Bob’s Red Mill Wonderful Gluten-Free bread mix once again over here in the Give It A Whirl Girl Kitchen. This time I was craving a peanut butter & jelly sandwich so I ventured into the kitchen to make my own loaf of bread. I also had some jars of Sunbutter Sunflower Seed Spread that I needed to try out and a jar of Herkner Farms Champagne Raspberry Preserves that I picked up at Devries & Company 1887. I had all of my ingredients and all I kept thinking about was how this would be the greatest wannabe peanut butter & jelly sandwich of all time. This was my first time giving Sunbutter a whirl and I was so excited to try it.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Wonderful Bread, with Sunbutter, and champagne raspberry jelly sandwich
It all starts with Bob’s Red Mill
Oh boy… I am blogging about this Wonderful Bread Mix once again! Let me tell you this… this gluten-free mix truly is wonderful and that is why it is in the name of the product. I have a problem getting my gluten-free breads to fluff up when I use my own recipe and ingredients. Maybe it is just me but my gluten-free bread do not rise up much. Bob’s Red Mill does include a yeast packet with the mix and that is probably why this mix results in a soft and fluffy loaf with the perfect bread crust. I had a wonderful feeling that this fluffy bread would pair well with my Organic Sunbutter Spread.
If you are local to the Detroit area, chances are you have been to Eastern Market at least once in your life. If you are a foodie like me then chances are you have visited several times. Eastern Market is a bustling area of visitors looking for the best deals on fresh produce, other food items, and flowers. Through Groupon, we have also discovered a miraculous place nestled down there in all of the action, DeVries & Company 1887. We regularly purchase Groupons to get some good bargains there and we went equipped with one yesterday to stock up on some unique foods.
Each and every time you visit Eastern Market it is a different experience because there are different vendors.
Give It A Whirl Girl in Eastern Market with a rainbow rose
Rainbow roses at Eastern Market in Detroit, MI
Our trip to Eastern Market in Detroit and DeVries & Company 1887
My family of three really values these trips down to the city to explore all of the foods that Eastern Market has to offer. Yesterday it was just my husband and me on a little day-date while my daughter hung out with her friends. Our first stop was DeVries & Company 1887 and we got a wonderful haul there. Then we stopped into the sheds at Eastern Market with our canvas shopping bags and filled those bags up with a plethora of foods. When I come home from these trips I unload my bags and marvel in all of the glory of having these available in the Give It A Whirl Girl kitchen. My day is always made on these trips and I treasure them in my memory and mind.
There are beautiful murals all over the Eastern Market areaEastern Market in Detroit, MI – The home of many food vendors selling produce, meat, cheese, plants, and flowers.
First stop – A visit to DeVries & Company 1887
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
Cheese and Meats at DeVries & Company 1887- What they are best known for
DeVries & Company is a large historic building with three levels of fun finds. Yesterday we only explored the lower level where a majority of the foods are kept. The other two levels are gift shops where you can obtain some neat things.
This place is well-known for their cheeses. We have bought some in the past from DeVries & Company 1887 and had a cheeseboard full of them at a Wine & Onesies party and the cheeses were a big hit. There are numerous to choose from here and if you like cheese there is a cheese for everyone that can be located here. Check out their Facebook page to see their cheese offerings which are regularly posted. They also have a variety of interesting meats to pair with your cheeses. You will have the best cheeseboard in town if you stop in here to stock up!
DeVries & Company 1887 cheese station
DeVries & Company 1887 meat station
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
Not just meats and cheese
DeVries & Company 1887 is more than just a meat and cheese shop. This place is like a little grocery store with gourmet foods and uncommon, specialty food products. Pro tip: grab a Groupon and save some money here. You can get a $50 voucher to shop with for around $20-$25 and get more bang for your buck here.
Balsamic vinegars & oils
If you recently stumbled upon my 100th post on the blog I discussed two different, unique balsamic vinegars used to create a chocolate-raspberry nice-cream. This is the place where you can pick up some bottles of those (there are several to choose from and they are all imported from Italy). There is also a wide variety of various oils by the same brand (Fanchone Gourmet) that you can sample here. You won’t leave empty-handed after trying these out. They all have interesting flavor profiles and they will help take your cooking to the next level. The Meyer Lemon oil was fascinating and I really should have bought that one because that would likely result in the greatest chicken piccata known to man!
Various oils to sample at DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
Various balsamic vinegars to sample at DeVries & Company 1887 – Detroit, MI
A few items that I took home with me
I am a curious eater and I live for the adventure of trying new foods. You all know that. That’s why my blog is titled, “Give It A Whirl Girl”. In the photos below I am letting you see a sneak peek of a few things I took home with me. I am super duper pumped and excited to experience these foods.
Raspberry salsa
I have a major mad addiction to anything raspberry flavored and I couldn’t pass up this Traverse Bay Farms Raspberry Salsa. This was my first time seeing a raspberry salsa so I had to swoop this up! My husband also talked me into bringing home some mango salasa bag of chips from Aunt Nee’s.
Hibiscus sugar
Then I spotted this Mr. Gigglepants Hibiscus Sugar. I was instantly intrigued by this sugar made by Beautiful Briny Sea. It is described as:
A fun, tutti fruitti treat for your cupcakes, French toast, fresh fruit fancy drinks, just about anything that needs a giggle.
I really don’t have a plan for this sugar just yet. It was my big splurge item at DeVrie’s. It was $11 for a 14 oz can. I will figure something out soon though. Maybe I can whip up a batch of cupcakes next week and incorporate Mr. Gigglepants into it.
Root-beer BBQ sauce
Let it be known, I think Guy Fieri is annoying as hell. (insert lols here). I spotted his Root Beer Barbeque Sauce and could not pass it up. I bought it with the intention of making some pulled pork sandwiches with it. Whenever I made pulled pork sandwiches I always cook my pork in root-beer. Sounds weird right? But it is so good!
Our Visit To Eastern Market
Eastern Market in Detroit, MI
When you go to Eastern Market there is a ton of stuff to take in and see all around you. There are tables set up with fresh fruits and vegetables, there are people selling their homemade salsas, honey, fresh pierogi, succulents, and flowers, etc.
There are two different ways to visit Eastern Market. You can arrive early when everything is all set up and available. Or you can arrive mid-afternoon when the vendors are about to close up for the day. They want to sell what they brought with them so you will be walking by and the vendors will be shouting out deals to you. It happened to me yesterday. We came late in the afternoon and I scored some great deals. I got a carton of strawberries for a dollar. I also got some blackberries for a dollar. Those prices sure do beat the local grocery store prices.
I do realize I made a bit of a boo-boo with my photos here. I must have been just vegetable obsessed because I just realized I did not shoot any photographs of fruit and Eastern Market has a huge load of fruit to choose from at really reasonable prices. So I am very sorry about that. Next time I visit I will be sure to snap some photos of fruits.
Ornamental Indian corn at Eastern MarketBundles of rainbow carrots at Eastern Market – I can not leave this place without taking home some purple and white carrotsBeautiful vegetables at Eastern MarketJumbo stalks of Brussels sprouts at Eastern MarketPurple kale at Eastern Market – what a gorgeous color and it appears to be so fresh!Quail eggs and duck eggs for sale at Eastern Market – now that is something you do not see every day!Spice Miser at Eastern Market – This vendor is a must-see! Spice Miser offers a huge variety of seasonings and spices. Be sure to take home a bag. I always make sure I bring something home from the Spice Miser.Mushrooms galore at Eastern Market! Many exotic mushrooms to choose from that are grown in Chesterfield, MI. Give and Grow Mushrooms LLCGive and Grow Mushrooms LLC offers a wide variety of exotic, gourmet mushrooms at Eastern MarketThis was a first for me! Black garlic but $5 a bulb. I was tempted. Eastern Market – Detroit, MIFlowers and eggplants at Eastern Market in Detroit, MIFresh and local honey at Eastern Market in Detroit, MIPepper obsessed! Eastern Market, Detroit, MISo much to choose from and great prices on vegetables at Eastern Market
Be sure to see the murals
There are gigantic murals painted on the buildings all over the Eastern Market area. Be sure to take a stroll around and snap some pics of the art.
Eastern Market in Detroit, MI – The home of many food vendors selling produce, meat, cheese, plants, and flowers.
Mural in the Eastern Market area of Detroit, MI
Eastern Market in Detroit, MI – The home of many food vendors selling produce, meat, cheese, plants, and flowers.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Here is my haul from both DeVries & Company 1887 and Eastern Market
As you can see here I have a pretty decent haul from both DeVries and Eastern Market. I love getting home and unloading all of my newly acquired foods. I am already looking forward to my next trip back.
Haul from Eastern Market and DeVries & Company 1887
Haul from Eastern Market and DeVries & Company 1887
Haul from Eastern Market and DeVries & Company 1887
Have you ever visited DeVries & Company 1887 in the Eastern Market district? Will you be purchasing a Groupon to shop there?
Have you ever went to Eastern Market in Detroit, MI? What is your best memory? Please share by leaving a comment.
This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes. I love the taste of peanut butter and jelly. It is a taste that takes me back to my childhood. PB&J is such a nostalgic flavor. This recipe will create 2 servings (or one very large serving) of overnight oats topped with naturally sweetened chia jam and almond butter. You will not have to use all of the jam and almond butter in your overnight oats. You can store those items and save them for future use.
This recipe requires a few different components. You will be creating your own sugar-free jam. This is simple and easy to make. It gets the sweetness right from the fruit and the raw honey.
Triple Berry Chia Jam
You will also be creating an almond butter. Let’s face it… nut butters can carry a hefty price tag. It is quite simple to make your own if you have the patience to get it properly blended up. The easiness of this step will rely heavily on the quality of your food processor. For me, it took a few minutes to get mine smooth and I also had to take a moment from processing to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix it up.
Your homemade almond butter can keep in the fridge for several weeks in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to four months. Once the almond butter is refrigerated you may need to warm it up a bit to get it to soften.
Almond Butter
The overnight oats step in the recipe is the most simple. You will want to do this recipe the night before you plan on enjoying it. The oats need time to absorb the milk & maple syrup. They also need to soften up.
Ingredients for the oats:
1 cup of gluten-free oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Oats)
1 cup of dairy-free milk (I used Pacific Organics Unsweetened Vanilla Hemp Milk)
1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
Ingredients for the jam:
1 1/2 cups fresh berries (I used raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
Let’s start off with the oats. This step is simple in easy. I use 1 cup of oats and place them in a Mason jar. Pour in the milk and the maple syrup. Give it a good stir. Allow this to chill in the fridge for a few hours so it can soften.
Next step is to wash your fruit and place in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of raw honey and a splash of lemon juice. Use a medium heat setting.
Warm the fruit up for a few minutes until it starts to break down easily and you can mash it up with a wooden spoon.
Add in 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and stir until well incorporated.
Continue cooking until this reduces down into a jam-like consistency.
Allow the jam to cool in the fridge for an hour
Now onto the almond butter! To make the nut butter you roast 1 1/2 cups of raw almonds in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Allow the nuts to cool after they come out of the oven and then place them in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of raw honey, and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
Use the high setting on your food processor and be patient during this step. It may take awhile to get the nuts creamy and smooth. If you need to add more coconut oil to the mixture do so with just a tiny bit.
Your nut butter will start to ball up when it is ready. Give it a good stir to make sure it is well incorporated.
After the oats have chilled and soften, top it with your homemade jam and almond butter. Enjoy!
If you are in a hurry and do not have time to make your own almond butter at home I would highly suggest opting for something that is low in sugars.Justin’s Classic Almond Butter has only 1 gram of sugar per serving. Maranatha is also a great go-to brand. Their almond butter has 3 grams of sugar per serving.
Hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think in the comments below if you decide to give it a try.
Have you ever made overnight oats? Let me know in the comments!
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I do receive a small commission if items are purchased through these links. All opinions stated here are my own.
