakes. They're GREEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAATTT! OK? Get it?

I admire and respect the company, and I'm happy to share this product with you in the gluten-free world. Many of you already know it, but I hope with this post, you'll appreciate even more what the lovely selections from Nature's Path Has to offer us in the gluten-free world.

Much love, and crunch crunch!

Ging

Help Moondance make it to Whole Foods!

2009-09-07T09:26:00.001-07:00

Perhaps you remember my blog post about Moondance Heavenly Desserts, Shelley Ritchie's wonderful bakery.

Shelley is in the middle of a campaign to have her delectable products carried by Whole Foods, and we can help.

Please go to this page of Shelley's website and click on the letter link on the left.

Or, you can use this copy here.

I'm heading to Whole Foods in Atlanta next weekend, and I plan to take TWO copies of the letter -- one for each store!

You should, too. We all need a little more heaven in our lives!

Much love, and I can't wait til I can buy these in the south!
Ging

Welcome to Ging Recommends!

2009-08-30T10:50:00.001-07:00

And thanks for joining me over here in product-review land!

The reviews and information on this site are totally my own. No endorsement on this site is a paid endorsement. While I do accept samples from companies, I have no fiduciary obligation to them.

I will do my best here to give you my thoughtful evaluation of the best of the GF World.

My first post will be up shortly. Stay tuned!

Much love,
Ging