Enjoy Life Boom Choco Boom Bar

This is a dairy,gluten, nut and soy free chocolate rice-milk bar. I like that they are very safe - without the 8 common allergens and tested to be sure they are safe.

The flavor was very good, tasted like a chocolate bar. The texture was not as great. I bought mine a few months ago, so I thought it may be a bit old, but there is not a "use by" date on there so I am not sure. The bar is just really hard to bite and there is no creamy or melt in your mouthness to the chocolate.

It sure does satisfy that chocolate craving though.

Peach Coconut Milk "Ice Cream"

I should have known it was too easy to be good!

I ran across a recipe for Peach Coconut Milk "Ice Cream" and I thought, "great, I have all the ingredients on hand." I should have stopped when I realized that the can of coconut milk I had was low-fat but I just steamrolled ahead. When I get an idea in my head, watch out!

Anyway, basically you blend up 2 cups fruit (I used Peach), and then add a can of coconut milk and put that mixture in the freezer for about an hour (according to the directions).

No go! I think it was mainly the lowfat coconut milk - the fat content was all wrong for a good freeze. It took way longer to even resemble frozen and when it did, it was icy.

Live and learn.... I may have to splurge for some of that coconut ice cream I have recently heard has popped up in the grocery store.

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Brownie Baking Mix

I was very excited to see on another blog that Trader Joes has a gluten free brownie mix now. Last time I was there I picked up one. The 1 pound bag was $2.99 and I was so excited that that was so much less than what I have paid for any other gluten free baking mix. Then I realized it was actually a good bit smaller in size.

I paid around $6.50 for the Namaste Brownie Mix (at Fred Meyer) I made last week but it is actually a 2 pound bag. So twice as much mix for just a little more than twice the price.

And I liked the Namaste one better. My test is not very good because I accidently overcooked the Trader Joes batch. They are definitely very similar (the ingredients lists are almost identical) and both are fine. Both better than the others I have tried.

Namaste Brownie Mix - Gluten-free brownies!

Continuing my quest for a good brownie mix, I purchased a Namaste brownie mix at Fred Meyer for over $6. The 2 pound mix does make a 9x13 pan full and the brownies were a good thickness.

Texture and flavor were better than Bob's Red Mill. Only negative was a little chalky residue in my mouth, which bothered me at first but doesn't really now. I also like their allergen free facility.

Update- I like these even more now. I cut the 9x13 pan of brownies into about 32 pieces and froze them. I just pull one out here and there. I really like this brownie mix. I have one more brand waiting in my pantry to try - Trader Joes.

Bob's Ingredients:Evaporated Cane Juice, Ghirardelli® cocoa, potato starch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, corn flour, sea salt,baking powder, xanthan gum.

Namaste Ingredients:Organic evaporated cane juice, sweet brown rice flour, Dutch cocoa, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, salt, and xanthan gum.

Interesting to review the ingredients - they use a completely different mix of flour. In looking at the Trader Joe's Gluten-free brownie package, they use the same basic ingredients as Namaste.

Pamela's Ginger Cookies

Tried a new cookie today. Sure is tough to find an already made one without soy, dairy and gluten. Thought this one was pretty good.

The Chocolate Chip cookies by Pamela that I wrote about previously are out now because even though they do not contain gluten or dairy, they do contain soy.

I really need to try my hand at gluten-free baking as I have never been a big fan of ready-made items anyway. I'll have to work on getting my nerve back up

Peanut Butter Cookies

Yes, it's another goodie post.

I went digging in my oldest recipe box for this golden oldie Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe I got from my aunt in 1987. The only 3 ingredients are peanut butter, sugar and egg. Gluten, dairy and soy free! (Make sure your peanut butter doesn't contain soy. Some do. I used natural.) And easy too.

I'm sure you've seen this recipe before, it is pretty common. And with simple ingredients I could whip it out to address a nagging sweet tooth.

I think they were pretty good. A little crumbly and not a ton of depth in the flavor but it hit the spot. It was definitely better than some allergen free sweets I have purchased and a heck of a lot cheaper.

Update - these are better the next day. Not as crumbly. I like them a bit chewy - if you do too then be sure not to overbake!