FAQ

A cross between a veggie burger and a pancake, Niftyfare’s handcakes are free from many common allergens and come frozen in four different flavors.

There’s no need to thaw Handcakes before heating. Remove the wrapper, pop them in the toaster or microwave to heat, then eat!

You can eat them with your hands, dip them in your favorite sauce, top them with your favorite condiment, or crumble them into other dishes like omlettes, soups, or stirfries. They can even be eaten while still frozen!

Niftyfare’s handcakes come in four different flavors:  Uttas, Hoppin’ Johnnies, Hanguls, and 3 Sisters.

Niftyfare’s Handcakes come frozen in packages of 6; each handcake is about 44grams and a serving size is two handcakes. Or you can purchase a variety pack, which is 8 handcakes—two of each flavor.

3 Sisters:

Organic squash, organic blue cornmeal, black bean flour, organic brown rice flour, water, organic red cabbage, organic honey, organic coconut oil, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower oil. organic baking powder (corn starch, monosodium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves. CONTAINS: CORN, COCONUT.

Hanguls:

Organic green split peas, water, organic green cabbage, organic green onions, organic onion, organic egg, ginger root, white pepper, coconut amino acid, organic sesame oil, salt, sesame seeds, organic sunflower oil. CONTAINS: EGG, COCONUT.

Uttas:

Water, chickpea flour, organic brown rice flour, organic baking powder (corn starch, monosodium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), organic spinach, organic green onion, organic olive oil, flax seeds, ginger, cardamom, cayenne, turmeric, coriander, cumin, salt. organic sunflower oil, flaxseeds. CONTAINS: CORN.

Hoppin’ Johnnies:

Organic black-eyed peas, water, organic brown rice flour, organic onions, organic sweet pepper, organic green cabbage, organic egg, organic coconut oil, salt, sassafras, black pepper, allspice, coriander, chipotle, file. CONTAINS: EGG, COCONUT.

It’s short for gluten-free/casein-free/soy-free. Gluten is the protein in wheat and casein is the protein in dairy. All Niftyfare’s products are free of dairy (including lactose), gluten, soy, and garlic because I and my beta-tester (aka my son) can’t eat them.  Many folks who are sensitive to gluten are also sensitive to the proteins in dairy and soy, so it also makes good sense to avoid those ingredients.

Our products are all naturally gluten, soy, peanut, garlic and dairy free. We’re not currently certified, but it’s something we will be doing as we grow. For now, we use best practices to prevent cross-contamination, including using our own cooking gear and keeping it in sealed containers when not in use. Until we can afford testing to confirm that all our suppliers are keeping *their* ingredients allergen-free, I have to trust them. My main suppliers include Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills. The produce and eggs I use come from Cherry Sprout, New Seasons, or Trader Joe’s grocery stores. As Niftyfare grows, I’ll be ordering directly from local farmers whenever possible. (However the last time I checked, there was no grower of organic coconut oil in Oregon: not tropical enough here!)

Uttas are naturally nut-free; 3 Sisters, Hanguls, and Hoppin’ Johnnies contain coconut.

Not at this time. The next flavor has been picked by an investor who made a large Kickstarter donation, and I’ll be working on that over the next few months (spoiler: middle-eastern lentils!) HOWEVER, I am working on other products that are grain-free. More info coming in future updates.

Everyone deserves to eat joyfully and that includes YOU! My goal is to make every product something that everyone at the table enjoys, whether they have dietary restrictions or not. Life is just too short for yucky food.

My nickname is Nif, has been since college. It’s short for Jennifer.  I’m often told that I’m nifty… so I listened and used it in my company’s name.

My son has autism and has been on a restricted diet since 2006. It makes a huge difference in  helping him move through the world more comfortably, in ways that he chooses. I also have a dietary routine and foods that I avoid—which is why pigs will fly before you find garlic in anything I make! After all, I have to taste it.

As a busy parent, I found my scheduling needs and energy levels required food choices and preparation to be quick and easy, something that is tough given our restricted diets. Our food had to be gluten free, dairy free, soy free, peanut free, and garlic free, but we also wanted it to be fast and tasty. Instead of yet another jerky, power bar or imitation “meat,” I went back to my love of different ethnic cuisines and my vegetarian roots to create something that everyone at the table can enjoy, whether they have dietary restrictions or not. Life is just too short for yucky food.

I get passionate about things I believe in: my kid; making the world a more fair place; being healthy; having fun. I am *determined* to create the following:

• healthy food that’s fast AND tasty
• good food for which kids and everyone with restricted diets will be envied for, not ostracized.
• fiscal support for myself as a single mom
• a legacy of job creation (not just training) for my son and other people with autism
• thriving businesses that are socially responsible and green

According to Mintel, the market for gluten-free products has grown 27% between 2009 and 2011. Americans will spend $7 billion on gluten-free foods this year. With numbers like that, it seemed natural to combine my passions with market demand to create a win-win situation for all.

I am working on additional product lines, but Handcakes are my first product line. I’m working other products that are grain-free. To tempt your tastebuds, I will just say: nightshade/garlic-free pasta sauce. Working on it and others. You’ll have to follow Niftyfare on Facebook to find out when new flavors or products will be released!

I strive to make sure Niftyfare is not damaging to our earth. All of Niftyfare’s packaging (including boxes and packing material) are reusable or recyclable. I offer carbon offset for shipping for a small additional fee.

Handcakes are shipped with dry ice and insulated packaging to make sure they stay frozen.

Handcakes come in packages of six, or a variety pack of eight with two of each flavor.

At this time, I am shipping through UPS 2nd day mail, and their charge are based on how far away you are from Portland, OR. You can save on delivery charges if you live locally and would like to schedule a pick-up at the Kitchen or meet-up with me on my travels around stumptown.