What I eat

Some of the meals that helped me lose over 40lbs. You do not have to starve or sacrifice to lose weight. I originally posted this on my facebook page but I thought I'd share them with you.

 

Update

I wanted to give a quick update. I know it's been such a long time since I have made a post but I'm back.

I made a lot of changes this year. I started school, began to work out, and started eating a more clean diet. It has made a huge difference in my life. I lost forty-three pounds so far and feel so amazing. I have energy and my gut has healed. Before I started my new journey I was taking 150mg of Levothroid and now I'm only taking 100mg. My new journey is not easy and at times I still struggle but I know I can never go back.

With all the new changes I feel as though it is time for my blog to change too. I decided on a name change and want to incorporate lifestyle and health in my blog. I do not want it to be just about product reviews although I will still be doing them.

Huge Gluten Free Giveaway Hosted Canyon Bake House and Love with Food

I have an exciting giveaway to share with you all. Canyon Bakehouse and Love With Food are giving away an amazing prize. Three people will win one of every product that Canyon Bakehouse makes. So, enter down below and good luck.

Link to the Giveaway

If you are curious about Love With Food feel free to click on my link and save.
Save on your first box!

Celiac Awareness Month Giveaway from Love With Food Gluten Free

I have an exciting giveaway to share with you. It is Celiac Disease Awareness Month and Love with Food Gluten free wants to celebrate by giving one winner a Year subscription of the Celiac-safe Love With Food Gluten-Free Box curated by KC the G-Free Foodie and a bag full of delish Allergen-Free Swag from Enjoy Life Foods! Two other winners will win a 3 Month Love With Food Membership! Just click on the link below and follow the steps. Good luck!
Giveaway:
celiac-awareness-month-giveaway

Save money on your first box:
Everyone is a winner because when you use this link you can get 50% off your first Love With Food Gluten Free Box! 
 50% off your first box!

Simple Mills Baking Mixes Review

Chocolate Muffins

I was lucky enough to win a Simple Mills prize pack from Gluten Free Frenzy and I am so grateful that I did. I was not sure what to expect because as you know gluten free baking mixes are usually a hit or a big miss. After trying all the mixes Simple Mills was definitely a huge hit at our home. All the mixes were delicious and moist and I loved that they are not crumbly like some gluten free products are.

Pumpkin Muffin

One thing that impressed me was that they were low in sugar and Paleo friendly. They are a great option if your trying to avoid sugar or grains but still want a sweet treat. Just like their name their ingredients are simple as you can see in the picture. To top it off they include some organic ingredients and they are also Non-GMO. I will definitely continue to purchase these mixes.


You can find the mixes at http://www.simplemills.com/ and I believe Whole Foods. The mixes are around 7.99 a box. They are made in a dedicated bakery and certified gluten free.

.

A Quick Update

Hey everyone. So, I wanted to let you know what has been going on with me lately. So, my Husband and I just bought our first home. Let me tell you it was not easy. I thought getting a mortgage approval was going to be the hard part and boy was I wrong. That was by far the easiest. Finding a home, waiting to see if your offer gets accepted and then having to go through the inspections was very stressful and time consuming. Now that we are settled in and everything is getting back to normal I am excited to get back to blogging and sharing all the fun gluten free and green finds. I'm putting some blogs together right now. I also will be starting a YouTube Channel. I'm not sure if i'm going to like do them or where that will take me but I have been wanting to do it for awhile now. I'm not sure when I will start them but I know it will be pretty soon. This blog is still very important to me and a big part of my life. I have met so much wonderful people in our gluten free and green community and I am so thankful for that. Hope you all enjoy your holidays. Have a wonderful week, Sylvia

Nomsy

Hi, everyone. Today I wanted to share with you a new up and coming app that aims to help people with food allergies, food intolerances, special diets and Celiac Disease. It is called Nomsy. Nomsy will be a community based platform that can be customized to your food needs. That means you can open your app and find recipes and safe places to eat that fit your diet. You will be able to read articles and even be able to catch up with trending topics that you care about and all in one place. Plus it's always great to connect with others who know what your going through and support you. Did I mention it will be free? How amazing is that? When I learned about Nomsy I knew I had to share it with you all! Check out these videos to learn more.
Move Forward in the Fight Against Dietary Restrictions from Robert Greenfield on Vimeo.

A sneak peak of what Nomsy will look like Be sure to check out their website at http://www.nomsy.co/ or check out their Instagram at @nutfreenoms .

You can help them get started by visiting their go fund me page at this link: http://gofundme.com/nomsy Even if your not able to donate consider sharing their campaign on your social media to spread the word around. What I love about this campaign is that some of the proceeds will even go towards food allergy and Celiac Disease research (they are partnering with the Celiac Disease Foundation and End Allergies Together Organization). Be sure to check them out.

Thank you all for reading and be sure to check out Nomsy.

*I was not paid in anyway for this blog post.

 

Bliss Baking Co. of California Review



Bliss Baking Co. of California located in the Central Valley is a family operated company who sells gluten free and grain free baked goods. It's always amazing to find a local gluten free business. What is unique about Bliss Baking Co. is that 90% of their menu is grain free. Finding grain free baked goods can be difficult and expensive. My Husband eats mostly grain free so it was great finding some grain free treats for him. What I love about this company is that it is also great for people who follow certain diets like the GAPS diet and paleo diet. They have various items that are dairy free. They also let me know that they can work with you if you are vegan, or have other food intolerances or food allergies. That just shows how much they care.




Nutty Bliss Cereal(grain free granola), (muffins) Chocolate Monkey,
cinnamon raisin, cocoa bliss,(scone)cherry almond

I think most people would be surprised to know that a lot of these treats are grain free because they are so delicious. My favorites were the chocolate monkey muffin and the lemon blueberry muffin. The scone and cookies were amazing as well. I'll have to be back to get some more very soon. Every product that I tried was delicious. They were a huge hit with my Son and Husband as well. Something that I always take in consideration is the product's texture. Another product I loved was the Nutty Bliss Cereal (grain free granola). You can put it on your yogurt or just eat alone like I did.

  

You can find Bliss Bee Co. at Fresno's Kaiser Permanente Farmer's Market on most
Wednesdays. They also do special orders. This is the link to their Facebook page where you can get more information, join their mailing list and get more updates.  https://www.facebook.com/BlissBakingCoCalifornia?fref=ts

* The items that contain oats are certified gluten free.

 

I cant end this review without talking about The Original Bliss Bread. I really did not know what to expect since I have never eaten grain free bread before. My husband who does eat mainly grain free has just gone without bread completely. I'm happy to say we loved this bread. The taste and texture is great. It can be eaten straight out of the package or toasted. It can also be frozen to last longer. I hope you enjoyed this review and be sure to check out their facebook.

*Note: I was given items for review but was not paid or told what to write. All opinions are my own as always.

March and April Gluten Free Favorites

 

 



 

I have heard great things about North Coast Organics Deodorant so when I saw it at T J Maxx for five dollars I had to grab it. Good natural deodorants are so hard to find. After using it for a good amount of time I feel that it works great and I would repurchase. I still prefer Primal Pit Paste in jar form but North Coast Organics comes very close. It is more convenient because it's in stick form. A lot of natural stick form deodorants (including primal pit paste stick) has a dry hard texture and has to be warmed up which is annoying. What's the point of getting a deodorant in stick form if it is not going to be convenient? Luckily the North Coast Organics Deodorant texture is soft and there is no need to warm it up. Plus it non irritating and their ingredients are simple and clean. They only had their naked deodorant which is scentless so I will probably look into getting their sample pack because I do prefer something scented. http://www.northcoastorganics.net/#!/Organic-Deodorants/c/7094980/offset=0&sort=normal




 I found another Deep Steep product and I love it. The Deep Steep moisture spray is perfect for dry skin. If you have dry skin like I do then I recommend this product. It's light refreshing and smells great. http://www.deepsteep.com/






I love peanut butter and chocolate. Not only are Justin's Peanut Butter Cups gluten free, organic, vegan and free trade they are delicious! So much better for you than a recess peanut butter cup and it tastes better too. They also carry almond butter jars and packs.  http://justins.com/







If you haven't already you should check out my Love with Food Box review. The giveaway contest is over but if your looking for a gluten free subscription that is also healthy then this one might be right for you. Plus for every box purchased they donate two meals to food banks. http://letusreview101.blogspot.com/2015/04/love-with-food-box-by-gfree-foodie.html


I have tried many different gluten free pizza crusts good and bad. Glutino pizza crust is my favorite  by far. I feel like a lot of crusts are either gooey or hard and this was crust was not. It has a great texture and a perfect taste. This crust is also perfect for making some garlic bread. Just add some Italian seasoning and garlic. http://www.glutino.com/









*taken from website

It can be tough finding truly gluten free coffee. The problem with coffee is that it is often contaminated with wheat. There are truly only a handful of coffees I trust. So, when I found Califia Farms Iced Coffee I was excited. Not only are they gluten free but they are made with almond milk which is perfect for those who avoid dairy or are lactose intolerant. When browsing on their website I found out they also make almond milk, coffee creamer, aqua frescas and even horchata! Also, most of their products are carrageenan free and they currently removing carrageenan as an ingredient. Their products are also GMO free.
http://www.califiafarms.com/learn-more

Izzy's Organic Blue Agave is perfect for substituting table sugar for foods and drinks. It is only 11 grams of sugar per tablespoon. I love to use it instead of maple syrup and since I don't use that much on my pancakes it really cuts down my sugar. It's organic and gluten free. I found it at a discount store but you can find it on amazon.






http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Agave-Sweetener-11-5-ounce-Bottles/dp/B00KPN8L08/ref=sr_1_1s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1430858957&sr=1-1&keywords=izzy%27s+organic


I usually pick a classic movie but I thought I would talk about one of my favorite movie series of all time. Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea by Kevin Sullivan. Sadly Jonathan Crombie who plays Gilbert Blythe past away recently. I know he was apart of my childhood and so many others. This was the first movie I can remember my Aunt (we loved watching period movies and reading period books together) showed me. I instantly fell in love with the series and read all the books. Although Anne Of Avonlea is different than the books it's still a great movie. I hope you check it out or revisit the series because they are truly wonderful. http://anne.sullivanmovies.com/


I hoped you enjoyed this post. Have you tried any of these products? Did you like them? Feel free to comment and don't forget to subscribe for more.

Love With Food Box by Gfree Foodie Review and giveaway!

I am so excited to be reviewing the March Love with Food Box Curated by GF-Foodie!
There are a few gluten free subscription boxes out there but what caught my eye about the Love with Food Box is that everything in the box is natural or organic. Just because something is gluten free does not mean that it is healthy so it's really nice finding snacks that are gluten free, taste good and that are good for you. With the Love with Food Gluten Free Box you receive one box every month with 8-12 gluten free snacks. Boxes are $24.50 a month if you subscribe for a year. They also have six month subscriptions or you can just buy month to month. Everything in the box is safe for people with Celiac which is great because you don't have to worry if what your eating might get you sick. They let me know they are very careful when picking out the snacks for the box and work with the companies to ensure that all the items are truly gluten free. Another thing that separates this box from the rest is for every box sold Love with Food donates two meals to a food bank! Isn't that amazing?

So right away I notice my box is jammed packed with yummy treats. It came with a notecard that lists every treat and all their facts and allergen information which was incredibly helpful. It also came with recipes and coupons. So you get even more savings. I even got a full size Bob Red Mills Pie Crust Mix! I fell in love with the turbana plantain chips so I'm definitely going to have to find them. I also got to try a few things I have never tried like chickpeas and kale chips (which were perfect to top on nachos). I was also excited for the morning tea because I love tea. They also had an orange fruit drink, Mexican seasoning, Bops chips and granola. All tasted delicious. My Son even loved them. Overall, I loved this box and it's definitely going on my Christmas list.

*Giveaway Closed* They also want to giveaway a box to two of my readers! You definitely want to enter for your chance to win. Just comment on why you would like to try a Love With Food Gluten Free Box and follow the steps on the rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway



*Note: I was sent this box to review for free but was not paid or told what to write. All opinions are my own. Contains affiliated links. Congratulations Ashley and Tracey! You should have received an email from me today. Please respond within in 48hours. Thank you all for entering and I hope to have more giveaways in the future so keep an eye out. ***Giveway Now Closed***

January Favorites

I found great gluten free food and products this month and I'm so excited to share them with you. I added the ingredients to all items and a link to their website so you can check them out.

So Delicious Whipped Cream: If you love coconut you need to try this dairy free whipped cream. It's light, fluffy and has a killer coconut flavor that I think is perfect for a fruit salad. I even put them on top of my cupcakes instead of frosting. It's a lot healthier than regular dairy whipped cream and perfect for people who avoid dairy. http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/21-day-challenge

Daiya Strawberry Cream Cheese: I really missed my occasional morning bagel with cream cheese. Now I can have it again with this yummy strawberry cream cheese. Just a little a little bit of it topped on a Udi's bagel and I forget that I'm dairy and gluten free.  http://us.daiyafoods.com/our-products



Raizana Teas: I found this tea company at my local Gluten Free Expo. All the teas they make are gluten free. I tried the Woman's TLC tea. It is a delicious herbal lose tea that is suppose to help you on that time of month. The reason I chose this tea is because I really dislike taking medication not to mention most pain medicine are not guaranteed to be gluten free. I really believe this herbal tea helps and relaxes me. It is about $4.25 for a 1oz. bag and $9.99 for a 3oz bag. They really last a good amount of time. You can find more information and order on their website. http://raizana.com/


Udi's Burritos: Udi's frozen burritos are way better than regular frozen burritos. Perfect for a busy day or to take to work for lunch. There are about five flavors. I tried and love the veggie burrito. I Can't wait to try the other flavors.  http://udisglutenfree.com/ I believe most or all flavors do have dairy in them so these might not work for you if you are completely dairy free.





Desert Essence Mouthwash: I already love Desert Essence  tea tree oil toothpaste so I decided to try the tea tree oil mouthwash. I'm going to be honest when I first tried it I thought it tasted really bad because the tea tree oil taste. It took me awhile to get used to the taste and now I do not notice it at all. The reason I decided to keep using it is because of how fresh it left my mouth feeling unlike other natural mouthwashes I have tried. I have also had gum issues in the past (pretty sure because undiagnosed Celiac Disease) and tea tree oil helps keep your gums healthy. So there are many benefits from this mouthwash. I found this mouthwash at Sprouts and you can find them at other health stores and websites.  http://www.desertessence.com/

Deep Steep: Deep Steep is gluten free, cruelty free and has green ingredients and is amazing! I was shopping at Marshalls (I also heard people have found them at TJ Maxx) when I spotted a Deep Steep Scrub on sale for $5.00 (I believe the sticker said the original price was $10.00). I always wanted to try the Deep Steep brand and I am so glad I did. It feels so luxurious and smells so good! It leaves your skin soft and smooth with a light refreshing sent. It's perfect for when I want to treat my skin with something after a hard run.


Running: So I know this is not a product but I am just loving how running has been making me feel this year. You see last year was a very horrible year for me because I lost my Grandmother and Aunt who I was very closed to. I am still struggling everyday with losing them. I started feeling worse and worse so I knew that I had to do something about how I was feeling. A few years ago I was a very active person. I would run around maybe 3-4 miles a day. I got pregnant with my Son and after that I got sick (thyroid & celiac) and I haven't jogged since. I have always been a person who stresses out and has a lot of anxiety and I know that excising has always helped me deal with stress. To be honest I was scared to try to go running again at first because I knew I was so out of shape. I made a lot of excuses of why I couldn't do it but I realized it didn't matter how much I ran but just trying would help. I'm so glad I tried because I'm getting better and better everyday. When I run it just feels like all my stress just melts away. I feel so energized and happy especially when I reach a goal. Of course it doesn't take all the pain and sadness away but it does help.

So these are my January favorites. Have you tried any of these products? What did you like or dislike? Feel free to comment below. Don't forget to subscribe by email to get all my latest posts. Have a great weekend!  :)




*I am an affiliate for Raizana Teas but I will still post my honest opinion on their teas.

Save on Raizana Teas with this link

http://raizana.com/?affiliates=6

Are you Gluten Free? You Don't Have to Apologize!

I'm not sorry for being gluten free. I'm not sorry that I have felt the best emotionally, spiritually and physically than I have ever felt in my whole life. I'm not sorry for tweeting, instagraming, and posting pictures on Facebook of the new gluten free product I just found because I cannot contain my happiness. I'm not sorry for filling my cart with gluten free foods and talking about how awesome my new recipe came out. This is why.

 Almost every week there is another article, another celebrity, another person we know telling us being gluten free is just a fad. The funny thing is most of these people are not gluten free and never had to deal with the symptoms gluten has caused us. Suddenly we have became the punch line to peoples jokes and the cause for waiters to roll their eyes when we ask questions about the gluten free menu.

Yes there are people who eat gluten free to lose weight. Yes, these "fad dieters" are usually the target of all the jokes and hate. The thing is we get lumped up in this group. People start asking questions like, Does gluten really make you sick or all you just trying to lose weight?  Family members start to question if you are just following a trend. Believe me I wouldn't be gluten free if it I didn't have to. I want to go to a party and eat the food. It would be great to just grab my phone and order a pizza because I do not have time to cook or go out to eat anywhere without having to plan and call ahead. Yeah that would be great but it's not my reality. I have a disease and if I want to avoid other auto-immune diseases and scary things like cancer I have to be gluten free. The thing is gluten can cause more than just stomach issues. Before I was diagnosed two years ago with Celiac disease, I was becoming a horrible mess. Besides the stomach issues my thyroid medicine was not being absorbed. There were days when I could barely even get up. My goiter was enlarging again and I gained all the weight I lost. My anxiety was high and I could hardly sleep at night. The list goes on. I'm not asking for you to feel sorry for me. All I ask is that you just that you understand that gluten makes some people genuinely sick. There are kids who have been bullied about having to be gluten free because that funny guy on television said that being gluten free is stupid. It breaks my heart. I don't get the hate. If I have no problems with you eating gluten why should you have problems with me not eating it?

Then there is this weird obsession with the media that if you do not have Celiac Disease you shouldn't be gluten free. That being gluten free is bad for your health because gluten free cake and cookies are unhealthy for you. Yes, of course they are because they are junk food. I'm pretty sure natural gluten free foods like fruits and vegetable are healthy. The thing is there are people who have other reasons for being gluten free. Maybe you have gluten sensitivity, a wheat allergy, a yeast overgrowth or an auto-immune disease like Lupus, Crohn's or MS and eat gluten free to help keep down inflammation. Maybe you have been to dozens of doctors and took dozens of tests but still had no answers so you took the gluten challenge or visited a homeopathic doctor who told you to stop eating wheat and it worked. Whatever the case your eating gluten free for health reasons and there is nothing wrong with that.

Agree with me or not Gluten Free is not a fad. Stop the bullying and the hate. Let's be positive and drive out the negativity. I challenge you to spread awareness and get the truth out. Being Gluten Free is a part of my life and I will not apologize for that. I will not be apologize for being happy and healthy. You shouldn't either.

Why do you eat gluten free? How do you deal with people saying gluten free is just a fad? What do you say? Feel free to comment and share. Let's support each other.