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

SIMPLY SPROUTED Way Better Snacks: Review

Even Penny loved WAY BETTER SNACKS 😉

WAY BETTER SNACKS  is  a line of a variety of healthier tortilla chips, made with interesting things like sprouted broccoli and daikon radish seeds that contain natural antioxidants.  Interested?  Here’s the rundown:

• Certified Gluten Free
• Non GMO Project Verified
• Kosher
• Vegan
• Excellent Source of Whole Grains
• Low Sodium
• Good Source of Fiber
• All Natural
• Contains: No Trans Fat, Artificial Colors, Flavors, or Preservatives

Why sprouted?  Sprouting increases vitamins, mineral, antioxidants, digestibility, and nutrient absorption of grains and seeds (and nuts, though these are nut-free).

Variety!  There are tons of different kinds, each with a slightly different taste.  I’m a little sad that I didn’t get to try what must be their new flavors or aren’t available in Canada: Sriracha (with sprouted kale seeds..FUN!) and Mustard & Onion….they sound pretty tasty!  Here are the other kinds:

• Multi-Grain
• Sweet Potato
• Unbeatable Blues (Blue Corn)
• Sweet Chili
• Black Bean
• Naked Blues (No Salt Blue Corn)

My favorite was the Sweet Chili…which is why I’d be excited to try their new flavors: I like to have a little flava on my chips 😉  The Sweet Potato was great and I think you could have some fun coming up with unique dips for that one…like maybe Greek yogurt with cinnamon and brown sugar?  How good would THAT be?! YUM!  My 3rd fav was the Multi-Grain, as it was very light-tasting and most like a yellow corn tortilla chip.  These chips are definitely hearty enough to stand up to dips and toppings.  They were all good, though, and I would definitely consider them as a healthy alternative when I get a chip and salsa and/or chip and dip craving 🙂

Unfortunately, it looks like they have some pita chips and crackers which are NOT gluten-free (booooo!), so please take care when choosing your products.  It does look like all their Tortilla Chips are Certified Gluten Free, though, and the bags are clearly labeled, so as always…check all your labels all the time!

I hope you give Way Better Snacks Tortilla Chips a try, and enjoy the benefits of sprouting and great taste!

Sincerely,

Sassy

 

 

 

 

Martin’s Marvelous: Miscellaneous Review

By now it should be no surprise that I am a big fan of Martin’s Marvelous…the people AND the products!

I reviewed their company and a couple items here and their awesome cookies here!

I have had the luxury of sampling practically ALL of their products!  So here is a quick run-down.

Please note, their products do contain gluten-free oats, so they are unable to label them as GLUTEN-FREE, but they are thoroughly tested.  And their new recipe formulas include even MORE local ingredients…BONUS!  As always, their products are nut-free, preservative-free, non-GMO, and fair-trade.

CRISPS

• Rosemary Lavender: Still my favorite!  A slightly savory yet sweet crisp, I love these ones with  pâté.
• Chocolate Molé: These are a close second, with a hint of spice that adds a mild kick!  I enjoyed these on their own and with a fruity mango chutney.  They would also be great with a bean dip or a strong cheese.
• Pumpkin Seed Cranberry: I brought these with me to Mexico and they were a hit with a few gluten-free girls I met! They liked them on their own as a treat after dinner; I enjoyed munching them throughout the day and dipped in yogurt with fruit.  A great not-too-sweet crisp!
• Date & Olive Tapenade: These were great, though I did think I’d like them more, as I’m a huge fan of olives! I actually paired them with an olive tapenade spread and also with pâté, I believe, but I think they’d be delicious with a mild cheese or brie.

COOKIES

• Refuel: An energizing combo of cranberries, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips and flax seeds
• Classic Chocolate Chip: Chock full of fair-trade organic chocolate chips…seriously…FULL!!!  These are definitely my favorite of the three.  I just want to dunk them in milk and daydream.  They remind me a bit of a healthier version of Mr. Christie or those McDonald’s chocolate chip cookies, which I used to love LOL
• Zesty Lemon: Reminiscent of a variation on lemon shortbread that is HEAPS lighter and healthier, but would be just as tasty with tea.  I’m not a huge fan of these ones.  I like “stuff” in my cookies, and these ones are a bit on the dry side for my liking.

GRANOLA

• Pumpkin Seed Cranberry: I actually thought I might like the other variety of granola better, but this was the winner for me (though my favorite was to mix the two together)! The dried cranberries are tart and sweet and a great mix with the pumpkin seeds.  Yummy with organic kefir and a great treat in the fall.
• Sunflower Seed Raisin: This was also good, I just think I like pumpkin seeds more than I like sunflower seeds.  I think these ones definitely depend on preference.

So, there’s the scoop!  I tend to stay away from grains these days except for treats and travelling, but Martin’s Marvelous are always one of my favorite picks when I do.  You can often find them on sale at London Drugs if you watch for them!  My only qualm is that their website deserves updating…their product and company is much better than their website…but I’ve been told they are working on this!  Don’t let the look of it deceive you 🙂  They continue to be a wonderful local company and I highly recommend supporting them so that they are able to stick around!

Thanks, as always, Martin’s!

Sincerely,

Sassy