Gluten Free Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Marshmallow Cookies (just like Viva Puff Cookies)

Growing up Viva Puffs were one of my favourite cookies and it has been well over 5 years since I have had one and since they are not gluten free I decided to come up with my own recipe - totally gluten free.  These cookies are simple to make and taste just like a viva puff. Even if you are not eating gluten free these cookies will not disappoint!

keep reading for ingredients and directions:

Book Review: "Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease" & Gluten Free Holiday Giveaway Galore x10

 

As you know - myself and my daughter have celiac disease and she is just now getting to that age where she is going to be venturing out into school and birthday parties as well as her older brother.  I have been talking with them lately about what celiac disease is, what gluten is and trying to put it into words that they understand. I know this conversation is going to be an ongoing one - as they grow older and start to understand a lot more.

Earlier last week I was given the opportunity to read the book "Mommy, What is Celiac Disease" a book for children written and illustrated by Katie Chalmers about celiac disease and the gluten free diet. 

The information in the book was well directed to children.  The main questions were answered in a way a child would understand and this book does not scare children - it is aimed to do quite the opposite and promotes a positive outlook for children and their families. The information is aimed to the United States labeling laws as it does not mention oats as being a gluten-containing grain, but does have a wonderful dialogue on what happens to your body when you eat gluten.  This book addresses the role of the whole family in eating with the new diet - and attacks it from the angle of a new adventure - something fun and new for the whole family to do.  I love that! 

Now the fun for YOU! Just in time for the holidays YOU can win 1 of 10 holiday gift bags loaded with gluten-free goodies & treats for children & adults with celiac disease, plus a signed copy of Mommy, What is Celiac Disease? courtesy of Katie Chalmers, Author and Illustrator of the book.

Gluten Free Potato Leek Soup

I love soups that are a meal of their own. Potato leek soup definitely falls into that category - it is thick, tasty and quick too.  Perfect for those cold days or when you want something quick with little fuss. 

keep reading for ingredients and directions:

Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup

 

100% goodness this chicken noodle soups is gluten & casein free and is delicious! Chicken noodle is a staple in the house - especially in the nasty winter when it is cold and it is cold & flu season. Easy to make and you won't believe it is gluten free.

keep reading for ingredients and directions

Gluten Free Rice Turkey Stuffing

I LOVE this stuffing. Perfect to go along with a big holiday turkey dinner or even as a side dish to any night's regular meal.  Naturally gluten free this rice stuffing is simple, tasty and no one will know it is 'gluten free'.

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Gluten Free Traditional Bread Stuffing

Traditional Bread & Celery Stuffing is one of the staples of the holiday dinners for us. Thanksgiving, Christmas and any time we get together for a big family turkey meal - stuffing will be there.  Eating gluten free - things have not changed & we still enjoy stuffing just like usual - with just one minor change ... no gluten.

keep reading for ingredients and directions:

Gluten Free Breaded Cheese Sticks

Gluten free breaded cheese sticks - they are amazing and taste as good as they look.  Gluten free does not mean fun free and this recipe proves it.  Quick and easy to make as a once in a while treat that even your kids will love.  

keep reading for recipe & directions

Celiac Disease: Introduced Gluten and 4 Months Later ...

I was diagnosed with celiac disease back in 2007. I had a bunch of life long health issues that looking back pointed to this fact - but when i was younger i was diagnosed as being lactose intolerant not knowing that many people with active gluten damage also can not tolerate lactose.

As an adult I knew something 'wasn't right' when i was on my honeymoon with my husband. I always had digestion issues and never really thought too much of it - it was my normal. Until that week long vacation.  Literally all i ate was tomatoes and french fries and i felt amazing. Amazing. 

I went on a very strict diet - liquid calories for 6 months because my stomach was so damaged and I was not able to digest or absorb anything. It was tough but i had more energy then ever, no headaches, no joint pain, my hair stopped falling out and no more digestion issues or horrible stomach pain. After the 6 months other food was very slowly introduced (gluten free of course) and i was doing great.  

I had 2 children at that time - 16 month old and a 3 month old at the time i was diagnosed. We still had gluten in the house and when i went back on solid foods we just kept our food separate.  Celiac disease has a genetic component to it so we held off introducing gluten into Princess R's diet until she was 14 months old (Big P was already eating gluten and we didn't limit that since he was already exposed). 

After 4 months of gluten into her diet it was very apparent that she had a problem.  18 months old and in the 4 months she has lost 5 pounds. Her stomach was bloated like she was pregnant, she had digestion issues that went from constipation to diarrhea and she was in pain. She was thirsty all the time and refused to eat anything that contained gluten.  I thought that point was interesting.  She was tired, clingy and had very dark circles under her eyes. 

I KNEW exactly what this was. 

I love hearing from you! Leave a comment below ♥ Accustomed Chaos | Gluten Free Attachment Parenting™ Email: accustomedchaos@gmail.com

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Review: Baby Ddrops & Kids Ddrops + Giveaway(closed)

As a breastfeeding mother in Canada Health Canada recommends that all healthy full term infants receive a daily supplement of 400IU of Vitamin D for up to one year. After that children would receive their daily dosage amount consuming 2 cups of cows milk or fortified soy beverage. Since we are a casein free household & our kids can't tolerate soy either - we needed a supplement for their vitamin D as well.

Over the past 4.5 years of motherhood I have tested out a few different methods for vitamins for my children. I was given the opportunity to try out both the KidsDdrops and BabyDdrops and I was interested  to see if these would stop the daily vitamin struggle I have with my kids.

Ddrops is a 100% Canadian owned company with a mission to spread a little sunshine one drop at a time. Committed to the highest quality and standards each product has received Natural Health Product Numbers (NPNs) from Health Canada.

Ddrops are tasteless, odorless with no artificial flavours or sugar. They are gluten free, casein free, peanut free & soya free.  It requires no preservatives and has a long shelf life without refrigeration.

keep reading for review & GIVEAWAY:

Gluten Free Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers is one of my husbands favourite dinners. I don't make it too often because I like to wait for the peppers to be in season but this recipe is tasty, naturally gluten free and easy to make.

keep reading for recipe:

Product Review: Motherlove Nipple Cream

I have been nursing Baby E now for almost 20 months and after the initial 6 weeks learning phase we have been having no real troubles.

Those first 6 weeks were very painful though. Cracked nipples, bleeding nipples, engorgement that made it near impossible to latch and of course the whole casein intolerant thing we had to work out.  

Babe E is teething now - getting her molars and she has not really been herself. She has been a little rough with the nursing lately and when she seems to be in a lot of teething pain, she bites... chomps hard. Also, I nurse her to sleep at night and if I don't break the latch before she is right out - she will chomp down, hard.

Enter in  Motherlove Nipple Cream:

Simple Gluten Free French Onion Soup

I love french onion soup. I have not had it in over 4 years and this week we are all sick here with the flu so I thought I would adapt my favourite french onion soup recipe into gluten free so we could all enjoy.  It was incredible. I ate too much and I will for sure be making it again.

keep reading for recipe

Gluten & Casein Free Beef Stew

There is nothing better then on a rainy day or when you are sick then to have a warm, hearty beef stew.  This is one of my favourites that my parents make and I made it for the first time this week.

keep reading for recipe:

Gluten Free Ice Cream Pie

It gets HOT here in the summer. You wouldn't think that of Canada but yeah, Ontario loves it's humidity.  Using the oven on days is near impossible unless you like boiling in over 40C (104F) heat  - but that makes you crazy in my books.

The heat does not need to stop you from eating amazing desserts though. This week I made up a gluten free ice cream pie. Bonus: no baking!

keep reading for ingredients and directions:

Gluten Free Zucchini Pizza Bites

I love eating naturally gluten free. It is easier and cheaper and not that hard to do.  Sometimes I also want a quick snack and pizza is usually up there.

This zucchini pizza bite recipe is awesome.  Tasty, quick and healthy and gluten free. It is perfect for a snack, side dish for dinner or finger foods for a party.  If you love zucchini and pizza you will love this and the kids will too!

keep reading for ingredients and directions:

Gluten & Casein Free Dessert Pizza

Sometimes it can be hard to make a quick and easy gluten free dessert. Sometimes you really NEED dessert too.  I have some peanut butter cookies that I make often when we need a little treat but I was on the hunt for something else as well.

I wanted something quick, yummy and different. Filling, but not cake. I came up with Gluten Free Dessert Pizza.

Apple Pie Pizza and Cherry Hazelnut Chocolate Pizza

keep reading for recipe and directions

Product Review: Kinnikinnick Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Kinnikinnick Cinnamon Sugar Donuts: Gluten & Dairy Free

I have been wanting to try Kinnikinnick Cinnamon Sugar Donuts for about ever. I have made my own donuts before and they are really good - but also a lot of work. I wanted to know what a commercially available gluten and casein free donut tasted like. Today was the day:

If you don't know Kinnikinnick Foods - get yourself acquainted. They provide allergy friendly foods that are produced in a dedicated facility free from gluten and nuts. The company mission is:

keep reading for review:

Wordless: Edible Awesomeness: Celiac Safe Food

When you are somewhere that has no safe food options for Celiac you are extra thankful when you do!
(Kinnikinnick Personal Pizza Crust/Spinach Salad/Blackberries)

I love hearing from you! Leave a comment below ♥ Accustomed Chaos / Canada Gluten Free Examiner Email: accustomedchaos@gmail.com

              

Product Review: Riega Foods Cheddar Cheese Sauce Mix

I was given the opportunity to try out and review the new cheese sauce mixes by Riega Foods - they sent me both the white and yellow cheddar flavors - both of which are gluten free. 

Riega Foods is committed to providing safe food options:

When a person has special dietary needs it is important to know what is in your food and where it is made.  That is why we fully disclose all ingredients and clearly list what other common allergens causing ingredients are used in the facilities where our foods are made.  With the Riega brand we even give you a quick reference stamp in the upper right hand corner of our packaging.  This stamp quickly lets you know if our foods are appropriate for you.  Riega Foods also understands that those with gluten intolerance need lower levels of gluten in their food than the FDA currently allows.  That is why we will not sell a single product labeled as gluten free that is not tested and confirmed to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten.

keep reading for review:

Special Diets & Taking Food For Granted

Princess R & Big P Enjoying Their First Ice Cream Cone

Eating gluten free really isn't that awful. For me I can talk out the cravings for gluten containing foods because I know how eating it would destroy my body for over 3 weeks and then some. I can understand this and put things into perspective.

All that is totally different when it comes to my kids.

There are so many foods my kids have not eaten. Honestly, it really is for the better because most of those foods are not even almost good for you.  It can be hard to say NO to your kids and explain why they can't eat that treat. Yes, Big P is does not have any problems with gluten {that we know of} and Baby E has not been exposed to gluten but it would be even worse for Princess R to be denied because of her issues with gluten so for all fairness {and the health of the house} we all eat gluten free.

So, when food items that make my life easier and help my kids be kids arrive at my local grocery store it literally has me jumping and dancing in the aisles.  

This weekend i found gluten free ice cream cones.

It has been over 4 years since I have had an ice cream cone and my three children have never had one before. ever. My kids were so excited and so was I.  

They were incredible. Delicious. Everything I remembered ice cream cones to be. There was no difference in taste or texture - just pure awesome!

I love hearing from you! Leave a comment below ♥ Accustomed Chaos / Canada Gluten Free Examiner Email: accustomedchaos@gmail.com