Sweet Cake Bake Shop Review

In November when I realized I would be going gluten free, I thought it was the end of bread, brownies, cookies, cake...all the things I really LOVE.  Even if I could find a recipe to make these things, 1. there was no guarantee they'd be any good and 2. sometimes you want a giant chocolate chip cookie right now and just don't have time to make it.  My impulse buying for sure was going to have to come to an end or I would be paying for it with my health.

I had accepted my fate and even found a brownie recipe I liked.  And then I got an email from my friend Elise telling me that her cousin was getting ready to open a gluten free bakery in Kaysville, UT.  I live about an hour away from Kaysville, but that is where my brother and sister and their families live.  It is also where Emma is buried, so I get down there at least once a month.  I was so excited!  Then she asked if I'd like to come and sample some goodies and review the shop.  Uh, YEAH!

I pulled up on Saturday morning at 11, right when the shop opens.  I decided to lay low for a minute while I waited for Elise to arrive.  Upon entering the shop I was struck with how homey it feels.

This small shop sports a large display case, which was filling up quickly with many baked goods.

There is a bakers rack with gift boxes and flour mixes.  Yes, you read that right, flour mixes.  You can buy the flour mixture to make your own goodies.  If you have ever had to eat gluten-free, you know what a big deal this is.  Gone are the days of measuring out your cup of all purpose or whole wheat flour.  Most recipes call for at least three different flours, often more than that.  And, the flours are not the common kind of flours you think of.  Instead it is Almond Meal, Teff Flour, Sweet Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Millet Flour...the list goes on.

I digress...back to the shop.  I went in and there were several customers there waiting for the case to finish filling up.  I could see the girls working in the back busy trying to get trays ready for the customers.  One sweet couple drove an hour and a half just to get some goodies.  The lady was so sweet and just couldn't believe these treats wouldn't make her sick.  She had never tasted anything gluten free that was so delicious.

 

If those photos don't entice you, how about this?  There were people there who don't need to eat gluten free, but CHOOSE to go to Sweet Cake Bake Shop because it is just that good.  The chocolate lava cake (pictured above) was my treat for the evening of games with my family.  Oh it was divine, seriously.

I also bought some chocolate chip cookies (HEAVEN), a red velvet cupcake, a chocolate cupcake, a peanut butter bar, a brownie, a package of day old blondies and day old mint brownies.

I was beyond thrilled with everything there.  The prices are great too!  $2.25 for a cupcake, $4.95 for a mini bundt cake (totally worth it!) $2.00 for any brownies or bars and $1.75 for a cookie.

That's not all they do though.  If you are gluten free like me, you might just miss bread.  Every Monday the shop is closed and they make 50 loaves of bread.  With 4 different varieties of bread, you have options!  They make Honey White, Honey Oatmeal, Sweet Sorghum and Cinnamon Raisin.  All bread orders are special order only and the orders are out a couple of weeks at least.  At $7.95 a loaf it is a bit more pricey than I would like, but for a special occasion, I could totally swing it.

If my glowing review isn't enough, why not ask my counterpart who was with me?

mmm...eating..eating...eating...

"Don't tell me I can't have any more!"

Yay!!  Mama said I can have a cookie!

So, for those of us who can not have gluten, there is a great new option!  Sweet Cake Bake Shop!  Located in Kaysville, UT it is easily accessible to those who live on the Wasatch Front.  If you don't live in Utah but still want to try the goodies, why not order online?  I promise, you won't regret it!

Inspired By Finn :: Giveaway Winner!

Tis the season to forget about everything you have to do right???  Sorry I haven't posted the winner yet...here we go....drumroll please.....

Tiffany said...

I subscribe too!

December 10, 2009 11:52 AM

Congrats Lady! Email me with your address and phone number and I'll pass it along to the great folks at Inspired by Finn! For the rest of you....take advantage of the 20% off by using the code BLOG.

Merry Christmas everyone! I'll be back after the New Year with some fun new Giveaways and Reviews!!!

Mabels Labels WINNER!!!

Sorry it took me so long to choose a winner...things have just been CRAZY over here.  So, here we go.....

Our winner is #19, Lori who said:

Lori said...

I wish I knew how to tweet. I guess I should learn. Do I do it from my phone??? Teach me, Kim! :) These Mabels Labels are fantastic. We're living out of boxes in grandma's basement and slowly converting boxes to all tupperware. These labels sure would make my cateloging a lot easier. Pick me! Pick me! I think I subscribed and am now a follower, too. I'm so bad at this stuff. You know me.

December 7, 2009 3:47 PM  

 

Yay Lori!!!  Email me with all your new info (I know I think you just did, but just in case) and I'll pass it along to my dear friends at Mabel's Labels!!!

xoxo!

Mothering Magazine Winner

And the winner is lucky #4, Tawnya!  I am really excited to gift you this subscription.  Tawnya is finding her way in attachment parenting as she is realizing that she is parenting much differently than she thought she would!

Email me with your info and I will buy your subscription for you!  Congratulations!!!

If you love Mothering but can't afford the subscription price, check out the digital subscription.  It is the full magazine delivered to your inbox!

Inspired By Finn :: Giveaway!

When I was in Chicago this summer so many people cooed and drooled on over my baby.  I mean, really, how could they not?

What every person said to me though was, "Oh! She has a necklace too! That is SO cute!".  I would then explain that it is not only cute, but functional!!!!

I am sure you've heard about amber teething necklaces before, but just in case you haven't here it goes ;)

Historically, Baltic Amber has been used in Europe as a natural and traditional remedy and curative for many ailments for centuries. Long ago it was considered one of the leading ‘medicines’ of its time. Baltic Amber is the most esteemed amber in the world, and the healing qualities of Baltic Amber make it unlike any other type of amber found in the world.

When baltic amber is worn on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases trace amounts of healing oils from the amber. These oils contain succinic acid and are absorbed into the skin.

Baltic Amber has some of the highest concentrations of Succinic Acid found in nature, and this is what makes it so special. Succinic Acid is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and it's presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways.

When I was 10 weeks pregnant with Libby, we moved into a new house, I had morning sickness, was getting over Influenza Type A and Amelia was getting all 4 molars at the same time.  Something had to give.  I bought an Amber Teething Necklace and thought, "Well, even if it doesn't work, it's not that expensive and is cute".  I was pleasantly surprised when it did work!

Since then I have used it when my kids have body aches, growing pains, or just need a little extra oomph.  Baltic amber isn't just used for teething babies anymore.  It also can help in the following ways:

• Strengthens the body's immune system -

In many different and subtle ways, succinic acid helps boost the body's own natural healing ability and immune system.

• Restoring Energy –

The human body naturally produces succinic acid. The salt of succinic acid (succinate) is one of the most active substances in the processes of cellular respiration and intercellular energy creation. Succinic acid restores oxygen and energy supply to depleted cells and helps the body return to a normal, functioning state.

Succinate is a raw material and a catalyst in the Krebs Cycle which is one of our main sources of energy. During the Krebs Cycle carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are metabolized for energy.

• Maintaining Wellness -

When the human body reacts to stress, the body’s cells begin to use oxygen more quickly. Oxygen plays a central role in the intercellular creation of energy, and a lack of oxygen can result in feeling lethargic.

Oxygen is alkaline-forming in the blood and maintaining a slightly alkaline blood ph helps keep us healthy. Whenever the body functions in a state of low oxygen, it is much more susceptible to illness.

• To help break a cycle of (chronic) inflammation -

Where chronic inflammation is present, disease lurks.

When the body’s cells are chronically inflamed the human body’s immune system response is to increase production of free radicals. Chronic overproduction of free radicals results in inflammatory-related disease. Chronic inflammation is a common denominator of many seemingly unrelated diseases.

I bought my first teething necklace from Inspired By Finn.  This is a Hyena Cart store started by a Mama who wanted to make things to help other families.  She now makes amber and hazelwood necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

The great folks at Inspired By Finn have offered to giveaway a necklace size 16 inch or smaller to one of you!!!  This is a great stocking stuffer for that little one in your life.

To enter, go on over to Inspired by Finn and tell me what your favorite item is.  Pretty easy eh?

To get additional entries you can...
1. tweet this
2. blog about it
3. post on facebook about it
4. follow this blog
5. subscribe to this blog.

I will choose a winner at random on Monday, December 21 at 9pm MST

That's not all though.  They are also offering a 20% discount to all of you!!!  Just enter "blog" at checkout and get your discount.

***Disclaimer: Due to the new CSPIA Guidelines Inspired By Finn can not recommend these necklaces for anyone under the age of 3.  They are not recommending using it for babies, I am.

LOL With Mabels Labels

A couple of weeks ago I got a package in the mail from my friends at Mabels Labels.  There were 3 packages of their newest Label Out Loud Labels, one for each of my hooligans children.  I was so excited! 

"Just like our Classic Sticky Labels, our Label Out Loud™ Sticky Labels are fantastic for toys, bottles, dishes and more, providing that famous Mabel's Labels durability in an exciting NEW look!"

My kids were THRILLED to get these also.  I have had to hide them so they don't label everything in the house though.  However, they were happy to have them on their Kleen Kanteens.  And let me tell you, these labels are super durable.  They take their Kanteens everywhere we go, and they get dirty, dropped, washed, you name it it happens.  They are not coming off.  I love them.

Now my darlings, for day 2 of giveaways....

Mabels Labels has generously offered to give one of you a set of their newest LOL Labels!  Go on over to Mabels Labels and check out all they have to offer (and they have A LOT!).  Let me know what your favorite product of theirs is and how these labels would make your life better.  That is entry number 1.

For additional entries...
To get additional entries you can...
1. tweet this
2. blog about it
3. post on facebook about it
4. follow this blog
5. subscribe to this blog.

Easy peasy.  As always, leave a comment for each entry otherwise you will only get one.  I will choose a winner at random on Thursday, December 10 at 9pm MST.


**Mabels Labels did not ask me to write a review about this and did not send me the labels to get a review, I did it of my own accord.  However, they are sponsoring the giveaway.

Mothering Magazine Review and Giveaway

Welcome December!  To ring in this month, I have some awesome reviews and giveaways for you, my darling friends.

My first review is something that is near and dear to my heart; a 1 year subscription to Mothering Magazine.  Shortly after Emma was born, my sister-in-law gave me a subscription to this magazine and in the last 7 years I have had a continuous subscription, save 1 year when we couldn't afford it.

Mothering is a different kind of parenting magazine.  It focuses more on natural parenting and less on the mainstream.  In their statement of purpose they state:

"Mothering celebrates the experience of parenthood as worthy of one's best efforts and fosters awareness of the immense importance and value of parenthood and family life in the development of the full human potential. As a readers' magazine, we recognize parents as the experts and wish to provide truly helpful information upon which parents can base informed choices.
Mothering is like no other publication. We are an original. Born in 1976 out of the need for the natural family community to learn about raising healthy children, Mothering was the birthplace of the natural family lifestyle.
Read in more than 65 countries, Mothering is the only independently owned, family living magazine in the world. We address contemporary health, personal, environmental, medical, and lifestyle issues in an upbeat, intelligent, compassionate, and courageous way.
Each issue contains philosophical inspiration and practical advice about family living. Topics are as diverse as circumcision, vaccinations, organic foods, childhood illnesses, home birth, ear infections, parenting teens, web site information, midwifery, and homeopathy.
Mothering is a family. We have an independent editorial spirit unmatched in the industry and a readership that is unmatched in responsiveness. Readers who read Mothering share many of the same values. Nowhere else will you find such proactive, passionate, and highly educated readers. In the pages of Mothering you will find an environment of credibility, trust, and authority. "

I absolutely adore this magazine.  Finding myself not choosing conventional ways of giving birth and parenting, I felt a bit lost when reading Parent's magazine.  Not that it isn't a good mag, it just didn't cater to what I was curious about.

So, Mothering was a breath of fresh air for me.  There have been numerous articles that I have earmarked and shared with other Moms.  Articles about vaccinations, breastfeeding, home birth, baby wearing, circumcision...the list goes on and on.  What I love though is that, while they are fabulous articles that get me thinking, they are very factual and have many studies and resources to back them up.

When you follow the link to Mothering (because, come on, I know you will) you will see that it is so much more than a magazine.  There are discussion forums also that you can join.  I have loved being part of the different due date forums when pregnant with Seth and Amelia (no time when I had Libby!), and popping in now and then for advice and to join a chat.

There is so much to learn there and I want to share it with one of you!  I am giving away a subscription to Mothering Magazine to one of you.  Mothering is not paying me to do this, in fact they have no idea that I am doing this.  I just love the mag and know that you will too.

So, to enter to win this all you have to do is leave me a comment.  I want to know how you incorporate gentle parenting into your everyday life and why.
To get additional entries you can...
1. tweet this
2. blog about it
3. post on facebook about it
4. follow this blog
5. subscribe to this blog.

Leave a comment for each additional entries.  If you leave one comment with all of your entries, you will only get one entry.

I will choose a winner on Tuesday, December 7 at 9pm MST.