Say hello to...Tridosha Salt of the Sea.

Tridosha Salt of the Sea is a fantastic gourmet blend of salt & pepper and herbs. I discovered it when traveling in Australia and brought some back to Korea. It comes in various blends of herbs, but I have only tried Mediterano. It tastes great sprinkled on chicken, baked potatoes, and roasted veggies. I went through my first bag so fast that I had to get my sister-in-law to mail me some more. Once you try it, I guarantee that you won't want to stop using it. It comes in a trendy looking silver container, or you can buy a re-fill package. Check out there other products too!

Say hello to...baked sweet potato cubes.

I can't remember ever eating sweet potatoes before I moved to Seoul. But since living here, I've learned how much Koreans love them. You can find fire ovens on the corner of the streets with someone selling baked sweet potatoes. If purchased, they're handed to you in tin foil- with no sauce. After trying one, I realized how delicious they were and decided to make it at home. Instead of baking the whole potato, I cut it into cubes, put some olive oil over it, sprinkle it with Tridosha salt of the sea, and bake them until they are nice and crispy. It takes a while to make them crispy, but is well worth the time! Combine it with one of your favorite chicken dish and a salad.

Say hello to...Gluten Free Pantry chocolate truffle brownie mix.

Two of my friends went back to the States last winter and each brought me back a gf brownie mix. I already bragged and wrote about how great the Trader Joe's gluten-free brownie mix was, and just recently tried the Glutino chocolate truffle brownie mix. It is easily comparable. Rather than substituting all the butter for applesauce like I did in the Trader Joe's gf brownie mix, I used half butter and half apple sauce. It worked wonderfully. To compare the two I would say that Trader Joe's brownie mix is more chewy while the Glutino chocolate truffle brownie mix is more chocolaty, hence the chocolate truffle. I said before that I wasn't a huge brownie fan, but may be on my way to becoming one ;)

Say hello to...Canadian gluten labelling.

The label can definitely make or break the purchasing deal. If I'm not sure about an ingredient on a label, I definitely won't be buying the product. The States is more than often one step ahead of Canada and has long since changed their labelling laws to include any source of gluten in a product. Slowly, but surely, Canada will get there too. The new Food and Drug Regulations will require any source of gluten (and it's derivatives) to be declared on labels. The companies will have a year to change their labels once the regulations are enforced. Although this is slow in happening, atleast it's going forward and happening :) Check out the article for yourself on Health Canada.

Say hello to...banana bread.

I absolutely LOVE banana bread. Who doesn't, really?! I brought back F.G Roberts gluten-free self-raising flour from Australia and wondered what I should make with this precious flour. After a few tries, I have finally found a deliciously moist and healthy alternative to most banana breads. If you aren't using a self-raising flour, be sure to add 1 tsp of xanthan gum to help it rise properly (if it's not already included in your gf flour mixture). Give it a try and let me know what you think!


Ingredients:
4 over-ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs + 1 egg white
6 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp gf vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups gf self-raising flour
dash of salt
Walnuts, crushed (0ptional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.


2. In a large bowl mash over ripe bananas. Combine eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and apple sauce.


3. In a separate mixing bowl add sugars, baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix until well combined. Slowly combine dry mix to the wet mix. Add crushed walnuts to mixture.


4. Spray glass baking dish with non-stick spray oil. Pour mixture into dish. Bake 40-50min, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Say hello to...Starbucks valencia orange cake.

I could hardly believe that Starbucks wanted to make a gluten-free pastry. And now, it has finally happened and everyone's raving about it! Unfortunately I won't be able to try the valencia orange cake for another year (I'll still be in Seoul), but perhaps they'll have even more pastries to offer later! And maybe by then it will arrive at the Starbucks' in Canada :) Until then, those of you not from America can try making your own.

Say hello to...healthy indulgences blog.

I recently stumbled upon Lauren's Healthy Indulgences blog. I have yet to try her recipes, but my mouth definitely watered as I scrolled down her blog, looking at the pictures and recipes. Her mission is to make health food that doesn't taste like health food. Sound good? I'm sold! Check out her blog. Once I get my hands on a few of her usual ingredients, like coconut and almond flour, I will surely try a recipe :)

Say hello to...fragrant chicken.

This is one of my all time favorite chicken recipes. The combination of ingredients makes a delicious and fragrant chicken! I usually bake it in the oven but it tastes great on the grill too! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp lemongrass, chopped

1 chilli, chopped (optional)

2 tsp sesame oil

4 chicken breasts

1. If baking in the oven, preheat the oven to 350. If grilling, start the grill.

2. Spray the bottom of the glass pyrex dish with Pam Original spray oil.

3. Place the chicken breasts in the glass dish, and make a small slit down the center of the chicken.

4. After chopping all the ingredients, combine them together in a bowl. Scoop spoonfuls of the mixture and place it in the slit of the chicken breasts. Spread the remainding mix over the rest of the chicken.

5. Bake until the centers are fully cooked and the top is slightly crispy. Serve with brown rice, roasted potatoes, or over a nice green salad.

Say hello to...Nomu.

I discovered Nomu Stir pesto when I was visiting Australia in January. Nomu is a South African product that originated in Cape Town. Their natural products add nutritious spice and flavor to your meals. Most of their products are some kind of herb or seasoning spice that can fit various dishes. Nomu products include Rubs, aromatic blends of spices; Grinders, an easy way to grind fresh herbs into your recipes; Dippers, blends of spices ready to be made into a tasty dip; Stir, an instant pesto that just needs olive oil and water; and Nomu Chefs, for all those restaurants that want to use these spices in larger quantities! I look forward to trying more Nomu products once I can get my hands on them!

Say hello to...Envirokidz products.

Although these products are made for children, I must say I quiet enjoy them mysef! Gluten free and organic, 1% of sales of all Envirokidz products are donated to endangered species, habitat conversation, and environmental education for children. Good food and good causes, why not support such a company?! I'm fortunate to be able to buy the Koala Crisp at organic stores here in Seoul. They're sweet, so goes well with yogurt for a nice evening snack or dessert. Check out their other products too- the banana waffles are also nice and tasty :)

Say hello to...chickpea patties.

Lately I've really enjoyed cooking with chickpeas. I recently found a chickpea patty recipe that tastes great. You can change and add whatever you like to this recipe to make it your own. When I don't have all the spices, I like to try new spices, and adding some veggies like spinach or peas. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp yellow curry powder

1 baked potato, skinned and crumbled

1/4 cup gram/chickpea flour

salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a pot and saute onion and spices until fragrant.

2. Slowly add the crumbled potato and then chickpea flour.

3. Taste, and adjust spices as necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Form into patties and saute with a little olive oil OR place mixture in a lightly oiled glass baking dish and bake at 350 for 15-20min like a casserole. Cut into squares or bite sized pieces.

5. Serve with brown rice, salad, or eat it as a snack on it's own.

Say hello to...Devita revitalizing eye lift creme.

It's hard to find a good eye cream that doesn't contain barley in it. I've recently been trying out various products from Devita Natural Skin Care and have been satisfied with them all. I'd like to specifically recommend the Devita Revitalizing eye lift creme. It's formulated for the delicate muscles surrounding the eyes and helps decrease puffiness and dark circles. It's gluten free, vegan, and organic.

Say goodbye to...Blue Diamond nut thins.

A friend recently sent me a box of Pecan Nut Thins. After eating them I became really sick. There was nothing else new introduced to my diet that week, so I couldn't help but think it had to of been these. My stomach was turning inside out, unable to digest them, and I had a headache/migraine for the next 5 days to follow.  When I looked closer at the box, under the ingredients it said, 'Processed and manufactured in a plant that also makes products with wheat.' I know that I'm super sensitive to even the trace amounts. I became really upset since the Celiac Disease Foundation's logo was on the front of the box. It was very contradicting to have those two things on the same product. After contacting both the Celiac Disease Foundation and the Blue Diamond company about this, I received no helpful or positive feedback. Disappointed, I wanted to share this with the celiac community.