Mama & Baby: Gluten Free

My New Blog Location

2008-07-29T12:36:00.002-06:00

I have relocated my blog. I hope this does not come as an inconvenience to anyone. Please be sure to update your subscription and bookmarks!

My blog is now located at:

http://www.lifeglutenfree.com

Chives and Basil Rice

2008-07-22T12:03:00.005-06:00

Some of my favorite things: onions, fresh basil, and chives. This sauce is simple to make but very piquant.

All you need:

1 or 2 cups of rice

Yellow onion

Chives (fresh preferably)

Basil (fresh preferably)

Chop, dice or otherwise slice:

1 Large Onion

7 or so stems of Chives

7 leaves of Basil (fresh from outside your door, if you can!)

Add a generous serving of organic extra-virgin olive oil to a sauce pan.

Add the onions, chives and basil

Sprinkle some himalayan salt (or other)

Saute until onions are translucent but not brown. Serve over organic white or brown rice.

To expand the recipe you can add vegetables of your choice, if you wish. I enjoyed this, however, because I got to relish the taste of basil and onions. Mmmm.

-heather

Ruby Range GF Mixes

2008-07-19T13:30:00.031-06:00

I have an array of recipes and photos to add to my blog. I have been unable to do so, however, for I cannot find my sd card reader [to clarify, I can't get my pictures on my computer without this device]. I hope to finish unpacking soon.

My husband said "well, you can still post something!"

So here it is.

We recently tried a pancake mix by the Ruby Range. It has mesquite flour and teff flour. The directions on the back call for dairy ingredients. Since we are casein free, we substituted for non-dairy ingredients with fantastic results.

Mesquite flour:

• Has sustained desert dwellers for centuries

• Has a low glycemic index

• Is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc

• Adds vegetable protein including lysine to the diet

• Supports sustainable agriculture world wide

• Can be used as a tasty condiment or in baking

Teff flour:

• Is a source of calcium, iron, phosphorous, copper and thiamin

• It is high in amino acids and contains higher levels of lysine than wheat or barley

• Is used throughout Ethiopia and is thought to have originated there

Sourced information:

Mesquite Flour

Teff Flour

These pancakes are so wonderful. They have a nutty and almost chocolatey burst of flavor. They have a smooth, melt in your mouth texture. Enjoy them drizzled with maple syrup or agave.

-heather

Onion Crackers and "Would you like a bag?"

2008-07-05T14:27:00.017-06:00

Trying to get back in the groove of blogging. I haven't had much time because we just moved into a different house.

While we were moving, we bought some things to have a quick easy snack. These Onion Crackers by Ener-G were one of the products we decided to try for the first time. Surprisingly, they were quite good.

I spread almond butter or sunflower seed butter on them. They would also be good with a bowl of soup. But as it is summer, I would opt for a dairy free dip or simply some seed or nut butter!

Speaking of sunflower seed butter, these Sunbutter Crunch Snack Bars are really good. I love that there are so many nut free options now. My daughter is allergic to most nuts.

Buying those onion crackers, to me, was the equivalent of going out to eat. We don't buy much in the way of package foods, at least compared to mainstream america. We do buy things like sunflower seed butter, coconut milk and coconut water, etc. But we do have an awareness of the foods we eat, and we make an effort to eat mostly non-packaged foods. We also use reusable bags, and if we forget them, we opt for no bag and carry whatever we bought. My favorite reusable bag is the Chico Bag. It stores easily - I carry them in my purse - and they hold a lot and are durable.

I have found that the "cloth like" reusable bags that stores are offering (whole foods, target, walmart, etc) are not durable long-term. They rip easily.

Do you use reusable bags? Just think, every time you buy items and are given a plastic bag, then you are contributing to the estimated 500 billion plastic bags a year, or 1 million per minute[[reusablebags.com].

I recommend reading this article: The Real Cost of "Free"

It seems like, in the not-so-distant past, cashiers or baggers used to ask "would you like a bag?"
But then, suddenly, your items started to just be tossed into a bag regardless of whether or not you really needed one.

I have had times where I was buying one item that could easily be carried in my hand, and the cashier put in a large plastic bag. Each time, I would either say "I don't need a bag" or take the item out myself. Sometimes, if someone was with me, I would say loudly how wasteful plastic bags are. Usually, cashiers respond with kindness when I opt for no bag, or bring my own bag. But I have had times when I would get this "what do you mean you don't want a BAG? it's EASIER" kind of look.

It seems like someone flipped a switch and all of a sudden we use plastic bags for any kind of item regardless of whether we really need them, simply because it is easier. When we used to go to the movie store, they would try to put our movies in a bag. That to me seems very strange. Why do movies need a bag?

If you use reusable bags, please share which are your favorite. We use cotton canvas bags too.

-heather

A new winner for the gluten free products prize

2008-07-02T08:01:00.002-06:00

Unfortunately, the original winner - Pauline - never responded to my email. The rules were the winner had 4 days to respond.

The new random winner is Tamara from GFCF Frog Blog

Congratulations!!!

And the winners are....

2008-06-27T12:28:00.005-06:00

For the Gluten Free Products prize:
Pauline

For the book prize:
Shelly

Congratulations!! And thanks to random.org for helping pick random winners.

I will be contacting you soon!

After I contact the winners, they have four days to respond. If no response, a new winner will be drawn.

-heather

Honey Rooibos Iced Tea

2008-06-26T07:45:00.007-06:00

The contest has ended!

Today, movers will be here in about an hour and I shouldn't even be on the computer because we still have stuff to do. We were faced with having to move with a less than two week notice. To make a long story short, we found out that our daughter is allergic to dust mites. We found a place that only has hardwood floors and jumped on it.

For that reason, I will be announcing the winners by Monday. I had originally planned to announce them today, Thursday. I apologize for the inconvenience. I hope everyone will understand.

How to make the tea:

• Heat 7 cups of water in a sauce pan

• Add 2 Rooibos tea bags

• Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey [or to taste]

• Add to pitcher

My glass pitcher happens to hold 57.25 ounces, which I think is kind of odd. That comes to about 7 cups of water. You can adjust the recipe to fit your needs.

Health benefits of Rooibos tea:
• Rooibos tea contains no colors, additives or preservatives, making it a natural beverage. It contains no caffeine.

• According to studies conducted in South Africa and Japan Rooibos has been shown to aid in health problems such as insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervous tension, and hypertension.

• Studies also show that this tea contains anti - spasmodic agents, which can relieve stomach cramping and colic in infants.

• In South Africa Rooibos has been used to treat allergies such as hay fever, asthma and eczema very effectively .

• It is also used to treat irritated skin. Rooibos is brewed and placed directly on infected areas. Rooibos contains anti - oxidants which can help slow the aging process and boost the immune system.

• This tea contains almost no oxalic acid, making it a good beverage for people prone to kidney stones.

• Rooibos naturally contains the following minerals: copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxy ( for healthy skin ) and magnesium (for the nervous system) are also components of this tea.

**Facts from AfricanTea.com

Happiness Cookies

I call these happiness cookies for two reasons. One, after making the first batch and letting them cool, I was choosing one to give my husband to try. Somehow, I dropped it on the floor. As I went to pick it up, I noticed that the chocolate chips were arranged in a perfect -- but quite unintentional smiley face. There were two eyes, a nose, and then several chocolate chips in a curved mouth form.

How about that! Too bad I didn't think to take a picture :)

Second reason was I enjoyed this thoroughly. It was so much fun to make something for my husband to take to a work meeting. With all the challenges we have been having -- with our daughters allergies and so forth -- I took a moment to really savor the small things. I am so thankful.

I used Cherrybrook Kitchen Sugar Cookie Mix

It calls for:
1/4 cup of milk substitute (I usedRice Milk)

1/2 cup of margarine or oil

2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, Gluten Free

** I added 1 organic egg

After dolloping the cookie dough onto the sheet, I sprinkled each cookie with chocolate chips from Enjoy Life

** I have made this mix before. It is kind of dry and although the cookies come out moist from the oven, they hardened quickly. My solution to that problem was to add 1 organic egg. Now, I know that my blogger address is "glutenfreeveganbaby," but my husband has lately been adding organic eggs to his diet. I have as well. The reason is because my daughter has so many allergies, and so we did some allergy testing. She reacted to basically everything on the vegetarian panel: flaxseeds, millet, quinoa, brown rice, hemp seeds, etc. So, as you can imagine, our choices are quite limited!

-heather

Gluten-Free Product Give-A-Way! Expanded

2008-06-11T10:39:00.000-06:00

PLEASE READ:
There have been several "Anonymous" comments with no email address. It is okay if you leave an Anonymous comment, BUT if you want to be entered in the drawing then there has to be a way to contact you if you win. Thanks!! If you entered a comment and neglected to give contact info, you can repost a comment.

Welcome to my first product give-a-way. I am excited!

Participating companies:
›Arico Gluten Free, Casein Free Snacks
›Cherrybrook Kitchen
›Enjoy Life Foods

What the winner will receive:

› 1 box of Chocolate Cake Mix by Cherrybrook Kitchen
› 1 individually wrapped Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bar by Arico Natural Foods
› 1 individually wrapped Double Chocolate Cookie Bar by Arico Natural Foods
› 1 bag of Cassava Chips, Barbeque Bliss
› 1 box of Snickerdoodle Cookies by Enjoy Life plus a coupon [Oh these are so good!]

Here is how to participate:

› Leave a comment below.
› Post about my give-a-way on your blog [this is optional]

Only one entry per person. Entry deadline is June 25, 2008.

›Who is eligible:
You must have a US shipping address. You don't have to be a blogger to win, just supply a valid e-mail address.

›When the giveaway ends:
Wednesday, June 25. I'll e-mail the winner, and results will be posted here as well. If the winner doesn't respond within four business days, a new winner will be drawn.

Happy commenting!!

› Allergy information:
Please note that while the cookie bars are casein free, the package does say "may contain traces of milk protein" because the chocolate chunks may pick up traces during the manufacturing process.

Wow. I have gotten such a huge response to this. I am adding another giveaway of The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide from Triumph Dining

After the giveaway deadline ends on June 25, I will draw one winner for the gluten free products prize and then a separate winner for the book prize!

-heather

A Gluten Free Bread

2008-06-04T13:13:00.000-06:00

This bread mix by Namaste Foods turned out to be very tasty. It was also very much egg free. For those of you who cannot eat eggs or simply choose not to, then listen up!

I used 1 and a half avocado in place of the 1 egg and 3 egg whites that the mix called for.

It worked so well, the bread is still nice and moist in the center. You would literally never miss the egg.

It was weird making bread from a mix, though. Growing up, I would help my mom make bread (gluten bread of course). I remember kneading it and pounding it. That was the true joy of it. The fun of creating something, with my own mother no less. It wasn't really the making of the bread,but rather just being together and doing something together! But now that we are gluten free, my mom and I make gluten free recipes along with my little one. Now that's the joy of living.

This mix is: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Corn Free, Casein Free, Soy Free and Potato Free.

And because of the avocado, the dough looked greenish before I baked it. :)

To make the avocado egg replacement:

1 1/2 avocado

put in blender

add some water and blend it to a creamy consistency

-heather

A Reflection in the Rain

2008-06-03T18:00:00.000-06:00

Thank you, rain.
You cleanse the air, feed our sprouting seeds and nourish our buds.

You create puddles for little ones to jump in
and sometimes, if they are brave, adults will too

You help us welcome spring
and give us a reason to put our rain boots on

So, rain, Thanks.. and do come again.

It was raining and I said to my husband "Let's go walk in the rain. We can go check the mail too"
So he obliged, and we got our daughter ready to go out in the rain. She loved it, of course. That's her in the picture, isn't she the cutest?

As we were walking though, he said to me "what are you waiting for in the mail?" with that look of "yeh you're doing this just because...."
Offended [not really, but that sounds more thrilling], I said "Nothing! I just wanted to walk in the rain."
"Really." as he continued to give me a look of mixed bewilderment and disbelief
Am I really that plain? Hm.

These Coconut "Ice Cream" Bars are a hot commodity. In our house, they do not last long. They not only taste great great great, but fulfill several requirements:
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Soy Free
and Organic!
They have other flavors to, notably: Strawberry. I had this as a treat during my labor.

What are you thankful for? How do you perceive rain? Is it something that bothers you, just another negative in a day already rushed and over-extended? Or do you really stop and appreciate rain?

-heather

Simple Vegetable Stir-Fry

2008-05-26T19:28:00.000-06:00

This stir-fry is the essence of simple, but the taste is amazing. While we usually make rich and delicious sauces like thai coconut curry, I decided that I wanted something more basic this time. Yesterday was my birthday and my husband was making me dinner. This stir-fry is great, and here is how my dear husband made it:

Chop:
Carrots
Broccoli
Yellow onion
Scallions
Bell Peppers
[vegetables from our local organic delivery box]

Sautee in a steel wokwith olive oil and celtic Salt

Top over tinkyada extra smooth rice spaghettior similar.

My friend Kelly brought me some happy birthday banana bread. It was very yummy! and gluten-free of course. In the picture it is served with some Vanilla Voodoo Coconut Ice Cream.

You could also sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top of the stir fry. Oh! or chop up some fresh basil. Yum

-heather

Books on Celiac Disease

2008-05-23T15:39:00.000-06:00

Maybe it's just me, but I was hungry for any kind of information that I could get my hands on regarding celiac disease. I had to understand why, how, and what. I love this book, "Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic" by Peter. H.R. Green. He shares a lot of information, and the format that it is presented in is very easy to follow and understand. The only downside is that he advocates blood work to test for celiac disease, and for that the person has to resume a gluten diet if they have already adopted a gluten-free lifestyle. I believe this is unnecessary, and kind of crazy.

I did a test through Entero Lab. They offer a variety of tests, from a stool test to a mouth swab test. I chose the "Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete" because it offered the best selection for me and you saved money doing the set of tests. It included a test for intestinal malabsorption. And the best part, you do not have to resume eating gluten if you have already stopped. I mean, why risk more intestinal damage? For me, it just was not an option. I could not resume feeling like vomiting after every meal, and having my daughter break out in alligator skin thick rashes from the gluten in my breastmilk.

Ah, it is a true joy to be gluten free. Have you ever had people look at you with pity "Oh... gluten free? That must be hard"

Ha. I give them a look of surprise. "Why, no, not really"

The only hard part is avoiding gluten cross contamination and mislabeling of products. I do not find it hard to be gluten free. I do not miss it at all. There are so many wonderful things that you can eat that are gluten free, why lament on it?

So in truth, yes, I find it hard to be gluten-free because of contamination issues, but not because I miss gluten. Far from it.

À La Carte:
»Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic

»Kids with Celiac Disease

»Gluten-free Friends: An Activity Book for Kids

I have something else to say, and it's not too pleasant. If you are eating at the computer, though, I'd have to say you shouldn't be. It is bad for you. I read that somewhere, so it must be true.

My mom recently told me about this. She spoke to a lady who has celiac disease and she shared a story with her. The lady ate at Outback Steakhouse from their gluten free menu. She ended up in the hospital, having horrid stomach pains and bleeding from her intestines because the meal was not really gluten free. There's a big ado about it. But you probably won't be hearing that on the news. First of all, I would not be eating at Outback Steakhouse. But I realize that some people do, and so I have to respect that.

I have a confession to make anyways. I have not eaten out since I found out that I have to be gluten-free. I am too afraid. I have a hard time trusting people, especially when some people have never even heard of "gluten free", "celiac disease", or "gliadin"

Do you find it hard to be gluten free? What are you tips? Share with us if you'd like.

-heather

Save the Bees, Save life as we know it

2008-05-20T12:55:00.000-06:00

It's not that I don't think people care. Rather, it seems some people are unaware of the seriousness of the situation. Also, I believe some people suffer from "someone else will take care of it" syndrome. Well, in that case, I just have to say: wake up. We all have to do our part and there is something that each and everyone of us can do. For more information, I have listed some sites below that contain excellent information.

Here are some excerpts from the links below:

"Honeybees are the only insects that produce food for humans."

"In recent years, beekeepers have been losing 25 percent of their hives each winter."

"Insects pollinate two thirds of the world's crop species, whose fruits and seeds together provide 15 to 30 percent of the foods and beverages that we consume--approximately, one out of every four mouthfuls."

"The United States alone grows more than one hundred crop plants that need pollinators, such as apples, cherries, pumpkins, blueberries, and many other fruits and vegetables filling grocery store shelves."

"Insect-pollinated crops contributed an estimated $20 billion to the United States economy in 2000."

•Save the Bees Article
•Colony Collapse Disorder
•Join the Hunt for Bees
•Adopt a Hive
•Help the Bees

•Save the Bees Facts and Info
•5 Ways to Help

Simple things you can do to help:

• Do not use insecticides
• Support local organic farmers
• Plant seeds to attract bees:
› Calendula
› Clover
› Shasta Daisy
› Lance-Leaved Coreopsis
› Plains Coreopsis
› Purple Coneflower
› Sweet William Catchfly
• Buy honey only from bee keepers that use sustainable practices (no chemicals!)
› Honey Gardens
• Spread the word!

-heather

Drown your sorrows with Vanilla Voodoo

2008-05-17T18:00:00.000-06:00

Okay, this is so good. You just have to splurge sometimes, and if this is as bad as it gets, then you're doing pretty good. Most people, it seems, have a habit of over eating when they are stressed. For me, it has always been the exact opposite. It is sort of a toss up on which is worse, over eating when stressed or not eating at all. On one hand, you overload your system but you still are getting some nutrients. On the other hand, you are too stressed to eat and are not getting nutrients. So, my vote is the latter is worse. But, luckily, I've learned to just "chill" for the most part and eat anyway. To practice, I decided to try it out on some Vanilla Voodoo.

They have other flavors, including:
Coconut'n else
Chocolate Cay

Check out more info and other flavors at:
Sid Wiggy

They are based in Fort Collins, Colorado and are gluten and dairy free.

I purchased mine at the Vitamin Cottage in Lafayette. I am not sure if Whole Foods carries them or not. Be ware, their "where to buy" section is out of date... as they list the Boulder Co-op, which is no longer in operation.

So, I'm a Vanilla Voodoo kind of girl... I'm also into drinking plain water or herbal tea. But for those of you who are more hardcore, I give you Red Bridge [Gluten Free]. I twiddled my thumbs over posting about it, because I really don't believe in the consumption of alcoholic beverages. It's just not my thing. But we tried it recently, or at least my husband did, I only took a taste. It's okay, I guess. I don't like the taste of any beer, so I'm a bad judge. My husband drinks maybe 3 or 4 once a year, literally. But he at least likes the taste, and he says Red Bridge is good. So there you have it.

-heather

A Quiet Place

2008-05-16T16:37:00.001-06:00

I was going to post something that I've been meaning to post for a while. But after yesterday, I just don't have it in me. Having a blog doesn't seem to really matter now. Yesterday, my daughter started choking on a pine nut and had what seemed to be an allergic reaction at the same time [hives]. A 911 call and hospital visit later, she appeared to be fine. We also took her to our pediatrician for a triple check. Nothing invasive needed to be done nor did she need any medication, thankfully. Her body, essential, knew what to do. Get it out.

Life events like those make you appreciate everything so much more. Warm sun on your face, a nice meal, the support of friends and family. So that is where I'm at I guess. Still a bit stunned and knocked off my feet. Having children really, truly means that your heart is no longer yours.

"The central struggle of parenthood is to let our hopes for our children outweigh our fears."

-Ellen Goodman

"A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary."
-Dorothy C. Fisher (1879 - 1958), quoted in O Magazine, May 2003

"What children take from us, they give…We become people who feel more deeply, question more deeply, hurt more deeply, and love more deeply."
-Sonia Taitz, O Magazine, May 2003

-heather

Crayons, err on the side of caution?

2008-05-12T15:43:00.000-06:00

"Tests conducted on eight brands of crayons revealed that three of those brands -- Crayola, Prang, and Rose Art -- contained asbestos. Of 40 crayons from the three brands, 80 percent were contaminated above a trace level, according to analyses by two government-certified laboratories. The asbestos is most likely a contaminant of the talc used as a strengthener for paraffin and coloring agents, laboratory officials said."

Sources:
•http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/052300-02.htm
•http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/issues083.shtml

It looks like this information was released in 2000 and I could not find any current information regarding asbestos in crayons.

However, we have decided to not err on the side of caution. Some say you can't be "too picky," however I say why not? When it comes to the health of my child, I will be as picky as I very well please!

I did some research on safer crayons. Because, besides the asbestos, I still would not like the idea of my daughter using crayons from paraffin wax [derived from petroleum].

Here is what I found:

•Crayon Rocks: Crayons made with soy and tinted with mineral powders. Designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles, preparing fingers and hands for handwriting skills. Used by occupational therapists and teachers of children with special needs to develop fine motor skills and provide handwriting practice.

•Beeswax Block Crayons: 8 colors in a sturdy storage tin.

•Beeswax Crayons: Stockmar voluntarily sets their safety standard high: their products conform to food safety levels! The natural transparency of the wax and the lack of additives result in a high degree of opacity like that of watercolours.

• Prang Soy Crayons: This company also makes paraffin crayons, which tested positive for asbestos. So, I would not order until contacting the company to make sure they do not contain traces of asbestos.

•Stubby Pencil Studio: They carry soy crayons plus other eco friendly art supplies.

-heather

A Poem For My Mom

2008-05-10T10:55:00.000-06:00

Although I say "Happy Mother's Day"
within those words lies the truth of my heart
and what is hidden in folds of the letters is this;

I love you mother, for all that you do
and all that you are

For you are my mother, a priceless gift

You have guided me all these years with trust
and love,

and for that I cannot express my everlasting appreciation

For your strength as a woman, and your unbounded love as my mother,

I say, Happy Mother's Day

But I'm really saying;

I love you

and in my heart lies a special place just for my mother
and that it shall be, forever

I wrote this poem for my mom. I would appreciate that if anyone wants to use it, please contact me first. Thank you for your consideration!

-heather

Don't share your snacks with your pets

2008-05-10T10:11:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately, it's more than just chocolate that can hurt or even be fatale to your pet. Did you know that among the dangerous foods is Xylitol?

You might just want to check out this article: 'People foods' that can kill your pet

-heather

Orange Blueberry Cream Smoothie

2008-05-08T13:25:00.000-06:00

This was so good. Actually, I put more coconut milk than I would have liked. Or, maybe just not enough orange. After taking the picture, I squeezed my orange piece into the glass and it was just right! So, you might want to add less coconut milk... or put about 1/2 an orange extra.

» Recipe:

• 1 organic valencia orange, peeled
• 1 cup organic blueberries [frozen]

• 1/4 cup rice milk

• 1/2 cup coconut milk

• 3 drops vanilla creme stevia

Blend. Serve and enjoy!

-heather

A Pie That's Not Green

2008-05-05T12:26:00.001-06:00

Lemon Blueberry Pie

This pie was a big hit and it's not green! We don't have a problem with green pies, but if you do, then try this one. It still has avocado, but the blueberries make it a pretty purple color.

While I was making the filling for the pie, I wasn't thinking about posting it on the blog. So, here are my guess measurements:

»Filling:
› 2 Avocados
› 1/2 cup blueberries (frozen, organic...but you can use fresh if you have it)
› 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
› 1 1/2 tbsp Raw Honey

»Crust:
› 1/2 cup Pine Nuts
› 1/4 cup Cashews
› 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
› 1/2 tbsp Raw Honey

here's another pic... :)

-heather

"Gluten-free" label can be unreliable, be cautious

2008-05-02T22:11:00.000-06:00

This may not be news to some, but I am sure there are people who were just as unaware as I was of this. There seems to be a wide misconception of what "gluten free" really means to the effect that companies are truly misleading consumers.

I came upon this information after inquiring about a product that was deceptively labeled "gluten-free."

The product: Megafood Women's One Daily
The label claimed: Gluten-free

I started to have a reaction a couple days of starting the multi. My body warned me something was not right: stomach ache and bloating. I thought, okay what's new?

The question really is, why is this occurring? I am not so naive that I believe that companies aren't aware that being misleading in their labeling is not hurting some consumers.

So I stopped taking the multi-vitamin and I felt better again. Eager to know if my gut (in this case, literally) was right about this product being contaminated with gluten in some way, I contacted the company. I got a response that was very much unwelcome and extremely displeasing to me.

The exact quote:

"At this time we do regularly test lots of tablets for gluten although not every lot. However, the last time we tested Women’s One Daily it was less than 20ppm gluten.

The FDA has proposed a rule that anything under 20ppm gluten can be labeled as gluten free. To my knowledge the rule has not been published (become law) as yet, but it is generally accepted that less than 20ppm gluten is gluten free.

Considering our batch sizes and the fact our products that have tested higher than 20ppm gluten (not labeled gluten free) aren't extremely high in gluten, it is extremely unlikely that cross contamination could result in Women’s One Daily being over 20ppm gluten."

So press on cautiously. There are definitely companies out there that are apparently willing to cross the line simply for the sake of making more money. Though, in the end they are making a mistake once someone (like me) finds out the truth.

My question still remains unanswered. How can it be considered gluten-free if it still has gluten? It's like saying "hey bud, I know you're allergic to peanuts but I made some cookies that have less than 20ppm peanuts in them. So they are peanut-free, you can have them right? You won't get all hivey and itchy and have problems breathing right?"

While I know celiac disease is not a gluten allergy, I use the example above because I believe it should be taken very seriously, much like someone who has a severe food allergy. Gluten damages the small intestines for people with celiac disease after all.. not to mention all of the obvious physical symptoms that are unpleasant.

-heather

Dairy-free Mango Lassi

2008-04-30T11:34:00.001-06:00

To me, there is something very comforting and soothing about mango lassi's. Perhaps because it invokes memories of eating indian food with my parents, the aroma of cardamom and cumin wafting through the air. The choices of different masalas and curries all piled on top of fluffy rice. Then scooping a delectable bite with a piece of papadum and onion chutney.

Ahhhh. I can almost taste it and smell it.

After giving up dairy many many moons ago, I knew that I could still have a mango lassi with soy yogurt. However, now that I am not eating soy, I was left puzzled. But not for long, a thought dawned on me as quickly as flicking a switch: coconut milk. And good it is.

Quite simply, we blended in our vitamix:

2 fresh mango's
Squeeze of lemon
Coconut milk
Raw honey
Ice cubes

We didn't measure, my guess is approximately 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a 1/2 tablespoon of raw honey.

Serve. We sprinkled a bit of our own chia spice mix on top.

Enjoy!! It is perfect on this nice sunny day. We have to indulge and bask in the warm weather, for tomorrow and the following day we have snow predicted :)

-heather

Lemon pie with a pine nut crust

2008-04-26T18:32:00.000-06:00

Ooh la lemon!

This pie is delicious with lots of zing. And maybe even a little bit of zang! :) So I formulated the recipe as I went along. If you are timid of foods that are green, then you'll be missing out indeed. Pictures below :)

»Why is it green?

Avocado (noun): a pear-shaped fruit with a rough leathery skin, smooth oily edible flesh, and a large stone.

A large stone? Ha, I never knew that was a term sometimes used for a hard seed in cherry, plum, peach and some other fruits (apparently avocado).

Enough of that, let's get to the good part.

The recipe!

»Crust:

› 1/2 cup Pine Nuts

› 1/4 cup Cashews

› 1 tbsp Coconut Oil

› 1/2 tbsp Raw Honey

»Filling:

› 1 1/2 Avocado

› 1/4 tsp Lemon Peel

› 1 Large Lemon (or 2 small lemons)

› 1 1/2 tbsp Raw Honey

Okay, so I know that "1/2 tablespoon" is kind of a weird measurement. But that's how I measured the honey. The honey that I use is Raw Honey by Honey Gardens. It is the only honey that we'll use. I know the owner. It is actually the only honey that my husband is able to eat. He would eat other honey (that has been heated and processed) and his throat would get itchy and irritated.

Also, please note that you can adjust the recipes to suit your individual preferences, for example less lemon, or more sweetener etc. I made the recipe on a whim, so you may want to double the crust recipe to make a thicker crust.

-heather

Easy Cucumber Soup

2008-04-23T21:42:00.000-06:00

This soup is very easy to make and requires minimal effort and time. It can be devoured alone or with seed crackers. You could also eat it along side a nice greens salad. I made it yesterday, and because of the lemon juice, any left overs can be kept and enjoyed the next day as well.

I tossed the ingredients into my vitamix without peeling the cucumber. Because the vitamix liquifies everything, peels can be left on. If you are using a regular blender, you may want to peel the cucumber.

Recipe:
from Alissa Cohen's book: Living on Live Food

1 Avocado
1 Cucumber
4 tbs Dill
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
** 1/4tsp to 1/2tsp Onion Powder

**I felt inspired to add a bit of onion powder, however this is optional. Unfortunately, I did not measure that amount that I put in so I had to guess. If you feel intrigued to put onion powder, I would recommend starting out with 1/4tsp and adapt to your own preferred taste.

-heather

Earth Day 2008 and Comments on Whole Foods' reusable bags

2008-04-21T15:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Earth Day!

I am pleased to see that a lot of companies are celebrating Earth Day. Whole Foods and Vitamin Cottage are among them of course. Other companies such as Tokyo Joes are also celebrating by planting a tree in your name if your purchase a reusable water container.

If I'm not mistaken, WF and VC are both giving away free reusable bags tomorrow on Earth Day. We don't have anything special planned, although it seems we should...

A note on reusable bags...

Some of our favorite resusable bags:

Chico bags:These are durable and have a handy-dandy pouch.
String cotton bags: These are very versatile bags. We even use one to hold bath toys.

We bought some reusable bags from Whole Food's recently. They are blue nylon (or nylon-like) material. At first glimpse, they seem durable and expansive. However, I went to use one today and noticed the seam had ripped on one side. Because of the stitching, the bag is still useable because there are other seams holding it together. I am not sure if this happened as a result of my use or prior. I was only carrying a few light items, so I can only imagine what would have happened if I was truly carrying large grocery items.

Whole Foods does not have my full trust for many different reasons. The CEO has proven himself to be a nut case. But that aside, here is an article about Whole Foods that I recently found:

The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

One thing we are going to do to celebrate is plant a tree....

-heather