Offerings for November 20,2010: Special Items for Thanksgiving

We had a delicious cranberry burst drink that has the most beautiful color and tastes delicious!
There will be some items that you can impress your friends with that are gluten and dairy free and do not contain refined sugars (except the cranberry orange relish, but it's a holiday! so enjoy yourself in moderation).

Beverages

• Cranberry burst--freshly made cranberry juice combined with a tangerine, peaches and a beet.
• Holiday Nog--almond and Brazil nuts are made into a thick creamy milk, sweetened and spiced.
• The Spicy Waldorf--organic grapes, apple, ginger, celery and some spinach make this healthy drink refreshing and spicy

Take Home Menu

• Garden Pate--perfect for entertaining, serve with crackers, crudite or eat with chips
• Black Sesame Bread
• Almond Milk, by the pint, sweetened with dates
• Cheese and Crackers--cream cheese made from cashews is served with dehydrated crackers, perfect for an appetizer or after dinner treat when served with fresh fruit such as grapes
• Cranberry Orange Relish, raw relish that is delish as a condiment with any dish you want to pair it with on your special celebration, also makes a great salad topping!
• Sweet Potato Salad--delicious cubed sweet potatoes paired with crasins and cilantro in a lime dressing for a tangy finish
• Pecan Orange dressing--a creamy dressing for your holiday salad with delicious pecans and citrus
• Pumpkin Tomato Soup--a warm, cooked, vegan soup with a reminiscent of childhood tomato soup with a grown up appreciation for pumpkin

• Non-dairy ice creams to delight your friends with in seasonal Cranberry Orange, Pumpkin spice and traditional dark chocolate with Caramel Sea Salt 
• GF Granola

Breakfast Ice Cream
We will make this for you on site to order. We have our delicious chocolate sauce and pomegranate seeds for a seasonal flare to this healthy breakfast option.



Desserts

Bring these spectacular desserts to your Thanksgiving gathering with friends and family, of course after they taste them you can let them know they are raw, vegan and gluten and dairy free.

• Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
• Cherry Dipped Truffles
• Chocolate Mousse garnished with pomegranate seeds
• Mince Pies, a germinated and dehydrated almond crust houses a delicious apple/raisin spice mixture
• Cheesecake in a small jar, a beautiful cheesecake swirled with pomegranate cheesecake makes a beautiful presentation in a jar, a wonderful hostess gift
• Almond Butter Energy Bites

Mini Gluten Free Class November 13, 2010

I will be hosting a mini seminar that is free to the public on Saturday, November 13, 2010 from 12-12:30pm at Denver Urban Homesteading Farmer's Market. Here's a synopsis of what I will be covering. This is also a great opportunity to have some free samples of Living Fuel delectable!

November 13, 2010
GLUTEN FREE: FAD DIET OR NECESSARY TREATMENT?
If you or a loved one have questions about what is gluten, who is affected, what it can do and what are the medical implications of undiagnosed gluten intolerance or celiac disease then you won't want to miss this class.

Hope to see you then! Don't forget we are at Denver Urban Homesteading at 200 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80223 every Saturday from 9-2pm.

New Gluten and Dairy Free Market in Denver!!

                                                                                            

                                                                                                           

How to Fuel Your Life, Feel Good

A New, Healthy Treat at Denver’s Year-Round Farmer’s Market

(DENVER) – You want to eat something tasty, but you know you should eat healthy too.  Who knows how to strike that balance?  You’d trust a nurse practitioner with an apron, wouldn’t you?

There’s a new business, run by Denver-area medical professional Lolita Hanks, where health is taught hands-on through your tastebuds.  The Living Fuel “green smoothie” stand is open Saturdays 8 am to 2 pm at Denver’s year-round Urban Farmer’s Market, at 2nd Ave. & Santa Fe Blvd.  Many vendors sell neat treats there, though not all are as allergy-friendly as Living Fuel’s offerings. 

“I have rheumatoid arthritis, and I have so many allergies that aggravate my symptoms,” said nurse practitioner Lolita Hanks.  “I make these foods to help myself, but they can also help millions of others with allergies who often can’t find anything to eat.  Best yet, they’re tasty enough you don’t know they’re allergy friendly.”

Each week, Hanks prepares raw chili (amazingly zesty and savory!), a variety of popular sunflower seed pates, two types of non-dairy ice creams in wonderful flavors, and several options for green smoothies – basically a flavorful shake of mixed fruits and greens – plus lots more (ask about gluten-free granola, faux egg salad or several other raw-food, vegan or gluten/casein-free options).  She already has a regular following of people who show up every week.

“I tell people they can have ice cream for breakfast!” Hanks says.  “My ice creams are made from either cashews or bananas, don’t contain a lot of sugar, and they taste better than other dairy-free desserts.”

Living Fuel is dedicated to helping people reach optimal levels of health through their diets.  The Living Fuel stand at the market is just part of what nurse practitioner Lolita Hanks provides.  A web presence at www.living-fuel.com provides a list of options. She is also the author of a six-week gluten-free, casein-free menu planner that can be found at www.livingglutenfreecaseinfree.com and personalized allergy-free health food and advice.

Those who sign up for e-mail alerts will find what each week’s menu is in advance.  Sign up by sending e-mail to livingfuelcolorado@gmail.com or sign up at the market.  Otherwise, just browse the stands and be pleasantly surprised by the variety!

Another Use for Zucchini

Instead of buying an expensive package of gluten free pasta, break out your mandoline to slice zucchini into spaghetti strips, fettucine style.

Then serve it raw or lightly steam it in some flavored water or broth. I used some garlic powder and vegetable broth. I gently cooked it on low for a few minutes. Removed and top with cashew cheese and raw tomato sauce.

Raw Tomato Sauce

3 ripe tomatoes quartered
1/2 c. soaked sun dried tomatoes, unless you have oil packed, no soaking needed
6 Kalamata olives
1/4 onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning or equivalent fresh herbs such as basil and oregano

Blend all and top on top of zucchinetti!


Enjoy!

Day at Hippocrates Health Institute

Dear Friends,
I must admit to being a delinquent blogger. I have lovely blog written on how to juice using a blender, but hate to put it up without the step by step pictures which are at home on my husband's computer.

For my Colorado friends, the grand opening of Living Fuel, a green smoothie stand is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 3rd at the Urban Homesteading market, an indoor year round farmer's market. Hope to see you there! Please check Living Fuel for updates.

For two years I have endured Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have come to a place where it is very well controlled but do not want to live my life with it or the medications I use, namely Plaquenil, Minocin and intravenous Clindamycin and Naproxen. I have come far with eliminating foods that exacerabate my condition. I have realized that I won't be happy until it is in remission. I will win this battle.

I have decided to utilize a health institute called Hippocrates to get the tools for the battle.
Hippocrates Health Institute (HHI) is a health facility that specializes in an all raw, sprout and wheat grass based nutrition plan to restore health. They deal with many difficult issues such as cancer and autoimmune diseases as well as wanting optimal health, weight loss and diabetes.




Below is day one at HHI.
The Hut, a meeting place at HHI

continued at.....

http://www.living-fuel.com/

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!!

Green Smoothies

What is a green smoothie?

It is a blended drink that contains greens--fresh, uncooked spinach, lettuce (not iceberg), dandelion greens, kale, and herbs such as parsley and cilantro. Dark, leafy greens provide can meet many of our nutritional needs. It is great to add one or two dark, leafy green salads or cooked side dish to your daily meals. Blending the greens, allows for those who have poor digestion (myself and many fellow gluten intolerant individuals) to obtain more nutrients from their foods as the process of chewing is done by the blender. This also allows for anyone to get a higher amount of greens in one sitting then could be done by chewing a large salad.

How does a green smoothie differ from juicing?

I like juicing and it has its place in providing a lot of nutrition in concentrated form. I find that I do better with these smoothies as it keeps the fiber intact with fruits and veggies.


Why are these drinks beneficial?

Most of us think it is odd to drink something that is green unless it is Mountain Dew! Dark, leafy greens are loaded with calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron with vitamins A and C. Realize that vitamin A obtained from plant sources and not animal (form is beta-carotene) require the body to convert the beta-carotene to vitamin A, Those who are acutely or chronically sick may not be able to do. Fresh greens also contain chlorophyll which can help stimulate red blood cell production and provides magnesium.

Many raw foodists start their day with a green smoothie and may also have one for lunch. I find that as a person with chronic fatigue that adding these nutritious, fresh smoothies to my diet has provided a great energy boost! I have been drinking these for breakfast daily for a few months. I took a hiatus from them for a little over a week and became fatigued again resulting in needing to rest during the day for hours. Since resuming the drinks, I rarely need a nap and generally feel better.

Can I have spinach everyday?

Spinach is the best green to start with, as it is liked by all who try it and it breaks down easily. It is important to rotate greens as they contain small amounts of nitrogen, called alkaloids and they can pile up in your system. You always want to rotate foods, that is why we have seasonal foods, we aren't meant to eat the same thing over and over.

Are green smoothies for kids?

These are good drinks for kids and they will never know the greens are in them. Some of the drinks are green and you could put them in a cup with a lid that the kids can't see. This drink could be in addition to your child's breakfast but not the entire breakfast. My son does drink these most days of the week and since he is almost 14, he doesn't always want a big breakfast. He does have protein at lunch and a larger meal at that time. This drink can also be a snack and is a better alternative to sugar laden fruit juices that are available. Using a straw works well for kids and adults alike.

How do I choose greens and prepare them?

Choose fresh, bright, organic greens that aren't yellowing, browning or wilting. Wash your greens thoroughly rinsing them until all dirt and grit is gone. I use a mix of food grade 3% hydrogen peroxide, a few ounces in a bowl of water that covers my produce. After soaking them for about 5-10 minutes, I rinse them.

What is in green smoothies?

There are many ways to make green smoothies but typically they consist of fruit, water or juice (fresh squeezed or juiced, such as limes, lemons or apples) and greens. The fruit percentage is typically 60% fruit and 40% greens.


How do I make one?

The recipe for today, is a Blackberry Mango Smoothie. We will make it using a normal blender not a Vita-Mix, which is a great machine, but very expensive. If you really enjoy these smoothies and have health issues, it may be a good investment for you. No, I don't get any money from Vita-Mix, I wish!! I wish they would send me one!!!

I will show you how to make the smoothie using a normal speed blender. You can follow this procedure with any smoothie you want to make. Remember, a regular blender doesn't have the force to pull big pieces of food down to the blade if there is too much fluid diluting the mixture.

Blackberry Mango Smoothie

1 10 oz. bag organic frozen blackberries
1 10 oz. bag organic frozen mangoes
2 c. spinach
water







Place blackberries in the blender and place enough water to cover the berries.



Puree the berries. Place this mix in a strainer over a bowl.








This is what the blackberry juice will look like.


Place half of the blackberry juice in the blender. Add the spinach (if you used a different green such as romaine, rip it into smaller pieces) and blend well.


Add the mango and more blackberry juice if needed to keep the mixture moving. Add more water to the mixture, I usually add enough to fill it to the top.



My action picture!!!


Voila! I usually drink 28-32 ounces a day.

Enjoy!!!

Gluten and Dairy Free Lunchbox, Part 2

What's For Lunch???? Continued...

The picture above is my husband's lunchbox and a sample lunch idea. The sandwich to the left is my lunch yesterday. It is a raw bread with avocado and tomato slices and sliced white onions seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. The recipe is below as well.



We use a stainless steel thermos that we fill with hot water for 5 minutes, drain and then fill with warmed soup, stew or chili. This keeps the food warm for lunch without using the microwave which saves time and precious nutrients that might otherwise be destroyed by the microwave.


The thermos is filled with Lolita's Spicy Black Bean Soup with a tossed salad. The recipes will be found below.


Notes: Try to avoid lunch meats with nitrites, it is a known carcinogen. Boar's Head does have nitrites but is gluten free.


Other ideas for sandwiches, use fillings you enjoy.

• Cabbage, collard green or lettuce leaves, fill with lunch meat, egg, tuna or chicken salad.
  
• Omelets, beat 2-3 eggs with 1 Tbsp. water and pour into oiled non-stick skillet over medium heat, do not fold, flip and cook on both sides. Make in advance if you like and use parchment or wax paper to keep omelets separate until ready to use.
  
• GF Indian Lentil wraps is a great recipe at Living Without, a GF magazine that deals with other food intolerances as well. Here's another GF wrap recipe found on that site as well.
  
• Brown rice wraps, can be found in health food stores usually in the freezer section. They do need to be warmed prior to using in a microwave for 15 seconds or over steam if you can get it. Do not put mustard, avocado or mayo on to these wraps and expect to eat it quickly because they get soft fast, within 5-10 minutes. Better to take the ingredients and prepare prior to eating. I like to spread avocado on mine, sprinkle on seasoned sea salt, pepper and add romaine lettuce, lunch meat and red onions. I roll it up and eat it quickly.
  

Full Meal Salads:

• Salad nicoise, lettuce (romaine), tuna, olives, steamed/boiled small red potatoes
  
• Chef salad, choice of lunch meat, veggies, fruits, onions, or olives.
  
• Caesar salad, feel free to add olives, protein, and more veggies.

Other Ideas:

• Faux lunchables, cut up turkey, ham, or chicken, GF crackers, condiments such as Dijon mustard, pickles, grapes/dried fruits, and/or olives.
  
• Cut up veggies, fruits, GF crackers, homemade bean dip, hummus or refried (without hydrogenated oils) beans
  
• Apple with nut butter, cut an apple in half, remove core and fill with nut butter. If your child's school is nut restricted you can use sunbutter. This is also a great breakfast or snack idea!
  
• Coconut yogurt parfait, you can make your own yogurt or purchase So Delicious Dairy Free Yogurt and add fruits that you like.
  
• Raw parfait--this is a recipe from my GFCF menu planner, enjoy! Serve with your favorite fruits. Layer with pudding and fruits alternating layers.
  

Fruit Parfait--this will serve six.

• 4 ripe, refrigerated avocados
• 3/4 c. nut milk
• 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. Agave nectar
• 4 c. of berries or cut up fruit such as peaches, apples, pears, bananas, grapes or some combination

In a food processor, place avocados and orange juice, process until smooth. Add salt, vanilla and Agave nectar, continue to process, slowly add nut milk until it has a pudding consistency. Divide among 6 bowls or cups, alternating the avocado pudding with fruit. Serve.




Lolita's Spicy Black Bean Soup
Serves 6

This recipe was inspired by my naturopath, Jodi Winter who also is an avid raw foodist. This is not a raw recipe but it is high fiber, quick and delicious! She suggested a can of black beans and diced tomatoes pureed and warmed. So here is my spin on her great idea!

• 2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
• 2 cans of lentils, undrained
• 2 cans of Rotel or diced tomatoes with juice (can use one can hot and one mild for spicier soup)
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander

Puree black beans and tomatoes. Add seasonings, lentils and warm. Place in thermos for lunch.



Tossed salad
Serves 1

• 5-6 lettuce leaves of choice, I used red leaf, chopped or torn into bite size pieces
• 1/3 of cucumber cut into sticks
• 1 tomato chopped

Toss all and serve with dressing of choice.



Raw Open Face Sandwich
Serves 1

Matt Amsden's Onion Bread from Rawvolution, I used my oven for this recipe. I greased a large, foil lined cookie sheet and spread the batter thick about 1/4 inch. The lowest temperature the oven went to was 170F, I leave the door open a crack to hopefully reduce the temperature to that of the dehydrator's low temperatures. I left it in overnight and in the am flipped the bread, remove the foil and put it in for another 12 hours. If you leave it in for more than 24hours it will be more dry and cracker like. I enjoy the chewy consistency of bread. Your oven may turn off on its own after 8-12 hours. You may need to turn off the oven and turn it on again.


I took a piece of this bread, laid slices from half an avocado, thin onion slices and 4 thin tomato slices on top. Seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Fall Harvest Applesauce

Just in time for fall, the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and apples waifs through the air. The fall air is crisp and reminds us that the seasons are changing. Fall is a time for apples, various squashes (acorn, spaghetti, pumpkin and butternut), lettuce, Brussels sprouts, beans, leeks, etc--see the list below.

My favorite fruit to get in the fall is the Jonathon apple. I love its crisp sweet taste and I will miss it once the season is over. In order to keep their wonderful taste around, I make applesauce that I freeze. Apples have health properties that make them an asset in a healthy eating plan. Apples also contain vitamin C and antioxidants. Apples range from very sweet (higher sugar concentration) to tart (lower sugar concentration). Ironically, the glycemic index, the scale that determines how quickly and how much foods will raise blood glucose (sugar). Fruits contain fructose but we don't measure blood fructose. Raw apples can help ease constipation with their fiber content. Cooked apples sooth a tummy that is suffering from diarrhea. It is best to eat an apple in its entirety and not separate the fruit from its fiber rich skin. If you are feeding children under the age of 2, please peel the apples.



Cooked Applesauce

Cut Jonathon, Honey Crisp or apples of choice into chunks. Add a few tablespoons of water and 1-2 Tablespoons of red hots. Cook over low heat for a few hours. If using a crockpot, cook on low for 5-6 hours. Gently mash with potato masher.

I then put the applesauce into glass canning jars and freeze after the mixture cools down. These will keep in the freezer for several months.


Raw Applesauce

This is a recipe I used in my Living Gluten Free Casein Free Menu Planner that can be found online at: www.livingglutenfreecaseinfree.com.


This is a nice change to cooked applesauce. If you are giving any of this to a baby, or child under the age of 2 you must peel the apples.

6 apples any kind you like, cored, washed and peeled if you like. I keep the peel as there are a lot of vitamins in it.
Juice from ½ lemon
Pinch sea salt
2 tsp. melted coconut oil (optional)

Cut the apples into wedges. Put the cut apple wedges in a food processor with the S blade. Add lemon juice, sea salt and coconut oil. Process all until apples resemble applesauce, add water if needed until desired consistency.
Serve.


Fall Produce Guide • Winter Squash • Brussels Sprouts • Cabbage • Cauliflower • Dill • Mint • Parsley • Beans • Kohlrabi • Leeks • Onions • Parnsips • Potatoes • Turnips • Rudabaga • Radishes • Potatoes • Pumpkins