fruity pebbles treats.. gluten free!

ooh!! i was at the grocery store tonight picking up some ingredients for a recipe (which i'll share with you later) and i came across these bars. i of course had to try them, since fruity pebbles are one of my favorite cereals! these bars are fun and really pretty tasty. one of the best parts is they're packaged and great for on the go. sure, they're not exactly healthy but hey, you gotta let yourself have some "fun" foods sometimes and i'm always excited to find a new gluten free snack!

i'd give them a 4 star rating..

gluten free, 90 calories and only 9 grams of sugar!

xoxo mandie

aunt l'von's salad..

so, i never used to eat salad.. or anything green for that matter! haha. like most little kids i was picky.. but i was really picky.. more picky than your average kid.. and it lasted until i was about 18 or 19 years old! haha. yes.. that old.

i am happy to say though, that i have branched out and grown my taste buds quite a lot in the past 5 or 6 years. and now.. i'm pretty much in love with vegetables (within reason of course, i don't know about any of that eggplant or brussel sprout business.. we'll see.. my tastes may continue to grow)..!

salad is one of those area's where i am still growing but i have found a few salad recipes within the last year that i really like.. my aunt l'von made this salad for dinner, last summer when i was visiting her.. i fell in love with it and asked her for the recipe. it is absolutely amaaaz-ing and i love it to death.. i am going to share the recipe with you (aren't you lucky.. no really. you are!)..! i make it a few times a month.. at least!

aunt l'von's salad

here's what you'll need:

for the salad..
1 head of romaine
1 head of green leaf
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (i used chopped almonds in the salad above because that was what i had.. both work!)
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 apple chopped (i like to use fuji or braeburn)
1/2 cup dried fruit like craisins or dried cherries (optional.. i don't like it in mine)
sliced chicken tenders (optional.. i like to place mine on top.. it makes it look really gourmet and pretty)

directions: wash and tear lettuce. put everything in a big bowl.. add the dressing and toss!

for the dressing..
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons of grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup vegetable oil

directions: put vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper into mixer. mix on low speed and slowly add the oil. mix for a few minutes to really get the flavors incorporated. (you can use this dressing right away, although the flavor is better after it sits a day or two)


i hope if you give this recipe a try, you will love it as much as i do!
xoxo mandie

gluten free flourless double chocolate pecan cookies!

oh my goodness! you are in for a real treat with these babies. i got this recipe from an issue of martha stewarts everyday food.. these cookies are moist chewy and oh so chocolatey! and the best part is that there's no fat in them, so you can sit back and enjoy these cookie's without.. well too much guilt =] seriously though.. these are hands down the best chocolate cookie's i've ever eaten!

ingredients:

• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 5 ounces semi sweet bakers chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups pecans (or other nut), chopped
• 4 egg whites (room temperature)
  

#1. whisk together sugar, cocoa and salt.

..chocolate!

#2. mix in the chocolate and pecan chunks.


#3. add the egg whites and stir just until incorporated (be careful not to over mix)


#4. with large cookie scoop, scoop out cookie dough 3 inches apart on baking sheet.


#5. flatten your cookies with the palm of your hand and place in a 325 degree oven. cook for 10 minutes, rotate pan and cook for another 10 minutes.. until tops are dry and cracked.




#6. let cool on pan for a few minutes. move to wire rack and let cool completely.

mhmmm! make them..
you won't be disappointed.

xoxo mandie

rudis or udi's..

ever since i found out that i have celiac i have been searching for a good bread.. especially a good sandwich bread. most of the time gluten free breads don't taste very good unless they are toasted and slathered in butter! and while toast with butter is delicious.. it's not always convenient (and not to mention.. not exactly the healthiest choice) and sometimes you just want a cold lunch meat or peanut butter sandwich.

i found this udi's loaf about a year ago (well, not this exact loaf.. that'd be disgusting :o) and was super impressed with it.. i recently came across rudis sandwich bread and was curious how they compare. so i decided to do a little review to compare them and figure out which is best. so here goes..

udi's whole grain bread:

appearance: i would say it deserves 4 stars.. it is very pretty and even though the shape isn't exactly like a regular loaf of bread, it's decent.. size is small and color is very white.
flavor: 5 stars! the flavor of this bread is amazing. it tastes like real bread! no after taste.
texture: 5 stars.. this bread is light and airy.. not too dry.. crust is soft.. holds together really well and doesn't crumble in your mouth. a huge plus!

rudis original sandwich bread

appearance: 4 stars.. it is very pretty.. shape is good.. size is small and color is a golden light brown. overall it looks fairly normal.
flavor: i'd say 4 stars.. the flavor is good.. tastes very much like regular bread and there is no after taste.
texture: 2 1/2 to 3 stars.. this bread is considerably denser than the udi's.. it holds together well enough while you're handling it but once you bite into, it crumbles in your mouth. the crust is kind of hard and the whole thing is a little on the dry side.

overall:

udi's
5 stars! it is excellent for making sandwiches and eating cold. this will be a regular in my freezer.. (ooh, i forgot to mention.. both of these breads must be stored in an airtight container in the freezer to keep them fresh)

rudis
3 stars.. this really is a good option and while it might not be the best for making cold sandwiches it would be yummy toasted.. or even as a grilled sandwich. i would probably buy it again.

xoxo mandie

gluten free granola..

today I decided to make gluten free granola!

i have been living gluten free for a little over 2 years now. it was hard in the beginning but now it's a piece of cake.. especially when i find yummy recipes like this one! i found this one in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine (which i love! if you've never looked at one i'm telling you, buy it. you'll love it too!).. the recipe wasn't originally gluten free but i made a few adjustments here and there and vwhalla! 100% gf.. 110% tasty!

here's the recipe.. try it!

to make it you'll need:

• 6 cups Bob's Red Mill old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped raw pecans
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped raw almonds
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
  

#1. in a large mixing bowl add the oats

#2. add pecans, almonds and salt.. stir the dry ingredients together

#3. add the melted butter, and honey.. mix well to coat evenly

i absolutely LOVE this pan. it's the most amazing pan i've ever cooked with. it's great for cookies.. i like to make roasted veggies on it.. granola.. even pizza! it's a great multi purpose pan and if you want one of your own, click here to buy one!

#4. spread granola mixture onto baking sheet and put into a 300 degree oven. cook for 30 minutes stirring half way through

#5. let cool completely on wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks
(believe me.. it WONT last that long) enjoy!

xoxo mandie