Valentine's Day Dinner, Won't Break the Bank or Your Health

Valentine's Day, similar to other holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, births, weddings, promotions, and other occasions, provide us with ample opportunities to celebrate using food. The downside of all these celebrations, is that opportunities to overindulge in carbs and calories are many. For those of us with food intolerances, it can provide opportunities to cheat as well. What can just a gluten little do? Over the next month, we will examine the medical implications of gluten and casein intolerance in a series of articles. I will address if cheating even a little is harmful and if so to what extent. The articles will provide an opportunity for education and anti-inflammatory recipes.

Today, I am providing a healthy dinner for you and your sweetie! If you don't have a sweetie, then invite a friend who is also sweetless over for a dinner. In the past, as a single mom, I made a candle light indoor picnic dinner I enjoyed with my little kids. They were big fans of indoor picnics during the dreary winter months or rainy days. Those are good memories........Anyway, this Valentine's Day Menu:

Wine of Choice

Chicken Piccata
Risotto
Fruited Green Salad with Pecan Dressing
Dessert Ideas

Wine--I would suggest a lovely Riesling (a sweet German wine) or Vino Verde (a sparkling green wine from Portugal), if you prefer red wine, there are many varieties available. I have become fond of a local Colorado wine, Laughing Cat Sweet Baby Red. Check out your local wineries, many have free tastings.

Chicken Piccata is typically served with capers and dredged in flour or breadcrumbs. We could substitute some gritty rice flour or use some expensive gluten free bread to make crumbs, but I have a quick, tasty and easy pantry solution. We will use cornstarch.

• 1 large chicken breast, cut in half horizontally to make to thin identical pieces, will make a thin cutlet
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. white wine or broth
• 1/2 c. broth
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 tsp. dried chives or 2 tsp. snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley minced
• juice of 1 lemon, zest if you want more of a zing in your sauce
• olive oil
• ghee (suitable for those who are CF) or vegan margarine (use butter if you can have casein)

1. Rinse chicken pieces and dredge through cornstarch.
2. Shake off excess cornstarch.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In a skillet, over medium heat, warm ghee, add chicken and brown on both sides.
5. Remove chicken from skillet and place in a pan in a 350F oven. While chicken continues to cook, work on the sauce.
6. Add wine/broth and stirring to deglaze the pan.
   
7. Season with salt and pepper.
   
8. Add lemon juice (a nice touch Ina Garten, "Barefoot Contessa" places the lemon halves in the sauce and while it simmers and then removes them). Another option is to use lemon zest.
   
9. Cook until sauce is thickened (reduced), add 2 Tbsp. of ghee or olive oil and stir well.
10. Add chicken breasts and cover both sides with sauce.
    
11. Add parsley and serve with lemon slices and parsley sprigs for garnish.

Risotto (pictured above is minus the veggies)

• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 c. risotto
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/4 c. white wine
• 2-4 c. broth

Heat oven to 400F.

1. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil, add shallots, garlic and risotto.
2. Coat the risotto and saute until shallots and garlic are soft.
3. Add wine and cook gently and stir for 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables and seasonings. Stir well.
5. Add 2 c. of broth and place in the oven after stirring well. Cook 20 minutes and check risotto. Add 1 c. of broth, shouldn't be very thick. Bake for another 20 minutes and evaluate the risotto. Should be creamy and the risotto soft. Add more broth 1/2 c. at a time and cook 10 minute increments until it meets the creamy and soft criteria.

*If you can have Parmesan cheese, add it prior to serving.


Fruited Green Salad with Pecan Dressing (not pictured)

• 1/2 head of romaine or green leaf lettuce, clean, dried and ripped into bite sized pieces
• 1 orange peeled and segmented, do this over bowl to catch the juice
• 1/2 apple diced
• 2 Tbsp. raisins or craisins
• 1/2 stalk of celery diced
  

1. Place apple pieces in reserved orange juice.
2. Toss lettuce with remaining ingredients.

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp. raw pecans
• juice of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 orange
• 1/2 Tbsp. honey

Blend all ingredients in blender. Serve with salad

Dessert Ideas

For those of you who don't want to indulge and feel weighed down in the am. I suggest, a plate of fresh berries and small serving of nuts (can be purchased in bulk section for a few dollars). For example, one pint of blue or blackberries, strawberries with greens still on (looks pretty) and 2 Tbsp. of raw almonds, 2 Tbsp. raw pecans and 2 Tbsp. Brazil nuts. Add a few squares of dark chocolate to round out the dessert. If you don't like or can't have nuts, add some gluten and dairy free crackers, seeds (Tamari pumpkin or sunflower seeds) and avocado slices. Of course you can just have the berries!

Another idea is melting dark chocolate on low heat and dipping washed, dried fruit such as orange segments, apples, and strawberries into chocolate halfway, place on waxed paper to dry.

Lastly, this is great recipe that comes from a site that has many wonderful, allergy friendly recipes, it is an Apple Crisp Recipe. It is raw, easy to prepare (can be made in advance) and so delicious. Instead of feeling weighed down after eating, you feel refreshed. I used raw pecans in place of walnuts with wonderful results.

Happy GFCF Valentine's Day!!

Angel Food Ministries Offers Allergy Friendly Food Box

Angel Food Ministries was started by Joe and Linda Wingo to help families who are experiencing financial difficulties. This program offers discounted boxes of food that can be purchased in advance and picked up at a location that is close to your home. They offer a gluten free box that is also free of other allergens such as soy, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish and crustaceans (shellfish).

My friend and partner, Mary Ann Kelley, who manages the web site that hosts my gluten free casein free menu planner, also has menu plans that help you utilize the food that is offered each month in the Angel Food Ministry plan.

This month's allergy friendly box has an assortment of breaded chicken and meat. They also offer a produce box as well.

Being on a gluten free diet can break the bank if you aren't careful. What happens is that our previous gluten laden foods/products are quickly replaced with gluten free substitutes. These substitutions will rob you of your health as they contain inflammatory oils and high amounts of carbohydrates and sugars. I discussed this in a post last year when I examined why we should think outside the breadbox.

As we are tightening our financial belt, we look to cut costs where we can. This ministry may be helpful to you by stretching your food budget. They also take food stamps. This food can extend your food for the month or be a substitute for going to the store.

Below are some helpful hints to keep your food costs down.

• Make fewer trips to the store on a FULL stomach.
• Try to make double duty meals, I made one Sunday night that will be listed below.
• Shop on Tuesday for meat clearance sales.
• Some stores will have double ads on one day of the week. My local natural market has last week's and the current week's sale items available on Wednesday.
• Make your own food. This is not only for short term budget containment, but long term health benefits. You can control what you put into the food you are preparing.
• Stick with fresh foods that are simple. It is fun to make an exotic recipe, but the ingredients can be cost prohibitive.
• Start a co-op with your friends so you can buy in bulk. One of my friends is purchasing $5 quarts of honey from a local bee keeper.
• Buy in bulk what you can use. Use coupons on products that you really use, don't feel compelled to use a coupon just because you have it. Take advantage of double coupons or use on sale items. Target has a $1 coupon accordion organizer that fits great in a purse.
• Every week use up what food is in the fridge. Many cuisines around the world take the remains of the veggie drawer and make a soup out of it.
• Many stores have $1 produce bags full of produce that is ripe. Bananas can be frozen and aging apples can be pureed into applesauce or cooked or baked in a crisp.

The two recipes below came about from a $1 produce bag of 3 organic bell peppers, definitely a good deal and 1lb. of ground turkey that was $2.25.

Stuffed Peppers

3 peppers, washed, dried and sliced in half from stem to bottom
A large pot of boiling water
1 lb. ground turkey or beef
1 small onion diced
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 small celery stalk diced
1/2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp. A-1 Steak sauce (is GF, always read labels), or ketchup
1/2 24oz. jar of marinara sauce of your choice (read labels to avoid gluten and dairy) or
1 1/2 c. homemade marinara sauce

Brown the turkey in olive oil with onions, garlic and celery over medium low heat. While cooking turkey, boil pepper halves in hot water for 3-5 minutes until crisp tender. Remove from water and place in foil lined, oiled rectangular pan to accommodate all the peppers. Add seasonings, steak sauce or ketchup and sea salt and pepper to taste. Remove meat mixture from heat and scoop into pepper halves, save remaining turkey for next recipe. Pour the marinara sauce over the peppers and bake 350F for 30-35 minutes.
Serves 6

Clean out the drawer Soup

Place remaining cooked 1/2 lb. of turkey in a soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 small sliced carrots, 2 small sliced celery stalks, remaining marinara, 1 small diced zucchini, 1/2 T. Italian seasoning and 1/4 c. rice or risotto. Fill the marinara jar with water x 2 and add to soup. Simmer until vegetables are soft and rice is cooked.

You can use any veggies you have for this recipe and adjust the thickness with more or less water.

The 10 Absolute Worst Things to Put into Your Mouth!

Happy New Year! Being a new year, we all make resolutions to do things differently than we did last year. I would encourage you to avoid putting the following foods/non-foods in your mouth and your body this year. By being diligent and making your own food, not only will your health benefit, but so will your pocket book.

Maintaining or regaining your health is priceless. And really we should have started yesterday, next time, don't wait until the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, start right away. Successful people don't wait to start.

Also, if you indulge, don't beat yourself up, make sure your next meal is a healthy one, it will help make up for a bad meal.

1. Cancer sticks, also known as french fries. I must confess I love french fries! I haven't always, but lately they seemed to call my name. Smash Burger has Smash Fries, greasy and dotted with yummy rosemary seasoning. This is a food drenched in inflammatory, usually hydrogenated or trans fatty oils (usually rancid oils), stripped of its nutrients and unfortunately turns to sugar when it is consumed by our bodies. The only "benefit" is some satiation of emotional discomfort. The feeling of I need my fries is temporarily relieved when consumed, but I tend to suffer later because I ate them. So I and you should avoid these, occasional consumption is not the end of the world. Avoid all fried items, drop the doughnut!

2. MSG also known as: monosodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, so called natural flavorings, sodium caseinate, plant protein, glutamate, glutamic acid and many other disguised names. MSG is an excitotoxin. It works by exciting your taste buds making food taste qualities more distinct. There is a food chain that has a tortilla soup that I find myself craving. They will not disclose all of the ingredients making me think that MSG is the culprit that intensifies the taste and makes me want the product more. In exciting our taste buds, Dr Russell Blaylock, a neurologist has written a book that discusses the neurotoxicity of MSG and aspartame. The neurons in our brain are our nervous system's building blocks. MSG and its twisted cousin, aspartame/Nutrasweet are excitotoxins which lead to weight gain and neuron death. They are excited to death, literally.

Nutrasweet, aspartame are in the same boat here. If you have a choice between white sugar and aspartame, choose the white sugar. People tend to crave carbohydrates more while taking these substances, leading to more weight. Drop the Flaming Hot Cheetos!

3. Cold cereals are glorified junk food. I know they tout lots of fiber, but even organic ones are loaded with sugars. Taking bleached or unbleached refined grains or whole grains and heating them to high temperatures so they can be extruded into shapes like nuggets, rings, whatever does not make a health food. Here is a great article on this subject as well as grains in general.

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) or Agave, fructose syrup, should be avoided at all costs. Again, the occasional pop or Gatorade is not the end of the world, but like gluten, this product is in almost every processed food. Last year studies confirmed that mercury was found in some HFCS samples. That is disturbing as we are exposed to many environmental and food toxins as is. These fructose syrups are metabolized by the liver, not the digestive tract and can cause non-alcoholic liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis. It also causes diabetes, obesity and high triglycerides (blood fats). You don't need this. If you are hooked on soda, quit.

5. Unfermented soy 'food' products. Tofu is fine in moderation, but is not a health food. Soy milk is a highly processed food. Soy oil and lecithin is found in many foods and as typical American fashion we tend to over do anything that we think is good for us. Over 2/3rds of soy crops grown in US are genetically modified (GMO). The Japanese do consume tofu but mainly fermented soy products such as miso, fermented soy beans and soy sauce (keep yours gluten free). They also use soy to round out their meal, not as a replacement, similar to a condiments.

6. Sugar, is the white Satan and yes, you should avoid sugar. What is considered sugar? Many of the wonderful gluten free bloggers suggest their recipes are sugar free because they are using agave nectar or honey. But these are sugars, different types, but have the effects of sugar even if it is supposedly low glycemic. In the case of agave, it is worrisome because it has the same effects on health as HFCS. Honey has some beneficial properties that are medicinal as well as containing nutrients and minerals. It is also a sugar though and should be used sparingly.

Ultimately, we as a nation need to deal with our extreme addiction to sugar. Don't forget about natural sugars. Fruits are (contain levulose) good, juice should be avoided. Blending a whole fruit is preferable as the fiber and nutrients stay with the fruit as opposed to separation that occurs with juicing. People with difficulty regulating their blood sugar should avoid juicing fruit. Dried fruits are very concentrated in natural sugar and should also be avoided. Carbohydrates do add up over the course of day. This means absolutely no pop!! Special message to my wonderful, Mountain Dew loving husband! The Dew is green, but not made by God.

Special note: Splenda shouldn't be consumed by anyone. Long term effects remain to be seen and it isn't wise to eat something that your body supposedly doesn't recognize. Sweet N Low, aspartame, Equal are all bad for you. Stevia is a good choice for liquids that need sweetening such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate or salad dressing. Sugar alcohol substitutes like Xylitol are highly processed but can be used for baking.

6. Since this is a GF blog, we all avoid white flour. But what about GF white substitutes? Tapioca, arrowroot, corn and potato starches, rice flours, and sorghum have their fair share of carbs. So be mindful of your consumption or your pants may get quite tight! And, you can continue to increase inflammation.

7. Microwave popcorn (microwaving in general is not wise as it destroys the nutrients in your meal) is a chemically laden food and shouldn't be produced must less consumed by anyone. If you want popcorn get a kettle popper hand cranked or electric, use organic, not GMO corn and coconut oil.

8. Canned foods tend to have liners made from plastic, Bisphenol A, a toxic compound. This chemical is known to be a xenoestrogen. It has implications for cancer, miscarriage and immune dysfunction.

9. Liquid meals in cans/cartons such as weight loss shakes, Ensure, etc. Read the label. Not only is there dairy products but a lot of sugar and synthetic vitamins. If you require liquid nutrition due to health concern or would like a liquid breakfast, stay tuned for next week, we will discuss a healthy, easy option to meet this need. Liquid meals tend to also be processed, lacking any fresh foods with live enzymes.

10. Protein bars are glorified candy bars. Protein bars are made by soy and whey waste products obtained from manufactures and are again loaded with HFCS or other sugars. Hydrogenated fats are also prevalent in these bars. If you can find raw food bars, they can be a good stand in, but may contain agave. If you want a bar to eat, try looking up recipes online and making your own. You can always make them in bulk and freeze them. Here is a yummy recipe from Dr Ben Kim. He has some wonderful GFCF and raw recipes.

Resources
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm
http://www.ewg.org/node/20938
www.drbenkim.com



This list should give you incentive to really think about what you put in your mouth and to make your own food. It will be kind to your body, your mind, your family, your pocketbook and your waist line.

Shepherd Pot Pie

I had fun making this recipe. It was an excellent way to use of leftovers and it that was delicious. I don't particularly like Shepherd's pie, but as I was making a turkey pot pie, I didn't want to make an extra crust for the top and thought mashed potatoes would be delicious instead. The best of both worlds. Crust on the bottom, mashed potatoes on top.

Make sure to check out my new free Allergy Friendly Christmas Menu!

Hope you enjoy.

Shepherd Pot Pie*

1 1/2 c. diced, cooked turkey or chicken or assorted organic, frozen vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, mushrooms
1/2 c. leftover gravy*
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. water + 1 Tbsp. gluten and MSG free bouillon base or 2 c. of broth of choice
2 c. organic frozen peas and carrots
1 small onion diced
3 tsp. minced garlic

1 crust (see recipe below)

2 c. leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes


* if you don't have gravy, combine 1/2 c. of broth with 2 tsp of cornstarch and season with a dash of poultry seasoning, sea salt and fresh ground pepper, over low heat stir until thick

In a large skillet over medium heat, gently saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and stir. Add cornstarch and stir well. Add broth and stir over medium heat until it starts to thicken. Add
meat or vegetables and peas and carrots. Pour this mixture into prepared pie pan with crust laid out. Using your hands place mashed potatoes on top. Bake 350F for 35-40 minutes.
Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.


Pie Crust

1 1/4 c. GF flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill due to laziness on my part)
4 Tbsp. light olive oil
3/4 c. cold water with ice cubs

In a food processor place flour mix. Turn on and add oil. Mixture should look like small peas. Add cold water while it is still running until it forms a dough. Do not add more water. Remove from processor and pat into a disc. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and roll out between two sheets of plastic wrap. I usually wet my counter top and lay wrap flat and then place dough in between, top with two more sheets of plastic wrap and roll out. Lay in pie plate, 8 inch. This is an easy to make and allergy friendly recipe.



*If you want this to be meat free, use vegetable broth or base and omit the meat.*

The Gluten and Dairy Free Lunchbox

Making lunch for yourself and your kids can be a chore when the days of slapping together a sandwich or grabbing a yogurt are no longer available. I don't miss bread very often except in Middle Eastern restaurants as I watch soft, warm pita breads bask on patrons tables in front of a plate of yummy hummus but I digress...... I realize lately that I miss the convenience of grabbing a bagel or cookie when I just need a quick bite. Being gluten free makes that an impossibility. There are some great raw food cookies/bars at natural food stores that can stand in, but those stores are not as readily available as many retail chains that have those convenience foods. I am not suggesting those foods are healthy by any stretch of the imagination. I would love for those places to have healthy, gluten free alternatives, but that is not a common place reality. Anyway no more pity party today.

Planning and Budgeting

What to make for lunch? There's always the stand in of leftovers and I specifically plan my weekly menu plan which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner with a few snack ideas for the week to avoid eating out or eating things that are not good for us. I plan some of my dinners to become planned leftovers such as Butternut Curry Squash Soup or Cobb Salad. Soup makes a great breakfast by the way!

When we think about lunch, we have to get outside of the breadbox. This means to avoid focusing on bread related foods all the time. You can of course purchase gluten free breads or make them yourself, but this can add unnecessary carbohydrates to your midsection. It can also lead you away from more exciting choices.

If you are needing frugal, but healthy choices, try to rotate the same lunch menu staples each week so that you can stock up when those items are on sale and you will have a basic idea of how much it is costing you each week.

Here is an example: Mondays, Tuna, crackers, carrots and fruit/ Tuesday, chef salad, crackers, apple/ Wednesday, Egg salad, celery, tomatoes and carrots, brown rice wraps/ Thursday Leftovers, fruit and salad/ Friday Waldorf salad, banana and cookie.

Let's say this lunch menu costs $20.00 a week for a family of 6. This is helpful to me because there is limited work and planning involved. The basic cost doesn't fluctuate too much, in fact the cost can go down because when tuna is on sale for 50 cents a can, I can stock up on that item. This is how my costs can go down in the future. I can also purchase my gluten free whole grain crackers for example from Costco and calculate the cost over the month which can reduce my weekly expenses on lunch.

This is just a basic food plan. You can put your favorites in there and rotate the menu. You can also vary the fruits and vegetables to accommodate what is in season and on sale.

Adult and Kid Friendly Ideas

Tuna salad (if you can't have mayonnaise try oil and vinegar instead)
Egg salad
Chicken salad with celery, grapes and scallions

Pair these salads with gluten free crackers or wrap in large lettuce/cabbage leaves, hold in place with a toothpick. Probably better to make these prior to eating and bring all the ingredients in separate containers. These salads can also be served on top of a bed of greens, in a tomato that has had the flesh taken out (can use in salad or save for broth, juicing, pasta sauce or soup), a zucchini boat, other squash that has been baked such as acorn filled with chicken salad or half of a red bell pepper.

Kabobs always a kid and adult favorite

Take toothpicks and thread chunks of turkey ham, chicken or any other meat (save money and avoid chemicals such as nitrites if you bake these meats yourself) alternating with fruit and vegetables. Gently cooked squash chunks, raw peppers, zucchini, grape/cherry tomatoes, onions, olives, grapes, apple chunks, cherries, berries, peaches, and celery.

To be continued next week..........

Why Should We Think Outside of the Bread box?

As a practicing nurse practitioner, I have encountered many patients experiencing various, multiple food intolerances and/or allergies. What I am finding is that it becomes increasingly difficult to give up foods that are causing physical or mental symptoms when they are reliant on replacing those very foods in a different form. For example, it is great that we can find gluten free blogs and web sites that have done an excellent job of making copy cat recipes of our favorite gluten laden favorites. There is nothing wrong with having some GF cake, cookie or bread on occasion. What is actually happening though is that GF foodies are having these items with a much higher degree of frequency. These foods contain many different forms of carbohydrates resulting in sugar addiction as well as weight gain and adverse health consequences from relatively high sugar content. These constant feedings of our desire to have foods that remind of us of our gluten laden favorites that we miss make passing up on the gluten laden goodies when we encounter them more difficult.

Another reason to avoid succumbing to these food replacements is the pocket book. I was in a womens group earlier this year and one of my friends is GF as well as 4 of her kids. She had a limited amount of grocery money for a given week and was so worried she couldn't feed her kids because she couldn't afford GF bread and other processed (boxed, bagged or canned) GF products during that week. When we rely on these processed convenience products it can really take a toll on our pocket book as noted in this article, "The Expense of Eating with Celiac Disease". In my GFCF menu planner, I strive to ensure that the foods presented in the recipes are 1. affordable, 2. simple to make, 3. nutrient dense, 4. family friendly, and 5. creative. Unfortunately, kids are being trained to desire GF processed cereals, granola bars, cookies, breads, waffles and frozen foods, all loaded with tons of sugar. A high sugar nutrition plan can cause children to have difficulty with behavior and concentration as well as packing on the pounds. Children are growing and developing, requiring critical nutrients not found in processed foods.

Processed foods that are lacking nutrients, will keep us unfulfilled and constantly hungry. And we will find ourselves in a vicious cycle of wanting the very foods that are not giving our bodies the nutrition they need to heal and be well.

The natural, organic and health food industry has us tricked into thinking because it is organic, natural or labeled healthy that it truly is health food. These are processed foods masquerading as health foods in an expensive store. If labels are carefully reviewed most of these products will be loaded with unnecessary sugar and calories with little to no nutrients.

We have assigned agave to be the sweet substitute of choice because it has a lower glycemic index, yet it still IS a refined sugar just as organic cane sugar, raw sugar, and honey.All may have varying degrees of positive qualities, but they will cause your blood sugar to rise, insulin to be released and increase in inflammation in the body (think of an infected wound or asthma attack as examples of inflammation). Roller coaster blood sugar levels lead to emotional upheaval as well and continued craving for the very thing that is causing the emotional distress that drives our desire for our favorite comfort foods.

This is why thinking outside the bread box is critical. Think of how to enjoy food, eat to live not live to eat and don't look for a piece of GF bread, pasta, tortilla or cookie around every corner. Once you give it up completely, you will find that only an occasional sting of the GF cookie bug will hit you and its ok to bite!

If you found this article useful, you can find more like them, with more detail in my GFCF menu planner.

P.S. Here is an article on GF foods and tax deductions.

Dairy Free Ice Cream Options

A few weeks ago I put up a Banana Ice Cream recipe that is easy and inexpensive to make. As the food market adapts to those of us who have food allergies there are several options for dairy and/or gluten free ice cream.

There are dairy free ice creams made from soy, rice, hemp or coconut milk. I have tried all 4. My favorite so far is Temph. I have tried Vanilla Bean, Coffee Biscotti and Chocolate. The chocolate flavor tasted like a very rich fudgsicle. The coconut lime flavor is also great, a hint of lime bathed in coconut.

The coconut based ice creams are great alternatives with plenty of fat to slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. We shouldn't eat ice cream all the time but on occasion it is fine to have a treat.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Casein Free Menu Planner

When I was growing up, food allergies were rare. Some people could not have shellfish, but it was unheard of to have a life threatening reaction to peanuts. Today nut free schools are commonplace, thousands of gluten-free products are showing up in local Wal-Marts, and everyone knows someone who is avoiding sugar, dairy, soy or some other food that is common in the Standard American Diet (SAD).

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale, spelt, and/or cross contaminated in oats. Casein is the protein found in all animal dairy products. Casein is also found in many processed foods.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that causes the body to attack the small intestines when wheat/rye/barley and/or spelt products are consumed. These grains contain the gluten protein. The journal Gastroenterology noted in 2005, "Celiac Disease is one of the most common lifelong disorders worldwide." Symptoms vary widely and can include: fatigue, mood disorders, diarrhea/constipation, poor growth (in children), hair loss, neurological problems (seizures, impaired concentration and/or memory), anemia, mouth ulcers, abdominal pain, bloating, infertility, anxiety, depression, bone pain, weakness, liver disorders and/or malnutrition issues such as osteoporosis. Many who suffer from autoimmune disorders have gluten intolerance without intestinal symptoms. I gave up gluten, then reintroduced it a few weeks later. Within hours it felt like I had been hit by a truck.

At the age of 11, I became tired and very pale. I was diagnosed with mononucleosis and severe anemia (a shortage of red blood cells), which almost required a blood transfusion. Diagnosis: none. Treatment: take 6 iron tablets daily. After this episode I had chronic strep infections almost every two weeks for the next 7 years until I had my tonsils removed at age 18. I had almost constant antibiotic use during this time. In my 20's I discovered a goiter, had symptoms of low thyroid function (hypothyroid) and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease, which is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in America. It is considered an autoimmune thyroid disease which eventually results in malfunction of the thyroid (which regulates metabolism, body temperature, and generally making the whole body run the way it should). Then I started down a road of chronic fatigue, depression and a constant state of feeling unwell. I have also had eczema every since I can remember, suffered from a terrible premenstrual syndrome and started to have very heavy, painful periods.

Finally, 4 years ago, I saw a Denver gynecologist who is an integrative doctor utilizing alternative and conventional therapies with a focus on health. For those who don't know (men), women often use gynecologists as their primary care physician. I told her about my mood issues, female troubles, poor thyroid and constant fatigue. She did a test for anti-gliandin antibodies (antibodies which indicate gluten intolerance) and they were sky-high.

I finally had a diagnosis! Over the course of 20 years, I had seen too many doctors to count. This is common for those who are suffering from a gluten and/or dairy intolerance. Multiple trips to different doctors, lots of testing, no results, no diagnosis and no help. The median time for diagnosis is estimated at between 8-11 years with a patient seeing at least five different physicians. Finally, I had an answer and some relief from many of my symptoms, mainly the fatigue and depression.

I tell my story because it is the story of many Americans. Millions of Americans suffer from autoimmune diseases, depression, fatigue, neurological problems, mood disorders, poor digestion and/or irritable bowel syndrome (what a diagnosis! - those who have it already know their bowels are irritable). The underlying problem is a food intolerance (or multiple food intolerances) leading to malabsorption of nutrients needed for cellular repair and maintenance. At age 11, my anemia was a symptom of the food intolerance. Because gluten intolerance is insidious in the ways it shows up, it is difficult to find unless you know what to look for. Since it is not confined to the gut, testing for it can lead to false positives and false negatives.

Modern conventional medicine continues to view gluten intolerance or celiac sprue as an intestinal disease. Reviewing the studies regarding this issue, we find it is a systemic, inflammatory problem that can manifest itself in any part of the body.

Health care practitioners who treat those who have autism will mandate a gluten and casein free diet as part of an overall treatment plan. Why? Wheat and dairy are considered the staples of life - why take that away? There are many reasons why so many people cannot tolerate gluten and casein. Some can no longer break down the protein(s). Intestinal inflammation can ensue, causing a "leaky gut," a permeable intestinal wall leaks out these undigested proteins, and for those with autism, and possibly other disorders of the brain, these peptides get lodged in the brain. Brain inflammation is found in many with mood and neurological disorders. Alzheimer's has been characterized as a brain on fire. See a brain scan here: http://www.loni.ucla.edu/~thompson/AD_4D/dynamic.html.

Some of the reasons these staples are wrecking havoc are: over consumption of gluten/flour products, premature introduction of grains into the infant diet, hybridization of wheat, artificial processing of flour, inappropriate preparation of grains, pasteurization and homogenization of dairy products, all of which causes damage to the enzymes that breaks down gluten or casein.

There are long term consequences to gluten intolerance, as it can over stimulate the immune system, causing systemic inflammation in the body. Intestinal lymphoma , autoimmune disorders and premature death can result from a chronic state of inflammation if an affected individual continues to consume gluten despite having intolerance . This happens because so many people are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed or fail to comply with a gluten free diet

What's the solution? If you suspect that gluten and/or casein (these two culprits tend to work together) are the cause of your ill health, I advocate a trial abstinence from both of these proteins. The abstinence period should last at least 3-4 months, and then reintroduce each one, separately. Gluten and casein are different from other food intolerances in that they can have a lag time of up to 4 days to show any symptoms. If you find that abstaining from gluten improves your symptoms, you should continue a gluten-free diet. LivingGlutenfreeCaseinfree.com offers a 4 week menu plan to help get started with a gluten-free diet.