gluten free – Coffee Mama bear

Every time I pass through the gluten free section or I spot a specialty item among the “normal” food selections…I PUT IT IN THE CART. How will I know if it’s delicious or not, if I don’t risk it and eat it? I need all the gluten free options I can for my family! I’ve encountered my fair share of duds. The kind of stuff that is too dry (had to save my oldest kid…she literally choked), too bland, not anywhere close to the flavor mentioned on the bag, or it completely falls apart upon the first bite.

Dairy Free Cheesecake — Dairy-Free Cheesecake from Daiya

Another reason for the grocery store hunt is that I needed food items to send with my kid to school. I can’t bake cookies on short notice, but I don’t want her to miss out! Cookie party…send delicious cookies, must be nut free too. Ice cream day…send delicious dessert alternative. I’ve had reports back from my kid that her friends were eyeing her awesome gluten free food!

We’ve got some winners to showcase! Here is our taste-tested list of gluten free and/or dairy free items for you to be on the lookout for at your local grocery store. We’re sticking to the items that are on the store shelf and ready to eat. No cooking or baking needed. I’ll have a list up soon on some great gluten free items for cooking or baking at home!

Gluten Free Breads:
Schär’s Artisan Baker White Bread – Fluffy, the crust isn’t dry, and it’s dairy free too! The best places to purchase it cheaper are Sprouts, Walmart, Central Market, or Costco (call to see which warehouse has in stock). If you need to purchase it online try here.
Schär’s Gluten Free Ciabatta Rolls – For an elevated sandwich experience, I like to use these ciabatta rolls. I also bring these out during the holidays and use them as rolls. Excellent when warmed or toasted, just add your favorite spread! For online purchase, find it here.
Udi’s Soft White Sandwich Bread – This is also available in multigrain. A soft, but thicker bread slice, as it contains egg. You can find these in the frozen foods section and that’s why I like this option. Look for these at Target and Whole Foods.

Gluten Free Snacks & Chips:
Lance’s Peanut Butter Crackers – Target has these available and we love these for a great protein packed snack. Their snack crackers are great too! They have a bit of a buttery taste. For online purchase, find them here.
Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzels – The best pretzel option that we have found! It doesn’t feel like my tooth is going to break when I eat these! I like that they have the traditional pretzel shape and the sticks. Whole Foods, Target, and Amazon are some places you can buy.
The Good Crisp Company – The tastiest option for the chips that come in a can…this one is amazing! We’ve had the “original” and the “sour cream & onion”, both have been winners. I have found these at Whole Foods and for bulk order on Amazon.
Pamela’s Whenever Bars – A good friend introduced me to these several years ago. We love the “oat chocolate chip coconut” and the “oat raisin walnut spice”. I have found these at Walmart, Sprouts, and Kroger. For online purchase, find it here.
Kind Snacks – Some bars from this brand are a bit tough to eat, but we found a great one after trying several of their options. Their line of “Healthy Grains Granola Bars” are delicious. Our favorites are “dark chocolate chunk” and “peanut butter dark chocolate”.
Milton’s Craft Bakers, Crispy Sea Salt Bake Crackers – The best dip chip we have found! It can handle salsa, spinach artichoke dip, and queso. We’ve served these at several parties and our guests love them too! Whole Foods, Market Street, and Amazon are great places to find them.
Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Tortilla Chips – Salty, crispy, crunchy. I’m bulk ordering these from Amazon. They are a staple in our house!

Gluten Free Fudge Striped Cookie from Goodie Girl — Gluten Free Fudge Striped Cookies from Goodie Girl

Gluten Free Sweets:
Kinnikinnick Vanilla Wafers – My childhood cookie favorite is vanilla wafers, so finding these were special! They are nut free, dairy free, and soy free too.
Goodie Girl Fudge Striped Cookies – Oh my goodness, these are delicious. A family favorite for us! Their “Birthday Cake” cookies are flippin amazing and we love the “Magical Animal Crackers” too.
Sheila G’s Brownie Brittle – We use these when we make s’mores! It’s got a great crisp and the chocolate is already baked in, so they are perfect for pairing with your roasted marshmallows. I found these at Walmart and on Amazon.
Emmy’s Organics, Coconut Cookies, Vanilla Bean – We always have some of these in our pantry. Great for snacking and perfect with my afternoon coffee! The kids like them too!

Gluten Free Frozen Sweets:
Katz Donuts – We like the “glazed” and the “pumpkin pie spiced glazed” (seasonal). They have donut holes available too. These satisfy my donut craving! They are along the lines of the cake donut you find in donut shops.
So Delicious Ice Cream – Three words… “Salted Caramel Cluster”! My favorite dairy-free ice cream. It’s made from cashew milk. Their chocolate dipped ice cream bars are amazing too!
So Delicious Vanilla Bean Sandwiches – My Dad always had chocolate ice cream sandwiches in the freezer, so these spark fond memories for me! My kids love these too and they are made from coconut milk.
Daiya Cheezecake – This is really wonderful and very delicious! The cake is definitely smaller than a typical cheesecake size, but that’s also a benefit because you’ll want to eat it all. I pair it with fruit and coffee. The kids love this cheesecake too! They also have key lime, chocolate, and strawberry flavors available.

I hope that you’re able to pick up some of these yummy items soon! I’ve linked all of them in the post, so you can see their packaging. I know it’s easier for me when I know exactly what I’m supposed to be on the lookout for in the aisles! Many of the company’s websites also have an option where you can enter your zip code to find a store near you that would carry their products.

Wishing you happy eating and a full cup of warm coffee that you didn’t have to reheat three times before enjoying!
-Erin aka Coffee Mama Bear

Feel free to email me with any questions: erin@coffeemamabear.com
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Coffee Mama Bear with a Chemex Coffeemaker

Gluten Free Apple Pie – Recipe Links Below

This apple pie originated from a failed photo shoot. I was nervous to even attempt the photo shoot idea, but to have failure right out of the gate?! It was a kick in the gut. This next week I’ll be diving in to learn how to create some of the effects needed to make my photo series DREAM come true! I still have the desire to see the series completed, even though I am back at square one. I don’t have all the skills (yet) and I’ve already failed, but I’m not going to give up on the goal. I want to be the underdog in this story!

Have you ever been knocked down, verbally attacked, been made to feel unworthy, or felt abandoned? Your heart feels heavy and your soul feels weak after that defeat. Maybe this has happened to you in a relationship or a business situation? I keep envisioning being in the bottom of a well and looking up, somewhat hopeless, with no understanding on how to get out. You don’t feel like you have much fight left physically, mentally, emotionally, and in your soul too. There is an overarching grief about the situation as well.

I can tell you, firsthand, that all you’re feeling and experiencing is normal. When you thought a particular path was going to be your route and you get smacked towards another direction…it’s not a very comfortable experience. When you relied on an individual(s) and they don’t show up when you needed them the most, it is heartbreaking. You do need someone to be there for you, never leave you, and who always has your best interests at heart. A strong person in you life, who will cheer you on as you aim at your goals. It might not feel like it right now, but you CAN be the one who upsets the win at the podium and the one who claims the victory. You can become the underdog.

This delicious apple pie has softened the blow just a little bit. It’s a pie born through struggle, but delicious nevertheless.
Namaste Gluten Free Flour Pie Crust Recipe
Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe
And I feel like apple pie for breakfast is totally acceptable. Especially, when you are trying to heal the wounds of disappointment. The Namaste GF flour made for an excellent crust. It was thick enough to hold all the juices from the apples and it was not dry or too crumbly after baking. The apple filling can be made ahead of time and stored in 32 oz. wide mouth mason jars. Coffee from Addison Coffee Roasters made an appearance too. I chose the Mexican Vanilla blend with its sweet flavors and it paired very well with the apple pie.

I’m pretty sure that the next people I mention did not have APPLE PIE as a part of their victory story. Moses, from the book of Exodus, he became the underdog in the fight against Pharoh. A huge load of drama encompasses that story and Moses was very scared of what God was asking him to do. Moses had made some big mistakes in his past. God wanted Moses to convince the most powerful man in the land, Pharoh, to let his entire work force (the Israelites) go. That was no small task, but with God’s mighty hand at work, Moses was able to free thousands of people from the hand of Pharoh. Underdog status acheived.

The next underdog from the Bible is David. Not only did this shepherd boy defeat one of the most formidable foes in the old testament, Goliath, David was on the run from king Saul for many years. For David, being on the run was exhausting, physically and emotionally. God brought Saul to David in a chance meeting and that’s when David won. I encourage you to read that passage in 1 Samuel 24. David…underdog status achieved, in a very unique way.

I feel like the best part about being the underdog is that no one will see you coming. You have the extra element of surprise on your side. You also have a strength behind you that no one else can take away. You’ve been to the bottom. You have had to dig deep to climb. You ARE going to rise up to meet the challenge and you WILL succeed. More importantly, you have had God on your side through the entirety of your challenge. Your success might not look like anything you had envisioned before you got knocked down, but that’s probably a good thing. You’ve gained knowledge and now you have grit.

What I say next is just as much for me as it is for you:
Let’s take all this failure, the pain, the disappointment, and missed steps and use it for good. Battle scars, no matter how they come, can be your strength. God can use any past hurt, mistake, and failure, for His good. I have read way too many stories of people born from hardship that have partnered with God to do amazing things. We will have to dig deep to start that ball rolling toward our goals, but once we get it going…it is not going to stop. Especially, when we have God on our side and in our hearts.

Warmest wishes and coffee dreams,
Erin aka Coffee Mama Bear

Coffee Mama bear

Life, Joy, & Coffee

Tag: gluten free

Ready-to-eat Gluten Free and Dairy Free Foods

Cup of Encouragement – Underdog & Apple Pie