I’m sure you’ve heard of “NOW” brand things; protein powders, personal care, and especially vitamins, but did you know they’ve got a whole line of gluten free flours and mixes? Not only that, but they’re produced in a dedicated 8-allergen free facility, gluten free certified, kosher, packaged in 100% recycled material, and are vegetarian/vegan? That’s a whole lot of TLC going into their products. I was fortunate enough to have some sent to me to try! They also sent me some Sprouted Brown Rice Protein and Pea Protein to try. I preferred the brown rice protein for the lack of “protein flavor”, but the pea protein blends in really smoothly, which is great, plus it comes in a variety of flavors. They also offer egg-white protein, whey protein, and soy protein in various flavors. Check it out here!
These mixes are dairy, wheat, soy, nuts, and egg free!
LivingNow Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
One of the best tests of an all purpose flour is cake; it’s a recipe that easily shows if a flour is up to the task. It’s made with white and brown rice flours, tapioca flour, potato starch and flour, and cellulose (dietary fiber). They supply a chocolate cake and pizza crust recipe on the back, but I decided to use my own, and this flour did a fabulous job! Even non-allergic people were sneaking slices though there was a regular cake available! I also used the leftover flour to make a batch of Gluten Free PB Chocolate Chip cookies that were met with unbridled enthusiasm. Check out the recipe for those here! I used the very last of my flour to make some Gluten, Dairy and Refined Sugar Free Double Chocolate Banana Muffins, and I was sad to see the last of the flour go, but it made some delicious muffins (really cupcakes in disguise, but who’s checking?).
LivingNow Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Mix-
If you’re like me and always have a couple of bananas go soft on you, this is the mix to have on hand. Two bananas and you’re on your way to a great breakfast/snack/dessert. Fresh out of the oven, this easy mix delivers great taste without the banana flavor blowing you away. The chocolate chips taste great, too! I had it out on the counter and half a loaf disappeared almost instantly. It even has chia and flax in it for an extra healthy boost!
LivingNow Gluten Free Organic Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix-
This is a very dark chocolate brownie with good flavor, although it’s somewhat crumbly, although I was at a higher altitude when I baked it, and that may have contributed. It’s supposed to be baked in an 8×8 pan for 35 minutes, but I baked it in a 7×10 pan for 20 minutes and it was done. The place where we were vacationing had limited pans. It’s very easy to make, and includes a substitute option for the 1 egg it calls for. It was actually better the second day (we were up in the mountains and the air was super dry) once it sat overnight and got a little more moist. It uses non-gmo corn starch and it’s sweetened with organic turbinado sugar, which is a definite plus. It also lasted longer than a lot of gluten free brownies do without getting dry or moldy (in the fridge- I was hoarding it.).
LivingNow Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix-
Words cannot contain the rave review these cookies got, especially from the non-allergen crowd! I even had my cousin’s daughter steal two right from under my nose. They’re a little crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, hearty and chocolatey, just as they should be. I simply substituted the called-for stick of butter with an Earth Balance vegan buttery stick and they still turned out perfectly. You’ll definitely want to form little balls with it and then smoosh them down a bit to get a good cookie shape, as is typical of gluten free cookies. These were definitely a fan favorite!
I have a confession to make…these cookies were so popular, they were gone before I even had a chance to take a picture!
the perplexing palate 