Delicious boxed mixes that are easy to make, even for kids, yet they are delicious for every table as well as for many courses in a meal: main course, side dishes, and desserts. Each box is versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes offered on the 1-2-3 Gluten Free site or in ones you make up on your own. When I am able to get 7 or more recipes out of one single box of mix from a gluten-free company, and it tastes good, I’m really pleased.

I know of 14 current mixes, but out of these, there at least 142 versions of recipes thus far that I know of. My testers and I played a game of trying to come up with ten recipes using the site’s recipes as well as our own. Each recipe was delicious, many unique, and all very well-liked. (The site offered 80 additional ones.)

Founder Kim Ullner comes from a celiac family. Her sister was celiac, and as a child, Kim created recipes to help her face the challenges of her gluten-free diet. Later on, her niece and nephew were diagnosed, and soon Kim’s gluten-free pigs-in-a-blanket was a family hit. Kim has named many of her mixes after family members, and now that Kim is a mother of two, we can guarantee two new names will soon be on her newer mixes.

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The mixes are very easy to make and require very few ingredients, all common to your home’s pantry. Each box offers double the size of most other brands. 1-2-3 Gluten Free products are all made in a facility free of wheat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, and soy.

Click here to enter the GlutenFreeHelp/1-2-3 Gluten Free give-away of September. 5 individuals will each receive a 3-pack assortment of delicious 1-2-3 mixes for FREE!

Their biscuits were light and fluffy and just how I wanted a biscuit to taste.  I also made mine without any dairy and they were perfect.

With this same box I made cinnamon buns, pigs-in-a-blanket, chicken and dumplings and roasted vegetable pizza.  I could have made more but I accepted the versatility of these products.

1-2-3 Gluten Free’s Aaron’s Favorite Rolls have the texture of a true roll, where one can “rip” out the insides (like kids love to do) instead of the all-too-common crumbled gluten-free alternative.

Let’s not forget the devilishly decadent brownies, silky, rich, and loaded with chocolate chunks. The pound cake, with a hint of lemon. Sugar and Spice Pan Bars, which are delicious with banana, sweet potato, or even zucchini added.

The prices are good. The servings per box are definitely greater than most companies offer and it all just tastes fresh as far as baked goods are concerned.

All their products are made in a gluten-free facility, are gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free and egg and dairy (casein) free.  All but two are corn-free and all but one is soy-free.  Their labels are clear and easy to read.  Their packaging is smart.

1-2-3 Gluten Free is worthy of a well-written book describing their finest mixes and options. And don’t forget to look inside the box to find even more recipe options. They have a website offering many more recipes and welcome ideas.

Great mixes – terrific company.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Do you like children, delicious food, and supporting a terrific cause? Well, I’ve got quite a food company to share with you!  The name is Can Do Kid.

Can Do Kid founder and owner Deb Luster supplies tasty, gluten-free nutrition bars all in the hopes of satisfying hunger before it strikes in those little tummies, jam-packed with nutrients, and sure to maintain smiling faces!

Can Do Kid nutrition bars are gluten-free, made from all-natural ingredients, and contain sixteen essential vitamins and minerals. They are free of trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup.

I have personally tasted each and every one of these bars, and to be absolutely sincere, these bars are scrumptious. I then went further and ran a taste test with many children and their parents, and these tasty bars received a 100% satisfaction rate.

I had the opportunity to speak with my new friend, Deb Luster about her company to discover that there is true passion and dedication behind this company, directly from her heart. Deb is passionate about raising positive kids and being around positive people. She has full intention to spread the word about positive thinking and to improve this attitude in households everywhere. She wants to inspire kids to be smart and special and to know—in fact, to walk through life knowing—“I can do anything.”

Deb has quite an active and impressive history as a woman and executive. In 1990, she helped Annie’s Homegrown grow from a concept to what it is today, a thriving company. With Deb living on the west coast and Annie on the east, she dealt with opposites in many aspects, yet the vision evolved into a perfect, positive force—a fun and thriving business.

Working hard as usual and pregnant, one day Deb’s water broke and she knew she had another calling—motherhood. She stayed on as part-owner on the Board of Annie’s, in 2002 stepping aside from Annie’s as she devoted more time to enjoy motherhood. She continued to work on many projects—mostly helping others with their companies. Expanding companies is truly her forte.

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In November 2004, along with her family, she published her first book, I Can Do Anything (read the I Can Do Anything book review) and soon launched products such as t-shirts and stickers. In September 2007, her family’s second book, I’m Happy Just the Way I Am was published. In August 2005, after lots of tasting, packaging, and developing concepts, she and her sister (co-founder and Director of Sales) manufactured the first Can Do Kid nutrition bars. With a strong business sense, she knew that kids love food items with animals, as they are symbols kids remember. So, on every bar, there’s a cheetah. Why a cheetah? Because Deb loves cheetahs.

It wasn’t long until stores all over were stocking up on and displaying the bars and her book!  In February 2009 Deb was at a trade show and was introduced more in-depth to the concept of gluten-free. With only one ingredient change, the Can Do Kid bars were now labeled gluten-free and made available to all those in need of a GF diet, such as celiac and gluten-sensitive consumers. These bars currently come in 3 delicious flavors: CAN-illa Vanilla, Chocolate Crunch, and Cookies and Cream.

These bars are on my Highly Recommended list. Grab a bar and adopt Deb’s motto: “It’s not about age—it’s about attitude!” Grab a bar! You and your kids will be happy you did.

As of August 2010 you will find the Can Do Kid bars in over 50 Safeway stores!

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

This is a helpful PDF which may be a bit advanced for some but if you have a good grasp of a few medical terms- this is for you.

http://www.tuesdayminute.net/Gluten%20Sesitivity%20Beyond%20The%20Gut.pdf

Watch this video

Tina Turbin www.glutenfreehelp.info

Gluten Whiplash typically occurs 3-6 months after starting a gluten free diet. Let me explain. When one initially goes gluten free, a state of dietary distress and confusion sets in. Many limit their diets to an extreme because they are not quite sure what to eat. The typical gluten free version diet learning curve takes 8-12 weeks. This is because one must spend enough time educating themselves about acceptable products, restaurants, etc. During this time, the body starts to heal and most people do very well noticing dramatic improvements in their health.

Once the learning curve is conquered, people tend to gravitate toward the processed, packaged “gluten free” food items. People tend to get lazy and make the choice of convenience over health. BIG MISTAKE! This is where Gluten Whiplash tends to set in.

Let’s take a look at why:

1. Processed and packaged food is not healthy. Eating unhealthy foods leads to poor health (I know, this should be a no-brainer).

2. Many over the counter packaged foods contain cross contamination of gluten.

3. Many of these products contain other types of grain based glutens that have not been adequately studied to be safe for those with gluten sensitivity.

4. Most of the processed substitute products contain genetically modified grains, high amounts of sugar, and are Gluten devoid of any significant nutrient density.

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I know that many of you reading this can relate. I have personally seen this phenomenon clinically in more than a thousand patients. If you happen to fit the profile above, or if you are just not responding to a classic gluten free diet, you may just be a victim of the gluten whiplash effect.

Dr. Peter M. Osborne

Dr. Osborne is Diplomate with the American Clinical Board of Nutrition.  He specializes in the treatment of chronic disease and is the clinical director of Town Center Wellness in Sugar Land, TX.  He is the founder of GlutenFreeSociety.org, a website dedicated to teaching confused consumers about gluten and going gluten free. www.TownCenterWellness.com and www.GlutenFreeSociety.org.

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Enjoy Life Foods® is not a company unknown to most gluten-free consumers, but there were things about the company that I didn’t know.

Enjoy Life Foods® (ELF) was founded in early 2001 with a purpose to support a product line free of gluten as well as the 8 most common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish.

With a purpose as star high as that, it took a bit of work to be able to deliver products palatable and delicious. I for one know what it’s like to try and bake without even half of the most common allergens—difficult!

I personally taste-tested their soft-baked cookies, granolas, snack bars, chocolate chips, trail mixes, chocolate bars, and bagels.

I’ve been using the chocolate chips for years and these are the most common chips I choose to use in my recipes and those listed on my website (http://glutenfreehelp.info). I never have physical troubles nor do my “allergic” friends with these chips.

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The granolas were fantastic and bursting with flavor. We also tested them as the base for our homemade trail mix and in granola cookies.  The soft-baked cookies were moist, and we all agreed they were light in flavor, offered in a number of flavors.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Most people do not know about the man behind all this, Scott Mandell. As part of a class assignment at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, he came up with the notion that those with dietary restrictions sacrifice flavor and nutrition in foods. Scott and his team came up with a business plan with good nutrition and great taste for people on a restricted diet. In 2001, he raised money to build a dedicated GF facility to start his company and develop products. Enjoy Life Foods® has been named to Inc. Magazine’s 500/5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies for three years in a row from 2007 through 2009.

Enjoy Life Foods® teamed up with Fair Winds Publishing to launch a GF allergy-friendly cookbook entitled, Cookies for Everyone! You can be assured of allergy-free cookies, brownies and bars that are safe and delicious. Each of the 150 recipes are gluten-free and allergy-friendly (NO: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg or soy). All readers will also learn how to use naturally allergy-free ingredients and substitutes to add extra richness, texture and nutritional content to any cookies and bars without losing the taste. This is a company that cares and is doing something about the growing needs of celiac and allergic individuals. They already have another book planned to be released in January, Cupcakes and Sweet Treats.

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Cookies are good and can satisfy a little sweet desire now and then, but Jo-Sef gluten-free cookies really hit the spot! This is a company built on love and determination to keep a couple’s son eating normal foods after being diagnosed with celiac disease. After a year of fruitless doctor visits and restless nights, a celiac diagnosis was enough to turn a family kitchen into a “test” kitchen for gluten-free recipes.

The cookies that Jo-Sef now successfully sells are a few of the results from those days nine years ago. Jo-Sef simply delicious “Sandwich O’s” are much like an Oreo ® yet come in vanilla, chocolate, and absolutely over-the-top cinnamon, three choices for our heart’s desire, all with a creamy, velvety filling.The Cookie Squares, too, come in three flavors and are already known not only for their flavor but for optional uses such as “pie crust” solutions. For the child in all of us, and for our kids, we have Jo-Sef Chocolate or Vanilla Cookies. When it comes to animal cookies, theirs are truly flavorful, with a delicate and wholesome flavor. Kids will love them. Many already do love these whimsical little bites.

Jo-Sef recognizes gluten is not the only issue facing many individuals, and without compromising flavor, their products are free of dairy/casein, nuts, lactose, eggs, trans-fats, and preservatives. They are also kosher, processed in a dedicated gluten-free facility, undergo ELISA testing, and are certified by the CSA (Celiac Sprue Association) to be free of gluten.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is a one of a kind flavor, one of a kind company and the products are out of this world delicious.

Little Side Note:  I crumbled up the vanilla cookies and used them in a pie crust for my apple pie. Wow! People were raving about the flavor: www.josefsglutenfree.com.

I give this company a BIG thumbs up!

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Watch this video and learn something you may not know!

http://www.tuesdayminute.net/gluten09-bioticsresearch.html

I welcome your feedback and let me know what you learned from this video.

Tina Turbin www.glutenfreehelp.info

A registered dietitian, Shelley Case is a leading international nutrition expert on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. She is a member of the Medical Advisory Boards of the Celiac Disease Foundation and Gluten Intolerance Group in the United States and the Professional Advisory Board of the Canadian Celiac Association.

Shelley is a frequent guest on television and radio shows. She has delivered numerous lectures and workshops at national and regional medical, dietetic, celiac and food industry conferences throughout the USA and Canada, including the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Celiac Disease, American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada annual conferences and Natural Products Food Expo conferences.

She is the author of many articles on celiac disease and has many helpful videos to watch her website.

You can read about Shelly Cases’ book and you can purchase the book on her site: http://www.glutenfreediet.ca

Tina Turbin www.glutenfreehelp.info

If you have ever looked for a good gluten-free recipe for the perfect coating for your fish, shrimp,chicken, onion rings, potatoes,vegatables and you’ve settled for less, you are not alone. Finally, I have tested a product that is so far superior to any recipe or ready made”mix’ I’ve come across and so versatile that it can be used as a mix for meatloaves and to enhance the flavor of rice, stews, soups and much more—Dakota Lakes Gourmet Coating.

With my staff, I tested numerous recipes with this “spice blend,” and they all came out delicious. The fried and baked fish came out like the delicious fish I used to have in London. Our baked chicken came out better than intended. The onion rings were perfectly seasoned as well as our meatloaf.

According to president and owner Darold Walls, the Gourmet Coating is gluten-free and manufactured in the well-known packing plant in Seattle, Ener-G Foods, ensuring no cross-contamination or “poisoning.” Prior to each packing, the spice blend is tested at the Food Allergy Research Lab at the University of Nebraska. The Gourmet Coating is the perfect blend of flour, savory spices, and herbs for use in many dishes and meal options. It is convenient and very well-priced to serve the GF community.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Many children, especially autistic children, have to give up chicken nuggets. Luckily this product is the perfect substitute for this beloved kid’s dish, whether fried or baked.

I still can not believe the flavor of my various fishes as well as chicken dishes. I even added a 1/2 tsp. to scrambled eggs and the guests were raving. I am still amazed at how each dish I made tasted absolutely different but yet we are using the same seasoned mix- Dakota Lakes!

The box comes with many recipe suggestions as well as their websites, but any creative cook with an imagination can come up with many more ideas. The flavor is outstanding!

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.

Please be sure and check out more recipes on this site as well as at http://www.dakota-lakes.com. Thank you Darold!

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Chocolate combined with probiotics in a healthy, delicious, nutritious snack?  This sounds like an oxymoron.

Attune is a company and idea founded by genius and well-seasoned businessman, Rob Hurlbut. Rob loves the outdoors, sports, fresh air, and being active. He feels his morning outdoor run or hike sets the pace for the beauty of the rest of the day.

Free Attune Give-Away Bars

Attune currently manufactures 7 flavors of this gluten-free probiotic and prebiotic-loaded taste of “yum”: Almond Milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Dark Chocolate, Coffee Bean Dark Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, and Blueberry Vanilla Chocolate.

Rob and his team have given due diligence to researching the beneficial strains of bacteria which would blend well and sustain integrity with their chocolates. All blends of probiotic strains are kosher, GRAS, and selected for their stability and health purposes.                                                                  

Prebiotic, which was a new term to me, is simply a form of fiber which remains in the small intestine and acts like food for one’s friendly bacteria as well as a fiber and works positively with probiotics.

I tried all the flavors, and I justified eating a bar of each one because not only did they taste absolutely divine, but –heck!—they were healthy for me. The more I ate, the more friendly bacteria, after all. Works for me! So one of each, down they went –divine!

This company has done their homework and has come up with an ethical, nutritious, and delicious line which I’m honored to have been privileged to test.

I eventually gave in and shared the remaining bars with my employees and testers. Not one of them could believe that such delicious bars could have health benefits for one’s immune and digestive systems.

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me. Get a Free Attune Give- Away now.

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

Note: These bars are to be kept refrigerated.