Gluten Free Friday: Ghirardelli Squares Valentine's Chocolate Assortment - Reivew

**So y'all are gettin' a double review this week because of my lack of posting one up last week[:

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I've been hit by the chocolate fairy.
Candy isn't my go-to food. It's not something I particularly enjoy eating, or actually want to it. I like the thoughts of wanting/eating it though. I'll buy myself a bag of candy... it sits there for months...get another bag of something I want... it sits there too. Sometime's I think something's wrong with me, or maybe I've burnt myself off some of the whole sugar-thing when I was younger.
Or maybe it's because I just don't crave it from not having it all the time-but oh well.
About two weeks ago I had this huge out-of-no-where craving for chocolate, it was horrible. So, after fighting it for a week I finally let myself get a bag. Thankfully, my Mom was ever so kind to split it with me. The things Mom's do for us *blessed*.
Seriously though. On the terms of finding out that I'm still on a bit of a craving for it, and only for dark chocolate particularly, Ghirardelli has become Numero Uno on my chocolate radar. And as far as I know Ghirardelli has the good chocolate that, you know, can be healthy to consume.

The bag I picked up was the Valentine's Chocolate Assortment. It contains three different types: Milk Chocolate & Caramel, Dark & Strawberry, and Dark 60% Cocoa.

I liked them all. How could you not? The Dark chocolate was my absolute favorite though. To me, it always almost tastes like coffee.
The Milk Chocolate & Caramel was absolutely amazing. I just want a whole giant bag of them after taking my first bite. It was so smooth and heavenly.
And of course Dark & Strawberry. This one was really good too, different from what I thought it would taste like. I thought it would be like a typically strawberry fake-syrup filling that was so artificial it was a bit ridiculous. But no. I was wrong. Very wrong. It was more like a preserve/jam on the inside, it actually tasted like real strawberries! And better yet. There was no carmine added into it.
Thank.You.Lord!

Gluten Free Friday: Perdue Simply Smart Gluten Free Chicken Breast Tenders - Review

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Chicken is one of my absolute favorite foods and something I crave if I go too long without it. But, I'm also pretty picky about it too.
My Grandma had picked up two bags for me at Giant Eagle one day when she was out, we'd be to another Giant Eagle but they were all out of stock and I didn't have a coupon for the Tyson chicken.
I've seen these around before and have been tempted to try them. I believe they are supposed to be a healthier version of processed(?) chicken. Please correct me if I'm wrong, that's what I've seen other people say, at least.
Automatically, I assumed that it would be real chicken on the inside, i.e. stringy like non processes chicken. These aren't. They're the spongy kind. Which was a bit of a let down. When any meat is spongy to me, I automatically categorize it as processed food and I tend to ride it off my food list. But these have been so good. I put them in the microwave for about two minutes, flipping over half way,and either eat them plain or have a piece with a bowl of veggies for lunch. They do tend to get a little soggy on the bottom, and are a bit greasy.
They taste great though.The pieces are smaller than typical chicken strips, however, they are SO filling, and you get so much in a bag. Tyson's you get about 4-7 pieces, and this you get roughly 21 pieces.

Ingredients:
 Boneless Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Rice Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Yellow Corn Meal. CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF Salt, Corn Starch, Brown Sugar, Raisin Juice Concentrate, Honey, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper, Spices, Natural Extractives of Celery Seed.

Gluten Free Friday: Glutenfreeda Variety Pack Instant Oatmeal Review

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One thing I love about these is that there's very few, and pronounceable, ingredients in each pack. There's no corn syrup, or high fructose corn syrup, and things that sound weird that shouldn't even be in a packet of oatmeal. 
When I was little we'd always get the Quaker Oatmeal and we'd eat the oatmeal straight from the packet with a spoon. I can remember them being sweet. It's been a long time since I've had oatmeal, especially straight from the packet, but I do know that I've been tempted to do that with these, and they aren't overly sweet in the slightest.
I've prepared mine just by putting the oatmeal in a mason jar and adding about a half a cup of steaming hot water or so, so it's thick, and then letting it sit for a minute or so to set up. I like my oatmeal thicker, I don't like it runny.



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Maple Raisin with Flax: This one is also really good. It's not overwhelmingly maple, it's more of an undertoned flavor, or something you only get a hint of. It's sweet just not grossly, it's just enough. There is just enough raisins too.

Ingredients: Certified gluten free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt.

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

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Banana and Maple: Bananas are one of my absolute favorite fruits, making this hands down my favorite one out of the pack. It has pieces of freeze-dried bananas in it. It's such a comfort meal. Perfect for a cold winter day.

Ingredients: Certified gluten-free oats, freeze-dried bananas, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt.















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Apple Cinnamon: Me and Cinnamon don't mix so unfortunately this one went untouched and passed off for someone else. If they try it, I will ask them if they liked it or not and come back with an update.

 Ingredients: Certified gluten-free oats, dried apples, brown sugar, ground flax, cinnamon, sea salt.

Blizzard Juno & The Bouncing Machine!

It's been a while since I've done an 'update' kind of post, so I gathered some pictures to share from this past week/week-and-a-half[:

Hi snow, thanks for showing up and dumping 6inches of snow AFTER Christmas.
When Blizzard Juno it I'm pretty sure it was making up for the snow-less Christmas we had.

Mom took me to Chick-fil-a, I had one of those free small peppermint chocolate milkshake cards I wanted to use but when we got there they were sold out so instead they switched it for a strawberry. Oh my gosh. I haven't had a milkshakes in YEARS and it was sooooooo good.
I also got a fruit cup, ya know, balance it all out. [;

And it snowed more, the weather hadn't called for any that day... I'm starting to really second guess them people, haha.

I WORKED OUT!!!!  FINALLY. It's been like forever since that's happened. Summers comin, gotta get that body in shape. I've been really feeling the pain of the squats lately. At least I know it's working. I like having the sore muscles, it makes me feel good.

My poor Cookie. She's 15 this year. She's startin' to well... you know... we're kind of waiting for it. She's so frail and thin, the only thing she'll really eat is treats, unless it's gravy. It's just so sad. She's a sweetheart, I don't want her to go yet.

Chestnut, on the other hand, has turned into quite a bouncing machine. She's much smaller than what she was supposed to be. She's a small beagle. We were expecting her to be as big as Peaches a 'medium' sized dog. Chestnut reminds me so much of a Jack Russell.
She's cute though. We'll keep her[:

Gluten Free Friday: Glutino Original Crackers Review

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These crackers are pretty much the saltines of Glutino. Their plain, no-salt added on the top, and are circular instead of squared.
These taste really good with cheese and pepperoni, and would be great with dip or jelly.
So far I've seen them practically everywhere but Rite Aid. The only thing is that you don't get too many in a package, there's two packs inside the box with two servings(8 crackers).
That's the only down part. However, they're really good and would recommend them to anyone.

INGREDIENTS: Corn Starch, White Rice Flour, Organic Palm Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Dextrose, Eggs, Sunflower Lecithin, Salt, Guar Gum, Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Rosemary Extract.

Miles to Go by Miley Cyrus Book Review

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""There are multiple sides to all of us. Who we are and who we might be if we follow our dreams."

-Miley Cyrus

Three years ago, Miley Cyrus was a virtual unknown. Her life in rural Tennessee was filled with family, friends, school, cheerleading, and the daily tasks of living on a farm. And then came a little show called Hannah Montana.

Almost overnight, Miley would rocket to superstardom, becoming a television and singing phenomenon. Quiet days were replaced with sold-out concerts, television appearances, and magazine shoots. But through it all, Miley has remained close to her family and friends and has stayed connected to the Southern roots that made her so strong.

In Miles to Go, Miley offers an honest, humorous, and often touching story of one girl's coming-of-age--from private moments with her pappy to off-roading with her dad, Billy Ray, to her run-ins with mean girls. Miley talks about suffering through drama and heartbreak and coming out the other end unscathed (relatively). And now for the first time, she will discuss it all-the milestones still left to reach (driver's license! voting!), dreams to live out (travel to Asia! find true love!), and the lessons to be learned (remembernig to enjoy every moment!).

This is a truly unique look inside the world of one of today's biggest and brightest stars as she tackles looking back and moving forward" -- Goodreads

A few years ago I'd read this book and I just finished it on New Year's Eve night.
I really like this book, I like the writing style, and how Miley Cyrus gives the stories and that of her family and the way they do things, and how she's open about the fact her and former co-stars didn't exactly get along with each other. The '7 Things' list was a great little addition to the book too, it makes it different from the 'normal biographys', I'd say.
I hope one day maybe she'll write another book, too. I'd be more than happy to read it!