A Piece of Toast, At Last

Finally, as long ago promised, I’m ready to write about my elimination diet venture based on my Mediator Release test results. First of all let me say, elimination diets are not for sissies. I did  one years ago, back in my Bastyr days, and I did not fare so well. I only made it one week and then threw in the towel. I thought this time would be different. And it was, but I still was not perfect. Did I cheat? Yes. Did I follow the rules by the book? No. What a terrible example I am. But I still learned a lot through the process. I also gained INCREDIBLE respect for anyone that can follow such a strict diet, especially if you have a family to feed as well, and make it through. I have many clients like this and they are rock stars. Me, not so much.

One reason for my lack of motivation is that honestly, I didn’t think I really had any food sensitivities. Yes, I have some annoying digestive issues and other such things, but those things start to become the normal annoyances of life and are often overlooked. My random problems? Well I will divulge a little bit of my personal healthy history. For starters, I started to get acne on my back during my first year at Bastyr. Yeah, yuck. It seemed to perfectly coincide with an intensely stressful period of my life but unfortunately it never really went away. I thought there was nothing I could do about it. I also mentioned digestive complaints. For unexplained reasons I would have days where I would get bloated and gassy, and then other days I would be fine. I tend to eat a high fiber diet so I just chalked it up to that. More recently, I started to get phlegm in my throat and felt this constant need to clear my throat. Super annoying. Also within the last year my eyelid would twitch, often several times per day. Also super annoying. I could not figure out for the life of me what was causing it. Besides these random things, I usually feel great. I have lots of energy, sleep well, and generally lead a low-stress existence. So obviously I thought … food sensitivities? Hardly. I’m not your typical candidate.

As you can clearly guess, I was wrong. My results were quite intriguing. Some things were not surprising; others were. Where to start? I will list my yellow reactive (moderate reactive) and red reactive (high reactive) foods and then go from there.

Yellow: Apricot, blueberry, cranberry, quinoa, catfish, clam, dill, basil, turmeric, milk, coffee, sorbic acid, caffeine, beef, turkey, pork, egg, cola, baker’s yeast, almond, green pea

Red: Grapefruit, cucumber, yogurt, cinnamon, yogurt

*Not my results but an example of what the report looks like

Yikers, right? The good thing is that my reds are few. Whew. And in reality my yellows aren’t that overwhelming. But quinoa? Coffee? Baker’s yeast? Cinnamon? All things I eat with regularity. Sad day.

Given these results, I initiated the LEAP diet protocols. Not perfectly, as I said before, but fairly well. I did have a couple of those “oops, I wasn’t supposed to eat that” moments, but more or less I followed the plan. Not surprisingly, after a day or two of feeling moderately worse, I actually felt pretty fantastic. Mild bloating that I thought was just a part of everyday life was gone. The eye twitching? Gone. Gas and stomach bloating? Apart from eating beans, gone. The last things to clear up were my back and throat, but after about 10 days those were almost gone as well. Amazing for someone who didn’t think they had food sensitivities, eh? I’m constantly floored how powerful food is and how such a good thing can be detrimental when our body’s natural defense system isn’t working as intended.

Now you can clearly notice that MRT does not test for every food on the planet. After following the initial diet phases it becomes time to introduce foods not tested for. That is where I’m at now. I try to stick pretty well to my “safe” foods and every couple days try an untested item, such as other legumes, various spices, products with untested ingredients, etc. It’s a long road, but it’s so great to now know what I need to avoid. And the hopeful thing is that in 6 months to a year I may try to add back some of my yellow and reds and see if my immune system has calmed down enough to allow them in small amounts.

This whole process has also taught me to adapt recipes so they exclude items I can’t have. I swear cinnamon is in everything delicious, so I have had to learn how to substitute or change the spice combination to create something palatable. And the loss of coffee? I’m coping far better than I thought, not to mention saving lots of money on Americanos and the like. Also bread is a no-no due to baker’s yeast, which initially was exceedingly disappointing, although I did count my lucky stars that wheat was ok.  Literally just today I baked my first loaf of yeast-free bread using whole wheat flour. Yes, I can have toast again. The world just got a little brighter.

Bananalicious Buckwheat-Millet Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Tasty)

Although I haven't officially blogged about my MRT results yet, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm reactive to baker's yeast. Yep, the stuff in bread. Not wheat mind you, and likely not even gluten given I'm ok with rye and barley. No, I need to avoid bread because of the yeast. Darn it all! I'm also reactive to many dairy products and eggs (neither were a huge surprise). Both of these things put a damper on my bread baking options.While most tasty quick breads do not require yeast, they almost always have dairy and eggs. What a conundrum. I'm actually going to have to get crafty with my baking and, essentially, practice what I preach. 


Luckily a quick Google search turned up quite a few options for vegan sweet breads. Why not do gluten free while I'm at it, just for kicks? I found this recipe here, made a few adaptations, and presto, a tasty and far healthier version of banana bread was born. Seriously, even if you aren't gluten-free and love dairy to pieces, give this bread a go and try something new. The buckwheat and millet adds a host of vitamins, minerals and FIBER, and adding some walnuts can give a small boost of healthy Omega 3's. You might even throw in a little flax or chia seeds to help as a binder in lieu of eggs (mental note for next time). 


I realize some of these grains might be a bit foreign to you. No to worry, that's why I took pictures this afternoon. I really suck at photography, so you can refrain from commenting on the poor lighting and arrangement. I know. I'm working on it. But for the sake of those who have never seen a millet kernel before, please bear with me.

Here is millet. It looks a lot like quinoa, doesn't it? It's just a little more yellow but otherwise similar in size. It's also tastes a little more nutty than quinoa but cooks up much the same. Pop these little guys in your coffee grinder (or flour mill, if you have one) and you can quickly turn this lump into beautiful millet flour. Also doubles as sensory toy for a 2-1/2 year old.

Next we have the buckwheat (aka Kasha). These little guys I have here are pre-toasted, so the ones you find in the store might appear much lighter. It's nice to lightly toast them if you can to bring out it's nutty flavor and aroma. I love the smell. Husband hates it. Hates anything to do with buckwheat. Guess it's all just a matter of personal preference. Anyways, this one is also very easy to pop into that little coffee grinder and whiz away until you have a fine flour.

Beautiful little buckwheat groats.

You know what else is wonderful about buckwheat? It's high in soluble fiber, and that means it can help lower cholesterol, combat diarrhea, and help you feel full. This is going to be one powerful bread.

Now that I've introduced the grains, I just want to make a quick introduction of my dairy substitute. While there are many options out there, I went with coconut products for this one. Not sure why ... just thought it might go well with the banana. As the fat source I used coconut oil, and for the "milk" I used coconut milk. Not the high-fat canned stuff you use in Indian or Asian dishes, but the one you buy in the cereal aisle or sometimes in the dairy case. Worked quite well. 

Alrightly, so here's the recipe. It's fairly straightforward, but like I said, I used the coconut options and I also did add the nuts and chocolate chips. I'm usually a banana bread purist as I think most additives take away from the delicious banana essence, but in this case, not being sure how the taste combo would turn out, I opted for the extra throw-ins. I think I'll go choco-chip free next time, but please play around with it and customize it to your liking. Also, I took out the cinnamon because, as I didn't mention, I also react to cinnamon, and so made some spice adjustments to accommodate. 

Banananlicious Buckwheat Bread 

-Vegan, Gluten-Free, Cane-Sugar Free and LOW sugar (but don't confuse that with low-carb!)

• ¼ cup water or milk of your choice (coconut, rice, almond, hemp, cow, goat, soy, etc)
• 1 cup whole buckwheat groats (or 1 cup + 2 Tbsp LIGHT buckwheat flour)
• 1/2 cup whole millet grains (or 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp millet flour)
• 1/4 cup dark buckwheat flour (I used Bob's Redmill brand)
• 1/2 cup arrowroot starch/flour, tapioca starch/flour, or a mixture of both
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum (you can omit, but bread will be slightly crumbly)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or: 1/2 tsp Allspice, 1tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 6 Tbsp. olive oil or melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil
• 6 Tbsp. maple syrup 
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups mashed ripe bananas (approximately 5 medium bananas)
• 1 cup chopped nuts/seeds (I used walnuts)
• optional: 1/3 cup raw cacao nibs OR 1/2-3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, or carob chips (I used the semisweet chips as it was all I had)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan.

1. Grind buckwheat groats and millet in a small coffee grinder until it makes a very fine flour. (You can also use a grain mill, a high powered blender, or high quality regular blender) Transfer to a large bowl and add all the dry ingredients.

2. In a mixer or blender, put the milk/milk substitute, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and banana and mix/process until smooth. 

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just moistened. Fold in the nuts and chocolate, if using.

4. Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a baking rack. Store in airtight container. Freezes well.

My result! YUM!

Presenting the "Academy" of Nutrition and Dietetics

It's no longer the ADA. It is now the "Academy" of Nutrition and Dietetics. The AND? This was just announced at the annual Food and Nutrition conference I just attended. Not sure how I feel about it yet, or even if I care, but there it is.

Well, my blogging has not been very regular yet again, but do not fret, I’ve been re- inspired and renewed!  As I mentioned, I've just returned home from our annual national dietetic conference, this year in San Diego, and what another great conference it was. Not only did I learn new tidbits of the latest in nutrition research and trends, but I also gleaned an immense amount of knowledge from fellow entrepreneurial dietitians and fellow LEAP dietitians. What inspiration! In fact, it was almost exactly a year ago at last year’s conference in Boston that I was first inspired to start this blog. And it was only a couple months ago that I finally became a LEAP Therapist. As slow as I feel I’m moving in the world of nutrition, I realize I am making progress. Whenever I feel overwhelmed I review my "work" priorities: Number one priority is to grow my little 2-1/2 year old son. Second is to grow this little business. Given my circumstances I’m happy to see that things are actually progressing on all fronts.

Check out this growth!

Thought I’d also quickly share a few tidbits about the conference. First my gripe. Oh holy product companies. Seriously. Who let Monsanto in the exhibit hall? And Coca Cola? And  Hersheys? I know the ADA needs money, but we’ve got to figure out a way to separate ourselves from these companies. Yes, they may make some decent products here and there, but they also make a lot of crap and spend a lot of time buying favor from us and other professionals. You know why it’s bothering me the most? Because all of these companies are encouraging us to promote their “product.” It’s not food. It’s a product. A processed product. It has no business in our stomachs. Not even in moderation, as they love to tell us. I’m going to try and be more vocal about this. We’ve got to stop eating stuff in wrappers, boxes and cans and get our food from the good ol’ earth as much as possible. It’s the only way we are going to get ourselves out of this health care mess with skyrocketing levels of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. EAT REAL FOOD.  

Now for the good stuff. Went to some extraordinary lectures on public health. Dr. David Kantz (http://www.davidkatzmd.com/) is my new hero. I recognized his name from research studies I've read but never thought it would be THE actual Dr. Kantz coming to present to us. Not only does this doc have a family and 5 kids, but he’s pioneered community nutrition programs, started a new labeling system for evaluating foods (http://www.nuval.com/), continues his contribution to published research,  writes for several popular health publications, speaks on health and nutrition globally, and still finds time for woodworking and poetry memorization, which he recited at length in his talk. When does this man sleep? Oh, and he did not read a single note during his entire 75 minute presentation. Say what? Like I said, new hero. I think my main take away from his lecture was that we have to stop taking snippets of research and running with it to the next trend or fad product. Omega-3 and Vitamin-D enriched cheetos, anyone? We have to look at our health problems from a macro prospective, taking into consideration current research, and work together to help individuals and families make healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices. That’s what it’s all about.  Please go home Coca Cola, and take all that processed garbage with you.

Another fascinating talk I went to involved more research on choline, my
new favorite micronutrient, and its effect on brain development. Specifically they did work with rat models to see if choline, which is known to be extremely important in the developing fetus brain and as well as in brain development through childhood and adolescence, could help mitigate the effects of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). What they found, basically, is that it could. Mice supplemented with choline post-natally saw improvement in cognitive function more than FASD rats that were not supplemented. Wow! Certainly not a free pass for those who abuse alcohol during pregnancy, but what potentially promising help we might be able to give kiddos who are the unfortunate recipient of  their mother’s poor choices. Even more reason to promote healthy, whole foods diets for kids to increase their intake of a wide spectrum of macro- and micronutrients.

I’m sure there is tons more I could share and bore, I mean, enlighten, you with, but I’ll stop there. This post is long enough already. But this is why I blog. I’m passionate about this stuff, and if you learn anything out of these rants and change your diet for the better, even in the smallest way, that makes me happy. Thanks for indulging me. I will post more shortly about LEAP/MRT, my test results (yes, I have them!) and my upcoming … gulp … elimination diet. The hubby will not be pleased with this. Ciao!

Please Pardon My Absence...

Oh I did it. And I swore I wouldn’t. I became one of those bloggers I despise. One of those ambitious bloggers with sincere enthusiasm and a firm goal to be a regular contributor to the blogosphere, only to let themselves down,  and any precious readers should there actually be any, by failing to post in what seems like eons.  There is nothing I hate more (well, ok, there is, but I won’t go into that now) than bloggers who start out strong and then go months upon months with no new post. Being my impatient self I usually think well screw that, I’m not waiting around for Miss Mary Cooksalot or whoever it might be to finally remember I’m waiting for her words of wisdom, amusement, or impartment of skill. No, I move on and usually randomly come upon another blog of interest to read religiousy until they eventually fade away into the yonder, probably finding much more useful pursuits for their precious time.  Which speaks to the fact that we all get busy and once in awhile actually try to engage in live human interaction, so I’m trying to be ok with this. But I just thought this admission of guilt needed to be said. Otherwise it would just seem kind of awkward, like, “Hey, here I am, been here all along, just blogging as usual, and, you know, spent a few weeks in a kale-induced coma. Just the normal stuff. “ Lies. All lies.

So hey, I’m back blogging. I think. You know what got me off track? I tried to do some complicated piece that actually involved me doing research or some crap like that and I got all sidetracked and somewhat nervous. What if I didn’t do it right? I’m such a perfectionist that it just wasn’t coming together in a timely fashion. Add a 2-year old into the mix and you’d be lucky if you saw this post by Christmas. So I’m going back to my roots as they say. Blogging what comes into my head, and leaving it at that.

With that being said, my week was exciting because I walked my first patient through the blood-draw process to do the Mediator Release Test (MRT).  See previous blog posts if you want info on what that actually is. I got my own blood drawn as well because there are hints I might have a few food sensitivities myself. That’s when the thought entered my head that I should blog about this. I have nothing to hide. Why not share my symptoms, my results, and my progress as I walk through this and see what happens. At the very least I’m just being able to understand what my patients have to go through, and at best I’m solving a small array of annoying issues AND giving you proof that this program works. 

Results are due any day, so stay tuned!  

D is for Dino Kale

I learned a good lesson this week. If you don't want to eat a ton of kale, be careful how much you plant. Little ol' six pack of kale starts? Yeah, that grows a TON of kale. I like kale and all, but the quantity exceeds my typical rate of kale consumption. And unfortunately I do not have a husband who is willing to help me out (he made it clear that kale was not his thing the minute that six pack hit my shopping cart at Molbacks). And my son, well, it's hard for him to chew leaves. He has a valid excuse. So it's all me, and for that reason I've been digging up various ways to use kale, perhaps in places where it can be slightly hidden in hopes hubby or 2 year old will accidentally consume it. Hmmm.

That's when I remembered the oh-so-wonderful Emerald City Salad at PCC. It's a fantastic blend of diced vegetables, wild rice, seasoned dressing, and KALE! Perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or a side for a simple dinner at home. A trusty Google search found me some copy-cat recipes in less than a minute and I shall now share said recipe with you. I found this one on Gluten Free Girl's website (who reported she got it from Cynthia Lair's book, Feeding the Whole Family, one of my personal favorites), so yes, it is also a great recipe if you have food allergies as it's corn, soy, dairy and gluten-free.

I should mention real quick that there are several varieties of kale. I grew Dinosaur Kale, or the more proper name, Lacinato or Tuscan Kale. It's more of a flat leaf as opposed to the curly and more bunchy varieties. It's also a really deep lovely green color. Dino kale does not lend itself well, as I found out myself, to making kale chips. I've heard so many people rave about kale chips that I thought I'd put my mountains of kale to good use in such fashion, however because it is so flat it doesn't dry out very well slathered in oil on a baking sheet. Bummer. But I will attest, kale chips are GOOD. Google yourself a recipe and give it a try. I promise you won't be disappointed. Your friends and family will be begging for more.

Now, I wouldn't be a good Dietitian if I didn't talk a little bit about kale's nutritional properties in an effort to increase your consumption of this nutrient powerhouse. First, as anyone taking Coumadin could probably tell you, kale is loaded with Vitamin K (hence you need to be careful if taking blood thinners). It also has load of Vitamin A and Vitamin C and a healthy amount of calcium (yes, calcium!), potassium, folate, iron and B vitamins. Kale also has magical cholesterol-lowering capabilities (binds bile acids; better at this in cooked form), has been noted as lowering the risk for many types of cancers, and supports the body's natural detox systems. Furthermore, researchers have found over 45 different flavoinoids in kale which act as potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. I think kale is also working on world peace. Seriously, what doesn't it do?

So yes, kale. I have a lot it, but that's a good thing as you can see. And now back to my featured recipe. It's pretty easy to prep and throw together, but if you'd like to sit back and watch someone else make it, check out CookusInterruptus.com and let Cynthia Lair do the work for you before you try your own. You might even get a little chuckle out it, certain to put you in a salad-making mood. A cold beer would help with that too.

Emerald City Salad

For the rice:
2 1/4 cups water or stock
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup wild rice

For the dressing:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Vegetables:
1/2 cup chopped fennel bulb, core removed
1/2 of a red or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped red cabbage
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 cups finely chopped kale

Salt and pepper
Crumbled goat cheese, optional

1. Bring the water or stock to a boil. Add the butter, salt and rice. Bring back to a boil, cover and turn down the heat and simmer for ~60 minutes (until all water absorbed).

2. Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk or shake well. Set aside.

3. Combine all the chopped vegetables and the dressing in a bowl, with the kale on top. When the rice is done and still warm but not steaming, spread the rice over the top of the kale and let sit until cool. Then, mix together everything together and season as necessary (you may want to add a little more lemon juice as well). Sprinkle cheese on top if desired.

LEAP!

Finally, after months of intermittent studying, I am a Certified LEAP Therapist, or CLT for short. I'm sure many of you would say "Yay, wonderful. Now what the heck is that?"  Per the logo above (which I believe needs a serious update, don't you?), LEAP stands for Lifestyle Eating and Performance. Basically, it's a diet protocol that helps food allergy/sensitivity sufferers know how to eat after diagnosis with Mediator Release Testing (MRT). MRT is the most accurate food sensitivity test on the market, however it can be quite confusing to know what is ok to eat after you get the results. That's where I come in. I work with patients to tailor an initial diet that gets them feeling better and on the road to recovery.

While anyone who is suspicious that they have food sensitivities can benefit from this test and protocol, there are some conditions commonly associated with food sensitivities. These include IBS, severe migraines, and fibromyalgia, as well as any condition that is merely being controlled and not cured by modern medicine (persistent acid reflux, gastroparesis, ulcerative colitis). It's amazing how removing offending foods (and chemicals!) and clearing up inflammation can lead to a "cure" of sorts for many health issues. We would never think of food as the problem in many of these cases, however unresolved food sensitivities promote inflammation, and as we now know inflammation can cause a host of problems in the body. 

So why do I talk here about food sensitivities and not allergies? Well, there is a difference. First of all, MRT does not test for classical food allergies, which is an IgE antibody reaction. You know when someone goes into anaphylactic shock as a response to eating peanuts? That is a perfect example of an IgE response. Predictable and sometimes life-threatening. There are other ways foods can provoke the immune system, however, via other types of antibodies (IgG and IgM) and non-antibody pathways (T-cell activation, complement). These often produce symptoms hours if not days later and are usually annoying or debilitating but not life-threatening. And the symptoms may not always be of the same severity or even may change at times altogether. Often all a person knows is they feel like crap (maybe persistent cold-like symptoms, achy joints, diarrhea, migraines, etc) but they are unsure what is causing the problem. In fact, many people often learn to live with these symptoms as modern medicine usually fails to cure them. 


That is where MRT comes in. This test is an indirect measure of mediator release, which means is provides a measurement of the mediators these antibodies are releasing (histamine, cytokines, prostaglandins, etc) in response to particular foods. What does that tell us? It tells us that the body is undergoing a reaction and likely causing unpleasant symptoms. Now we have something to work with and can start getting these reactive foods out of the diet. It's a little more complicated when it comes to the diet part, but essentially that is what we are doing.

Anyhow, I know I have tons more to learn in the area of immunology, but the good thing is now I have some great tools to be able to help people work through potential food reactions and get them on a path to recovery. Can you imagine someone plagued by migraines suddenly becoming headache free? Or someone suffering for years with IBS and finally finding relief and a sense of normalcy? I've heard countless amazing stories of such examples and I look forward to helping many people do the same.

If you want any more information on LEAP or MRT, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions and even provide the science behind the test and the protocols. 

And if you or anyone you know is suffering from annoying or even debilitating symptoms, especially relating to migraines, fibromyalgia, or IBS, please give me a call. MRT is not for everyone, but for some it may just be the answer to reclaiming their health.

For more information, have a look through some of these sites:

http://www.nowleap.com/

http://www.markschauss.com/medical-research/leap-mrt-a-tech-sheet-on-what-the-test-does/

(view this guy's tech sheet with a great run down of MRT. He does a much better explanation that I can.)

-Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RD, CLT

GMO-Free Product Guide

If you are interested in more information on how to find GMO-free products, check out this handy shopping guide and tips sheet I recently came across. I think you can even download an app for your phone so you can reference it while shopping.

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

More on genetically modified foods and big brother Monsanto

If you want to read more about the downright evil ... I mean, problems ... with Monsanto and genetically modified foods, check out this link and related video. Intriguing discussion with a plant scientist and professor at Purdue University. Definitely new info to me about the potentially devastating effects to livestock and essentially our entire food supply.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/dr_hubers_warning/?akid=316.193276.c5hpjP&rd=1&t=1#who

Of particular interest to me was the part about glyphosate reducing manganese in the soil, thereby resulting in insufficient manganese in GM animal feed. Manganese is a critical mineral for animals (and humans as well) and deficiency in animals is linked to stillbirth, miscarriage, impaired growth, and poor bone health. Luckily we humans have a more varied diet and can obtain minute amounts of manganese from many different plant-based sources, but this soil depletion is of real concern because it may start to affect more and more of our food sources. This is scary stuff.

Here is another interesting article I ran across discussing the potential dangers of GMOs (and this is just one of hundreds of course). Interesting the part that talks about Monsanto doing their own studies and declaring GMO corn as safe after a 90-day study. It's kinda like saying a high sugar diet doesn't cause diabetes if you don't get it within 90 days. Great research guys. How about a 5 or 10 year study at the very least? I'm thinking that's not likely. Might derail their plans for world domination.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/monsantos-gmo-corn-linked_n_420365.html

I should probably get back to some real work, but this kind of stuff always gets me riled up. Your thoughts?

Got Stock?

When a recipe calls for chicken, beef or vegetable stock (often referred to as broth or bone broth), where do you usually turn? Canned stock? Boxed stock? Water?

Now having experienced a variety of stocks, these liquid concoctions can make or break a meal, if you ask me.  If you've never tried making your own stock, let me try and convince you to give it a try. Not only does it boost the flavor of your meals considerably, but it's more nutritious and lower in sodium than its store-bought counterparts. And ... it's e-a-s-y. All you need are some leftover bones (for meat stocks) and random vegetables bits, maybe a few herbs, a whole-lotta water, and boil away. The result is strangely satisfying; a giant steaming pot of deeply colored aromatic liquid. Then just divvy up the goods into 2- or 4-cup containers and freeze. Convinced yet?

If not, ok, let's talk nutrition. Homemade bone broths are a rich source of minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and other trace minerals. They are also a source of glucosamine and chondroitin which people often ingest in supplement form to help with joint pain or arthritis. Vegetable broths are healthy too, but many of the delicate vitamins can be destroyed by the long cooking process involved. To help overcome this, keep the cooking time to about an hour or less and chock it FULL of vegetable bits to get the most nutrition you can out of your leftover plant-matter. Now all this is not to say that store-bought stocks do not have similar healthy benefits, but do realize that they often use leftover products in their processes and are not likely throwing the best quality bone pieces and fresh vegetables into the mix. Then there is the sodium. Unless you seek out and purchase "low-sodium" broths, the sodium content is usually through the roof. Anyone watching their blood pressure should take careful measures to avoid high-sodium broths. Organic and "natural" products are likely better (although usually similar in sodium), but that does not guarantee ideal flavor. Check out this quick review of some organic broth products, many of which I have tried:

http://thedailygrindchopandfry.com/2011/02/28/store-bought-vegetable-stock-taste-test/

And if you still aren't convinced, let's talk cost. Homemade broth provides considerable savings, especially over the organic brands now in the stores. When you make use of leftover chicken or roast carcasses and random vegetables you pull out of the fridge or your garden (including the typically unused or inedible parts), you make good use of typically discarded products. It's like pulling out all the last bits of nutrient goodness before they end up in the food waste bin, which maybe is the reason I find this process so satisfying - nutrient scavenging that saves money. I always love a bargain.

To get you started on your path to broth freedom, here are a few links to recipes you can try.

http://nourishedkitchen.com/fresh-chicken-broth/
http://nourishedkitchen.com/beef-stock-recipe/
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/how-to/basic-techniques-how-to-make-homemade-vegetable-stock-

Good luck and enjoy!

Breakfast Quinoa

I'm a real novice at creating my own recipes. I just don't trust myself to put flavors together that actually work. Once in awhile, however, I get desperate and throw things together based on what I have on hand. Tonight was such a night. Came home late from work. No vegetables in the fridge. Only leftover chicken strips to be found. I have to pair this with some healthy carbohydrates. Millet I cried! Dang! No millet in the grain shelf (who didn't replenish the millet container? Oh, me.). . Had to settle for quinoa. Quinoa, quinoa, quinoa ...what to do ... a sweet quinoa was sounding good. Leftover dried fruit would do with this nicely. And a sweet quinoa was born, albeit tasting more like a breakfast food than something to pair with chicken and ketchup, but it worked. Soren ate it, and a large quantity at that, in addition to his ketchup laden breaded chicken . Not that this is terribly creative. I've seen plenty of breakfast quinoa recipes, but for once I forwent the urge to research the perfect recipe online and just threw together what I had. Based on my husband's mad cooking skills, I'm sure if he were home he'd shake his head and sigh, but hey, the Dude ate. And I have breakfast for tomorrow. Who's sighing now?

Breakfast Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 cup apple juice

1 cup water

1 cup quinoa, washed

½ cup diced dried apricots

½ cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted         

Plain yogurt, if desired.

  

Method:

1. Place apple juice and water in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add quinoa and diced apricots. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

2.  Remove and heat and set aside, still covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir through cranberries and walnuts. Serve with plain yogurt, if desired.

Gluten-Free Chicken Strips (baked, not fried!)

As some of you know, my 2-year old son is going through a "dipping" phase. He wants to dip everything he eats in some type of sauce. And up till now he's been a rather picky eater, but this dipping fetish is taking things in a totally new direction. Adding sauce to previously rejected foods has been revolutionary. One of those foods I can rarely get him to eat is meat. He was practically vegetarian ... until now. I recently got the brilliant idea of "hiding" a thin strip of chicken in a light breading while simultaneously slipping a convenient saucer of ketchup next to him. Mission accomplished! Most protein I've ever seen that young man eat in his entire life. And just for kicks I made it gluten-free having found a GF box of corn flakes at the store and remembering a hidden bag of rice flour tucked away in the bottom drawer. I will admit, for the truly discerning palate, this recipe could use a little oomph. Whether it's salt or maybe combining the breading with a little Parmesan cheese, it's lacking a little something. I will keep playing with it, but in the meantime, it really does taste fine with a sufficient quantity of ketchup or tartar sauce close by. 

Gluten-Free Chicken Strips

Ingredients:

4 cups gluten-free corn flakes or corn check

2 Tablespoon gluten-free flour, such as rice flour

2-3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 pound skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Method:

1. Place the corn flakes in a food processor and process until thin crumbs formed. Take the crumbs and place in a medium sized bowl. Take also the eggs and flour and place in separate bowls so now you have three bowls total.

2.  Dip each chicken strip in the flour, then in the eggs, and lastly roll in the corn flake crumbs to completely cover. Place on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil.

3.  Bake for 10 minutes, then turn strips over and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with sauce of choice.

Spring is here ... time to shop seasonal

Spring has finally arrived and I couldn't be happier. That winter lasted way too long if you ask me. The sun has just started to make an appearance in Seattle and all the happy little urban gardeners are finally coming out of their domestic caves. I am not one of them ... yet. I have grandiose plans for a great garden this year, bursting with broccoli, green beans, and carrots, but my list of to-dos has not yet allowed me to venture out to the dirt. But let it be known that I plan to do so soon. While I wait for my veggies to be planted and sprouted, I get especially excited that the Farmers Markets are starting to bloom, so to speak. An abundance of new produce is hitting the outdoor shelves which means more variety is in store.

A question I often get asked it how to know what it is in season so as to ensure one is getting the freshest produce possible. I often check into that myself. Not that produce from Mexico or Florida is inherently bad, but I love to support local farms and producers whenever possible. Instead of re-creating the wheel, I thought I would point you to a few handy online resources that one can use to check if their basket of edibles is seasonal or not. Give these a try:

http://www.pickyourown.org/WAharvestcalendar.htm
http://www.seasonalcornucopia.com/sc/default.asp

Hope that helps! Happy Spring!

Oh Yeah, It's Pizza Night

My hubby and I have always enjoyed pizza nights at home, way before any kids were in the picture. In fact, it’s almost hard to go out for pizza because we prefer our tasty homemade creations. Ok, except for Serious Pie downtown Seattle. They make some seriously good pizza. Kudos Tom Douglas. Now that we have a dude to feed, pizza nights have become slightly more frequent but also healthier. I often buy organic cornmeal or whole wheat pizza crusts, which our son loves, and top it with a light tomato sauce, an array of veggies, a little deli meat and a light coating of cheese. Our son loves the crust and the cheese and I take delight in the fact that it becomes a secret delivery mechanism for broccoli, red peppers, and zucchini (ditto for my husband … don’t tell him I said that). Sometimes, like tonight, he gets wise to the fact that there are superfluous ingredients and he takes great measures to remove every vegetable trace, but other days he eats them without much thought. I’ll take what I can get.

I know pizza gets a bad rap as being unhealthy, and for the most part it is, BUT, when you make your own pizza at home it almost always has less calories, less fat, and less SODIUM. You get to control what is in the final product and therefore pizza can be healthy, believe it or not. Find a healthy crust at your local store (organic grocer if possible) or consider finding a whole wheat recipe online and making your own crust. You’ll save a lot of dough … pun intended. Load it up with veggies, choose a nitrite-free deli meat for a touch of protein, add a minimal amount of cheese and add only a trace amount of salt to your sauce and whala, you have a healthy dinner. Add a salad and your totally set.

Also, this is a fantastic dinner to get your kids involved with. Let them grate or spread cheese, dollop on the sauce, and add all the toppings. I even got my 2-year old to join in. Unfortunately he cried when the fun ended and it had to go in the oven, but he reaped the tasty benefits shortly thereafter. Hope you’ll give it a try!

My little helper.

Not the oven!

Danielle’s Family Night Pizza

Ingredients:

·         2 homemade or store-bought pizza crusts, 6-8’’ diameter

·         1/2 cup pizza sauce (see below for homemade sauce)

·         2 cups chopped veggies (broccoli, zucchini, red peppers, etc)

·         ¼ lb thinly sliced turkey or chicken deli meat, nitrite free (if nitrite free is not available, use shredded chicken or turkey breast)

·         1 cup shredded mozzarella

·         2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

1.       Preheat oven to 425 or according to crust package directions. Place crusts on a baking sheet and spread thin layer of pizza sauce.

2.       Top pizza sauce with a thin layer of cheddar cheese.

3.       Add other toppings as desired.

4.       Cover the toppings with the mozzarella and rest of the cheddar cheese.

5.       Bake 10-15 minutes or as directed by your crust package.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

·         ½ - ¾  cup tomato sauce, preferably not from a can to avoid BPA (jarred passata, pureed Pomi in BPA-free cartons)

·         Assortment of dried herbs/spices, 1/8 – ¼ tsp each - basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. (For my latest creation I used ¼ tsp each oregano, thyme, basil and parsley. You can change it up each time to find out what you prefer.).

·         ¼ tsp salt or to taste

Method:

1.       Place tomato sauce in a bowl and stir in desired herbs and salt. Spread on pizza dough!

Finished Product.

Cruciferlicous Mac & Cheese -- Toddler and Dad approved!

I’ve been searching for a tasty mac and cheese recipe that my son would eat (yes, he so far has refused mac and cheese, a staple of most kids’ diets). Ok, yeah, I add stuff to it. It’s not purely white noodles and cheese, which maybe is why he has taken offense to it, but I knew there must be something tasty out there that would work. Finally I came upon this recipe from Jamie Oliver’s cookbook Jamie’s Food Revolution. A hit! Of course I adapted it to include more veggies and changed the noodles to whole wheat, but the important thing here is that he ate it, and Dad ate it too . A winner I do say. I feel warm and fuzzy knowing both of my men got a hefty dose of calcium, whole grains and cancer-fighting cruciferous power. I think this will be my go-to mac for some time to come. Let me know if you try it and how you like it.

MACARONI AND CRUCIFERLICIOUS CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 small head of cauliflower

·         2-3 medium stalks of broccoli

·         8 oz. Cheddar cheese

·         4 oz. Parmesan cheese

·         1 cup finely chopped parsley

·         Salt

·         1 lb. dried whole wheat elbow macaroni

·         1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream (I used crème fraîche which I found in the dairy section)

Method

1.    Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil.

2.    While the water is heating, chop the cauliflower and broccoli into very small florets. Set aside.

3.    Grate the cheese into a large bowl. Set aside.

4.    Add the macaroni and the chopped vegetables to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and return to the pan.

5.    Place the cheese along with the crème fraîche or sour cream into a medium saucepan over low heat. Carefully stir until the mixture is smooth and melted. Add the finely chopped parsley and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

6.    Pour the melted cheese into the macaroni mixture and stir. It should have a nice, silky consistency, but if it’s too thick for you, add a splash of water to thin it out.

7.    Reheat over low heat and serve!