Gluten Free Jersey Girl was excited to attend the GF expo, which is the premier event for those of us that are gluten free. I was so excited to actually be able to eat whatever I wanted! It's hard to be able to do that anywhere after living 2 years gluten free. We arrived early and luckily were able to attend a question and answer session which was very informative.
We were able to ask any questions we wanted and were provided with useful tips and app's. My favorite is the Find Me Gluten Free app which you can use anywhere you go. What I loved about this app was that they continually update it and make sure the app is accurate. Another useful app is I Can Eat Fast Food Gluten Free and if you travel a lot, Gluten Free Passport will help guide you on your travels gluten free.
The first booth we got to was Rudi's Bakery and they were making grilled cheese sandwiches on their gluten free bread. I was not able to try them because of the cheese, but I have had Rudi's gluten free bread before and they are probably one of the best makers of gluten free sandwich bread out there. A lot of people around me trying the sandwiches said they were very good!
A product that I knew of already and absolutely love is the Hail Merry Company. They are a raw food company, gluten free, vegan, dairy free and GMO free! You cannot get better macaroons anywhere! Their products are sold in Whole Foods and Deans Natural Food Maret and you may be able to find them in your local health food stores. You would never know that these are raw or healthy, they are just that good! I tried their Almond Butter Tart, Lemon Tart and Chocolate Macaroon. My favorite was the lemon tart, but they are all very tasty!
Vitamix was also there giving a demonstration on their machines and offering a discount if purchasing at the show. I absolutely love this company and am hoping to get a vitamix one of these days. He made us a green smoothie, raw soup, orange sorbet and a coffee frappe. Every one of them tasted unreal. This machine makes eating a healthy gluten free diet so easy. I stayed at this display and tried every sample, twice! That's how good they were! I just really love that machine...someday!
One of my favorite moments was meeting Amie, founder of The Healthy Apple, and I was delighted to find out that Amie was originally a Jersey Girl too. I first heard of Amie while watching Veria Network's What Would Juliana Do? It is so inspiring to meet someone who I have followed online and have learned so much from!
Amie was giving out samples from Crunch Master, and be sure to stop by their page for a $ 1.00 off coupon. The crackers are super crunchy, very tasty and filled with healthy ingredients like sesame, quinoa, amaranth and flax seeds. You would never know they were healthy. Try dipping them in hummus or your favorite nut butter. I have found these crackers in Shoprite, Stop and Shop, A&P, Costco and Walmart. Be sure to stop by Amie's website for some delicious recipe ideas and stop by Amie's Facebook page. Let her know we sent you!
I also was excited to meet Carol Kicinski, magazine founder, editor and author of Simply Gluten Free. Definitely join her facebook page and newsletter list because her website is packed full of useful information and she gives lots of tips, recipe ideas and more.
My favorite new product was New York Superfoods Chia Moxie, Chia Peanut Butter. This stuff is so good! I cannot believe I never thought of putting chia and peanut butter together before. I did ask if it comes in almond butter, but not yet, hopefully soon. You really only taste the peanut butter, but you are getting so much nutrition by adding the chia seeds. I met the owners, Catherine & Jason Walsh, and was really impressed by their products. This is a family owned, family run company and it really shows that they care about their products. They also have another product called Chia Charger, which are these little bites that are totally packed full of superfoods and tons of flavor! These are perfect for after a workout or when you're needing a quick boost of energy. They are also Raw.
Click Here to learn about their company and see a video about their company. I bought a jar of Chia Moxie, but am kicking myself for not buying the chia chargers because they tasted fantastic! There products are non-GMO, super healthy and perfect for an active lifestyle! Here's their facebook page if you want to connect with them. Be sure to tell them we sent you!
I have not seen them in stores anywhere by me, but I did see that you can purchase them on Amazon. Here's the link if you wanted to purchase them.
We received 3 bags filled with samples, magazines, coupons and literature. Here's a list of some of the vendors we saw at the expo:
nogii Protein Bars
I love these bars. I first heard about them from Elizabeth on the View. These bars have a good taste and some of there bars have dairy in them. Their new Paleo Bar is gluten and dairy free and perfect for a mid-afternoon snack or after a workout. They gave out tons of samples.
The Cake Over Bakery is located in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey. They did have dairy in their products, so I was not able to try them. I did notice people loving what they were eating though!
If you are in their area, definitely stop by!
thai feast is a gourmet meal that has a few gluten and dairy free options. I tried the Garlic Black Pepper Chicken and Vegetable Coconut Red Curry. I loved them both and was excited that they handed me to that I could take home with me!
I absolutely LOVE this bakery! I tried way too many samples and even took a carrot cake cupcake home. I will definitely be making a trip to Sweet Megan's Bakery in Pennsylvania one day! Her bakery is gluten, dairy and soy free. They will also ship, so be sure to check out her website if you want to try her products. You will not be disappointed. Her cupcakes were so moist and the icing was nice and creamy.
So I have to say that I am overwhelmed by how many samples I received and just how much food I got to sample. I left feeling totally stuffed!
We came home with 3 bags of goodies!
nogii Protein Bars
I love these bars. I first heard about them from Elizabeth on the View. These bars have a good taste and some of there bars have dairy in them. Their new Paleo Bar is gluten and dairy free and perfect for a mid-afternoon snack or after a workout. They gave out tons of samples.
The Cake Over Bakery is located in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey. They did have dairy in their products, so I was not able to try them. I did notice people loving what they were eating though!
If you are in their area, definitely stop by!
thai feast is a gourmet meal that has a few gluten and dairy free options. I tried the Garlic Black Pepper Chicken and Vegetable Coconut Red Curry. I loved them both and was excited that they handed me to that I could take home with me!
I absolutely LOVE this bakery! I tried way too many samples and even took a carrot cake cupcake home. I will definitely be making a trip to Sweet Megan's Bakery in Pennsylvania one day! Her bakery is gluten, dairy and soy free. They will also ship, so be sure to check out her website if you want to try her products. You will not be disappointed. Her cupcakes were so moist and the icing was nice and creamy.
I was excited to see another raw food company here. Raw Revolution bars are 1 of my favorite protein bars. They are filled with wholesome ingredients, organic, super moist and have tons of flavor.
When I first became gluten free, Pamela's Products were the first products I tried. I have recently tried their bars, which are very tasty and I've used them as a meal replacement. They also have pancake mixes, brownie & cookie mixes and more. It's definitely worth trying her products and she has some really good recipes on her website. I also emailed them for coupons and they sent me a bunch!
So I have to say that I am overwhelmed by how many samples I received and just how much food I got to sample. I left feeling totally stuffed!
