Campfire Pretzel Bites with Glutino

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Glutino® and Udis®. The opinions and text are all mine.

I married into a family of doctors. Of course, it is quite beneficial when I need a flu shot or have a question about a sore throat. But there are times that I find my medically-inclined in-laws quite a nuisance. For example, like the time that my husband’s aunt casually leaned over the Thanksgiving Day table and told me to put down the bread roll because I had a gluten intolerance. Hand to my heart, that was exactly how she broke the results of an allergy blood test I had asked her to perform. I barely had time to wipe the crumbs off my hands before I could run to the bathroom to cry. Live in a world without donuts?! It was literally one of the worst days of my life. And that’s why I need to say, thank heavens for Glutino and Udi’s!

It’s been years since that dark day and I have slowly come to terms with the diagnosis. All kidding aside, once I learned to (largely) cut out gluten, all my mysterious gastrointestinal issues I had been dealing with for years miraculously disappeared. I really did have a medical necessity to go gluten-free and I am begrudgingly thankful for the diagnosis. That is not to say that I don’t forgo a little abdominal discomfort for an extra-large cinnamon bun on a holiday morning. Seriously now, what would be the point of living without ever again licking the buttery flakes of a croissant off your lips?! It has taken years to get used to eating without gluten, not only because it makes food taste amazing, but because it is in everything. And I have gone through my fair share of gluten-free products to find edible substitutes for my favorite staples. The word ‘edible’ being the biggest challenge in that last sentence. Some gluten-free products can taste terrible. There. I said it. I have eaten my way through most of the specialty aisle at Randall’s and some of the only products that pass the test are made by Glutino and Udi’s. And luckily for me, Glutino has a wide array of snacks and baking mixes that make me feel human again.

Glutino Pretzel Twists taste like… well, they taste just like pretzel twists. Is this some sort of gluten-free witchcraft, you ask?! Yes, probably. I don’t know what is in the recipe. They are gluten-free and they taste fantastic. I actually get to have my pretzels and eat them too?! Hallelujah! Discovering these little twists of flavorful magic was a momentous day. Particularly, due to the fact that I live in a house with a pantry full of bread, cookies, crackers, and everything else I cannot regularly eat. Yes, the cruelest twist of them all is that I am the only one in my family with a gluten intolerance. WHY?!!!! *Shakes fist towards the Heavens* So, when I want to splurge and not feel like I am sacrificing on flavor, I bust out the Glutino Pretzel Twists and whip up today’s recipe. See, there is a silver lining. Who’s up for some gluten-free Campfire Pretzel Bites?!

Campfire Pretzel Bites

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup of Glutino Pretzel Twists
• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup of tasted coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoon of roasted cocoa nibs
• 6-8 slices of sweetened dried oranges
• Garnish: Mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

1. Break the Glutino Pretzel Twists into pieces and set aside.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl and microwave in increments of 30 seconds, mixing in between, until melted. This should take approximately 1 minute to 1 ½ minutes.
3. Pour the pretzel pieces into the melted chocolate and mix until fully covered. Do the same with the coconut flakes and cocoa nibs.
4. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper and place the orange slices on it. Top the orange slices with a heap of the chocolate mixture. Garnish with mini marshmallows.
5. Place in the refrigerator 15-30 minutes to harden. Remove from the refrigerator and enjoy!

Once these little bites of magic are made, I proceed to lock myself in my office with a large cup of coffee and enjoy. I am not sharing!

I guess going gluten-free isn’t all that bad. If you find yourself in a similar life predicament, then I highly recommend you head over to your local Safeway/Albertsons chain and use this digital coupon to save $1 off a Glutino or Udi’s product. So, who’s up to try out this Campfire Pretzel Bites recipe?

Get more dessert recipe ideas in my ‘Sweets’ section here!