Weekly Menu Plan–December 16, 2012

Nine days until Christmas and I haven’t made a single Christmas cookie!  Ack!  I better get busy, huh?  I do have some peanut butter fudge made, but that is about the extent of my holiday baking. 

Here are some of my favorite Christmas cookies:


Sunday – Gluten-free pasta Alfredo (Tinkyada pasta), green beans and salad

Monday – Rotisserie chicken, garlic rosemary roasted potatoes, broccoli and salad

Tuesday – Easy enchilada bake, corn and salad

Wednesday – Burgers, oven-baked steak fries and salad

Thursday –

Friday – Make your own pizza (Udi’s gluten-free pizza crusts) and salad

Saturday – Take-out


Weekly Recap

Diva Coupon Book is a great way to save on your favorite gluten-free products!  Use this code (GFLife5) to get $5.00 off of your purchase!

Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Granola

Review: Taranto’s Pizza

Review: Harvard Sweet Boutique Baked Goods

Have you…

  • Started shopping?
  • Finished shopping?
  • Wrapped gifts?
  • Baked cookies/made candy?

I best get busy! 

Have a great week!

Diva Coupon Book

Do you shop with coupons?  I love coupons and believe it or not, my husband loves them even more than I do!  I especially like coupons for gluten-free products, as they tend to be more pricey than non-gluten-free products.  Lauren Lucielle, aka The Celiac Diva, just launched the Diva Coupon Book!  The Diva Coupon Book can save over $800 on online gluten-free products!

The book is a one time fee of $35 for a PDF file of coupon codes.  More info and FAQ:

How much does this cost? One time fee of $35

How much will buying the Diva Coupon Book save me? $800 if you use all the discounts

How many companies will I get discounts from? 20…See the list HERE

Are the companies all Gluten Free? YES…they are either Certified Gluten Free and or produced in a dedicated facility

How long are the discounts good for?   Discounts are valid until 4/30/13. Most coupon codes are valid over a period of 2-6 months. You do not have to use them immediately. Please see specifics of each discount HERE

How are the discounts delivered?  Once you purchase, you will receive a link upon checkout and via email to download a PDF file that will have all the discount codes.   Follow all the links in the file and enter the coupon codes upon checkout at each site.

Where can I use the discounts? Each discount is fulfilled at the online store of the participating brand.  All web links and coupon codes will be delivered to you in a PDF Download upon checkout and via email

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The discounts are for the following companies:

To purchase the Diva Coupon Book, simply click here and follow the instructions.  Use code (GFLife5) to get $5.00 off of your coupon book!  The best part about this coupon book is that you can shop in the comfort of your own home!!

Review: Organic Superfood Oat-Based Cereal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  How often have you heard that?  Probably thousands of times, right?  Well, that’s because it is true!  Our bodies need fuel shortly after rising to “break the fast” that occurs while we sleep.  Choosing foods that are well-balanced will ensure that you will have the energy to get your day off to a great start and make it until morning snack or lunch time. 

I am always on the lookout for something that will give me the most bang for my “nutritional buck”.  When I received an email asking if I wanted to try Vigilant Eat’s Organic Superfood Oat-Based Cereal my interest was piqued.  Upon further review of the website, I knew this is a product that would meet the requirements of a well-balanced, energy-filled breakfast.

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The cereal comes in a compact bowl with everything you need to have breakfast at home or on-the-go inside.  You could take this anywhere!  Simply open, remove the spoon, add cold water and enjoy!  No more excuses for not having a healthy, gluten-free breakfast! 

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The cereal is certified gluten-free, organic and kosher and is free of dairy, soy, additives, preservatives and refined sugar.  The big question is, how does it taste?

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Before I added the water

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After I added the water.  It isn’t pretty, but what did your parents and teachers always say when you were a kid?  Don’t judge a book by its cover!  The cereal is marvelous!  I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with it – but it is too late for that!  I am thankful I have another bowl to enjoy after my long run tomorrow!  The ingredients really compliment each other nicely and there is no shortage of goji berries or cacao nibs (my favorite)!

The nutritional stats of this cereal are impressive:

  • Calories – 300
  • Fat – 7g
  • Fiber – 8g
  • Protein – 11g
  • Iron – 25% <—very important for me right now (my iron stores are on the low end of normal and my sports doc would like to see them higher)

The Superfood Cereal is available in select stores across the US or online.  While the cereal is not cheap, try to remember the quality of the ingredients and the importance of your health.  If you sign up for the email newsletter on the Vigilant Eats Facebook Page, they will email you a 15% discount to use on your order.  There are also discounts available for ordering multiple boxes and referring a friend.  Shipping is always free in the continental US.

What is your go-to breakfast?  I admit that I have fallen into a rut and I need to focus on better nutritional quality and less refined sugar, so I am thrilled to have found this new cereal! 

*Samples were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

Review: Yohan Pizza

Every other Tuesday some friends and I get together for a Body Pump class at a local studio.  The class is taught by a good friend, so that makes it even more fun!  After class is over, we head next door for a quick drink and some catching up.  I probably should clarify that this class is at night, not bright and early in the morning.  Last time we did this class, I noticed the pizza place next door offered gluten-free pizza, so I made it a point this time to go in and talk to the owner. 

I was really hungry, but after a gluten incident on Black Friday at a restaurant I once trusted, I was a little hesitant to order a gluten-free pizza from a place that makes regular pizza – until I talked to the owner.  I have never been so impressed as I was after hearing the process to avoid cross-contamination. 

The gluten-free pizza crust comes from a local gluten-free bakery, Holiday Bakery.  The owner, Lisa, didn’t agree to sell Yohan Pizza the crust until she came to check out their kitchen and instruct the staff on how to safely prepare the gluten-free pizzas.  Other restaurants should take note!  I was further impressed when the owner went on to explain how they kept separate sauce, ladles, pans and pizza wheels to cut the pizza. 

I placed my order for a gluten-free cheese pizza with ham, pineapple and tomato.  The pizza is 12” and is the same cost as the large regular pizza = $12.95 plus toppings. 

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My pizza was ready 15 minutes later and I took it next door to the bar.  Not the best picture – it was dark in the bar – but you get the idea.  I found out that I can order the pizza from the bar in the future and they have a window to pass it through!  Now that I am aware of the practices in place to keep the pizza safe from cross-contamination, I feel comfortable doing so. 

There was no way I was going to eat this whole pizza by myself, so I shared with three of my friends.  Only one of those friends eats gluten-free, the other two don’t have to.  The pizza was a hit with everyone!  The crust had just the right combination of crispy and chewy and the toppings were fresh and flavorful!  Best part?  My stomach was happy! I will definitely be ordering from Yohan Pizza again! 

Thank you Yohan Pizza and Holiday Bakery for making safe, gluten-free food for us to enjoy!

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Weekly Menu Plan–December 3, 2012

Hello, December!  At least the calendar says it is December, but the temperature sure doesn’t!  Today the temperature got into the mid-60’s!  It sure is odd to walk out of the house in Columbus, Ohio on December 3rd and not need a coat.  The morning greeted us with some dense fog – dense enough to cause a 2-hour delay in the schools! 

We were able to get out tree up yesterday – a week later than I normally get it up.  Better late than never, right?

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Monday – Leftovers

Tuesday – Baked Ziti and salad

Wednesday – Grilled chicken salads with garlic toasted baguettes

Thursday – Turkey Tacos, black beans, corn and salad

Friday – Make your own pizza and salad

Saturday – Grilled steak fajitas or fajita salads


Week in Review:

Caribou Coffee Holiday Drinks – Gluten-free

Weigh-in – What is your favorite gluten-free cracker?

NFCA Webinar: You Ask, We Answer: 60 Minutes with Top Celiac Disease Researchers

Holidays – Healthy & Gluten-Free

 

Have a great week!

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