fraser valley food show

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

I was honored to be invited to the Fraser Valley Food Show this year! It was the first year for their “show within a show”: The Gluten Free Living Show. Of course, I wanted to check it out 🙂

I was nursing a severely spasmed back/shoulder at the time, but with promises of samples galore and new products…and all LOCAL businesses…I muddled through!

I’ve never been to the Food Show, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. My only reference was the Vancouver Gluten Free Expo, which was crazy big and crazy busy! I was SUPER excited because at the Expo I was on an elimination diet and was unable to try most of the samples! The horror!

I went early on Friday to check out all the vendors, and then returned on Saturday to buy things and check out the live appearances. It was a pretty good system, and Friday was pleasantly not busy. Saturday was definitely bumpin’…yes, lots of bumping LOL On Saturday I wore my Udi’s “GLUTEN FREEDOM” shirt, as I was hoping I wouldn’t have to ask as many times about gluten-free! Well, it definitely helped out and was also a conversation starter, as people would ask about gluten, gluten-free, and celiac! I love being able to spread awareness and knowledge, so the shirt was a hit 🙂 So thank you, Miss Celiac And The Beast, as I believe it was from you! (Super sorry if I’m wrong, as my memory is terrible!)

I thought that there would be more vendors in the gluten-free area, however, many of the regular vendors were either partly or completely gluten-free, too.

The boundaries of the gluten-free area were a little ambiguous, so it was a good idea to ask everyone if the samples were gluten-free, just to be sure. I only had one “incident”, where the people at Jump Up and Go Go, who were IN the gluten-free section, handed me a smoothie sample, and when I asked which variety it was, they said it was Original. I asked if they were all gluten-free and she informed me that no, the Original was not. I had already taken a sip. The non-gluten ingredient in the Original is wheatgrass. There is some controversy as to whether wheatgrass is safe for Celiacs. Still, I was unimpressed.

Thankfully, that was the only negative incident I experienced!

Here is a list of some of my favorite vendors:

ChocolaTas: It was tough to choose, but ChocolaTas is Sassy’s PICK OF THE SHOW! The company’s head chocolatiers are straight from Belgium, so it’s no surprise that their chocolate is so outstanding! As soon as I bit into the Salted Caramel sample, I was in love. Salt and Caramel is my favorite combination and I don’t care if it’s “trendy” because it’s delicious LOL Their custom-made chocolates are works of art and are preservative-free. Oh, what’s that? I have to eat them right away? Darn! Haha! They were also sampling some caramel sauces that looked phenomenal, though I didn’t manage to get a taste of these. They have a store in Abbotsford, as well as one on Granville Island, plus, I believe Nature’s Pickin’s in Abbotsford carries some of their products. Apparently they offer a wicked chocolate fountain for corporate events…yes, please! Great for gifts and parties…I know they’re definitely on MY wishlist 😉

Canada Hemp Foods Ltd.: These guys were great, very personable, very knowledgeable about their product. They easily got me to switch from my fish oil supplement to organic hemp oil! Hemp oil contains the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 and is a lot more sustainable than fish oil (among other wonderful health benefits). PLUS, they are 100% BC owned and operated and all of their products are grown, manufactured, and processed in Canada. Not to mention, and you’re gonna love this, that I got twice as much product for less than half the price of my regular fish oil! Thanks so much, Canada Hemp Foods! Their product line includes hemp hearts, hemp protein powder, organic hemp oil, and Hemp Oil Omega Green Caps. Check out their website for retailers near you or order online, as they ship worldwide!

Zaras Pasta: Founded by Giovanni Zara from Northern Italy, Zaras Pasta Production has been around for a long time. When they decided to try their hand at gluten-free pasta, they asked all the right questions. Now, they have dedicated gluten-free days in the factory and follow special handling procedures. Zaras uses in-house gluten-free test kits daily and submits samples to a third party for testing every month…producing the fantastic result of less than 5ppm. The product? I tried the 4 Cheese Mezzaluna, and it was delightful! It was the first ravioli I’ve tried since my diagnosis and it was fresh and tasty! It’s a refreshing alternative to the same old dry pasta. Plus, no additives, no preservatives, and made with natural ingredients! With 6 varieties and one sauce, I invite you to find them at your local Save-On-Foods, Overwaitea, PriceSmart, Cooper’s, Urban Fare and more for a pleasant treat, and quick, easy, gourmet meal!

Cloud 9 Specialty Bakery: Cloud 9 remains my favorite gluten-free bakery, and if you haven’t yet visited, you are missing out! Not only do they produce high quality baked goods at great prices, they also have incredibly personable and caring staff. I’m always super excited when I enter a gluten-free establishment and it’s nice that the staff at Cloud 9 seem just as excited to be offering the product as I am to be purchasing! I have only had the pleasure of visiting their bakery in New Westminster one time, but they are expanding quite rapidly, and I’m not the least bit surprised! They also offer several mixes and a flour blend so that you can make their products at home. I will have to try these next, though I’m sure they’re spectacular. I’ve even seen them around Chilliwack, so you should have no problem finding some near you! And when you visit, please tell them Sassy Celiac says hi!
GluteNull: With Otari Kobalia’s last name meaning “bread”, it seems a career in baking is in his genes! I recall seeing the “GluteNull” truck several times whilst on the road on my way to a specialist appointment in Vancouver…and wanting to raid them LOL Despite that, my first time sampling their products was at the Food Show. And my eyes immediately lit up before I’d even swallowed that bite! I can’t seem to find the name of the product on their website, but it was some sort of “muffin top” and it was moist and delicious! They had a carrot cake-type product, too, which was also delightful. All of their products are vegan and refined sugar-free, using agave syrup as a sweetener. The consistency was outstanding, not dry or heavy. Them Beans carries their products in Chilliwack (and I just got word they got in the MUFFIN TOPS!) and they are also available in Abbotsford and many other places, even Alberta!

Cooking Essence: Canadian owned and operated, Cooking Essence offers gourmet products that are fun and easy-to-use. From flavor-infused olive oils and vinegars, to yummy mustards, infused sea salts and tapenades, these would make GREAT gifts for the holidays or any dinner event (hint, hint!). With flavors like Blood Orange Olive Oil and Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar to boost your salads or pork, and White Truffle Olive Oil to give your pasta that little something special, the combinations and possibilities are endless AND super simple! Currently, Cooking Essence utilizes a party-plan direct sales model to distribute its products, so you can join their team or place your orders by email at order@cookingessence.com

Omega Nutrition: Omega Nutrition isn’t new to the scene, offering a huge variety of healthy and nutritious products such as flax oil, pumpkin seed protein powder, coconut oil, and more. They were sampling a fun new product, though! While “Prune Extract’ may not sound appetizing or interesting, I really enjoyed it. Made from organic dried prunes, it is an antioxidant powerhouse and contains many vitamins and minerals. I put it on some gluten-free Bretons with almond butter, but it can also be used as a fat substitute in baking or as a natural sweetener. And in case you were cringing, since it is just the prune extract, it does not contain the fiber or usual gastrointestinal stimulating properties!

Spolumbo’s Sausage: Leave it to three Canadian-Italian boys to make a great sausage! With no fillers, binders, preservatives, and OF COURSE gluten-free, these traditional sausages are delish! I will definitely be looking for their Chicken Apple Sausage at my local Save-On-Foods or Safeway…you should, too!
Hidden Garden: These were a neat treat! Red Velvet cookies with ½ a serving of vegetables per serving? Cool! They tasted great and also contain no preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors! They have three varieties, produced in a dedicated gluten-free bakery, and can be found in London Drugs, as well as many locations throughout BC.

Que Pasa: Apparently Que Pasa is partnered with Nature’s Path and they offer a fully gluten-free line of tortilla chips and salsas! The pineapple salsa is particularly tasty. Better yet, their chips are organic and non-GMO. They’re available at many local grocery stores, and are definitely my go-to tortilla chip!

Okay, a couple of honorable mentions from the non-gluten-free pavillion…but who carried great gluten-free products:

Milsean: Inspired by an old Irish family recipe, Maureen Robinson’s family operated business has been producing the most amazing sweets in Aldergrove since 1992. One bite of the Demerara Butter Crunch and both my mom and I had to buy some! It’s this amazing combination of chocolate, buttery toffee/caramel, and thinly sliced almonds. To. Die. For. Find them at their Aldergrove store, or shop online. Really…you should try these! I actually had a dream last night that I forgot that I had stowed a bar in my freezer and I was so excited! Alas…my bar was gone the day after the show LOL

Vitalus: The people at Vitalus were sampling a protein powder called V-PRO 85, an 85% Milk Protein Concentrate. It was definitely tasty, but I also found it very cool that it is made from 100% Canadian milk from local cows (so it is automatically free of antibiotics and growth hormones, as is all Canadian milk) and it is naturally gluten-free. It is basically JUST milk! There are 16g of protein in 4tbsp. I can’t find the ingredient list, but I’m pretty sure that’s because it’s just concentrated milk protein. Compare that to almost any other protein powder product on the market and you’ve got a quality REAL FOOD product to give you great nutrition when you’re in a hurry or on the go. I find that pretty outstanding!
Azuma Foods: I was SUPER excited to find this gluten-free Seaweed Salad! I have missed seaweed salad since my diagnosis, and always worry that there is gluteny soy sauce in it, so when the folks at Azuma Foods assured me it was gluten-free and handed me a sample, I was in heaven! What’s better is that I can get this tasty salad at COSTCO! Yay! It’s already on my list for my next Costco trip, but is apparently also available at Save-On-Foods, Fujiya, and Whole Foods. If you love seaweed salad, you have to check this out…and if it sounds yucky to you, trust me, it’s not!

There was a lot of gluten-free love to go around at this year’s Fraser Valley Food Show, and if there’s one thing I love…it’s LOVE! Okay, that was a little cheesy, but I think it was just wonderful to showcase so many LOCAL businesses! What is even more awesome is that when looking into these companies I found that many of the owners/founders immigrated to Canada from places all over the world! I love Canadian diversity, and I love to support local businesses and entrepreneurs. A big thumbs up to the Fraser Valley Food Show for highlighting and promoting these businesses so that we can make better decisions about where to spend our money. I know I have definitely found a few new favorites and I hope that you use this list to find some new favorites for yourselves!

Sincerely,

Sassy

Sassy Celiac

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Fraser Valley Food Show 2014

Not Goin’ Anywhere…