Gluten Free at Upcoming Healthy Family Expo!

If you live in the Vancouver area, mark your calendars! The 2nd annual Healthy Family Expo is bigger and better and coming to the Vancouver Convention Centre on March 29th from 10am-5pm!

When you have an autoimmune disease like Celiac Disease and have to put such care into what you put in your body, I think it’s only natural that this optimal health mindset carries over into all aspects of your life. I find it important to not only eat gluten-free but to also eat healthy, nutritious food, to participate in regular physical activity, to enrich my mind, body, and spirit, and to also appreciate the planet and treat it with care.

But there’s a lot to consider!  And it can be super confusing or overwhelming and some people might think that it’s just too much work, especially when raising a family. The Healthy Family Expo is here to show you that raising a family in an eco-friendly and healthy way doesn’t have to be hard— and can even be FUN!

This Expo looks like loads of fun for the whole family, with tons of exhibitors (more than just food!), attractions, presentations, and music!

• Family yoga class for all ages at 1230pm with Sunflow Kids
• A workout you can do on the playground, for all the busy moms and dads out there, brought to you by Dai Manuel
• A rock climbing wall provided by Climb Base 5
• And…my personal favorite…a GIANT HAMSTER BALL TRACK!!! Sounds super fun, brought to you by Games2U

Some of the vendors offering gluten-free options include:

• Hardbite Chips: maybe they’ll be sampling their new Root Chips?!
• Hippie Foods
• Nature’s Path: not all products are gluten-free
• Aloe Gloe
• Wonderfully Raw: I’d love to try these products…Tamarind Apple Brussel Bytes?! Yes, please!
• PowerPlant Whole Foods
• RawFoodz Inc: raw, gluten-free, dairy-free (vegan) salad dressings, “cheese” sauces, and buttery-style spreads
• Rolling Meadow Dairy: grass-fed dairy
• Ener-C
• Farafena
• Naked Coconuts: raw organic coconut nectar, coconut oil, and soy-free “soy sauce” alternative
• Organimals: healthy alternative to common sodas
• Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt: this stuff looks amazing; read the FAQ! They use whole milk from grass-fed cows and keep things so natural and pure that their yogurt even has a “cream top” and a golden yellow color.
• Love Child Organics: check out their “questions?” section or ask them at the show which products are gluten-free

And there’s likely more, just be sure to ask questions and read labels before you sample!

Plus, don’t forget to enter into their Grand Prize Draw for a chance to win a trunk of groceries from Whole Foods Market valued at $500!

TICKETS are $8 in advance (online or at Whole Foods or London Drugs), or $12 at the door CASH ONLY! Free for children up to age 12 (accompanied by an adult)

Find some healthy, gluten-free, eco-friendly fun at this year’s Healthy Family Expo!

 

Love,

Sassy

Fraser Valley Food Show 2014

I’m writing a completely different kind of review for this year’s Fraser Valley Food Show, because I’m in a completely different place.  For instance, I still feel like I’m recovering from it and my blood pressure clocks in at 91/53 today, and I’ll be seeing at least three specialists in the next four weeks.  So, while I do enjoy giving you all a look into the background of these lovely local companies, I’m basically going to have to just tell you which companies I liked and maybe a few words about why, and let you do some investigative work if you so desire.  Checking the “About” section on their websites usually does the trick 😉  Regardless, I do think you should check out the products each and every one of these companies sells.  They’re worth it!

Country Prime Meats:Only the best meat snacks around! They even have gluten-free Teriyaki!

SpiceWorks: I had to bring home the Coconut Curry all-in-one kit; so good!

Happy Planet Soups: You have to check out their latest addition…it has MEAT in it!  Thai Chicken Soup, for the win!

NextJen Gluten-Free Flour: They have tons of recipes on their website.  So far I’ve only made the pizza crust, but it’s the first gf pizza crust I’ve ever made from scratch and it was great! (Still thin crust, but great lol)

 

 

Gourmet Creations Simply Vegetable Spreads: Try their Sundried Tomato spread in place of tomato sauce on your gf pizza or add some Carrot Ginger to your creamy squash soup for some extra zip!

Fire Belly Sauces: All natural and all delicious. Hope to see these in stores, soon!

Enerjive Quinoa Skinny Crackers: I’m so in love with these; both the savory and sweet varieties are outstanding!

Ener-C: Vitamins, electrolytes, no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, all from a Canadian company!

Your Inspiration At Home: Amazing and all-natural seasonings inspired by many different cultures because fast, simple cooking doesn’t have to be boring!

Salt Spring Sea Salt Ltd: Ridiculously fragrant and unique salt blends evaporated and crafted by hand on Salt Spring Island!

Kealy’s Diamond Vodka: Certified gluten-free vodka made with the newest technologies in alcohol filtration to give you the smoothest vodka you’ll ever try!  Official gluten-free vodka at Red Robin Restaurants— just ask for your cocktail to be made gluten-free!

Distillers Pride: The first certified gluten-free vodka (and brandy and rum varieties) that is endorsed by the Canadian Celiac Association and uses absolutely no gluten ingredients in their base or any stage of the process (while distillation is said to remove gluten, many Celiacs prefer a product that never contained gluten at any point in the process— and if you click the link it gives some reasons as to why).  They have some delicious flavored vodkas, including a fun Lemongrass and Ginger Remix!

Glutenberg:  100% gluten-free beer that actually TASTES GOOD!  Made only from gluten-free ingredients (none of this “gluten-removed” stuff), Glutenberg has several varieties that are sure to please.  Their latest edition is the India Pale Ale, which is my new favorite, even smells amazing, with crisp citrus and floral notes.   I think the only kind I haven’t tried or seen yet is the Belgian Double, which also looks delicious.  The best news?  They are expanding to more places in the Fraser Valley!  Keep bugging your local liquor stores to get them in!

Two Brunettes and a Blonde! (and that wasn’t even on purpose LOL)

I do hope you check out all of these companies, especially to all my BC followers….the Fraser Valley has so many amazing gluten-free products and vendors!

 

Sincerely,

Sassy