Speroway is a Christian, International non-profit relief organization formerly known as Feed the Children, Canada. Although their name has changed, they are still doing the same great work as always around the world and here in Canada; providing food, medicine, education and other essentials. Their motto is ” Developing hope for needy children”.
Image courtesy of Speroway
Their new name combines the Latin word Spero [hope] with way – to represent the path they follow; representing a hopeful way forward for the organization and the people they help.
Speroway News:
Along with the new name, they have launched a new website and a facebook page, where they will be updating on all their latest activities and efforts along with their progress on construction. Please take a minute to visit their new site, see all the great work that they are doing and “like” their new page. Please help them raise awareness for all these new changes they have made, while still maintaining their primary goal to help children around the world.
One of the wonderful projects Speroway is currently working on is building a Medical Clinic in Haiti, a country that is still reeling from the devastation of the earthquake in 2010, where over 3,000,000 people were affected.
In Haiti, Speroway has partnered with an organization that is responsible for a feeding program that serves 30 orphanages and approximately 1,400 children. It was at one of the orphanages that they identified a piece of property that could be used to build a permanent medical clinic to serve the children in this network of orphanages.
Their plans are weeks away from being ready and they would like your help to spread the word and raise awareness of their efforts.
Share and Win
Here is how YOU can help spread the word about all the great work Speroway does and their tireless effort to deliver hope to needy children and families around the world on a daily basis.
By sharing their story, you are entered to win:
The Grand Prize Gift Basket includes:
· 1 – iPad HD 2012 (16GB)
· $500 WaySpa Gift Card
· Cineplex Night Out Gift Pack for 4
· 2 Big Kaboodle combo packs from Mabel’s Labels
You can only enter once, but every share to family and friends will be a bonus entry for you! So go ahead, share it and win today! Enter here, Good Luck!
This contest is open to CANADA, excluding Quebec. A full list of rules and regulations can be found here
Contest ends on June 22, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
*Spot prizes will be awarded every two weeks. See the rules and regulations for full and exact details.
Share and win - image courtesy of Speroway
There several different blends of Gluten Free Flour available on the market , some are better for some purposes than others. You have to experiment yourself, what I may prefer may not necessarily be what you prefer. I also like to use coconut flour whenever I can because it has more protein and fiber and smells so heavenly; it also tastes wonderful [well, at least to me and my daughter]. I have also used quinoa flour and almond flour, these are also wonderful additions to the other flours as they also boost the protein and fiber of the mix.
I found this great video from Living Without that I thought I would share if you are looking for a great blend to make on your own.
It is always great to have a Gluten free flour mix made up, it makes baking so much easier and faster. This will keep stored in the refrigerator.
Wednesday May 2nd, 2012 is McHappy Day; Restaurant employees across Canada will be joined by local sports and media personalities, politicians, community leaders, and entertainers celebrating the 19th annual McHappy Day.
On this day, one dollar from every Big Mac, Happy Meal, Coffee & Tea sold goes to local children’s charities across the country such as Ronald McDonald House in support of children and their families in need.
Ronald McDonald House provides support and the much needed comfort of a home-away-from-home for out-of-town families with seriously ill children who are being treated at nearby children’s hospitals. They are truly a blessing for sick kids and their families and offer a place of peace and calm in a time of great distress.
McDonald’s Canada covers all of RMHC Canada’s administrative and operating costs, making it possible for 100 per cent of every directly donated dollar to go to Ronald McDonald Houses and their programs. Since the annual fundraiser began, McHappy Day has raised more than $32-million for children. Do you know that Ronald McDonald Charities help over 10,000 families a year?
For more information on RMHC Canada, visit: www.rmhc.ca.
So on May 2, 2012, join me in supporting a great cause, please drop into your local McDonald’s and support McHappy Day. If you can’t make it, you can still support by texting MCHAPPY to 30333 to make a $5 donation* to RMHC of Canada and by “Liking” McDonald’s Canada on Facebook
You an also follow McDonald’s Canada on Twitter.
I may be gluten free, but I can still have a coffee and support McHappy Day!
Enjoy your #McHappyDay!
I am participating in the McHappy Day Blogger Program by ShesConnected. A donation in my name was made to Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada in exchange for my participation in this campaign. All opinions are honest and always my own*
If you follow this blog at all, you will probably notice that I review Enjoy Life products a fair bit – that is because I love their products!
Navigating the aisles when we first set out on this gluten free adventure was confusing and daunting [as well as expensive]. It was difficult to pick which would be the brand to try. I remember thinking that I really liked the Enjoy life logo, so we decided that we would try them out. They were the first gluten free brand that we tried, and I have to say they didn’t disappoint!
When Enjoy Life asked if I would review the new and improved chewy bars, I was happy to oblige – they are a brand I buy normally and a brand I trust.
I received 4 boxes of the Chewy bars in their new and improved flavours in the bright new packaging: Coco Loco, Caramel Apple, Very Berry and Sunbutter Crunch.
YUM!
Of course, being a chocoholic, both my daughter and I preferred the Coco Loco best, but I really liked all the other flavours as well, the Very Berry I found to be the sweetest of them all and although I really liked the SunButter, it wasn’t as moist as the others. My Daughter’s second favorite was the Caramel Apple flavour.
image courtesy of Enjoy Life Foods
Even though I make a lot of my own gluten free snacks, these chewy bars are handy to grab and have on the go anywhere, so I like to have them available for my daughter to grab {they travel well} when she will be away and needing a quick pick me up! I know that she is eating something healthy and I love the products!
Visit the Enjoy Life website to find out more about their great products!
Enjoy Life is also providing one lucky reader with their choice of 2 packages of the Enjoy life Chewy Bars. Let me know which flavours you would like to try! Continue reading »
Gluten Free Fruit Ice
Every once in a while I want to have something sweet and creamy but still good for me as a treat after dinner. Now that it is warming up, it is nice to have something that is cool as well. Our favorite ice cream is made by Chapman’s; they are known for their peanut free and Gluten Free flavors, but some nights I just want something really light but fresh, this is where the gluten free fruit ices come in. They are quick and easy and very nutritious as well as being low calorie [so I can have as much as I want!] Score for me! 
All you need is some frozen fruit – bananas, or strawberries or both. Blueberries are good too, the possibilities are endless!
Recipe originally found at the Primal Home
Strawberry/banana Gluten Free Fruit Ice
1 banana sliced and placed in freezer on tray to freeze
½ cup of strawberries, washed and cut in quarters and placed in freezer
tablespoon coconut milk [optional]
Once fruit it frozen, place in blender or food processor together with coconut milk if using and blend until smooth*, place in a bowls and serve immediately. Absolutely love this on a hot afternoon, such a great pick me up and best part is that it is all natural too!
*As an extra special treat, when I am having some chocolate cravings, I sometimes add in a tablespoon of cocoa as well while blending.
This is so good on top of the brownie!
This is the recipe for the gluten free brownie
Enjoy!
Milk-Bone Healthy Favourites
One of the reasons I write this blog is because I like sharing information about healthy, nutritious meals and treats. I also want our family dog to enjoy healthy and nutritious quality food so that she lives as long as possible; I was happy to learn that I was chosen as one of the ShesConnected Milk-Bone ambassadors to try their new biscuits and treats out on our dog. Milk-bone has been a brand that has been trusted for over 100yrs, so I was excited to see how my dog liked the new products.
When the box of treats arrived, Tessa {Cooperslane Contessa} was totally ecstatic; her beautiful black nose was twitching excitedly! So… I had no choice but to give her one right then. 
She didn’t actually say, but I think she really enjoyed it, she was looking for more!
This is doggy heaven!
Checking out the flavour she would like to try
We have had our lovely black Lab for 5 yrs, it was her birthday in March. She is a huge part of our family – ask anyone who gets in my car – her spot is always there, whether she is in the car or not! When we first went to see her at the breeder’s, we specified we wanted a female but we weren’t allowed to choose – we filled out a ‘personality’ questionnaire so that they could match a dog with our lifestyle personality. They couldn’t have picked a better match; Tessa has a beautiful temperament and absolutely loves people; she has a soothing quality about her – she always seems to know if you are having a bad day and loves to come over and see you and make you feel better– there really is something to what they say about animals and living longer!
Our Beautiful Tessa
She loves to run, but because of injuries to her knees [something Labs are prone to] we have to try and keep her from getting too excited, as well as trying to keep her at a healthy weight with lots of stress free exercise [translated, no psycho runs].
Part of keeping her at a healthy weight is making sure we don’t give her unhealthy, fat laden treats. That is why the new Milk-Bones are great, check out the Milk-Bone Healthy Favourites ingredient info.
She loves these!
Oven-Baked Granola Biscuits [510gr box]
-Beef Flavour- made with ground whole wheat, whole wheat flour, carrots, rolled oats and flaxseed
-With Chicken- made with ground whole wheat, wheat flour, sweet potatoes, rolled oats, flaxseed and chicken.
Oven-Baked Chewy Treats [142 gr pkg]
-Beef Flavour- made with rolled oats, carrots and apples
-Chicken -Made with real Chicken- rolled oats, sweet potatoes and apples.
To find out more, please make sure you visit http://www.milkbone-canada.com
It makes me feel good knowing that I am giving her something she really likes and is healthy for her! We love her and want her to be around for as long as possible.
I think I may even give a package to my MIL so that she can give them to her Lab.
GIVEAWAY
As a little girl, I remember these delicious buns that my mom would make; she didn’t make them that often but whenever she did, they were gone in a flash because we all loved them. It wasn’t until I was older, and would help her make them that I found out that they weren’t made with the same flour that most of our other baking was made from; it was one of the many recipes she brought with her from South America.
Although my mother and her family grew up in Uruguay, they had many friends from nearby Brazil and learned many wonderful recipes from them. I was lucky to reap some of the benefits!
Actually, I had forgotten about the buns and that they were made from tapioca starch when I initially started my gluten free diet, I had to check with my mom and look up the ingredients to make sure that they were in fact gluten free. These soon became a staple in our new diet. I make them at my house at least twice a week, they go too fast around here! My daughter even has these as burger buns when I make them a bit larger.
Gluten Free Cheese buns {Pan de Queso}
Preheat oven to 400 deg.
1 ½ cups tapioca flour [I use different all purpose GF flours as well]
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup milk
1 egg beaten
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
Blend milk, egg and oil together then add to the flour and salt the add the grated cheese . Mix until combined, it should be similar to a quick bread batter. I will either put them in a muffin tin with cupcake liners or on a cookie sheet spaced evenly on parchment paper. I find that an ice cream scoop is the perfect size scoop for each bun. Bake 15-18 min until they are beautifully rounded and slightly toasted. Makes approx 12 buns. Enjoy this deliciously moist and tender bun!
These will be so good when they are done!
mmmm, so yummy!
Thanks for stopping by, please feel free to share- if you are pinning, please DO NOT COPY RECIPE in the comments, thanks!
Week day mornings can be kind of hectic at times, so it is nice to have something quick, nutritious and long lasting available to grab on the way. Gluten free granola makes this a little bit easier; it is great with a bit of yogurt or just by the handfuls as a snack. This recipe has just the right combination of flavours and sweetness, I can’t seem to keep enough of it around, and my daughter loves it.
I have been using a recipe similar to this for years, I used to make it before we were gluten free as a granola bar. I have made some slight changes so that I could use it as a gluten free recipe. It was always a huge hit with all of my daughter’s little friends and her classmates when she was little as a regular recipe, but it is now as well!
I just make it up as a granola so she can have it for breakfast, but it also makes an amazing snack, as well as satisfying my daughter’s sweet tooth after school.
Gluten Free Granola
1 cup Gluten free rolled oats [I use Bob's Red Mill, although I am sure there are others out there]
¼ cup Honey
½ cup of unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup of melted butter
¼ cup chocolate chips
Can also add in some sliced almonds and walnuts, pecans or cranberries [really anything you like!] . My daughter likes her granola pretty plain – she really likes the coconut flavour that comes through.
Mix all ingredients until well combined, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer into a well greased pan. Bake in oven for 15-20 until the oatmeal is browned. Remove and stir, let cool and place in a re-sealable container in the fridge, will keep for a few days.
Ready to go in the oven
Nicely toasted, yummy!
‘No Nuts’ Gluten-Free Seed & fruit mix
I received the Enjoy Life ‘No Nuts’ Gluten-free Seed & Fruit mixes in their new packaging from Enjoy life foods a little while ago. Have to say, I really like the new packaging, but the best thing is what is inside!
Enjoy Life Seed and Fruit mix are Gluten-free, as well as free of tree nuts. They contain no artificial ingredients, Trans fats or Genetically Modified Ingredients and are Vegan, Kosher Pareve and casein-free so they are really healthy!
Great new packaging!
I love these snacks, they are packed with nutrition, allergy friendly and best of all, are very filling! I love that my daughter can take them to school without worrying about contaminating any one that may have nut allergies. They are also a big hit with her friends, and a great for energy filled snack after school for those homework get-togethers.
The new packaging can now be found in the stores in the same wonderful flavors, Beach Bash and Mountain Mambo. My favorite is the Beach Bash; I really like the bits of pineapple and cranberries. It tends to be a little sweeter because of the pineapple but it is well worth it. My daughter loves the Mountain Mambo; the chocolate chips did her in!
Looks so good!
You can learn more about Enjoy Life here.
Here is a great gluten-free recipe to enjoy using the Seed & fruit mixes from the Enjoy Life site
No Nuts Seed and Fruit Mix bars
ingredients:
2 C Enjoy Life Not Nuts! ™ Seed and Fruit Mix (any flavor)
2 C Enjoy Life Cinnamon Crunch Granola
1/2 C butter or non-dairy alternative
1/3 C brown sugar
3 tbsp. honey or agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tbsp. tapioca flour
directions:
Grease an 8 x 8-inch pan.
Chop Seed and Fruit Mix in a food processor until all seeds and fruit are in small pieces, and transfer to bowl.
Grind granola in a food processor until it looks like fine crumbs. Add granola crumbs to chopped trail mix and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat mix together the butter, brown sugar, honey, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, and vanilla until melted and well combined. Pour mixture over the trail/granola blend, stirring to coat all pieces.
Add salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well, then pour into prepared pan and press down flat.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Keep remaining pieces refrigerated.
Yield: 8 bars
I remember as a kid my mom would make a big batch of polenta when a few friends would drop by. We always seemed to have it on hand, it was easy enough to make and very satisfying too! She would usually make it as an appetizer and serve it with some delicious tomato sauce she had made up.
I still love making it – it is gluten free and can be used as an appetizer [which I do a lot] or as a side dish, you could even have it as a main meal if you wanted; as long as you have some corn meal – you are good to go!
Polenta
1 cup corn meal
3 cups water
1/3 cup Parmesan
Garlic, basil, oregano to season [ I tend to add more as I love garlic and basil]
1 cup shredded mozzarella
½-1cup Chopped tomatoes or sauce
Bring water to boil, once boiled add corn meal in steady stream and stir while adding, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Once begins to thicken and there are no lumps add the spices and the Parmesan. Polenta is done when spoon can stand in idle of pot.
Love lots of cheese!
Once done, let stand for a few minutes then transfer to an oven proof dish. Top with shredded mozzarella and place in oven under broiler for a few minutes. Keep and eye on it as you only want to melt the cheese topping.
Gooey cheese!
Remove and cut into slices or squares. Add diced tomatoes or sauce and serve.
Love the combination of tomato, polenta and cheese!
Instead of placing in oven, let cool and firm up, slice and brush with olive oil and place on the BBQ grill topped with mozzarella cheese to heat. Watch carefully!
Serve with chopped tomatoes or sauce.
Enjoy!
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Blog: Gluten Free adventures Topics:Food, Health, Fun 
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