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Showing posts with label saving money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saving money. Show all posts

Sunday, February 20, 2011

gluten free products at london drugs

I was so surprised the other day to wander down the grocery aisle at London Drugs and see so many gluten free products! why is this so exciting? for starters, London Drugs is on average cheaper than other grocery stores such as Whole Foods or Choices Markets, and there are several locations across western Canada, so chances are you are probably never very far from a store. the range of gluten free products available include crackers, cereal, breakfast bars, snack bars, chocolate, chips and rice cakes!

my excitement continued when andrea and I discovered a new gluten free and dairy free bread crisp and biscotti called Kez’s. we had never heard of Kez’s before, and fell in love with these tasty crackers and cookies as soon as we tried them! Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free is made by an Australian company, and so far we have only seen them at London Drugs and Choices Markets locally in Vancouver. Kez’s Gluten and Dairy free bread crisps come in three flavors: almond, chocolate coconut, and olive oil & rosemary, and the biscotti comes in a cranberry flavor.

here is a full list of specifically gluten free products and flavors available at London Drugs:

1. cereal
  • Glutino (apple and cinnamon, honey nut)
  • Natures Path (organic whole O’s 325g, organic mesa sunrise 300g, organic crunchy maple sunrise 300g, crunchy vanilla sunrise 300g, organic crispy rice 750g)
  • Enjoy Life (perky’s crunch flax, perky’s crunchy rice)
  • Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola 340g (apple raisin walnut, extreme nut and fruit, nutty cranberry maple)
2. breakfast bars:
  • Glutino (apple, blueberry)
3. rice cakes:
  • Earths Choice (brown rice salted, organic sesame salted)
4. crackers:
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Crisps (almond bread, chocolate coconut, olive oil and rosemary)
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Biscotti (cranberry)
  • Glutino Crackers (original, cheddar, vegetable)
  • Marys Gone Crackers (original, caraway, herb, black pepper, onion)
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins (almond, cheddar cheese, country ranch, pecan)
  • Hotkid Rice Crisps (natural, cheese, wasabi)
  • Sakata Rice Crackers (plain, cheese, roasted tomato and balsamic, salsa, seaweed, sour cream and onion)
  • Superslim Brown Rice Crisps (original, sesame, black sesame, garden vegetable)
  • Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes (brown rice – salted or unsalted) *note that the multigrain and spelt and flax seed are not gluten free
5. cookies
  • Mary's Gone Crackers Ginger Snaps
  • Enjoy Life cookies (chewy chocolate chip, gingerbread spice, snickedoodle, lively lemon)
  • Kez's Gluten and Dairy Free Florentine Biscuits, Almond Toffee Biscuits, and Melting Moments Biscuits)
  • Landers (pure shortbread, macadamia)
  • Mi-Del Ginger Snaps
6. snack bars:
  • Enjoy Life Snack Bars (caramel apple, cocoa loco, very berry)
  • Taste of Nature (chilean blueberry, caribbean ginger island, himalayan goji summit)
7. chips:
  • Kettle Chips (all flavors)
  • Riceworks Brown Rice Chips (salsa fresca, sea salt, sweet chilli)
8. chocolate:
  • Glutino (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate peanut butter)
  • Enjoy Life chocolate chips
9. soup:
  • Pacific Foods Organic soup (creamy tomato, creamy butternut squash, roasted red pepper and tomato, and vegetable broth)
we'd love to hear your feedback on shopping gluten free at London Drugs, and what you think of Kez's products. Robyn.



kez's   |   london drugs   |   nature's path   |   glutino



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Friday, June 18, 2010

gluten free at famous foods, and more!

photo credit: www.famousfoods.ca
today I made a special trip to a wonderful grocery store called Famous Foods. have you heard of it? I hadn't until I moved nearby a few years ago, and several of our neighbors were already regulars there. we have since moved to a different neighborhood, so shopping here requires a special trip, but we go every once in a while to stock up on bulk beans, rice, spices, dried fruit, and flours, which we did today. not only is the selection of these items amazing, but the prices are hard to beat. what I also discovered today is that Famous Foods has an excellent array of gluten free foods, even some products I was not aware of!

Famous Foods is located at 1595 Kingsway in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighborhood of Vancouver (see map). known as Vancouver's original natural food store, Famous Foods has a dedicated following of customers who rave about their selection of good quality non-medicated and organic meats (chicken, pork, buffalo, wild boar, local lamb), well priced gourmet and exotic ingredients, organic produce and groceries in general, and the free parking behind the store! what I will rave about is their selection of gluten free foods. Famous Foods does not have a gluten free labeling system like Choices or Whole Foods, but somehow, in this store, I don't mind as many products these days are clearly marked with gluten free labels anyway. here is a list of the gluten free foods I found at Famous Foods today, I may have missed some, since there is so much to look at here, the product variety is astounding!

hodgson mill brown rice pastas
tinkyada brown rice pastas
ancient harvest quinoa flakes
nature's path organic cereals (local)
enviro-kidz cereals (local)
glutenfreeda instant oatmeal and burritos
enjoy life cereals
so delicious dairy free ice cream desserts
o'dough's pizza kits, frozen breads and buns
quejos brazillian cheesebuns (local)
van's natural foods frozen waffles
amano wheat free tamari sauce
san-j wheat free tamari sauce
bragg soy seasoning and apple cider vinegar
westpoint naturals flour mixes (local)
bob's red mill flours, baking mixes, pancake mixes, and pizza crust mix
ener g egg replacer
cherrybrook kitchen cake frosting mixes
glutino baking mixes, cookies
gluten free pantry baking mixes 
simply natural salad dressings and condiments
organicville salad dressings
lundberg risotto, rice cakes, and rice chips
pacific natural foods soups and broths
blue diamond nut thins crackers
mary's organic crackers
paneriso foods cookies
ian's natural foods frozen fish sticks and chicken nuggets
european breads bakery assorted fresh breads (local)
smartbite snacks organic rice cakes (local)
plum-m-good organic rice cakes (local)
mauk family farms raw mineral rich crusts
hot kid brown rice crisps and rice crackers
organic world food network bison pepperoni (made in maple ridge, bc, this is so good!)
freybe deli meats and sausages
grimm's fine foods deli meats and sausages
food for life brown rice tortillas

Robyn and I cannot believe our eyes. this is a remarkable list of trusted and mostly dedicated gluten free food companies! we wouldn't have believed this five years ago when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and we can't imagine what it must have been like ten even twenty years ago? we are certain many of you do know, we'd love to hear how you coped back then, and how it feels today with so many options.

 thank you Famous Foods for making gluten free shopping, and shopping in general, so easy and fun!  Andrea.

***please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free.


famous foods   |   follow famous foods on twitter   |   follow us on twitter
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Monday, May 24, 2010

vancouver's new brown dog cafe & giveaway!!!

there is a great new cafe in Vancouver called the Brown Dog Cafe located in the point grey neighborhood on west 10th avenue. the cafe just opened six weeks ago and is a family business run by Shona Pearson and her daughters Liz and Jennie. Shona is a chef by trade and her daughters suggested that they open a cafe where they could have fun working together while doing something they are each passionate about. Shona is passionate about cooking food, Liz is passionate about the food she eats, as she is vegan, and Jennie is a skilled barista. what you will find at the Brown Dog Cafe is an emphasis on fresh local ingredients and products, homecooking, and extremely friendly service. the best news is that Brown Dog can accommodate special dietary needs by offering many of their menu items as gluten free or vegan, and sometimes both. the cafe offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and even specialty coffees, Mario's Gelati, and crepes for anytime of day. yes, there is even a gluten free crepe! Brown Dog Cafe exclusively uses Terrelli Coffee which is locally roasted, sourced ethically, Italian style and is "super amazing," notes Liz. Shona and her daughters, while not gluten free themselves, are knowledgeable about Celiac Disease, and have researched the foods and ingredients on their gluten free menu carefully. their sausage for example, comes from a company called Two Rivers Specialty Meats which is committed to raising animals ethically and naturally. Shona's philosophy regarding gluten free is not to try to substitute gluten containing foods for gluten free alternatives, but rather make smart menu choices by offering items that are inherently gluten free; fresh pan-fried eggs, fruit salad, homemade soup, pan-fried homefries, chili, and salads, to name a few. Shona also offers gluten free baking, and I was lucky to try their banana bread on the day I was there! the banana bread was excellent, it was light and fluffy, and not too sweet. the only gluten free items that are outsourced are bread from O'Doughs, and crackers which are Crunchmaster brand. since Shona isn't gluten free herself, she really scrutinizes the taste quality of the gluten free food she cooks and serves. for example, when she first started testing her gluten free/ vegan pancake recipe, she said the initial results were terrible. she wouldn't serve them until they were perfect and acceptable to even a non-gluten free customer. I would have to say that these were without a doubt the best gluten free pancakes I have eaten. Shona not only perfected the taste, but also the texture, they were fluffy, and cooked through. what also impressed me is the fact that their prices are very reasonable, and they do not up-charge for gluten free, or gluten free substitutes. now here is the really good news! Shona and her daughters are offering one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to the Brown Dog Cafe, valid until July 31, 2010. the contest is open until midnight on Friday, May 28th 2010, and one lucky winner will be selected randomly on Saturday, May 29th 2010. ***this contest is now closed, thanks to everyone who entered! Andrea + Robyn. the brown dog cafe | two rivers specialty meats | o'doughs | crunchmaster | terrelli coffee Brown Dog Cafe on Urbanspoon
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Thursday, May 20, 2010

the healthy shopper: 2010 edition in stores now!

The Healthy Shopper is a coupon book for natural and organic products, many of which are gluten free! if you haven't heard of The Healthy Shopper, it's really worth checking out. it is available for free at participating retailers in Canada, to find your nearest store click here. you can also order it online free of charge, but you do need to pay for the shipping. if you register online you will have access to the e-coupons, which you simply print as many as you need, and then go shopping! 

we first told you about the 2009 Healthy Shopper back in January, and since then, the 2010 edition has become available. the e-coupons have been available for download since Arpil, however I managed to get my hands on my first physical booklet today from Choices on Cambie. I was at Whole Foods on Broadway a few days ago, and they didn't have any left. it isn't a big deal, because as I said you can simply register and download as many e-coupons as you like. in fact, that might be the more environmental approach since you are only printing the coupons you will actually use.

the products in the 2010 edition are slightly different from last year. I have noticed that Glutino, for example, is no longer participating, too bad. there are still many great products with good savings in this latest edition. some of the gluten free products you will find are:

So Delicious lactose free frozen desserts (save $1)
Blue Sky natural sodas (save 50¢)
San-J asian cooking sauces and tamari sauce (save 75¢)
Simply Natural organic salad dressings and condiments (save 50¢)
Pamela's Products baking mixes and cookies (save 75¢)
Barbara's Bakery cereals (save $1)
Liberté conventional and organic yogurts (save $1)
Olympic organic yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese (save 75¢)
Nature's Path and Envirokidz cereals and snacks (save $1)
Blue Diamond Growers nut-thins crackers and almond breeze almond milk (save $1)
Tom's of Maine toothpaste (save $1)

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix, Envirokidz, and Tom's of Maine.

in addition to savings on gluten free food and beverages, there are some great savings as well on vitamins and supplements, household cleaning products, cosmetics, and diapers! that's right moms and dads, there is a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any package of Seventh Generation diapers.

combine these savings with other grocery store reward programs, like at Choices Markets and Greens Organic & Natural Market, and you can really make a difference in your grocery bill. and if you are Celiac don't forget to save your grocery receipts this year to claim the incremental cost of the gluten free food you purchase on your 2010 taxes.  Andrea.


the healthy shopper   |  choices markets   |   greens organic & natural market
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

a winner!

and the winner is…

Tanya! you are the winner of a box of CocoaNymph chocolates, randomly selected by Andrea's daughter Pilar! please contact us so we can send you your chocolates!

thank you to all who provided comments on the types of gluten free related subjects you are most interested in and would like to see on our blog. we value your feedback! 

it was interesting to read that many of you are looking for information about living gluten free on a budget. Andrea and I both struggle with the extra cost of living gluten free, and try to list grocery stores such as Costco or Buy Low Foods that carry gluten free for less. we loved the mention of Dan-d Market at 2696 West Broadway, and Planet Organics (Marie there is a location at 2755 Lougheed Highway in Port Coquitlam). we also recently featured how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free foods as a medical expense on your tax return.

I was also quite happy to read that many of you want to know where you can go out to eat, or find gluten free on the go. unlike Andrea who loves to cook (or at least knows how to cook), I on the other hand never caught the cooking bug. I do enjoy cooking certain dishes such as lasagna, and I would like to think I can cook if I have to, however I tend to fall back on the quick and easy…and gluten free…is not so easy sometimes!

watch for upcoming posts about a few more great local gluten free bakeries, product reviews, including a new cake from Ikea, and of course, more restaurant reviews such as Vij’s, Latitude, and Theresa’s on Commercial Drive.

we are also making a few changes to our labeling system on the blog so you can find the information you need quicker and easier. soon you will be able to search for blog posts by grocery store name labels such as ‘choices market’ in order to find the gluten free products that they carry. you will also be able to search our blog posts by neighborhood to read about various restaurants and events that are close to where you live.

stay tuned for our next giveaway…coming soon!  Robyn.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010

tax time: celiac disease and medical expenses

receipts, originally uploaded by kozumel.
did you know that in Canada anyone with Celiac Disease can claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return as a medical expense? well, you can! the submission deadline is looming, and if you are like us you still haven't even called your accountant or picked up a tax return application. the medical expense tax credit requires a letter from your doctor stating that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and it is also important to save relevant grocery store receipts to support your claim. however, the fact that gluten free food is considered a medical need for those with Celiac Disease is fantastic...hooray!

the tax credit is based on the incremental cost which is the amount you spend over and above what a similar non gluten free item costs. for example, if your gluten free bread costs $8.00 a loaf, but when you compare to a similar loaf made with wheat, for example, and it only costs $3.50, then your incremental cost is $4.50 times the amount of bread you buy in a year. the Canada Revenue Agency stipulates that the foods that you are eligible to claim are products which are produced and marketed as exclusively gluten free. items that are eligible include gluten free bread, bagels, muffins, cereal, etc. they also explain that intermediate items used to cook gluten free foods also qualify, these are items such as gluten free flours and gluten free spices.

in order to qualify for this medical expense tax credit, you must submit a letter from your health care professional confirming that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. a summary of your incremental costs and applicable receipts is also required. you will find more information, including a sample summary of incremental costs on the following Canada Revenue Agency webpage. if you have any questions or are still not sure how to submit your receipts, please contact Revenue Services, or a qualified accountant.

good luck!  Andrea + Robyn.


canada revenue agency   |   celiac disease   
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Saturday, March 6, 2010

gluten free travel: what to pack—snack bars part 1

if you follow this blog then you know that Robyn and I will both be traveling soon, she to ottawa, and I to cuba. we both get a little stressed about traveling since being confident in finding safe gluten free food is challenging in a new city or country. we always bring some of our own food with us, just in case. in the first gluten free travel post I told you about rice cakes, my favorite brand being Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes. today's post is all about energy bars, for lack of a better term, since they are generically referred to as granola bars, which we cannot eat! and some of the brands I will mention are not designed as meal replacement, hence they are not really power bars either. let's call them snack bars.

of course making your own is a great idea, and cost effective, however it is not easy traveling through customs with unpackaged food. if you are traveling within canada, like Robyn is, this might be alright. if you are traveling cross-border or overseas like me, packaged foods are your best bet. they will have a longer shelf life too if you are traveling for extended periods of time. there are many options these days, which makes us so happy. 

the first gluten free snack bars we found few years ago are the EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars by Nature's Path Organic. they come in five flavours: lemur peanut chocolate drizzle, fruity burst, cheetah berry, koala chocolate, and peanut butter. all flavours are gluten free, and obviously kid approved! but don't be bashful about eating these if you are an adult, hey we can fun too! since these are made with puffed rice, they are very lightweight. shopping hint: look for a $1 coupon for this product on the Healthy Shopper website.

another company that makes a similar product is Source Salba, however instead of puffed rice, they use puffed chia seed to make their Krispy Rice Bars. if the word chia sounds familiar to you it is because this is the same seed used for the famous Chia Pet. chia is an ancient grain from central and south america that is high in fiber with many other nutritional and health benefits, you can read more about it here. Source Salba also makes an Organic Real Whole Food Bar, which is packed with Salba (chia) seeds, nuts, and peanuts. please note that the Salba Soft & Chewy Ancient Grain Bars are NOT gluten free. there is a long list of where to buy Salba products in vancouver, you can find it here.

recently I discovered Glutino makes two kinds of bars, breakfast and organic bars. in Canada, the breakfast bars come in strawberry, apple, chocolate, blueberry, and cranberry flavours, and in the United States there is also a cherry breakfast bar. I haven't tried them yet, does anyone know if they are good? the Organic Bars come in three flavours: chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and banana, and wildberry. I have tried the chocolate and peanuts organic bars, and they are really good! the only drawback is that they are so small (see photo above). I measured one: 3.5" long x 1" wide x 0.5" thick. the box comes with five bars, and Choices sells them for $6.79, that's $1.36 each. fortunately you can download a $1 ecoupon from the Healthy Shopper website for any Glutino product, and save a little. Glutino products are a little cheaper at glutenfree.com, but the shipping prices are outrageous. (more on glutenfree.com later)

there are several other gluten free snack bar options, but I will save those for the next post, part 2. and a few other gluten free travel food ideas as well. hasta luego!  Andrea.


envirokidz   |   source salba   |   glutino


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Showing posts with label saving money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saving money. Show all posts

Sunday, February 20, 2011

gluten free products at london drugs

I was so surprised the other day to wander down the grocery aisle at London Drugs and see so many gluten free products! why is this so exciting? for starters, London Drugs is on average cheaper than other grocery stores such as Whole Foods or Choices Markets, and there are several locations across western Canada, so chances are you are probably never very far from a store. the range of gluten free products available include crackers, cereal, breakfast bars, snack bars, chocolate, chips and rice cakes!

my excitement continued when andrea and I discovered a new gluten free and dairy free bread crisp and biscotti called Kez’s. we had never heard of Kez’s before, and fell in love with these tasty crackers and cookies as soon as we tried them! Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free is made by an Australian company, and so far we have only seen them at London Drugs and Choices Markets locally in Vancouver. Kez’s Gluten and Dairy free bread crisps come in three flavors: almond, chocolate coconut, and olive oil & rosemary, and the biscotti comes in a cranberry flavor.

here is a full list of specifically gluten free products and flavors available at London Drugs:

1. cereal
  • Glutino (apple and cinnamon, honey nut)
  • Natures Path (organic whole O’s 325g, organic mesa sunrise 300g, organic crunchy maple sunrise 300g, crunchy vanilla sunrise 300g, organic crispy rice 750g)
  • Enjoy Life (perky’s crunch flax, perky’s crunchy rice)
  • Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola 340g (apple raisin walnut, extreme nut and fruit, nutty cranberry maple)
2. breakfast bars:
  • Glutino (apple, blueberry)
3. rice cakes:
  • Earths Choice (brown rice salted, organic sesame salted)
4. crackers:
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Crisps (almond bread, chocolate coconut, olive oil and rosemary)
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Biscotti (cranberry)
  • Glutino Crackers (original, cheddar, vegetable)
  • Marys Gone Crackers (original, caraway, herb, black pepper, onion)
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins (almond, cheddar cheese, country ranch, pecan)
  • Hotkid Rice Crisps (natural, cheese, wasabi)
  • Sakata Rice Crackers (plain, cheese, roasted tomato and balsamic, salsa, seaweed, sour cream and onion)
  • Superslim Brown Rice Crisps (original, sesame, black sesame, garden vegetable)
  • Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes (brown rice – salted or unsalted) *note that the multigrain and spelt and flax seed are not gluten free
5. cookies
  • Mary's Gone Crackers Ginger Snaps
  • Enjoy Life cookies (chewy chocolate chip, gingerbread spice, snickedoodle, lively lemon)
  • Kez's Gluten and Dairy Free Florentine Biscuits, Almond Toffee Biscuits, and Melting Moments Biscuits)
  • Landers (pure shortbread, macadamia)
  • Mi-Del Ginger Snaps
6. snack bars:
  • Enjoy Life Snack Bars (caramel apple, cocoa loco, very berry)
  • Taste of Nature (chilean blueberry, caribbean ginger island, himalayan goji summit)
7. chips:
  • Kettle Chips (all flavors)
  • Riceworks Brown Rice Chips (salsa fresca, sea salt, sweet chilli)
8. chocolate:
  • Glutino (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate peanut butter)
  • Enjoy Life chocolate chips
9. soup:
  • Pacific Foods Organic soup (creamy tomato, creamy butternut squash, roasted red pepper and tomato, and vegetable broth)
we'd love to hear your feedback on shopping gluten free at London Drugs, and what you think of Kez's products. Robyn.



kez's   |   london drugs   |   nature's path   |   glutino



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Friday, June 18, 2010

gluten free at famous foods, and more!

photo credit: www.famousfoods.ca
today I made a special trip to a wonderful grocery store called Famous Foods. have you heard of it? I hadn't until I moved nearby a few years ago, and several of our neighbors were already regulars there. we have since moved to a different neighborhood, so shopping here requires a special trip, but we go every once in a while to stock up on bulk beans, rice, spices, dried fruit, and flours, which we did today. not only is the selection of these items amazing, but the prices are hard to beat. what I also discovered today is that Famous Foods has an excellent array of gluten free foods, even some products I was not aware of!

Famous Foods is located at 1595 Kingsway in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighborhood of Vancouver (see map). known as Vancouver's original natural food store, Famous Foods has a dedicated following of customers who rave about their selection of good quality non-medicated and organic meats (chicken, pork, buffalo, wild boar, local lamb), well priced gourmet and exotic ingredients, organic produce and groceries in general, and the free parking behind the store! what I will rave about is their selection of gluten free foods. Famous Foods does not have a gluten free labeling system like Choices or Whole Foods, but somehow, in this store, I don't mind as many products these days are clearly marked with gluten free labels anyway. here is a list of the gluten free foods I found at Famous Foods today, I may have missed some, since there is so much to look at here, the product variety is astounding!

hodgson mill brown rice pastas
tinkyada brown rice pastas
ancient harvest quinoa flakes
nature's path organic cereals (local)
enviro-kidz cereals (local)
glutenfreeda instant oatmeal and burritos
enjoy life cereals
so delicious dairy free ice cream desserts
o'dough's pizza kits, frozen breads and buns
quejos brazillian cheesebuns (local)
van's natural foods frozen waffles
amano wheat free tamari sauce
san-j wheat free tamari sauce
bragg soy seasoning and apple cider vinegar
westpoint naturals flour mixes (local)
bob's red mill flours, baking mixes, pancake mixes, and pizza crust mix
ener g egg replacer
cherrybrook kitchen cake frosting mixes
glutino baking mixes, cookies
gluten free pantry baking mixes 
simply natural salad dressings and condiments
organicville salad dressings
lundberg risotto, rice cakes, and rice chips
pacific natural foods soups and broths
blue diamond nut thins crackers
mary's organic crackers
paneriso foods cookies
ian's natural foods frozen fish sticks and chicken nuggets
european breads bakery assorted fresh breads (local)
smartbite snacks organic rice cakes (local)
plum-m-good organic rice cakes (local)
mauk family farms raw mineral rich crusts
hot kid brown rice crisps and rice crackers
organic world food network bison pepperoni (made in maple ridge, bc, this is so good!)
freybe deli meats and sausages
grimm's fine foods deli meats and sausages
food for life brown rice tortillas

Robyn and I cannot believe our eyes. this is a remarkable list of trusted and mostly dedicated gluten free food companies! we wouldn't have believed this five years ago when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and we can't imagine what it must have been like ten even twenty years ago? we are certain many of you do know, we'd love to hear how you coped back then, and how it feels today with so many options.

 thank you Famous Foods for making gluten free shopping, and shopping in general, so easy and fun!  Andrea.

***please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free.


famous foods   |   follow famous foods on twitter   |   follow us on twitter
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Monday, May 24, 2010

vancouver's new brown dog cafe & giveaway!!!

there is a great new cafe in Vancouver called the Brown Dog Cafe located in the point grey neighborhood on west 10th avenue. the cafe just opened six weeks ago and is a family business run by Shona Pearson and her daughters Liz and Jennie. Shona is a chef by trade and her daughters suggested that they open a cafe where they could have fun working together while doing something they are each passionate about. Shona is passionate about cooking food, Liz is passionate about the food she eats, as she is vegan, and Jennie is a skilled barista. what you will find at the Brown Dog Cafe is an emphasis on fresh local ingredients and products, homecooking, and extremely friendly service. the best news is that Brown Dog can accommodate special dietary needs by offering many of their menu items as gluten free or vegan, and sometimes both. the cafe offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and even specialty coffees, Mario's Gelati, and crepes for anytime of day. yes, there is even a gluten free crepe! Brown Dog Cafe exclusively uses Terrelli Coffee which is locally roasted, sourced ethically, Italian style and is "super amazing," notes Liz. Shona and her daughters, while not gluten free themselves, are knowledgeable about Celiac Disease, and have researched the foods and ingredients on their gluten free menu carefully. their sausage for example, comes from a company called Two Rivers Specialty Meats which is committed to raising animals ethically and naturally. Shona's philosophy regarding gluten free is not to try to substitute gluten containing foods for gluten free alternatives, but rather make smart menu choices by offering items that are inherently gluten free; fresh pan-fried eggs, fruit salad, homemade soup, pan-fried homefries, chili, and salads, to name a few. Shona also offers gluten free baking, and I was lucky to try their banana bread on the day I was there! the banana bread was excellent, it was light and fluffy, and not too sweet. the only gluten free items that are outsourced are bread from O'Doughs, and crackers which are Crunchmaster brand. since Shona isn't gluten free herself, she really scrutinizes the taste quality of the gluten free food she cooks and serves. for example, when she first started testing her gluten free/ vegan pancake recipe, she said the initial results were terrible. she wouldn't serve them until they were perfect and acceptable to even a non-gluten free customer. I would have to say that these were without a doubt the best gluten free pancakes I have eaten. Shona not only perfected the taste, but also the texture, they were fluffy, and cooked through. what also impressed me is the fact that their prices are very reasonable, and they do not up-charge for gluten free, or gluten free substitutes. now here is the really good news! Shona and her daughters are offering one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to the Brown Dog Cafe, valid until July 31, 2010. the contest is open until midnight on Friday, May 28th 2010, and one lucky winner will be selected randomly on Saturday, May 29th 2010. ***this contest is now closed, thanks to everyone who entered! Andrea + Robyn. the brown dog cafe | two rivers specialty meats | o'doughs | crunchmaster | terrelli coffee Brown Dog Cafe on Urbanspoon
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Thursday, May 20, 2010

the healthy shopper: 2010 edition in stores now!

The Healthy Shopper is a coupon book for natural and organic products, many of which are gluten free! if you haven't heard of The Healthy Shopper, it's really worth checking out. it is available for free at participating retailers in Canada, to find your nearest store click here. you can also order it online free of charge, but you do need to pay for the shipping. if you register online you will have access to the e-coupons, which you simply print as many as you need, and then go shopping! 

we first told you about the 2009 Healthy Shopper back in January, and since then, the 2010 edition has become available. the e-coupons have been available for download since Arpil, however I managed to get my hands on my first physical booklet today from Choices on Cambie. I was at Whole Foods on Broadway a few days ago, and they didn't have any left. it isn't a big deal, because as I said you can simply register and download as many e-coupons as you like. in fact, that might be the more environmental approach since you are only printing the coupons you will actually use.

the products in the 2010 edition are slightly different from last year. I have noticed that Glutino, for example, is no longer participating, too bad. there are still many great products with good savings in this latest edition. some of the gluten free products you will find are:

So Delicious lactose free frozen desserts (save $1)
Blue Sky natural sodas (save 50¢)
San-J asian cooking sauces and tamari sauce (save 75¢)
Simply Natural organic salad dressings and condiments (save 50¢)
Pamela's Products baking mixes and cookies (save 75¢)
Barbara's Bakery cereals (save $1)
Liberté conventional and organic yogurts (save $1)
Olympic organic yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese (save 75¢)
Nature's Path and Envirokidz cereals and snacks (save $1)
Blue Diamond Growers nut-thins crackers and almond breeze almond milk (save $1)
Tom's of Maine toothpaste (save $1)

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix, Envirokidz, and Tom's of Maine.

in addition to savings on gluten free food and beverages, there are some great savings as well on vitamins and supplements, household cleaning products, cosmetics, and diapers! that's right moms and dads, there is a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any package of Seventh Generation diapers.

combine these savings with other grocery store reward programs, like at Choices Markets and Greens Organic & Natural Market, and you can really make a difference in your grocery bill. and if you are Celiac don't forget to save your grocery receipts this year to claim the incremental cost of the gluten free food you purchase on your 2010 taxes.  Andrea.


the healthy shopper   |  choices markets   |   greens organic & natural market
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

a winner!

and the winner is…

Tanya! you are the winner of a box of CocoaNymph chocolates, randomly selected by Andrea's daughter Pilar! please contact us so we can send you your chocolates!

thank you to all who provided comments on the types of gluten free related subjects you are most interested in and would like to see on our blog. we value your feedback! 

it was interesting to read that many of you are looking for information about living gluten free on a budget. Andrea and I both struggle with the extra cost of living gluten free, and try to list grocery stores such as Costco or Buy Low Foods that carry gluten free for less. we loved the mention of Dan-d Market at 2696 West Broadway, and Planet Organics (Marie there is a location at 2755 Lougheed Highway in Port Coquitlam). we also recently featured how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free foods as a medical expense on your tax return.

I was also quite happy to read that many of you want to know where you can go out to eat, or find gluten free on the go. unlike Andrea who loves to cook (or at least knows how to cook), I on the other hand never caught the cooking bug. I do enjoy cooking certain dishes such as lasagna, and I would like to think I can cook if I have to, however I tend to fall back on the quick and easy…and gluten free…is not so easy sometimes!

watch for upcoming posts about a few more great local gluten free bakeries, product reviews, including a new cake from Ikea, and of course, more restaurant reviews such as Vij’s, Latitude, and Theresa’s on Commercial Drive.

we are also making a few changes to our labeling system on the blog so you can find the information you need quicker and easier. soon you will be able to search for blog posts by grocery store name labels such as ‘choices market’ in order to find the gluten free products that they carry. you will also be able to search our blog posts by neighborhood to read about various restaurants and events that are close to where you live.

stay tuned for our next giveaway…coming soon!  Robyn.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010

tax time: celiac disease and medical expenses

receipts, originally uploaded by kozumel.
did you know that in Canada anyone with Celiac Disease can claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return as a medical expense? well, you can! the submission deadline is looming, and if you are like us you still haven't even called your accountant or picked up a tax return application. the medical expense tax credit requires a letter from your doctor stating that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and it is also important to save relevant grocery store receipts to support your claim. however, the fact that gluten free food is considered a medical need for those with Celiac Disease is fantastic...hooray!

the tax credit is based on the incremental cost which is the amount you spend over and above what a similar non gluten free item costs. for example, if your gluten free bread costs $8.00 a loaf, but when you compare to a similar loaf made with wheat, for example, and it only costs $3.50, then your incremental cost is $4.50 times the amount of bread you buy in a year. the Canada Revenue Agency stipulates that the foods that you are eligible to claim are products which are produced and marketed as exclusively gluten free. items that are eligible include gluten free bread, bagels, muffins, cereal, etc. they also explain that intermediate items used to cook gluten free foods also qualify, these are items such as gluten free flours and gluten free spices.

in order to qualify for this medical expense tax credit, you must submit a letter from your health care professional confirming that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. a summary of your incremental costs and applicable receipts is also required. you will find more information, including a sample summary of incremental costs on the following Canada Revenue Agency webpage. if you have any questions or are still not sure how to submit your receipts, please contact Revenue Services, or a qualified accountant.

good luck!  Andrea + Robyn.


canada revenue agency   |   celiac disease   
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Saturday, March 6, 2010

gluten free travel: what to pack—snack bars part 1

if you follow this blog then you know that Robyn and I will both be traveling soon, she to ottawa, and I to cuba. we both get a little stressed about traveling since being confident in finding safe gluten free food is challenging in a new city or country. we always bring some of our own food with us, just in case. in the first gluten free travel post I told you about rice cakes, my favorite brand being Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes. today's post is all about energy bars, for lack of a better term, since they are generically referred to as granola bars, which we cannot eat! and some of the brands I will mention are not designed as meal replacement, hence they are not really power bars either. let's call them snack bars.

of course making your own is a great idea, and cost effective, however it is not easy traveling through customs with unpackaged food. if you are traveling within canada, like Robyn is, this might be alright. if you are traveling cross-border or overseas like me, packaged foods are your best bet. they will have a longer shelf life too if you are traveling for extended periods of time. there are many options these days, which makes us so happy. 

the first gluten free snack bars we found few years ago are the EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars by Nature's Path Organic. they come in five flavours: lemur peanut chocolate drizzle, fruity burst, cheetah berry, koala chocolate, and peanut butter. all flavours are gluten free, and obviously kid approved! but don't be bashful about eating these if you are an adult, hey we can fun too! since these are made with puffed rice, they are very lightweight. shopping hint: look for a $1 coupon for this product on the Healthy Shopper website.

another company that makes a similar product is Source Salba, however instead of puffed rice, they use puffed chia seed to make their Krispy Rice Bars. if the word chia sounds familiar to you it is because this is the same seed used for the famous Chia Pet. chia is an ancient grain from central and south america that is high in fiber with many other nutritional and health benefits, you can read more about it here. Source Salba also makes an Organic Real Whole Food Bar, which is packed with Salba (chia) seeds, nuts, and peanuts. please note that the Salba Soft & Chewy Ancient Grain Bars are NOT gluten free. there is a long list of where to buy Salba products in vancouver, you can find it here.

recently I discovered Glutino makes two kinds of bars, breakfast and organic bars. in Canada, the breakfast bars come in strawberry, apple, chocolate, blueberry, and cranberry flavours, and in the United States there is also a cherry breakfast bar. I haven't tried them yet, does anyone know if they are good? the Organic Bars come in three flavours: chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and banana, and wildberry. I have tried the chocolate and peanuts organic bars, and they are really good! the only drawback is that they are so small (see photo above). I measured one: 3.5" long x 1" wide x 0.5" thick. the box comes with five bars, and Choices sells them for $6.79, that's $1.36 each. fortunately you can download a $1 ecoupon from the Healthy Shopper website for any Glutino product, and save a little. Glutino products are a little cheaper at glutenfree.com, but the shipping prices are outrageous. (more on glutenfree.com later)

there are several other gluten free snack bar options, but I will save those for the next post, part 2. and a few other gluten free travel food ideas as well. hasta luego!  Andrea.


envirokidz   |   source salba   |   glutino


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Showing posts with label saving money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saving money. Show all posts

Sunday, February 20, 2011

gluten free products at london drugs

I was so surprised the other day to wander down the grocery aisle at London Drugs and see so many gluten free products! why is this so exciting? for starters, London Drugs is on average cheaper than other grocery stores such as Whole Foods or Choices Markets, and there are several locations across western Canada, so chances are you are probably never very far from a store. the range of gluten free products available include crackers, cereal, breakfast bars, snack bars, chocolate, chips and rice cakes!

my excitement continued when andrea and I discovered a new gluten free and dairy free bread crisp and biscotti called Kez’s. we had never heard of Kez’s before, and fell in love with these tasty crackers and cookies as soon as we tried them! Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free is made by an Australian company, and so far we have only seen them at London Drugs and Choices Markets locally in Vancouver. Kez’s Gluten and Dairy free bread crisps come in three flavors: almond, chocolate coconut, and olive oil & rosemary, and the biscotti comes in a cranberry flavor.

here is a full list of specifically gluten free products and flavors available at London Drugs:

1. cereal
  • Glutino (apple and cinnamon, honey nut)
  • Natures Path (organic whole O’s 325g, organic mesa sunrise 300g, organic crunchy maple sunrise 300g, crunchy vanilla sunrise 300g, organic crispy rice 750g)
  • Enjoy Life (perky’s crunch flax, perky’s crunchy rice)
  • Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola 340g (apple raisin walnut, extreme nut and fruit, nutty cranberry maple)
2. breakfast bars:
  • Glutino (apple, blueberry)
3. rice cakes:
  • Earths Choice (brown rice salted, organic sesame salted)
4. crackers:
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Crisps (almond bread, chocolate coconut, olive oil and rosemary)
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Biscotti (cranberry)
  • Glutino Crackers (original, cheddar, vegetable)
  • Marys Gone Crackers (original, caraway, herb, black pepper, onion)
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins (almond, cheddar cheese, country ranch, pecan)
  • Hotkid Rice Crisps (natural, cheese, wasabi)
  • Sakata Rice Crackers (plain, cheese, roasted tomato and balsamic, salsa, seaweed, sour cream and onion)
  • Superslim Brown Rice Crisps (original, sesame, black sesame, garden vegetable)
  • Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes (brown rice – salted or unsalted) *note that the multigrain and spelt and flax seed are not gluten free
5. cookies
  • Mary's Gone Crackers Ginger Snaps
  • Enjoy Life cookies (chewy chocolate chip, gingerbread spice, snickedoodle, lively lemon)
  • Kez's Gluten and Dairy Free Florentine Biscuits, Almond Toffee Biscuits, and Melting Moments Biscuits)
  • Landers (pure shortbread, macadamia)
  • Mi-Del Ginger Snaps
6. snack bars:
  • Enjoy Life Snack Bars (caramel apple, cocoa loco, very berry)
  • Taste of Nature (chilean blueberry, caribbean ginger island, himalayan goji summit)
7. chips:
  • Kettle Chips (all flavors)
  • Riceworks Brown Rice Chips (salsa fresca, sea salt, sweet chilli)
8. chocolate:
  • Glutino (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate peanut butter)
  • Enjoy Life chocolate chips
9. soup:
  • Pacific Foods Organic soup (creamy tomato, creamy butternut squash, roasted red pepper and tomato, and vegetable broth)
we'd love to hear your feedback on shopping gluten free at London Drugs, and what you think of Kez's products. Robyn.



kez's   |   london drugs   |   nature's path   |   glutino



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Friday, June 18, 2010

gluten free at famous foods, and more!

photo credit: www.famousfoods.ca
today I made a special trip to a wonderful grocery store called Famous Foods. have you heard of it? I hadn't until I moved nearby a few years ago, and several of our neighbors were already regulars there. we have since moved to a different neighborhood, so shopping here requires a special trip, but we go every once in a while to stock up on bulk beans, rice, spices, dried fruit, and flours, which we did today. not only is the selection of these items amazing, but the prices are hard to beat. what I also discovered today is that Famous Foods has an excellent array of gluten free foods, even some products I was not aware of!

Famous Foods is located at 1595 Kingsway in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighborhood of Vancouver (see map). known as Vancouver's original natural food store, Famous Foods has a dedicated following of customers who rave about their selection of good quality non-medicated and organic meats (chicken, pork, buffalo, wild boar, local lamb), well priced gourmet and exotic ingredients, organic produce and groceries in general, and the free parking behind the store! what I will rave about is their selection of gluten free foods. Famous Foods does not have a gluten free labeling system like Choices or Whole Foods, but somehow, in this store, I don't mind as many products these days are clearly marked with gluten free labels anyway. here is a list of the gluten free foods I found at Famous Foods today, I may have missed some, since there is so much to look at here, the product variety is astounding!

hodgson mill brown rice pastas
tinkyada brown rice pastas
ancient harvest quinoa flakes
nature's path organic cereals (local)
enviro-kidz cereals (local)
glutenfreeda instant oatmeal and burritos
enjoy life cereals
so delicious dairy free ice cream desserts
o'dough's pizza kits, frozen breads and buns
quejos brazillian cheesebuns (local)
van's natural foods frozen waffles
amano wheat free tamari sauce
san-j wheat free tamari sauce
bragg soy seasoning and apple cider vinegar
westpoint naturals flour mixes (local)
bob's red mill flours, baking mixes, pancake mixes, and pizza crust mix
ener g egg replacer
cherrybrook kitchen cake frosting mixes
glutino baking mixes, cookies
gluten free pantry baking mixes 
simply natural salad dressings and condiments
organicville salad dressings
lundberg risotto, rice cakes, and rice chips
pacific natural foods soups and broths
blue diamond nut thins crackers
mary's organic crackers
paneriso foods cookies
ian's natural foods frozen fish sticks and chicken nuggets
european breads bakery assorted fresh breads (local)
smartbite snacks organic rice cakes (local)
plum-m-good organic rice cakes (local)
mauk family farms raw mineral rich crusts
hot kid brown rice crisps and rice crackers
organic world food network bison pepperoni (made in maple ridge, bc, this is so good!)
freybe deli meats and sausages
grimm's fine foods deli meats and sausages
food for life brown rice tortillas

Robyn and I cannot believe our eyes. this is a remarkable list of trusted and mostly dedicated gluten free food companies! we wouldn't have believed this five years ago when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and we can't imagine what it must have been like ten even twenty years ago? we are certain many of you do know, we'd love to hear how you coped back then, and how it feels today with so many options.

 thank you Famous Foods for making gluten free shopping, and shopping in general, so easy and fun!  Andrea.

***please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free.


famous foods   |   follow famous foods on twitter   |   follow us on twitter
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Monday, May 24, 2010

vancouver's new brown dog cafe & giveaway!!!

there is a great new cafe in Vancouver called the Brown Dog Cafe located in the point grey neighborhood on west 10th avenue. the cafe just opened six weeks ago and is a family business run by Shona Pearson and her daughters Liz and Jennie. Shona is a chef by trade and her daughters suggested that they open a cafe where they could have fun working together while doing something they are each passionate about. Shona is passionate about cooking food, Liz is passionate about the food she eats, as she is vegan, and Jennie is a skilled barista. what you will find at the Brown Dog Cafe is an emphasis on fresh local ingredients and products, homecooking, and extremely friendly service. the best news is that Brown Dog can accommodate special dietary needs by offering many of their menu items as gluten free or vegan, and sometimes both. the cafe offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and even specialty coffees, Mario's Gelati, and crepes for anytime of day. yes, there is even a gluten free crepe! Brown Dog Cafe exclusively uses Terrelli Coffee which is locally roasted, sourced ethically, Italian style and is "super amazing," notes Liz. Shona and her daughters, while not gluten free themselves, are knowledgeable about Celiac Disease, and have researched the foods and ingredients on their gluten free menu carefully. their sausage for example, comes from a company called Two Rivers Specialty Meats which is committed to raising animals ethically and naturally. Shona's philosophy regarding gluten free is not to try to substitute gluten containing foods for gluten free alternatives, but rather make smart menu choices by offering items that are inherently gluten free; fresh pan-fried eggs, fruit salad, homemade soup, pan-fried homefries, chili, and salads, to name a few. Shona also offers gluten free baking, and I was lucky to try their banana bread on the day I was there! the banana bread was excellent, it was light and fluffy, and not too sweet. the only gluten free items that are outsourced are bread from O'Doughs, and crackers which are Crunchmaster brand. since Shona isn't gluten free herself, she really scrutinizes the taste quality of the gluten free food she cooks and serves. for example, when she first started testing her gluten free/ vegan pancake recipe, she said the initial results were terrible. she wouldn't serve them until they were perfect and acceptable to even a non-gluten free customer. I would have to say that these were without a doubt the best gluten free pancakes I have eaten. Shona not only perfected the taste, but also the texture, they were fluffy, and cooked through. what also impressed me is the fact that their prices are very reasonable, and they do not up-charge for gluten free, or gluten free substitutes. now here is the really good news! Shona and her daughters are offering one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to the Brown Dog Cafe, valid until July 31, 2010. the contest is open until midnight on Friday, May 28th 2010, and one lucky winner will be selected randomly on Saturday, May 29th 2010. ***this contest is now closed, thanks to everyone who entered! Andrea + Robyn. the brown dog cafe | two rivers specialty meats | o'doughs | crunchmaster | terrelli coffee Brown Dog Cafe on Urbanspoon
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Thursday, May 20, 2010

the healthy shopper: 2010 edition in stores now!

The Healthy Shopper is a coupon book for natural and organic products, many of which are gluten free! if you haven't heard of The Healthy Shopper, it's really worth checking out. it is available for free at participating retailers in Canada, to find your nearest store click here. you can also order it online free of charge, but you do need to pay for the shipping. if you register online you will have access to the e-coupons, which you simply print as many as you need, and then go shopping! 

we first told you about the 2009 Healthy Shopper back in January, and since then, the 2010 edition has become available. the e-coupons have been available for download since Arpil, however I managed to get my hands on my first physical booklet today from Choices on Cambie. I was at Whole Foods on Broadway a few days ago, and they didn't have any left. it isn't a big deal, because as I said you can simply register and download as many e-coupons as you like. in fact, that might be the more environmental approach since you are only printing the coupons you will actually use.

the products in the 2010 edition are slightly different from last year. I have noticed that Glutino, for example, is no longer participating, too bad. there are still many great products with good savings in this latest edition. some of the gluten free products you will find are:

So Delicious lactose free frozen desserts (save $1)
Blue Sky natural sodas (save 50¢)
San-J asian cooking sauces and tamari sauce (save 75¢)
Simply Natural organic salad dressings and condiments (save 50¢)
Pamela's Products baking mixes and cookies (save 75¢)
Barbara's Bakery cereals (save $1)
Liberté conventional and organic yogurts (save $1)
Olympic organic yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese (save 75¢)
Nature's Path and Envirokidz cereals and snacks (save $1)
Blue Diamond Growers nut-thins crackers and almond breeze almond milk (save $1)
Tom's of Maine toothpaste (save $1)

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix, Envirokidz, and Tom's of Maine.

in addition to savings on gluten free food and beverages, there are some great savings as well on vitamins and supplements, household cleaning products, cosmetics, and diapers! that's right moms and dads, there is a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any package of Seventh Generation diapers.

combine these savings with other grocery store reward programs, like at Choices Markets and Greens Organic & Natural Market, and you can really make a difference in your grocery bill. and if you are Celiac don't forget to save your grocery receipts this year to claim the incremental cost of the gluten free food you purchase on your 2010 taxes.  Andrea.


the healthy shopper   |  choices markets   |   greens organic & natural market
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

a winner!

and the winner is…

Tanya! you are the winner of a box of CocoaNymph chocolates, randomly selected by Andrea's daughter Pilar! please contact us so we can send you your chocolates!

thank you to all who provided comments on the types of gluten free related subjects you are most interested in and would like to see on our blog. we value your feedback! 

it was interesting to read that many of you are looking for information about living gluten free on a budget. Andrea and I both struggle with the extra cost of living gluten free, and try to list grocery stores such as Costco or Buy Low Foods that carry gluten free for less. we loved the mention of Dan-d Market at 2696 West Broadway, and Planet Organics (Marie there is a location at 2755 Lougheed Highway in Port Coquitlam). we also recently featured how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free foods as a medical expense on your tax return.

I was also quite happy to read that many of you want to know where you can go out to eat, or find gluten free on the go. unlike Andrea who loves to cook (or at least knows how to cook), I on the other hand never caught the cooking bug. I do enjoy cooking certain dishes such as lasagna, and I would like to think I can cook if I have to, however I tend to fall back on the quick and easy…and gluten free…is not so easy sometimes!

watch for upcoming posts about a few more great local gluten free bakeries, product reviews, including a new cake from Ikea, and of course, more restaurant reviews such as Vij’s, Latitude, and Theresa’s on Commercial Drive.

we are also making a few changes to our labeling system on the blog so you can find the information you need quicker and easier. soon you will be able to search for blog posts by grocery store name labels such as ‘choices market’ in order to find the gluten free products that they carry. you will also be able to search our blog posts by neighborhood to read about various restaurants and events that are close to where you live.

stay tuned for our next giveaway…coming soon!  Robyn.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010

tax time: celiac disease and medical expenses

receipts, originally uploaded by kozumel.
did you know that in Canada anyone with Celiac Disease can claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return as a medical expense? well, you can! the submission deadline is looming, and if you are like us you still haven't even called your accountant or picked up a tax return application. the medical expense tax credit requires a letter from your doctor stating that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and it is also important to save relevant grocery store receipts to support your claim. however, the fact that gluten free food is considered a medical need for those with Celiac Disease is fantastic...hooray!

the tax credit is based on the incremental cost which is the amount you spend over and above what a similar non gluten free item costs. for example, if your gluten free bread costs $8.00 a loaf, but when you compare to a similar loaf made with wheat, for example, and it only costs $3.50, then your incremental cost is $4.50 times the amount of bread you buy in a year. the Canada Revenue Agency stipulates that the foods that you are eligible to claim are products which are produced and marketed as exclusively gluten free. items that are eligible include gluten free bread, bagels, muffins, cereal, etc. they also explain that intermediate items used to cook gluten free foods also qualify, these are items such as gluten free flours and gluten free spices.

in order to qualify for this medical expense tax credit, you must submit a letter from your health care professional confirming that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. a summary of your incremental costs and applicable receipts is also required. you will find more information, including a sample summary of incremental costs on the following Canada Revenue Agency webpage. if you have any questions or are still not sure how to submit your receipts, please contact Revenue Services, or a qualified accountant.

good luck!  Andrea + Robyn.


canada revenue agency   |   celiac disease   
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Saturday, March 6, 2010

gluten free travel: what to pack—snack bars part 1

if you follow this blog then you know that Robyn and I will both be traveling soon, she to ottawa, and I to cuba. we both get a little stressed about traveling since being confident in finding safe gluten free food is challenging in a new city or country. we always bring some of our own food with us, just in case. in the first gluten free travel post I told you about rice cakes, my favorite brand being Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes. today's post is all about energy bars, for lack of a better term, since they are generically referred to as granola bars, which we cannot eat! and some of the brands I will mention are not designed as meal replacement, hence they are not really power bars either. let's call them snack bars.

of course making your own is a great idea, and cost effective, however it is not easy traveling through customs with unpackaged food. if you are traveling within canada, like Robyn is, this might be alright. if you are traveling cross-border or overseas like me, packaged foods are your best bet. they will have a longer shelf life too if you are traveling for extended periods of time. there are many options these days, which makes us so happy. 

the first gluten free snack bars we found few years ago are the EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars by Nature's Path Organic. they come in five flavours: lemur peanut chocolate drizzle, fruity burst, cheetah berry, koala chocolate, and peanut butter. all flavours are gluten free, and obviously kid approved! but don't be bashful about eating these if you are an adult, hey we can fun too! since these are made with puffed rice, they are very lightweight. shopping hint: look for a $1 coupon for this product on the Healthy Shopper website.

another company that makes a similar product is Source Salba, however instead of puffed rice, they use puffed chia seed to make their Krispy Rice Bars. if the word chia sounds familiar to you it is because this is the same seed used for the famous Chia Pet. chia is an ancient grain from central and south america that is high in fiber with many other nutritional and health benefits, you can read more about it here. Source Salba also makes an Organic Real Whole Food Bar, which is packed with Salba (chia) seeds, nuts, and peanuts. please note that the Salba Soft & Chewy Ancient Grain Bars are NOT gluten free. there is a long list of where to buy Salba products in vancouver, you can find it here.

recently I discovered Glutino makes two kinds of bars, breakfast and organic bars. in Canada, the breakfast bars come in strawberry, apple, chocolate, blueberry, and cranberry flavours, and in the United States there is also a cherry breakfast bar. I haven't tried them yet, does anyone know if they are good? the Organic Bars come in three flavours: chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and banana, and wildberry. I have tried the chocolate and peanuts organic bars, and they are really good! the only drawback is that they are so small (see photo above). I measured one: 3.5" long x 1" wide x 0.5" thick. the box comes with five bars, and Choices sells them for $6.79, that's $1.36 each. fortunately you can download a $1 ecoupon from the Healthy Shopper website for any Glutino product, and save a little. Glutino products are a little cheaper at glutenfree.com, but the shipping prices are outrageous. (more on glutenfree.com later)

there are several other gluten free snack bar options, but I will save those for the next post, part 2. and a few other gluten free travel food ideas as well. hasta luego!  Andrea.


envirokidz   |   source salba   |   glutino


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Sunday, February 20, 2011

gluten free products at london drugs

I was so surprised the other day to wander down the grocery aisle at London Drugs and see so many gluten free products! why is this so exciting? for starters, London Drugs is on average cheaper than other grocery stores such as Whole Foods or Choices Markets, and there are several locations across western Canada, so chances are you are probably never very far from a store. the range of gluten free products available include crackers, cereal, breakfast bars, snack bars, chocolate, chips and rice cakes!

my excitement continued when andrea and I discovered a new gluten free and dairy free bread crisp and biscotti called Kez’s. we had never heard of Kez’s before, and fell in love with these tasty crackers and cookies as soon as we tried them! Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free is made by an Australian company, and so far we have only seen them at London Drugs and Choices Markets locally in Vancouver. Kez’s Gluten and Dairy free bread crisps come in three flavors: almond, chocolate coconut, and olive oil & rosemary, and the biscotti comes in a cranberry flavor.

here is a full list of specifically gluten free products and flavors available at London Drugs:

1. cereal
  • Glutino (apple and cinnamon, honey nut)
  • Natures Path (organic whole O’s 325g, organic mesa sunrise 300g, organic crunchy maple sunrise 300g, crunchy vanilla sunrise 300g, organic crispy rice 750g)
  • Enjoy Life (perky’s crunch flax, perky’s crunchy rice)
  • Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola 340g (apple raisin walnut, extreme nut and fruit, nutty cranberry maple)
2. breakfast bars:
  • Glutino (apple, blueberry)
3. rice cakes:
  • Earths Choice (brown rice salted, organic sesame salted)
4. crackers:
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Crisps (almond bread, chocolate coconut, olive oil and rosemary)
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Biscotti (cranberry)
  • Glutino Crackers (original, cheddar, vegetable)
  • Marys Gone Crackers (original, caraway, herb, black pepper, onion)
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins (almond, cheddar cheese, country ranch, pecan)
  • Hotkid Rice Crisps (natural, cheese, wasabi)
  • Sakata Rice Crackers (plain, cheese, roasted tomato and balsamic, salsa, seaweed, sour cream and onion)
  • Superslim Brown Rice Crisps (original, sesame, black sesame, garden vegetable)
  • Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes (brown rice – salted or unsalted) *note that the multigrain and spelt and flax seed are not gluten free
5. cookies
  • Mary's Gone Crackers Ginger Snaps
  • Enjoy Life cookies (chewy chocolate chip, gingerbread spice, snickedoodle, lively lemon)
  • Kez's Gluten and Dairy Free Florentine Biscuits, Almond Toffee Biscuits, and Melting Moments Biscuits)
  • Landers (pure shortbread, macadamia)
  • Mi-Del Ginger Snaps
6. snack bars:
  • Enjoy Life Snack Bars (caramel apple, cocoa loco, very berry)
  • Taste of Nature (chilean blueberry, caribbean ginger island, himalayan goji summit)
7. chips:
  • Kettle Chips (all flavors)
  • Riceworks Brown Rice Chips (salsa fresca, sea salt, sweet chilli)
8. chocolate:
  • Glutino (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate peanut butter)
  • Enjoy Life chocolate chips
9. soup:
  • Pacific Foods Organic soup (creamy tomato, creamy butternut squash, roasted red pepper and tomato, and vegetable broth)
we'd love to hear your feedback on shopping gluten free at London Drugs, and what you think of Kez's products. Robyn.



kez's   |   london drugs   |   nature's path   |   glutino



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Friday, June 18, 2010

gluten free at famous foods, and more!

photo credit: www.famousfoods.ca
today I made a special trip to a wonderful grocery store called Famous Foods. have you heard of it? I hadn't until I moved nearby a few years ago, and several of our neighbors were already regulars there. we have since moved to a different neighborhood, so shopping here requires a special trip, but we go every once in a while to stock up on bulk beans, rice, spices, dried fruit, and flours, which we did today. not only is the selection of these items amazing, but the prices are hard to beat. what I also discovered today is that Famous Foods has an excellent array of gluten free foods, even some products I was not aware of!

Famous Foods is located at 1595 Kingsway in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighborhood of Vancouver (see map). known as Vancouver's original natural food store, Famous Foods has a dedicated following of customers who rave about their selection of good quality non-medicated and organic meats (chicken, pork, buffalo, wild boar, local lamb), well priced gourmet and exotic ingredients, organic produce and groceries in general, and the free parking behind the store! what I will rave about is their selection of gluten free foods. Famous Foods does not have a gluten free labeling system like Choices or Whole Foods, but somehow, in this store, I don't mind as many products these days are clearly marked with gluten free labels anyway. here is a list of the gluten free foods I found at Famous Foods today, I may have missed some, since there is so much to look at here, the product variety is astounding!

hodgson mill brown rice pastas
tinkyada brown rice pastas
ancient harvest quinoa flakes
nature's path organic cereals (local)
enviro-kidz cereals (local)
glutenfreeda instant oatmeal and burritos
enjoy life cereals
so delicious dairy free ice cream desserts
o'dough's pizza kits, frozen breads and buns
quejos brazillian cheesebuns (local)
van's natural foods frozen waffles
amano wheat free tamari sauce
san-j wheat free tamari sauce
bragg soy seasoning and apple cider vinegar
westpoint naturals flour mixes (local)
bob's red mill flours, baking mixes, pancake mixes, and pizza crust mix
ener g egg replacer
cherrybrook kitchen cake frosting mixes
glutino baking mixes, cookies
gluten free pantry baking mixes 
simply natural salad dressings and condiments
organicville salad dressings
lundberg risotto, rice cakes, and rice chips
pacific natural foods soups and broths
blue diamond nut thins crackers
mary's organic crackers
paneriso foods cookies
ian's natural foods frozen fish sticks and chicken nuggets
european breads bakery assorted fresh breads (local)
smartbite snacks organic rice cakes (local)
plum-m-good organic rice cakes (local)
mauk family farms raw mineral rich crusts
hot kid brown rice crisps and rice crackers
organic world food network bison pepperoni (made in maple ridge, bc, this is so good!)
freybe deli meats and sausages
grimm's fine foods deli meats and sausages
food for life brown rice tortillas

Robyn and I cannot believe our eyes. this is a remarkable list of trusted and mostly dedicated gluten free food companies! we wouldn't have believed this five years ago when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and we can't imagine what it must have been like ten even twenty years ago? we are certain many of you do know, we'd love to hear how you coped back then, and how it feels today with so many options.

 thank you Famous Foods for making gluten free shopping, and shopping in general, so easy and fun!  Andrea.

***please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free.


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Monday, May 24, 2010

vancouver's new brown dog cafe & giveaway!!!

there is a great new cafe in Vancouver called the Brown Dog Cafe located in the point grey neighborhood on west 10th avenue. the cafe just opened six weeks ago and is a family business run by Shona Pearson and her daughters Liz and Jennie. Shona is a chef by trade and her daughters suggested that they open a cafe where they could have fun working together while doing something they are each passionate about. Shona is passionate about cooking food, Liz is passionate about the food she eats, as she is vegan, and Jennie is a skilled barista. what you will find at the Brown Dog Cafe is an emphasis on fresh local ingredients and products, homecooking, and extremely friendly service. the best news is that Brown Dog can accommodate special dietary needs by offering many of their menu items as gluten free or vegan, and sometimes both. the cafe offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and even specialty coffees, Mario's Gelati, and crepes for anytime of day. yes, there is even a gluten free crepe! Brown Dog Cafe exclusively uses Terrelli Coffee which is locally roasted, sourced ethically, Italian style and is "super amazing," notes Liz. Shona and her daughters, while not gluten free themselves, are knowledgeable about Celiac Disease, and have researched the foods and ingredients on their gluten free menu carefully. their sausage for example, comes from a company called Two Rivers Specialty Meats which is committed to raising animals ethically and naturally. Shona's philosophy regarding gluten free is not to try to substitute gluten containing foods for gluten free alternatives, but rather make smart menu choices by offering items that are inherently gluten free; fresh pan-fried eggs, fruit salad, homemade soup, pan-fried homefries, chili, and salads, to name a few. Shona also offers gluten free baking, and I was lucky to try their banana bread on the day I was there! the banana bread was excellent, it was light and fluffy, and not too sweet. the only gluten free items that are outsourced are bread from O'Doughs, and crackers which are Crunchmaster brand. since Shona isn't gluten free herself, she really scrutinizes the taste quality of the gluten free food she cooks and serves. for example, when she first started testing her gluten free/ vegan pancake recipe, she said the initial results were terrible. she wouldn't serve them until they were perfect and acceptable to even a non-gluten free customer. I would have to say that these were without a doubt the best gluten free pancakes I have eaten. Shona not only perfected the taste, but also the texture, they were fluffy, and cooked through. what also impressed me is the fact that their prices are very reasonable, and they do not up-charge for gluten free, or gluten free substitutes. now here is the really good news! Shona and her daughters are offering one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to the Brown Dog Cafe, valid until July 31, 2010. the contest is open until midnight on Friday, May 28th 2010, and one lucky winner will be selected randomly on Saturday, May 29th 2010. ***this contest is now closed, thanks to everyone who entered! Andrea + Robyn. the brown dog cafe | two rivers specialty meats | o'doughs | crunchmaster | terrelli coffee Brown Dog Cafe on Urbanspoon
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Thursday, May 20, 2010

the healthy shopper: 2010 edition in stores now!

The Healthy Shopper is a coupon book for natural and organic products, many of which are gluten free! if you haven't heard of The Healthy Shopper, it's really worth checking out. it is available for free at participating retailers in Canada, to find your nearest store click here. you can also order it online free of charge, but you do need to pay for the shipping. if you register online you will have access to the e-coupons, which you simply print as many as you need, and then go shopping! 

we first told you about the 2009 Healthy Shopper back in January, and since then, the 2010 edition has become available. the e-coupons have been available for download since Arpil, however I managed to get my hands on my first physical booklet today from Choices on Cambie. I was at Whole Foods on Broadway a few days ago, and they didn't have any left. it isn't a big deal, because as I said you can simply register and download as many e-coupons as you like. in fact, that might be the more environmental approach since you are only printing the coupons you will actually use.

the products in the 2010 edition are slightly different from last year. I have noticed that Glutino, for example, is no longer participating, too bad. there are still many great products with good savings in this latest edition. some of the gluten free products you will find are:

So Delicious lactose free frozen desserts (save $1)
Blue Sky natural sodas (save 50¢)
San-J asian cooking sauces and tamari sauce (save 75¢)
Simply Natural organic salad dressings and condiments (save 50¢)
Pamela's Products baking mixes and cookies (save 75¢)
Barbara's Bakery cereals (save $1)
Liberté conventional and organic yogurts (save $1)
Olympic organic yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese (save 75¢)
Nature's Path and Envirokidz cereals and snacks (save $1)
Blue Diamond Growers nut-thins crackers and almond breeze almond milk (save $1)
Tom's of Maine toothpaste (save $1)

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix, Envirokidz, and Tom's of Maine.

in addition to savings on gluten free food and beverages, there are some great savings as well on vitamins and supplements, household cleaning products, cosmetics, and diapers! that's right moms and dads, there is a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any package of Seventh Generation diapers.

combine these savings with other grocery store reward programs, like at Choices Markets and Greens Organic & Natural Market, and you can really make a difference in your grocery bill. and if you are Celiac don't forget to save your grocery receipts this year to claim the incremental cost of the gluten free food you purchase on your 2010 taxes.  Andrea.


the healthy shopper   |  choices markets   |   greens organic & natural market
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

a winner!

and the winner is…

Tanya! you are the winner of a box of CocoaNymph chocolates, randomly selected by Andrea's daughter Pilar! please contact us so we can send you your chocolates!

thank you to all who provided comments on the types of gluten free related subjects you are most interested in and would like to see on our blog. we value your feedback! 

it was interesting to read that many of you are looking for information about living gluten free on a budget. Andrea and I both struggle with the extra cost of living gluten free, and try to list grocery stores such as Costco or Buy Low Foods that carry gluten free for less. we loved the mention of Dan-d Market at 2696 West Broadway, and Planet Organics (Marie there is a location at 2755 Lougheed Highway in Port Coquitlam). we also recently featured how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free foods as a medical expense on your tax return.

I was also quite happy to read that many of you want to know where you can go out to eat, or find gluten free on the go. unlike Andrea who loves to cook (or at least knows how to cook), I on the other hand never caught the cooking bug. I do enjoy cooking certain dishes such as lasagna, and I would like to think I can cook if I have to, however I tend to fall back on the quick and easy…and gluten free…is not so easy sometimes!

watch for upcoming posts about a few more great local gluten free bakeries, product reviews, including a new cake from Ikea, and of course, more restaurant reviews such as Vij’s, Latitude, and Theresa’s on Commercial Drive.

we are also making a few changes to our labeling system on the blog so you can find the information you need quicker and easier. soon you will be able to search for blog posts by grocery store name labels such as ‘choices market’ in order to find the gluten free products that they carry. you will also be able to search our blog posts by neighborhood to read about various restaurants and events that are close to where you live.

stay tuned for our next giveaway…coming soon!  Robyn.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010

tax time: celiac disease and medical expenses

receipts, originally uploaded by kozumel.
did you know that in Canada anyone with Celiac Disease can claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return as a medical expense? well, you can! the submission deadline is looming, and if you are like us you still haven't even called your accountant or picked up a tax return application. the medical expense tax credit requires a letter from your doctor stating that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and it is also important to save relevant grocery store receipts to support your claim. however, the fact that gluten free food is considered a medical need for those with Celiac Disease is fantastic...hooray!

the tax credit is based on the incremental cost which is the amount you spend over and above what a similar non gluten free item costs. for example, if your gluten free bread costs $8.00 a loaf, but when you compare to a similar loaf made with wheat, for example, and it only costs $3.50, then your incremental cost is $4.50 times the amount of bread you buy in a year. the Canada Revenue Agency stipulates that the foods that you are eligible to claim are products which are produced and marketed as exclusively gluten free. items that are eligible include gluten free bread, bagels, muffins, cereal, etc. they also explain that intermediate items used to cook gluten free foods also qualify, these are items such as gluten free flours and gluten free spices.

in order to qualify for this medical expense tax credit, you must submit a letter from your health care professional confirming that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. a summary of your incremental costs and applicable receipts is also required. you will find more information, including a sample summary of incremental costs on the following Canada Revenue Agency webpage. if you have any questions or are still not sure how to submit your receipts, please contact Revenue Services, or a qualified accountant.

good luck!  Andrea + Robyn.


canada revenue agency   |   celiac disease   
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Saturday, March 6, 2010

gluten free travel: what to pack—snack bars part 1

if you follow this blog then you know that Robyn and I will both be traveling soon, she to ottawa, and I to cuba. we both get a little stressed about traveling since being confident in finding safe gluten free food is challenging in a new city or country. we always bring some of our own food with us, just in case. in the first gluten free travel post I told you about rice cakes, my favorite brand being Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes. today's post is all about energy bars, for lack of a better term, since they are generically referred to as granola bars, which we cannot eat! and some of the brands I will mention are not designed as meal replacement, hence they are not really power bars either. let's call them snack bars.

of course making your own is a great idea, and cost effective, however it is not easy traveling through customs with unpackaged food. if you are traveling within canada, like Robyn is, this might be alright. if you are traveling cross-border or overseas like me, packaged foods are your best bet. they will have a longer shelf life too if you are traveling for extended periods of time. there are many options these days, which makes us so happy. 

the first gluten free snack bars we found few years ago are the EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars by Nature's Path Organic. they come in five flavours: lemur peanut chocolate drizzle, fruity burst, cheetah berry, koala chocolate, and peanut butter. all flavours are gluten free, and obviously kid approved! but don't be bashful about eating these if you are an adult, hey we can fun too! since these are made with puffed rice, they are very lightweight. shopping hint: look for a $1 coupon for this product on the Healthy Shopper website.

another company that makes a similar product is Source Salba, however instead of puffed rice, they use puffed chia seed to make their Krispy Rice Bars. if the word chia sounds familiar to you it is because this is the same seed used for the famous Chia Pet. chia is an ancient grain from central and south america that is high in fiber with many other nutritional and health benefits, you can read more about it here. Source Salba also makes an Organic Real Whole Food Bar, which is packed with Salba (chia) seeds, nuts, and peanuts. please note that the Salba Soft & Chewy Ancient Grain Bars are NOT gluten free. there is a long list of where to buy Salba products in vancouver, you can find it here.

recently I discovered Glutino makes two kinds of bars, breakfast and organic bars. in Canada, the breakfast bars come in strawberry, apple, chocolate, blueberry, and cranberry flavours, and in the United States there is also a cherry breakfast bar. I haven't tried them yet, does anyone know if they are good? the Organic Bars come in three flavours: chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and banana, and wildberry. I have tried the chocolate and peanuts organic bars, and they are really good! the only drawback is that they are so small (see photo above). I measured one: 3.5" long x 1" wide x 0.5" thick. the box comes with five bars, and Choices sells them for $6.79, that's $1.36 each. fortunately you can download a $1 ecoupon from the Healthy Shopper website for any Glutino product, and save a little. Glutino products are a little cheaper at glutenfree.com, but the shipping prices are outrageous. (more on glutenfree.com later)

there are several other gluten free snack bar options, but I will save those for the next post, part 2. and a few other gluten free travel food ideas as well. hasta luego!  Andrea.


envirokidz   |   source salba   |   glutino


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Sunday, February 20, 2011

gluten free products at london drugs

I was so surprised the other day to wander down the grocery aisle at London Drugs and see so many gluten free products! why is this so exciting? for starters, London Drugs is on average cheaper than other grocery stores such as Whole Foods or Choices Markets, and there are several locations across western Canada, so chances are you are probably never very far from a store. the range of gluten free products available include crackers, cereal, breakfast bars, snack bars, chocolate, chips and rice cakes!

my excitement continued when andrea and I discovered a new gluten free and dairy free bread crisp and biscotti called Kez’s. we had never heard of Kez’s before, and fell in love with these tasty crackers and cookies as soon as we tried them! Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free is made by an Australian company, and so far we have only seen them at London Drugs and Choices Markets locally in Vancouver. Kez’s Gluten and Dairy free bread crisps come in three flavors: almond, chocolate coconut, and olive oil & rosemary, and the biscotti comes in a cranberry flavor.

here is a full list of specifically gluten free products and flavors available at London Drugs:

1. cereal
  • Glutino (apple and cinnamon, honey nut)
  • Natures Path (organic whole O’s 325g, organic mesa sunrise 300g, organic crunchy maple sunrise 300g, crunchy vanilla sunrise 300g, organic crispy rice 750g)
  • Enjoy Life (perky’s crunch flax, perky’s crunchy rice)
  • Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola 340g (apple raisin walnut, extreme nut and fruit, nutty cranberry maple)
2. breakfast bars:
  • Glutino (apple, blueberry)
3. rice cakes:
  • Earths Choice (brown rice salted, organic sesame salted)
4. crackers:
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Crisps (almond bread, chocolate coconut, olive oil and rosemary)
  • Kez’s Gluten and Dairy Free Biscotti (cranberry)
  • Glutino Crackers (original, cheddar, vegetable)
  • Marys Gone Crackers (original, caraway, herb, black pepper, onion)
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins (almond, cheddar cheese, country ranch, pecan)
  • Hotkid Rice Crisps (natural, cheese, wasabi)
  • Sakata Rice Crackers (plain, cheese, roasted tomato and balsamic, salsa, seaweed, sour cream and onion)
  • Superslim Brown Rice Crisps (original, sesame, black sesame, garden vegetable)
  • Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes (brown rice – salted or unsalted) *note that the multigrain and spelt and flax seed are not gluten free
5. cookies
  • Mary's Gone Crackers Ginger Snaps
  • Enjoy Life cookies (chewy chocolate chip, gingerbread spice, snickedoodle, lively lemon)
  • Kez's Gluten and Dairy Free Florentine Biscuits, Almond Toffee Biscuits, and Melting Moments Biscuits)
  • Landers (pure shortbread, macadamia)
  • Mi-Del Ginger Snaps
6. snack bars:
  • Enjoy Life Snack Bars (caramel apple, cocoa loco, very berry)
  • Taste of Nature (chilean blueberry, caribbean ginger island, himalayan goji summit)
7. chips:
  • Kettle Chips (all flavors)
  • Riceworks Brown Rice Chips (salsa fresca, sea salt, sweet chilli)
8. chocolate:
  • Glutino (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate peanut butter)
  • Enjoy Life chocolate chips
9. soup:
  • Pacific Foods Organic soup (creamy tomato, creamy butternut squash, roasted red pepper and tomato, and vegetable broth)
we'd love to hear your feedback on shopping gluten free at London Drugs, and what you think of Kez's products. Robyn.



kez's   |   london drugs   |   nature's path   |   glutino



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Friday, June 18, 2010

gluten free at famous foods, and more!

photo credit: www.famousfoods.ca
today I made a special trip to a wonderful grocery store called Famous Foods. have you heard of it? I hadn't until I moved nearby a few years ago, and several of our neighbors were already regulars there. we have since moved to a different neighborhood, so shopping here requires a special trip, but we go every once in a while to stock up on bulk beans, rice, spices, dried fruit, and flours, which we did today. not only is the selection of these items amazing, but the prices are hard to beat. what I also discovered today is that Famous Foods has an excellent array of gluten free foods, even some products I was not aware of!

Famous Foods is located at 1595 Kingsway in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighborhood of Vancouver (see map). known as Vancouver's original natural food store, Famous Foods has a dedicated following of customers who rave about their selection of good quality non-medicated and organic meats (chicken, pork, buffalo, wild boar, local lamb), well priced gourmet and exotic ingredients, organic produce and groceries in general, and the free parking behind the store! what I will rave about is their selection of gluten free foods. Famous Foods does not have a gluten free labeling system like Choices or Whole Foods, but somehow, in this store, I don't mind as many products these days are clearly marked with gluten free labels anyway. here is a list of the gluten free foods I found at Famous Foods today, I may have missed some, since there is so much to look at here, the product variety is astounding!

hodgson mill brown rice pastas
tinkyada brown rice pastas
ancient harvest quinoa flakes
nature's path organic cereals (local)
enviro-kidz cereals (local)
glutenfreeda instant oatmeal and burritos
enjoy life cereals
so delicious dairy free ice cream desserts
o'dough's pizza kits, frozen breads and buns
quejos brazillian cheesebuns (local)
van's natural foods frozen waffles
amano wheat free tamari sauce
san-j wheat free tamari sauce
bragg soy seasoning and apple cider vinegar
westpoint naturals flour mixes (local)
bob's red mill flours, baking mixes, pancake mixes, and pizza crust mix
ener g egg replacer
cherrybrook kitchen cake frosting mixes
glutino baking mixes, cookies
gluten free pantry baking mixes 
simply natural salad dressings and condiments
organicville salad dressings
lundberg risotto, rice cakes, and rice chips
pacific natural foods soups and broths
blue diamond nut thins crackers
mary's organic crackers
paneriso foods cookies
ian's natural foods frozen fish sticks and chicken nuggets
european breads bakery assorted fresh breads (local)
smartbite snacks organic rice cakes (local)
plum-m-good organic rice cakes (local)
mauk family farms raw mineral rich crusts
hot kid brown rice crisps and rice crackers
organic world food network bison pepperoni (made in maple ridge, bc, this is so good!)
freybe deli meats and sausages
grimm's fine foods deli meats and sausages
food for life brown rice tortillas

Robyn and I cannot believe our eyes. this is a remarkable list of trusted and mostly dedicated gluten free food companies! we wouldn't have believed this five years ago when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and we can't imagine what it must have been like ten even twenty years ago? we are certain many of you do know, we'd love to hear how you coped back then, and how it feels today with so many options.

 thank you Famous Foods for making gluten free shopping, and shopping in general, so easy and fun!  Andrea.

***please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free.


famous foods   |   follow famous foods on twitter   |   follow us on twitter
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Monday, May 24, 2010

vancouver's new brown dog cafe & giveaway!!!

there is a great new cafe in Vancouver called the Brown Dog Cafe located in the point grey neighborhood on west 10th avenue. the cafe just opened six weeks ago and is a family business run by Shona Pearson and her daughters Liz and Jennie. Shona is a chef by trade and her daughters suggested that they open a cafe where they could have fun working together while doing something they are each passionate about. Shona is passionate about cooking food, Liz is passionate about the food she eats, as she is vegan, and Jennie is a skilled barista. what you will find at the Brown Dog Cafe is an emphasis on fresh local ingredients and products, homecooking, and extremely friendly service. the best news is that Brown Dog can accommodate special dietary needs by offering many of their menu items as gluten free or vegan, and sometimes both. the cafe offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and even specialty coffees, Mario's Gelati, and crepes for anytime of day. yes, there is even a gluten free crepe! Brown Dog Cafe exclusively uses Terrelli Coffee which is locally roasted, sourced ethically, Italian style and is "super amazing," notes Liz. Shona and her daughters, while not gluten free themselves, are knowledgeable about Celiac Disease, and have researched the foods and ingredients on their gluten free menu carefully. their sausage for example, comes from a company called Two Rivers Specialty Meats which is committed to raising animals ethically and naturally. Shona's philosophy regarding gluten free is not to try to substitute gluten containing foods for gluten free alternatives, but rather make smart menu choices by offering items that are inherently gluten free; fresh pan-fried eggs, fruit salad, homemade soup, pan-fried homefries, chili, and salads, to name a few. Shona also offers gluten free baking, and I was lucky to try their banana bread on the day I was there! the banana bread was excellent, it was light and fluffy, and not too sweet. the only gluten free items that are outsourced are bread from O'Doughs, and crackers which are Crunchmaster brand. since Shona isn't gluten free herself, she really scrutinizes the taste quality of the gluten free food she cooks and serves. for example, when she first started testing her gluten free/ vegan pancake recipe, she said the initial results were terrible. she wouldn't serve them until they were perfect and acceptable to even a non-gluten free customer. I would have to say that these were without a doubt the best gluten free pancakes I have eaten. Shona not only perfected the taste, but also the texture, they were fluffy, and cooked through. what also impressed me is the fact that their prices are very reasonable, and they do not up-charge for gluten free, or gluten free substitutes. now here is the really good news! Shona and her daughters are offering one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to the Brown Dog Cafe, valid until July 31, 2010. the contest is open until midnight on Friday, May 28th 2010, and one lucky winner will be selected randomly on Saturday, May 29th 2010. ***this contest is now closed, thanks to everyone who entered! Andrea + Robyn. the brown dog cafe | two rivers specialty meats | o'doughs | crunchmaster | terrelli coffee Brown Dog Cafe on Urbanspoon
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Thursday, May 20, 2010

the healthy shopper: 2010 edition in stores now!

The Healthy Shopper is a coupon book for natural and organic products, many of which are gluten free! if you haven't heard of The Healthy Shopper, it's really worth checking out. it is available for free at participating retailers in Canada, to find your nearest store click here. you can also order it online free of charge, but you do need to pay for the shipping. if you register online you will have access to the e-coupons, which you simply print as many as you need, and then go shopping! 

we first told you about the 2009 Healthy Shopper back in January, and since then, the 2010 edition has become available. the e-coupons have been available for download since Arpil, however I managed to get my hands on my first physical booklet today from Choices on Cambie. I was at Whole Foods on Broadway a few days ago, and they didn't have any left. it isn't a big deal, because as I said you can simply register and download as many e-coupons as you like. in fact, that might be the more environmental approach since you are only printing the coupons you will actually use.

the products in the 2010 edition are slightly different from last year. I have noticed that Glutino, for example, is no longer participating, too bad. there are still many great products with good savings in this latest edition. some of the gluten free products you will find are:

So Delicious lactose free frozen desserts (save $1)
Blue Sky natural sodas (save 50¢)
San-J asian cooking sauces and tamari sauce (save 75¢)
Simply Natural organic salad dressings and condiments (save 50¢)
Pamela's Products baking mixes and cookies (save 75¢)
Barbara's Bakery cereals (save $1)
Liberté conventional and organic yogurts (save $1)
Olympic organic yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese (save 75¢)
Nature's Path and Envirokidz cereals and snacks (save $1)
Blue Diamond Growers nut-thins crackers and almond breeze almond milk (save $1)
Tom's of Maine toothpaste (save $1)

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix, Envirokidz, and Tom's of Maine.

in addition to savings on gluten free food and beverages, there are some great savings as well on vitamins and supplements, household cleaning products, cosmetics, and diapers! that's right moms and dads, there is a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any package of Seventh Generation diapers.

combine these savings with other grocery store reward programs, like at Choices Markets and Greens Organic & Natural Market, and you can really make a difference in your grocery bill. and if you are Celiac don't forget to save your grocery receipts this year to claim the incremental cost of the gluten free food you purchase on your 2010 taxes.  Andrea.


the healthy shopper   |  choices markets   |   greens organic & natural market
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

a winner!

and the winner is…

Tanya! you are the winner of a box of CocoaNymph chocolates, randomly selected by Andrea's daughter Pilar! please contact us so we can send you your chocolates!

thank you to all who provided comments on the types of gluten free related subjects you are most interested in and would like to see on our blog. we value your feedback! 

it was interesting to read that many of you are looking for information about living gluten free on a budget. Andrea and I both struggle with the extra cost of living gluten free, and try to list grocery stores such as Costco or Buy Low Foods that carry gluten free for less. we loved the mention of Dan-d Market at 2696 West Broadway, and Planet Organics (Marie there is a location at 2755 Lougheed Highway in Port Coquitlam). we also recently featured how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free foods as a medical expense on your tax return.

I was also quite happy to read that many of you want to know where you can go out to eat, or find gluten free on the go. unlike Andrea who loves to cook (or at least knows how to cook), I on the other hand never caught the cooking bug. I do enjoy cooking certain dishes such as lasagna, and I would like to think I can cook if I have to, however I tend to fall back on the quick and easy…and gluten free…is not so easy sometimes!

watch for upcoming posts about a few more great local gluten free bakeries, product reviews, including a new cake from Ikea, and of course, more restaurant reviews such as Vij’s, Latitude, and Theresa’s on Commercial Drive.

we are also making a few changes to our labeling system on the blog so you can find the information you need quicker and easier. soon you will be able to search for blog posts by grocery store name labels such as ‘choices market’ in order to find the gluten free products that they carry. you will also be able to search our blog posts by neighborhood to read about various restaurants and events that are close to where you live.

stay tuned for our next giveaway…coming soon!  Robyn.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010

tax time: celiac disease and medical expenses

receipts, originally uploaded by kozumel.
did you know that in Canada anyone with Celiac Disease can claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return as a medical expense? well, you can! the submission deadline is looming, and if you are like us you still haven't even called your accountant or picked up a tax return application. the medical expense tax credit requires a letter from your doctor stating that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and it is also important to save relevant grocery store receipts to support your claim. however, the fact that gluten free food is considered a medical need for those with Celiac Disease is fantastic...hooray!

the tax credit is based on the incremental cost which is the amount you spend over and above what a similar non gluten free item costs. for example, if your gluten free bread costs $8.00 a loaf, but when you compare to a similar loaf made with wheat, for example, and it only costs $3.50, then your incremental cost is $4.50 times the amount of bread you buy in a year. the Canada Revenue Agency stipulates that the foods that you are eligible to claim are products which are produced and marketed as exclusively gluten free. items that are eligible include gluten free bread, bagels, muffins, cereal, etc. they also explain that intermediate items used to cook gluten free foods also qualify, these are items such as gluten free flours and gluten free spices.

in order to qualify for this medical expense tax credit, you must submit a letter from your health care professional confirming that you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. a summary of your incremental costs and applicable receipts is also required. you will find more information, including a sample summary of incremental costs on the following Canada Revenue Agency webpage. if you have any questions or are still not sure how to submit your receipts, please contact Revenue Services, or a qualified accountant.

good luck!  Andrea + Robyn.


canada revenue agency   |   celiac disease   
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Saturday, March 6, 2010

gluten free travel: what to pack—snack bars part 1

if you follow this blog then you know that Robyn and I will both be traveling soon, she to ottawa, and I to cuba. we both get a little stressed about traveling since being confident in finding safe gluten free food is challenging in a new city or country. we always bring some of our own food with us, just in case. in the first gluten free travel post I told you about rice cakes, my favorite brand being Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes. today's post is all about energy bars, for lack of a better term, since they are generically referred to as granola bars, which we cannot eat! and some of the brands I will mention are not designed as meal replacement, hence they are not really power bars either. let's call them snack bars.

of course making your own is a great idea, and cost effective, however it is not easy traveling through customs with unpackaged food. if you are traveling within canada, like Robyn is, this might be alright. if you are traveling cross-border or overseas like me, packaged foods are your best bet. they will have a longer shelf life too if you are traveling for extended periods of time. there are many options these days, which makes us so happy. 

the first gluten free snack bars we found few years ago are the EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars by Nature's Path Organic. they come in five flavours: lemur peanut chocolate drizzle, fruity burst, cheetah berry, koala chocolate, and peanut butter. all flavours are gluten free, and obviously kid approved! but don't be bashful about eating these if you are an adult, hey we can fun too! since these are made with puffed rice, they are very lightweight. shopping hint: look for a $1 coupon for this product on the Healthy Shopper website.

another company that makes a similar product is Source Salba, however instead of puffed rice, they use puffed chia seed to make their Krispy Rice Bars. if the word chia sounds familiar to you it is because this is the same seed used for the famous Chia Pet. chia is an ancient grain from central and south america that is high in fiber with many other nutritional and health benefits, you can read more about it here. Source Salba also makes an Organic Real Whole Food Bar, which is packed with Salba (chia) seeds, nuts, and peanuts. please note that the Salba Soft & Chewy Ancient Grain Bars are NOT gluten free. there is a long list of where to buy Salba products in vancouver, you can find it here.

recently I discovered Glutino makes two kinds of bars, breakfast and organic bars. in Canada, the breakfast bars come in strawberry, apple, chocolate, blueberry, and cranberry flavours, and in the United States there is also a cherry breakfast bar. I haven't tried them yet, does anyone know if they are good? the Organic Bars come in three flavours: chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and banana, and wildberry. I have tried the chocolate and peanuts organic bars, and they are really good! the only drawback is that they are so small (see photo above). I measured one: 3.5" long x 1" wide x 0.5" thick. the box comes with five bars, and Choices sells them for $6.79, that's $1.36 each. fortunately you can download a $1 ecoupon from the Healthy Shopper website for any Glutino product, and save a little. Glutino products are a little cheaper at glutenfree.com, but the shipping prices are outrageous. (more on glutenfree.com later)

there are several other gluten free snack bar options, but I will save those for the next post, part 2. and a few other gluten free travel food ideas as well. hasta luego!  Andrea.


envirokidz   |   source salba   |   glutino


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