Pizza Crust - Gluten Free

Thank you Pillsbury for jumping on the wagon...their new crust is fabulous. You can find it in the refrigerator section in the Health Market at West Kimberly Hy-Vee. We enjoyed it. It was easy enough to flatten out thin and the crust tasted like normal pizza. My gluten eaten family enjoyed it as much as I did. The worst part is deciding what toppings you want to enjoy on it.

Chebe - still holds the top notch with my husband. He is a gluten eater, but enjoys this crust since I refuse to make separate crusts. My son prefers the Pillsbury over Chebe. I'm torn between the two. I enjoy both of them.

New Kind Bars

There are new flavors people...new flavors indeed.

I was given the Dark Chocolate Chile flavor to try and enjoyed it. Wasn't too spicy, just enough of an after burn to taste awesome with the dark chocolate. I would buy this bar.

I also tried the new apple pecan flavor, while not my favorite, it was still decent.  Because I'm particular to my favorites I wouldn't purchase this one over the other three top pics I have which are: Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt and the Dark Chocolate Chile. Sensing a trend yet?


They can get you thru any hunger phase that gets you buy til a meal. I eat them as an afternoon snack or before/after a workout (not both).

There are so many to try I'm sure you can find a favorite. I buy mine at Hy-Vee on West Kimberly, but you can get them anywhere it seems including health food stores, Walmart, and on amazon. I like the open selection Hy-vee has so I can buy individual bars instead of  whole case (they will sell a whole case).

Chicken Breast Hot dogs...WHAT?!

In honor of National Hotdog Day my family decided to eat hot dogs for dinner. I am not a big hotdog fan, but my son loves Cheese Hotdogs. I picked up these new hotdogs from Oscar Mayer Selects - Chicken Breast hotdogs. Well guess what...they are fantastic! I will absolutely buy them again! I loved them and only 80 calories. You should absolutely buy this product!

Rawxie's Cookies

I tried these today for the first time. They weren't something I would personally buy, however they weren't bad, they just weren't my type of "sweet treat". I tried the chocolate mint ones. The mint flavor didn't hit until after the cookie was eaten. It wasn't overly chocolaty and the consistency was more like a Lara bar (not my favorite).

Try them - you might enjoy them.  You can find them at Hy-Vee W Kimberly Rd in Davenport, IA

Pillsbury Gluten Free Cookie Dough

OMG! That pretty much sums it up. This never made it into the oven for an actual cookie. It barely made it out of the container on a spoon. I could have just eaten it with my fingers out of  a container like an animal. It was fantastic. It's in the refrigerated section at Hy-Vee W Kimberly's Gluten Free/Health Market Area. Completely worth every cent for a real tasting gluten free chocolate chip cookie...dough.

Try it you won't be disappointed. I have their pie crust and pizza dough to try this week. I will post on it soon

Quest Bars

I tried them again. I liked the strawberry cheesecake bar much better. It did have a slight after tastes and weird consistency, but it did taste better than the brownie bar I tried a month ago.

Homemade Refried Beans

I recently made these - they are amazing and simple. I love that you can pronounce everything in the dish. It was made in the crock pot. They taste so great. I also made them yesterday with black beans and lime juice. Both versions were fabulous. This will be a weekly dish.

I dish some out - top it with cheese and Ortega Taco Sauce and it taste yummy like Pintos n' Cheese from Taco bell, but healthy!

Homemade Refried Beans

Promax Energy Bar

I tried this for the first time today. I tried the Chocolate Peanut Crunch bar. It was not horrible. It tastes like a power bar, but not quite as bad consistency wise. I would buy these. They are higher in calories and carbs than I normally eat, but as a meal replacement would suffice.

Schar Hot dog Buns

I was disappointed in these buns since I liked their deli bread and their french breads I was sure I'd like them. They had a drier consistency than the Udi's hot dog buns that are frozen. While the taste wasn't bad at all I would be more likely to buy Udi's buns vs. Schar just for consistency purposes. Priced around the same $5ish for 5-6 buns my money will go to Udi's.

West Kimberly Hy-vee - another Perk Gluten Free Cooking Class!!

Gluten Free Cooking Class offered by our Chef Elizabeth, this coming Tuesday, May 28.

Cost of the class is $20.00.   Chef Elizabeth has conducted several classes and created delicious

treats at her in-store cooking events.  

Hy-Vee, 2200 W. Kimberly Rd, Davenport. 

If you're eating gluten-free, you know how difficult it can be to create healthful meals that taste good. Let Chef Elizabeth teach you a few of her favorite gourmet recipes that are simple, unique, and of course delicious. First we will start out with an appetizer that uses fried plantains instead of bread to create a canapé and some sips of our chefs favorite ciders. After that our chef will take the mystery of some gluten-free grains, like buckwheat and quinoa as she shares recipes she makes at home, including: stir-fried buckwheat and a tasty quinoa salad. We'll top that with potato encrusted salmon a GF and healthy way to get a crisp crust. For dessert enjoy a chewy chocolate chip cookie!

Contact customer service ASAP to reserve your seat.563-391-0213.   Class size is limited and cost $20 per participant.

Syntrax Nectar Protein Powder

Oh thank Goodness someone finally created a yummy grape protein powder. It's fabulous mixed with 4 oz grape juice and 8-10 oz water. For an even lower calorie treat I mix it with Grape Crystal Light and 16 oz water. It mixes well and has no weird consistency. It has as slight protein after taste, but not too bad.

I love the Roadside Lemonade packets too made by this same company. All their Nectar Products are gluten free. I order it online from  HERE

Protein Bar

I tried this recently. It was very chewy. It tastes like a protein bar, which was a turn off for me. I don't like the consistency of power bars. It reminded me too much of that. It had good brownie flavor, the only issue I had was the texture. I got the brownie one at Hy-Vee W. Kimberly in Davenport. If you don't mind the consistency of a power bar, give it a shot. I personally would not buy this flavor.

I also recently tried the ALT bar from Lara Bars. I tried the Cinnamon Apple Crisp version. It was a weird consistency. Not bad, just odd. It tasted good if you like anything Apple Cinnamon flavored. I went back to Hyvee W Kimberly to see if they had any other flavors, bu they were sold out. It was great in my gym bag for a quick snack. I would buy this product. 

I saved the best for last...

Nogii bars by Elizabeth Hasselbeck - I tried the Chocolate Mint bar - it was really tasty. It again had an odd texture, more like a candy bar than a protein bar (thank God). It tasted like Thin Mints (Girl Scout Cookies). I can't wait to try her other bars. The entire Nogii line is supposed be gluten free. There is even a Paleo product line.  I will definitely buy this product again.

Sun Warrior Protein

I wanted so badly to like this protein. I waited so patiently for my free samples. I tried the chocolate in my smoothie. I did not like it. It left a terrible taste in my mouth. I could not even choke it down. I ended up dumping it out. I also tried another one in just milk, still terrible. I am disappointed.

NNW Protein Powder (Only Found at HyVee)

I should have tried this long ago. It's fabulous. I bought the milk chocolate flavor. It doesn't have the nasty after taste most whey protein has, which is great since that is my least favorite part of protein powder. I just mixed it with almond coconut milk blend. I didn't have to choke it down. It tasted decent and went down easy. I can't wait to use it in my regular smoothies. I am excited to try the other flavors. Thank you so much to Angie (a reader) for the suggestion. I am thrilled to find something that is easily accessible too. I get mine at West Kimberly Rd Hy-Vee.

UPDATE: I have since tried the Peanut Butter Chocolate and Vanilla. LOVE THEM ALL. I used the vanilla today in my smoothie with a banana and frozen strawberries with a cup of milk. It was like sweet treat.

I haven't tried Cinnabun flavor yet, but I"m told you can make pancakes out of it. YUM

Plant Fusion

I am in the process of trying to find a tasty protein option for after my workouts. I am not having an easy time of it. I took to Facebook to see if I could contact a couple gluten free companies for samples. I am happy to say Sun Warrior is sending me some free samples, but I have not received them yet.

I contacted Plant Fusion and while they do not give free samples (really?) they did tell me I could order them at a discount. I went to Vegan Essentials and put in an order for a sample kit. It came with 4 flavors for $6(including shipping). The flavors are: Chocolate Raspberry, Vanilla, Unflavored and Chocolate.

Chocolate Raspberry I mixed with water. It's a super fine powder so be careful when pouring or it causing a bit of coughing/choking. I mixed it all up good and then gagged it down tried to drink it. It was awful. It's very foamy. I mixed it with a small hand blender that came with our cocoa set. I could not even drink 1/4 of it. I was gagging.

Chocolate I added to a green smoothie. It wasn't as bad. I did have to add honey to cut the taste. I was able to get that whole smoothie down.

I have not tried the Vanilla or unflavored yet. I have to admit I am not looking forward to using them. I am very glad I had the option to get them at a much lower cost to try them. I would have been seriously pissed disappointed if I had bought a big jar of any of this stuff. It's not tasty. I read so many reviews online and had such high hopes. They were quickly destroyed with the first gulp. I would not waste my money on this product.

I plan to try a reader suggested product the next time I go to Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee has their own brand of protein powder that comes highly recommended in the black bag in the health market. Again...I have high hopes. I will let everyone know how the Sun Warrior product is when I receive it.

Frank's Pancake Mix (Sorry forgot to take a picture)

This is a local product carried at West Kimberly Rd Hy-Vee. I made these for dinner. They are made with corn. They aren't bad. They are a bit dry, but taste good. They soak up the syrup nicely. The instructions are easy to follow. It said one package made 25 -4" pancakes...we got about 8 big pancakes out of the pouch, it was plenty to feed my family of 3 (Yea, daddy ate gf too). Would I compare them to Gluten Free Bisquick, no they are completely different in taste and texture. Will I buy the mix? Not likely as it is about $5-$6 a package. I really like normal Bisquick pancakes. These were good, but not quite the same as gf Bisquick. If you like to feel like you are eating a more hearty batch of pancakes give it a shot.

Garden Lites....meh

I saw these at Target in the freezer section thinking it would be a quick easy fix for work I bought 3 different flavors. I tried the butternut squash souffle. It is weird. It tastes like squash bread pudding. It is not good. It is not bad. It's just plain weird. It has a weird texture and is very bland. Would I buy it again? NO WAY!

Ian's Chicken Nuggest

Chicken nuggets are my DS's favorite thing to order at any fast food place. Now with the recent onset of hives there will be next to NO fast food eaten by this child. It's just not worth it and quite frankly it's terrible for him anyway.

I did buy Ian's Chicken nuggets with the hopes that they would be similar enough to the ones he likes to suffice. Great news...he likes them! He said they are pretty good. Yeah! I tried one - it tastes like chicken mush on the inside, but the outside was crispy. They are NOT cheap. I got them on clearance at Target on a whim. The clearance price for the small box $4.68 -- there are 14 nuggets in the box. That seems high to me, but as with almost everything gluten free - it comes at a high cost, but it is worth it.

Namaste Homestyle Coating Mix

This is currently cooking in my oven. It smells like amazing fried chicken. It comes with two bags of coating and two shaker bags. It gives suggestions for the "liquid" to use. I used Newman's Own Ranch Dressing. I think the whole family will like this one. It was okay, not as crispy as I would like, but not too bad either. If you are really wanting a "coated" piece of chicken it would cure that craving.

Roasting Vegetables...YUM

I am fairly new to vegetable roasting. Who knew they tasted so good!? My family has really started to trust me on the veggie end of dinner because I have become a vegetable cooking rock star!!! Our favorites to roast so far are:

Asparagus
Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes
Red Potatoes
Carrots

For the asparagus and green beans I preheat the oven to 425 and place the vegetable on a cooking sprayed foil lined baking pan. I then drizzle olive oil over top add some kosher salt and pepper and bake for about 10 minutes, shake the pan and the bake another 10 minutes. I then take it out and add grated Parmesan cheese to the top and pop it back in for another 5 minutes. It comes out fantastic.

For sweet potatoes I peel them and slice them about 1/4 inch thick and put them in a Ziploc bag with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper.Preheat the oven to 425 and then place them on a sprayed foil lined baking sheet and pop them in the oven and bake them for 15 minutes then flip them and bake 15 more minutes. They are fabulous.

Red Potatoes and Carrots I tend to roast together. I wash the potatoes but leave the skins on. The carrots I peel and chop into smaller pieces unless I use baby carrots..Preheat the oven to 425 and then place them on a sprayed foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder or 1/2 a pkg of Herb De'Providence Seasonings from McCormick's. Pop them in the oven and bake them for 15 minutes then flip them and bake 15 more minutes. They go great with chicken and steak.

Easiest Broccoli Recipe -- ever!

I made this on a whim one night and my hubby and friends raved about it. I have been making it weekly ever since that day. It is commonly requested!

List of ingredients and Needs:
Fresh Broccoli (I buy the bagged stuff by Dole, since I'm  so lazy busy)
Newman's Own Ranch Dressing (I like this one because it contains no MSG)
Shredded Cheese (I use Colby Jack or Cheddar)
Tin Foil (to make a foil packet)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place foil on a hard surface (make sure its long enough to close up tightly so the broccoli kind of steams). Place broccoli on the foil in a big pile. I usually use one bag for a family of 3 (my 7 year old gobbles this up). Drizzle the ranch dressing over top of the broccoli, I use about 1/4 of a cup to a 1/2 cup.  Top with shredded cheese and close up the foil so it is completely closed. Bake for about 20-30 minutes depending on if you like your broccoli to have a bit of crunch to it or not.

Tip: I find I usually make my foil sheet short, in that case I just use two place another sheet over top and just close the edges. I put it on a baking sheet in case it leaks, but if I'm really lazy busy I put it right on the oven rack too.

Enjoy!!

Protein Powders

This is a low carb, low sugar gluten free protein powder. It has a bit of an aftertaste, but not too bad. I can drink it without making too many faces. I generally mix it with unsweetened almond milk, but it can be mixed with water, milk or any kind of liquid you prefer. I add it to my green smoothies for an extra boost. So far I have tried: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and tropical -- I'm not particular on which flavor I have when I need it, I just use what I have on hand. I get them at Heritage Foods in Davenport because I can buy the individual packets.

I have also previously tried Syntrax Nectar Protein Powders. They were surprisingly tasty with unique flavors like lemon tea, roadside lemonade and the normal flavors that protein powders come in. I haven't had them in a while, but I'm pretty sure I just mixed it with water. I plan to order some of the grab and go packets on Amazon so I have them on hand after workouts.

Deli Style bread by Schar

I bought this bread to try this week after I heard a girl in the isle say she really liked it. While it doesn't taste like normal glutenous bread, lets face it no gf bread does...but its not bad. I didn't have to toast it which is always a perk. I just had a piece with butter on it and it wasn't too bad. Would I spend $6/loaf on it, occasionally if I really wanted it, but bread is not a daily staple in my diet and won't be anytime soon.

Kind Bars - Dark Chocolate Sea Salt

Oh how I love Kind bars. I love many flavors and they just keep coming out with more that I cannot resist. This one is my new favorite - its the perfect combination of sweet and salty with only 5 grams of Sugar per bar, plus the protein from nuts in it to make it a great snack to get through the afternoon at work. I found my first one at Heritage Foods in Davenport, but found them cheaper at W. Kimberly Hyvee. Highly recommend...as if buying 5 of them at a time wasn't recommendation enough...I'd order them by the case if they wouldn't have so many tasty flavors that I want to buy. My current favorites are the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew and the Fruit& Nut bar.

Organic Black Bean Noodles

I know they sound like they wouldn't taste good...trust me I was a bit worried when I cooked them and they look like black skinny worms...but man was I shocked - they are fabulous and sugar free.. My 7 year old son and gluten eating hubby both gobbled them up and I got two thumbs way up on a simple spaghetti dinner. I used Hy-Vee Brand Hot/Spicy sausage, Ragu sauce and the black bean noodles...top it with cheese (how can you go wrong there?) and voila, a quick and easy dinner that was filling and tasty. They do currently have the noodles in stock at the W Kimberly HY-Vee in Davenport.

Tomato Basil Cheddar Soup

This was by far one of the tastiest soups I have ever made and completely gluten free. Give it a shot. I loved it and so did the glutenous Hubby. So easy to make it took less than 20 minutes total.

Tomato Basil Cheddar Soup Recipe

Next By Nature Dark Chocolate Cherries

These are my new favorite treat. They are amazing. I could eat the entire package in one sitting. Only 7 of the cherries is one serving, i'ts really hard to only eat one serving! They are sweet and satisfying. I highly recommend this product. I plan to try another flavor sometime soon, but cherries are something I love with or without chocolate...they are fantastic.  HyVee West Kimberly stocks these in the gluten free section.

Van's Gluten Free Snack Bars

I tried these today. I tried the Chocolate Chip version. They aren't very big. They are smaller than a glutenous granola bar. They are very chewy. They tasted "healthier" than a regular granola bar and a texture that is hard to describe. It's like a chunky soft cookie. I would probably eat it more as a cereal bar, than a snack bar at a 170 calories each. HyVee W Kimberly stocks this flavor as well as a couple others that contain fruit.

Been a while...

I feel like its been forever since I blogged. I had hip surgery over the holidays so I was out of commission for a while. I'm doing well now and back to my old self. The hubby and I are trying the clean eating plan. I haven't had any form of gluten or cross contamination since the beginning of February. I'm also currently on no sugar or starch other that what is found in certain veggies and fruit. Do I miss the sugar? Nah, I eat fruit and that gives me a good fix. I had tried a couple things that I had blogged on. I kept forgetting.

I tried the Crunchmaster Cheesy Crisps recently. I did not like them. They have a processed cheese taste that was gross. Reminded me of the processed cheese on Doritos only less tasty. I will say I love Crunchmaster's Multigrain Crackers and buy them all the time when I'm eating carbs.

I'm still a huge fan of KIND bars. They are wonderful. There are so many options and very healthy yet feel like a treat. My favorite is the Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew bar.

Recently had the gluten free chicken burgers from the Hy-Vee W Kimberly's frozen section - they are fantastic. I just put them on the George Foreman grill. They are seasoned with basic stuff but are amazing.

I know the Hy-Vee on W Kimberly has been stocking those gf items like crazy. They have so many more choices now. It's fantastic! I still love my Udi's bread (when I'm eating carbs). My favorite recently is the cinnamon raisin bread. YUM!

Oh and one last thing I found I really like...Tofu! Who knew?! I just fry it up or cook it with other meat so it just adds a bit more protein but my family doesn't notice. So lucky to have a friend who is a pro with the stuff.

I do have some sweet potato Asian noodles to try and when I do I will blog on it. I got them at an Asian market in Iowa City.

Gluten Free Event Coming UP

Hy-Vee West Locust in Davenport will be hosting a gluten free event in a couple weeks. The event will be held March 22 from 3-6 p.m. and March 23 from noon-3 p.m.

They will be showcasing many Gluten-Free products, including Gluten-Free beers from our Wine and Spirits Department.

Stop by and check it out.