The Chicago Gluten and Allergen Free Expo was held last weekend, April 20-21, and I had the good luck to get ahold of a ticket. As an editor of FaveGlutenFreeRecipes.com, I was interested to see what local companies could offer up in way of gluten-free products. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I walked into the Schaumburg Renaissance Convention Center on a warm Sunday morning, but what I found was a delightful mix of people all dedicated to the same thing: healthy food that tastes good.
The convention celebrated local and national food companies that produce food products and services that are allergy friendly. These progressive companies, in short, are hard at work developing delicious foods that are free of some of the more unfortunate additives most companies fall back on when making their products. As I walked through the brightly colored booths, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of the foods being offered. Almost all of the companies had brought samples of their products, and I happily helped myself to bite after bite of tasty gluten free foods.
At each booth I stopped and chatted with the company representative, and, after meeting several different people, I started to notice a pattern. Everyone was wildly enthusiastic to be in at the Expo, and everyone was incredibly enthusiastic about their products. They could tell me what local stores had their products, and the numerous virtues of the high quality, often non-GMO, ingredients used in everything from chips to cookies. The future of the gluten free community seems to be in good hands! If there’s one thing I learned at the Expo, it’s that these people care about their food and how it tastes.
I can’t believe how many gluten-free companies showed up for the Expo! I did my best to stop at every booth. There were an incredible number of people who attended the expo, and I was so happy to see so many people interested in the gluten-free lifestyle. I left the conference with the happy knowledge that the gluten-free community is full of wonderful people, and with a huge swag bag for you, our readers!
We’re giving this lovely swag bag to one of our lovely readers. It contains everything you see in the picture below, and more (really). You’ll get three tote bags, tons of gluten-free samples, and a fat stack of coupons for all of your favorite gluten-free products.
The Fine Print:
- Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+.
- One comment per person, please answer the question below.
- Contest closes Monday, May 13, 2013 at 11:59p CST.
- Leave a comment on this blog post to enter.
- The winner will be posted on RecipeChatter.com and notified by email.
What’s your favorite gluten-free recipe?
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It’s impressive that you are getting thoughts from this piece of writing as well as from our discussion made at this time.
I haven’t made any recipes yet. But, I need to start on gluten free foods.
gluten free pizza
I hope I win this. I have recently started gluten free for health reasons.
Just took a bread making class and have been checking out gluten free recipes to try.
I make a spanish rice
I have always used Mayo for burgers, sandwiches, anything. But then I started using Avocado and I followed the recipe for Avocado Stuffed Burgers and I was sold. I am always looking for Glutten Free Recipes and this is the number one place to start. Thanks
This prize looks good and would to try them all with my Red Hat Club.
These products look wonderful and I would love to try them.
My sister makes these awesome gf cookies
This swag bag looks great!
I’ve been experimenting with quinoa flour instead of wheat…I don’t have a favorite recipe yet, but I am liking the results!
I’m not gluten free, but I do have problems with gluten occasionally. Plus, all of these products sound absolutely amazing.
Mint choc chip cookies
wonderful im in
I am newly GF and I would love to win! Sounds awesome!
I am stuck on gluten free pizza! I wasn’t even a big pizza eater until I was told I couldn’t have it anymore and then the urges came. Now I love to make homemade pizzas and sometimes even go as far as to make the cauliflower crust eliminating all flour not just wheat. (I’m also a big fan of almond flour cake with a cream cheese frosting -YUM)
I would love to try the products
My favorite gluten free “recipe” is roasted mushrooms with chickpeas, onion, garlic, and spinach with guacamole on corn tortillas for tacos!
I am new to eating gluten free and appreciate any help I can get. Thank you to everyone on this site. I would love to win a bag to help me discover what else I can be doing.
I’m sorry I missed this event!
Chickpea & Veggie Lettuce Wraps
yummy! My fave gluten free recipe is rocky road
GF Pumpkin Pie
I love any gluten free dessert that tastes like the “real” thing!!!
A chicken nugget coated with rice chex, parmesian cheese and some spices~
I would love to win this swag bag. Thank you
Sounds great – thanks!
My favorite is Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers.
Carrot cake (rice flour plus a gluten free blend)
Don’t have a favourite currently, but am wanting to try the marc angelo sausages which are now gluten free! I enjoy chex as well.
I’ve been having health problems and starting to transition to gluten free. I missed out on the expo because of school 🙁 would love to win as a “poor” grad students trying to afford a gluten free diet. Thanks!
The GF lifestyle is still new to me. I could really use the samples and coupons : )
I have just recently started to transition into the gluten free world. I had a health scare a couple months ago and decided to start eating gluten free and sugar free. I would love to try some of the items in this wonderful bag and the coupons definitely would come in handy. 🙂
My favorite recipe is a gf peanut butter cookie. I like the added protein it offers me and keeps my carbohydrate count down (which is something that I have to be careful of with the gf flours). I can even add some dark choc. chips for some extra sweetness if I want something a little different.
Cream of mushroom soup. The go to staple for cooking in MN 🙂
I’m new to the gluten free world, I was just recently started a gluten free diet. It has been hard not knowing what the food will taste like. I love to cook and the first week I didn’t cook at all I guess I was a little depressed. My husband is a big help and I thank God everyday for him. It would be really nice to win this prize.
my favorite is a quinoa spinach bake. its perfect to make ahead and take to work for lunch!
I like to replace potato salad using rice instead of potatoes. With a Gluten sensitivity I also have dairy and night shade intolerance.
I am newly gluten free (13 days), learning all the time and making lots of mistakes. If you have tips and tricks, please drop me a note on my website. I can use all the help I can get.
I have had health problems for years, and I am now changing to a GF lifestyle which seems to be helping. Since going GF, I have been trying to eat much healthier. However sometimes a girl just needs a chocolate fix. When this happens, I make Nutella fudge.
As a gluten-sensitive diabetic, I am always looking for gluten-free recipes that have a low glycemic index, have a pleasing texture, and taste so good that noone would know that they are gluten-free. A recent favorite is Banana Blueberry Muffins made with almond flour and sweetened only with bananas from the Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.
I am new to the whole gf eating plan, but after years of dealing with microscopic colitis and no relief from prescription drugs, I am hoping this helps. The giveaway seems like a great way to get started.
Egg Omelet is my favorite recipe. I can add so many different ingredients to suit my taste.
I like the looks of the tote bag and free stuff to win put my name in the drawing thank you
Sounds like an awesome YUMMY time was had by all! I’d like to sample the goodies, please! Thank you!
I really like pretzels, so my current favorite gluten free recipe is GF pretzel rolls!
I now have a few fav recipes. Favorite bread recipe is from glutenfreeonashoestring.com. It is her Japanese milk bread recipe, which I have tweaked a little and now get full size sliced bread from it. I save it in forever bread bags and it is still soft 4 days later. My second favorite recipe is black bean brownies with cream cheese frosting. And I love the almond flour carrot cake from elenaspantry.com
My current favorite is Asian cabbage rolls. I also just made stir fried noodles with napa cabbage, carrots, green onion and other veg available and loved it. I like these recipes because they are extremely easy. My favorite changes with new recipes tried weekly!
My sister has gluten problems so when I saw a chance to join your website I did and I sent a copy to her. I am real anxious to try the cauliflower pizza crust. I made black bean brownies for my Christmas baskets this year and no one knew what they were. Loved them. Would love a chance to sample the product and to share it with my sister.
thanks for the chance to try new items, especially ones that are good for you.
I like the gluten free breads and pizzas.
I always reading about GF recipes. and really would like to try yours.
I love the potato salad. I am new to GF also. I have found that most stores don’t know how to organize the GF food that they have. Most just mix it in with the other things like pasta. It is hard to find what they do have because there is so little of a selection. There is one store that I went to that is the largest food chain. At one of their stores they have the GF food as I previously described. At another one of their stores they had all of the GF boxed food together. That was very helpful.
I make a chocolate cake with dark chocolate butter frosting that is killer. Even my glutinous friends love it and ask for it.
Don’t have a favorite gluten free recipe, but would love to try these products.
Grilled Marinated Shrimp
I love all of the recipes on Pamela’s Products website, especially the bread machine bread. Yum!
Fairly new to a gluten-free lifestyle so I haven’t found just one favorite recipe. I did find a green sauce chicken enchilada recipe that is really good. Enchilada Suizas found at http://www.familycircle.com. My husband says I can make again anytime but preferably soon. I am constantly looking for new products we can add to our new food lifestyle so a sample bag would be really nice. Have a healthy day!
I would love to try some more of your gluten free products. I just discovered my problems I had with these strange rashes were due to gluten. When I gave it up for a week they cleared up after years of suffering and multiple doctor visits. 8 different to be exact and even 1 hospital. It took hearing about gluten on Dr Oz and my trying this new way of life. I’ve gone completely off any products containing gluten and have not had any problems return. I’d LOVE to try some samples of your products. Thank you in advance, Robbin
We love Betty Hageman’s peach cobbler recipe. An oldie but goodie…..Would love the three totes for sampling…thanks
Mini swirl cheesecakes – YUM!!!!!
pizza
pizza
I am still learning about the benefits of GF, so I don’t have a favorite recipe…yet! I do have an apple cobbler recipe that has alternative measurements, etc. using almond flour that ‘ve wanted to try. This swag bag would be a good way to get started.
This would be a great way to start my gluten free lifestyle change!
bob’s mill has lots of gluten free options to cook with
My favorite Gluten Free Recipe is homemade gluten free oreo cookies.
gluten free pizza
We’ve been trying more gluten-free products for our clients. Would love some samples to try!
I would love to try the products
Gluten Free Veggie Pizza with lots of spinach. Yummy Yummy in our Tummy! Thanks CECE
I know eating this way is better for you, and would love to try it. thanks.
I, too, go with gluten-free Pizza.
Gluten Free–Almond flour muffins with cranberries
what a healthy way to cook, am anxious to try these items, I have had several gluten free recipes I’ve tried and they were all delicious
Gluten-free chocolate cake. I’m a chocolaholic, and have an insatiable sweet tooth!
Had some gluten free cookies my friend made so good!!
Have had some health issues and would love to try gluten free.
these gifts allow you to make things that are yummy.
I have a few favorites: Of course in our house we love pizza, I love it with extra spinach!..then I like to make blueberry muffins out of almond flour, Asian Cabbage rolls, shrimp, etc…the list goes on and on. I would love to get my 22 year old daughter into a more gluten free lifestyle too. Thank you…Annie
Gluten Free chocolate chip cookies.
I love stir fried chicken and snow peas with mushrooms.
Love gluten free chocolate cake
I am embarrassed to say I’m late going gluten free
I don’t have any recipes right off the top of my head but I’m
Looking to provide more healthier gluten free meals for my
Growing family.
I really enjoy my Gluten free graham crackers recipe.
I make a mean cold quinoa salad! It’s better than a pasta salad but you can use any pasta salad recipe. My 2 special ingredients? Cumin and truffle infused EVOO.
I haven’t gotten started with gluten free yet but winning this would be a big help!
Brownies
I would like to try this as I should be eating it
Please, help me eat more gluten free!
Carrot cake
that’s really hard, but I make real good veggie burgers with garbanzo and coconut flour and quinoa spaghetti
I would go with the pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
My favorite are chocolate chip cookies & peanut butter cookies. These cookies help with my sweet tooth.
Grilled lime shrimp over quinoa!
My son’s girlfriend can only eat Gluten Free foods. This would be a wonderful gift to her. It is so hard at parties since she is the only one that we have to change the way we eat.
I like to make GF Caramel Chex Mix with peanuts.
Pizza
I would love,to,win the products,,a good way to get into using glutinfree products. thank you
I would love to win, somI can start getting into eating gluten free.
Flourless Brownies
blueberry gluten free scones Delicious
My daughter just found out she is GF so this is new for me. Don’t have a favorite recipe yet but winning the swag bag would be great.
i love gluten free chocolate cake
This is a great newsletter. I am new to this also and there is so much information, it helps tremendously.
Pizza
I have tasted gluten free biscuits before and it taste pretty good, maybe if I win this I will try some of the recipes myself.
I have one for cookies
I would love trying these products
To be honest, I am just getting started on this journey and haven;t tried any gluten free recipes. I am excited about learning more and finding out what I can do gluten fee
I finally came up with the perfect gluten-free double chocolate chip cookies after about a dozen failures.
I make awesome gluten free brownies!
Smores Galore. Love desserts
favorite gluten free meal is tacos, i dont have any good recipes
awesome prize.Thanks for this giveaway.
gluten free pizza because it’s what i missed most
We are just starting to go gluten free and sometimes the information can be overwhelming
My son needs to be gluten-free and I make him gluten-free brownies which he loves.
I have tried out a Apple Cinnamon bread in my Bread Machine that turned out very good.
I make a great gluten free pizza crust
gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies
gluten free pizza crust
Gluten free recipes are being used in my house more frequently these days
I love Gluten free pizza!
I have been eating gluten free since last September and have never felt better! My depression and anxiety are at bay, I’ve lost 25 pounds and have alot more energy. One of my favorite snacks is rice cakes with cream cheese and either fresh fruit sliced on it or a low sugar jam.
It has only been a month since I found out I had a gluten sensitivity and I do not have a favorite recipe yet.
great food
I have never made a gluten free recipe 🙁
I don’t have a favorite recipe but I like Lucy’s cookies
cauliflower pizza crust!
I love a recipe I found for gluten free key lime bars! I made them for work and they were the biggest hit!
I am just starting with making stuff more gluten free. Thanks for the giveaway!!
i like gluten free chocolate chip cookies
My favorite Gluten Free recipe is my MIL’s lasagna recipe, she has a gluten, soy, egg, peanut allergy so she eats very clean most of the time but her lasagna is AMAZING!
almond flour chocolate chip cookies that i found at http://www.thewannabechef.net site
Gluten free pizza with spinach on top!
I can[t wait to try one of the recipes, have friend who needs gluten free and now I will have a new recipe for her.
Gluten Free Mac and Cheese.
I love my gluten-free blueberry walnut oatmeal. It’s so amazing that I eat it every single day.
I haven’t tried any yet.
Gluten free pizza.
would love one of these
my black bean brownies are gluten free