Holistic Eating In The New Year

 Now that Christmas is over and a better year (hopefully awaits) it's time to start thinking about eating better. Holistic eating is a start in the right direction. You can lose weight  but without the strident rules of other diets.

Some may dismiss holistic eating as being too New Age. However it's the best thing that can happen to you and your body. You can finally break up with the diet culture and trust your own instincts about what's good for you. Another important aspect is seeing it as fuel, something to drive you. It's not filler. It's also honoring your body and the signals its' giving you. Doing such will give you satisfaction and a new self respect. Start off with a temporary food journal - nothing long term or you'll make yourself crazy. Do it for the first couple of months. Record how hungry you were when you sat down as well as the mood you were in. Did you eat everything or left some on the plate? How satisfied were you with the food and what did you eat. Other questions deal with experiencing emotions and did you feel any gastrointestinal problems? Note flavors. You may notice patterns arising during your meal times. You may feel hangry or a mix of hungry and angry when you eat lunch. There may be stress at breakfast or tiredness at dinner. are you gravitating towards more processed than fresh foods? Do you drink soda and tea with your meals or just water? Look at all the bad habits you have and try to amend them.

What should you eat on a holistic diet? Load up on fruits and veggies. Try to get as much organic as possible. Hit the farmer;s market when they eventually come back (this may take a while thanks to Covid and the communities welcome back to open air markets). Try to eat as much raw as possible however don't feel guilty if you have steamed broccoli or pan roasted carrots. One of the most important steps in  creating a holistic diet is ditching all those white flour and processed products. Go for whole grain and gluten free. If you're into baking then go for King Arthur and  Bob's Red Mill gluten free barley, oat and buckwheat flours. There is even a  holistic cookie recipe that calls for white beans. Beans and legumes are a must. Think chickpeas, black beans , lentils and peas. They are full of protein, Vitamin B and dietary fiber. They  also help build the much needed healthy gut bacteria.Just don;t eat them raw. Cook them if they're not already cooked before canning. You will need healthy fats. Eat more avocados, nuts and olive oil. All three are very versatile and can be used in a number of dishes. What do you get rid of? Sugar!!!!!! Ditch the white stuff and switch to honey and/or maple sugar. That means nixing all those sodas and drinking water or flavored seltzer.

The New Year is fast approaching. Treat yourself and your body with a holistic eating. It's a way of getting in shape not just with your body but also your mind and life.

Your Fall Baking Must Haves

It's now perfect weather for baking. The're no  more summer humidity and scorching days to put you off baking. It's time to bake luscious pies and fun Halloween treats. It's also time to gather up your fall baking must haves.

October is pie month. It's time to reevaluate your metal and glass pie tins.Aluminum pie tins last forever however if there are dings or discoloration, then buy new ones. (the old ones can make excellent trays for outdoor flower pots). Glass pie pans should be crack free. If you see one , then replace. Buy new Pyrex ones from Target or Walmart. For a fun addition buy pie birds if you don't already have them. These are blackbird (for four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie) shaped funnels that let the steam out of the baking pie. Using these aid in venting steam from double crust pies and prevents the filling from bubbling over. If you're more into baking tarts, check your tart pans. Some can get rusty. This requires cleaning with just baking soda and water along with a thorough drying before using. If not, then just replace them with newer, cast iron ones.  As for ingredients , make sure you have plenty of Crisco for the pie crusts and butter for the tart crust. Always have a bag of flour on hand along with the fruit for filling. Make sure your corers and parers are up to par too. You'll be needing them to create the filling.Another must have?Cinnamon and sugar. Don't run out of these when your making apple pie. Also make sure you have pumpkin pie filling and the necessary spices for it too.

October not only has Halloween parties but school bakes sales as well. It's a big time for cupcakes , cookies and sweet treats. You can stock up on cake, brownie and cookie mixes if you don't have to the time to make the scratch versions.Many stores like Stop & Shop are offering a  dollar a box on certain brands like Duncan Hines right now. Take advantage of this , especially if you have a big bake sale ahead. If you're planning on baking from scratch make sure you have the appropriate flours, including gluten free ones for kids who have allergies. Also make sure you have plenty of confectioners sugar for icing. Since it's Halloween it goes without saying to have a good amount of orange , black and purple food coloring. Get the thicker textured gels if you want more intense hues. Before baking, check your cake and brownie pans. Are they up to snuff or do you have to replace them? The same is true for cupcake pans and cookie sheets. If they are too dark or rusted , get new ones. It's best to stock up now than before the Christmas baking season begins. Another must  is parchment paper, especially if you're bent on making meringues. It also comes in handy for cake baking too. As for icing, check your icing bag quantities. You made need to buy another box, especially if you had a lot of Spring and summer decorating to do. Also you may want to add an icing knife or spatula. This makes frosting all that more easier.

Fall is here. That means a return to baking. Make sure your kitchen is ready to handle it. Have all your tools and ingredients ready for a fun, sweet season.

Huel As Fuel

Eating right is hard. It's trying to get the least amount of calories and the most amount of nutrients plus a good dollop of flavor. What food has this? Huel protein shake. This is for the person on the go  who wants to have the proper amount of vitamin and minerals.

I had heard so much about it , I decided to give it a try. I ordered the vanilla and chocolate along with the flavor pack and shaker,

I bought the premixed vanilla and paired it with the cinnamon apple. It wasn't bad flavor-wise. Huel's drinks also come in chocolate and berry. Surprisingly it's made with pea protein along with tapioca. There's also flax seed and oat powder too along with a host of vitamins and minerals. Another plus is it's full of fiber too.

This is the chocolate that I zinged up with chocolate mint.

Huel has some neat flavor packs, from mocha to chai, and from strawberry to caramel and even chocolate.

This is the Huel shaker. It just takes two cups of the powder, some ice cubes and a cup of water. It makes for a well rounded meal with only four hundred calories. I plan on drinking it to lose some weight for shorts and bathing suit weather.

Huel right now is being sold only on line where twenty-four bottles are $89.00 but will last a month if you're careful. The bags are almost four pounds in weight and give seventeen servings per bag. It's $56.00 for it but it's the same as for a day's worth of groceries.

Huel is definitely the way to go if you want a full meal loaded with vitamins and minerals. It's an easy eat and perfect for the active days ahead. Try this delicious mix of flavor and nutrients for a boost .

Making That Bread

With St Patrick's Day coming this Saturday , many home bakers , novice and experienced are planning on making Irish soda bread .It's one of the easiest breads to create. Then, surprisingly most breads are. They're an easy and fun bake.

Maybe Irish soda bread should be considered the gateway recipe for new bread makers.It is one of the easiest outside the packaged loaf mixes from Pillsbury and Krusteaz.Like cake, it  requires sugar, margarine,  and flour along with one egg. Irish soda bread does require just a teaspoon of the baking soda that gives it its' name along with buttermilk . Raisins are optional, but they do give it an added sweetness. There is some kneading but the best part is that it doesn't have to be proofed like yeasty bread dough. The baking soda acts as the yeast, allowing the loaf to rise.Irish soda bread is also considered a quick bread which is much easier to make., Banana bread and date-nut bread, two kitchen classics are other examples of quick no yeast breads.They both have dense heavy crumbs with very little air holes.Neophyte bakers may feel a bit anxious about making even this kind of loaf. Don't despair, There are some good mixes out there with Pillsbury leading the pack. Their mix can be made into loaves or muffins and come in a variety of flavors. Try the lemon poppy seed or cinnamon swirl.Krusteaz is another company that has some tasty and simple bread and cornbread  mixes, that include cinnamon swirl and fire roasted corn bread.

Once you've mastered quick breads you can now try your hand at yeast breads. What is the best yeast to use?You can't go wrong with Flesichmann's. One of  the bonuses of using it is that the website has a how too, along with info on what it is and what it does.Another good yeast for bread and rolls is King Arthur's. The company even sells sourdough starter. King Arthur 's also sells a variety of flours too, from wheat to gluten free to nut and coconut flours. Now comes the bread recipes.Start with one that has very few ingredients. The basic load recipe is one that requires active dry yeast, flour , and salt.The only liquid used is water which, along with the other dry ingredients .it makes for a nice light loaf.For the more adventurous there is Italian and French loaves that require their own pans. These sort of resemble corrugated roofing allowing the baker to make three loaves at a time.Some recipes call for the addition of olive oil or honey. When  you've mastered the craft think sausage or cheese breads.These are fun to make and the highlight of any dinner or picnic.

Bread is not that hard a recipe. Start with an easy one like Irish soda bread and work your way to the more challenging recipes. Once you start it'll be hard to quit.

Jewish Cooking Redefined

Mention Jewish cooking and images of chicken fat - schmaltz and oily latkes come to mind along with a heavy Eastern European influence. Healthy and international dishes never enter the picture. Until now. A new cookbook sets kosher cooking in a hipper, more worldly light.

Paula Shoyer, creator of the famed Kosher Baker blog along with being named as A Woman To Watch in 2015  has written The Healthy Jewish Cookbook ( Sterling Epicure Publishers 2017). This is a great book, a mix of traditional Jewish cooking with  modern and international twists. This is a must have in any kitchen, regardless of religion. The books starts off with a page one meal planning and introducing kids to preservative free foods. It's written in a straightforward style that many novice home chefs will appreciate.Other pluses is that she recommends using whole wheat pasta and and mixing whole wheat into recipes calling for refined white flour.She is a stalwart advocate of always  cooking with  fresh ingredients.The cookbook is also sprinkled with tips from  feeding the elderly to serving buffet style at a Thanksgiving dinner. There is extra advice on how to clean leeks and dealing with yeast. The book is divided into such sections as Appetizers and Salads, Soups and Sides. I like the fact that she puts vegetarian with fish and dairy main dishes. She also keeps kosher by separating the meat recipes in a chapter all their own

What is also striking is the globalization of her kitchen. Yes, she has a healthy and modern takes on brisket (treating it like bouef bourguignon) baked latkes and tsimme but there are recipes influenced by every corner of the globe.Home chefs will love her Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, a kosher take on pho .Dark miso paste and tamari soy sauce lend color and flavor to a home made chicken soup. There's also a recipe for coq au vin, the traditional French that has Chef Shoyer's spin. She makes this dish lighter by subbing in a white wine for a red. Lamb lovers will enjoy her Japanese lamb chop recipe fiery with jalapeno peppers and ginger.  Italian cooking is sort of similar to Jewish and she has many recipes. A cold winter warmer is her Pasta Siciliano , rich with eggplant and pasta, along with her Ribollata, bread soup. Indian and Moroccan  dal and lemtil  soup recipes also figure greatly in the book..Chef Shoyer is well known for her baking. Her dessert recipes don't disappoint. The  picture of chocolate rugelach looks heavenly as does the one featuring  her carmelized apple strudel. There are also bread recipes such as a gluten free challah and whole wheat onion one. Home bakers will flip for her rosemary focaccia which would be great dipped in peppery olive oil or marinara sauce.

The Healthy Jewish Cookbook  is the book to have for the New Year. It is full of good for you recipes that any home chef or home baker can make. Best of all it marries Jewish  tradition with international dishes.

Edward & Sons Animal & People Friendly

Vegans and vegetarians have it hard during the holidays .It's difficult to find festive foods that are free of any animal products. Now add the problem of gluten allergy and it  becomes darned difficult. Luckily, there's a company, Edward & Sons that can help them navigate through the season.

This California  company is a godsend to vegans everywhere. It started in 1978 long before vegetarianism and anything organic became hip. Their first product was a miso cup, a nourishing instant soup, again made long before any of the more popular cup of soups. The ingredients were freeze dried yet wholesome, packaged in a simple packet. Their products have now evolved into ones that have no artificial colors or flavorings. Moms will  be grateful for the fact that none of the products have been made with chemical preservatives and hydrogenated fats. The company is divided in sections. There's Premier Japan which has Hoisin and teriyako sauces. Their Native Forest line is perfect for vegan bakers. It has coconut milk, both liquid and powdered that work well in baking and creating a dairy free whipped cream. This is a company with a conscious and it promotes and supports fair trade with by buying its' artichokes and coconuts from fair trade farmers. Edward & Son not only caters to vegans and animal rights activists, but is also to those with ADHD, gluten allergies along with soy and lactose allergies.

I was curious about the company and wanted to try their products.The miso soup is interesting  and easy to make. It's combining the miso with water and then adding a mix of dried soy and greens. The soy bits were very silky and creamy and they were  a nice foil to the briny saltiness of the miso. I think I will try the seaweed variety made with wakame seaweed next. I also have the Golden Gravy mix which will go well with seitan slices and mashed potatoes. Edward & Sons has a good variety of macaroni and cheese mixes and they're definitely on my radar.The Alfredo Mac made with brown rice elbow macaroni will be the one to try. They also make gluten free cake cones - my favorite  - and I decided to give these, too, a try.I used the richly decadent Talenti brand of ice cream - coffee chocolate chip to fill it. I like their gluten free cones better than the regular ones. They are crisper than the gluten ones and best of all the bottoms don't become soggy once the ice cream drips down,

This holiday season  - look to Edward & Sons for all your holiday cooking and baking needs. You can create a delicious and healthy meal and dessert with these good for you products. There's no need to scrimp on flavor,

Eat Complete For Complete Health

Most cookbooks are usually known for their great recipes or for the author. Rarely are they known for improving lifestyles or helping to stave off illness. Yet there is one new cookbook that not only has tasty recipes but also great advice on how to eat right.

Dr. Drew Ramsey wrote this phenomenal book, Eat Complete (Harper Press) which shows home chefs how to cook with twenty-one nutrients  that fuel brain power,boost, help with  weight loss and just transforms over all health.The opening chapters are must reads as he tells us how to eat complete  and with mindfulness. He also breaks down  what we need to eat in three categories, seven for foundation, seven for protection and seven for ignition.A change of diet even aided his  patient,
 a young man vanquish his depression and helped him turn his life around.There is also some very sound advice on how to feed our brains, since they are the organs that require the most energy.There is advice on why we should eat grass fed meat, dairy and eggs as well as adding color to our plates.The book is also a must for those suffering from gluten allergies , since all the recipes are gluten free.He also explains in detail about our vitamin intakes , probiotics and prebiotics along with our Omega 3 s and mineral intakes.There is a great section on the problems that arise with each meal and how they can be solved. Home chefs can definitely learn from the book and incorporate his suggestions for a better life for themselves and their families.

That said , one would think the recipes would be boring - they're not. Best of all,Dr. Ramsey gives recipe suggestions in the chapters about the twenty one nutrients If you want  more Vitamin E in your diet then try the recipes for clove spiked cocktail nut mix or the buttermilk strawberry smoothie. An iron rich diet  would include Dr. Ramsey's pumpkin crusted lamb chops and mussels with garlicky kale ribbons.Anybody , even finicky kids will like the dishes. Teens  and chocolate lovers will go mad for the spinach spiked chocolate cashew smoothie.Serve the sunflower-Parmesan crisps with
 navy bean -rosemary hummus at a party for a healthy and flavorful alternative to any sour cream dip.Make the sweet potato chips with the spicy Romesco sauce for a fun but nutritious treat.There are great dinner recipes such as roasted chicken with anchovies and olives along with the roasted pork loin with red cabbage fennel sauerkraut with toasted cumin seeds.Even the desserts are packed full of nutrition. There are sesame seed cinnamon baked apples , the classic dessert amped up with turmeric and olive oil to end a meal or the mouth watering double chocolate avocado (!!) mousse. Finish with a cinnamon-almond egg cream!

Eat Complete is the  must have book for any home library.It will no only provide home chefs with delicious recipes but with a template for eating healthier. Meals and snacks will no only be delicious but helpful in creating a better life, body and brain

Springy Sauces From San-J

The warm weather is here and that means barbecues and sauces. San-J, creators of gluten free soy sauce has come out with two zingy sauces perfect for the grilling season. They will liven up any cook out and give that special oomph to any meat or fish.

San Jirushi or San-J is one of Japan's oldest soy sauce manufacturers. The company was started in 1802 by the Sato family. Their sauces derive from ancient recipes for miso and tamari or soy sauce. Unlike American brands that dilute theirs with wheat which means there's also gluten in it as well. San J has always made the purest sauces using only one hundred per cent soy. This creates a richer sauce with a smoother flavor and texture. Now they're expanding into sauces - perfect for the upcoming barbecue season. Like the other sauces they are gluten free, perfect for those who suffer from celiac disease.The flavors are varied, from Thai Peanut to Mongolian to Szechuan. I like their sauces tremendously, especially for turning boring chicken and soy nuggets into exciting eats.The Sweet and Tangy has a tropical fruit taste , ripe with pineapple and the tang of garlic. The Orange sauce starts out with a burst of sweet orange followed by a nutty aftertaste. This is due to the addition of the fermented tamari sauce . Another reason to like both sauces is that they're made with organic ingredients like apple and pineapple juices for the Sweet and Tangy and orange juice and organic honey for the Orange Sauce.

Home chefs are going to go crazy over the many different dishes they can create with these two sauces.The Sweet and Tangy is perfect for any chicken recipe.Think kebobs marinaded in it
along  with extra pineapple juice for a sweet South Pacific treat.Marinate diced chicken, green pepper strips and pineapple chunks in the sauce foe two hours. Layer on six inch skewers and grill. Have a bowl of the Sweet and Tangy on the table too for dipping. You can also make Polynesian shrimp this way too.Another fun idea is having the sauce as a dip for  barbecued  jerk veggies, chicken and shrimp . can get a sweet spike from the sauce too. Pork is a great medium for  this sauce and the Orange Sauce. The pineapple juice or orange juice enzymes will be perfect in tenderizing the meat. Marinate a one pound  roast with half a cup of the Sweet and Tangy  before roasting. Orange sauce and duck go together and home chefs can make an exotic outdoor cooked  version of duck l'orange.Instead of making an involved  sauce use San-J's Orange. It can also be used on Cornish hens along with chicken breasts to create tasty, crisp and sweet barbecue.The sauce would also be good slathered on chicken wings and also as a dipping sauce for them.

The barbecue season is fast upon us . Try San-J's Sweet and Tangy and Orange sauce to liven up those kebobs and wings along with outdoor roasts.It's a tasty and exotic spin on American cook outs.

Gluten Free Goodies

Mention gluten free and many foodies will groan. Goods baked without it  usually are have a bland taste or a funny texture. That's quickly becoming a myth thanks to several companies that have all gluten free lines. They're flavorful and best of all have a chewy or crunchy texture.

One of the best brands for anyone going gluten free, whether for health or diet, is Glutino . It   has every kind of product to help have a full and varied diet, Conscientious bakers will marvel at their many mixes from pizza dough to old fashioned yellow cake.There are also chocolate chip and brown mixes too  along with regular gluten free flour for family recipes.The Boulder , Colorado company also sells loaves of already baked breads and stuffing for holiday turkeys. My favorites are their bagel chips and Oreo style sandwich creme cookies. The bagel chips are tastier than the usual kind, with a good dusting of sea salt on them.They also have Parmesan cheese and garlic as well as a sweet cinnamon and sugar one. The sandwich cookies are so crisp with a smooth creamy filling. I can't wait to try their vanilla version along with their double chocolate chip cookies and animal crackers. Their toaster toaster pastries look as good as PopTarts and those are definitely on the to be tried list along with their pizzas.

Other brands that are getting rid of that gluey gluten are WOW and  Simply Balanced. WOW which stands for with out wheat. Like Glutino the Kent, Washington company has both cake and cookie mixes.The cookie dough is already mixed and waiting to be scooped out onto a waiting cookie sheet. The cake mixes have classic flavors such as vanilla,chocolate and spice, the last perfect for holiday baking.The cookies come in bags,, giant singles and containers. I love their buttery chocolate chip cookies that are riddled with large chips  and am looking forward to trying their lemon burst as well as their maple squares and butter toffee. Wow's secret to a good , healthy cookie is the inclusion of brown rice as well as gluten free flour. Simply Balanced is another gluten free must have snack to munch on. This is a Target in house brand, like their Archer Farms and it has a variety of healthy foods and snacks.Their gluten free sesame flavored brown rice crackers are wonderfully crispy and flavorful, They'd be good with a homemade hummus, perfecting for scooping and dipping.Target also has a flax seed one that's another must try.The store also makes a gluten free all natural fusilli, and spaghetti, which I will be making in future. Their all natural sauce will be topping it.

Gluten free doesn't have to mean taste free or lumpy. Their are brands, like Glutino, WOW and Simply Balanced that give us tasty treats to snack ad crunch on. Try them and join the gluten free revolution.

Tasty Tarts

One of the most delicious and versatile baked treats to make is a tart. It's an elegant alternative to cake and pie, always looking perfect on a dessert table. One of the best aspects of any tart recipe is that you can make one or a dozen with basically the same recipe.They all are mouthwatering , with their glazed crusts  and rich fillings of fruit, cream or ganache.

A tart is basically a topless pie with usually a short crust.meaning it has a lot of shortening or lard in the recipe. Many professional and home bakers will sub in butter for a richer flavor and more crumbly crust. The pastry has been around since the medieval period, starting off with more meat than fruit fillings. The French quiche , German zweibelkuchen or onion pie and Swiss Gruyere pie are savory forms of it. Most tarts are now either custard or fruit filled. The truest form of tart is probably the English custard tart.It has a rich egg yolk filling, sort of similar to the Italian zabaglione.Any home chef can easily make them and also personalize them too. They can add in a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. or do a dusting of toasted coconut or toasted almonds on top.A Gallic variation is the tarte aux flan, a creamy one that has the light Spanish based custard as a filling. fruit tarts are a great way of using the fruits of the season. Nothing beats the sweet and tangy flavor of both apple and pear tarts.

Are tarts easy to make? They may seem complicated with all their steps but they're can be made by any novice home baker. The  star of any tart is the crust. This is what makes it extraordinary. If it's too soggy, then the whole thing is gloppy.The preliminary steps are similar to making a regular pie crust.The dough should be chilled, anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour The crust should be rolled out to an even thickness and then placed into a two piece tart pan.Remember the dough is supposed to be tender so don't worry if there's tears. These can be mended.If it's baked without the filling then prick the sides and bottom with a fork to prevent shrinkage. Don't do anything if the tart is to be baked with a filling.Luckily tart crust can be made with gluten free flour Tarts can also be made with almond or any ground nuts too. Beginners should start off with the simple custard tart and then work their way up to fruit and ganache filled ones.

Tarts are an elegant alternative to pie. They are easy to make for any home baker, who wants a classier dessert with no fuss. These fit the bill perfectly.

The Gluten Free Cheat Sheet- A Guide To Good Eating

Many think that having celiac disease means a very limited diet. No pizza, no cookies no, bread. This is not true. A new cook and guide book can help those who suffer into not only a better diet but a fun and varied one too. The gluten challenged can have their cake - scones, muffins and toast  - and eat them too.

April Peveteaux is he author of this great new book.The Gluten Free Cheat Sheet.(Perigee Pubishers 2015). Ms. Peveteaux is a celiac sufferer herself and the author of the widely read blog and book of the same name, Gluten Is My Bitch .With this latest she gives very good advice as well as busting some celiac myths.Many non sufferers think that celiac disease is the trend of the moment, after all it wasn't around even fifty years ago. She explains that there was always  celiac disease and it can be passed down,It is not some trivial passing fad allergy. It can be life threatening with immune systems being attacked as well as causing depression  She also explains what gluten is and in what foods are riddled with it. She offers advice on what to

put in cupboard as well as subs for favorite foods like doughnuts and Twix.. There is also support for those celiacs who love to have their snacks they can't give up along with building a GFF - gluten free friend community for added support. She is a cheerleader  as well, Don't give up the fight, just switch to better, gluten free recipes.

The recipes are amazing. Early in the book, Ms. Peveteaux provides an entire list of alternative flours to use.There is everything from the usual rice, soy and various nut flours to the unusual - green banana, mesquite and  amaranth.There is also a thirty day  meal plan with recommended dishes. The recipes are so tasty that gluten will not be missed.Tortillas are made with coconut flour A savory bread pudding is made with gluten free brioche.That Southern favorite, hush puppies are made with gluten free cornmeal.Crab cakes, a summer must have, are made with gluten free panko crumbs. There is even a pizza with a base of cauliflower and cheese (!) and topped with the usual tomato sauce,cheese and pepperoni.Other yummy recipes abound here.Ms. Peveteaux also includes soups, snacks , sides and ices as well as main dishes like pulled pork and sesame crusted tuna steak. An added treat - and unusual for any cookbook is a section dedicated to mixed drinks. These would be fun to make and serve alongside the appetizers featured .Imagine a jalapeno margarita and spiced almonds or a raspberry vodka refresher washing down cheese and chive crackers.

The Gluten Free Cheat Sheet is the perfect guide and recipe book for celiac sufferers. It has advice help and ideas for eating right. Get it today and start on a gluten free road to better health.

Gluten Free Not Just A FadAnymore

It was just a scant decade or so ago that we heard stars chatter on about the benefits of a gluten free diet.Everyone thought it was just one of those flash in the pan dietary restrictions. However we have now learned that it is a condition.A good portion of the American population now has some form of celiac disease, a serious allergy to gluten.Luckily restaurants and home chefs are well aware of it and are changing their ingredients to ease the condition. It was the topic of an article in Wednesday's New York Times Dining section.Regular contributor, Kim Severson, delved into this international problem.Celiac disease is a painful and scary allergy that at it's best, can cause diarrhea and bloating while at it's" worst cause severe malnutrition and irreversible damage to the small intestine, Liver and brain.For children it means intolerable stomach pain and severe malnourishment.It is caused by gluten, the protein in wheat that gives dough it's elasticity.It's a hard allergy to live with because sufferers can,t even have a slice of bread or enjoy a cake without it.Luckily that 's all changing.Homes and restaurants across the country are going gluten free, looking for other grains to fill the need. Now there is pasta made from rice flour and ground chickpeas, as well as pizzas, cookies and cupcakes. a child with the allergy now can have the same treats as friends can. Gluten free also means healthy.Many non sufferers are embracing this diet too.Dishes will be Lighter and simpler.The taste won't be that different either. It does mean losing weight, less intestinal inflammation and surprisingly less fatigue.It's also actually more adaptable than any other diet.If some restaurants adapted a low carb diet, they'd have to get rid of their bread including sandwiches along with most desserts Adapting a gluten free menu is much easier.It also gets diners to try new grains such as buckwheat and chickpea.The diet may meet with some opposition.Some hard core Christians as well as ethnic groups may be offended because grains are an important part of the Bible and their upbringing.They feel they will either be less Christian or lose their culinary history by adapting this kind of diet. Gluten free goods are here to stay.It's perfect for those with celiac disease, even better for those who want to eat better. It's a great diet and one that will be mainstream and fully acceptable soon enough.

A Happy Healthy Cookbook

Some would think it would be hard to live on a whole grain, gluten free diet. That is farther from the truth thanks to a new cookbook. The author, , renown for her wholesome and healthy cookbooks, Jill FInlayson, has come up with a whole batch of  tasty and good for you dishes. These range from breakfast to desserts, from snacks to sides to whole meals. This is the perfect must have for those who want to eat healthy witohut giving up flavor.

The book is entitled The Complete Gluten-Free Whole Grain Cookbook by Robert Rose Publishing. It is not only a comprehensive cookbook but also a great guide for grains; Ms.Finlayson explains what grains such as millet and sorghum are along with their history. All grains, whether as unusual as Job's tears (a sort of millet) to the common (oats) also have storing tips as well as nutritional data. This helps in choosing what dishes to make as well and how healthy you want to go. She also has a few pages solely on the benefits of a gluten free diet, such as it helps protect against certain cancers as well as heart diseases.

Just when you think this is going to be a purely tasteless recipe book,think again.Ms. Finlayson has some excellent recipes for every meal. Start the day off with her hot amaranth cereal. She has pancakes,both the buckwheat type and blueberry wild rice ones. For dinner or even lunch try her turkey chili made with turkey. There are also jambalaya  along with the spicy Indian beef biryani.  She also has a brown rice risotto and a gluten free pizza crust, The desserts range from a simple brown rice pudding to   wine soaked cornmeal cake. Health food, no , healthy food and perfect for any gathering from a family dinner to party, yes,

Please go and buy this newest creation from Jill Finlayson, You'll not only kick your white flour dependency but eat much healthier too. Best of all you'll be introduced to a variety of amazing recipes that are sure to be family favorites as well as classics.