Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

Let me just put this lightly...I LOVE anything cheesy. I mean who doesn't right?! 

But it probably has been at least 5 years since I've had anything really cheesy, especially Alfredo sauce. I used to love that stuff that came in a jar. It was pretty good. 

Since obviously I can't eat that anymore, I needed to figure out how to make Alfredo so I can enjoy it again. Trust me when I say this is the easiest and most cheesiest thing you'll eat...because it is! You only need THREE ingredients. Yes, only three. 

Daiya shredded mozzarella cheese, unsweetened almond milk, and earth balance buttery spread. 

I'll admit, I really didn't know how this would turn out. I haven't been sold on Daiya cheese yet because I'm so picky. So I was iffy on using it but the recipe I stumbled across used it and I didn't want the sauce to turn out so I followed the recipe exactly. Which is something I don't really do often. But I'm glad I followed it this time. (there are a few ingredients I didn't add because of personal preference) There's literally just a few steps to this process:

When I first added in the cheese I was really nervous because it was so clumpy, but the recipe I followed said to give it time and just keep stirring...

 And stirring..

Until finally it becomes smooth and creamy!! 

If you've been missing out on Alfredo Sauce, this is the recipe for you! 

Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

1/4 Cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread

1 1/2 Cups Almond Milk-Unsweetened

1 Package Daiya Mozzarella Shreads

Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Melt buttery spread in skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add almond milk to butter and stir for a few minutes.

3. Add entire package of cheese. And stir

4. Keep stirring over medium heat until you get a thick, creamy cheese sauce. 

5. Serve warm. 

6. Keep in an air tight container in the fridge. Will heat up nicely in the microwave and become a gooey cheese once warm.

Enjoy!! 

Nature's Path Pumpkin Spice Waffle Review

Well hello October!! I can't believe that it's fall. I really do love fall, but not thrilled about colder weather. However I enjoy all the flavors and comfort of Fall. So I guess that makes up for it. I do go crazy over pumpkin things. I'll admit, but hey it's fun and I enjoy the colder temps when I can have everything pumpkin. I even created a board on Pinterest, labeled Everything Pumpkin. I'm very dedicated. 

Pumpkin flavor is EVERYWHERE. I seriously think every brand out there has their own pumpkin something. I do get pretty bummed when I can't try most pumpkin things because they aren't gluten free. But I stumbled upon these gems the other day...and I couldn't pass them up.

Soo I have to be honest. I didn't think highly of these before I tried them because some natural pumpkin stuff just tastes weird or doesn't have enough spice to it. I have to have the spice, the more spicy the better! I've had Nature's Path products before and I haven't been disappointed yet. But I wasn't getting my hopes up. 

I had them for breakfast this morning, and OH MY GOSH....it's seriously the best pumpkin spice waffles I've ever had from a box. They make you feel all warm and cozy and defiantly gives me a sense of fall. 

Even if you don't have to eat gluten free...you need to try these! Everyone needs to try these!! They are actually healthy and much better than any other regular frozen waffle out there.

Cheers! 

Avocado Rice with Grilled Cod

Lately I have been obsessed with avocado. I used to hate it, but I knew it had so many health benefits so I forced myself to eat it and eventually started to like it. And now I crave it. So any recipe that has avocado I want to try it. I was on Pinterest last week and stumbled across a super easy recipe that of course called for avocado. At first it does seem a little weird, but I don't see it being any different than putting cheese in rice. I present to you Avocado rice with Grilled Cod. 

Working full time and having life be pretty busy lately there's not much time to think about what to eat. And I refuse to eat anything that's fast food, in a can, or a box. So planning meals is defiantly a good solution. Planning meals is super easy especially now with Pinterest, just search easy weeknight meals and you'll find an endless list...I seriously haven't made it to the bottom of one, yet. 

That's how I stumbled across the recipe for avocado rice. You can pair the rice with probably anything you'd like. I chose fish for two reasons. 1. It calls for lime so it's a nice compliment to the fish and 2. I really don't eat much meat anymore. I never feel good after I eat it these days. I might have a little chicken but I could probably live without it since it does gross me out. 

Avocado Rice with Grilled Cod

Ingredients:

1 Cup of uncooked white rice(You could use brown) 

2 Cups Water

1 Avocado* 

3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice 

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cumin 

2 servings of Cod, thawed. 

Directions: 

1. In a medium size microwave safe bowl, combine rice and water. I don't prefer to use the microwave but when making rice this is just the fastest and easiest for me. Cook the rice for about 15-20 min. Or use the rice sensor setting on you microwave. 

2. Cut avocado and mash it in a small bowl with the lime juice, salt, and cumin. 

3. Once rice is cooked, add avocado mixture and mix well. 

4. Grill cod on the grill until it flakes easily. Can be quite a mess so baking it in the oven works just as well. 

*I found that one avocado wasn't enough, but I wanted more flavor from the avocado. So try one. If not to your liking, add more. 

Cheers!! :) 

Earth Balance Vegan Aged White Cheddar Cheese Puffs

I can't even begin to explain how excited I was when I found these. The last time I had cheesy puffs, was probably when I was 13. It's been YEARS! 

I have used Earth Balance products before and was never disappointed. So my excitement when I saw these sitting on the shelf was probably like a little kids when they see their favorite candy. No shame here. I follow Earth Balance so I saw they were coming out with these cheese puffs, but they didn't come to my store as soon as they were released. So I have been patiently waiting. I really can't say enough good things about this brand because they live up to their name. Plant based products, but they are Non-GMO which is hard to find.

These cheesy puffs are defiantly cheesy. Where I live we have a local company that makes what everyone calls the best white cheddar cheese puffs. To compare, Caleb tried these along with the local brand. He said they were EXACTLY the same! Crazy! These puffs would defiantly be a hit for the younger kids and kids at heart who suffer from food allergies.  I do notice they kind of leave an after taste, but what cheese doesn't leave a weird after taste? 

I would recommend these puffs to anyone because they are gluten free and vegan. So no animal products are used!  

Ian's French Bread Pizza

At my local grocery store, there is a small gluten free section but it's nothing to go crazy over. A lot of times there's always the same stuff, but sometimes I'll stumble across something new. I've tried a few gluten and dairy free frozen pizzas before...but wasn't impressed at all. Also it's kind of rare to find a pizza that is free of both, let alone allergy friendly. 

I haven't had many products from Ian's, so I didn't know how their products were. But in a rush because Caleb and I had plans for a pizza and movie night I needed something quick. Spotted this and was so excited to try it. I've been careful about products containing soy since I don't want soy in my diet either. This was amazing to find! 

I don't have the best pictures because 1. I forgot to take pictures the first time I had it 2. Bought again, almost forgot and 3. Now I can't find it at the grocery store. So this is the best one I have. It doesn't look like the product on the box, but that's because all the cheese has melted. I actually think the cheese amount is perfect because I don't prefer a lot of cheese anymore. The french bread, is exactly what you would think french bread to be. A crunchy outside while the inside is soft. A box contains two pizzas, which is fantastic because I get two meals out of it! 

I would defiantly recommend this to anyone. Especially if you're in a hurry for a quick meal or just can't get rid of that pizza craving. Caleb confirmed that it was pretty close to a "normal" french bread pizza. Ian's has more products on their site which I defiantly want to try since this pizza was really good. 

10 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Restricted Diet

It is possible to eat unhealthy, even if you're on a diet that restricts foods. Just a few years ago, people who had to eat gluten, dairy, sugar, peanut, and etc free were pretty limited to what they could eat. But now, there is so many options! Don't get me wrong, I love being able to feel like I can enjoy foods again. But does that make them healthy? Some yes are healthy. But others, not so much. It's all about reading the labels and what the ingredients are. A lot of products that are gluten and dairy free can contain extra sugars and other ingredients to make them, taste "normal" and those are things you want to avoid.  Even though I have been eating very healthy, I was adding more starches because I didn't have any actual wheat and my body and I was feeling deprived. So I loaded up on rice and potatoes to fill that gap. Since I couldn't have dairy, I was eating more of the products that were dairy free, just would go overboard a little. Once I realized what I was doing, I knew there had to more changes made. After making these changes, I can tell I do have more energy and I also don't feel as bloated. A lot of those special diets foods still contain salt, and you are consuming more of it when you feel deprived. 

Recently, I've decided to not eat as much meat, like chicken, turkey, and beef. I completely eliminated any pork and pork products just because I hate pork and it contains a higher number of viruses that could get me sick. I've added more fish into my diet instead.

So here are my 10 tips for eating healthy on a restricted diet. 

1. Swap white & brown rice for quinoa.

2. Limit your intake on gluten free breads and pastas.

3. Avoid prepackaged meals, even if they say they are organic.

4. Limit any processed foods. 

5. Fill up on vegetables

6. Make dinner your smallest meal of the day

7. Drink a cup of water before a meal

8. Buy local and fresh

9. Allow a treat meal or snack once in awhile. 

10. Avoid processed sugars. 

Eating healthy is easy. But don't get caught up in all the speciality foods or you'll be eating processed foods all over again. Just stick to the basics for most days, and allow a treat or two here and there. 

Cheers! 

Seven Day Detoxifying Cleanse

This week Caleb and I are doing a cleanse. Most likely if you have internet, you've heard of the cleanses that are out there. They all have good and bad reviews. 99% of the time I eat very healthy, because I really don't have a choice. BUT I have found foods that aren't healthy that I can have. I've added a lot of starch and sugars back into my diet without really noticing it. I've just been feeling pretty crappy again and I know it's because of those little sneaky sugars. I recently had my first anxiety attack in months a couple weeks ago. And I know it's because I'm not fueling my body like I should be. 

Both Caleb and I want to be healthier, especially for our BIG day :) 

So a cleanse just made sense for the both of us. I'm really into those juice cleanses that for a few days all you consume is juice. But Caleb isn't to thrilled. (Guess I'll do that one by myself later one) I seriously wish we lived in California because they have little shops of juices EVERYWHERE! 
Anyways...

So I found a cleanse that has two meals are smoothies and one is a salad or soup. If you look up cleanses you'll find SO many. Just go with what you feel comfortable with. Some people can tolerate full harsh cleanses that only allow liquids. While some can not. That's why I think a cleanse that provides both keeps your body feeling strong and not deprived. 

Most cleanses do make you lose weight. But what they aren't telling you that it is water weight. Especially for females since we hold more water than males. (Yay us!) 

I am not doing the cleanse to lose weight, I'm doing it to feel healthier and get myself back on track since I've been really slacking lately. 

My goals for this cleanse: 

1. Cut out sugar. Again. 

2. Cut out carbs and cravings for them.

3. Gain energy.

4. Glowing skin (hopefully!) 

5. Feel overall healthier again

Calebs goals:

1. Feel healthier

2. Cut out junk food and cravings

3. Eat better

4. Build muscle

Our cleanse is going to be similar. The only difference is he will have more protein than me because his body needs it since at the gym he does more strength training than what I do. Yes, we will be still working out while on the cleanse. People say not to, but I don't agree. I think you should keep your gym habit while cleansing. 

My house already has a lot of healthy foods so doing this cleanse for us is about $20.00. But if you don't have most ingredients and have to buy everything, then yes it's going to be pricy. I won't lie. But isn't your health worth it? 

The cleanse we are doing is something that I actually came up with. It's combining a lot of different things because after researching cleanses, I felt that if I took things from each it would be beneficial. 

For seven days we will replace two meals with smoothies and have one meal. Most cleanses I found they tell you the meal that you could have was for dinner, but I feel like dinner should be the smallest so I changed that and the meal will be lunch. Gives your body time to burn off calories. 

For this cleanse you'll be able to eat:

Each day I'll post recipes of the smoothies and lunch. Also how we are feeling and more tips on cleansing! 

So stay tuned!! More information coming! 

:) 

Peanut Butter Granola

If you have never made granola before. Put down your computer and go make it NOW. 

Seriously, homemade granola is so much better than any store bought brand...

And it's so simple!

I have a love for granola. There is so many different flavor combinations and the possibilities are endless. Plus, it's healthy. In moderation of course. 

I have had all different kinds of granola. But peanut butter...I haven't tried yet. You're going to think I'm crazy once I say this, but I am not a person who is crazy about peanut butter. I think it is good. But you won't find me going crazy over it. Also, sometimes I really can't stand peanut butter. It just depends on the day. But today I was really wanting peanut butter. I came across this recipe that she only needed 4 ingredients. I was sold. I love trying new recipes and this is something I wish I would have thought of. Even though I can't the credit for this recipe. I wanted to make it and share it because it's something that I'll make over and over again. This is perfect for on top of yogurt, in cereal, or just by itself. 

*Your house will smell amazing after baking this

Peanut Butter Granola

Ingredients: 

2 Cups Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill gluten free oats)

1/2 Cup Honey 

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

4 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Dark Chocolate Chips (Optional) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Prepare baking sheet by covering with parchment paper.

3. Measure out oats and place in a large mixing bowl. 

4. Combine peanut butter, honey, and brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Heat until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Mix all together.

5. Pour mixture over oats, and mix until oats are evenly covered. 

6. Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet in an even layer. 

7. Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Make sure you stir mixture half way through baking. 

8. Let cool. It will start to get crunchy the more it cools. Once cool, add in chocolate chips if preferred. 

Store in an airtight container. 

Enjoy! 

7e7f922d7182ea7f67b1703e433a6de0636fa1b7dc2bac98cd

Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels Review

You know what makes my day?

Receiving this in the mail...

This box always makes me so excited because I love Enjoy Life and all of their products! 

It feels like Christmas every time this comes to my door. And I always open up the box right away. So what's in this box? 

Chocolate!

Enjoy Life already came out with mini chips and mega chunks. But their newest addition is there regular size morsels. Yes they look exactly like normal chocolate chips! 

Here's what the "normal" chocolate chips look like:

Not much of a difference at all!! 

If I put these chocolate chips next to ones that have dairy in them, you wouldn't be able to tell, They look exactly the same. The only difference? The ingredients. Take a look at Enjoy Life's ingredients in their morsels:

Compared to the well known Hershey's Dark Chocolate Morsels:

I don't see why those added ingredients are necessary. Enjoy Life has clearly shown that those extra ingredients aren't needed at all. 

The flavor of Enjoy Life Morsels taste like a high quality dark chocolate. I'm excited to use these in my holiday baking! I have already made chocolate chip pancakes with them. They turned out amazing of course. 

I would HIGHLY recommend this product to anyone!! These are not only a good choice for people who can't have dairy, but for everyone else since they are a much healthier option for chocolate. 

Once again, Enjoy Life has created an amazing product that I will use very often! 

So go buy these and try for yourself to see the difference! 

Cheers! 

So Delicious Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk Review

I have been waiting to try this ever since it came out, but my grocery store never seemed to carry it, or they would always be sold out.

FINALLY I got my hands on one! This is just one of the three holiday flavors that So Delicious has. The others are Mint Chocolate and Nog. I'm curious to try the others, but so far the Pumpkin Spice is the only one I have tried. 

I really didn't know what to expect from this. I had no idea how it would taste, or what the texture would be like. It says it's smooth and creamy, but for some reason I wasn't expecting a thick texture. It has a really thick texture, which caught me off guard. It's spice with a hint of pumpkin. It's actually not overwhelmingly sweet. Which is a good thing. But since it's so thick, I can only usually drink about 1/4 of a cup. But it's plenty! 

The only thing that I don't really care for is in the ingredients there is "natural flavors" and carrrageenan. To me these are two things that really aren't needed. That's my only complaint with this company and product, so if they take those things out, it would make me love it even more! 

I do recommend this, but only limited quantities just because of some questionable ingredients. But for those who have to be dairy free and want to enjoy this holiday seasons flavors, its a great choice. 

I haven't put this into any recipes or made anything with it yet. But I will warn you, don't try it in coffee...I made this mistake. It sounded like a good idea, but it is not at all. 

Once I successfully make some recipes, I'll post them! 

Here are some of my ideas:

A milkshake

Pancakes or waffles

Cupcakes

Those are it for now. 

Cheers!

Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake Muffins

I have a love hate relationship with Fall. I hate it because it is to cold for me, and it brings winter. I love it because the Fall colors are so pretty and I love the flavors of Fall. Fall is the time of year that you start making comfort foods and baked goods that are baked with spices that just make your heart warm.

Oh yes. I love pumpkin spice. I am one of  "those people" that loves pumpkin everything. Pumpkin pie though...I could live without. It has to be a very spiced pumpkin pie in order for me to like it. I have had so much pumpkin spice coffee already...and I'm not even ashamed. Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice Coffee K-cups are just one of the best pumpkin spice coffees. Plus I can add pumpkin spice creamer. Tastes amazing.

What a better way to kick off the Fall season, then with a Pumpkin Spice Muffin?

With a crumbly top?

How about a closer look? You want one?

The pumpkin makes these muffins extra moist.

Now that I might have you drooling over your computer. I'll get to the recipe. I can't take credit for this recipe though. It was put together by my mom. Which actually, if it wasn't for my mom, I wouldn't know how to bake. She is the one who taught me. I would always watch her bake...and play in the flour when I was little ;) But I always look to her for advice. She can throw things together without even measuring and they turn out amazing. I have inherited some of that. But I still will measure things out. Everything that I make I want her to try, just to make sure it meets her standards. So today I thought it would be a good idea to share one of her own recipes. She took a regular muffin mix and made fall inspired muffins.

Baking doesn't have to be complicated or so involved that you feel like you're losing your mind ( and yes I have been there) and you shouldn't feel like you HAVE to make things from scratch. Yes, it is always nice to share something that is fully homemade, but mixes that give you the right amount of dry ingredients just eliminates a few steps. I think mixes that are gluten free are truly a lifesaver. Especially for someone who is just starting out gluten free. I do make a lot of things from scratch, but that is because I now know what works, and doesn't work. Even though I do make things from scratch, once in awhile it's nice to use a box mix.

In this recipe, King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Muffin Mix is featured. 

Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

1 Box King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Muffin Mix

6 Tbsp Melted Shortening or Dairy free butter ( or butter if you can tolerate it)

3 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Water

1 Can Organic Pumpkin

1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Crumb Topping:

1 Cup G/F Bisquick mix

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Shortening 

Combine all ingredients until a crumb mixture forms

Directions:

Taken from the back of the muffin box

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease muffin pan or fill with paper muffin cups

Stir together the shortening, eggs, and water. Add in the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well combined.

Fill the muffin cups almost full. Let batter sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Crumb Topping.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Test with a cake tester or toothpick, if it comes out clean it's done.

Cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes: 15-18 muffins

Enjoy these fall inspired muffins.

I know I did, I already had 1....

Okay I had 2....

Actually it was 3 in one day

Judge me

You won't be able to resist them either. So try them!

Cheers!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Oatmeal Cookies

I know I post a lot of sweets....

Ok

I know I make a lot of sweets....

But what is life if you can't have dessert? I don't see anything wrong with having something a little sweet, everyday. Now that doesn't mean a huge piece of cake, or a chocolate bar. But if you don't let yourself have little treats you will over indulge and you will actually feel worse. Since I have cut out most processed sugars, I have realized that I don't care for extremely sweet things. I can only tolerate small amounts. I do find myself wanting something sweet in the evenings, so that's when I get creative.

Do you love peanut butter & jelly?  Okay, you're crazy if you don't. Sorry. Just stating my opinion. I know there are some people out there who don't. That's okay....maybe..

What about peanut butter & jelly with oatmeal? 

I know there are tons of recipes out there for peanut butter oatmeal cookies. But this is a recipe I concocted up because I got an idea and really wanted peanut butter cookies. This is my spin of thumbprint cookies. Also, this is a easy and fast recipe that you'll have them in and out of the oven and on your plate(or in your belly) in time! 

Peanut Butter & Jelly Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup All Natural Peanut Butter**

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 1/4 Cup Gluten Free Oats

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 Tbsp Vanilla 

Strawberry Pie Filling***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Combine peanut butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowel and beat until a fluffy mixture is formed.

2. Beat in egg

3. Next, add in oats, baking soda, and vanilla until well combined.

4. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet.

5. Use a Tbsp to form the center and fill with strawberry pie filling. 

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until sides are slightly golden brown. 

Best served warm!

**If you have a peanut allergy, I recommend using Sunbutter. Also, the peanut butter can be substituted for any other nut butters that you use.

***I used a pie filling that was homemade from a amish market. They make the best pie fillings. You can used canned if you choose. 

Cheers!! 

Blueberry Doughnut Crumble

Making breakfast is just something I really enjoy doing....okay...eating breakfast is something I enjoy A LOT. I think it's because growing up my dad would always make me a big breakfast before school. I wasn't a morning person, and I think it was his way of making mornings more enjoyable for me. I think I have just always carried that with me, and forever will. Sharing breakfast time with the ones I love means a lot to me. 

Anyways, since I'm always on the hunt for different products I can try. I'm always experimenting. I tried a different brand of pancake and waffle mix. It's called Maple Grove Farms Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix. I first started by making waffles, they were amazing waffles! The had the right texture which is sometimes hard to get with waffles. After making waffles, I was excited to make pancakes. 

For some reason, the batter just isn't the right consistency for pancakes. I tried many times. And I mean come on, pancakes are one of the easiest things to make...especially from a mix! Needless to say I got quite frustrated. So I quickly decided that since pancakes weren't happening, I needed to improvise. This is how my Blueberry Doughnut Crumble was born. 

When I put the pancake batter into the the muffin/souffle cups, I just hoped for the best. 

Then....

Unsuccessful pancake batter turned into an amazing creation that tasted exactly like a cinnamon sugar doughnut. No joke. 

Do you love blueberry doughnuts? If so you'll love this recipe because it's super fast and easy. In no time you'll have a blueberry doughnut with a cinnamon sugar crumble on top. 

Blueberry Doughnut Crumble

Ingredients:

1 Cup Maple Grove Farms Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix (this is the only mixed I have used with the recipe so I'm not sure if others will work) 

1 2/3 Cup of Water

2 eggs

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Blueberries, fresh or frozen 

Crumble Topping

4 Souffle bowels, or a muffin tin will work

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit 

Grease the bowels with coconut oil 

Combine all ingredients except the blueberries and crumble topping into a medium bowel. And just whisk until all combined. 

Then gently stir in blueberries. 

Pour into the bowels 3/4 of the way. 

Add your crumble topping.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Checking on them half way through with a toothpick. Bake until crumble is golden brown and the toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Crumble Topping

3/4 Cup Gluten Free Flour, I used an All-Purpose Coconut Flour

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup of Coconut oil, do not melt

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

Combine all ingredients except the coconut oil. Mix well

Next add in the coconut oil and mix with a fork.

Crumble should have clumps. 

                                                                       Cheers!!

Udi's Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels Review

Before I was gluten free, I probably had a bagel for breakfast everyday. My favorite bagels were Paneras....amazing. So I recently discovered these bagels. Could they live up to my bagel taste? I tried other brands of bagels last year, but they weren't that good, at all. So I thought I wouldn't ever have a bagel again. Until I found these round gems. 

Considering my experience with gluten free stuff not tasting exactly what I'm used to. I didn't really think they would be "normal" so I toasted these up in hopes.....

And I wasn't disappointed. At all. These really seemed like I was eating a regular bagel. The texture is on point, as well as the flavor. These are the best bagels I have had in a year. Kind of sad isn't it. I wish I discovered these sooner! Also along with being gluten free, they are dairy, soy, and nut free. So they cater to those with multiple food allergies and intolerances.

I would defiantly recommend these to anyone! They are a good bagel, that won't make you feel bad!

Cheers!!

Tips on Reading Food Labels

Can you believe it's almost September?! Where did the summer go. It really feels like I just posted about it finally being summer. And now it's almost over..makes me very sad. I can say though, I really do like fall. I think it's beautiful with all of the trees changing colors, and not to mention all of the delicious fall flavors! I am so excited to have pumpkin EVERYTHING again. And this year, I can't wait to make all of the holiday foods healthy, but good! Last year around Thanksgiving I was just beginning to bake and cook Paleo. So now that I've gotten better, I'm really looking forward to remaking things and coming up with new ideas. I also like fall because when it's colder out, it's more fun to bake because it brings warmth into the house. Baking during the summer sometimes just isn't fun, I have just wanted to spend my time outside in the heat. Not next to an oven! But I don't like fall because of the cooler temps..and it brings winter...yuck. 

A little secret...if you are all for Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Coffee, beware that their syrup they use, is actually a sauce and it contains milk. So if you're sensitive to milk, or just don't want milk in your diet. I'll save you a headache(or stomachache)

I do know Panera's Pumpkin Spice is completely safe though. No gluten or dairy there! 

I have gotten a few questions about changing to eating Paleo, and just being healthier in general. Well, it may seem like it's really tricky and hard. Hence, why people give up changing their lifestyle. It's honestly not that hard. Yes, it takes a lot of determination and willingness to change. But those are the only hard parts. If you go to the grocery store and stay in the organic sections, and fruits & veggies, just pick out things that seem good to you! If you're following a diet that is gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, etc; just check the labels on foods. 

Here are some tips to reading food label ingredients:

1. If you can't pronounce it, you shouldn't be eating it.

2. Anything that says "Natural Flavors" stay away from. If it was natural, there wouldn't be any added natural flavoring. 

3. Avoid anything that has any color dye. Even if food dye is "safe" doesn't mean it should be consumed. 

4. Check how many grams of sugar are in the product. Even all natural products can contain large amounts of sugar.

5. Always make sure the food is NON GMO verified.

6. Any meat should be free range and antibiotic free. 

7. ALWAYS buy organic fruits and vegetables. Try to buy local. Many companies will spray fruits and vegetables with chemicals that are very harmful. 

8. Don't buy any boxed meals. Period. Even if they're in the organic section.

Those are just a few tips. Once you start shopping differently, you'll get the hang of it and how you used to grocery shop will be a distant memory. I honestly can't remember what it's like going up and down all the isles in the grocery store. But now, I love going to the grocery store and finding new products that they have! Make changing your diet and lifestyle fun, not stressful. If you make it stressful, you'll just go back to eating unhealthy. I'm not perfect, I have wanted to just give up and eat whatever I wanted to, But I didn't give in. There are SO many all natural companies out there making foods that you can purchase at the store that taste great, but you aren't sacrificing anything. 

Here are some brands that I purchase often:

Enjoy Life Foods

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/#page=page-1

Glutino

(some products do contain dairy, so read labels!) 

http://www.glutino.com/

Udi's Gluten Free

http://udisglutenfree.com/product-catalog/

Rudi's Bakery

http://www.rudisbakery.com/gluten-free/products/

Beanitos

(some products do contain dairy, so read labels!)

http://www.beanitos.com/#products

So Delicious

http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

Earth Balance

http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/

Go Veggie

(Cheese alternative)

http://www.goveggiefoods.com/

Daiya

http://www.daiyafoods.com/

These are just a very small list of the brands out there. I have tried more, But so far, these are my favorites. I added links to the pages so you can check them out :) Also, I know all of these brands are available at most grocery stores! 

Cheers!!! 

:)