Freedom Feature: Nancy Kalish “Rule Breaker Snacks”

Connecting the celiac disease and food allergy/intolerance community together by sharing our stories to food freedom. From our beginning struggles to striving after a diagnosis, we can all relate and help each other out by sharing what we’ve learned and our unique personal journeys.

Fulfilling my promise! Today’s Freedom Feature is all about the fabulous brand Rule Breaker Snacks (formerly Pure Genius)! I personally met the brand at the GFAF Expo last year and knew I had to have them on for a Freedom Feature! Their Brownies and Blondies are some of the best, soft, chewy, chocolaty bars you will ever have! And guess what? Totally Top 8-Free and made with BEANS! You all know that beans and legumes have a very special place on this blog. They really can be made into anything, eh?

background: who are you?

what led you to start Rule Breaker? 

After interviewing hundreds of doctors, nutritionists, and scientists, I knew exactly what to eat to be healthy. BUT, I had a very unhealthy sweet tooth.  (Actually, I still have it!)  I could never find anything at the health food store that lived up to my high standards for ingredients and taste, so I got to work in my Brooklyn kitchen. I have no serious allergies (although, I am vegan and gluten-free by choice), but I was struck by the increasing number of people with food allergies and other dietary restrictions, especially kids.  So I decided to try and make something that almost everyone could eat and feel good about. It took more than a year and hundreds of dirty pans, but, I created a collection of gluten-free, vegan brownies, blondies, and bars full of guilt-free goodness. Made from only natural, non-GMO ingredients, they’re free of the top 8 major allergens including wheat, nuts, egg, dairy, and soy and contain no preservatives.  Now, it’s such a pleasure to exhibit at events such as gluten-free/allergen-free expos.  Kids with allergies run up to our table and their eyes light up when they realize they can eat real brownies when they’re usually deprived; it makes it all worthwhile!

what are the foundations, values, and mission of your company?

We call ourselves Rule Breaker because you have to break the rules (and be a little crazy) to come up with a great tasting, allergen-free treats.  I had to think WAY outside the mixing bowl to create treats that are more than 40% beans (yes, beans!).  But, you’d never know that from the taste. And as I’ve said before, I wanted to create something that everyone could eat—including someone with multiple allergies/restrictions.  We’re even certified kosher by the Orthodox Union.

tell us about your products and what makes them unique?

Our Deep Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Chunk Blondie are produced in a dedicated allergen-free facility.  It’s frequently tested to make sure it adheres to a 10ppm (parts per million) standard. No one who works there is allowed to bring gluten into the building…not even regular bread as part of a sandwich. We use gluten-free certified oats in all our products. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but may come in contact with gluten-containing grains in the field, during storage, or during transportation.  Currently, we use Cream Hill Estates oats, which go through a rigorous three-stage verification process to ensure that they are pure and uncontaminated with gluten.  Oats from Cream Hill Estates consistently test below or near the test’s lower limit of quantification, which is five (5) parts per million. Rule Breaker Snacks are free from the top 8 most common allergens.  Our products contain no peanuts, tree nuts, coconuts, dairy, soy, wheat, fish or shellfish, and nothing containing those ingredients is made in our facility. There is a tiny amount of corn in our baking powder. We are working hard to find a corn-free alternative!

what do you hope to see in the future; for yourself, the company, and the gluten-free/food allergy community?

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Make sure to follow along with Rule Breaker on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

So tell me:

+  Now…Deep Chocolate Brownie or Chocolate Chunk Blondie?

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