Go Raw!

I was at Whole Foods yesterday & picked up some "Original Super Cookies" made by Go Raw. The ingredients were are simple: Coconut, Sprouted Sesame Seeds & Dates - all organic.  The tag line reads: "real live food" and the package states "Gluten Free, Wheat Free & Nut Free".  All hand made (!!), Raw Kitchen, Family Owned.

www.goraw.com

Well shoot.  I figured I might as well try them! I'm glad I did.  The super cookies resemble little crackers but they're chewy and slightly sweet (hence the coconuts & dates).  Turned out to be a very tasty little treat!

In addition to being gluten free, they also made you feel like you're a part of a secret super healthy alliance of raw food eaters - without actually dedicating yourself to eating raw food all the time.  There's nothing wrong with trying something new & different!  Especially when it makes you feel so good!

Kudos to Go Raw for making such a healthy, tasty product!  I will be trying their other gluten free products sometime in the future.

I also saw on the calendar at our local Whole Foods that they are having a Gluten Free Fair on July 9th!  It's a Saturday and I'll just bet they'll have all kinds of yummy GF items to try.  I put it on our schedule to go & see what's up.  I really like our local WF.  I think we'll make it more of a regular shopping stop in the very near future.

7 Layer Mexican Dip

The other super yummy thing I made to take to a gathering this weekend (to make sure there was something I could eat) was a 5 Layer Mexican Dip from Kraft that I turned into a 7 layer dip.

This was SO good I can't even tell  you.  We served it with Tostitos and literally couldn't stop eating it!


I added one smooshed up avacado layer, which turned it into 7 layers.  I'm not sure why it's considered a 5 layer dip by craft when there are 6 layers to start with, but who cares? It's YUMMY. 

Make sure you buy gluten free beans!

What You Need

1 can (15-1/2 oz.) refried black beans - make sure they are gluten free!

1 Tbsp.  chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 cup  BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

3   green onions, sliced

1/3 cup sliced black olives

1   tomato, chopped

Make It

MIX beans, chili powder and cumin; spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
TOP with layers of remaining ingredients.
REFRIGERATE several hours.

Kraft 3 Step Lemon Cheesecake Bars

For a gathering on Saturday I made 2 things to ensure that I had a gluten free good time, one of which was Kraft's Lemon Cheesecake Bars, which were insanely easy to make.  Instead of macaroon cookie crumbs, (which I'm sure I could find pre-made & gluten free if I were to go to Whole Foods or Wegmans), I bought a package of gluten free ginger snaps and pulverized them into crumbs. 

These Lemon Cheesecake Bars were a great hit and I will make them again.  I might make a raspberry compote to put on top & it into a round (more like a cheesecake).  I did use the juice of an entire lemon to get the flavor right but it's up to your taste!

What You Need

1-1/2 cups soft coconut macaroon cookie crumbs

2 Tbsp.  margarine, melted

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup  sugar

1/2 tsp. zest and 1 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon

1/2 tsp.  imitation vanilla

2 eggs

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.
MIX cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 8-inch square pan sprayed with cooking spray.
BEAT cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, juice and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 3 hours.