Gluten Free Finds at Trader Joe's

 The other day I actually got to go to Trader Joe's by myself and had time to peruse the aisles. I found a few great new gluten free things (or at least they were new to me). I haven't had a chance to take pics of all of them but here is one of mine and Lauren's favorites- Mini Chicken Tacos. So quick and easy!  

I also found some gluten free chocolate chip cookies that were decent. 

I am LOVING their new corn pasta and for less than $2 a bag I'm buying a lot of it. So nice to not spend $4+ per bag of pasta. 

Our whole family is in love with the Applegate Farms hotdogs, they are actually made from real meat, have no nitrates, gluten or casein, and you can pronounce every ingredient in them (there are only 6 or so ingredients!). They are $5 for a pack of 6 but we think it's totally worth it since it's real food. 

New quick and easy dinner!

We discovered these a few weeks ago at Trader Joe's and they are a hit. Yummy, healthy, and quick. Perfect for busy nights when we have to make dinner fast. We topped them with a broccoli slaw, avocado, and salsa. YUM! 

They aren't labeled gluten free but when I was at they store they had them out as a taster and the lady said they were gluten free. Another lady next to me assured me she is gluten free and she eats them. I've eaten them 3 times now and feel great:) 

Almond Berry Muffins! Gluten, Dairy, & Egg free!

I found this recipe over a year ago on some website, printed it and tucked it away. I recently came across it in my recipe notebook and decided to make them and WOW! They are hands down my most favorite gluten free muffins I've ever made. My kids devoured them and so did I. I didn't use blueberries because I didn't have any, but I had frozen blackberries left from this summer, so I substituted those and they were fabulous! 

**I buy my almond flour at Trader Joe's, it is so much cheaper than anywhere else. 

Blueberry Muffin Recipe with Almond Flour (Gluten-Free)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.

Whisk together:

1 1/3 cups almond meal

1 cup sorghum (or brown rice flour, if desired)

1/2 cup tapioca starch or potato starch (not potato flour!)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Beat in:

1 1/3 cups organic light brown sugar

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with 1/4 cup warm water till frothy

1/2 cup warm water, more as needed, up to 3/4 cup

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the batter until it is smooth, like a slightly thickened cake batter.

Add in:

1 pint fresh berries, washed and patted dry (I used blackberries, the original recipe I had called for blueberries, I think any berry will work just fine). 

Stir gently and briefly.

Plop the blueberry muffin batter into the twelve lined cups. You'll probably have some extra- for a baker's dozen. We made tiny mini-muffins with our extra better. 

Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 23 to 25 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. A wooden pick inserted into the center should emerge clean.

Cool the muffin pan on a wire rack for five minutes. Gently pop the muffins out to continue cooling on the rack (don't cool them in the hot pan- they'll get soggy).

Great New Find at Trader Joe's!

We found these at Trader Joe's last night and the kids are in heaven over them! They are free of the 8 most common allergens which means no eggs, dairy, or gluten so we were thrilled! I can't remember the exact price but I know they were $3 or less. The box we bought last night is already gone...oops.

just for fun

We decided to have a little fun with dinner tonight and make breakfast for dinner. Then I decided to make it even more fun and turn the pancakes into pumpkins. I used the Trader Joe's gluten free pancake mix and added some food coloring to make them orange. Then I used a cookie cutter to turn them into pumpkins and added chocolate chips for the face (not the healthiest dinner we've ever had but hey, we live on the edge sometimes!). I added a little kiwi to get some fruit in there:) These were a major hit, my kids LOVED them. Next time I'm going to try to use real pumpkin puree to try to naturally make them orange and a little healthier.

Cravings Place Banana Muffins

We are heading to Portland for the night and I like to make sure I have plenty of gluten free foods with us so we don't have to stress out at every stop along the way. Last night the kids & I made these gluten free muffins using The Cravings Place muffin mix & bananas. Their mix doesn't have sugar added so you have to add your own sweetener. We add agave nectar instead of refined sugar and they are really really good. My husband even agrees.

They look & taste like the muffins we all grew up on and are SO delicious. I had to stop the kids from eating them all last night or else we wouldn't have any to take on our trip today.

I buy The Cravings Place mixes at Fred Meyer. I buy the agave nectar in a two back at Costco, but they sell it at a lot of stores (Trader Joe's has it too).

Trader Joe's Treasures

Here are two more of my favs from Trader Joe's. My kids LOVE these mini Think Thin bars and they are the perfect size to keep in my purse for a quick little pick me up for the kids (and me!). They are gluten & sugar free but have 5 g of protein. Can't beat that! There are other flavors but cookies in cream is the one we prefer.

At a $1.99 these treats are probably the most affordable gluten free cookie I've found. They are a bit on the spicy side but my kids both love them and so do Kevin & I. I was just thinking they'd be really good to use to make a graham cracker type crust for a pumpkin pie in the fall! But it's a little early to think about fall since summer barely started.

Tasty Sauce

We found this sauce at Trader Joes and we love it. It is a bit spicy so a little goes a long way (I'm a total wimp when it comes to spice though). We especially enjoy it on quinoa, it just jazzes it up a bit. Pair it with a protein and some veggies and you've got an easy and delicious meal!

Rice Sticks

For dinner we had these "Rice Sticks" from Trader Joes. It is a really yummy rice pasta that goes great with veggies. Tonight we tossed the noodles with some steak, veggies, and gluten free San J Peanut Sauce (available at PCC & Whole Foods) and it was a huge hit with everyone! Lauren & Ben both asked for seconds, which is pretty amazing.

More Food Suggestions

We buy these tasty chips at Costco. The whole family loves them by themselves or dipped in salsa and they are certified gluten free, which is always an extra bonus for my piece of mind.

Trader Joe's has a lot of good gluten free stuff. Some is labeled with a "g" and some is not, but they have a long list on their website of all their non-gluten containing products. This pancake mix is a good one. Their brownie mix is even better- I just don't have a package to take a picture of because it never lasts for long around here! *The brownies are even better if you add chocolate chips or nuts or caramel- or all 3 as I like to do:)

So, let me first say I am not a huge fan of non-dairy yogurt, however this one is pretty good if you mix it with a gluten free granola. My 4 year old likes it right out of the container but I prefer it to be mixed with something. We like the cherry & blueberry flavors the best. This yogurt is sold at most grocery stores in the natural or health food section.

My whole life I've loved flour tortillas and never been a big fan of corn tortillas. Since I can no longer have the flour kind of turned to the Mission White Corn Tortillas and I enjoy them quite a lot. I checked out their website and they do not contain any gluten ingredients and they are made on clean lines. I eat them all the time and have never gotten sick. You can find them at any grocery store, which is a huge bonus!

Best Gluten & Dairy Free Ice Cream EVER!

This ice cream is a hit with everyone that tries it. It is creamy, full of flavor, and melts in your mouth. The taste can't be beat and unless you read the label, you'll never know it isn't made with dairy. It doesn't say "gluten free" on the label but I looked it up on Trader Joe's website and it is listed in their gluten free section. I eat it all the time without any problems. Go get some right now- you won't be disappointed!

Cider

When I first heard I couldn't have gluten I was pretty bummed to think I wouldn't be able to have beer and other fun summer libations. I quickly learned that wasn't the case and there are plenty of alternatives out there. One of my favorites is Newton's Folly Cider. It is crisp & refreshing on a hot summer day. I buy it at Trader Joe's and it has gluten free right on the label! I love companies that label their products.