June 2015: Betty Crocker GF Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

“C is for cookie, that’s good enough for me” -Cookie Monster

Summertime means block parties celebrating the 4th of July. Summertime means weekend trips to the Big Apple and nation’s capital. Summertime means lazy afternoons binge-watching tv shows on Netflix. But summertime also means homemade baked goods. No, those aren’t just for Christmas time and the New Years. Any occasion– summer or winter– calls for a plate of homemade cookies!

Cookies. Such a simple baked good. Just add 1 stick of butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 egg to Betty Crocker’s GF Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. Mix throughly– I’d recommend mixing with a spoon or spatula first and then kneading it with your hands– it makes the dough softer. The instructions call for an ungreased cookie sheet, however I’m a fan of using Pam. And I found that if you choose to make smaller, bite-size cookies, you can make approximately 24 cookies from 1/2 the chocolate chip cookie mix. Moreover, only bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake the cookies.Keeping all these tips in mind, this recipe is simple. So simple even a fourth grader could bake these cookies. These are soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Hands down my favorite chocolate chip cookies!

Also try out Betty Crocker’s GF Brownie Mix! The best gluten-free brownie mix I’ve had thus far. I haven’t been able to get my hands on the gluten-free cake mix yet, but I’m dying to try it. Comment with your favorite gluten-free baking mixes!

Cheers,

Anika

May 2015: Simple Mills Pumpkin Muffin Almond Flour Mix

Here we are. The first day of summer. You know what that means? No, I am not on my way to the shore with a light summer romance novel and sunscreen in hand. But rather, this is finally the time for me to catch up on my posts from this past month of exams, standardized testing, and traveling. As we are a few days into June, I think it’s about time I write about May’s product of the month: pumpkin muffins made from an almond flour based mix.

These pumpkin muffins are scrumptious and easy to make. With the addition of simply eggs, water, and oil, you have yourself a dozen muffins. Moist and soft if you follow the recipe exactly as it is stated on the back of the box. I could smell the pumpkin flavor from halfway across the kitchen! If you like your muffins extra soft, I would recommend adding half  banana into the mix or extra butter.

These muffins are different than most other gluten-free ones as they are also paleo-friendly. So instead of the typical rice flour, tapioca flour, and corn flour based baked goods, these are almond flour based, adding a little extra protein. And they are made from only 12 organic, simple ingredients. You can also spruce up these muffins by adding chopped walnuts, cream cheese icing, or a sprinkle of sugar on top. You can also try the banana muffin mix from Simple Mills (also gluten-free and paleo)– they are almost as delicious (I am personally biased towards banana bread in terms of my favorite banana baked good, so pumpkin muffins trump banana muffins in my books).

 

 

 

Snap Custom Pizza

Hello, fellow gluten-free eaters! Things are starting to look up – summer is right around the corner – endless sunshine, Capri’s water ice, and family vacations. As I finish up the tail-end of tests and exams, I’ve discovered some great new eateries around the area. Being a teenager myself, I like to think pizza is a main/the-most-important food group for all teenagers alike (and its not just me, right?).

Snap Custom Pizza is a relatively new pizza place in Ardmore. I can’t say I have actually been in person, however I felt the need to write about it simply after eating their gluten-free pizza. Yes, they have a gluten-free crust option with only a $1 additional charge. I have to say, that is the smallest minimum charge I’ve ever seen – honestly it’s outrageous how much extra items can cost when they are gluten-free. Anyways, during crunch time for exams, I tried a delicious Farmer’s Market Pizza. Garlic, mozzarella, mushrooms, roasted peppers, arugula, cherry tomatoes, ricotta on a thin, crispy, and yummy gluten-free crust– the whole deal. Now that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and yes, they do have many other prefixed options, however what they are really known for is their custom pizza. It essentially takes six easy steps to create your ideal pizza: choose a foundation, pick a sauce, choose your cheeses, add some protein, throw on your vegetables, and finally garnish with finishing touched. It’s that easy. And for a set price! And we all know we have certain foods we just aren’t a huge fan of and certain toppings that we can’t stand on pizza, hence making a custom pizza sounds a like a dream come true (at least I think it does!).

Going back to the crust for a minute, just a note, I really enjoyed the crust! And it can be hard to find good gluten-free crusts, however if you’re not a fan of thin crusts, I would not recommend this. No, it’s not as thing as the crust from Jules Thin Crust Pizza, however it is quite similar to Udi’s Pizza Crust in thickness. Not necessarily a bad thing or a good thing, but rather something to keep in mind.

Anyways, I’m going to keep this short and sweet, definitely a great place with great pizza!

Cheers,

Anika

April 2015: Tonya’s Kitchen Original Soft Pretzels

Happy belated National Pretzel Day! Missed it by just a few days (but can you blame me? I have yet to find a calendar that has this holiday!), but thankfully I just made in time for National Pretzel Month. In addition to birthdays in my family, the start of spring, the return of Rita’s water ice, and the beginning to the oh-so-hellish end of the academic year, April marks the wonderful celebration of National Pretzel Month. As a fellow gluten-free foodie, I promise, there is much to celebrate when it comes to gluten-free pretzels.

Let me start with the classic pretzel twists and rods, Glutino and Snyder’s GF pretzels are my two favorite when it comes to old-fashioned pretzels. They’re great on their own, with some Sriracha hummus, or even to make those wacky little edible Halloween spiders that kids get weirdly excited about (you know, the ones made from two crackers as the body, 8 pretzels for the legs, raisins as eyes, and some peanut butter to hold it all together?). As for “dessert” pretzels or pretzels for those you with a mean sweet tooth, Glutino has great chocolate covered pretzels: chocolate fudge, yogurt, and peppermint yogurt– I whole-heartedly vouch for all three flavors! As for my most recent discovery, a new branch of the gluten-free pretzel family: warm n’ delicious of pretzels.

I don’t know this for a fact, but until I see anything that proves the contrary, I’m going to assume it to be fact. Tonya’s Kitchen GF Soft Pretzels are the only gluten-free soft pretzels I had ever seen, found, bought, or eaten. Ever. These scrumptious little savory treats are hand-twisted buttery delights! As a source a of validation, I can honestly say my mom thinks they are up to par with Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels. As for me, not having eaten a soft-pretzel in years (or even in lifetimes?), I don’t exactly recall what my expectations were– maybe hard or dry or discolored, or disfigured or simply lacking the original soft pretzel taste. But this, this exceeded any possible expectations I could have had. Possibly, or quite probably, my new favorite gluten-free product (huh, maybe that’s why this is the product of the month?). If you adore cute, little packets of salt to add to your liking and not ginormous and not minuscule but rather “normal” sized gluten-free food and you want to taste an out-of-this-world gluten-free soft world (a phenomenon I wouldn’t have believed existed until this month), then do yourself a favor and try Tonya’s GF soft pretzels! And if salty or savory foods aren’t your thing, Tonya’s Kitchen also has GF Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels ! I haven’t tried them yet, but if y’all try it out first, please let me know how it is.

Until next year #nationalpretzelmonth!

Cheers!

Anika

New [Artful] Adventures

URBN. A company that comprises of brands such as Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, BHLDN, and Terrain. Extremely appealing lifestyle-centric shopping experience. Eclectic. Vintage. Global. Bold. Youthful. Creative. Sensuous. Inspiring.

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This past week I had the great pleasure of visiting and touring the Urban Outfitters Headquarters in Philadelphia. As a loyal Anthropologie customer and Free People enthusiast, this was truly an exciting and special experience. Let me start by saying this is not an ordinary business. Overflowing with creativity and filled with passion, each URBN buildings had its own “quirky” personality. From Buddha statues to a coi fish pond, modern art lining the walls to umbrellas with embroidered Indian fabrics, you can’t help but secretly (or not so secretly) wishing you worked there.

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So this is all wonderful, you may be thinking, but what does this have to do with eating gluten-free? Well the truly forward-thinking atmosphere created here at URBN doesn’t end in the workplace- the cafeteria (also open to public) was health-conscious in every aspect (I’m not kidding– there was even a gym in there).

The cafeteria was divided into 6 stations where you can find everything from a black rice rainbow roll to caprese sandwiches to teriyaki stir-fry. There were signs and labels around the cafeteria marking vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian options, and many of the pre-packaged items were “Whole-Foods-like” products. I had a spicy tuna roll, gluten-free peanut butter cookie, and Lima Lemon Bai. Honestly, what more can a girl want?! In addition to the terrific food, the cafeteria also shared the same eclectic architecture and decor that URBN’s brands promote.

So if you’re in the city and have an urge to check out the Urban Outfitters Headquarters, I’d say you can’t leave without eating a meal there as well!

Cheers,

Anika

March 2015: Luna Bars

Whether it has passed or is yet to come, I wish you all a very happy spring break! Hopefully you’re one of the smarter ones who migrated to a warmer climate and currently are lying on a beach in Miami with a strawberry daiquiri in hand. If not, I wish you the best of luck as you brace yourselves against the cold front in the north– I suggest a ski mask.

This month’s product is one of my favorite go-t0-any-time-of-the-day-snacks and is a much overdue product of the month: Luna Bars. There aren’t enough words to express the rush of emotions I felt when I saw the little pink stamp on Luna Bars officially certifying them as “gluten-free”. It’s a wonder how impactful the small things in life can be.

Twitter GF Luna Bars

Luna Bars are now a staple part of my diet. Previously, I bought Luna Protein Bars on occasion, as they were already declared as being gluten-free, however with newly-granted access to all Luna flavors, there is simply no reason to resist. With the oats being gluten-free certified, Luna Bars are something I insist everyone with celiac, eating gluten-free, and anyone who likes a delicious AND healthy snack try. And yes, even men. I promise this whole nutrition bar for women is not just for women. From white chocolate macadamia to honey salted peanut to carrot cake, there is a flavor (or two, or three, or nine) for everyone. For first timers, the lemon zest bar is a Luna classic- a great first Luna Bar. From there, the world is your oyster. Explore you local grocery store and check out a Wegmans, Whole Foods, etc. to find even great variety in flavors. I’m still trying to get my hands on all 13 original Luna flavors and the 6 protein bars!

Cheers,

Anika

February 2015: Conte’s Spinach & Cheese Ravioli
“If winter come, can spring be far behind?” -Percy Shelley
And here comes Thor with yet another snow day! Stay warm and stay safe as we face one of the worst storms of the season. As we push through the winter weather, there’s nothing like a warm home-cooked meal to pull us through the tail end of the season. It’s been a whole month of ice days and snow days. But not all of us have enough hours in a day to prepare a hot, homemade dinner, so we need another quicker solution. Without compromising the “homemade taste”, you can whip up delicious gluten-free pasta in less than 15 minutes!
Conte’s Spinach & Cheese Ravioli is delicious and easy dinner option. The spinach and feta filling is a family favorite- even my brother, who isn’t restricted to eating gluten-free, said he couldn’t tell the difference between the gluten-free and normal ravioli! Simply add 1 1/2 tbsp. of salt to a pot of boiling water with the gluten-free ravioli for approximately 10-14 minutes. The directions say to boil the pasta for 8-10 minutes, but I find that the pasta is on the undercooked side, so I keep it on the heat for a bit longer. Additionally, you can make numerous variations of this ravioli with little to no meal prep. Top the ravioli with my great homemade Alfredo sauce recipe, fresh pesto, or even red marinara sauce.
So I’ll keep this short and sweet- but I’d just like to say thank you all for your support. This will be my 100th post for The Gluten-Free You- it’s a truly exciting milestone! Please share TGFY on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with your friends, family, neighbors, and pets. It’s been such a pleasure to be able to share my story, and I look forward to continue sharing the best of the gluten-free world!
Cheers,
Anika

Sweet Bakery

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

2015. A new start, another chance to do or be something great. Taking that mentality in stride, throughout this year, I’ll be blogging about places I have eaten at or traveled to during 2014 that I did not have the chance (or rather time) to blog about. In other words, 2015 will bring #throwbacktravelposts consisting of restaurants, bakeries, and eateries with great gluten-free options when traveling the world! This way, I can share all the wonderful, hidden GF options the world has to offer (see the travel section).

This past summer, I spend the tail end of break road tripping across the east coast with my family. As we traveled from city to city, I was honestly surprised by the visibly growing awareness of celiac disease and eating gluten-free. Early on in the trip, we visited “the Hub”. I hadn’t been since I was five – and my only vivid memories were of “quacking” while on the duck boat tours and buying a jellyfish stuffed animal from the aquarium. So obviously we had no choice but to experience Boston the touristy way this time around. So day one we walked the Freedom Trail from start to finish. And you’ll be surprised by the numerous gluten-free options along the trail. There were a couple Clover food trucks scattered throughout and nearby the trail, but the real treat was the delicious GF cupcakes from Sweet Bakery.

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Sweet Bakery has six locations spread across Boston. As I passed the Downtown cupcakery while walking the Freedom Trail, I spotted a sign on the window saying “we have gluten-free cupcakes!”. Of course we had to pop in and try the cupcakes- it would literally be a crime not to. Since Sweet Bakery does not have a dedicated gluten-free bakery, they get their GF cupcakes from an alternative gluten-free bakeries to prevent cross-contamination. I ordered two mini GF red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. These cupcakes were from a local Boston bakery called “Glutenus minimus”. I might be slightly biased because red velvet is my absolute favorite, but these gourmet cupcakes were exquisite. You can find Glutenus minimus baked goods in their bakery in Belmont, MA or many other bakeries located in Massachusetts. So if you ever find yourself in Boston, enjoy the rich history the city has to offer with a sweet cupcake in yourself hand!

Cheers,

Anika

January 2015: Trader Joe’s GF Brownie Mix

This is questionably the most disquieting and rejuvenating time of year. Rounding the last corner of 2014, some of us leave behind familiarity, take comfort in the newly found ability to change, and seek a new beginning. Others are content in with their choices and their seemingly inevitable fate and pray for nothing to change. Some choose to confront our actions of the past year and others choose to move forward without taking a glance at the powdered rubble that lay where they once trekked.

Where do you stand as a new year and new opportunity stand right before us? Are you smiling as you replay back intimate, cherished memories in your head from the year past? Are you regretfully looking back on a year full of mistakes ready for a clean slate? No matter what events transpired in 2014, 2015-or simply the mere idea of a new year- can bring about a fresh start or a reminder of who we are and who we want to be.

How are you going to play the next chapter in the game of life? Well, that is that’s up to you, my friend.

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And the holiday baking continued. Over this winter break, a friend of mine kindly baked me a batch of gluten-free brownies. It’s not too often people are willing to share their baked goods (obviously with good reason) – so do be appreciative of when they do!

They were absolutely de-licious. In each bite, the brownie crumbles apart in your mouth into a perfect combination of silky chocolatey-ness with an immensely chewy texture. I thought I had reached a heaven for brownie-enthuiasts with Betty Crocker’s GF Brownie Mix; however, I was shocked to find that these Trader Joe’s brownies hands down beat out the former reigning champion. Now, mind you, I did not bake these brownies, so I can only pray that they will turn out just as good when I do. Additionally, to mix things up a little, my friend added chopped walnuts to the brownie mix for a little nutty flavor. If you would like to experience the perfection of gluten-free brownies, simply purchase the baking mix from Trader Joe’s, follow the directions on the box, add some chopped walnuts, and voila!

Happy baking and cheers to the endless possibilities the new year may bring!

Anika

December 2014: Betty Crocker GF Chocolate Brownie Mix

“Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate” -Jo Brand

The holiday season is here! Bright lights, gingerbread houses, festive snowman sweaters, peppermint hot chocolate, ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas- the whole ordeal. It’s that time of year to spread warmth and joy, to give a friendly smile to a stranger, and to donate presents to those less fortunate in true holiday spirit. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

In keeping with holiday traditions, I have commenced the journey through a baker’s heaven- starting with a scrumptious batch of gluten-free “double chocolate” brownies. I have made numerous batches of GF brownies over the years, but Betty Crockers GF Chocolate Brownie mix is unparalelled in the field of brownie mixes. Instead of the typical sticky, dense gluten-free brownie, I strived to make a brownie that was immensely chocolatey, fudge-y, and chewy in the middle with a crackly top- the perfect brownie. And that is exactly what I made with this mix.

I had been using Bob’s Red Mill GF Brownie Mix for years. At first, I was satisfied with the mere idea of being able to eat a brownie again. But I soon realized that the brownie itself wasn’t satisfying at all! These brownies were sticky. With each bite, the morsels of brownie would stick to my front teeth and gum line. Definitely not the most pleasant experience! The corner pieces weren’t even worth fighting over- and that’s saying something.

Betty Crockers was my savior. This mix allowed me to make brownies to the point of bakery perfection. I followed the simple recipe on the back of the box: heat up the oven to 350 degrees, grease the baking pan, stir the brownie mix, 1/2 stick of butter, and 2 eggs, spread the batter, and bake. It only takes five-ten minutes to prep before popping the brownies in the oven to bake. I only made one alteration: I added about 1/3 cup of semisweet medium-sized chocolate chips to the batter. I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a chocoholic, and if you are too, I would definitely recommend adding a little more chocolate to enhance the flavor. You can even get creative by adding white and dark chocolate chips to the batter, frosting the brownies with peanut butter, or even sprinkling crushed peppermint for a fun holiday twist!

Hopefully you whip up a batch of brownies or two this holiday season and send in any pictures of your baking creations!!

Cheers,

Anika