Barnana: New Flavors!

I met Barnana back during the first annual Gluten Free Oktoberfest and became hooked. These little nuggets of tastiness are gluten free, vegan, non-gmo, and organic. The best part of Barnana is they are packed with flavor, potassium, and give you all the benefits of raw bananas. 

Barnana introduced two delicious new flavors, Organic Coconut and Organic Peanut Butter. These happiness inducing snacks blew my mind! The peanut butter made me do a happy dance and although I am not a huge coconut lover, I inhaled that bag as well. I love finding products to share with you all, and this one is not to be missed. All of the original Barnana flavors are incredibly delicious too. Head over to Barnana to find out some more information and where you can get your hands on a bag... or 6

Kyra's Bake Shop

Kyra's Bake Shop is by far the most magical place on earth. Located in Lake Oswego Oregon, Kyra Bussanich, a 3-time Cupcake Wars Winner, opened up a 100% gluten free bakery for all of us to enjoy. I stopped by on my road trip in June and fell in love. I have dreamed of their insanely tasty baked goods since. Now I live in Portland Oregon, dangerously close to Kyra's Bake Shop... This is what happened next..

Everything Bagels! 

The hardest part of going gluten free for me was saying goodbye to everything bagels. Growing up, we always had bagels in our house. Fresh, everything bagels toasted with cream cheese. I'm a simple gal and that's all I need in life. Kyra has created the most delicious gluten free and vegan everything bagels. They are soft and chewy, and not the least bit crumbly. It's incredible. One of the best gluten free bagels out there. They have bagel Thursdays,Doughnut Fridays, and daily specials at the Bake shop. You can check out their menu and their daily menu too!

There is a reason Kyra won the Food Network's Cupcake Wars 3 times. They have the most delicious, moist, flavorful, and creative cupcakes around. Let's be honest, I walked out of there with a box full of treats. I ate the Cupcake Wars winning cupcake The Caramallow Fluff Cupcake (Chocolate cake dipped in dark chocolate ganache, rolled in handmade caramel corn, topped with marshmallow fluff marscapone whipped cream) Is this heaven? Did I also mention I was building Ikea furniture at the same time? The cupcake made it all okay and happy, I didn't even cry from ikea frustration. (photo below) 

Have you gotten your copy of Sweet Cravings yet? It features the Cupcake Wars Winning recipe for African Yam Cupcakes and other award winning recipes. Tons of amazing recipes from cookies, cakes, breads, pies, tarts, brownies, cobblers, crisps, puddings, pretty much anything you can dream of. You can also purchase dry mixes which are easy to use and come out tasting like you are a pro-baker. The snickerdoodle cake mix is my favorite one but all of the varieties are delicious. You can even get baked goods shipped directly to your house. Make sure you visit Kyra's Bake Shop next time you are in Oregon, I'll see you there. 

Kyra's Bake Shop 

460 5th Street

Lake Oswego, OR 97034

info@kyrasbakeshop.com

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(From Anniegfgrub Instagram)

GFAF Expo 2014: San Francisco

The Gluten Free Allergen Free Expos never cease to amaze me. I am always honored & thrilled to be in a room filled with so many amazing people in the GF world & of course the tastiest of GF foods.  There were so many great new companies this year and tons of our current favorites too. I am excited to share with you some of the great products from this weekend that actually taste good & the awesome companies & people behind them. Thank you to everyone, especially my GF family (& new additions to the family) for making this expo weekend so wonderful. From adventures with my main girl, Pica Pica Maize kitchen, expo wandering, made to order ice cream with liquid nitrogen, it was a weekend for the books...or blog
(Cake by Zest Bakery, San Carlos California) 

So let's get started on this expo journey; A two day gluten free adventure in the bay area. It's always fun to go through my photos and decide which two products were my favorite of the weekend. This time it was a no-brainer.

Bread Srsly. I love you. 
Gluten Free Sourdough Bread. Let's take a moment. 

I was lucky enough to connect with the wonderful Sadie behind Bread Srsly a few months ago through social media, so when I found out I get to hang out with Bread Srsly (and by that I mean Sadie, and the bread) all weekend at the expo I was excited. Guys, she makes Gluten Free Sourdough bread. I can't emphasize that enough. It really is true. Not only that, but they come in a variety of flavors including kale sourdough, apricot fennel, original, whole grain chai, and a few others that rotate weekly.

The sourdough is amazing. It's taste and texture is spot on. Sadie also makes some other little treats like Molasses cookies and sourdough rolls. Head over to Bread Srsly and get yourself some incredible gluten free bread. Plus it's free of dairy, egg, soy, nut, potato, tapioca, and garbanzo. A million thumbs up. 

What is better than a company with a cause? How about a tasty company with a cause. These bars are awesome, for more than one reason. They are gluten free, vegan, all-natural, non-gmo, they taste great and they have a simple and dedicated goal "Buy a bar, feed a hungry child" Read about their mission here. It truly is amazing and they have an incredible team behind this company fighting to help end childhood hunger.  

Head over to their website to read all about the incredible things they do and how to get your hands on some of these delicious bars. Thank you 2 degrees!

Chebe has been one of my favorite bread mixes around. They are super easy to make, 100% gluten free, gmo free, and tastes great. They have a ton of varieties of mixes, savory and sweet in the form of dry mixes as well as frozen doughs. Head over to Chebe to find out where you can find Chebe products. 

One of my favorite summertime, or anytime in San Diego activities was having a picnic. So the idea of a gluten free picnic wrapped up and ready to go is awesome. GoPicnic ready to eat meals have a ton of gluten free options that you can choose from. They are perfect for gluten free traveling as we know it can be tricky.  They come with perfect little portion size snacks, all shelf stable, no transfat, no added msg, and gluten free. (They also have other combinations that are not gluten free, so make sure to check. They are clearly marked gluten free, here's there GF products page) The best part about it, they all come with a little sweet treat.

One of the biggest gluten free tragedies was finding out Soy Sauce had gluten in it. That was the moment of fear for me."Gluten is hiding in everything" Thankfully, I found San J products. San- J has been one of my favorite staple companies from the start for me. My fridge is usually fully loaded with Tamari and my personal favorite, Thai Peanut Sauce. They have a huge list of gluten free sauces, marinades, dressings, and products like rice crackers and soup mixes. Not only that but they have my personal favorite of little to-go packets. They make things a lot easier than carrying a bottle of San-J Tamari in my purse for sushi. 

Let's be honest, every time I try and roast pumpkin seeds during halloween I burn them. Call me crazy, but burned pumpkin seeds aren't super tasty so pumpkin seeds never were on my radar. Meet Super Seedz. The best dang pumpkin seeds ever. They come in a ton of flavors sweet and savory. They are gluten free, vegan, have no cholesterol, no transfat, and are a perfect snack for on the go. Check em out! Super Seedz 

"Tak for Mad" means Thanks for the Food! These danish inspired crackers are truly delicious and addictive. They are hand made in small batches using the best organic, locally sourced and of course gluten free ingredients. Check out Kettel Krakkers

This magical babe was there! Kyra Bussanich of Kyra's Bake Shop in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She is a 3 time winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars. I don't make this claim a lot but Kyra by far has created the best gluten free baked goods out there. Lucky for us! She has created cake mixes for us to use at home and an amazing cookbook so we can bake like a cupcake wars champion. Want to hear the coolest thing ever? Kyra is heading out on a gluten free cruise in May where she will be teaching gluten free cooking classes while exploring Alaska HERE is some info, or call 1-800-Sun-Ship for more details. 

Canyon Bakehouse how I love you so. Soft and fresh tasting packaged gluten free bread doesn't seem real, but I assure you, this is real. Canyon Bakehouse has baked up multiple varieties of breads like a good old white bread, cinnamon raisin, focaccia, hamburger buns, and the best sandwich bread for your home. I typically don't buy a lot of bread but when I do, it's always Canyon Bakehouse. Head over to their website to grab a $1.00 off coupon and find out where you can pick up a loaf. 

Ginny Bakes was there to spread the GF organic love! They have some super delicious baking mixes for cookies and muffins and tons of delicious packaged products that are certified gluten free, non-gmo, kosher, organic and vegan. What an amazing line up! Thanks Ginny Bakes! 

My favorite Dallas GFAF Expo find Red Apple Lipstick was there in San Francisco as well! I adore this company and their products. Literally, right now if you opened my purse I have four Red Apple Girls lipsticks. They are the smoothest, most vibrant, long lasting lipsticks. All of their make up in 100% gluten free, paraban free, lead free, animal cruelty free, and gorgeous! Check out their lipgloss above and head over to their site to see all the Red Apple Girl products.

Cheez-it guys! Gluten Free Cheez-its, but even better! They are packed with oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth and they are way more tasty. Van's has some great gluten free snacks like these crackers, tasty breakfast bars, and chips. They also have a tons of ways to make breakfast easy and gluten free with cereals, gf waffles, gf french toast sticks. 

I love finding awesome local companies through these expos. Nana Joe's is a San Francisco based company creating some of the tastiest, freshest granola and gluten free treats. They have an online store so you can get them delivered to your door or if you are lucky enough to live in the bay area go check them out at the Farmers Markets! 

Loved getting to see this awesome family farm again! Redwood Hill Farms is a goat dairy farm and creamy in Sonoma County California. They have been a family owned and operated farm since 1968. They pride themselves on being certified humane and taking a natural organic approach to raising their goats. You can taste the difference in their products. I absolutely love their goat kefir and yogurts. Head over to their website to read more about their story and what makes Redwood Hill Farms so special. 

Tera's Whey is an organic whey protein company that is 100% gluten free and it actually tastes good. They make their whey from fresh whey they get from small local cheese farms in Wisconsin. They know where their ingredients come from which means that WE get to know too, and there is nothing better than that! Check out Tera's Whey to find out more.

Did you know that Barilla makes gluten free pasta?! What!? Crazy right, but they do! and it's pretty tasty too! Not only is it 100% gluten free, but they also use non-gmo corn. Thumbs up. They make their gluten free line of pasta in it's own dedicated gluten free facility so no cross contamination from their other pastas. Great expo find, Thanks Barilla! 

Another great expo find this year was Real McCoys rice puffs and rice chips. This family owned company has some of the most flavorful snacks around. 100% gluten free, non-gmo, and some even vegan! The Hatch Chili rice puffs were so addictive! Head over to their Facebook and you can grab a free sample! 

What an incredible expo. Thank you to GFAF Expo for welcoming me to the blogger family again. Thank you to the companies, the guests, the bloggers, authors, and everyone who walked through those doors, YOU RULE.  These companies and the people behind them work so hard for our gluten free community. Thank you all for being so dedicated
All my gluten free love, XO 
-Annie

Linwoods Health Foods

I am a smoothie and juice girl. Working at a large smoothie chain for four years, maybe I got a little hooked. Fast forward ten years and I am still making smoothies, but just a little bit healthier. I am always adding healthy extras to my smoothies to make it as nutritious as possible to get my day started. So when I met Linwood Health Foods at the GFAF Expo in Dallas Texas, I was excited to get home to try their products. Linwood has tons of healthy products that are packed with nutrition. So many ways to help you get your nutrition going for 2014.

Thanks to Linwoods Health Foods, I was able to try Shelled Hemp Seed for the first time. Hemp Seed is loaded with nutritional benefits and now a permanent fixture on my grocery list. I have been adding them into everything! You can try hemp seeds on top of yogurt, in salads, smoothies, soups, and even sauces. They are a bit chewier than you would think but have a great light nutty flavor. Hemp Seed is a great addition as it's one of the most nutritious plants out there. You can check out some of the benefits of hemp seed and all of the other Linwood Health Food products here. 



I love flax seed and have been a believer for years. Flax is perfect for adding to smoothies, on top of yogurts or granola, and even in baked goods. What I really like about Linwoods products is that they switch it up a bit! They have these, what I have been calling, "Super flax mixes" Pictured above is the Ground Flaxseed, Sunflower, Pumpkin, Sesame Seeds, and Goji Berry blend. Super tasty, loaded with benefits, I definitely recommend trying it. You can find a blend to suit your health food and nutrition needs. Check out Linwoods Superfoods Facebook too! 

Brazi Bites

I kept seeing gluten free friends post and rave about Brazi Bites all over social media, so I was excited to get my hands on a few bags. These little brazilian cheese breads are known as pão de queijo, a popular brazilian recipe. The best part, they are naturally gluten free! Brazi Bites are made with tapioca flour and other naturally gluten free ingredients. They come in 3 flavors, original, fire roasted jalapeño, and bacon. Yea, you heard me, gluten free bacon cheese bread bites. They are everything you would hope for. Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. 

Dangerously tasty and small, you could eat a million. I paired mine with Chipotle Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup and I am already dreaming of what else to make with them. They come frozen in resealable packages which is nice since you can choose how many Brazi  Bites to bake. You can use their store locator to find out where to grab a few bags. They also ship nationwide!

I would definitely recommend trying these bad boys. The fire roasted jalapeño was my favorite with just the right amount of kick, but all the flavors are worth trying. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter too. 

Thanks Brazi Bites! 

Coconut Secret- Coconut Aminos

One of my newest obsessions and new staple in my house is Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos.  I used to love cooking with soy sauce, but since it soy sauce contains gluten I am always looking for other alternatives to use. Tamari or Bragg's are great substitutes, but both are made with soy which I try to limit in my diet when possible. When I saw that coconut aminos are soy free, I knew I had to try it. Gluten Free and Soy Free?! I'm in. It is great for cooking which is why the bottle is almost empty! I've been adding it to dressings, marinades, soups, vegetables, meat, seafood, and basically everything in my fridge. Slighty sweet and full of great coconutty benefits , it's perfect for everyday use. 



I mean, that's a pretty awesome label. 100% Organic, gluten free, dairy free, and non-gmo. Coconut also has some incredible benefits. You can read about some of the benefits of coconut here. It's definitely no secret how much I love Coconut Secret... See what I did there?! 

You can find use the store locator to find a bottle, plus they have other products like coconut crystals, coconut nectar, coconut flour, coconut vinegar (intriguing!) coconut cream, and even chocolate covered coconut bars, count me in. 

2Good2B Bakery and Cafe

Tucked away in Encinitas California is one of my favorite dedicated gluten free bakeries. 2Good2B Bakery and Cafe offers a huge selection of 100% Gluten Free, Corn Free, and Soy Free baked goods and entrees for lunch or dinner. From cupcakes to muffins to pizzas and chicken pot pies 2Good2B is a must try for San Diego. 

Cases full of a variety of flavors of muffins, cookies, and all things sweet, your stomach will start growling at the site of all the sweet cupcakes that fill the front of the store. While there are plenty of treats to fill your sweet tooth don't fret as there are just as many savory options. 2Good2B has some of the tastiest and safest pizza, pot pies, quiches, sandwiches and salads to satisfy your gluten free needs. 

2Good2B Bakery and Cafe now has an online store where you can get these tasty treats shipped right to your door. They are made fresh to order, quick frozen and shipped directly to you! They offer fresh artisan breads, pastries, and entrees all 100% gluten free. Check it out here 

2Good2B Bakery and Cafe
204 N. El Camino Real, Suite H
Encinitas CA 92024
(760) 942-4663

Check them out on Facebook and follow them on Twitter or read some great reviews on Yelp!  

Lunch with a Cavegirl

Meet Claudette Wilkins, founder and head chef of Cavegirl Confections; a health and fitness conscious company. I was lucky enough to snag some of Claudette's time for a delicious lunch of curry in Pacific Beach, Ca. We chatted about everything from our lives in San Diego, social media, the gluten free world and of course Cavegirl Confections and how this ambitious mamma got her company started. 

Claudette founded Cavegirl Confections in 2013 and has already gained a large fanbase, including chef and tv-host Andrew Zimmern. Claudette, who is a trained chef, was introduced to the crossfit-paleo lifestyle and began developing snacks that were pure, healthy, and fit her lifestyle needs. 

Cavegirl confections uses high quality ingredients like organic coconut oil and each small batch is made by hand. All of their products are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and paleo approved. 

THIS. This beauty is Maple Bacon Granola. Yes, I said bacon. This granola is the perfect amount of sweet and salty. It is packed with protein from the variety of nuts and of course baaaacon. There are no fillers or artificial ingredients, so you aren't eating a bunch of nonsense with your granola. It contains walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin puree, applesauce, Vermont maple syrup, bacon, dried cherries, and cinnamon. How awesome is that ingredient list?

Cavegirl Confections ships nationwide so you can order this maple bacon granola along with other favorites like AB+J bars, Almond Butters, Cherry "Pie" Bites, Chocolate Hazelnut Granola, and tons of other gluten free + paleo snacks.

Head over to Cavegirl Confections to get your fix of healthy and super tasty paleo-approved snacks.

Follow Claudette!

Instagram- Cavegirlconfections

Twitter- CG_confections

Facebook.com/CavegirlConfections 

Fig Tree Cafe: A California Eatery

I was beyond excited to eat at the new location of Fig Tree Cafe at Liberty Station. I had tried Fig Tree Cafe in Hillcrest for New Years 2013 and had one of the best steaks of my life, so I knew that I was about to eat a tasty lunch. We sat on their beautiful outdoor patio. It looks like what I would want my backyard to look like. Classic, sweet, and comfortable. 

As any Gluten Free person knows, we always check the menu before going to eat somewhere. I knew that Fig Tree had TONS of options, but hey I like to plan out what I am going to eat and get excited about it. Whenever I eat at a restaurant that I am going to blog about I ask what should I order? What is the most ordered Gluten Free dish that I can't leave without trying? Well, on this special day, what I planned to eat was the same thing the wonderful manager told me I had to try. Sold, 100%. 

Alright guys, are you ready?! This is the Gluten Free Portobello Panini. It is GF breadcrumb crusted Portobello Mushroom + Wild Arugula + Cilantro Hummus + Goat Cheese + Jack Cheese + Balsamic Glaze on Gluten Free Multigrain Bread. 

This. sandwich. is. everything.

It was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. It was packed with tons of flavor and had my favorite creamy goat cheese. The mushroom was crispy, crunchy, and went perfect with the balsamic glaze and bite of the arugula. The gluten free bread was from Deanna's Bakery (formally GNI). It toasted up and stayed soft enough to enjoy but not to where it crumbled apart. Definitely have been dreaming of this portobello paradise.

I honestly think one of my biggest pet peeves in life is the extra charge for a gluten free option. It's tooootally not fair right? But that's the way the gluten free cookie crumbles and we get used to overpaying. I spotted this no extra charge on the menu and had to point it out to you. Thank you Fig Tree for the gluten free french toast at the same prices as all those normies. 

Biggie Smalls joined us for lunch. I am not sure if it's dog friendly, but it was Biggie Smalls friendly. 

Make sure you head on over to Fig Tree Cafe at Liberty Station (also check out their Hillcrest location) The service is friendly and attentive and the food is amazing. It's a win for Gluten Free San Diego. 

Fig Tree Cafe: A California Eatery
2400 Historic Decatur Road Suite 103
San Diego, California 92106
(619) 821-2044