Mary’s Gone Crackers – Complete Natural Goodness Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to commentor #149: Rebecca!

About the Crackers & Cookies

Mary’s Gone Crackers, are a crisp delicious cracker with a rich nutty flavor, wheat-free, gluten-free and organic. Made of organic whole grain brown rice, organic quinoa (keen-wa: a high protein seed/grain), organic flax seeds and organic brown sesame seeds, with no added fat. They are surprisingly satisfying on their own or with your favorite toppings. Always hold their crunch; unlike any other cracker you’ve ever had–they will soon become a staple in your cupboards.

Mary’s Story

In 1994, I discovered that my lifelong battle with digestive pain and fatigue had been caused by an inability to digest gluten–a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and most oats. Once I eliminated those grains from my diet, the symptoms I had struggled with disappeared. (My son was found to have the same intolerance). As excited as I was to have found the source of my pain, I was also faced with the difficulty of finding things to eat in a culture that bases much of its food on the grains I couldn’t eat. Having been a creative baker my whole life, I started experimenting in my kitchen. I knew I could live without bread, but the thought of not having my brownies was intolerable. I played with the alternative flours–rice, corn, garbanzo bean, tapioca, potato starch and potato flour, and others–until I was able to reproduce my brownies to my satisfaction. Pancakes, waffles, muffins, cookies and other essentials soon followed. I got better and better at blending the different flours into something that resembled the texture and consistency of wheat flour and produced different, but delicious results.

Going out in the world was a different matter. While my friends sat in restaurants filling up with warm sour dough bread slathered with sweet butter, I sat hungry. When I went to parties with tables full of cheeses and dips, there wasn’t a cracker or bread stick that I could eat. I got an idea for a base for baked goods using brown rice. I played with it in my head for months and then started working with it in my kitchen. I tried it in a variety of forms before I hit on the cracker. That took many tries as well before I eventually developed the recipe for my unique rice cracker–brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, salt and wheat free tamari. I made them in small batches for myself, took them in little bags when I went to restaurants and parties, and felt less deprived. Then I watched as others started eating them. Everyone, from finicky teens to young children, to adults with a range of palates, loved them. I had to make more, so that when I went out, there was enough for everyone, not just me.

Soon I was making ovens full, buying sealable bags and giving them away. I took them with me everywhere and never brought any back home. They tasted great and stayed fresh for a long time. And there was nothing like them on the market. In 2000, I decided that these crackers needed to be mass produced. I think it was after I had taken a big batch with me on a trip to the Caribbean. My friend told me not to bother because everything gets stale and soggy in the warm, humid tropical air. I brought them anyway, hoping that they would withstand the environment and they did! One night while I was there we invited a few people from my friend’s new neighborhood to have hors d’oeuvres and wine and I put out my crackers. Once again I watched as a room full of adults (from all over the world) tasted my crackers for the first time. A quizzical look would cross their faces as they took their first bite, and then they would look at the cracker and say, “wow, these crackers are delicious, where did you get them?.”

We now have nationwide distribution and are reaching new fans every day. (We are also distributed in Canada under the name “Mary’s Organic Crackers.”) I am VERY happy not to be making them in my kitchen anymore! I’m looking forward to bringing you my other delicious, organic, gluten-free baked goods also developed in my home kitchen.

My Thoughts on The Products

In trying these products, I was impressed by first the ingredients and natural goodness packed into a small portion. Once I took my first bite, you can just taste the grains packed into the crunchy, organic baked crackers and cookies.

The flavors that Mary’s Gone Crackers offers were very unique. Some of the unique flavors for their crackers included: Black Pepper, Caraway & Onion  along with other flavors.

The crackers themselves got mixed reviews within the family. Diva-PJ and I thought they were tasty but J-Mom and Diva-J thought they were either too bland or too spicy for their taste. I could see how someone could say they were a bit spicy, but for me, I like a little spice (whether mild or hot). While I do not need to eat a gluten free diet, I do have family members that do and I know that from watching them it is not always easy finding or preparing foods that they can eat with comfort and taste.  These crackers allow them to find products that can make them feel like everyone else.

We also tried out the three types of cookies that they have including: Chocolate Chip, Ginger Snaps & N’Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. In trying all three I think the who Divadom clan liked the Chocolate Chip Cookies the best. We were a bit surprised that both of the other two cookies had quite a bite to them. As I mentioned, I am a bit pleased when I get a bit of bite, but others in my family are not as enamored.

Overall, these were great crackers for those that are looking for a unique change to the everyday snack, or for someone who for dietary reasons need a gluten free or organic diet.

WIN IT!

How would you like to win some Mary’s Gone Crackers to try out for yourself? To enter:

• Just stop by Mary’s Gone Crackers before midnight, March 4th and check out their products.
• Then come back and mention which one you find most interesting. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 2 days to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
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• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here and to Mary’s Gone Crackers.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

This post was written for Mary’s Gone Crackers who provided the item for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy.