Book Review & Giveaway: Gluten Free on a Budget (Plus Paula Deen Riding a Ham)

IT'S A BOOK TOUR YA'LL. 

...yelled Paula Deen as she rode her honey-baked ham off into the sunset. (Don't use your imagination because there is no way it will come close to this picture.) 

I KNEW the Paula Deen Riding things meme would come in handy one day. I just didn't think it would be four years later while writing a post about my friend Chandice's new book.. Ok brain, I see how it is. You do you. 

Chandice and I first met (in real-life) in September when she came to NYC to host a 'Celebrate Celiac' event.   

Since then she's created a book, which she somehow managed while also creating a human (baby Lucyella!). And running the #1 gluten free giveaway site Gluten Free Frenzy, and hosting events through Gluten Free Calendar, and contributing to Delight Gluten Free Magazine.  

I can't even keep a succulent alive. <insert crying emoji>.

Gluten Free on a Budget was written by Chandice and her mom, Tana, to support others on their gluten free journey. They explain that eating gluten free doesn't have to break the bank, and share recipes that you just KNOW they've eaten as a family countless times. It really is a peek into their lives, and their kitchens. 

Also helps that Chandice and Tana are quite possibly the sweetest, most welcoming mother-daughter duo, which comes across in their storytelling. When I was reading it I felt actual hugs. (Though the 'hugs' may have been from the blanket I was cocooned since my mom keeps the heat at a balmy 65.)

Here's what you can expect:

• A number of helpful sections in the beginning that cover everything from stocking your gluten free pantry, to buying in bulk to save money, to packing fun, bento-box-style lunches. (Hello where were these when I was in elementary school! And middle school.. and high school.)
• Countless recipes for every part of a meal, including gluten free remakes of family classics like fluffy buttermilk pancakes, chicken pot pie, cheesy chive biscuits, and brown butter snickerdoodle cookies.
• Tana's tips: most recipes include a tip from Tana about choosing better-for-you ingredients (e.g. buying nitrate free sausage), or cutting costs (e.g. make your own buttermilk).  
• Pictures with almost every recipe. This is SO important to me when picking out a cookbook. You eat with your eyes! 
• Recipe forwards from Chandice and Tana sharing their family history with each and every dish.  

And here's a quick peek inside:

Like what you see? Click here to order your copy on Amazon, or enter the giveaway below. Or both! Go crazy! See if I care! (Eeeeep sorry some snark just crept out. LOVE YA GUYZ.)

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And just for good measure......

Recipe + Giveaway: Gluten Free Corn Dog Nuggets from Silvana's Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen

Hoooooooooooly crap you guys I fried something. 

And not just anything. The cutest littlest babiest gluten free corn dog nuggets.

See?? Did you squeal a little? I just wanna pinch one right through my screen. 

Truth be told I have never fried a morsel in my life - the thought of dropping anything into a vat of hot oil freaks me out. (Plus, I am an absolute oil-magnet. Oil-stains are the new tie-dye! Yeah!) So when Silvana asked me to check out her new cookbook, I musta been feeling ballsy cause I chose the most intimidating recipe (to me). Also a factor: I haven't had a corn dog since being diagnosed with Celiac 5ish years ago, and LORD do I miss me some Nathan's nuggs. (Preferably eaten in a mall food court. Am I right?)

I've gotta tell you - these guys were so simple to make, and Silvana's instructions are incredibly clear, especially for a frying newbie. The batter (a mix of cornmeal and a gluten free flour blend) is so thick and dreamy that you'll want to dunk your whole damn hand in it.

Once battered, the mini corn dogs fry up in two minutes (two minutes!!!) and it is quite literally one of the coolest things I have ever seen happen in my own kitchen. They puff up. And turn a lovely golden color. And LOOK JUST LIKE CORN DOGS WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT. Innnnnncredible.  

Want the recipe? I just might have it for you after the jump :) Click through at the end of this post and it's all yours.

But if you can't stop at corn dogs, I understand. Silvana's book also has recipes for cinnamon crunch french toast sticks, salted soft pretzel poppers, loaded nacho potato skins and ranch chicken nuggets. I won't even tell you the desserts because then you'll be dead. And I kinda like you. I like you SO VERY MUCH that I'd love for you to have a copy of Silvana's Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen. (I mean Silvana is technically the one giving away the book but details details.)

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'Read more' for that corn dog recipe...

GIVEAWAY: Gluten Free, All-Natural SugarPuss Lip Balm (aka Cat-Chap).

Phone: check. Keys: check. Wallet: check. Cat-chap: check. 

Eric and I do NOT leave home without cat-chap. We have come back to the apartment to get the forgotten cat-chap. I have stolen his cat-chap after losing mine. We have legitimately bickered over the location of the missing cat-chap.

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. We're addicted. 

Cat-chap is not its real name, of course. Just a nickname. Because I nickname things I love, like dogs and chapstick and my siblings. 

SugarPuss Lip Balm is the brilliant creation of my cousin Jackie. Before SugarPuss (coined for her cute kitty Lola who snapchats me all. da. time.), I accepted the fact that chapstick feels delightful for 20 minutes (tops), wears off, then leaves your lips drier than they were to begin with. Seems kinda silly, doesn't it? 

What I've learned via Jackie, is that this does not have to be the case. No sir-ee. Apparently there are lots of preservatives and not-nice things in mass-produced chapstick that cause it to dry out your lips. SugarPuss has none of those things, plus lots of GOOD things like shea butter, avocado oil, coconut oil, and vitamin e. I'm telling you, this stuff keeps your lips soft all day. It's pretty incredible.  

So incredible, that I would love very much for ten of you to try it out. Fo' free. Just enter the contest by telling me which one of the four types you want to try, and liking SugarPuss Lip Balm on Facebook. As a heads up, the three tinted ones (nude, lavender and sunset pink) are VERY sheer - as you can see in the photo of my claw hand below. So don't be afraid of how pigmented they look in the tube! (If you're a dude though, I'd stick with the natural/untinted. Though a certain male who I spend a lot of time with has been known to swipe on one of the tinted ones when we don't have an untinted version handy. Oops.)

I swear to my mother that your other drugstore chapsticks will end up in a sad pile in the back of a drawer somewhere. Which is exactly where mine are now. I don't think Goodwill wants them and I'm too indecisive to throw things away, so that shall be their home. 

My beloved cat-chap, however, has taken up permanent residence on my nightstand, in my purse, in Eric's pocket, and on my face.   

 SugarPuss Lip Balm Giveaway:

 10 Winners Receive One Lip Balm Each

(View on Etsy)

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Giveaway: Ola! Gluten Free Granola Sampler Tote

Somewhere, some time ago, I read an article that listed all the signs you're turning into a mom. No particular mom, just a run-of-the-mill, child-bearing female. One sign was having a constant supply of tissues in your purse. Another? Having a constant supply of snacks. 

Guilty on both accounts (plus MANY more). I am 25. At this rate, I'll be shopping at Talbot's before I hit 26. 

At the very least, I have Celiac to defend the food-smuggling. I would actually be really surprised if I dumped out someone with Celiac's bag right now and didn't find something to eat. No judgement, we all do it.

My purse-snacks of choice are, at the moment, almonds, packs of flavored almond butter, a banana, clementines, and fruit leather. The latest addition? BABY PACKETS OF GRANOLA. Gluten free granola. Can you handle the cuteness?

I first saw Ola! Granola at the GFAF Expo, and immediately fell head over heels for their 100-calorie packs of gluten free granola. Yes, I think you'll get along quite nicely with all my other snacks. 

Ola! comes in a handful of wonderful flavors like chocolate banana chip (my favorite), cranberry orange pecan, and even no nut vanilla. The granola isn't coyingly sweet by any means, and the ingredients are noooo nonsense: I can pronounce, identify and spell every one. Backwards. (Maybe. Have a feeling 'cinnamon' may trip me up.)

Want to try it? Ola! is giving away a reusable tote filled with the following:

• One 9-oz bag of each flavor (four bags total) - Chocolate Banana Chip, Cranberry Orange Pecan, Vanilla Almond, and No-Nut Vanilla
• One box (9 packs) of Vanilla Almond Grab-N-Go Singles
• One box (9 packs) of No-Nut Vanilla Grab-N-Go Singles

Enter below! And if you can't wait or don't win (sad face), feel free to use code GFB2014 at checkout for free shipping when you shop online. 

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Merry Christmas, Self. XOXO, Whole Foods.

Grocery shopping is sometimes not the most fun activity ever. Usually I'm on some sort of time-crunch, picking up ingredients for a particular recipe, end up going to at least 2 stores, and definitely forgot to bring my reusable bag which makes me feel like a huge jerk. Plus, I'm sure some of you are usually shopping for little ones, and not for yourselves. (Occasionally I shop for a boyfriend and a dog but neither are all that picky.)

So when Whole Foods sent me a few $25 gift cards, I decided to use one to buy whatever I damn-well pleased. Can I tell you how nice it was to meander around for a half an hour with no specific meal in mind? Juuuust lovely.

(BTW - I went to the same Whole Foods, in Princeton NJ, where I had an absolute breakdown right after my Celiac diagnosis was confirmed 3.5-ish years ago. No tears this time! Big things.)

In case you're interested, here's what I picked up with my 25 bucks:

1. Whole Foods Gluten Free Pie Crust: because I didn't make a GF pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, so guess what we're having for Christmas dessert!

2. Envirokidz Lightly Frosted Flakes: because HOLY SHIT I love cereal. And I already have 6 boxes of Chex at home. (They were on sale at Target.)

3. Ginny Bakes Gluten Free Almond Biscotti: because having biscotti with my coffee makes me feel so fancy.

4. Stretch Island Fruit Leather: because I hoard snacks, and this is a good snack.

5. Justin's Almond Butter Packet: because this plus a banana in my purse is the quickest way to combat hangry.

6. Annie's Gluten Free Mac and Cheese Cup: because it's gluten free mac and cheese in a CUP.

7. Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Instant Oatmeal Cup: because it's another thing I love in a cup.

How's that for some hugely scientific reasoning. 

I've got two more $25 gift cards to give away to two of you! (Thank you, Whole Foods!) This is going to be a quick one, and all you have to do is leave a comment below or tweet. I want to know the first thing you'd pick up for yourself! Zero judgement if it's 20 baby packets of almond butter. They are just so freaking cute.

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Good luck, and happiest of holidays to all of you! May you be merry and stuffed and perhaps a little drunk at times.

A Cry for Help: Please Take This Gluten Free Food from the GFAF Expo!

So, I have a problem. There are two overflowing bags of gluten free food shaming me every day because I am just one human and I CAN ONLY EAT SO MANY CRACKERS goddammit. 

How's about you help take some off my hands? Yes. That sounds like a good plan. 

Here's the deal: If you win, I'll (ever so gently) shove a bunch of this food in a box and send it your way. This is just some of what I'm working with:

I think the 'Holy Crap' cereal says it best. Don't you?

This is the part where you can do a bunch of random stuff to enter:

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Good tidings and good luck.

GIVEAWAY: Beetnik Grass-Fed Steaks

FREE MEAT.

There, got your attention. (And probably some unwanted, PG-13 Google-search attention. Compromises.)

A few months ago I introduced you to a company called Beetnik, and shared my new-found appreciation for grass-fed beef. More on that here, if you'd like a refresher.

Well, Beetnik has decided to be all awesome and send one of you eight 4-ounce, grass-fed tenderloins. Eight steaks. For free. At your doorstep. 

And all you have to do to enter is like them on Facebook! If I got a free steak every time I liked something on Facebook I'd be liking EVERY BAD BITCH ON THERE. After liking Beetnik, you can also earn extra entries by stalking me all over the Internet. It's fun, promise.

a Rafflecopter giveaway PS. HIGHLY recommend you make the horseradish chimichurri you see in the photos. If you're  not lucky enough to slather it on some free steak, a spoon will do. It's that good. You can find the recipe here. 

GIVEAWAY + 2 Easy Recipes: Cappello's Gluten Free Pasta

Things I stupidly didn't eat pre-Celiac diagnosis: fresh pasta, gnocchi, more crescent rolls. Thank you, Cappello's for taking care of those first two! (Now in your spare time please focus all R&D efforts on gluten free crescent rolls. C'mon, can't be that hard.)

The lovely folks over at Cappello's were kind enough to send me a sampler pack of their FRESH gluten free pasta, which includes fettuccine, gnocchi, and lasagna sheets. That's right - fresh. gluten free. pasta. It's a real thing. And not only does it happen to be grain free and Paleo-friendly, but all of Cappello's pasta is made partially with almond flour, so there's lots of good protein and stuff. 

So far I've tried the gnocchi and fettuccine, and my, my was I impressed. They both taste like 'special occasion' food, even though they take no time at all to cook up. You'll find two super simple recipes down below for how I prepared the two pasta types. (Oh, and if you're using Cappello's, make extra. Because somehow the leftovers tasted even better after being refrigerated. No gluten free noodle block here!)

On to the best part of all... Cappello's wants to send one of YOU a gluten free pasta sampler pack! You'll get two packs of fettuccine, and one pack each of gnocchi and lasagna sheets. The Rafflecopter widget below will tell you exactly what to do - but the bare minimum is liking Cappello's on Facebook. There are a few other fun things for additional entries. If I could enter, I'd be all over this shit. So do me proud, kids.

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(PS - If you don't win, you can order online here. Your pasta will arrive in an eco-cooler with ice packs, and is absolutely freezable if you can resist the urge to cook it all up at once. Alternatively, if you're in Colorado, find out where to buy here.)

Recipe: Gluten Free Gnocchi with 

Kale Pesto + Chicken Sausage

Notes

-If the kale pesto is frozen (like mine was), you can add it to the pan frozen. Just heat until the pesto is defrosted. 

Ingredients

gluten free gnocchi 

gluten free, fully-cooked chicken sausage, any flavor (I used Trader Joe's Spinach, Fontina & Roasted Garlic), sliced

olive oil

kale pesto (recipe here)

fresh lemon juice + zest

parmesan cheese 

Instructions

Boil the gnocchi according to package directions. Before draining, reserve a mug-full of the cooking liquid. 

While the gnocchi is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the chicken sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, flipping slices halfway through. Squeeze half a lemon over the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Add the kale pesto and extra lemon zest (optional). Add the drained gnocchi and as much of the gnocchi cooking liquid as you need to in order to create a sauce. 

Serve warm and garnish with grated Parmesan. 

Recipe: Gluten Free Fettuccine with 

Squash + Tomato Sauce

Notes

-Before heating up leftovers I added some crumbled goat cheese. RIDICULOUS. Do it.

Ingredients

gluten free fettuccine 

olive oil

a couple of green and yellow squash, sliced into half-moons

dried Italian seasoning (optional)

a couple cloves of garlic, minced

good marinara sauce (I used a container of fresh sauce from Whole Foods)

handful fresh basil leaves, torn

parmesan cheese

Instructions

Boil the fettuccine according to package directions. 

While the fettuccine is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the zucchini and Italian seasoning (if using), and cook for about 8 minutes until tender and slightly browned. Add garlic and cook for additional 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and the torn basil leaves. Cook until sauce is heated through. Add the cooked fettuccine and toss well to combine. 

Serve warm and garnish with chunks of Parmesan (or crumbled goat cheese) and additional torn basil.