Atherton Baking Co

I was so excited to get to finally meet the wonderful Kimberly behind the amazing baked goods and creations from Atherton Baking Company. We had connected a few months ago over Instagram and I have been drooling over the all the decadent sweets she posts. I took a little drive out to Lakeside, Ca to a cute little coffee shop that made me feel like I was walking into someones cozy home. Kimberly made me some of her favorites to try and they were definitely worth the drive. 

Kimberly and Rick Atherton started their baking business when both their children we're diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Kimberly, who is also diagnosed with Celiac, wanted to create tasty options for herself, children and all the other gluten free foodies out there. They make breads, jams, and desserts.

You can find some of these amazing gluten free baked goods at Kaffee Meister in Lakeside

Kaffee Meister

Double Chocolate Tree Bark

The Double Chocolate Tree Bark was a tasty accident that came about from camping and melted chocolate. It is so addictive with it's sweet and salty crunch. 

Spiced Peanut Butter Cookies with Expresso Ganache

The peanut butter cookies had the perfect amount of spice. They were taken to the next level with the expresso ganache. These are a must try!

Chocolate Azteca Torte

This defines chocolate. So rich and decadent, there is nothing better than that. It has a hint of chili in there for a little pep in that bite of chocolate. 

Make sure to follow them on Twitter!

@AthertonBaking

Don't Forget Instagram

Athertonbakingco

Ooh! And Facebook!

www.facebook.com/AthertonBakingCompany

And Check out their newly updated website!

http://athertonbakingco.wordpress.com

Bacon Tomato Jam

Bacon Tomato Jam? Just trust me.

 Thank goodness that most bacon is Gluten Free because bacon just makes everything better. This has to be one of my favorite recipes that I have created. It was one of those recipes that you barely have any left when it's ready because you have already eaten half the pan. It is sweet and savory, and would work on so many foods. Imagine it on a big turkey burger with a gluten free bun. That's happening soon. Serve it with some eggs and toast or on its own as long as you make it and eat it. 

Enjoy! XO

10 Roma Tomatoes, Chopped

1/2 Pound Bacon *I used Hickory Smoked, Chopped

1/4 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar

1/2 TSP Salt

1/8 Tsp Pepper

1/2 Red Onion, Diced

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and partially cook bacon. Drain the excess oil.

Add the onions and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes, Stirring and making sure nothing burns. 

Add the tomatoes, coconut palm sugar, salt and pepper.

Cook for about an hour, stirring frequently. 

The bacon jam will be caramelized and gooey when ready.

If you want smaller bacon pieces, chop the finished jam a bit to get your desired bacon chunk size.

The Baked Bear

The Baked Bear is a custom ice cream sandwich shop in Pacific Beach, California. They recently opened and there have been lines out the doors ever since. The Baked Bear was opened by two San Diego natives Shane and Robbie. These guys are going to kill it with their new business endeavor. I mean who doesn't love ice cream and fresh baked cookies put together? 

A lot of the time being gluten free means skipping out on places like this but thankfully the awesome guys at The Baked Bear have given us a gluten free option.

Have you guys missed ice cream sandwiches as much as I have? This little beauty is SO delicious and the cookies are Gluten Free and Vegan. They are soft and chewy but still hold together well which can sometimes be lacking in a Gluten Free cookie. 

The Baked Bear has educated themselves on what needs to happen to keep the gluten free customers safe and with happy bellies. They bake the gluten free cookies separate from the rest of the cookies and have a designated "G" tray to avoid cross contamination. The employees are trained to change their gloves before they touch the gluten free cookies too! Although, it is not a 100% dedicated gluten free kitchen I ate the whole thing and felt fine.

They are really making an effort which is a breath of fresh air as many places don't care to make options for the gluten free foodies out there. Not only that, but talking to Shane you could tell he was interested in all things Gluten Free and picked my brain about how to keep it safe. Bonus points for The Baked Bear for caring! 

A huge thanks to Robbie and Shane for taking some time to hang out with me and talk all things gluten free. These guys truly deserve all the success coming their way. Head over to The Baked Bear in Pacific Beach and try em out today. 100% Annie's Gluten Free Grub approved. Check out their website and make sure to like them on Facebook!

The Baked Bear

4516 Mission Blvd Ste. C

(between Garnet and Felspar) 

San Diego, Ca 92109

858-886-7433

The Baked Bear on Facebook

The Baked Bear on Twitter

Babycakes Thin Mints

One of the hardest times of the year is Girl Scout cookie season. Those cute little girls selling those colorful boxes of cookies outside of grocery stores is a sad reminder of what I am missing. Realistically, it's a little cruel because how can I not buy cookies from them!? My friends get lucky when I show up with boxes of cookies that I can't touch. Here ya go! And then I go cry in the corner. Okay just kidding, I am not that dramatic but I do miss samaos. Thank goodness for the amazing Babycakes! Always coming to the rescue. I LOVE Babycakes cook book. Some of the greatest baked goods recipes come from their shops and cook books. I recently got to go to the actual Babycakes shop in Los Angeles and to be honest, it might have been the highlight of my life. I may have spent more money than is acceptable on baked goods but I had to try everything! Make sure if you are in LA or New York you head over and try some amazing vegan and gluten free Babycakes. 

Since I can't go visit the Babycakes store everyday, which is a blessing in disguise they have been kind enough to share their recipes with us! I have made these Thin Mints about 4 different times now because realistically Girl Scout cookie season should be year round. 

Here is the Babycakes Thin Mint recipe!

Enjoy! XO

1.5 Cups Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF Baking Flour

1 Cup Vegan Sugar

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup Arrowroot

1.5 TSP Xantham Gum

1 TSP Baking Soda

1 TSP Sea Salt

3/4 Cup Melted Refined Coconut Oil or Canola Oil

1/3 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

2 TBSP Vanilla Extract (*make sure it's GF!)

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

3 TBSP Mint Extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, arrowroot, xantham gum, baking soda and salt. Add the melted coconut oil, applesauce and vanilla and mix with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms.

Drop the dough by the teaspoon full onto the baking sheets about 1.5 inches apart. Gently flatten each mound of dough, smoothing the edges with your fingers. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 7 more minutes. Let stand on the baking sheets for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips and mint extract in a small saucepan and place on medium heat. Stir until the chips are just melted. Do not overcook. Remove from heat. Dunk the top of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place in a single layer on a platter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the chocolate sets.

CDF Expo 2013 Recap

The Celiac Disease Foundation Expo was the holy grail of all things Gluten Free. It is usually unheard of for someone with Celiac or a gluten intolerance to be able to walk into a room and feel safe and to be allowed to eat everything. Everryyyything. It was like watching 1500 adults run around a gluten free candy store. I almost enjoyed watching peoples reactions more than anything throughout the day. I think I am still in carb overload from all of the samples I tried. I didn't get too take as many pictures as I wanted because all I could do was eat! We literally walked around for 5 hours eating gluten free goodies...uhhh best day ever? I think so. All of our favorites were there like Udis, Enjoy Life, New Planet Beer, San-J, The Pure Pantry, and Bob's Red Mill plus a ton of smaller companies that have new, delicious gf options coming out. I'll be reviewing some of the products I received over the next few weeks and I'll keep you guys updated on what products are worth buying.

This was just the tip of the gluten free iceberg. 

One of the highlights for me was meeting the amazing Lagasse girls, Jilly and Jessie. Cooking and good food runs in their blood being the daughters of Emeril Lagasse, but they are making a name for themselves with creative and delicious gluten free dishes.  They are both diagnosed with Celiac/Gluten Intolerances which makes them so much more relatable. These girls just get it! I cannot wait to cook some of their recipes and share them with you guys. Not only are they the sweetest girls ever, but they are kicking butt in the kitchen and making huge strides in the Gluten Free community. Make sure to check out their website and go buy their book!

The Lagasse Girls

One thing I enjoy about being Gluten Free is feeling the love that is floating around the Gluten Free community. There is a special bond being diagnosed with Celiac or a Gluten Intolerance. You just automatically understand each other and admire each other for dealing with the sometimes frustrating gluten filled world. I was SO excited to meet  and spend time with some of my favorite Gluten Free bloggers at the event too. It was so inspiring and comforting to meet these fabulous ladies. Make sure to check out their blogs and follow them on instagram and twitter for all things gluten free.

Celiac and The Beast

Glam Without Gluten

House 54

Take me back to the Celiac Disease Foundation Expo 2013. One of the best, most inspiring days ever. I  met the most amazing people and tried some of the tastiest gluten free products. I can't wait until next year! 

XO

Celiac Disease Foundation Expo

Off to Pasadena for this amazing event! I am so beyond excited to meet some of my favorite gluten free bloggers and to test out all the new products and old favorites coming out! I can't wait to share with all you gluten free foodies when I get back.

XO

Celiac Awareness Month

Happy Celiac Awareness Month to all my gluten free foodies out there! What ways are you going to spread awareness about Celiac disease and gluten intolerance? 

XO