Look For The New Gluten Free Certification Organization Mark #NewGFCO

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) provides important information to consumers regarding whether products have been certified gluten-free according to their standards. As you may have already noticed, the GFCO mark has a new look (see below):

Who Should Know About This Change:

  • Those people with celiac disease
  • Anyone with gluten sensitivity
  • Consumers who are gluten-free by choice
  • Parents/guardians of kids with celiac or gluten sensitivity

Thank you to Gluten Intolerance Group for sending me these samples of gluten-free products. (Hopefully I will be able to write up full reviews and host giveaways for some of these products soon!)

This assortment of products shows the growing diversity of gluten-free products. Some of the products I received had the old GFCO mark and some had the new GFCO mark. Keep this in mind when searching for the mark on packages in the store. The switch is still in the transition process.

Can you spot the new GFCO mark?

The wide variety of GFCO certified gluten-free products becoming available on the market is truly exciting, especially for anyone with celiac or gluten-sensitivity. Seeing the GFCO mark (whether old or new) provides peace of mind that the product has met the strictest gluten-free standards through independent testing. Have you noticed the new GFCO mark?

Continue Reading

You may also like

Dewey’s Bakery Cookie Thins Are A Delectable Treat

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Expo West is fast-approaching, and I am looking forward to attending in-person after a three year hiatus. I cannot wait to connect with more natural food brands and share about them with you. Today I am talking about one of the hundreds of exhibitors, Dewey’s Bakery. For those of you in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Dewey’s probably needs no introduction. The first Dewey’s Bakery opened there in 1930!

Dewey’s sent us an assortment of their Cookie Thins in the following flavors:

After sampling these delectable flavors, it is truly difficult to choose one standout. Dewey’s Bakery Cookie Thins are all delightfully thin and crisp. As a ginger fan, the Triple Ginger’s use of three types of ginger (candied, pureed, and ground) really spoke to me. The touch of sea salt in the Salted Caramel cookies adds just the right savory note to balance out the sweetness of the caramel. I also appreciate that Dewey’s Bakery uses clean, non-GMO ingredients and no preservatives, artificial flavors or synthetic colors.  

I paired the Meyer Lemon Cookie Thins with a mug of green tea for a lovely mid-afternoon tea-time snack. The bright citrus flavor really shines through in these cookies.

Another pairing that would make a nice Valentine’s Day surprise is a small plate of Dewey’s Bakery Brownie Crisps served alongside a cup o’coffee. The Brownie Crisps are perfect for any chocolate lover (like myself).

Where To Purchase Dewey’s Bakery Products

Dewey’s Bakery products are available for purchase through their online store, or at a store near you.

Dewey’s Bakery Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win five boxes of Dewey’s Bakery Cookie Thins!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Start Your Next Asian Meal With Omsom

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Our half Japanese-American, half-Chinese American family eats “Asian” food for dinner about 2-3 times a week. I put Asian in quotes because I would not call myself an expert in authentic Asian cooking. Our Asian meals typically consist of a combination of meat/tofu/vegetables with rice or noodles. The key component that gives these meals their Asian flavor is the sauce. That is where Omsom comes in!

Southeast Asian Omsom Sampler

I received the Southeast Asian Omsom Sampler. It includes two packets of each of the following sauces:

Each starter serves 2-3, so this sampler is enough for 16+ meals! This was an exciting sampler to receive, as I do not usually attempt to cook Vietnamese, Thai or Filipino food at home. However, Vietnamese and Thai are two of my favorite cuisines to eat when we go out to restaurants.

The Thai Larb starter is made with Red Boat fish sauce, lime juice, cane sugar, and thai dried chili flakes. It also comes with a toasted rice powder packet. I combined this starter with browned ground turkey. (The recipe card suggested ground chicken, but we eat ground turkey more often, so I just subbed it in).

I threw in some fresh spinach, stir-fried everything together, and had a delicious meal with a spicy kick in minutes. The rice powder offered a nice textural crunch that I would have never have thought of adding on my own. The best part about these Omsom starters is that they include all of the ingredients you need in a convenient packet that can be kept in your pantry. If I shopped for all of these Asian ingredients individually, I know I would inevitably end up with half-used, open bottles languishing in my refrigerator.

I also tried the Omsom Filipino Sisig starter with tofu. This sauce was not as spicy as the Larb and had more of a creamy texture. I felt so adventurous introducing my family to such new flavor combinations.

Each sauce can be used with a variety of proteins, including seafood, chicken or pork. I think I will have my husband try using Omsom’s Vietnamese Lemongrass BBQ starter with salmon for our family Valentine’s Day dinner. The Omsom website has plenty of recipes using their starters that will be sure to inspire your tastebuds!

Where To Purchase Omsom

Omsom sauces and sets are available through their online store. They are currently offering free shipping for orders $35+. A package from Omsom would make a thoughtful gift for anyone who wants to add authentic Asian flavors to their home-cooking (even if that someone is yourself).

Continue Reading

You may also like

The Cloud Bread Company Cloudies Are Light As Air

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Apparently, I missed the entire #cloudbread TikTok/internet sensation. When I recently attended a Nourished Festival presentation by The Cloud Company, their spokesperson said the company started making Cloudies Cloudbread because so many people had a difficult time making cloud bread at home. Although I personally never jumped on the keto train, I am always interested in trying new food products. After trying The Cloud Bread Company Cloudies, I can see why they are so popular!

The Cloud Company makes three varieties of Cloudies:

  • Original
  • Cheddar
  • Garlic-Herb

The basic ingredient list for these Cloudies is simple: eggs, cream cheese, baking soda, and baking powder. Cloudies are found in the freezer aisle to preserve freshness as they contain no preservatives. They are gluten-free, have zero carbs and are only 35 calories each.

Cloudies can be defrosted in the refrigerator or the microwave and then toasted. When I tasted one, I could not believe how fluffy and bread-like the texture was!

I made a breakfast sandwich by tucking some scrambled eggs and baby spinach between two Cheddar Cloudies. I would also like to try using Cloudies instead of buns the next time we have turkey burgers for dinner. Other suggestions include using Cloudies as the base for tostadas, mini pizzas, or even a strawbery cloudcake!

Where To Buy The Cloud Bread Company Cloudies

The Cloud Bread Company Cloudies are available for purchase through their online store or at a store near you.

The Cloud Bread Company Cloudies Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win six packages of The Cloud Bread Company Cloudies Cloudbread!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Flipping Over Flippoly

A few weeks ago we had breakfast for dinner, as I wanted to try the breakfast sandwiches at Flippoly. I believe their first location was in Buena Park at The Source (another place I have on my to-visit list). However, we visited the less-glamorous, but closer outpost in Irvine.

All four of us ordered the same sandwich, something that we do not typically do: the Bulgogi BBQ. It tastes just as good as it looks!

According to the signage, this hefty sandwich contains Bulgogi BBQ (beef), Grilled Scrambled Egg, House Sauce, Brioche Loaf, Cheddar Cheese, and Parsley. Each component is well-executed: the bread is lightly toasted and cut into a nifty pocket, and scrambled eggs are fluffy, the creamy sauce has the slightest kick and the bulgogi beef just raises this breakfast sandwich to the next level.

I thought it was a good deal for $6.99. I was not able to finish mine, so I saved some for breakfast the next day. Surprisingly, it held up really well after a quick zap in the microwave!

They also offer an array of drinks (include dalgona coffee) and soft serve ice cream. D was curious about the black sea salt flavor so he asked the cashier what it tasted like. She graciously offered him a sample:

It is not very photogenic, but tasted pretty good-kind of caramel-y? I am still not sure why it is black since sea salt by itself is not black. Is it black sesame or the trendy charcoal?

It was not too crowded when we went (around 5 p.m. on a Sunday) but I heard there can be lines at more popular times during the day. Check this place out if you are in the area!

Flippoly

14001 Jeffrey Road

Irvine, CA 92620

Continue Reading

You may also like

Host a #NiagaraParty With Niagara Chocolates

Disclosure: I received samples via Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

If you are planning on hosting a party this holiday season, a chocolate sampling activity is sure to be a hit. Niagara Chocolates offers a wide array of delectable handcrafted chocolate treats that your guests will love.

When hosting a Niagara Chocolate sampling party, it is fun to offer chocolate samples in all of their different forms: cups, bars and clusters!

Niagara Chocolate Cups

The Niagara Chocolate Cups have such a nice design. A mini muffin liner is the perfect size to hold each indivdual cup.

The Sea Salt Caramel Cups have a liquid caramel center that oozes out when you bite into them. The Peanut Butter Cups have a thick chocolate shell and the peanut butter filling is rich and satisfying.

Niagara Chocolate Bars

The Niagara Chocolate Bars are hefty and substantial. We tried the Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Almond Toffee, Milk Chocolate and Salter Almond flavors. These bars would make a terrific stocking stuffer or gift topper for any chocolate fan.

Although they were all delicious, I especially enjoyed the Almond Toffee bar. I like the textural and flavor contrast going on (as can be seen in this cross-section).

Niagara Chocolate Clusters

We sampled three types of Niagara Chocolate Clusters: Peanut, Coconut and Salted Almond. My favorite of the three was the Salted Almond Clusters, as they have just the right balance of sweet and salt. However, you can not go wrong with any of the flavors. I like that these clusters come in a resealable bag so that you can pop one and save the rest for later or share with others.

Have your guests rate the different flavors and compare tasting notes…a sweet activity for everyone!

Where To Purchase Niagara Chocolates

Niagara Chocolates are available for purchase through their online store, Amazon, and retailers including Walmart and World Market.

Continue Reading

You may also like

Enjoy The Sweet Life With Lily’s Chocolate

Disclosure: I received coupons in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

In my opinion, chocolate is one of those foods that definitely makes life sweeter. However, if you are looking to cut back on sugar, that does not mean you have to cut out chocolate. Lily’s is a brand that makes chocolate and sweets with no added sugar. Instead of sugar, Lily’s uses stevia extract, which is a zero-calorie botanical sweetener.

I picked up a few bars of Lily’s chocolate at my local Target so that my family could do a taste test. We tried Lily’s Cookies & Creme White Chocolate Style, Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Style and Sea Salt Extra Dark Chocolate. Pictured here is the Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Style bar, which was my favorite of the three. The little tinge of salt really enhances the flavor of the caramel and the chocolate.

The Lily’s Cookies and Creme bar is for the person with a real sweet tooth. I enjoyed the crunchy texture that the pieces of cookie added to this bar.

Lily’s offers an expansive product line in addition to chocolate bars, including baking chocolate, gummy bears and sour worms, peanut butter cups, chocolate covered nuts and caramels. Any of thee products would be a welcome treat for those who wish to enjoy sweets without the sugar!

Where To Purchase Lily’s Sweets

Lily’s Sweets are available through their online store and at a store near you.

Lily’s Chocolate Bars Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win three FREE coupons for Lily’s Chocolate Bars.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Poptime Snacks Introduces Tasty New Popcorn Flavors

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Poptime Snacks recently introduced five new flavors to their lineup:

  • Nacho Cheese (Big & Bold Popcorn)
  • Salsa with Lime (Big & Bold Popcorn)
  • Spicy Dill Pickle (Kettle Cooked Popcorn)
  • Everything Bagel & Cream Cheese (Poptime Creations)
  • Orange & Vanilla Cream Pop Flavor (Poptime Creations)

Don’t they all sound intriguing? Best of all, Poptime Snacks are vegan, cholesterol-free, preservative-free, GMO-free, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, trans-fat free and artificial flavor-free.

The Orange & Vanilla Cream Pop flavor would be fun to serve for Halloween. I do not remember having tried orange flavored popcorn before, but it works! The cream flavor is not overly sweet, and it complements the orange.

Everyone in my family enjoys everything-flavored bagels, so we were especially curious about this flavor. It is actually pretty wild how this popcorn does taste like a combination of everything seasoning and cream cheese. This popcorn delivers everything except the bagel!

If you’re looking for a snack on the go, Poptime popcorn also comes in convenient 1.0-1.5 oz. bags. We brought a few bags to a baseball game and they were a *hit*!

Where to Purchase Poptime Snacks

Poptime Snacks, including all of their newest flavors, are available for purchase on the Poptime Snacks website. They are also available on Amazon.

Poptime Snacks Popcorn Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win TEN bags of Poptime’s newest flavors of popcorn (two bags of each of the five new flavors). There will be THREE winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue Reading

You may also like

Please Pass the Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto

Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for the post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

Most of us are probably familiar with Barilla pasta and tomato sauces. However, did you know that Barilla also makes pesto? Thanks to Moms Meet, I had the opportunity to try a jar of Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto imported from Italy. The ingredients include Italian basil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, along with cashews, olive oil and garlic. The possibilities for this pesto are truly endless.

First, I made a simple appetizer by arranging cherry tomatoes, small mozzarella balls and basil leaves on toothpicks.

The Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto made the perfect dip to provide a burst of complementary flavor. The pesto could also be drizzled on top.

For breakfast, I spread some Barilla pesto on a piece of toasted sourdough bread. I added a fried egg on top and it was so delicious!

Finally, I tried mixing some of the pesto with a steaming bowl of cheese tortellini. One 6.2 ounce jar of pesto mixes well with 16 ounces of pasta, so a little does in fact go a long way! Other suggested uses for this pesto is to use it as a marinade for meats and vegetables or as dip for veggies and pita chips.

Where to Purchase Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto

Look for Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto at Target, Publix, Stop & Shop, Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway Vons, or at a store near you.

Continue Reading

You may also like

Choose Your Heat With Thrive Sauce Co.

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a set of Thrive Sauce Co. Asian-Style Sauces. Today I would like to introduce Thrive Sauce Co.’ s Special Sauces.

Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces are available in three different heat levels:

These special sauces contain Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar, Non-GMO Canola Oil, Agave, Mustard, Habanero, Kosher Salt & Xanthan Gum. Because these Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces are made of 80% vegetables, they are low in fat and calories. I also appreciate that these sauces have a one year shelf life when refrigerated after opening. (You will be sure to run out before then!)

The possible uses for these Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces are endless. The Thrive Sauce Co. website suggests using their sauces on burgers, eggs and potatoes, fish tacos, salads and french fries. I mixed some of the Extra Special Sauce into some chicken salad for a wrap and the sauce added a nice zing of flavor.

Quesadillas are a quick and easy staple in our house. Adding some Extra Special Sauce made our quesadillas taste extra special.

Another easy way to use the Special Sauce is on sandwiches. This Special Sauce was a welcome addition to the turkey sandwiches we brought to the beach yesterday.

Where to Purchase Thrive Co. Sauces

As I noted before, Thrive Sauce Co. is a woman-owned small business that you can feel good about supporting. Their sauces are available for purchase through their online store or at a store near you.

Thrive Sauce Co. Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a set of three Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like