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Tips to make Thanksgiving Safe (when eating away from home)

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Tips to make Thanksgiving Safe

  • Make a quick call to the host family in advance to ask about the menu (remember they will be stressed so make their life easier by doing this in advance). Offer to bring a side dish and/or dessert that will compliment their menu and your family’s allergy(s).
  • Prepare your day ahead of time, eat a solid breakfast in the morning and bring a snack for your travels if they are planning a late Thanksgiving dinner. Appetizers often contain nuts, dairy, seafood or other allergens, so its best to watch out for cross contamination (especially if other children are there).
  • Talk to you children or teen’s about which foods will be safe for them and about avoiding foods that may be at risk for cross-contact (e.g., a buffet-style set-up).
  • This may sound outrageous but depending on the severity of your allergy, get a good insulated cooler and pack a trusted meal for you or your child and leave it in the trunk (just in case). This will give provide you such peace of mind for unknown items being brought buy other guests.
  • Tell your children to be careful about sharing glasses, if possible bring bottled water or juice.
  • Don’t assume that food contains only traditional ingredients that you know are safe. For example, cranberry sauce could be prepared with pecans or peanut butter could be added to gravy and many desserts.
  • Pack two epinephrine auto-injectors at all times (that cooler in the trunk will be perfect to keep them at the right temperature).

cranberry sauce

Delicious & Safe Dried Cranberry Sauce

By Gerbs Allergy Friendly Foods

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Gerbs dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup cranberry juice
  • 1/3 cup pure cane granulated sugar (substitute stevia)
  • zest of 1 orange
  • zest of ½ lime
  • 1/4 tsp powdered sea salt
  • juice one Blood Orange
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch (sub. Arrowroot)
  • 4 Tbsp water (sub. Sparkling cranberry wine)

Directions

Add all everything (minus the cornstarch) to a large non-stick sauce pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until cranberries become tender and plump up. Remove from the direct heat, slowly stir together cornstarch, add this slurry slowly to your sauce, simmer until the sauce thickens. Makes 2 cups.

Delicious & Simple Dried Cranberry Sauce

Gerbs Ancient Quinoa & Raisin Stuffing

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Wow them!

Wow your Thanksgiving guests with our protein packed, flavorful and ‘fall’ color themed Ancient Grain turkey stuffing!  Millennials or any health-conscious guests will thank you, put simply this dish will surely stand out among all your sides this season, compared to a traditional turkey stuffing; plus, there are so many options with our grains, rice, dried fruits and seeds to make this stuffing different each and every occasion. This will have all the feelings of a traditional stuffing but with the added nutritional benefits of quinoa, specifically its high fiber content, makes this dish a superfood. One study that looked at 4 varieties of quinoa found a range of 10–16 grams of fiber per every 100 grams. This equals 17–27 grams per cup, which is very high — more than twice as high as most grains. Boiled quinoa contains much less fiber, gram for gram because it absorbs so much water. As well, Quinoa is high in magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants. Given its high beneficial nutrient content, it makes sense that quinoa could improve metabolic health. To date, two studies, in humans and rats respectively, examined the effects of quinoa on metabolic health. The human-based study found that using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free breads and pastas significantly reduced blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels.Gerbs Ancient Quinoa & Raisin Stuffing

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 75 min

Total time: 80 min

INGREDIENTS – Makes 8 servings

  • 5 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 Cup Gerbs Royal White Quinoa
  • ½ Cup Gerbs Red Quinoa
  • ½ Cup Gerbs Black Quinoa
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Large Sweet Onion, finely chopped
  • 3 Stalks Celery, including green ends, chopped
  • 2 Fresh Apples, cored, pealed & rough chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Gerbs Dried Jumbo Raisins
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Whole Leaf Savory, rubbed
  • 1 Teaspoon Rubbed Sage
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Gerbs Himalayan Sea Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Gerbs Ground Black Peppercorns
  • 1 Tablespoon Gerbs Rosemary Garlic Seasoning Blend
  • Fresh Rosemary, Parsley, and Chives to garnish (optional)
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (water optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease inside of 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish; set aside.

Combine Gerbs red, white, & black Quinoa with vegetable stock in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until grains are cooked through. Let stand for 5 minutes removed from heat, and fluff with fork.

While grains cook, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 3-4 minutes, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.  Add diced apples, Gerbs Raisins, savory, rubbed sage, Gerbs Rosemary Garlic blend, salt, black pepper and 1/4 white wine. Cook, stirring, until apples soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in cooked grains, tossing to evenly incorporate all ingredients.

Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil, transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and bake additional 10 minutes, until lightly browned on top.

red, white, black quinoa

Gerbs Ultimate Cranberry Turkey Stuffing

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Gerbs Ultimate Cranberry Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Gerbs Ultimate Cranberry Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 stalks celery, thinly chopped
  • Pouch Fresh Thyme, Parsley, Sage (bouquet garni)
  • 1/2 cup Gerbs Dried Cranberries
  • 1 small sweet onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped/grated
  • ¼ cup grated Carrots, julienned
  • 4 cups Gerbs Bread Crumbs
  • 1 cup Gluten-Free bread, cubed ½”
  • 3 large scallion stalks thinly sliced
  • Sea Salt & Fresh Black Pepper

Gerbs Ultimate Cranberry Turkey Stuffing Ingredients

Directions

Sauté onion with Olive Oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes; add garlic and stir for another minute.

Stir in vegetable broth, celery, bouquet garni, cranberries, carrot, in a 3-quart saucepan. Over medium-high heat, heat to a boil, add scallions, and sea salt & pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, remove Garni.

Add bread crumbs, cubed bread and mix lightly. Bake 350 for 30 minutes, top with Gerbs dried cranberries and scallions.

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Kid Friendly recipe - with many substitute options

Cranberry Apple Granola Cookies

Cranberry Apple Granola Cookies

Ingredients

1½ cups brown sugar

1⁄4 cup allergy-safe vegetable shortening

1⁄2 cup coconut oil

2 eggs – replace with Flax Egg recipe

1½ cups Gerbs all-purpose flour

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp Gerbs ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups Gerbs Rolled Oats

½ cup Gerbs Original Granola

1 cup Gerbs Dried Cranberries

1 cup Gerbs dried Apple Cinnamon Cubes

 

Instructions

 

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

In a stand mixer, beat together the first four ingredients. Add flour, vanilla, cinnamon and baking soda, stirring until smooth. Mix in Rolled Oats, cranberries, and apples until just combined. You can easily substitute fresh apple cubes.

Spoon large tablespoons of dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, spaced 2-3 inches apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

Superhero’s need supermom’s to make them cookies!

https://www.mygerbs.com/blog/16875-2/

Blueberry Granola Smoothie Recipe

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Blueberry Granola Smoothie Recipe

Blueberry Granola Smoothie

Gerbs Blueberry Granola Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

2/3 cup Flax Milk – (sub any milk)

1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

1/2 banana fresh or frozen

½ cup Gerbs Granola (any flavor)

¼ cup Gerbs Super 5 Seed Meal

1/4 cup kale chopped, stems removed (sub. Spinach)

1 ripe avocado – sliced

½ Tablespoon Pure vanilla extract

Touch sea salt

Directions

In a food processor, blend the milk, kale (substitute baby spinach), 5 seed meal, and avocado together until well combined. Scrape sides and add vanilla, yogurt if you want a thicker smoothie, blueberries, banana’s, and blend again until smooth. Serve in a chilled glass, top with granola and fresh mint.

Cranberry Granola Bites – Simply (no baking) Recipe for a healthy breakfast staple!

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Cranberry Granola Bites

CRANBERRY (DARK CHOCOLATE) GRANOLA BITES

Gerbs Cranberry Granola Bites

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Gerbs Rolled Oats

½ cup Gerbs 7 Seed Granola (any flavor works)

2/3 cup Gerbs 5 Seed Ground Meal

1/2 cup Sunflower Butter

½ Cup Gerbs Cranberries

1/2 cup Gerbs mini Dark Chocolate Chips (optional)

1/2 cup local Honey

1 tablespoon Gerbs Chia Seeds (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

DIRECTIONS:

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like, we like to roll them onto the Cranberries or Dark Chocolate Chips for a better presentation. These are 1” but smaller are great for smaller fingers. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

 

Makes about 20-25 balls.

Baked Granola Stuff Apples Recipe

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Baked Granola Stuff Apples Recipe

Gerbs Baked Granola Apples – perfect fall breakfast/dessert

Gerbs Granola Baked Apples

 

Ingredients

4 large apples, we love local McIntosh freshly picked

1 cup Gerbs 5 Seed Granola (any will work)

1/2 cup Gerbs Rolled Oats

½ cup Gerbs dried Cinnamon Apple Cubes

¼ cup Gerbs Bread Crumbs

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons coconut sugar (unsalted butter sub)

4 tablespoons coconut oil – split in half

3/4 teaspoon Gerbs ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. sea salt

Powdered Sugar

1 cup apple cider – Fresh is best

Other Options:

Gerbs Dark Chocolate Chips – mini’s

Gerbs Jumbo Raisins (soak & re-hydrate)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop out inside of all 4 apples. Place the apples in a small baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the granola, sugar, vanilla, salt, dried apple cubes, coconut oil and cinnamon. Spoon & stuff the granola mixture into the apples. In another small bowl, add rolled oats, bread crumbs, brown sugar, & oil (butter) mix together – top onto apples.

Pour the cider around the apples in the dish, loosely cover the dish with foil and bake, basting occasionally, until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool (15 minutes) coat with powder sugar (optional).

Level: Easy

Total: 1 hr.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 45 min

Yield: 4 servings

Double Dark Chocolate Brownies Recipe – Lets Celebrate the Return of Chocolate

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Double Dark Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Gerbs Dark Chocolate Brownies

 

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons Gerbs Flax Meal

1 cup (148 grams) Gerbs All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup (40 grams) Gerbs Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Gerbs Himalayan Sea Salt

1/2 cup coconut oil at room temperature, plus more for the pan

5 ounces (140g) Gerbs Chocolate Chips chopped (any size will work)

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) organic pure cane sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

 

METHOD

Heat the oven to 350°F and prepare the pan: Line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper and pan with a little coconut oil. Prepare the flax “egg”: Combine the flax with 8 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Let stand for 7 to 10 minutes to thicken. (This will be used as an egg replacer in this recipe.) Whisk dry ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Melt the coconut oil and chocolate: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the coconut oil and chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla: Whisk the sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture, stirring vigorously until combined. The mixture will be a little grainy at this point, which is perfectly okay.

 

Make the batter: Pour the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl, scraping everything from the pan. Fold in the flax eggs. Add the dry ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. The batter will be quite thick and will gather into a ball—it won’t be loose and thin like many traditional brownie batters. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and use a rubber spatula or the palm of your hand to press it into the pan in an even layer, top with more chips.

 

Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and no longer jiggly. The tops of the brownies will still feel very soft and may even be bubbling a little; they’ll firm up as they cool. Cool: Let the brownies cool completely before slicing, 2 to 3 hours. Because these are so fudgy, they really will slice best if you allow them to fully cool. Slice, serve, and store: Using the parchment paper as a handle, lift the cooled brownies up out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into a 4×4 grid (making 16 small squares). Leftover brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

NEW DRIED FRUITS! Dried Raspberry, Peaches & Cinnamon Apples

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NEW DRIED FRUITS! YEAR ROUND TASTE OF SUMMER.

We are pleased to announce the latest additions to our Allergy Friendly Dried Fruit product line: Dried Sliced Summer Peaches, Dried Summer Raspberries, and Cubed Cinnamon Apples. Dried Fruits make excellent snacks. Allergy friendly safe, Gluten-free AND delicious.

DRIED SLICED SUMMER PEACHES

YEAR ROUND TASTE OF SUMMER WITH SLICED PEACHES
The weather will always be fresh & lovely with these delectable, sweet peach slice snacks. Peaches are also a nutritious choice. They contain 34% of your daily vitamin A needs, and 18% of daily iron recommendations, as well as being a good source of potassium, niacin and copper. Send some Summer to your college kids!.

NEW DRIED FRUITS - ALLERGY FRIENDLY SLICED SUMMER PEACHES

NATURE’S CANDY

Sweet and full-flavored, our dried peaches are packaged without the preservative sulfur dioxide, normally used to preserve the peaches’ color when drying. Dried fruits offers some advantages over fresh fruits: a longer shelf life and portability. Our Sliced Dried Summer Peaches are a rich source of many essential nutrients and carotenoid antioxidants, and are thought to be especially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes, skin, bones and teeth. They contain vitamin A, C, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and copper.

 

DRIED NEW FRUIT – WHOLE SUMMER RASPBERRIES

Dried sweet whole raspberries also contain some of the highest antioxidants levels in fruit. Allergy friendly, soft in texture, and a rich source of health-promoting, plant-derived nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. They are low in calories and saturated fats but are high in dietary fiber. You simply will not believe how delicious these are. 

NEW DRIED FRUITS - ALLERGY FRIENDLY RASPBERRIES FROM GERBS

 

DRIED CUBED CINNAMON APPLES

VERY AROMATIC. The irresistible taste and aroma of Cinnamon on cubed sugared apples. An allergy friendly  sweet treat right out of the bag. Excellent in Oatmeal or mixed into Muffin batter. Heat them up for a warm side dish for those chilly autumn nights. Traveling? Our NEW Dried Fruits are a great choice to bring along!

NEW DRIED FRUITS - ALLERGY FRIENDLY CINNAMON APPLE CUBES FROM GERBS

 

All of our raw ingredients are processed, packaged, handled, stored, and shipped by trained staff in our family owned & operated facility in Johnston, Rhode Island on dedicated non-GMO, Vegan, and Kosher Equipment. No Co-packers. No Co-manufacturers. For anyone with a mild to severe food allergy or a family with one, we wish to assure you that this is why Gerbs handles all aspects of production & operation, and we are among a handful of companies in the world who can state this.

Our goal is to give the Allergy Community relief in the battle of living with food allergies.

FREE SHIPPING for orders above $59.99! Stock up. Deliciousness awaits.

 

SAFE SNACKING – BACK TO SCHOOL TREATS

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SAFE SNACKING – BACK TO SCHOOL TREATS

Yep, it’s that time again. Back to school. As our readers already know, many of the allergy friendly foods here at Gerbs are suitable for snacking…….Dried Fruits, Seeds, Seed Mixes, and even the Granolas make excellent snacks. But were you aware that there is also a Healthy Snacks category? We’d like to highlight two in particular, as snack treats because they both contain dark chocolate. They are allergy friendly safe, Gluten-free AND delicious.

Our allergy friendly snacks have crunch in them because crunch is actually important.

The sound of crunchy food is as important when it comes to how much people enjoy eating as color and taste is, scientists say. Scientists at the University of Leeds found that people’s ‘enjoyment of biting’ increased with louder, crunchier foods. We also associate crunch with freshness.

Is snacking helpful? For many adults and children, the long hours between meals may be difficult. Snacks are important for the energy and nutrients needed throughout the day. For children who are active and growing, snacks also give them the energy they require to grow and play. Snacks actually help keep you from getting hungry and overeating at mealtime. First up.

CRUNCHY MONKEY SNACK MIX

As the name suggests, there are indeed bananas in this yummy snack. And not just any bananas. These are snappy little bites bursting with flavor and without added sugar. Unsulphured and they contain no added preservatives or nitrates.

Safe Snacks for Kids - Gerbs Crunchy Monkey

So what else is in Crunchy Monkey? Roasted sunflower seed kernels, dried banana chips, dark chocolate chips (evaporated cane juice, natural chocolate liquor, non-dairy cocoa butter), and roasted pumpkin seed kernels. No added salt. The dark chocolate is Gluten-free!

  • Sunflower seed kernels are high in polyunsaturated fats – specifically, linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid also known as Omega-6. This fat is considered “essential” because our bodies cannot synthesize it, we must get it from food sources. This healthful fat helps keep our heart healthy, cholesterol levels in check and contributes to healthy skin and hair.
  • Pumpkin seed kernels are of the best, most alkaline sources of nutrition you can eat. Pumpkin seeds are incredibly high in iron and magnesium, and contain a larger amount of protein than chia or flax per ounce, boasting a total of 5 grams per ounce. They’re also rich in B vitamins They even contain high amounts of anxiety-relieving trytophan, an essential amino acid, which helps improve serotonin levels. most helpful for school stress!

SWEET & SALTY SNACK MIX

This is safe snacking satisfaction on so many levels we can’t even begin to tell you. It usually produces a smile. Gluten free, Vegan and Kosher, this is a mix of dark chocolate, plain Gluten Free Bagel Chips, Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds, and some Sea Salt. Nothing phony and no baloney.

Allergy Friendly Snacks - Gerbs Sweet & Salty Snack Mix

All of our raw snack ingredients are processed, packaged, handled, stored, and shipped by trained staff in our family owned & operated facility in Johnston, Rhode Island on dedicated non-GMO, Vegan, and Kosher Equipment. No Co-packers. No Co-manufacturers. For anyone with a mild to severe food allergy or a family with one, we wish to assure you that this is why Gerbs handles all aspects of production & operation, and we are among a handful of companies in the world who can state this.

Our goal is to give the Allergy Community relief in the battle of living with food allergies.

Take a look at all of our Healthy Snacks. FREE SHIPPING for orders above $59.99! Stock up. School is in session.