Coffee, Tea & Chocolate!

April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This trio of warming drinks has been on my mind lately.

And while I’ve never been a coffee drinker myself, I do like a good, bracing cup of tea.

In fact, my morning meal doesn’t seem complete without a big mug of this steaming brew, preferably a robust variety of green tea such as Hojicha or Gunpowder.

The names alone are part of the experience!

Whether a tea or coffee drinker, who among us hasn’t visited their local Starbuck’s on occasion, or made this a regular part of their daily routine?

Not only are there coffee shops on just about every corner, but the coffee and tea aisles in the local grocery store are nearly filled to overflowing with a wide assortment of brands and flavors.

And here is where the gluten-free among us can definitely run into some challenges, since these flavored brews may not be gluten-free.

As always, you need to be diligent about reading labels, and look for words like “natural flavors” listed in the ingredients – which indicates that particular beverage may or may not be suitable.

It isn’t always clear.

If anything sounds the least bit suspect – and the words gluten-free do not appear on the label – my advice to you is to keep looking!

As for chocolate – whether hot chocolate or chocolate candy – the same advice applies, especially if you are looking for suitable Easter candy.

In honor of the Easter holiday – and this trio of beverages – I’m sharing 3 recipes that feature chocolate in one form or another.

This way, you can indulge both your sweet tooth and your chocolate cravings while knowing these treats are absolutely safe for your special diet.

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How To Massage Your Greens

March 31, 2012 By 2 Comments

Did you know you can massage your food?

Yes, it’s true!

I learned of this technique about a year ago, when I first tasted a raw kale salad that was infinitely more tender than the kale salads I typically made at home.

I wasn’t sure what the restaurant had done to make the salad so tasty.

Before too long, I read about a technique that involved “massaging” your greens. I realized this was the exact process the restaurant had used to perfect their kale salad.

The sky’s the limit here, by the way – you’re not limited to kale.

Just about any greens can be massaged – chard, spinach, collards, arugula, lettuce – you name it.

Why the focus on Greens?

Kale, spinach, swiss chard and the like are the basis for a healthy, well-rounded diet.

Not only do leafy greens add necessary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – they are also considered essential to reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and other age-related illnesses.

Add the fact that they’re naturally gluten-free, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to include some of these leafy greens on a daily basis.

I’m still fairly new, myself, to introducing some of these nutritional powerhouses into my diet.

For the longest time I was strictly a lettuce and spinach kind of gal, until I decided to expand my horizons.

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The Raw Food Diet vs Gluten-Free

March 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Raw Foods diet seems to be all the rage lately, and while it’s a seemingly healthy way of eating, I’m by no means an expert.

Which is why, when an acquaintance asked me:  “Are Raw Foods always Gluten-Free?” – I almost caught myself saying ‘yes’ before realizing that wasn’t necessarily true.

Eating Raw Foods involves sprouting grains – and those grains can be just about anything!

Which means, if you are sprouting wheat, or barley – then no, this is not a viable solution for your gluten-free diet.

It comes down to knowing which grains, or foods in general, are gluten-free in their natural state, and which are not.

I have a few cookbooks  – (really, you need a cookbook to prepare foods that don’t require cooking?) – and yes, I’ve have dabbled with a few recipes.

Ultimately, though, I like plenty of variety in my meals.

While I eat a fair amount of salads, and other foods in their raw state, I still prefer cold foods when the weather is warmer, and warming foods on colder days.

Also, if you’re going to go all out with the Raw Foods diet, it really pays to have a dehydrator.

And while I’ve been tempted, I haven’t bought one.

The reason why is simple. I already have way too much kitchen equipment and from what I’ve seen dehydrators are fairly large.

I have no idea where I’d store the thing, and I just don’t want anything else cluttering my kitchen counters.

Also, if I stop to ask myself “Do I really need it?” – the answer is no.

Yes, it’s possible to use your oven instead, and I have tried this but haven’t been all that thrilled with the results.

One other thing.

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The Joy of Comfort Food

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Back in the day, girls were required to take Home Economics classes, otherwise referred to as ‘Home Ec’, for short.

These classes were devoted to learning the mysteries of both cooking and sewing, the belief being that every proper young woman must have basic knowledge in both areas.

If I remember correctly, this began in Junior High School.

And so it passed, that my first sewing project produced an apron that was to be worn regularly during subsequent cooking classes.

Still etched in my memory, is my one of my earliest cooking assignments – to prepare my very first, complete meal from scratch.

Of course, back then, my idea of the perfect meal was my childhood favorite – Tuna Casserole.

And even though my tastes have changed over the years & definitely matured – there are still times when nothing will quite satisfy like good old Tuna Casserole.

It may no longer be my all-time favorite, but for me, it’s still the ultimate comfort food.

Ah, comfort.

It’s what makes us feel good, when things are maybe not going quite as planned.

It’s the familiarity of a favorite food, a favorite chair, or a favorite book.

It’s a memory, perhaps, something that takes us back to childhood.

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5 Ways to Fine-Tune Your Ingredients

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Whether or not you are new to the gluten-free lifestyle, it’s easy to fall prey to less than wise food choices.

Perhaps even more surprising, you can follow a gluten-free diet religiously and still be eating poorly.

How is that possible?

Well, just because your diet is gluten-free – or vegan, vegetarian or something else entirely – it doesn’t mean your diet is healthy.

After all, temptation is everywhere.

And regardless of which diet you follow, processed, sugary foods are often pervasive.

However, fear not. Below are some easy tips that could easily get you back on the right track.

 

Embrace Whole Foods

There is joy to be found in eating low on the food chain.

That means embracing the foods that come directly from the earth, with little to no processing.

In fact, that is the very definition of a whole food.

The fewer ingredients, the better off you will be. Plus, you can be sure that none of these products contain gluten or any other suspect ingredients.

Indeed, whole foods are about as pure as you can get.

Next time you’re shopping for groceries, here are some questions you can ask before tossing less than healthy choices into your grocery cart.

  • Where does the food come from?
  • Is it naturally derived from the earth?
  • Can you imagine it growing in a field?

The journey of a whole food from earth to market is a direct one. These are the foods that are packed full of nutritional benefits that will jump-start your diet in no time.

And that’s what you want.

 

Eat the Rainbow

Look for the freshest, most beautiful ingredients you can find, especially when buying produce.

Remind yourself to ‘eat the rainbow’.

If you’re not sure what that means, eating the rainbow refers to the kaleidoscope of colors found in nature. Your choices in produce – in a range of colors from red, green, purple, orange and yellow – are the very foods you need to include to ensure optimal health.

Be sure to grab a copy of the March issue of Whole Living Magazine – for an in-depth look at what this concept really means.

Not only are the pictures gorgeous but there are also some delicious recipes for you to experiment with.

 

Focus on Quality

Beyond produce, look for hormone-free, grass-fed beef and organic, cage-free poultry. Choose wild fish over farmed.

Focus on quality, organic ingredients wherever possible, whether purchasing fresh, frozen or canned.

Speaking of canned, keep in mind that most cans – whether aluminum or steel – are coated with the chemical BPA (bisphenol A), which has recently been the subject of many health concerns.

I buy Eden brand canned beans and Nature Forest Coconut Milk –  two brands that are known to be BPA-free.

Make sure your diet also includes whole grains and legumes, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats.

That’s right – fats can be healthy, too!

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Warming Foods For Colder Days

March 2, 2012 By 2 Comments

It’s a blustery day outside.

Every time I think that Spring is just around the corner, the temperature plummets again – a clear reminder that it is indeed still Winter.

This makes me want to do little more than curl up in front of a roaring fire with a hot cup of tea.

It’s the perfect thing, this time of year – a hot meal, or a bowl of soup, to warm us from the inside out.

What’s interesting to me is that while food can be literally hot or cold, according to how it’s been prepared, many foods also have inherent qualities of warmth or coolness – without going anywhere near a stove.

Take the cucumber, for example.

I don’t know about you, but cucumbers don’t tempt me in the least on a wintry day. Maybe that’s because they’re usually eaten raw, but it’s also because they have an inherently cooling effect.

Herbs and spices are also known to be either warm or cool.

A ‘warm’ herb, for example, can increase blood flow and create a warming sensation in the body. Such herbs and spices are often used for improved circulation, reduced joint pain or to stimulate the immune system.

The list includes ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom all of which remind me of warm gingerbread, fresh from the oven.

Dark chocolate and peppermint are wonderful as well, either used separately or paired together in drinks and desserts.

On the spicier side, we have hot peppers, garlic and cayenne – perfect in hot soups or stews.

Notice that such a meal, while heated and literally served hot, also contains ingredients that are considered hot by their very nature.

Colors do the same thing – and there is a rainbow of colors in our food!

But let’s go back to that fireplace for a moment.

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Easy Tips For The Gluten-Free Traveler

February 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The focus, this week,  is once again on travel. 

Even though Winter hasn’t quite let go of its grip, many of us having been dreaming of sunnier places, maybe even starting to plan this year’s summer vacation.

Where will you go?

Today, I want to share with you an extremely well-written travel article I came across a few weeks ago, that I think is a fabulous resource!

It applies to everyone, by the way, whether you’re gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, or dealing with any kind of food allergy, or food related illness.

Since going gluten-free eight years ago, I haven’t yet traveled to a foreign country, other than Canada.

Which doesn’t really count, since the language and food options are pretty much what I’d find here – just with different packaging.

I have a good friend, though, who is gluten-free and accompanies her husband on regular trips to Paris.

She says she’s never had a problem.

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7 Myths of the Gluten-Free Diet

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It’s Too Expensive

While it’s true to some extent that eating Gluten-Free can be expensive, I do believe that there are ways to cut costs and still eat well.

I’m also a firm believer in emphasizing Quality – whether we’re talking food, design or clothing.

Anything of Quality is going to serve you well.

Clothing and furniture will last that much longer, and when it comes to food, well, it’s your health that’s at stake.

So even if the Gluten-Free lifestyle is a bit of an investment for you, I prefer to think of this as Supplemental Insurance.

In other words, you are investing in & taking better care of your body, with the ultimate goal of reducing your trips to the doctor  – and medical costs in general.

I’ve addressed this belief further in my Free Guide:  7 Ways to Design a Gluten Free Life.

 

It’s OK to Cheat

Actually, it’s never OK to cheat, especially if you’re Celiac and you know better.

I’ve heard horror stories about people who became a good deal sicker – beyond the point of ever being able to recover their health – just from not taking their gluten-free lifestyle seriously.

Again, this comes down to the gluten-free diet being a medical necessity if you are to maintain your health.

If it isn’t a necessity for you, and you’ve adopted a gluten-free diet for non-medical reasons, then that is a very different scenario.

 

The Gluten-Free Diet is Synonymous With Deprivation

Absolutely not.

This is the equivalent of telling yourself that you will never again be able to splurge on your favorite foods.

Or splurge, period.

I think you can absolutely have your cake and eat it too! These days, you can find gluten-free baked goods in any grocery store, and there are many gluten-free bakeries  – some of them even ship!

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Love Is In the Air

February 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

Valentine’s Day is next week, which means a big focus on  showing the people you care about, how much you love and appreciate them.

A friend of mine pointed out that it is just as important to love and appreciate yourself – and that is so true!

Even better, was a suggestion I heard to give the gift of avoiding any sweets, whatsoever.

Simply because just about every store we walk into says that February 14 is a day for chocolate – is that really a must?

Well, I must admit I gave these suggestions considerable thought.

I’m all for showing myself some extra love and appreciation – along with my spouse.

I think that’s actually a lovely idea.

I also love the suggestion to honor Valentine’s Day some other way, something that does not involve chocolate, or sweets of any kind.

In the end, however, I decided that I’d rather have a little something sweet and chocolaty – in a healthy kind of way, I might add.

So, what will be on the dessert menu in my house?

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HOW TO SPOT SOMETHING FISHY

February 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

An acquaintance of mine – whose true identity shall remain anonymous – swears that whenever she has fish in a restaurant she gets sick.

As it happens, the restaurant setting is the only place she will eat fish, or seafood, since she never prepares it herself, at home.

That I can understand.

I rarely cook fish at home, myself, only because other family members dislike the fishy smell that tends to permeate the house.

So, whenever I dine at a restaurant – fish or seafood is usually my go-to meal.

And I can honestly say, it never, ever makes me sick.

So here’s the thing.

If eating fish makes you ill every single time – regardless of the restaurant – maybe something else is brewing?

Maybe, just maybe, my friend gets sick because she simply can’t tolerate fish due to either a food allergy or sensitivity.

I’m guessing it has absolutely nothing to do with the restaurant.

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