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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Gluten-Free Hassle Free by Marlisa Brown

Author Marlisa Brown has a wealth of education and experience which she brings to her latest book, Gluten-Free Hassle Free.

This book is most definitely written in an easy-to-understand, worry-free, and practical manner, with the newly-diagnosed reader in mind, not leaving any leaf unturned. Any newly-diagnosed celiac or “non-celiac gluten intolerant” will feel well-informed.

Marlisa ensured she cleared up some of the most common areas of misunderstanding many people have such as testing, being diagnosed, the diet, nutrition, and nutrients. She covers why one can have symptoms and still negative celiac test results and what to do.

Each section is practical and easy to follow. With topics such as shopping, fast food, delis, restaurants, stocking a GF kitchen, social events, and dining cards in fourteen languages, and much more. Any reader can quickly refer to a particular section and immediately improve one’s life with ease.

Marlisa pays careful attention to focus on the things and foods any celiac or non-celiac gluten-intolerant can enjoy while offering over 100 delicious recipes, the cranberry quinoa salad being one of my favorites.

Marlisa speaks from over 30 years of experience—a compassionate registered dietitian, chef, and president and owner of Total Wellness, a nutritional consulting company offering service in her usual simple-to-understand, helpful and always easy-to-apply manner.

This resource guide is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended me.

Tina Turbin www.glutenfreehelp.info


Monday, March 1st, 2010

Gluten-Free Company – Uli Mana

 

Uli Mana is a successful company with nothing but positive energy in every handmade product, founded by single mom Theresa Green. My L.A. and Florida gluten-free test group and I had the wonderful opportunity to test these delectable little morsels of yum. Each and every product has the capability to tease one’s taste buds and offers a smooth taste. They are a delicious treat for anyone needing a gluten-free chocolate fix. Who doesn’t have one of those cravings now and then, especially us women! Sorry men, I don’t mean to leave you out of this but there are just those times of the month- “Hey honey, don’t you dare touch MY Uli Mana.”

Not to side track you, but take a peek at the video review of their company.

Theresa Green started her career with Nirvana Manna (renamed later Maca Manna) after expected success with a home recipe passed to a friend at the Natural Foods Expo 2005. Word spread, and she could only grow and expand to incorporating UliMana. Her made-up name is semi-Huna—a Polynesian and Hawaiian science practiced by the aboriginals of those regions. It means asking the goddess Uli, the “Goddess of Serenity,” for the blessings of life force, energy, and vibrant health—“mana.”

All the chocolates used are raw as well as all of her ingredients, offering the raw food community the opportunity to take advantage of the many health benefits of raw chocolate, which reduces blood pressure, contains antioxidants, relaxes muscles (due to the mineral content), and increases insulin activity.

Theresa’s initial products were all sweetened with raw honey, and she featured many Cacao mixes. Two years ago she developed new products as a result of introducing agave into her test kitchen. The result was new versions of truffles, such as Goji Cherry Truffles, Dark Cacao Truffles, and her to-die-for Truffle Butter.

The new truffles were an immediate hit. As Theresa explains, they were an “eat-now” food and did not require any mixing or processing by the consumer except the process of hand-to-the-mouth-and-enjoy. Sales soared.

The  manufacturing facility is generously supplied by Blue Ridge Food Ventures, founded by Advantage West, funded by the State of North Carolina to help business. She has access to storage space, a loading dock, shipping and receiving, and even legal and accounting advice. She credits much of her ease in the business’s evolution to the opportunities her state offers through this facility, stating she’s never needed to take out a loan or sell shares of the business.

With the incorporation of UliMana strategically placed on a positive astrological day, Theresa continues to hire only positive people with positive energy, and all products continue to be raw and made by hand. I asked her what we can expect in the coming future, and she openly said a rice syrup version of new delectables to cater to the needs of the macrobiotic consumer, who will be very pleased, she’s sure.

We testers are still raving about Uli Mana and all the handmade treats which passed our palates.

Tina Turbin

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by my entire team here at www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Don’t forget to look at this company’s video review.


Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Gluten-Free Company Review- The Buffalo Guys

 

We all know Buffalo is gluten-free, but when it comes to sausage patties, beef jerky, and more, we never know exactly what’s in the ingredients. Gluten? Preservatives? The list goes on.

The Buffalo Guys is the best-ever preservative-free buffalo jerky I have ever tested in my test kitchens. It was nice to taste the flavorful blend of spices, meat, and no preservatives! I had no idea what I was missing, and I’m a lover of jerky and have been since I was a child. The products are gluten-free, easy to cook or prepare and absolutely safe for anyone on a gluten restricted diet, celiac of gluten intolerant.

Please see the incredible  video review now.

The Buffalo Guys offers a variety of sausages, again without preservatives. I’d say my favorite was the Buffalo Bratwurst. We tested the sausages in a variety of ways—alone, as a side dish to accompany eggs, in a quiche, in a stew, and tossed with grilled vegetables, and in each dish, they added just the right flavor and proper balance of protein. See buffalo recipes we have shared on this website.

Worth mentioning is the fact the meat has far less fat, so it’s cooking properties are different than we’re accustomed to.  We found the need to cook on lower heat (and noticed it cooks faster), or else the meat would toughen.  In a 100-gram portion of buffalo, there is 2.42 grams of fat. In beef, that number is 11.73 and for pork and chicken, 18.19 and 3.87 respectively.

The filet mignons, New York strip, short and back ribs, and rib-eye were delicious. Each cut had its own unique flavor. The taste is unlike beef, so don’t expect a similarity in flavor. It’s unique, truly worth a try, and we loved it.

The owners of Buffalo Guys take care of their buffalo (aka bison) and have a work ethic and approach based on an education in Alan Savoy’s principle of Holistic Resource and Management, using wildlife-friendly fences, rotational stock grazing, stock water developments, prohibition of non-organic chemical means to solve what could be otherwise managed organically, and never force-feeding any buffalo, for example.

Ken Klemm, one of the owners and m y new friend, explained that the buffalo (technically bison) is to this date is the largest mammal on North America since the Ice Age. It is estimated that before European settlers arrived, there were 30-70 million bison, yet in 1899 less than 1,000 were remaining. The American Bison Society was formed to protect the bison and their land. The National Bison Society and Canadian Bison Society are today carrying forth these efforts to success. The Bison number is over 350,000 and growing.

Ken and his partner chose to raise buffalo because of their ability to naturally forage, their resistance to disease, and they way they naturally balance their own diet, resulting in little to no waste and, hence, the “minimalist system.” Ken goes to say that the ecosystem and buffalo are a harmonious pair. For example, the grassland and the buffalo are in perfect balance, each depending on the other. He states that hogs, sheep, chicken, and cattle are not as suited to the natural world, so they aren’t suited to the “minimalistic system.”

At just one year a typical bison weights 450 pounds, and by 5-6 years a cow weighs nearly 1,000 pounds and a bull 1,500-2,000 pounds. Bison are survivors and Ken and his partners as well as the many other ranchers all recognize and respect this massive animal. Through a business of no waste, they bring to our homes the opportunity to enjoy the Buffalo Guys delicious buffalo products, knowing their healthier, preservative-free, and absolutely delicious. Be sure and try the jerky—out-of-this-world!

Please see the incredible  video review now.

Tina Turbin

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me and my testers in my own kitchens as well as my field testers. This is saying a lot! We all loved it. If you have a favorite Bison/Buffalo, please  recipe share it now!


Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

A Hand For Haiti

Lauren is a gluten free teenager, with a passion for good food and a care in her heart for those in Haiti!

“After all, that is what this is about: selling ebooks to donate money to Haiti. All proceeds will do to the Red Cross.  The Canadian Red Cross that is.  You see, I am Canadian so it only makes sense to donate to this one.  Also, it has been in Haiti for many years, so they will be able to use the funds to help as in the best areas possible.  And here’s the really important part: the Canadian Government will match all donations received by February 12th, that are marked for Haiti Relief (as I will be doing to these).  They are matching donations made by individuals as well as those made from fundraisers for Haiti (like this ebook) by schools, businesses, social groups (that is what I believe we are, as blogging is a community of people, in this case coming together around food), etc.”

Lauren started it all in January 2010: ”I don’t know how long it will be, or how much work it will take, but it will happen.  Relief is being sent there in bundles now, and in a few weeks, they will still need clean food and water.  Medical support will still be saving lives. Currently, some of the “big” bloggers are getting together to make a cookbook, but I’m sixteen.  With that said, if you’re a blogger, send me your favourite, most loved recipe that makes you feel at home with an email subject line of “Haiti Ebook” to mail at celiacteen. com.  Please also include a picture!  The recipe does not have to be gluten free.  It can be a baked good, a meal, a breakfast, a treat, anything.  Whatever it is though, make sure it makes you think of home.  They lost theirs, so a comforting dish is the best way in my eyes!”

The project is complete- Help support Lauren’s Cause.

http://www.celiacteen.com/2010/02/haiti-ebook.html

Tina Turbin


Monday, February 1st, 2010

Gluten-Free Food and Company Review: Gotta Eat Sweets

Can you imagine a sublime brownie-meets-truffle without overpowering sweetness and presented as a piece of art? Well, you can now indulge in this vision in your very home.

Gotta Eat Sweets provides for those with allergies, embodies the aesthetics of Japan, tempts the palate with the finest European chocolate, and has been inspired by the eco-friendly movement. Two unique women united on a golf course to marry their individual talents to produce Truffipops and Truffibites. Oh my, it is truly “food-art,” as I have termed it.

Win a free Gotta Eat Sweets gift on the Contest Page.

Truffipops & Truffibites

All the ingredients are made from scratch. Gotta Eat Sweets roast their own organic nuts, create their own brittles and fruit rinds, grind their own butters, and puree their fruits for their multitude of fruit flavors. You won’t find chemical names listed in any of their ingredients—ever!

The presentation arrived in an earth-tone box with a peek-window on the top, all tied with a satin brown ribbon. I opened the box to behold my first sight of triangular Truffipops. Each unique, large “pop” was perched on a carved bamboo stick. Included were the Truffibites, in well organized bags with fine details of handmade truffles about 1 inch in diameter. I tenderly opened the first bag and had my first bite of Truffi-heaven, unlike any I have ever tasted prior to this moment.

Each flavor of “pop” or “bite” satisfied a taste I didn’t even know I had been longing for and was healthy, lightly-sweet, and beautiful. Search no more for gift-giving ideas! I can’t say enough about this company, these two women, and what they offer—quality, beautiful gluten-free delectables, offering seasonal choices and an abundance of flavors, not one alike. My LA taste team FULLY agrees.  Click the following link to watch the full GlutenFreeHelp.info video/review of Gotta Eat Sweets.

Tina Turbin

This FEATURED food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by award-winning author Tina Turbin and founder of www.GlutenFreeHelp.info. Truffihearts from Gotta Eat Sweets is her February 2010 give-away on the Contest Page.


Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Gluten-Free Manufacturers Giving Back

Tricia Thompson, M.S., RD is a nutrition consultant, author andspeaker specializing in celiac disease and the

gluten-free diet.

This week I would like to recognize manufacturers of gluten-free food who are generously helping out our gluten-free friends in need. Please support these companies by purchasing their products. If you are a manufacturer of gluten-free food, please consider following the lead of these companies. Now more than ever your help is needed. I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.

Raquelita Tortillas in Denver, Colorado (www.sandwichpetals.com)
One percent of the sales of Raquelita’s gluten-free flatbread sandwich petals will be donated each month to a gluten-free food bank. They are challenging other manufacturers to do the same. To learn more about this company and what they are doing to “feed the GF hungry a healthy, tasty & versatile bread” follow them on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GFPetals.

This company participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new gluten-free food bank at the House of Neighborly Service in Loveland Colorado. To learn more about this program spearheaded by Dee Valdez, please read last week’s blog on gluten-free food banks.

Against the Grain Gourmet in Brattleboro, Vermont
(www.againstthegrain.com)
Nancy Cain, one of the owners of Against the Grain Gourmet contacted me after reading the post about gluten-free food banks to learn if there was anything her company could do to help. This manufacturer of gluten-free bread puts what they call their “bloopers” to very good use—they donate them to soup kitchens in the Vermont and New Hampshire areas. Fortunately for the kitchens they supply, they make about 50 pounds of “bloopers” each week. I have been reading about this company online and I adore them. While I can’t actually eat their products—they are not milk or egg free—I love what they stand for. Please visit their website and see for yourself.

Cream Hill Estates in Quebec, Canada (www.creamhillestates.com)
After reading the post on gluten-free food banks, Beth Armour reached out to Dee to find out how Cream Hill Estates could help. Please keep us posted Beth!

A huge thank you to Raquelita Tortillas, Against the Grain Gourmet, and Cream Hill Estates!

Tricia Thompson, M.S., RD is a nutrition consultant, author and speaker specializing in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. She is the author of The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide (McGraw-Hill) and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Gluten-Free Eating (Penguin Group).

For more information, visit www.glutenfreedietitian.com.

Thnak you Tricia! Tina turbin


Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

My Muffins on today’s Liz Lovely’s Newsletter ! Yipee!

Wowee, my delicious and BIG Gluten-Free Muffins

Featured on the wonderful and delicious Liz Lovely’s Newsletter today!

If you do not know about Liz Lovely and her most scrumptious and delectable treats you have really got to check this site out! She and her hubby have created an awesome company and a good portion of their items are GLUTEN -FREE. She has the most amazing chocolate chip cookies. They taste like you are eating toll house cookie dough. I kid you not.

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Liz a couple weeks ago and I am in the midst of writing an incredible Review and Article on her, her team and her scrumptious goodies. So be on the look-out!

In the mean time please send Dan ( the amazing man behing this woman-her hubby) and  Liz my good wishes when you visit her site and even purchase a box of treats for yourself or someone. I did! I ordered four boxes delivered in fact, and the recipients were thrilled, tummies were smilling with Gluten-Free satisfacton.

The gift wrapping is unique, beautiful and environmentally friendly.   http://lizlovely.com

Tina Turbin


Monday, December 14th, 2009

Gift idea- Give Away A Cookie KIT!

TERRIFIC GIFT IDEA!
Darneed Best Gluten-Free & Grain-Free Cookies in a KIT

Cranberry Cookies in a Jar copy


I love Elana Amsterdam’s theory about cooking as well as her sincere desire to find healthy alternatives to avoiding the highs and lows of blood sugar without giving up the taste. I have taken her choc. chip recipe and made a fun gift out of  it and made ony a minor adjustment to suit my needs.

NO GRAINS IN THESE COOKIES!

I hope you enjoy and please write in or share your pictures of how your gift-jar turned out, before giving it away.

Place in a  mason jar in layers : use pop top or screw top mason jars

2-1/2 cups blanched almond flour

½ tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

½  cup dark chocolate OPTIONS: or 1/4 cup chocolate and 1/4 cup chopped nuts OR 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup chocolate OR 1/4 cup dried cranberries and white chocolate chips- just be imaginative, it is fun and easy!

Create a little decorative gift tag that says this:

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a bowl mix”½ cup light agave

½ cup grapeseed

1 tsp. vanilla-optional( I leave this out)

Add your wet ingredients to your dry( in the jar)

Mix real well – it will be  moist

Refrig 30 minutes

Drop onto parchment paper as 1 TBL balls

Flatten them down to about 1/3 inch thick

Bake approx 7-10 minutes

Thank you Elana Amsterdam

Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook , Celestial Arts, 2009

Tina Turbin

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Tina Turbin

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Tina Turbin became extremely interested and involved in the subjects of gluten free, gluten sensitive and celiac disease a number of years ago as a result of...

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