I am often asked by my readers and radio show listeners how I manage to stay energized and stress-free with my busy work schedule. I’m not going to lie to you—it’s pretty tough. Over the years, I’ve figured out, though, that the secret to feeling good is taking care of yourself. I depend on a well-balanced diet, healthy supplements, and exercise to keep me going during the day. That’s why when I heard about gluten-free RelaxZen products, which are designed to promote emotional and physical well-being without drugs and caffeine, I knew I had to give them a try.

I tried both the Day and Night formulas, which are the two most popular RelaxZen products. RelaxZen Day contains herbs, vitamins (including Vitamins B6 and B12), and amino acids. This formula made it easier for me to concentrate on my work and kept me perky even in the late afternoons when I tend to slow down.

Since RelaxZen Day was such as success, I tried RelaxZen Night. I don’t suffer from any sleep problems, but after a busy day, it can be hard to unwind and get myself in “sleep mode.” I have been taking the Night formula as I get ready for bed and have found that I’m much more inclined to go straight to sleep, instead of thinking about the day that just passed and the next one to follow. I wake up feeling refreshed after a deep, peaceful sleep.

In an age where there are tons of caffeinated, sugar “energy drinks” to give people a quick buzz that later makes them crash, it’s refreshing to find a company like RelaxZen which gives its customers health and happiness-promoting products and does this without gluten. If you’re stressed out, need a pick-me-up, or are having trouble sleeping, I’d go the RelaxZen route and see what this company is capable of doing for you.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resource:

RelaxZen: RelaxZen for Every Day http://www.relaxzenshots.com/daynight

It isn’t every day that I come across a fresh, baked-to-order, gluten-free dessert like Madrid Coffee Cakes by husband-and-wife (Sergio and Lia) team committed to making delicious baked goods for their customers.

Sergio comes from a long line of bakers. When he was only 9 years old, he started helping in his father’s bakeries in Madrid, Spain. He had a passion for baking and trained under master pastry chefs and bakers and eventually led his father’s bakery team at the young age of 17. When Sergio moved to the US, it was only right for him to open his own shop following family tradition. With Sergio being the man in the kitchen and Lia handling all the business side of the bakery, this husband-and-wife team were ready to roll!

Sergio and Lia noticed in their customers a growing concern about eating gluten and listened to their frustrations over not being able to find tasty gluten-free treats. They knew they had to find a way to make their famous baked goods enjoyable to all. After educating themselves in the safety precautions of producing gluten-free items, Madrid Coffee Cakes came up with gluten-free baked goods that not only were gluten-free but also grain- and dairy-free!

My taste-testing team and I had the pleasure of testing the Madrid Coffee Cakes. If I could describe them a word, I would say: delicious, homemade taste, comfort food at its finest. Ok, maybe that’s more than one word, but you get the idea. The newest flavor, lemon-poppy, was my favorite. The last time I had something that was lemon-poppy flavored it was a gluten-filled lemon-poppy muffin, which I recall got me quite sick. To be able to eat something so flavorful that was not only gluten-free but also grain- and dairy-free brought me, my mouth and stomach much joy.

My entire testing team loved all the flavors. We noticed a slight lemony flavor in each one of the coffee cakes. It was refreshing and not something you would expect. Although these cakes are gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free, they definitely have sugar in them. They don’t call them cakes for no reason. If you are in the mood for something sweet and delicious, these cakes could be just what you are looking for.

Madrid Coffee Cakes takes to heart all their customers and you can really tell this by all the close attention they give to customer satisfaction. European desserts have made a name for themselves as being the best for a reason, and you can taste why in Madrid Coffee Cakes.

Click here to check out Madrid Coffee Cakes and to see all their different flavors. Be sure to take advantage of their individual portion cakes while you still can!

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

To read the Q and A I did with Madrid Coffee Cakes click here.

In making a kitchen safe for celiacs, I recommend purchasing a new toaster specially designated for gluten-free use, which can be invaluable in avoiding cross-contamination. But what about when you’re traveling or eating over at someone’s house?  Now you can avoid cross-contamination with an innovative product called Toast-It Reusable Toaster Bags, which are convenient not only for toasting but for grilling gluten-free foods.

The bags are Teflon® and 100% non-stick. You can use them for heating up all sorts of foods, such as sandwiches, burgers, pizza slices, and garlic bread, in toasters and toaster ovens and on grills. Each bag is reusable up to ten times and comes two to a package.

Follow the link below to order a package:

http://www.glutenfree.com/index.cfm/manufacturer/IMCG/959069-___-Toast-It-Bags.html

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Beth Hillson is a name you hear often in the gluten-free community. When I was sent her new gluten-free cookbook to review I was very excited. Who exactly is this gluten-free master Beth Hillson? That’s the exact thought I had. Before reading Beth’s cookbook ” Gluten-Free Makeovers” I got to get a few of my questions answered about Beth.

Read below for the interview and stay tuned for the review in two weeks!

When were you diagnosed with celiac disease?

I was diagnosed in 1953 and again in 1976.  I was a small child when I was diagnosed the first time.  They took away all my food and fed me bananas for several weeks, or maybe it was months.  Gradually, my mother introduced new foods – - leaving starches including corn, rice and potatoes – - until the very last.  I was on this diet for 3 ½ years.  When everything was added back, the doctor told me I was cured.  No one mentioned the word, “gluten.”   When symptoms returned,  I went from doctor to doctor complaining about my stomach.   Each one diagnosed me with a different ailment – - “nervous stomach,” psychiatric problems, lactose intolerance, and IBS.  It took several years and a second biopsy before I was rediagnosed with celiac disease.  This time the doctor knew that gluten was causing the problem but he didn’t fully understand the diet.  Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies were on the list of foods I could eat.  He even told me that beer was fine.  So I educated myself.  I went to culinary school to understand how foods are prepared and how to replace the gluten in the recipes.  It was my only choice unless I wanted to eat baked potatoes and naked burgers for the rest of my life.

What was the hardest part for you switching over to being gluten-free?

There was nothing available by way of products or resources when I was diagnosed.  My cravings motivated me to teach myself how to cook and bake gluten-free.  If I wanted a cake, I had to recreate it with gluten-free ingredients.  But I always viewed this as a challenge rather than a liability.  A positive attitude and a good support system turned this from a dire prognosis to a culinary adventure.   It’s a journey I’ve been on ever since.

How has the gluten-free community changed since you were diagnosed with celiac disease?

We’ve gone from zero to sixty miles an hour in this industry since I was diagnosed.  I can’t even begin to describe all the changes.  But here’s an example.  When I created Gluten-Free Pantry in 1993, we were still thinking that 1 in 1,000 people had celiac disease.  The possibility that many others had gluten sensitivity was not even in the picture.  I often said I could stand on the street corner in Manhattan with a plate of my Chocolate Truffle Brownies and never come across another celiac, even if I stood there for a full day.  Today, I can’t go anywhere without running into half a dozen people with celiac disease and another dozen who are gluten intolerant.

You took the gluten-free world by storm, baking out of your own home and evolving into a successful business. Tell us in your own words what this whole process was like for you.

I guess I was a pioneer.  The business came out of a need.   I was making baking mixes so I could quickly whip up a bread or pancakes or a quick bread when I wanted something good to eat.  (After all, freshly baked has always been the way to go.)  Then it occurred to me that I could save some money on ingredients if I bought a 50 pound bag of rice flour.  Once it arrived, I knew I had to find a few other people to share the mixes with or I would never use up all that flour.  I had no idea the business would take off the way it did.  For the first three years, I was working night and day just to keep up with demand.  I couldn’t imagine marketing my products proactively.  The company was growing more than 30% per year just by word of mouth.  That’s amazing when you’re a little business.

What was your purpose in selling your first gluten-free company?

I became disheartened when so many entrepreneurs began copying my products.  Mix companies were showing up everywhere.  There must be over a hundred of them today and each one has a sandwich bread, a pizza mix, a brownie, a cupcake, and so on.  They all  claim they started the business because there was nothing good out there.  But honestly, there are plenty of great mixes now.  When I started Gluten-Free Pantry there truly was nothing else available for gluten-free consumers.   I wish people would copy the pioneering spirit instead of copying each other and create products that are a unique and fill a void in our lives.

When I created the company, I was a lifeline for our customers.  The first time we moved to a larger location, the phone lines were down for nearly a day and people freaked out, fearing we had gone out of business!  I’ll never forget when a customer called the local police to check on us and someone came to find me.  I had that kind of connection to our customers and I felt I had a commitment to help them live well on a gluten-free diet.  But, by the time I sold the company, I did not feel that way.  I knew our customers had other choices.  I didn’t feel like I was letting people down.

What did you do with your “free time” after that?

I spent time with my elderly parents until they passed away.  Then I went back to school to get an MFA in creative writing and wrote a memoir as my thesis.  It’s still in process, but I hope to publish it one day soon.  And then I wrote a cookbook, “Gluten-Free Makeovers.”

On your website, glutenfreemakeovers.com, you have a section called “baking basics” where you help many people who are having trouble baking gluten-free. You must enjoy helping others be successfully gluten-free in their own kitchens. What inspired you to start glutenfreemakeovers.com?

I think “makeover” is my mantra.  I have always looked at ways to recreate favorite foods so we can enjoy them.  It was the concept that led me to create the GF Pantry and the recipes in the cookbook and on the web site.  I really do enjoy helping people.  This is a challenging lifestyle, but not impossible, especially with all the variety these days.  As long as people view this as a challenge and understand the rewards are delicious, safe foods, they will happily embrace the gluten-free lifestyle.  I can’t begin to describe the feeling I get when I see someone smile because they baked something delicious or tried something yummy that I fed them.  This is as good as it gets.

You have quite a record of cooking and baking. Was this something you always had an interest in?

Coming from a childhood where I ate bananas seven different ways, I have always been hungry for good food and great variety.  I think that childhood experience heightened my culinary curiosity.  When I was a kid, I trolled the neighborhood looking for handouts, for things that were not allowed on my diet.   I visited my friends’ homes and checked out their refrigerators.  I asked the mothers what they were serving for dinner and hinted boldly that I might like a taste.  I bought candy at the penny candy stores in my neighborhood.  (Sugar was another thing I couldn’t have.)  Food became intensely interesting to me.  That hungry still persists.

You recently published a gluten-free cook book “Gluten-Free Makeovers” published by Da Capo Press . What inspired you to do so?

I have gathered so many great recipes since I started Gluten-Free Pantry and then after selling it and writing recipes and articles for Living Without Magazine.  I wanted a place to organize them.  And, frankly, they are good recipes.  I wanted others to enjoy them, too.  By the way, I cook from my own cookbook all the time and so does my sister who was diagnosed with celiac disease seven years ago.

How did you choose which delicious recipes would be included in your cook book versus those which would not be?

I picked recipes that filled a void – - favorite family traditional dishes, wonderful cakes and cookies that I thought we should all have.  After I set up an outline and chapters, some of the recipes had to be shelved.  I had way too many.  But that’s good news.  Now I have enough material for another book someday.  In addition, people are always sending me their recipes to make over.  That’s fun, too.

You have come up with so many gluten-free recipes, any plans on another cook book in the future?

Perhaps I will do another cookbook.  I think the big deterrent is that there are so many cookbooks out now.

Anything else you want to share?

Lots of people are intimidated by gluten-free cooking and overwhelmed by the diet and lifestyle.  I encourage people to give it a try and not be discouraged.  Take baby steps at first.  By that I mean start with a couple of mixes from a company you’ve heard about and trust.  Become accustomed to the way gluten-free flours handle and branch out slowly.  Find a cookbook (hopefully mine!) and try one or two recipes just to get started baking from scratch.  Next thing you know, you’ll be making your own flour blends and making over mainstream recipes just like I do.  Just keep a positive attitude.

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Before reviewing all the delicious flavors of Madrid Coffee Cakes, I wanted to get a feel for the company and what makes them so unique. Read their interview below and stay tuned for their product review in two weeks!

So you have this wonderful bakery in Marlborough, Massachusetts and are now selling delicious gluten free baked goods on line. How did you get into baking?

I guess you could say—the old fashioned way. Sergio comes from a long line of bakers. He started helping out at his father’s bakeries in Madrid, Spain when he was just 9-years-old! He was trained by master pastry chefs and bakers as an apprentice and eventually led his father’s bakery team when he turned 17.  After relocating to the states, Sergio opened up his own shop, following with family tradition.

Tell us how you got into Gluten Free Baked items?

Our Gluten Free line emerged organically. Being a small family-owned bakery, we have a very personal relationship with our customers. At the bakery, we listened to disheartened customers who had eliminated gluten from their diets describe their frustration at not being able to enjoy any of our goodies. We took a step back and identified many of our traditional family recipes that were inherently grain free, many of them already customer favorites. Once we identified a few favorite recipes, we educated ourselves about how to safely produce gluten free items using top-notch isolatory methods.

We couldn’t have expected the response! Our Gluten Free products, especially our Coffee Cakes, exploded with popularity. They were already favorites amongst our customers, but now that we could serve the Gluten Free community, folks were driving in to see us from adjacent states and began asking us to ship our special Coffee Cakes across the country.

I understand you are a husband and wife team. Now that is exciting! Who does what in the business or do you share the roles?

It’s definitely fun! We are very lucky to work as a family. It is not too far from the way Sergio grew up, in his family’s business.

The division of labor is simple- Sergio is the artist. I take care of the nuts and bolts. He is quite the perfectionist when it comes to the execution of his recipes and takes much pride in preparing every cake himself—from measuring ingredients to including a little thank-you note in all of the packages.

I actually fell into this bakery-business, business, because of him. I help take care of the stuff behind the scenes. Including getting the word out there. A role that works out quite well- since I TRULY believe these cakes are amazing (eat a slice every day, actually), and Sergio is much too modest.

Being that there is a European connection here, please tell us how that has influenced your bakery and on- line gluten free baked items.

European traditions really influence all of our products to the core. Sergio learned everything he knows about the profession from European masters! The bakery actually serves the same recipes that Sergio made in his family’s bakeries back in Spain. That including the Santiago Coffee Cake that started our gluten-free online product line.

I am sure this has set you apart from the usual bakery. What are the gluten-free baked items you feature for our celiac and gluten sensitive individuals?

Our Coffee Cakes are definitely the stars. We currently have them in 8 varieties:

The traditional Tarta de Santiago (Almond), Chocolate Almond,  Coconut-Almond, Lemon-Poppy Almond, Almond Anise, Hazelnut, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Pistachio-Almond. In the fall, we also offer a Pumpkin-Almond, which is amazing!

In addition to the coffee cakes, at our physical bakery, we also offer:

Pistachio Chocolate Rochers

Almond Chocolate Rochers

Almond Florentines

Coconut Macaroons

Are these common bread/cakes in Europe? If so, tell me us a bit of the history of gluten free baked good in Europe.

All of the Coffee Cakes are original creations that emerged from the perfection of the Classic Almond cake. This type of cake (based on Almond) has been a classic in Spain for thousands of years. In Spain, it is traditionally enjoyed as supper with coffee, tea, or milk. It’s also enjoyed as an after lunch treat (the heaviest meal of the day), usually accompanied by either coffee or “agua ardiente” (strong digestive liquor).

Many European recipes are based on the combination of a few quality ingredients, where the process of combining these ingredients is the key to complex taste. This approach leads to recipes that are potentially free of specific allergens (in our case both Gluten and Dairy), since recipes don’t call for mile-long lists of ingredients, processed foods, etc.

I see you use no dairy in your gluten free cakes. Is this also a need or preference in Europe?

Both Gluten and Dairy intolerance is a growing concern in Europe, certainly. Many traditional recipes are now being re-discovered because of these concerns. In our case, the traditional recipes and methods that are the base for our products were inherently grain and dairy free. We think that this explains the Coffee Cakes’ amazing genuine tastes. We didn’t attempt to “re-create” recipes to “convert them” into Gluten Free or Dairy Free items, and firmly believe that these Franken-foods often fall short of the original.

I always associate desserts with being a guilty pleasure. You state on your site that you are sure your coffee cakes are the healthiest coffee cakes we will ever enjoy. In your estimation makes yours the healthiest?

I think the key to the healthiness of our Coffee Cake line is the simplicity and quality of ingredients. All of our cakes are not only Gluten/Grain and Dairy Free, They are also 100% natural, free of leaveners, and free of any added fat! At the same time, they all have a substantial protein content and are high in heart healthy Omega 3s.

You also don’t use leaveners yet your cakes are incredibly light and fluffy. They really were a hit with my testers! Tell us what you use to make them rise?

The short answer is- science. Sergio is a bit fascinated with the interaction of ingredients on a scientific level. He meticulously created the Coffee Cake recipes, combining ingredient proportions down to the last milligram with the purpose of making sure that ingredients combine in a way that creates “strength” in the dough allowing the egg to rise on its own.  What can I say? The man is passionate.

Do you have future plans you can share in adding any more delicious gluten free baked items? Any other European baked items which may be added to your gluten-free choices in the future? You are on the east coast yet you are shipping all over. Is there any particulars we nee to know about ordering or shipping from you?

Sergio is always developing new taste combinations. Like I mentioned, the Pumpkin-Almond Coffee Cake will be available on the website in the Fall. It has the most amazing “fall” taste! In addition to that, we’re working on getting our goodies on the shelves of quality stores, cafes, etc.

We DO ship all everywhere in the Continental U.S., Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico! We’ve developed a custom shipping system that ensures that cakes make it to any of these destinations fresh and intact. It all starts with baking the cakes AFTER folks order them from our website. Compared to cakes that you might buy off of a store shelf, which were made sometimes months before you open them, it makes for an incredibly fresh product. Most cakes also make it to their final destination within 3 business days. Something most customers don’t know is that even though all of our Coffee Cakes are 100% natural, they have an incredibly long shelf life. They stay moist, fluffy, and fresh—on your kitchen countertop—for weeks! It all comes down to that ingredient combination science Sergio loves so much.

Last but now least is there anything else you’d like to share or say?

Just that, we’re really grateful to all of the folks that are giving us a try and are choosing to support our small family business. We are overjoyed by the appreciation customers have for our artisan goods!

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

According to a news article on Medscape Today, the incidence of celiac disease (CD) has markedly increased over the past three decades, by even as much as four times, and studies are showing the incidence may actually be higher than 1% of the population, which is the current estimate.

According to Medscape, the Mayo Clinic has confirmed increase in CD incidence, which was reported in Discovery’s Edge, the Mayo Clinic’s research magazine. Joseph Murray, MD, and colleagues analyzed stored blood samples from Air Force recruits in the early 1950s for gluten antibodies. With approximately 1% of today’s population celiac, it was assumed that 1% would be positive; it turns out the number of positive results was far smaller, indicating that CD was “rare” in the early 1950s, according to Dr. Murray.

Dr. Murray and his colleagues compared their results with two more recently collected sets from Olmsted County, Minnesota, with the conclusion that, according to Medscape, “CD is roughly 4 times more common now than in the 1950s.” Dr. Murray says that the increase has affected young and old people and suspects the marked increase is due to a pervasive change “from the environmental perspective.”

As alarming as the statistics are regarding the increasing rate of CD, celiac expert Dr. Ludvigsson, MD, of the Karolinska Institute and Orebro University Hospital in Sweden, tells Medscape that the methods of diagnosing celiac disease are improving. For those who test positive for the disease, the only method of treatment is a gluten-free diet, a simple and effective treatment, although it can require some challenging lifestyle adjustments. In the future, we may see other treatments such as gluten-digesting enzymes or even the genetic modification of the structure of gluten in wheat so that it will not generate an autoimmune reaction in celiac patients.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resource:

Medscape Today: Celiac Disease Diagnosis Up 4-Fold Worldwide

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/726127

Just because a grain is supposed to be “naturally” gluten-free, doesn’t mean that it is!

Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye, and is inherently lacking in grains such as oats, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, soy, sorghum, flaxseed, rice, and amaranth seed. However, a study tested 22 of these “naturally” gluten-free grains, and 7 of them had a gluten amount higher than 20 ppm, which would disqualify it from being labeled as gluten-free under the proposed FDA guidelines. One type of soy flour tested had nearly 3,000 ppm of gluten, two millet flour products had an average of between 305-327 ppm, and the sorghum flour had a mean average of 234 ppm. Four of those seven products didn’t have allergen advisory statements.

Why is this? Most likely due to cross-contamination during processing and because companies aren’t testing their final products for gluten.

According to Dr. Mercola of http://mercola.com, several autoimmune disorders, not just celiac disease, can be “significantly improved by avoiding grains,” and eliminating grains from your diet can also decrease your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes, and cancer.

This is due to the fact that, as Dr. Mercola explains, “grains and sugars are inherently pro-inflammatory and will worsen any condition that has chronic inflammation at its root – and not just inflammation in your gut, but anywhere in your body.” In his experience, about 75-80% of all people benefitted from going grain-free.

If you decide to continue eating inherently gluten-free grains, look for grain products that are certified gluten-free by such organizations as the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resource:

Mercola.com: Beware: ‘Gluten-Free’ Foods are Often Contaminated http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/03/glutenfree-foods-are-often-contaminated.aspx

It’s always an honor to be recognized for your work.  I don’t think anyone could deny that statement and recognition from your peers is always a grand experience.  With Danny the Dragon receiving non-stop recognition since its release, I keep thinking it can’t get better.  A few months ago, I received confirmation that my eBook about my other undeniable cause Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free living Gluten and Your Aging Body had not only been nominated, but won a Silver Medal for eBooks in the Florida Publisher’s Association’s President’s Book Awards.

The Florida Publisher’s Association is a collection of publishers, self-publishers, authors, publishing industry friends and publishing vendors from Florida founded in 1983 by Betty Wright with the intent of giving Florida’s growing group of book publishers an opportunity for education and networking.  In 2005, then-President of the group Dinah Arnette decided to start recognizing the authors and publishers of the group in honor of their 25^th anniversary, establishing the FPA President’s Book Awards.  The tradition continued and in 2011 they decided to open the competition up to the public for the first time.

I cannot express fully how honored I am to be a part of this incredible group and to be featured among the other winners.  To have two books recognized for excellence by my peers in the publishing and writing industry is the greatest honor I could ever ask for.

Thank you, FPA and thank you colleagues.  It truly is a great honor.

Tina

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

After mom Betty Lou Carrier read Sugar Blues by William Dufty and took to heart the book’s preaching that “sugar causes disease,” her life took a turn.  Little did she know that her newfound commitment to eliminating sugar from her family’s diet would end up with a 104,000 square -foot facility, 80 full-time staff, and the opportunity to work side by side with her two sons.

It all began with some experimentation in the kitchen, as Betty Lou sought to make sugar-free treats for her kids to take to school. She had never created recipes before, but after throwing some ingredients together, she found that she had created a delicious treat, loved by kids and grown-ups alike. Now the company offers a wide array of not only sugar-free but also various dairy-free, lactose-free, vegan, and gluten-free foods.  They recently came out with a new gluten-free protein bar, which comes in four flavors.

What Betty Lou first created in her kitchen was the forerunner of her company’s most popular item, Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Balls, which are gluten-free and come in a variety of flavors, including Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Coconut, Cashew, Spirulina, and more, with an average of 9.15 grams of protein packed in each 1.4-oz. one. Their current ball shape comes from Betty’s Lou’s original use of an ice cream scoop to shape the treats before rolling them by hand with nuts.

Another high-quality gluten-free product Betty Lou’s offers is Low Glycemic Designer Protein Shakes, which are offer 20 grams of protein per serving. The shakes are free of lactose, gluten, sugar, soy, and hormones, with the protein source being milk and rice proteins. The shakes are high in fiber and sugar, contain vitamins and minerals, and are made with a digestive enzyme and probiotic blend. The three flavors of Chocolate, Vanilla, and Orange Cream mix instantly in water. Such a product is valuable for gluten- or lactose-free athletes looking for a protein boost or as a meal replacement shake for people looking to manage their weight.

The most recent release by Betty Lou’s is the Organic Just Great Stuff Bars, which come in four flavors, Organic Superberry Acai, Fruit & Veggie, Chocolate Dream Greens, and Cacao Acai Bar. The bars are certified organic, full of antioxidants, vegan, and gluten-free with protein supplied from organic rice protein and cashews. The bars are also rich in antioxidants; the Organic Cacao Acai Bar has an ORAC Antioxidant value of 34,100, as tested by the credible laboratory Brunswick Labs.  The ingredients are also unique and nutritious. For instance, the Chocolate Dream Greens Bar has “organic freeze-dried spinach, sprouted broccoli, kale and carrot, and whole foods like bananas, raisins, dates and cashews,” according to Betty Lou’s website.

According to Betty Lou’s son John, the facility is thoroughly washed out between every production as well as tested often for gluten content. Betty Lou’s is proud to create top-of-the-line “private label” products for doctors, nutritionists, and other companies by utilizing their team of scientists and researchers. John said that two of the private label products they created were named in the Top 5 Best Bars in Food Engineering Magazine.  According to John, in their latest third party audit of their facility, which was conducted to check their “good manufacturing” practices and procedures, resulted in a rating of 97%– the “Best in the Food Industry.”

“We go all out to keep our consumers safe, while enjoying a delicious, gluten-free performance snack from Betty Lou’s,” John says.

As awareness about gluten and celiac disease increases, more and more food companies are committing themselves to serving the gluten-free community. Betty Lou’s, Inc. stands out as one of these companies, which with its variety of gluten-free, nutritious snacks, has made living gluten-free easier for the gluten-free community.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resources:

Betty Lou’s, Inc. http://www.bettylousinc.com

This is an unusual and tasty dish using butternut squash. It can easily be altered by using another squash, such as acorn or even pumpkin.

The reason this particular dish turns out the way it does is the butternut squash really doesn’t have an overbearing flavor and the spices and texture go together perfectly.

Serve this with a nice chicken dish and the whole family will love it!

Bon appétit!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large butternut squash (to yield 3 ½ to 4 c cooked pulp)

4 eggs, separated

3-4 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp butter or coconut oil, melted (1 tbsp is for the soufflé dish)

3 tsp lakanto

1 tsp cream of tartar or 2 tsp lemon juice

Soufflé dish with sides 5 to 7 inches tall

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the squash in pieces and place in a steamer basket with two inches of water and cover.

3. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat to high simmer.

5. Cook until very soft.

6. Let cool slightly.

7. Take the skins off and use 3 to 3 ½ c of the squash.

8. Place the squash in a bowl.

9. Add the melted butter, cinnamon, and sweetener of choice

10. Blend with upright blender or hand mixer (such as a Magic Bullet) until very smooth.

11. Take only 2 egg yolks and slowly add in once mixture is very smooth.

12. Add 4 egg whites and 1 tsp cream of tartar or 2 tsp lemon juice and whip your egg whites until stiff. If yours do not rise, not to fret! Whip until very frothy, and it will still turn out fine.

13. Melt 1 tbsp butter and spread throughout the inside of soufflé dish.

14. Place greased soufflé dish in preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes at the most, then remove from oven.

15. Gently fold egg whites into the dish using a spatula.

16. Place soufflé dish in the center of the oven. Oven rack should be placed accordingly to allow this.

17. Bake 17 to 20 minutes or longer, if necessary, until soufflé rises and firms up without becoming crusty.

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.