I may have given up gluten but that doesn’t mean I have to give up toast!
We are officially on summer break! I am so excited to start making memories with my little crew! Summer to me means long hot days playing in the sun and SNACKS! I swear my kids eat ALL DAY LONG… do yours? They are bottomless pits! Cute, adorable bottomless pits.
Being 99% gluten free and a busy working mom, sometimes snacking can get tough. Thankfully WASA provides an easy solution for healthy & delicious snack options. Between swim lessons, gymnastics, play dates and lake days I need all the options I can get! High five for a snack that will keep my kids full and fueled for all their summer activities and that’s easy enough to take on-the-go!
I’ve never had a positive test for celiacs, however I am highly sensitive to anything gluten related. Side effects are similar to the flu. So I’ve made the personal choice to avoid it, unless it’s really worth indulging. Like REALLY worth indulging. Then I deal with the aftermath… which sounds similar to a small gremlin residing in my gut and feels close to childbirth. Fun times.
Both of my girls are equally as sensitive, both with negative celiac tests as well. They too have chosen to avoid it. Once you’ve been “GLUTENED” you’ll do anything and everything to avoid another episode. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. If you know, you know! It’s just not worth it.
Gluten and I broke up a long time ago. It was a toxic relationship, one I was more than happy to say “see ya later” to. It hasn’t been easy, we all know break ups are hard, but it was best for everyone.
WASA to the rescue
We are always on the hunt for gluten free products that taste as good as the original. Bread has been the hardest to part with, and the most difficult to find a flavorful replacement with good texture that we all enjoy. When I saw that WASA had come out with a new gluten free crispbread, I just knew we had to try them! We all like our toast EXTRA crunchy so a thick crispy cracker made sense. And with only 50 calories per slice, 1g of protein and 1g of fiber its not only a tasty choice but a smart one too!
We love to cook and create together in the kitchen. Spending quality time with my girls over a simple meal is something I cherish. We have so much fun together brainstorming recipe ideas for simple meals we can throw together throughout our busy week. Eating clean doesn’t have to be complicated. Find a few basic hacks and mix it up from time to time!
Each of us have entirely different palettes. Savory for my oldest daughter, sweet for my youngest and anything breakfast related for me! Is breakfast related considered a palette? Just put an egg on it and I’ll eat it, the runnier the better. Am I right? WASA is the perfect canvas for any topping! Here’s what we came up with…
Savory
My oldest daughter has recently decided to consume a diet with little to no meat or dairy. She has been my pickiest eater since day one but the older she gets, the more and more experimental she is becoming with food. Mamas don’t give up. Now that she has started to see the benefits of eating clean and feeling her best, she’s not looking back. I mean it only took me 20 years of nagging, but who’s counting.
We came up with this tuna LESS “tuna” salad recipe using chickpeas and we all LOVED it! The flavors are incredible and anything but bland! Of course we added pickles, celery, mayo, lemon and onion like you would a typical tuna salad and subbed chickpeas for tuna. The chickpeas add the best texture and the crunch of the crispbread gives it the perfect finishing touch!
We enjoyed these al fresco on our first official day summer. My daughter just finished finals and to celebrate we spent the day making a healthy summer bucket list. At the top was to hit up a new farmers market each week! I can’t wait to see what crispbread creations we come up with next. Stay tuned!
Sweet
My youngest eats berries like candy! I am constantly finding stray berries hiding in every nook and cranny of my kitchen. Her little hands are always sneaking into the fridge for a snack! I can’t say I blame her, I love them too, but have you ever roasted them? OMG!!! It elevates the natural flavors times one million, brings out the juice and quite possibly could change your life. Layered on top of a crunchy cripsbread, with thick almond ricotta cream and a drizzle of raw natural honey… this dish is legit dessert for breakfast!
Transitioning a toddler to a gluten-free lifestyle is easier than you might think. Fortunately fruits, veggies, quality dairy and protein are all naturally gluten-free. We’ve found a few recipes for special treats that she enjoys on occasion, but for the most part we don’t miss it. Try not to focus on what you can’t have and start having fun creating new recipes that you can! Together. Involving kids in the kitchen gets them excited to try new foods. Invite them to cook with you and you ll be surprised how well they adapt. Cooking is our thing. Daddy does legos, mommy plays with food! It’s messy and chaotic but worth it. This recipe will definitely be making an appearance this summer for picnics and playdates!
Roasted Berries with Almond Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1 cup strawberries quartered
- sprinkle of organic sugar
- 1 container ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp almond extract
- WASA gluten free crispbread
- raw organic honey
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375
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Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
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Spread berries out evenly and sprinkle with sugar.
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Put in oven and roast for 15 minutes.
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While berries are roasting add almond extract to ricotta. Mix well.
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Remove berries from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
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Layer almond ricotta and roasted berries onto WASA crispbread and drizzle with honey.
Breakfast
This one isn’t ground breaking but I can guarantee it will make for a better start to your day! No recipe needed, simply stack WASA gluten free sesame and sea salt cispbread, sliced avocado, fresh garden tomatoes and top it off with a runny fried egg. You. Are. Welcome.
Isn’t it funny the moment you are told you can’t have something it’s suddenly all you want? Gluten was hard for me to give up, even harder for my girls. Riding the journey together has made it bearable… dare I even say enjoyable. It’s given us a common ground which isn’t easy with a thirteen year sibling age gap! I will forever cherish the memories in the kitchen we share.
These delicious gluten free crispbread crackers will be a staple in our Clean Eats pantry! Be on the look out for more delicious WASA topping ideas coming your way!! Let me know win the comments if there is something specific you want to see!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wasa. The opinions and text are all mine.
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