Simply G Free – Support For A Gluten Free Lifestyle

I recently acquired some very handy items for living gluten free from a company called Simply G Free.  The name really says it all.

The products are all meant to help you live gluten free more simply and help avoid cross-contamination.

The metal kitchen tags are clearly marked “gluten free” and can be affixed to any pot handle or cooking implement that has a small hole.  I have put mine on my pasta claw, my favourite pot and my measuring spoons.

The rectangle stickers are great for the fridge or freezer for left-overs and make-aheads. They don’t come off in the freezer, like some stickers and you can easily put them on your plastic or glass containers or storage bags.

I use the oversized star shaped stickers when I go to the bulk store, so that my gluten free items are easily recognized and there is room on them if you want to write what the item is.

I also got a simplygfree bracelet which has not left my wrist since I put it on. It is a great reminder to friends, family and wait staff that I must eat gluten free and it also helps to raise awareness.

You can get all of the above-mentioned items in a kit or you can purchase them separately.

Simply go to www.simplygfree.com and order these reasonably priced items.  Check out the entire website while you are there and you will find valuable information on cross-contamination and so much more.

Astoria Mills – Gluten Free Baking Mixes

Feel good and enjoy all the foods you love again!

About Astoria Mills

Certified Gluten Free

Gluten Free – Lab Tested – NO DETECTABLE GLUTEN

Kosher Parve

Blended in a Dedicated and Certified Gluten Free Facility

Facility is HACCP

Pharmaceutical Grade Blending

Made in Canada

Premium Blends

7 Mix Baking Mix System works together to make anything you want – gluten free!

Superior Taste – you can serve anyone!

Bulk Blends – 20 Kg Bags

Artisan Quality – gluten free!

Commercial Baker tested, Chef tested, Restaurant tested, Customer tested, Celiac tested

Nutritionally Enhanced with proprietary Vitamin and Mineral Formula

Contain Resistant Starch for added nutrition

Store Support

Your store/bakery location profiled on our website

Your store/bakery mentioned on Facebook – 23,000 plus members and growing

See Thru, Resealable Packaging

QR Code on each package for in-store shoppers with Smart Phones

Shipped from Ontario

Customer Support

Gluten Free Baking Classes online video

Instructional Videos for each mix

Free eCookbook with 300+ Recipes and a Chapter for each mix

Suggested Menu Planning for Gluten free families

Starting a GF Diet Plan for newly diagnosed gluten intolerants or celiacs

In -Store Demonstrations in some areas

Gluten Free Workshops & Cooking Classes

How Does the Astoria Mills Cooking and Baking System work?

Below is an brief explanation of the Astoria Mills Baking System and what you can make using

these mixes. For exact easy to follow step by step recipes see the Astoria Mills Gluten Free

Cookbooks (an e-book by Trina Astor-Stewart.

A. THREE BASIC FLOUR MIXES (Corn is all non-GMO)

Because no one gf flour blend will do it all, Astoria Mills believes you should have the best mix

for whatever item you want to make. Use these three Basic Mixes in your favorite recipes or

utilize our 100’s of already tested traditional style recipes from the Astoria Mills Gluten Free ECookbook.

The recipes are in easy step by step format, easy for the novice cook to follow, as

well as the experienced baker

All Purpose Flour – Mix #1

An Enriched blend containing white rice flour, potato and corn.

Use to make gluten free: Muffins, pancakes, snack cakes, cookies, pan breads, biscuits, crumble

toppings, roux sauces, deep fry batters, use for dredging and coating meats, fish and

vegetables. (also used in combination with Astoria Mills Pastry Flour – Mix #2 in various recipes)

Pastry Flour – Mix #2

An Enriched blend containing sweet rice flour, potato and corn.

·        Aztec Harvest Blend – Mix #4

Whole Grain/Germinated Seed Blend

Both a flour and a stand alone mix. Make gluten free: Flat breads, hot porridge, chappatti, artisan breads, pumpernickel bread, add to any recipe for more whole grain/germinated seed goodness. Corn free.

·        Pizza & Bagel – Mix #5

Make gluten free:Pizza, bagels, pitas, kaiser rolls, baguettes, artisan breads, donuts.

A complete mix, all you add are liquids.

·        Brown Bread Mix – Mix #6

Make gluten free: Sandwich Breads, Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns, Dinner & Sub Style Rolls, Pitas & Donuts – Rice Free.

·        White Bread Mix – Mix #7

Make gluten free: Sandwich breads, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, sub-style buns, dinner rolls, pitas, Texas Toast, Braided Challah, donuts, artisan breads.

Use to make gluten free: Pies, pastry, cookies, yeast breads, biscuits, scones, moist chocolate

muffins, cakes and brownies. Also use to make: puddings, gravies and a flour with which to

knead dough and to dust baking pans.

Fine Flour – Mix #3

An Enriched blend containing potato and corn

Use to make gluten free: Tortes, fine cakes, crepes, breads, biscuits, fresh pasta, pierogis,

wraps, lasagna noodles, phyllo dough, use as a kneading and dusting mix.

Astoria Mills gluten free mixes for breads, pizzas, buns, main dishes and desserts.

You can tell the difference when you taste it !

www.AstoriaMills.ca

A.J’s Care Packages Has A New Logo!

A.J’s Care Packages

Girl’s Day Out! A Gluten Free Success

Girl’s Day Out – April 2012

Sometimes it just seems necessary to get together with a bunch of other women and have a good time.

Yesterday, my girls and I got together.

We met at my mom’s place and from there we went to Pizza Dee’s in Wasaga Beach, Ontario.

My mom and her friend go there quite often and she suggested that would be a good place to have our girl’s day out lunch because they offer a gluten free menu.

Mom was right!

Pizza Dee’s employs the cutest little waitress and I am kicking myself for not getting her name.  This girl went out of her way to make sure we had a great time.

The food was great and there was lots of it.  Price? Absolutely affordable.

My gluten free pizza was yummy. (I am having the left-overs tonight for dinner at work)

The other girls all had the pizza/salad deal and lunch was enjoyed by all.

Our Dessert was a wonderful gluten free chocolate layer cake that I purchased from Holly’s Sweets & Eats on Commerce Drive in Barrie.

 

 

 

 

I can’t get over how absolutely gorgeous the cake was and like all of the other treats I have tried from Holly’s, it was incredibly good.

I think this day did us all a world of good and we will be doing another soon.

Thanks for listening,

Aunt Jayne

Aunt Jayne’s Gluten Free Recipes in a Decorative box

This is a wide variety of Aunt Jayne’s recipes in a pretty box.

We have even included 10 blank recipe cards to write your favourite recipes on.

Click here: ajscarepackages

Free delivery on all A.J’s Care Packages in the Barrie area!

This includes:

The city of Barrie

Alcona                                                                 Churchill

Alliston                                                               Gilford

Angus                                                                  Innisfil Heights

Barclay                                                               Lefroy

Baxter                                                                 Sandy Cove

Bell Ewart                                                          Stroud

CFB Borden                                                      Thornton

If you wish to have your care packages delivered to one of the above areas, please call 705-999-1414.

All “free delivery” items must be paid for in advance or COD (Cash on delivery)

This offer is not valid if you click the “buy now” button.

Please like my facebook page http://ning.it/GXKpF9

Holy Crap! What a Great Cereal!

I was recently sent some samples of Holy Crap cereal for myself and two of the firefighters I work with.

Jim says it is very tasty (He is a man of few words) and Jack loved it.  Jack and his wife even tried tossing a bit into their muffin batter and they tell me it made the muffins more moist and delicious.

Myself, I love this.  You only need a small amount to be satisfied, but that small amount contains a huge amount of flavour and texture.  I tried it on coconut yogurt – YUM!  I also tried it with Almond milk – Delicious!

Holy crap is the brainchild of Corin Mullins, founder of HapiFoods Group of Sechelt.

“She wanted a cereal that was high in energy and could travel well. She did her research and developed Holy Crap cereal. The cereal’s main ingredient is Chia seeds. Chia contains 20% protein and more Omega-3 amino acids than fish oil. Other ingredients are hemp hearts, raisins and cranberries. Only a couple of tablespoons  added to milk or yogurt are needed to get the energy and antioxidant benefits.

The ingredients are purchased from all over the world but the cereal is manufactured and packaged right here on the Sunshine Coast. The company contracts with Tilly’s Galley to manufacture the cereal while they also use local businesses for their web site, design and printing. Corin and her husband Brian are the company’s two employees They hire a local person to help sell their products in Vancouver and at farmer’s markets.

The couple was recently  interviewed on the CBC television show Dragons’ Den. Other than revealing that fact, they are sworn to secrecy. They expect their episode to air this fall, but even they will not know the time until one week before the show airs.

Why the name Holy Crap? Corin says it started as a joke after a customer told her, “holy crap this is amazing!”. The name stuck and along with it’s sister sugar-free cereal, Skinny B, is sold at various stores on the coast.”

Another great Canadian product!

Have you tried Holy Crap cereal yet?  Why the heck not?

You can get it at many grocery stores, health food stores or on line at http://www.holycrap.ca

Aunt Jayne’s Gluten Free Recipe Box

You can own a collection of Aunt Jayne’s recipes!

Aunt Jayne’s Gluten Free Recipe Box.

Holly’s Sweets & Eats Bakery and Bistro – Gluten Free

As you all know, I am always on the lookout for gluten free businesses.  This time I hit the jackpot!  Not only does Holly’s Sweets & Eats have culinary works of art that dance with flavour in your mouth – they are in my neighbourhood!

Everything is made from scratch in the store.  No mixes. No artificial ingredients. Just delicious.

I was in Holly’s yesterday and was treated to some samples of their delectable sweets.

I have to say, I have never had a gluten free chocolate cake that did not have a “gluten free” texture – until I tried Holly’s!  It is out of this world!

Here is what Holly and Lori had to say about their baked goods:

“We are always working hard on baked goods for those with special dietary restrictions. It is difficult to create something that is as good or better as the regular item on our shelves. We have achieved success in many items. These items are custom orders only. On occasion, you will find these items on the shelves but it is only because we made a batch for someone else and you came in at the right time. We would be happy to make you any of the items on our list and we promise to continue developing more each week.
Gluten Free: Chocolate Chip cookies, Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate or Vanilla Cake, Peanut Butter Cookies, Cheesecake, Morning Glory Loaves
Sugar Free: Apple or Mixed Berry Pies and Tarts
Dairy Free: Chocolate Cake with Buttercream or Ganache, any of our cookies can be made dairy-free,
Egg Free: Some of our cakes, and most of our cookies can be made egg free.
Vegan: We have been working on a couple of vegan cakes and am still waiting for feedback from some clients (you know who you are!).
For more details on your dietary needs, call the bakery and speak to Lori or Holly.”

If you are in the Barrie area and would like some high quality gluten free goodies, go to:

Holly’s Sweets & Eats

12 Commerce Park Drive  Unit L

(In south-end Barrie)

705-735-3366

You will not be disappointed!

The Holly’s staff are well-trained and very knowledgeable when it comes to gluten free and they take every precaution to keep the gluten free products safe, however, they cannot give an iron clad guarantee.

Cuisine Soleil – Review of a Canadian Gluten Free Company

First, a little history lesson:
At first, products were sold in various local public markets in North-West Québec and in the Montreal area. Today, Cuisine Soleil still attends the public market in Rouyn-Noranda – the home town of the company. Customers can enjoy Cuisine Soleil’s products and give direct feedback on new organic and gluten free products waiting to be commercially launched. The company owns a certified organic vegetable garden and sell their fresh produce at the market and some local restaurants.
2007 – The year 2007 marked the beginning of the distribution of Cuisine Soleil’s products in independent natural health food stores of different regions in the province of Québec.
2009 – Cuisine Soleil’s products are distributed all over the province of Quebec by Aux Mille et Une Saisons, a division of UNFI. Our Brown rice and buckwheat flour can be found at Sobey’s under the IGA banner in Québec.
2010 – Cuisine Soleil expands its product line and introduces an organic gluten free all-purpose mix. Later the company adds to its list of products, an organic chickpeas flour and a tapioca flour.
2011 – Cuisine Soleil expands the distribution of its products to Ontario and across Canada with Ontario Natural Food Co-op and Puresource. We are planning a new line of healthy and organic products for the end of the year.

I recently was given the opportunity to try out the flours of Cuisine Soleil.
If you look back through my recipes, you will notice the name Cuisine Soleil on many of them.
I have really enjoyed using these high quality, certified organic, gluten free flours. I have used them in many of my old favourite recipes and trust them enough to use while developing some new.
It is a great feeling to know that the flour I am using is pure and safe for celiacs and that my recipes will turn out every time.

Check out their cool new website http://cuisinesoleil.com and say hello to Marc Paquin and Blandine Arseneault .
Tell them Aunt Jayne sent you

Kitchen Table Bakers – A Review

Tired of trying gluten free crackers, only to be sorely disappointed? Look no more!

I was lucky enough to have been approved to do a review of Kitchen Table Bakers Crisps.  They are wonderful!

Kitchen Table Bakers special blend of pure aged cheeses lends itself to a complex yet uniquely subtle flavor that goes well by itself, with a “Caesar” Salad, a bowl of soup, a glass of wine or with any of your favorite gourmet dips or toppings.

I was sent both the original and the “everything” and they are so yummy and satisfying. I especially loved the “everything” but the original are fabulous with garlic hummus.

Thanksgiving is coming, order your crisps now and make a tray with all 9 flavours and 3 or 4 of your favourite dips.

You can find recipes and ideas on their web site. http://www.kitchentablebakers.com

I highly recommend these.