Gluten & Allergen Free Expo Dallas 2014- Sunday Top Picks!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV
"...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."



Wow!  What a weekend it was!  I feel honored and blessed to have attended the Dallas Gluten & Allergen Free Expo as a blogger.  It was amazing seeing how many people were there, and how many vendors as well.  I have only been on this Gluten Free journey for 4 years now, and the developments of gluten free foods has been astounding even in this short amount of time.  The products represented ranged from cookies and crackers, to protein bars and shakes, to pizza and beer.  There were wonderful and educational presentations offered all day long, leaving me wondering, "Do I go to the class or go to the booths?"  All-in-all it was a great experience and I'm so glad I went.

Be on the lookout for a GIVEAWAY from me in the coming days.  The product vendors were kind enough to pass on tons of free samples for my readers, so I'll be giving away a full goodie bag for one lucky person!  Stay tuned for details...

Here are my highlights from Sunday at the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo in Dallas.

Most unique thing I learned: you can use sorghum based beer ounce for ounce and cup for cup as a milk replacement in baking!  Wow, who knew?!  According to Vanessa Maltin Weisbrod, the Executive Editor of Delight Gluten-Free Magazine and author of
The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook: Spicing Up Life with Italian, Asian, and Mexican Recipes, using beer in place of milk adds a nice sweetness and fluffiness to many recipes such as pancakes, porridge, and flatbread. It's an easy way to replace milk if you are going dairy free, and using sorghum based beer like Bard's (her recommendation) makes it still gluten free! Sounds good to me!



Favorite vendor product line: Simple Mills.  Why I am totally thrilled to have discovered this company is well-summed up in a message from the founder, who I had the privilege and honor of meeting in person.  

"When I discovered that my family and I had several allergies to common foods, I first turned to the shelves at grocery stores. But I discovered that many foods contained long ingredient lists, large amounts of refined sugar (often the first ingredient!), preservatives, and other strange things that I couldn't pronounce. I didn't cook with these things at home, and surely didn't want to feed them to my family... So why did I have to buy them in food and mixes at the store? I thought there had to be a better way and that's why I created Simple Mills. 

At Simple Mills, we sincerely believe simple is best. We create delicious products made of nutrient-rich, real-food ingredients that are easily available in nature (not created in a laboratory somewhere). We never use refined sugar, high-glycemic flours, gluten, or genetically-modified ingredients. This means that our products not only taste great, they also make you feel great! 

-Katlin, Founder of Simple Mills"

There you have it, real food, plain and simple. Thank you, Katlin!

Greatest mystery solved: I have been researching Essential Oils for quite some time, and have often wondered about the effectiveness of each brand.  On Sunday I took the opportunity to pit doTERRA and Young Living against each other in a head to head battle for pain relief.  I showed up with a lot of pain in my knee, low back, and neck and stopped first thing at the two essential oils booths in the show.  I am happy to say that both products relieved my pain completely, and within half an hour I was no longer thinking about how much my body hurt and was free to enjoy the show.  A huge thanks to Pat of Young Living and Randy of doTERRA for so generously helping me out!  Pat used Young Living's Valor, Pan Away and Peppermint for a great pain relieving trio.   Randy used doTERRA's Deep Blue Rub for a simple one-step application.  I'm not going to debate which company or product line is better overall, but as far as pain relief goes, both are a winner in my book.

Favorite Blogger: The Gluten Free Makeup Gal.  She is so sweet and down-to-earth, and tons of fun to be around.  This Gal and I had some serious fun watching Stuart's presentation of Kitchen Craft cookware (which, by the way, I now want every piece of!)  

Okay, that's enough for now.  I'll be sharing more in the coming weeks on product reviews and more highlights from the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo.  This in a national event, so if you missed Dallas be sure to check their website for other upcoming shows, and mark your calendars for November 2015 when they'll be back in Dallas!

Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
aka Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic
http://countrymamahippiechic.blogspot.com/

Gluten & Allergen Free Expo Dallas 2014- Saturday Top Picks!

Psalm 37:3-4 NASV
"Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.  Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart."

Wow!  What a day!  I just got home from attending my first ever Gluten & Allergen Free Expo and I just gotta say it was amazing.  With over 150 Vendor Booths, and a full day of Classes, it was impossible to experience everything.  I'm so glad I'll be going back tomorrow.  Here I am with my goodies from the O'Mission Beer Blogger Swag Bag.

I'll write more in depth in the coming weeks with product reviews and what I've learned from the classes, but for now I wanted to give my Day 1 Top Picks.

My top favorite sponsor is definitely O'Mission Beer.  They sponsored a Blogger Meet & Greet this morning with special swag bags and free t-shirts and hats.  I normally wouldn't be drinking at 10:30am, but sampling their Gluten Free Beers among friends was a lot of fun.  I've been a big fan of O'Mission for quite some time, and they definitely went out of their way to make us feel special and appreciated.  I swapped cards with a lot of other bloggers and look forward to collaborating with some of them in future endeavors!

My top favorite vendor booth was absolutely, hands down Kim and Jake's.  Their Gluten Free crusty bread was simply delicious.  The BEST gluten free bread I have ever had.  They have perfected the crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside in a beautiful and flavorful sourdough base that is out of this world.  Oh yeah, they have a fan for life in me!

My top favorite presenter was Betty Murray, CN.  Ms. Murray is a Certified Nutritionist and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner who has dealt personally with a gluten-free lifestyle and managing an autoimmune condition.  One of the greatest and most eye-opening things I learned from her is that Celiac's Disease and Gluten Intolerance can be present with NO GUT SYMPTOMS.  Wow.  This means that a person can have a reaction to gluten and never know it, since they don't
present "classic" Celiac symptoms like distended belly and irritable bowel syndrome.  Things like neurological disorders, joint problems, skin rashes, etc. can all be traced directly to gluten even if a person doesn't seem to have direct gluten symptoms.  Incredible.  She also said it averages up to 11 years for a person to be correctly diagnosed, as our current diagnostic tools often can only detect Celiac's once it is severe and there is complete destruction of the intestines.  Whoa.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to wait until I am entirely broken to be fixed.  She recommends gluten free for anybody with any health issues, and offers extensive and thorough, yet simple and cost-effective testing in her office to determine what foods you may be sensitive to, including gluten.  Bottom line, if you feel better after about a week of gluten free, you'll probably feel a whole lot better by going gluten free completely.

My top favorite service represented was the Great Gluten Escape at Gilmont.  This week-long summer camp is entirely gluten free!  This is a chance for gluten free children ages 7-15 to be able to just be a kid, relax, and let go with friends, knowing that they don't have to be singled out or miss out on goodies to protect their bodies and be healthy.  How cool is that?!  Well, even cooler, this Christian camp offers an incredible program for families with children who have special needs.  Circle of Friends is offered entirely free of charge, and gives parents a much-needed respite from providing constant care to their special needs children.  I look forward to plugging in to this organization in sacrificial service for a wonderful crusade.  Check it out online and learn how you can donate time and resources to keep this incredible program successful.  And please share with anyone you know who has a child with special needs, so they can have this incredible camping experience where everyone is included, accepted, and loved.

Be sure to keep an eye on my Facebook Page where I'll be posting more LIVE updates and pictures from Day 2 of the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in Dallas, Tx.  Join me there if you can for a day full of fun and more freebies than you can shake a stick at! (My husband, son, and I came home with 4 full bags of goodies, not to mention full bellies from all the free samples!)  It's from 9-3 at the Dallas Market Hall – North Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207.  Tickets at the door are $20 for adults and $5 for kids.



Yours truly,
Country Mama Hippie Chic
aka Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic

Flavorful Friday: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Recipe!

Romans 15:14 NIV
"I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another."


I believe that God has put in each of us a strong heart, a guide between right and wrong, good and evil.  We know deep in our heart of hearts how to live full and satisfying lives, yet sometimes we stray.  How wonderful to have friends and loved ones in our lives to remind us of our goodness, to steer us back onto the path that is straight and narrow.  It takes bravery and courage to speak truth in love to someone who may be making poor choices.  I recently rebuked a dear friend when I noticed her doing something that seemed out of alignment with the life she says she wants, with the person I know her to be.  It has been truly inspiring to watch her take in this information with the love with which it was offered, and to use this insight to transform her life and her actions.  I hope that when someone approaches me to instruct me in my ways that I can handle it with the grace and dignity she has shown.

To celebrate her, today I offer this fabulous Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie Recipe!  She recently surprised me with some yummy homemade chocolate chip cookies, so here is my return favor.  With pumpkin in abundance in the grocery stores this month, here's a new way to try this healthy ingredient in a whole new way.

How have you used pumpkin lately?  I'd love to hear from you in comments below!

Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
aka Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic

PS- Keep an eye out on my Facebook page this weekend for on-the-spot updates from the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in Dallas!  Click here to get your discounted pre-event tickets now!

PPS- I'll be posting in the coming weeks sharing highlights from the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo that starts TOMORROW in Dallas!  Dallas Market Hall - North Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207.  I'm so excited!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

This recipe is loosely based on a list of ingredients that a relative told me after sharing her cookies with our family.  Her cookies used wheat flour and called for a lot more sugar, so I set out to make a healthier, gluten-free treat.  This cookie is very mild, so you’ll want to add more sugars or honey if you like things a little sweeter.  This recipe is also very forgiving, so feel free to experiment with ingredients and measurements, and add the optional ingredients to fit your own personal taste.

Ingredients:

1 Can (15oz) 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 Egg, beaten, at or near room temperature

1 Tbsp Butter, softened

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

¼ C Sugar

1 Tbsp Honey

½ C Almond Flour or Almond Meal

¼ C Coconut Flour

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds

½ tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg

Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt

1 C Uncooked Old-Fashioned Oats

Instructions:

In a medium bowl mix Pumpkin, Egg, Butter, Vanilla, Sugar, and Honey.  Beat on low speed until well blended.  In a small bowl combine Almond Flour or Meal, Coconut Flour, Chia Seeds, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Celtic Sea Salt.  Whisk gently to mix all dry ingredients together.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mix, blending on medium until well combined.  Add Oats, stirring with a spoon until oats are fully incorporated into the mix.

Using hands, make Tablespoon size balls of dough and flatten them to about ¼” thick, making a cookie that is about 2” wide.  Place cookies an inch apart onto parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake in preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15-17 minutes, or until firm and slightly browned around the edges.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Store in a container with a lid sitting on top, but not sealed.

Serve warm with a big, cold glass of your favorite milk and enjoy!

This cookie is great for breakfast, dessert, or just as a snack!

Optional Ingredients:

Chopped Pecans

Brown Sugar

Molasses

Maple Syrup
Pumpkin Pie Spice

Gluten & Allergen Free EXPO this weekend in Dallas!

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
"For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”


This weekend is the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in Dallas, TX!  I'm so excited to attend this event, not only because it is my first official blogger event, but also because it is going to be fantastic!

In addition to tons of vendor booths with free samples, coupons, and discounted items to purchase, there will be AMAZING CLASSES with INCREDIBLE SPEAKERS all about understanding, maximizing and enjoying your Gluten & Allergen Free lifestyle!

If you haven't bought your tickets, there's still time, just click here to buy tickets at the pre-event discounted price, avoid the lines and ensure that there will be space for you at this one-of-a-kind, not-to-be-missed Expo!

Here's a list of just some of the classes being held this Saturday and Sunday in Dallas!

• "Immunity and Food: The Intersection Between Foods & the Immune System" by Betty Murray, CN, IFMCP, CHC
• "The Power of Food – The best medicine or the worst poison for your body." by Oonagh Williams
• "Nutrition and Gluten-Free Baking" by Vanessa Maltin Weisbrod
• "Raising A Child Gluten Free" by Tiffany Hinton
• "The Gluten Conundrum What is gluten, why am I sensitive, and even though I've given up gluten, why do I still feel bad?"Christina O’Brien, D.C.

For information on all of the class topics and speakers, click here.

So what are you waiting for?  Sign up now and tell all your friends before tickets sell out!

 In the meantime, mark your calendars for November 15-16 from 9am-3pm at Dallas Market Center, 2100 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207 for the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo.

And be sure to follow the Expo on Facebook for all the latest details!

Whether it's you or a loved one who is choosing the Gluten & Allergen free route, this event will be packed with useful information and delicious product samples.  I hope to see you there!

Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic
AKA Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com

Flavorful Friday- Egg and Vegetable Breakfast Recipe

Joshua 14:8 ESV
"...yet I wholly followed the LORD my God."

Brothers and sisters, I pray for us today that WE may wholly follow the LORD our God, even as others go astray.  Let us be beacons of light, shining light on the TRUTH, the LOVE of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Today's edition of Flavorful Friday features a unique recipe, in that this is more of an idea, a starting point, a license to create and have fun in the kitchen.  I cook some version of eggs and vegetables for breakfast at least once a week, usually several days a week, and it is different each time!  Here are three photos showing variations on this simple and adaptable Egg and Vegetable Breakfast Recipe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
aka Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic

Egg/Veg scrambled eggs, eggplant, onion, garlic, bell pepper, tomato

Egg/Veg fried eggs, eggplant, onion, yellow squash, green bell pepper, fresh salsa, avocado

Egg/Veg fried egg, red + grn bell peppers, roma tomato, artichoke heart, purple onion, avocado

Eggs & Veggies Recipe

The thing I love about this idea is that it’s so variable.  This one really is more of an idea than a recipe, permission to get creative and suit your own tastes and availability of vegetables.  It’s a recently adopted practice for me to have vegetables for breakfast, and I love it.  Inspired by a friend who posted a beautiful chopping board full of colorful veggies, I hope this inspires you to start your day out strong with plenty of color, flavor, and nutrition!

Ingredients:

Eggs

Vegetables

Some sort of oil for the pan

Seasonings

Okay, that may be a little too simplified and vague, but that’s really how this recipe goes!  Here are a bit more specifics to get you started…

Specific Ingredients:

Fresh Eggs (1-2 per person) to be fried or scrambled, as you prefer

Vegetables- Just one or almost any combination of these, sliced, diced, or whole:

·      Onion (Red or Yellow)

·      Garlic

·      Asparagus

·      Spinach

·      Kale

·      Red Bell Pepper

·      Green Bell Pepper

·      Zucchini

·      Yellow Squash

·      Grape Tomatoes

·      Roma Tomatoes

·      Heirloom Tomatoes

·      Eggplant

·      Swiss Chard

·      Mushrooms

·      Okra

·      Marinated Artichoke Hearts

·      Potatoes (Red or Russet)

·      Avocados (to be added when served, not while cooking)

Oil for the pan (1 Tbsp for veggies, 1 Tbsp for eggs):

·      Unrefined Coconut Oil

·      Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·      Bacon Grease

·      Butter

Seasonings:

·      Celtic Sea Salt

·      Ground Pepper Medley

·      Paprika

·      Cayenne

·      Bragg Sea Kelp Delight

·      Oregano (fresh or dried)

·      Basil (fresh or dried)

·      Rosemary (fresh or dried)

·      Parsley (fresh or dried)

Instructions:

Heat medium cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to pan.  Add vegetables, hardest ones first (like Potatoes and Onions), saving the more delicate ones (like Spinach and fresh herbs) for the last.  I generally chop as I go, and add the veg once it is chopped.  How this may look is as the pan is heating, chop your onion.  Add oil to the pan and then the onion.  While the onion starts to soften, chop the bell pepper and then add it to the pan and stir.  I would probably season everything in the pan at this point.  As that cooks, chop okra, then add to the pan and stir. Then mince the fresh herbs and add them to the pan, giving everything a good stir.  Let it cook for another minute or two and you should be good to go!  Move veggies to a plate or bowl and cover to keep warm while you cook the eggs.

For eggs, to fry you would simply add your oil to the already heated pan (I recommend a Tbsp of butter or bacon grease) and then crack egg directly into the pan (or, if you prefer, crack egg into a bowl first and then pour into the pan).  Let it cook about a minute on the first side, seasoning lightly with salt.  Then gently flip egg with a spatula, and cook another minute or two on the second side, depending on how firm or runny you like your yolk.  Season again with salt and add pepper or cayenne as well if you like.  Place egg atop veggies and then serve!

You can also opt for scrambled eggs.  Crack eggs into a bowl, add seasonings and beat them with either a whisk or a fork, the more air you incorporate into them, the fluffier they will be.  Add oil (again, butter or bacon grease recommended) to the pan and let it melt.  Pour eggs into pan and stir with spatula or fork as you cook on medium-low heat until desired consistency is reached, generally 2-5 minutes.  Serve with eggs atop veggies, or veggies atop eggs, or make a well in the middle of the eggs for the veggies, whatever suits your fancy and floats your boat!

Topping Options:

·      Avocado (diced or sliced)

·      Salsa (Red or Green)

·      Sour Cream

·      Shredded cheese

Notes:

There are no amounts listed on anything because this really is about your own personal taste.  In general, figure on about 1-2 eggs per person (more if you’re serving a really big appetite), and about 1 ½ - 2 Cups of fresh vegetables per person.  Example for one serving: 8 skinny Asparagus spears (bottom of spears removed), 4 small Okra, ¼ Yellow Squash, ½ Yellow Onion.  As for seasonings, just a shake or two ought to do it; I like to keep it light for breakfast.

Congratulations to our WINNERS!

Romans 12:15 NASB
"Rejoice with those who rejoice..."

Let us now rejoice!  Thank you to all who entered my drawing for 2 FREE Tickets to the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo coming to Dallas Nov. 15-16.  Congratulations to Jessica G. who was our winner this morning, randomly picked through Rafflecopter!  And congratulations also to Vita B. whose story captured my heart and awarded her free tickets as well!

There is still time for you to purchase advance tickets to the Expo at a discounted rate (prices will go up at the door, provided there are still any tickets remaining.)  Just click here for quick and easy sign up!

I am so very much looking forward to this amazing event, especially for the myriad talks and presentations and free samples of gluten free goodies that will be available.  O'Mission beer, one of my favorites, is one of the many sponsors of the event!

Be sure to like my facebook page where I'll be posting updates direct from the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo!  And also check out the Expo Facebook page for all the latest and greatest!

Congratulations again to our winner and I hope to see you all at the Expo!

Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
aka Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic

Win 2 FREE tickets to the Dallas Gluten & Allergen Free Expo!

1 John 4:7 ESV
"...love one another, for love is from God..."

As an official Blogger for the Gluten & Alergen Free Expo in Dallas, I have been given the opportunity to give away FREE Tickets to the Expo!  Click here now for a chance to win a ticket for you and for a friend for November 15 or 16.

You can also still purchase advance tickets at a discounted price (tickets will cost a few dollars more at the door, if there are any still available) by clicking here.

Read more about the expo on my blog post from last week, or visit the expo Facebook Page to learn more about this exciting and amazing event!  There will be speakers, product samples, discount products available, and more, all catering to the Gluten Free and Allergen Free lifestyle!

Hope to see you there and good luck on Winning 2 Tickets!


Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
www.facebook.com/CountryMamaHippieChic
AKA Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com