Namaste Pizza Crust Mix

Throughout my gluten free journey I have tried many gluten free pizza crust mixes.  However, my favorite by far is this Pizza Crust Mix by Namaste.  This brand has truly made an incredible pizza crust!  I do however feel that the crust is made even more spectacular when you bake the pizza on a pizza stone.  It makes the bottom of the crust crispy and in my opinion the entire crust cooks better throughout.  I have found the crust at Whole Foods but I like to buy it in bulk from Amazon.com in a 6 pack.  You can save tremendously on the price if you buy 6 packages of the crust at once.

First, follow the directions on the back of the package of the Namaste crust.  Depending on the size of your pizza stone, you may need to make 1 1/2 times the recipe for the crust.  Place the crust on the pizza stone.  (Tip: I smear olive oil on the bottom of the stone before placing the crust on there because the crust itself is a bit dry on its own).

To make my favorite type of pizza, you will need the following:  1 jar of Trader Joe's pizza sauce, 1 container of Trader Joe's pesto, 1 small can of Trader Joe's sliced black olives, colored peppers (I go between green, yellow, and red), 1 package of mozarella cheese, 1/4 pound of pepperoni from Whole foods.   Getting the pepperoni from Whole Foods is key because pepperoni from other stores is very fatty and is filled with many preservatives.  You can of course still make the pizza with other pepperoni but in my opinion the pepperoni from Whole Foods is top notch, truly adds to the overall flavor of this pizza, and should not be substituted.

Here are the steps to make this incredible pizza.  I promise, you will not be disappointed!

1.  Spread pesto all over the crust.  Then, on top of the pesto, spread the traditional red pizza sauce.
 

2.  Place a layer of pepperoni on the pizza.  (I think putting a layer of peperoni under the cheese is key).

3.  Place a layer of cheese on top of the layer of pepperoni.

4.  Place another layer of pepperoni on top of the cheese, followed by another layer of cheese.  

5.  Add your toppings.  I like to add black olives and two colors of peppers but that's up to you.

6.  Bake the pizza according to the directions on the package.  After it is cooked, broil the pizza for a few minutes to get that crispiness on the top layer.

I hope you enjoy this pizza as much as I do!

Original Pancake House-Roseville, CA.

Have you heard of the Original Pancake House?  Well, for those of you in the Sacramento area, the Roseville location serves a wide variety of gluten free pancakes!  They use Bob's Red Mill's line of gluten free products. 

Better yet, today's Groupon has a deal for the Roseville location of the Original Pancake House.  For $5 you can buy a $10 certificate for your next visit.  The Groupon is valid until April 11, 2012 so you have plenty of time to use it.  The deal is available for purchase from today, April 6, 2011, and can be purchased for the next 3 days.  Click on the link below to check out the deal!  

http://gr.pn/hBGz5d

http://gr.pn/hBGz5d

Baking Mixes By: Breads From Anna

I am so thrilled to have found the bread and baking mixes by Breads From Anna!  Not only do they taste fabulous, but they do not contain any processed sugars!  I have been looking for mixes without processed sugars for years.  Instead, the mixes contain crystallized honey and maple sugar.  Although I am a fan of other gluten free mixes, I do think that many of them contain more processed sugars than I usually care for.  This is the main reason I like to bake from scratch and substitute the sugar with something else.

I tried Breads From Anna's Gluten & Yeast Free Pumpkin Bread.   This particular mix is corn, dairy, soy, nut, and rice-free.  Breads From Anna clearly labels all of its packages noting what ingredients it is free of.  If you visit their website you will note that each product clearly notes what the ingredients are and what allergens it does not contain.  The website also notes that they source their ingredients from companies that are also wheat/gluten free. 

Here are ingredients and instructions that I followed from the back of the package for the Pumpkin Bread Mix:

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1/3 cup oil (canola, coconut or butter, olive oil is not recommended)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

**To keep this bread mix dairy free, I filled my 1/3 cup with half coconut oil and half Earth Balance.  It turned out great!)**

Directions:

Combine all of the wet ingredients & cream on a low mixer speed.

Add the Pumpkin Bread mix & blend on a low mixer speed until combined.

If desired, add walnuts to the mix.

Pour the batter into a greased & dusted 

8 1/2 X 4 1/2 loaf pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes.

The bread can also be made into muffins.  However, the cooking time will need to be adjusted.

Remove from oven and enjoy!

Tarte Cosmetics 4 in 1 Concealer

My new favorite gluten free make-up item! Tarte cosmetics "The Eraser" 4-in-1 natural concealer. Their website doesn't specifically say it's gluten free but the box does. Give it a try!

http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-the-eraser

Gluten Free Rice Cereal Treats

Ingredients:
5 cups of Marshmallows (any brand will do)
6 cups of gluten free rice cereal
1/4 cup butter (or butter substitute for dairy free)

I decided to make these rice cereal treats dairy free so I used Earth Balance butter substitute instead of butter. 

You can use any brand of gluten free rice cereal but I used Barbara's brand of Brown Rice Crisps.  They worked perfectly in this recipe!


Directions:
In a large pot, combine marshmallows and butter (or butter substitute).  Cook on low heat while constantly stirring the marshmallows and butter as they melt.  As soon as the marshmallows and butter are melted, quickly add the 6 cups of rice cereal.  Stir vigorously.  Then, pour the marshmallow/cereal mixture into a 9x13" pan and allow to cool.  Cut into small squares and serve!

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

I am so happy to report that Trader Joe's continues to expand their gluten free product line!  I recently decided to try their gluten free pancake and waffle mix.  I made berry and chocolate chip pancakes and they turned out fantastic!

Add eggs and oil to the mix.

Add berries and chocolate chips, or anything else you desire.

 

 

 Top with butter and syrup.  Enjoy!

Soy-Yer Dough: Gluten Free Modeling Play Dough

 

Are you looking for a fun activity for your little one or perhaps a gift for a gluten free child in your life?  Then you must check out Soy-Yer Dough gluten free and wheat free modeling play dough.  I recently purchased these for my nephew and he loved it!  The 4-pack of Soy-Yer Dough comes in 4 great scents: Red/Strawberry, Yellow/Banana, Green/Mint, and Orange/Orange. The 4-pack includes one small container of each of these scents for $7.95.  You can also purchase individual containers of each scent that are $1.99 each.  If you purchase individual containers, they offer other scents in addition to the 4 that come in the 4-pack.  Soy-Yer Dough has a standard shipping rate of $5.95 for anywhere in the United States.  Soy-Yer Dough knows that many children who are sensitive to gluten may also be sensitive to other allergens and toxins.  Therefore, the Soy-Yer Dough product is: borax free, latex free, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, peanut & tree nut free, and kerosene free.

Soy-Yer Dough does contain soy, however, if your little one is sensitive to soy, they also offer an alternative to their traditional Soy-Yer Dough product.  The soy free version is 100% Soy free, non-toxic, gluten free, and vegan friendly.  Just click Soy-FREE during checkout.  If you check their website often or "like" them on Facebook or Twitter, you can also find out when they have sales and promotions for their products.  

I highly suggest you check out this fabulous product for the gluten free child in your life!

Soy-Yer Dough Website