Hey Folks exciting news, Jennifer’s Way pancakes made it on a brunch menu in NJ! Not just any brunch menu either, it’s the #1 voted BEST BRUNCH of BERGEN COUNTY! The restaurant is a sweet and cozy place called, Harvest, 252 Schralenburgh Road, Closter, NJ 07624. I was brought there by a friend about 2 weeks ago for dinner and had a wonderful and SAFE meal. The chef, Denis Whitton, deals with Crohns disease for years so he understands what exactly gluten is and how it can affect someone if there is cross contamination. We spoke briefly about HEALTHY gluten free eating and how I would love his opinion about my products. Denis called me a few days later to say that he liked my Pancake Mix BETTER than regular pancakes, they were lighter and cooks up with a better crisp to them. AWESOME!!!! I know I LOVE them but its wonderful to hear from others that they do as well. So take a little ride, see the amazing colors of the leaves changing and go grab some Gluten Free Pancakes at Harvest. Sounds like a perfect fall Sunday to me!!

Be Well,

Jennifer Esposito

Yes my products are here and they are awesome!!!!!  And yes the shipping price stinks!  If I could ship it for free I would, unfortunately that’s not the case.  We have done our very best to get the lowest prices possible and we are hoping still, to get even lower prices in the near future.  If you can swing the price of shipping I advise you to order more than one bag so its more cost efficient for you.  You also will have enough mix for when you run out of from baking up all your favorite treats.

A few things I also want to make clear about the products and ordering:

We can not ship outside the US at this time.  I’m hopeful it will be soon though.

GMO free?  With all the lying about which products have GMOs and which don’t, I do not feel comfortable saying that these products are 100% GMO free.  I absolutely set out for that to be the case, as I feel GMOs are a main reason for much of these “new” diseases.  However as always I will NOT ever say or stand behind anything that isn’t 100% under my control.  Going forward I am going to do everything possible to ensure that no GMOs are ever used in anything I make.

Lastly the server is secure so all personal info is safe when processing your orders.

Any other info needed don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

Every piece of this blog, products and the celiac campaign are funded completely by ME. Straight from my pocket. Every penny of the profits from these products is going back into the the cause for education, awareness and bringing us better choices in food.  As I’ve said in the past I’m opening a SAFE Haven in the form of a bakery/info-spot for celiacs in NYC as well. That dream is almost fulfilled, again funded all by me (and my lovely boyfriend).  Know that the money from these products are not buying me a new pair of Manolos or a vacation on the beach, but awareness, education, better quality products and hopefully some change to the way celiac disease is viewed. I thank you you in advance for healing me in this journey. It might be a long one but every step makes a difference. The number of emails and twitter messages I get from people who have gotten help in many ways through this blog have been heart warming and invigorating.

VISIT THE ONLINE STORE if you’d like.

All Purpose Flour

Old Fashioned Pancake Mix

Finally, finally, finally!  The Jennifer’s Way Old Fashioned Pancake Mix and the All Purpose Flour is here and ready to go. I apologize for the delay, but you can’t even imagine how hard it was to figure this all out to get to you. The mixes are simple though. I made the all purpose flour mix cup for cup. That means you don’t have to do anything with that xanthan gum that I know you’re all afraid of. You don’t have to try and find it either. You also don’t have to go and search for all these different flours.  Just get my all purpose flour, open up the bag and start baking.   And what’s wonderful – you can get grandma’s old recipe for whatever cookie or muffin you thought you had lost forever and substitute my mix cup for cup in place of any wheat flour in grandma’s old recipe. There’s also a recipe for a muffin on the back of the package that I know you will love. So, get one today and start to enjoy your food again. Know that this is not any other gluten free mix. This gluten free mix was made by a celiac with the intent to give you nutrients, fiber, and protein all rolled up in a yummy package. It’s not loaded with sugar and starches, and it’s actually healthy for you. So enjoy, bake, eat up and have fun!

The old fashioned pancake mix is yummy, yummy, YUMMY! I have gotten so many great responses from people that have tried the pancake mix. You can make them on their own, you can make them vegan, you can make them into waffles, you can make them thin like crepes, you can put bananas in them, strawberries in them, chocolate chips in them, pumpkin in them – anything your heart desires! They are fantastic, simple and easy – so you can have those memories of yesterday and eat with peace today, knowing that they are not only gluten free but they are nutritious good for you. That is what Jennifer’s Way products strive to be and will always be. You’re not only getting a gluten free product, but you’re getting a product that is also filled with nutrients, vitamins and protein.

I’d love to hear your thoughts after sampling the product, and please note that there are only a limited amount to be shipped at this time.  Click here to purchase!  Much Love.

Be Well,

Jennifer Esposito

Anyone who has followed this blog knows how I feel about those beautiful fall veggies.  Those gorgeous orange pumpkins, yellow and green squashes and delightful parsnips.  YUM!  One of my favorite thing to do is stroll through the weekly farmer’s market at this time of year and see what goodies they brought.  What a feast for my eyes… You know that saying, “your eyes are bigger than your stomach?”  well that’s always been the case with me when it comes to food.  So, yes I went completely overboard bringing home 3 bags of squash, greens, potatoes, onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, celery and yes, a pumpkin, that now lives on my kitchen table to welcome in fall.  Being someone who hates to waste, it finally dawned on me that I had bought enough for a week and a family of 4. What was I to do? How about a gorgeous hearty soup!!!!!!!! And make soup I did,  which came absolutely amazing!!  This a one pot deal with not many rules so have fun.  Here is what I did -

I cut up about 1 whole ONION and 1 clove of GARLIC and placed in a big sauce pot

Then I did a rough chop of probably  2 of each CARROTS, CELERY, POTATOES, PEPPERS added them to pot and covered with about 6 cups of water (you want to have the water cover your veggies by at least 2 inches)

Added about 2 tbls of Himalayan sea salt, 1 tbls of PEPPER, and turned the heat on to a low medium

I let that sit and start to do its magic

In about an hour or when you can get a fork through the POTATOES and CARROTS, I then added the GREENS with about a tbls of OLIVE OIL.  Cooked for about 10 more minutes

In another pot boil some water to make some gluten free PASTA or RICE (optional)

Add PASTA/RICE to bowl then add SOUP on top.  Add more SALT and PEPPER to taste,  and enjoy!

Remember this is an easy, no fuss recipe.  Add whatever Veggies you like!!  Enjoy!!

Oh and about that squash I bought, I roasted it up in the oven with olive oil, salt and some cinnamon.  YUMMMM

Be Well,

Jennifer Esposito

I recently wrote a blog on carrageenan, a food additive that is used as a thickening agent in foods. It’s a substance in many foods that includes yogurt, beer and non-dairy milks; everything from soy to hemp to almond to rice milk.

Why we would want to ingest this stuff is beyond me. I do hate giving you information like this with no alternative. The alternative at the time that I posted was “make your own”, which is a great option but if you’re busy, making almond or hemp milk or cashew milk is not a luxury that many of us have. So since then, I’ve been searching the shelves, up and down, scouring the Internet for non-dairy milks that didn’t have carrageenan.

 One is O Milk, which is sold in Dean & Deluca and also online. O Milk makes a beautiful almond milk and a cashew I believe others. Their milks are made with absolutely nothing in them except what needs to be in them: water, something kind of sweetener, almonds, or hemp, etc.

 If you can’t get your hands on that, then another good product is, Pacific All Natural Hemp Milk, I jumped up and down and made a bit of spectacle of myself to actually find a hemp milk that didn’t have this nasty carrageenan in it. Like I said, I’ve been looking for months! If you recall one of my recent blogs about food rotating, I mentioned that I was having way too much rice milk, until I found that beautiful hemp milk on the shelves.

I really do get that excited when I find something that I can eat. I’m sure a lot of you Celiacs understand, so I bought about four boxes full and went home and enjoyed! Hope you do, too!

Ever Onward,

Jennifer Esposito

This discovery came after MANY, MANY, (did I say MANY, MANY) attempts to find a great shampoo that was gluten free yet color safe (yes I color), didn’t smell horrible, gave body, and was cruelty free. Not an easy list, I know, but when I was having problems with my hair falling out recently I thought I MUST truly find something other than these harsh chemical shampoos and the gluten free ones that smell and feel like dirt. So I went into a local health food store and saw this new bottle I hadn’t seen before: ACURE.  As I picked up the bottle and started to read I was amazed. Not only was it gluten free and ticked all the boxes on my list, it was made from stem cells of quinoa and echinacea. I couldn’t believe it so I took it home and seriously LOVED what it did for my hair. Soft, bouncy not weighed down, a gentle soft smell and no FEAR of getting gluten by some run away shampoo that gets in your mouth. I actually got many compliments on my hair.

I am hooked.

Hmmmm I thought, if they have great shampoo do they have other products that I’ve been searching for as well? They sure did. Everything from leave in conditioners and argon oil to face creams. Although I haven’t tried all their products, all I can say is a big thumbs up.
They may not be available everywhere but you can view their product line and purchase on their website.

Happy safe shampooing!

Ever Onward,

Jennifer Esposito

It is a very simple place with simple options but sometimes you just need that. Some good steamed rice and good steamed veggies, and some plain protein like chicken or fish. They always seem to have a vegetable soup that is pure and clean. Gloria is just always so helpful and it’s a great place you can count on to get a solid healthy delicious meal. It is small with a casual atmosphere but it is lovely because you can relax when you eat and god knows we all like to relax when we eat.

So definitely try Y Cafe when you are in need of a low-key night out. ENJOY!

Y Cafe: 182 Avenue B, NY, NY 10009

Ever Onward,

Jennifer Esposito

How often do you go into a restaurant, being a Celiac individual or gluten allergic individual, and feel REALLY comfortable? I can’t say I feel very comfortable when I get an answer such as “I think it’s gluten free…” or “Uhhhh .. it should be.” Well you know what, “should be” doesn’t count when I will be gagging on your floor, I say to myself all too often.

Going out to dinner was always one of my ABSOLUTE favorite things to do! And being restricted to ordering plain steamed brown rice or a plain grilled something isn’t the real experience of what dining out is. What I miss so much is experiencing what the chef is making that night, how he or she combines the flavors, and what their interpretations of whatever they are is making is. THAT is what I miss!!

So when you do go to a place and ARE able to have something that is the chef’s creation, and the servers know exactly what you are talking about when you say “I can’t have gluten”, and for me I can’t have dairy… and “is there soy in it?” and so on. When you find that place, you want to do a dance, and many times I have done a dance!

I found that place to my surprise the other night, with My Friend Ralph- a place called Goat Town. And OH MY GOAT is it good! It is in New York City on 5th Street between avenue A and B. Goat Town. And the name comes from a negative term, goats were what they called the settlers… so goat town… then it morphed to gotham. It’s a real throw back to an old era with really great white tiled seats and great tiled walls, a beautiful bar, mirrors that are haggard, it’s just a great great great looking room.

And you sit down and wonder “ok- what is going to happen here” as you cautiously look at the menu. I loved that there was not too much to choose from,  you know they know exactly what is in every item – something I find VERY important when choosing a restaurant. To go somewhere that there is not 50 things on the menu because then you are taking a chance there, that they are not going to know exactly what is in what. This menu looked so amazing and everything seemed fresh and seasonal, and it said “organic” on the menu. But you know, still, I was nervous…

Before I ordered I took a walk to the bathroom that is past the completely open kitchen, which was so awesome to see these two ladies cooking their butts off and you saw everything that was happening. As I’m waiting to get into the bathroom I turn to look out the back restaurant door and I noticed they have a garden where they grow their own herbs, and veggies, and tomatoes, and OH MY GOD I was happy!

So, I was VERY excited but I’m still always cautious.

When I got back to the table and spoke to our server, I said “listen”, I always start off with “listen”, “I have a really serious serious gluten allergy and very bad dairy allergy. I can not have either.” And I always say, “if you can’t do it just tell me you can’t, because I’d rather sit here and just have a glass of wine than try and eat something that I will then be really sick from later.” Well, not only did she know what gluten was, which is part of the battle, but she understood how severe this all is. She went back twice to talk to the chefs, and the ladies who were cooking the food knew exactly what they could and could not do. And to my surprise she came back and offered me something that I had been eyeing on another table.

It was, I swear one of the best chickens I have ever had. With fresh carrots, and would normally come with this beautiful sauce on it but I did not want to take any chances, so I just asked for a little olive oil and they added fresh herbs from the garden. And I know it sounds really simple but it wasn’t. It was still their beautiful creation! It was just a little bit of a different version and I still got to taste something that wasn’t just a plain steamed something, it was this creation they wanted to give me and it was AWESOME! And to top it all off, for an appetizer I had a tomato (from their garden) and watermelon salad that was insane, best tomatoes I have ever tasted! If you have never tasted tomatoes fresh from a garden you need to go and do that asap because it just makes you smile.

After all that, I thought “hey, I feel good…” I didn’t feel anything wrong from that meal. And for me, if I get even the smallest bit of gluten I feel it instantly. But I felt good! I felt nourished, and I was SOO happy!

the heavenly chocolate sorbet

And then the server comes around to offer desserts. Now, if your a Celiac you know there is nothing for you. There is nothing, because there is pretty much gluten everywhere on the dessert menu- just as there is on a regular menu but even more so. And when you have a dairy allergy as well you are pretty much looking around at everyone smiling eating their desserts while wanting to kill them all. So I sat happy with my meal as she said, “Would you like to try the chocolate sorbet?” And as I was ready to say “no I can’t, I have allergies…” she stops me and says no it has nothing in it but water and fresh cocoa, dark chocolate, and it’s made in this machine that the owner got from Europe that stirs it so much that it becomes this creamy lovely beautiful decadent sorbet, almost like the thickest gelato you have ever tasted. And after she swore up and down, and because I trusted them with this chicken they just made me, I said you know what I am going to give it a try. And when I tell you WOW! I am going to try to make that thing at home, even if I have to whip that thing up for 4 hours… It was ABSOLUTELY delicious!

So, my friends, if you are in Goat Town, Gotham, the old city of Manhattan, you must go to try a restaurant called Goat Town. Not only is it a cool atmosphere and just beautiful to look at, but you can actually eat a beautiful meal and feel safe. What a great evening that is!

Goat Town

511 East 5th Street

New York, NY 10009

http://goattownnyc.com/

Ever Onward,

Jennifer Esposito