Organic Gemini Tigernuts Review and Giveaway

        Did the Chocolate Chip Blondies recipe I share earlier this week stirred some curiosity in you? I know I posted some ingredients that you might be a little hesitant to buy just for the recipe.  So, to make sure that you can try the recipe and of course, Tigernuts, I teamed up with Organic Gemini, the company that uses Tigernuts as a centerpiece of their products, for our first giveaway this year.  Are you getting excited?

      What exactly are TigerNuts? It is a root vegetable (not a nut) that originates from Northern Africa and Mediterranean. For centuries, this tuber which is also known as nookon or chufa, has been a staple in some people's diet. This vegetable is loaded with fiber in the form of Resistant Starch, a prebiotic that actually helps our bodies develop probiotics.  Plus, it is rich in iron, potassium, phosphorus and Vitamins E & C.   Sounds good already? 

       

       Anyway, the people at Organic Gemini has sent me three of their best products to try. The TigerNut Raw Snack, is the purest it can be.  This raw and sun dried TigerNuts snack is vegan, paleo, Kosher, allergy free, gluten free and nonGMO.  

        The kids and I like that it is naturally sweet and has a nutty flavor as well. The snack however is really fibrous.  So be prepared to chew it for a while.  The manufacturers suggest to soak it first so that it becomes softer and to enhance the flavor.  

        

            I also received a bag of Organic Gemini TigerNut flour which is basically ground TigerNuts. This naturally gluten free flour is great for baking. It is not grainy and gives baked goods a hint of sweetness and nutty flavor.  I've used it on my Chocolate Chip Blondies and the results are always perfect. Oh, don't forget about the health benefits too.  

          If you are also avoiding dairy (and nuts) like us, I suggest you give these TigerNut Horchata a try.  Nutrition wise, these are way healthier than most dairy substitutes available in the market. It is naturally sweetened with either medjool dates, honey or fruits.  Yup, no added sugars! My kids love the Banana flavor.  I'm torn between the Chai and Coffee.  These Horchata are excellent for baking too. 

          Now for the exciting part.  Our friends from Organic Gemini would like to giveaway a gift pack of a full sized Raw Tiger Nut Snack and Tiger Nut Flour to one of our readers. What a great way to start the year right? 

           This giveaway is open to all US residents 18 years old and up.  It ends on Jan 23, 2015 11:59 pm EST.

           Good luck!

- Roz

a Rafflecopter giveaway 


(Note: Though I receive free products, this doesn't affect our views regarding the products.  Please see my full disclosure here. )

Where to find Affordable Gluten Free Flour

      One of the challenges of going gluten free is finding flour substitutes especially for baking. Even before we went gluten free, I bake mostly from scratch.  For me, that method is way affordable and I exactly know what's in it.

       Since baking food allergy friendly can be a hit or miss, I realized that it is way more practical to create my own mix.  Though I still try boxed baking mixes for product reviews, I always have my flour collection accessible.  
       
      If you think I spent a month's supply of grocery shopping to build my collection, you're absolutely wrong.  Today, I'm sharing with you where to find most gluten free flours at tremendously low prices. No shipping costs as well.  

 1. The Asian Stores
          As some of you may have already known, I am of Filipino descent and is a frequent Asian store shopper. Can you just imagine how my face cringed after reading the ingredient list of most GF flour mixes?  Even before I was introduced to the word gluten, I have known most of the flours mentioned below as my grandmother use them all the time.  The weird thing though is that I have known them more by their brand name as that is what my grandma used to call them.  
 
        Most of these gluten free flour costs around $2.00 a bag which is almost half the price of those bought from supermarkets and organic food stores.  Some brands even go on sale!

        There are even some ready made flour mixes for rice cakes, buns and steamed muffins or bread.  Here's a list of what you'll see there:

     - Rice flour

     - Glutenous Rice Flour (also known as Sweet Rice Flour)

     - Corn Flour

     - Potato Flour

     - Potato Starch (yes, it's different from the flour)

     - Cornstarch

     - Tapioca Starch

     - Mung Bean Flour

     - Chestnut Flour

     - Soybean Flour (Though our household can't use it. Soy free remember?)

     - Sesame Flour (Also out for us because of Child#2's allergy)
     - Purple Yam flour (Ube) 

        

2. Indian Food Stores
          Often called "Cash and Carry", these stores not only carry assorted spices and beans in bulk, they also sell protein rich flours.  As a culture, India has the most number of vegetarians and vegans. This means that grains and beans are their primary source of nutrients. My finds here includes:

       - Sorghum flour
       - Millet flour
       - Amaranth flour
       - Chickpea flour
       - Lentil flour
       - Bean flour mix
       - Coconut flour
       - Almond flour  

      So if you're looking for some wheat flour substitute, I suggest check out your local Ethnic stores first.  Don't worry, most of the labels have English translations.  Also, feel free to ask for help from other shoppers.  More often than not, they are more than happy to give you the English translation or which brands are better.  

          

        That's it! My secret is out of the bag. Enjoy shopping.


- Roz