Fun Family Day Trip and My Baby Turns 12!

Today was a gorgeous day in New Hampshire! It was around 85 degrees, but there was a nice, cool breeze, which always helps. My son, Cam, turns 12 today! I cannot even believe my baby is getting so much older. Where did the time go!? I remember when he was born, like it was yesterday.
I wanted to do something fun with him and my daughter, Talina, so we decided to take a day trip to Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves. I haven't been for years, and the this was the kids first time going, so I knew it would be great!









Lost River Gorge is a huge tourist attraction in New Hampshire! The land surrounding it was naturally formed from massive glaciers. There are over 1,300 steps over the mountainous terrain, rivers, and breathtaking waterfalls! There are also a handful of caves for the kids to explore (or even Adults if you're daring enough!). There are so many bridges and steps to walk on, the kids had such a blast! Of course, my 2 year old wanted me to carry her half way through. The trail is really long, but there is a lot to explore. I think it took us around 2 1/2 hours to get through, from start to finish.

 Luckily, the area is all wooded so it stayed really cool, despite the temperature! Cam had a blast exploring all the caves and trying to crawl through them. Talina, on the other hand, was fine just walking with me. She wanted nothing to do with the caves. They're pretty dark and a tight squeeze, so definitely not for kids under 3 I'd say- unless you have a fearless one on your hands!

After you complete the trails, you can either stop and have lunch at the designated picnic areas, or you can browse the gift shop! We stopped and ate lunch and then the kids each got to pick something from the gift shop. It's a beautiful scenic drive on the way there and back also, and after walking so much in the heat, it's almost certain the kids will nap on the ride home! In my book, that's a WIN! If you're planning a trip to New Hampshire I definitely recommend visiting the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves. You won't be disappointed!

After we got home, the kids just relaxed and napped for a bit. I made spaghetti and meatballs for Cam's birthday dinner and then we celebrated again with CAKE of course! None for me though, being a celiac and all- Booooo!

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty perfect day with my loves. I'm so glad we got the spend the day together and celebrate Cam's birthday. I cherish every moment I can with my two loves. Cam is 12 already and Talina will be 3 in a few short months! Before I know it, they will both be off to college. I wish they could just stay little forever. That is what makes these moments so much more special! Live each and every day like it's your last and make every moment count. I'm trying to live by these words every single day. 

Happiest Birthday to my first love, my best friend, my little man, my everything!!!!!! Wishing you many more years of joy and laughter <3

Xo
Melanie

Cheesy Zucchini Bites

       My husband brought home some garden fresh zucchini from a co-worker's garden. Let me tell you, I was so excited! We chose not to have a garden this year because ours did not do too well last year for some reason. I just love being able to go outside and pick fresh veggies right from my own garden! I'm the only one in my household that loves zucchini. My husband doesn't care for it, my 12 year old son refuses to try it, and my almost 3 year old daughter, well, let's just say I'm still working on her! I knew that I wanted to make something different with the zucchini. I always make it the same way, either sauteed in a pan with some olive oil, or out on the grill. I looked around the kitchen to see what ingredients I had on hand, and what would go well with zucchini and it hit me- Cheesy Zucchini Bites! I don't know about you, but I think that everything is better with CHEESE! 
       For this recipe, I use Better Batter All-Purpose Flour Mix. This brand is by far my favorite to use in cooking and baking. It literally is cup for cup measure and takes all the guess work out of cooking! What I like is quick and easy, so this flour definitely lives up to that. To check out Better Batter flours and mixes, visit their website at  http://betterbatter.org/ to purchase online. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!


Recipe for Cheesy Zucchini Bites

Ingredients:

1 Large Zucchini, grated
1 Small Onion, grated
1 Clove of Garlic, garlic 
1 Cup of Shredded Pizza Mix Cheese (Parmesan, Romano, and Mozzarella)
3/4 Cup of Better Batter All-Purpose Flour Mix
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Dried Parsley
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tsp. Black Better
GF Non-stick Cooking Spray 

Directions:

1. Grate the zucchini and onion over a large bowl. Place grated zucchini and onion in a large, clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess water in the sink, until dry.
2. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic, cheese, flour, egg, and spices into the bowl and mix to combine. 
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You could keep it over night as well and make them the next day.
4. Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a cooling wrack on top of a large sheet pan and spray the cooling wrack with non-stick spray. 
5. Take a small ice cream scoop and form the zucchini dough into 1 in. balls and place on cooling wrack. Flatten them out slightly. 
6. Bake the zucchini bites for 25 minutes or until brown and bubbly. 
7. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. I like to serve them with a side of marinara sauce or sour cream.
Enjoy!

Xo
Melanie

Did I Mention I LOVE Popcorn!?

Calling all popcorn lovers....OK seriously, I LOVE popcorn! I don't just love it, I adore it! It is my number one go to snack almost every night. When I first found out I had Celiac, I immediately started to worry I could never eat popcorn again. I mean, could you imagine!? I think I would die! And although there is a ton of popcorn out there that does contain gluten, a good majority of them do not! I usually prefer to just pop my own with some olive oil or butter, but I tend to buy the quick microwave kind as well when I don't feel like making it. It's not only a quick and easy snack, but it can also be pretty healthy (unless you get the really sweet kinds or the ones drenched with butter). Let me just say, I love all the flavors!

I was recently introduced to Hayward Main Street Gourmet Popcorn. I must say, I had never heard of it before, but since it's popcorn I had to find out! A friend of mine, Jen, sells it and she gave me her website to check out. Oh my goodness, it was like popcorn heaven! The combination of flavors they offer are incredible. They have so many to choose from! They have specialty popcorn, popcorn of the month club, flavored popcorn, gift boxes and tins, and even cotton candy! They even sell their kernels so that you can pop your own at home. The best part is all of their products are not only gluten free but GMO free as well!

My friend Jen graciously sent me 5 flavors to try. Immediately I noticed the color of the popcorn, it was so pretty and vibrant! The packaging was simple, but super cute as well. The flavors she sent me were: Caramel Apple Pie, Cherry, Caramel, Cheddar, and Garlic Parmesan. I absolutely loved them all! The caramel apple pie literally tastes like a fresh baked apple pie. The Cherry reminded me of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream. The Cheddar tasted like cheesy nachos. The Garlic Parmesan reminded me of fresh baked garlic bread. And the Caramel was super sweet and delicious. My favorite of these had to be the Cherry! One thing I loved is that each bag of popcorn had so much flavor. You can tell that they really put their heart and soul into making these. I'm going to purchase many more flavors in the near future. I'm excited to try them all! My husband, kids, and I literally sat there quiet as can be eating from all the different bags! Most of them are gone! It's that good. You have to try it. I may even try the popcorn of the month club because I loved it so much. If you'd like to give Hayward Main Street Gourmet Popcorn a try, visit my friend Jen's website at http://www.jenstemptations.com/ and tell her I sent you!

Xo

Melanie

Kinnikinnick Foods Review

If you follow my blog, you know that I love to try new gluten free products and experiment with different recipes! A huge thanks to my friends at Kinnikinnick Foods for sending me a generous package filled with bread and graham crackers! They sent me a loaf of white bread, a loaf of multigrain bread, and a box of graham crackers.

I have tried the graham crackers several times before, so I was super excited to get another box from the company.  Let me just tell you that these are the BEST gluten free graham crackers around! I honestly use them for everything. Right now I am loving them with S'mores! We have campfires at home almost every weekend, and what's a campfire without a delicious, gooey s'more right? I actually don't even miss regular s'mores, these are that good! My kids and I also love snacking on them just as they are. You cannot go wrong with these!

I was so thrilled that Kinnikinnick sent me some of their bread to try. I haven't tried it before, so I was really looking forward to it! I tried both the white bread and the multigrain bread. The bread comes frozen, as do most gluten free brands. I have to tell you that the bread was absolutely delicious! When I defrosted some in the microwave, it kept it's shape and didn't turn to mush, which is a huge plus in my book. The bread was actually soft! This is one of the first times I have tried a gluten free bread that didn't turn to complete mush or break apart. We celiacs definitely look for a good bread that will not only hold it's shape, but stay soft. This is definitely a win! As you'll see below, I used the white bread to make some grilled cheese. I lathered on some butter on each slice and layered some good old American cheese, and then cooked them to perfection. No joke, it was one of the yummiest grilled cheese's I have made in a long time! The bread perfectly stayed crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside. Yum!

The next day, I wanted to try the multigrain bread, so I whipped up a quick ham and cheese sandwich. The multigrain was delish! Again, I defrosted it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and it turned out perfectly soft. I put some mustard on each side of the bread, then layered on some ham and american cheese. Voila! Quick and easy lunch! 

Overall, I must say I am super impressed by Kinnikinnick gluten free products! There really isn't a gluten free product of theirs I don't like. As someone with celiac, I get excited about the little things, such as finding a great gluten free bread! I bet many of you do as well. When you first are diagnosed with Celiac, you feel as if your life is over. I know for me, all I could think about was what I couldn't eat- bread being one of my favorite things! When you find a great gluten free brand, it feels amazing! You don't feel like you're missing out on things anymore and I love that. If you're looking for a great tasting gluten free bread and snacks, I recommend Kinnikinnick. To see all of their products or to purchase online visit http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/consumer.home.html

Enjoy!

Xo

Melanie

Canyon Bakehouse Review and Recipe

I have only tried the sandwich bread from Canyon Bake House a couple of times before, so when the company sent me bagels and brownies to try I was super excited! I have been searching for a good gluten free bagel now for awhile. It's so hard to find one that not only tastes like a regular bagel, but also one that doesn't turn hard after it defrosts.

Another reason I wanted to try these is because most of Canyon's gluten free products are not frozen! Can I just tell you how excited that makes me!? I'd say around 90% of gluten free breads and other baked goods I've tried come frozen and it is somewhat discouraging. I would usually pop a few slices of frozen gluten free bread in the microwave for a few seconds before eating so it's soft, but then I have to eat it so quick or else it will turn as hard as a rock! And trust me, as someone with Celiac, I do not want hard bread! I'm sure many of you can relate to that kind of disappointment.

Canyon Bake House graciously sent me a package of plain bagels and a package of everything bagels. I jumped for joy when I saw the everything bagels! I've never had a gluten free everything bagel before so I was so excited to finally try one! One morning, I turned on the toaster oven, popped in my everything bagel and just sat there staring at it until it was done. When it was done, I pulled it out and lathered some delicious smart balance butter spread on top and took that first bite... OH MY YUM! It was amazing! Not only was it so flavorful, but it was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside (as a bagel should be)! It was the BEST bagel I have ever had, no joke! My daughter stole half of mine, so I made another one and we devoured it. Trust me guys, you need to try it, like NOW!

The next day, I wanted to try the plain bagels, but I didn't just want a bagel. I wanted to make something with it. PIZZA! Of course! I put some pizza sauce on top, and then topped the bagel off with some mozzarella cheese and popped it into the toaster oven. It could not get done fast enough, the anticipation was killer! I took it out of the oven and cut it in half. I didn't even wait for it to cool before taking a bite. And it was complete HEAVEN! Again, crunchy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside. Pairing it with the sauce and cheese was the perfect lunch!

As for the brownies, I just have to say they were probably the most delicious gluten free brownies I have tasted. They are not overly sweet and you can really taste the chocolate. They're the perfect little size for when you are craving something sweet, so you don't have to feel too guilty. They would also be amazing warmed up with some vanilla ice cream on top! YUM!

Overall, I am really loving Canyon Bake House products! They truly know how to make some delicious gluten free goodies. When being gluten free it's not easy finding good products that actually taste normal. But let me just tell you, these guys know what they're doing! If you haven't tried their products, you have to! Trust me, you won't be disappointed! To see all the yummy gluten free products that Canyon Bake House has to offer visit www.canyonglutenfree.com

Xo

Melanie

Gluten Free Allergen Friendly Expo DISCOUNT Tickets and GIVEAWAY!

I am so excited to be an official Blogger of the 2015 Gluten Free Allergen Friendly EXPO in Worcester, MA! This is a dream come true for me. This will be my very first expo and I am so excited to meet fellow bloggers and get to try all of the delicious gluten free goodies! This exciting event is happening July 25th from 10 A.M.- 4:00 P.M. at the DCU Center in Worcester. This event is going to be amazing! Not only will it have a variety of vendors, but also cooking demonstrations, special guest speakers, and of course delicious samples! You do not want to miss it!

As a fabulous follower, you have the chance to get your tickets for 20% off until July 24th! Don't wait, get your tickets now using this link

http://ow.ly/MCyT4

You will not only get this 20% discount, but you will also get a FREE 1 year subscription to Delight Gluten Free Magazine when you use this link to purchase your tickets! How great is that?!

But, that's not all....I am also giving away FREE tickets to 4 fabulous followers!!! Woot Woot! To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave me a comment here on this post and SHARE this post on your Facebook wall! It's that simple! Good luck to all of you!!

Again, I am super excited about being a blogger at this year's expo and I hope to meet many of you there in person! Come stop by and say Hi, take advantage of all the delicious goodies, samples, and browse all the fabulous vendors. It's sure to be an amazing day!

Xo

Melanie

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Curried Chicken Salad

One of my favorite summertime lunches is chicken salad. It's very healthy and versatile. It's so quick to make, but so yummy!  I add tart granny smith apples, toasted walnuts, and curry powder to this to give it a delicious kick! My husband and kids go crazy for it! It is a weekly staple in our house. The batch that I usually make never lasts more than 2 days. Yes, it's that good! Trust me, you are going to love it. I like to either put this chicken salad right over a bed of fresh spinach or lettuce. You can also pile it on some yummy gluten free bread or roll it up in a gluten free wrap. It's also delicious by itself as it is! I hope you enjoy!

Recipe for Curried Chicken Salad (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)

18 oz. Roasted Chicken Breast (I use the pre-cooked strips, you can find anywhere at the grocery store), cut up into bite sized pieces. Grilled chicken breast would also be fabulous!

4 large Celery Stalks, chopped

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 Cup Soy-Free Vegan Mayo (Veganaise)

2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp. Yellow Curry Powder

1 Tbsp. Ground Coriander

1 Tsp. Granulated Garlic

1 Tsp. Onion Powder

1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley

2 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Tsp. Fine Sea Salt

1 Tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the vegan mayo, lemon juice, and spices in a small bowl and mix until fully combined. Set aside.

2. Toast the walnuts over medium high heat until you can smell them (about 3 minutes)

3. In a large bowl, add he chopped chicken, celery, apples, and walnuts. Stir in the vegan mayo that you set aside.

4. Mix all ingredients together until fully combined. Chill 20 minutes before serving.

5. Serve over a salad, on a wrap, or on some delicious gluten free bread!

* This chicken salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to a week. It also freezes well.

Xo

Melanie