Gimbal's Fine Candies Lover's Line Review

When it comes to allergen-free candies, Gimbal's Fine Candies does not disappoint!  Recently, I sampled two flavors of their 'Lovers Line'.  The Lovers Line comes in 3 flavors: Cherry Lovers, Cinnamon Lovers, and Sour Lovers.  I got my hands on the Cinnamon and Cherry flavors. All three flavors come in a cute heart shape, which makes them perfect for Valentines Day.  



As a food allergy mom, what I love most about Gimbal's candy is that it contains NO peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, gluten, soy, or egg.  As a bonus, their candy contains no high-fructose corn syrup and is flavored with natural flavors.  The Cinnamon Lovers are made with real cinnamon oil, and the Cherry Lovers are made with real cherry juice.

Being a former Atomic Fireball fan, I truly enjoyed the Cinnamon Lovers hearts.  They have a nice hard outer shell with a chewy center.  The cinnamon heat is strong enough that you can only eat about 2 at a time.  In fact, they might be a little too 'hot' for kids with sensitive mouths.  I personally love hot cinnamon, so these were flavored perfectly in my opinion.  They can be purchased online here.

The Cherry Lovers come in 9 different flavors.  How fun is that? Like the Cinnamon Lovers, they also have a nice hard outer shell with a chewy center.  My kids preferred the Cherry Lovers over the Cinnamon Lovers, probably because of the flavor variety and the fact that they aren't hot. The 9 flavors are all distinct, just like Gimbal's jelly beans.  I love how they look in a bowl with all of their different colors.  The Cherry Lovers come in lots of different sizes and can be purchased online here.



If you are looking for truly allergen-free candy options, Gimbal's is a wonderful brand.  Along with their Lovers Line, they have delicious jelly beans, hot cinnamon balls, and even black licorice!  You can save 10% on their products simply by joining their mailing list.  Check them out: Gimbal's Fine Candy.


Mason Jar Sauerkraut 3 Ways

In the past year, science has shown there's a link between gut bacteria and food allergies. Cathryn Nagler of the University of Chicago showed that a particular gut bacteria called Clostridia blocked peanut allergies in mice.  Here is an article describing her study.  Nagler's team suggested that increasing our gut bacteria with probiotics may help or even prevent food allergies in people.  One way to do this, according the Chris Kresser, is to eat cultured foods like sauerkraut.  It turns out sauerkraut is not only allergen-free but also delicious.

Most of the sauerkraut you can find in the supermarket is not 'alive' with beneficial bacteria, and the brands that are tend to be pretty expensive.  It turns out that making your own sauerkraut is not only cheap but also quite easy!  


Vegan Pumpkin Maple Bread

This time of year, canned pumpkin seems to be abundant.  One of my kids' favorite pumpkin baked goods is pumpkin bread.  I prefer to bake sweetbread in the form of muffins, mainly to keep me from eating half of the loaf, one slice at a time.  Plus, muffins seem to be the perfect serving size, and more importantly, they're done in 1/3 the time!  This pumpkin bread contains no eggs or dairy and can easily be made gluten-free by substituting your favorite gluten-free flour mix for the all-purpose flour.


Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Tri-Color Potatoes

Trader Joe's is awesome.  I love all of their conveniently packaged produce, one of which I commonly buy is their multi-colored potatoes.  Multi-colors mean more micronutrients, which is a win-win for everyone.  This recipe is a common dinner side served at our house.


Allergy-free Peach Cobbler

It's peach season!  My local Whole Foods and farmers' markets are bursting with fresh peaches. While fresh, sliced peaches are a delicious treat, who doesn't love a homemade peach cobbler?  Even better - an easy peach cobbler!  This allergy-free version requires very few ingredients or work and can be whipped up for your family or guests in no time.

Review: 'Food Should Taste Good' Brown Rice Crackers

Food Should Taste Good (FSTG) is a innovative snack company that makes great tasting products with real ingredients. Recently I received some boxes of 'Food Should Taste Good' new Brown Rice Crackers to try out.  These crackers are 'top 8' free (except for one flavor that contains soy sauce). They come in 4 flavors: Peppercorn Blend, Tomato Basil, Roasted Red Pepper, and Sea Salt.  


Smoky Pork Carnitas

Crockpot meals are handy any time of year, but the trick in the summer is to choose a meal that fits with the season.  Soups and stews are just not appealing when the weather is hot. Pulled pork fits the bill perfectly.  It's a versatile meal that can be served lots of different ways.  It can be served with sauerkraut, with pickles/onions and chipotle mayo, or in a tortilla with some yummy toppings like shredded cabbage, cilantro, and avocado.


Grandma's Paleo Spaghetti Soup

Well, apparently the entire country except for New Mexico is crippled by winter weather.  Don't get me wrong, it's chilly here but we'd like to get a good dose of the snow that seems to be falling everywhere else.  Snow or not, chilly weather is soup weather!  I thought I would share with you a yummy, hearty, satisfying soup I created the other day.  It was a big hit with the whole family.  My kids thought it reminded them of their grandma's spaghetti, so I'm calling it 'Grandma's Paleo Spaghetti Soup.' It's full of vegetables and delicious protein.


Best of 2013

First of all, let me say thank you to my readers and supporters of my blog.  I truly enjoy creating and sharing allergy-free recipes with you!  After looking back over the year, I thought I would share with you my 'Top 5' recipes from 2013.




Vegan Salted Caramel Corn

Do you have lots of people at your house during the Holidays?  How about anyone with a dairy or nut allergy?  Here is a delicious recipe for a dairy-free, nut-free caramel popcorn that will keep everyone happy.