The Real Jules, Real Good Giveaway: gluten-free flour mix & sandwich bread

1/13/15 WINNER UPDATE: congrats to Cindy and Nicole — you both get to choose either the bread mix or the all-purpose flour mix. Please contact me within 24 hours at celiacinthecity@gmail.com to claim your prize! (if I don’t hear from the winners, I’ll draw again!)

 

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You know how you feel when a company has products you love and then stops making them? The worst. Right?

But now think about if THE person who came up with those products left the company (because her whole heart is with the gluten-free community and she refused to settle for nothing less than the best for us) and started a NEW COMPANY and is re-launching her amazing products, but the old company was still out there using her name? Confusing to say the least. Frustrating for those who just want that darn product they love.

That’s what’s been happening with our friend Jules Shepard from gfJules™  formerly Jules Gluten Free — she is no longer with that company and does not endorse those products, yet they are still selling the products with her name and logo on the package. (until March, pursuant to the legal settlement)

The most confusing thing for most people is that there is a Living Social deal being circulated (and even shared by local GF peeps) for the old products and people get excited about the deal, not realizing these are not Jules’ products.

I was just talking with another GF friend about Jules’ new mixes and she was so excited to try them, but had the same reaction as many others, “it’s just confusing — I don’t know which ones to buy!” (she had also seen the Living Social posts selling the old products, thinking they were the new ones)

So that’s where you guys come in!

We need to spread the good word about THE gfJules and her new product line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(don’t you just adore the new packaging?)

And what better way to do so than to have you guys try them out for yourself — it’s GIVEAWAY time! Before I give you the details, check out some shots of us LOVING the goods we made with the flour mix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made my Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting for Thanksgiving and my twin nephews were fighting over them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His response when I asked for a little bite? “Noooooooooo!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cookies lasted one day. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mix is a combination of finely ground flours, which I love. It worked well in several different cookies, but also as a thickener for soups. I’m adding it to my short list of GF flour mixes I rotate through for baking. It’s CITC approved!

And my girl Jules doesn’t joke around, she has the highest standards:

• All gfJules products are free of the Top 8 food allergens
• All gfJules products are made in a dedicated GF and allergen-free facility
• Jules’ flour is non-GMO
• 7 of Jules’ 11 mixes are non-GMO (the others are at least 96% non-GMO)
• gfJules flour & mixes are available in 2 sizes
• If you don’t love it, and we can’t find a way to help you love it, then we’ll refund your purchase price

And the sandwich bread? My oh my. You need this bread!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can think of nothing better when the thermometer reads -2 than a big bowl of soup with a thick slice of warm bread like this to dip into it!

There was NO way I was waiting for it to cool — can you blame me with a rise like that of golden gluten free goodness?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also used it for breakfast sammies and the husband could not get over how good it was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Straight from the mouth of Mr. CITC:

• “This is the best gluten free bread has ever been!”
• “It’s so squishy. Not dense. Actually fluffy. There’s a fair amount of air pockets relative to others and it rises to a ‘real’ size, not a mini loaf.”
• “We should just start the weekends making a loaf and use it for everything.”

This is serious stuff. A non-GF, very-picky-about-his-bread, real life review. You read it here, folks.

But don’t just take our word for it, you can WIN your own right here!

TWO lucky winners will receive either the sandwich bread mix OR the all-purpose flour mix pictured above in this post. (two winners, each one gets to decide on one box of gluten-free goodness) 

Here’s how:

1. Leave a comment below telling me the first thing you would make on that delicious bread, or the first recipe you’d tackle with the flour mix. (please leave your email address so I have a way to contact you) 

That’s it. You don’t have to like 324 pages or follow 23 people on IG, Twitter, or MySpace. I just want to know what YOU would do first with your prize.

I won’t lie though, I would LOVE for you to go check out the new gfJules site. Need recipes? Click HERE. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter — just go show her some GF love from MKE. She is one of the sweetest, kindest, most sincere people I have met in the GF community. She’s a VERY big deal (read my previous post on her HERE) but you would never guess how big of a deal from hanging with her. She’s down to earth. And she goes to bat for this community all.the.time.

Let’s show our gratitude by spreading the good word about THE gfJules — if you see those Living Social deals for the “other” company, SAY SOMETHING! I did. And I’ll keep doing it. Join me!

*Contest runs from today through January 13th at 10pm CST, with TWO winners being announced as an update at the top of this post. Winners will have 24 hours to contact me with their mailing address and then will receive a shipment with the prize from my friend Jules herself. 

cherry crisp & a giveaway

First things first — the cherry crisp recipe I promised you.

Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp

4 cups tart cherries (mine were frozen from the tree in our yard)

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons reserved cherry juice or water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

 Crisp topping:

½ cup GF oats

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

½ GF flour (I used Jules GF Flour, but any mix of GF flours will work) 

Sprinkle or three of cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cherries with sugar and set aside for a half hour. You know how I am with my recipes, you can make them your own. It may not be necessary to wait for a half hour, but I do, if you try something different, let me know! In the mean time, combine all of the crisp topping ingredients in a separate bowl. (you can use a fork to mash in the butter, but your hand work even better)

Bring cherry-sugar mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine cherry juice and cornstarch. Because I used frozen cherries, there was plenty of juice, but you can add water if needed. Reduce heat and pour liquid into cherry mixture and stir constantly, it will thicken quickly, making one perfect cherry pie filling.

Remove from heat and pour filling into a 9 x 9 baking dish — or if you’re lucky like me, maybe your Mamasita gave you some cute little dishes to use for this. Either way. And you may want to grease up the dishes a little. Spoon the crisp topping onto the filling and bake for 30 mins, or until bubbly and heated through.

Dig in!

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The gluten-free oats I used for this recipe were from GF Harvest/Gluten-Free Oats. The company has such a crazy-cool story  — it was started by Forrest, who’s in his early 20’s and was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when he was two. He started the gluten-free oats adventure when he was in high school. Yes, high school. For his FFA project and it led to the successful company that it is today.

Not only is he adorable, but he’s smart too. And passionate about the company he and his family have built. I knew these oats would be perfect for my Grandma G’s monster cookies.

Perfect indeed. (I used the oats for those same cookies that I donated to the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer event)

But you don’t have to be a cookie lover to enjoy these tasty oats. I use them in my smoothies too. Easy way to add some bulk to your morning drink.

What about you — are you an oats eater? I sure hope so because I’m giving away a bag of these certified GF oats. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to use oats. Breakfast only? Or are you using them in baking too?

Just leave a comment and you are automatically entered. I’ll pick a winner at random, on Halloween night — no trick, just a treat!

This drawing is for US residents only. I bought a bag of oats and Forrest was sweet enough to give me a bag as well, so I’m sharing with you.  As usual, I just share my honest opinions with you. 

Food Should Taste Good chips are gluten free. And delicious. And I’m giving them away!

**UPDATE 10.28.10**

CONGRATS to Julie, Katie J. and Elizabeth! Please contact me at celiacinthecity@gmail.com to claim your prizes!

 

Each month for our Gluten Free Get Together events, we have tasty treats to try. Companies who are generous enough to send samples of their products for us to enjoy.

I had tried Food Should Taste Good chips a couple of times. The sweet potato and multigrain flavors. Loved ’em. Wanted others to try them out too.

When two boxes of product arrived, I was thrilled. Impressed. So grateful to Andrea for being so generous.

They were a hit at the event.

Ms. Kati here is a huge fan. She talks about them on her GF-Milwaukee page on Facebook often.

I can’t stop talking about them either.

Or stop eating them.

With Cedar’s hommus. The jalapeno have a little bite. Not too much. Just right.

Or with a little salsa from Cocina DeLeon. (we’re having our GF Get Together there tomorrow night, thanks Linda!)

Sometimes I eat them at my desk. (I won’t tell you how often.) This flavor is “The Works” my personal favorite. If Andrea had sent an entire box of just this flavor, I would have been fine with that. It’s like an everything bagel… with onion, garlic, caraway and poppy seeds and just a hint of sweet. Ridiculously good.

Are you hungry yet?

Good. Now it’s your turn to try some Food Should Taste Good treats!

They were kind enough to offer THREE goodie bags to giveaway. Perfect timing for my one year anniversary here on my blog!

To enter to win one of their cool canvas totes, full of fun prizes and chips, head over to the Food Should Taste Good website and check out all the flavors. Pick one you just have to try, and tell me about it. While you’re there, take a look around. Cool website huh? Sign up for their fan club and you get a coupon for $1 off.  They even give you recipes as accompaniments to your chips.

That’s it. (of course it would be swell if you showed them some gf-love and “like” them on Facebook too. they have a giveaway every week!)

Come back and leave a comment below with your flavor preference and you’re entered to win!

Then, stay tuned.

Three winners will be randomly selected on Thursday, October 28th at 9pm. (my brother’s birthday, H@ppy Birthd@y Jamie!)

Good luck!