These meals, treats, and snacks remind me of the deliciousness my mom provided for our family, and shared with you all, throughout the years.

I am so grateful to have had Elana as my mother and I hope you too may celebrate the ways she contributed to your lives.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This Cinnamon Coffee Cake was a treat my mom made frequently while I was in high school, and on numerous occasions upon my returns from college. It was always incredibly delicious and hit the spot.

BBQ Kale Chips

There was always an elusive quality to these Kale Chips. They never lasted more than a few hours after they were baked. Over the last few years, while working on an organic vegetable farm, I had access to an abundance of kale. So, my mom would mix up a jar of the seasoning and send it in the mail, enabling my indulgence in this yummy snack.

Butternut Squash Soup

I have loved squash since I was a little one and this Butternut Squash Soup brings me back to the days of my infancy when my skin turned orange from eating so many orange foods.

Chipotle Orange Chicken

Around the time when I was in middle school, this Chipotle Orange Chicken was my most favorite dinner. Something about the spicy sweet combo always excited my taste buds. Like many of my mom’s recipes, this one highlights the brilliance of simplicity.

Cream Cheese Frosting

To this day I still eat my mom’s Cream Cheese Frosting straight from the jar. It’s incredible on carrot cake and it takes Pancakes to a whole new level.

While I feel a strong sense of grief around my mom’s passing, I also feel so much gratitude. She created a life of nourishment for our family and left us all with so many scrumptiously precious gems. If you feel so inclined, feel free to share your favorite recipe/s in the comments below.

-E

The post Happy Birthday Mom- from Baby Pantry appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

While I thoroughly enjoyed eating her food as a kid, I’m not sure I realized just how lucky I was to be eating such high quality nutritious food until I got older.

Even so, as much as I enjoyed eating her food, I loved to cook with her even more. Some of my fondest childhood memories include making these recipes and so much more. 

Once I left the house, I’d always look forward to visiting home and taking on various time consuming projects in the kitchen with her. To this day, cooking and baking remain a constant source of joy for me and I’m so grateful for my mom inspiring these passions in me.

Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do!

Chicken parm

A dinner staple in our household throughout my childhood and a true classic. With cheesy goodness, rich protein with chicken and tasty sauce this one always delivers. My favorite dinner of hers.

Double choc cherry cookies

My favorite desert. My mom would make these every time I came home to visit. The rich chocolate and cherry flavors are a perfect combo.

Pro tip: soak the cherries in Grand Marnier overnight before making the cookies for even more depth of flavor.

Charoset

I looked forward to passover every year because of this charoset. Once I moved out of the house my mom would ship me jars of it so I could still have some. They never lasted long as a jar could be considered a normal serving for me.

Apple Sauce

My mom always instilled in us the value of simple fresh dishes. This dish is as simple as it gets but it blows store bought apple sauce out of the water. I can still feel the excitement I had as a kid when the smell of the cooking apples would waft through the house.

Kale With Cranberries

I really love eating kale. Raw, sautéed, baked – I enjoy all forms. This dish is my earliest memory of kale. Simple and delicious, this dish kicked off a lifelong love.

Lemonade

This was a summer staple in our house but also an early lesson in entrepreneurship. Each summer my mom would take us to the store to source lots of lemons and ice. We’d mix up batches of this lemonade and hit our street corner with a sign. “Lemonade, 25 cents!” we’d shout as we tried to sell refreshments and chocolate chip cookies to our neighbors.

Raw Fudge

This recipe is one I haven’t had in some time but the post embodies everything that made my mom so awesome. Going to teach kids how to cook, coaching baseball – she was always on a mission to spread joy and find ways to get involved in our lives.

Pear Clafoutis

This is one of the first deserts I can remember eating. We continued to make and enjoy it over the years as it was one of her favorites. And yes, the rumors are true. I did love to repeatedly yell “Clafoutis” as a child (and maybe still do).

Happy Birthday Momma! Really wish we could be spending it in the kitchen cooking up some of your favorites, but I find solace in celebrating the joy you brought me and so many others through food.

Love always,

–

j

The post Happy Birthday Mom – From Big Boy Pantry appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Low Carb Buckeye Peanut Butter Brownies.  I had to start with these, because everyone in our family knows I love anything with peanut butter and chocolate.  Lesser known is that Elana also loved peanut butter.  She never ate as much of it as I did, typically going for the healthier almond butter.  But this is where Elana and I connected….peanut butter and chocolate.

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies.  This is kind of where it all began.  With the chocolate chip cookie from almond flour.  This was the game changer.  It was so much better than any other gluten free cookie out there at the time- and was both an incredible dessert or a super healthy breakfast or post-workout treat.  Limited sugar- tons of protein.  

Chocolate Pecan Pie.  This was probably what I said most- when Elana asked what dessert I wanted her to make.  Again- nuts and chocolate…what could go wrong.  This became a Thanksgiving staple- and anytime we wanted to really be decadent.  Especially adding whipped cream on top- which was another huge Elana favorite (with minimal sweetener and some vanilla).  

Homemade Chocolate Candy Bars.  We had these in the freezer a lot.  Too much.  Of course, Elana would take them out and slice off a piece to eat.  I would just take a whole one out and they would start to melt on my fingers as I ate them.  This was Elana looking to make healthy, gluten free treats that our kids could eat- and love- and that their friends would love as well.  

Homemade Hannukah Gelt. I had to mention this recipe, along with Hamantaschen, because they speak to Elana’s love of the holidays.  The Jewish holidays first and foremost- but Elana really loved any holiday.  It was a time to be together as a family- and even once our kids left the nest, she just loved the pageantry and food of any festival.

Gluten Free Birthday Cake.  I am typically not a cake lover…but this one was amazing- mostly because of the incredible frosting.  Frosting was very important to Elana- many hours were spent ensuring we had the right frosting on our wedding cake.  But this one is special because it speaks to where Elana shined brightest- making food for the kids, especially their birthdays.  It was the genesis of Elana’s Pantry- how to make gluten free treats that would work for their birthdays.  So many amazing clown and bunny cakes over the years.

Elana leaves a legacy far and wide in terms of her impact.  But seeing our two boys’ love for food and passion for cooking is a constant reminder to me of Elana as a Mom.  Miss her terribly- as a wife, co-parent and friend- but sending her lots of hugs and chocolate kisses today.  Happy Birthday E.  Love R.

The post Happy Birthday Elana – from Mr. Pantry appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Elana was a creative beacon who was constantly looking for ways to help people and make the world a better place.  She founded two companies that were the definition of doing well by doing good.  

Ecosav started in 1993, was a leader in bringing recycling programs to New York City commercial establishments and helping them reduce their waste bills in the process.  She was named one of the city’s 40 under 40 for her work.  

Elana’s Pantry, founded in 2006, brought simple, healthy, gluten free, and grain free recipes and extensive health and wellness advice to millions of people.  She was also the author of three cookbooks, including a New York Times bestseller, and an investor in numerous cutting-edge companies bringing healthy products to people, like Primal Kitchen, LMNT, Kettle & Fire, Wellnesse, Magic Spoon, SteadyMD, Serenity Kids, and Beekeeper’s Naturals.

Elana was committed to giving back with charities such as Pesticide Action Network, Not Putting on a Shirt, Tulane Medical School, Boulder Community Hospital, Baby2Baby, Castleman’s Disease Collaborative Network, and The Anti-Recidivism Fund, and was a co-founder of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation.

Elana was also a fierce advocate for women’s health and eliminating biases through systemic change in the medical system.

Elana had a number of challenges in her life but always found a way to connect and help people, never wavering from her goal to “save the world”, a goal she told her parents about when she was 22.  

She will be deeply missed.  

Elana is survived by her husband and two sons as well as her parents and sister. We ask for privacy for her family during this very tough time.    

The post Elana’s Passing appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Early on, I learned to mask this internal angst with external achievement.

At its genesis, I was an amphibian, part swamp dweller, part land creature. I alternated between trying to stay afloat and making a splash in a home filled with piano lessons, picture books of the Holocaust, empty kitchen cupboards, and parents who were geniuses.

My name, Elana, means “tree” in Hebrew. From age fourteen on, my friend Helen was the canopy that protected me, the crown that topped my branches.

It took forty-three years for my mental health battles to reveal themselves to my closest childhood friend, a tennis buddy and one of my guardian angels.

“You never shared your mental health struggles with me,” she said recently, “it’s surprising given how open you are about celiac and everything on your blog.”

This fall when I fell into a darkness I could no longer shield myself or others from, these issues were revealed.

I was born the grandchild of Holocaust refugees, begat to a family of torment, anger, gloom, brilliant intellect, and a tremendous drive to achieve.

For decades I papered over my mental health struggles with tennis championships, Ivy League education, and award-winning career moves, then when I had a family, I taught myself how to do it all again with recipes, blog posts, cookbooks, TV appearances, and more. This habit is ingrained and I am still doing so.

Mental health bears its own cultural stigmata, making it a challenge to discuss in general, but for those of us immersed in the struggle itself, it goes beyond that.

Have I failed to discuss my mental health struggles because I am I blind to my own suffering or perhaps thwarted by shame?

No, I’ve not discussed them because it is akin to trying to describe the taste of water.

Creeping through the early years taught me to distill torment into effervescence.

Not a bad recipe for viniculture, but with no other outlets, my bubbles turned to decay under the slightest compression.

I was born to a productive varietal that lacked physical and mental disease resistance, but I did my best to hide the absence of any window of stress tolerance for life’s usual changes in atmospheric pressure, using denial and blame as tools to shied my fragile ego from the feedback of those around me.

Making light of an affliction like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a classic defense for those of us with mental health issues and I zealously did so when I was incessantly cleaning our home or organizing to block out intrusive thoughts that made me live in near constant fear that imminent harm would befall our family.

Yet, instead of blocking out feelings, this device halted my world from spinning on its axis. Which makes sense given that I recently discovered in my studies on OCD and ADHD that procrastination is a way to stop time. My compulsions and procrastination turned back time isolating me more than I would ever imagine.

My bestie of thirty years recently pointed out that I have trouble “receiving.”

Friends let me know they feared the amount of “deprivation” I had baked into my daily routines. My tendency toward discipline became a hair shirt I donned daily.

They saw what I was blind to: my compulsive habit and drive for achievement brought me to the point of exhaustion and isolation.

Running from genealogical trauma, I could not confess to myself that I was sinking until my benzo-fueled breakdown this fall. A perfect storm of the empty nest, Covid, cancer, other medical issues (celiac, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, MS, and colitis), plus longstanding psychiatric issues and a toxic brew of prescription pharmaceuticals dissolved the last drops of discipline holding together my flawless looking life. It all unraveled on social media in a bacchanalian display.

Looking back, it began in the fall of 2018 when our younger son, went to college. The empty nest hit me much harder than I was willing to admit.

My world revolved around the boys. Caring for them served as an emotional anchor as I swam through the sea of life.

They left and although I did not realize it I was adrift, my life punctuated by medical appointments, plus physical and occupational therapy.

With no one to write recipes and cook for, I had lost my professional focus and my sense of purpose and am now working to regain it every day.


People have often told me that my quirkiness is charming, but when the boys left for college and Covid hit, quirky quickened into dysfunctional, resulting in severe isolation.

People used to stop me on the streets of downtown Davis to ask, are you Ezra Amsterdam’s daughter, that’s how much I resemble my father, but my mental health issues took root on my mother’s side in the 1930s.

Uncle Barry, a math genius and New York City school teacher with a fat public servant’s pension, was well off, but spent his life in squalor in downtown Manhattan. I went to Columbia on the Upper West Side, and had to write him letters if I wanted to see him since he did not have a phone.

It wasn’t that he never got a cell phone, he had no phone at all, not a landline in the apartment –nothing.

I used to chuckle about this, but now I see the parallels.

I got my first cell phone in the early 2000s. I didn’t want one but knew it made sense when toting our boys around in case of emergencies. Landlines were still common then.

Fast forward to 2024, still using my landline, I refused to give my cell number to even my best friends which meant I was unreachable.

In addition to the isolation of not giving out my cell phone number, came the isolation of Covid. When its terrible dust settled a single silver lining appeared. Our boys came home for 10 glorious weeks during which we cooked and ate dinner together each night.

When the boys left, I was devastated and I locked down on lock down, not letting anyone into our home for years because of my fear of Covid which I rationalized given a new cancer diagnosis.

I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in July 2021.

I had a double mastectomy six months later in February 2022 with surprising results. The surgical pathology report showed that more tissue was taken from the healthy side than the cancerous side.

I felt a constant stabbing pain in what had been the healthy side of my chest. I tried to distract myself by joining a writer’s group in the summer of 2022. But instead of finding joy, I began to write about my mastectomy trauma in a relentless fashion.

In July 2023 when I was diagnosed with my third cancer in less than two years. The day I found out I went into shock and threw up dozens of times until there was nothing left in me and I was taken to the emergency room at our community hospital.

This cancer was another early-stage, but instead of breast it was uterine. In October 2023 I had a robotic radical hysterectomy at MD Anderson and to my great relief, I was back in the gym lifting heavy weights in six weeks.

My respite was short lived when the insomnia set in. Many sleepless months later, the years of medical stress plus lifelong mental health struggles caught up with me.

My team of doctors suggested benzodiazepines. Desperate for sleep, I agreed. Although I have never written about it here, my neurotransmitters were already swimming in a stew of mighty pharmaceuticals including Seroquel, Lithium Carbonate, Pristiq, Propranolol, Halcion, Silenor, LDN, and more.

My insomniac devastation was compounded in June 2024 by the results of a routine colonoscopy that revealed I had a fourth autoimmune disorder: colitis.

Thankfully I did not have colon cancer which I had tremendous anxiety about while awaiting the pathology report results which took a couple of weeks to receive.

When I told my fantastic psychiatrist of nearly two years that I was upset about this fourth autoimmune disease diagnosis he scowled at me through the Zoom screen, very atypical for him, then out of nowhere called me a “victim,” then a “hypochondriac.” This uncharacteristically hostile tone went on for three sessions total.

Shattered, I emailed asking if this unorthodox response was part of my treatment, to which he replied that indeed, it was not. In July 2024 I ended the treatment when he wrote to me that he couldn’t guarantee this type of rupture in the therapeutic container wouldn’t happen again. Heartbroken, I did my best to move on and that was when I knew I needed more help, that this was out of my hands and deserved strategic professional attention.

According to my friends and loved ones, by August, things had really begun to boil over but given that I was prescribed double the FDA recommended dose of the benzo temazepam.

I don’t recall much because benzos can cause memory loss, but friends shared their concerns about my mania and dysregulation with me, and told me I was behaving in a paranoid, untrusting way and did not “look like myself.”

According to the NIH, benzodiazepine use “can significantly impair short-term memory by causing ‘anterograde amnesia,’ which means a disruption in the ability to form new memories while under the influence of the drug,” and this happened to me.

With the help of friends, in October 2024 I went to in-patient treatment in Southern California.

Then, when I sought treatment, I suffered severe trauma and had a social media meltdown.

My friend said they were frightened after I began posting disturbing photos on social media.

Until these incidents, I hid my mental health struggles all too well, and few, myself included, knew what was going on. But a toxic stew of drugs combined with a lifetime of trauma distilled into perfectionism was a recipe for a crisis.

In December 2024, I spoke to my fabulous psychopharmacologist who said that the benzodiazepines had caused a paradoxical reaction. Instead of sedating me the drug had made me very manic.

As the fog is lifting and I’m beginning to piece together what happened, I find it very unlike myself to bring this type of unwanted attention to my family. None of this is what I wanted, but strangely it is what I needed.

Now I’m tapering off the benzos. I cry when I’m sad. I cry when I’m happy too. I’m feeling my feelings for the first time since the boys left, some of the feelings for the first time ever.

I had a healing crisis, and my lifelong struggles with mental health were revealed.

I’m going into treatment this week and will keep you updated on my progress as things unfold. I’m looking forward to this next chapter and to staying connected to all of you, my fabulous friends and readers.

The post My Mental Health appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Just over two and a half years ago, in February 2022, I had a double mastectomy because I had stage 1 breast cancer.

I was diagnosed with the BRCA genetic mutation more than a decade prior to that.

Flat Closure Mastectomy

For those just joining the conversation now, I chose to go flat, forgoing prosthetic breast implants, for my double mastectomy chest wall closure.

Mastectomy Update

Sadly, I’ve sustained injuries from the flat closure mastectomy surgery.

To address this, I am doing daily home PT.

Outside of my home I have seen a variety of skilled professionals for rehabilitation. My treatment ranges from oncology PT to fascial trains work, cupping, and more.

Painful Scarring

I am in treatment for two types of pain. The first, a constant and severe burning, itchy feeling in the mastectomy scars, which are keloid.

Keloid Scars

A keloid scar is similar to the scar from a severe burn. The damaged tissue is no longer supple. It is tough and immobile. Inflamed, the scar grows thick and rubbery.

After my surgery, I first heard of the term, “scar maker,” the idea that it is due to the patient’s own biology that their incisions do not heal properly.

This conveniently places the blame on the patient.

Incisions Under Stress

But when I looked into the medical literature, I found that keloid scar formation risks include “local factors” such as increased “tension on the wound,”¹ i.e., when the surgeon sews the mastectomy incision too tightly.

This puts the skin under stress, creating an inflammatory process instead of allowing healthy new skin to form².

I have had a number of surgeries prior to the mastectomy. I had lumpectomy surgery, a lymph node dissection, as well as surgeries on other parts of my body.

Surgical Wound Healing

In each of my prior surgeries, my wounds healed well. I haven’t scarred this way before.

My primary care doctor examined my mastectomy scarring and shared his opinion that I am not a “scar maker” but that it looked to him that the scar pain stemmed from poor stitching done with too much tension.

The scorching pain is a constant physical reminder of my loss.

Chest Wall Pain

The second type of pain is on the right side of my chest.

The surgery on this side was prophylactic, i.e., there was no cancer in that breast, but I wonder, was chest wall muscle removed?

Quarter Pounder?

It’s hard not to wonder about it when you peer down at your chest, and it looks and feels like the equivalent of a “quarter-pounder” meat patty is missing.

Pectoral Muscle Removal?

I’m not a doctor, but I wonder if muscle may have been removed because I can’t move my arm the way I used to, and my hand is cold and sometimes numb.

You can see in the photo above that this side is indented compared to the left side, the side that had cancer.

Physical Therapist Told Me…

My PT, whom I’ve worked with for several years and knows my body well, said it appeared to her that something damaging had been done to the right side.

Something’s Missing

More than once, when we met in the months right after my mastectomy surgery, she laid her hand on the right side of my chest and said, “something’s missing” in a serious tone.

A consulting surgeon who examined me also shared her view that the right side of my chest wall was carved out and that what remained of it was sewn up into my armpit.

Pathology Report Stated

And, my pathology report stated that the tissue that was removed contained skeletal muscle.

Mastectomy Recovery

Even more distressing is that I was told the mastectomy recovery would be 6 weeks. It has now been over 130 weeks since my breasts were removed.

Constant Pain

What this means is that well over two years after the flat closure mastectomy surgery, I suffer from constant chest wall pain, along with the aforementioned burning scar pain.

Not What I Expected

Another challenge is that the mastectomy results were not what I expected.

Prior to surgery, I requested and was told I could have a flat closure mastectomy ³. This procedure consists of three elements in the reconfiguration of the chest wall so that the desired result is:

• Smooth
• Flat
• Symmetrical

Lopsided and Painful

But when I ripped off the bandages, an unexpected result, a lopsided chest looked back at me. This was a surprise.

Pay Attention to Details Prior to Surgery

Did you know it is possible that your surgeon may not always correctly identify which side your cancer is on? I did not realize this.

Surprises in Your Medical Records

I was disappointed after surgery when I reviewed my own records to find that the location of the cancer was repeatedly misidentified in those records.

The records also described details of the surgery that I didn’t understand would take place.

Take Day Of Surgery Seriously

Don’t waste time right before surgery when you are about to go under anesthesia.

Don’t joke around with your surgical team.

Review the Details With Your Surgeon

Rigorously review the details with the surgeon right then and there, i.e., discussing where the cancer is and exactly what the procedure will consist of.

I wish I had done this, and still have not forgiven myself for not engaging this way.

Who Will Perform Your Surgery?

Also be diligent when it comes to who will perform your surgery. Will it be a well trained, senior surgeon or residents (doctors in training⁴)?

Consent Forms

I would recommend that you watch the signing of this document by the surgeon so that you have a final opportunity to review it with him or her, and understand what will be done and who will do it during your procedure.

Surgery at Teaching Hospitals

I was disappointed to find that a junior doctor, who was still in a fellowship training, and three residents, even more junior than that person, were involved in my procedure.

My husband (who was at every appointment with me) and I, don’t recall anyone discussing with us how many people would be involved in my surgery.

It turned out there were six doctors present at my mastectomy surgery.

Be certain you know exactly who will be performing which parts of your surgery.

Too Many Cooks In the Kitchen?

Ask if there will be residents or fellows, and what exactly they will do –and don’t hesitate to insist that your surgeon not delegate these tasks!

From my perspective, surgery can be like cooking –it may not be beneficial to have too many cooks in the kitchen.

Your Right to Know

It is your right to know who will be inside your body with a knife and what exactly will be done.

Who Will Be Inside You?

As part of this, be especially vigilant about who will do what during surgery at teaching hospitals.

Informed Consent

According to the NIH, the definition of informed consent, is when a patient is made aware of the alternatives, benefits, and risks of a procedure.

It’s important that you get your consent forms well in advance of surgery and review them.

If you wish to, you should mark them up as with any legal document.

Breast Cancer Treatment System Incompetence

After my double mastectomy I spoke with numerous other women who went through flat closure mastectomies and did much of my own medical research.

I am frustrated by the many stories I heard about the incompetence of the breast cancer treatment system.

UCLA Study On Flat Closure

According to a UCLA study⁵, one in five women who go flat are denied the outcome they select pre-operatively, the one that is agreed upon with the surgeon prior to their procedure.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

I was devastated when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then, I was terrified to have my breasts removed in a double mastectomy surgery.

My trauma was deeply compounded by my surgical result and my continuing pain more than two years after the surgery.

Medical Gaslighting

By denying our choices and our pain, the medical system attempts to silence us. We will not be silenced.

Language and Action

In The Cancer Journals, philosopher Audre Lorde says;

The transformation of silence into language and action is an act of self-revelation.

Audre Lorde’s statement above is a call to action, highlighting the need for change.

Normalizing Flat Closure

I am committed to normalizing the flat closure mastectomy procedure and making it an acceptable and easily achievable option for everyone who chooses it.

My Flat Closure Photos

And so I have shared these photos here with you of my flat chest; I wish it was not painful and lopsided, but for me, it’s still a better mastectomy closure choice than implants.

I also want to acknowledge the economic and heteronormative biases against flat closure.

I call attention to these cultural barriers to entry, as a means of increasing awareness and, ultimately, access to this safer and simpler breast cancer surgical closure.

Seeing Is Believing

My intention is that sharing these photos with you will weave our wishes for flat closure into the fabric of our reality. Because seeing is believing.

Flat Closure Mastectomy Pioneers

I am thankful to those with breast cancer who opted out of implants, choosing aesthetic flat closure mastectomy before me.

I feel great sorrow for your losses, and tremendous gratitude for your support, kindness, empathy, and friendship.

Thank you to these pioneers:

• Kim Bowles – Not Putting On A Shirt
• Melly Testa – Flat Closure Cancer Advocate

And I want to thank the other friends I have made who have shared with me the details of their own botched flat closure mastectomies.

Failed Flat Closure Mastectomy

I have sorrow for people who were taken apart during their mastectomies in ways that surprised them.

I hope the system can become more humane and transparent, delivering better results very soon for those who come after us.

Breast Implant Industrial Complex

When you try to get what you want, flat closure, and have a disappointing result it can feel like you failed in navigating the complexity of what I have termed the breast implant industrial complex.

Mastectomy Trauma: After Thoughts

Because my mastectomy involved having my boundaries emotionally and physically crossed so many times, it was important to me not to cross my own children’s boundaries in sharing these photos.

I had my boundaries violated repeatedly as a child, not by my parents, but other authority figures, so protecting my boys is critical to me.

I spoke with each of my sons and obtained their agreement to share the images here.

During this process, I offered to shelve the images and this project for a couple of years if either of my sons needed that time to get comfortable with the subject matter.

The Deeper Roots of Trauma

Trauma in families can be readily passed down from generation to generation, and it is our undeniable responsibility as parents to go out of our way to make sure that we do not burden our own offspring with our trauma.

I am blessed to have open lines of communication with my boys as we continue the ongoing processes of connection and individuation while I digest the trauma and medical surprises that were part of my flat closure mastectomy.

The post The Sad Truth Behind My Failed Flat Closure Mastectomy appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

I worked on this low-carb pie recipe for years, perfecting it back in 2013 which is when I first shared it with you here.

Easy Gluten Free Pecan Pie with Dairy Free Chocolate

I spent quite some time on this gluten free dessert, challenging myself to use as few ingredients as possible.

I wanted to create something that would be quick and easy to whip up the day before Thanksgiving, or any holiday.

Dairy Free Chocolate Pecan Pie

This amazing Thanksgiving dessert is gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free.

Holiday Dessert Recipe

Chocolate Pecan Pie is one of our family’s favorite desserts. We make it every Thanksgiving, but we love it so much we also make it throughout the year.

This is a special pie that could also be one of your amazing low-carb Christmas dessert recipes. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Print

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8 slices

Equipment

• Measuring Utensils
• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1½ cups chocolate chips
• 2 cups whole pecans
• 1 Gluten Free Pie Crust or Low Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust, baked per pie recipe instructions

Instructions

• In a food processor, combine eggs, coconut sugar, and coconut oil
• Stir in pecans and chocolate chips by hand
• Transfer filling into crust
• Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until set
• Cool completely before slicing
• Serve

Low-Carb Pecan Pie

This Chocolate Pecan Pie is not quite as low-carb as some of my other recipes.

However, it certainly gets low-carb billing when compared to traditional chocolate pecan pie.

That dessert is made with cups of corn syrup, plus sugar, and milk chocolate served in a high carbohydrate white flour crust.

Elana, Where Do You Get Recipe Inspiration?

I based this Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe on one from my dear friend Karin, founder of Sweet Mary Jane.

I studied her recipe, making several alterations so that it would be gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and lower in carbohydrates –this is the stunning result.

Kid Friendly Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe

Back when I first shared this kid friendly Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe recipe in 2013, the boys were in 8th and 9th grade.

Kid Friendly Gluten Free Pie

They sampled and critiqued this healthy dessert recipe. The boys and their friends were more than happy to be my testers for batch after batch.

In fact, I remember they had a sleepover back then with a bunch of friends and “snuck” some of this pie as a midnight snack.

They all looked adorably sheepish and guilty the next day.

Kid Friendly Low Carb Dessert

Little did they know they were eating a healthy, low-carb dessert filled with good fat from the nut-flour crust and pecans, and a hefty dose of antioxidants from the organic dark chocolate.

Recipe with Under 10 Ingredients

The filling for this Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe has only 5 ingredients, and you can whip it up in a jiffy. We’ve been in a pie phase of late.

My older son loves making rustic pumpkin pie from scratch each year when he comes home to visit. He told me he might post the recipe here on my website –fingers crossed.

Gluten Free Pie with Dairy Free Whipped Cream

If you’re on a Dairy-Free Diet, you’ll surely want to serve this with my Coconut Whipped Cream.

How to Whip Heavy Cream

If you’re able to eat dairy, this pie is phenomenal with my Homemade Whipped Cream in a Mason Jar.

Since they were very little, the boys have lent a hand and whipped up heavy cream for me each and every Thanksgiving.

It’s a decadent and elegant topping for my healthy low carb dessert recipes.

Low Carb Dessert Recipes

If you’re looking for more healthy desserts that won’t spike your blood sugar, check out my Low Carb Dessert Recipes page.

Following a sugar free Keto Diet? Take a look at my Keto Dessert Recipes page.

Gluten Free Pie Crust

Here are some more of my healthy, gluten-free pie crust recipes for your Thanksgiving desserts:

• Gluten Free Pie Crust with Almond Flour
• Nut Free Gluten-Free Pie Crust
• Healthy Pie Crust from Pecans

The boys often ask me to make Chocolate Pecan Pie in my Nut Free Gluten-Free Pie Crust, which they refer to as my “Cookie Crust,” and I happily oblige.

What’s your favorite pie recipe?

This post is an oldie but goodie. I first shared this Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe in 2013.

The post Chocolate Pecan Pie appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Grapefruit Ranch Water Recipe

We can’t wait to show you how to make this healthy Grapefruit Ranch Water, but first, let me share the story behind this low carb drink recipe.

Low Carb Alcoholic Drinks

I’m in my mid-fifties now and haven’t imbibed low carb cocktails or other alcohol for decades because I have the MTHFR mutation.

Refreshing Cocktails

But that hasn’t stopped me from whipping up refreshing drink recipes for you.

Whether it’s this Grapefruit Ranch Water Cocktail or my Margarita Recipe, I’ve got you covered with refreshing drinks that are perfect for the Keto Diet.

Pantry Brothers Mixology

And guess who’s helping me out with these healthy cocktail recipes?

The Pantry Boys are now all grown up, over twenty-one, and able to imbibe legally! They’re a huge help in the kitchen, at the bar too, and incredibly creative when it comes to mixology.

Print

Grapefruit Ranch Water

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 16 ounces sparkling water
• 1 packet grapefruit LMNT
• 1 grapefruit wedge
• 2 cups ice

Instructions

• Gently stir tequila, sparkling water, and LMNT in a large glass
• Add ice and a grapefruit wedge
• Serve

What is Ranch Water?

If you’re wondering, what is ranch water, we’re here to help.

Ranch Water is a Texas-style tequila highball drink made with citrus and Topo Chico sparkling water.

Highball Drink

If you’re wondering what are highball drinks they’re alcoholic beverages with a higher proportion of non-alcoholic drink mix, to liquor, so they’re a little easier to get down.

Best Tequila for Ranch Water

Wondering what’s the best tequila for ranch water?

In our recipe we use rosa tequila –the Codijo brand is our favorite, but you can use any type of tequila in this Ranch Water recipe.

Ranch Water with Citrus

Our Grapefruit Ranch Water is a light, bubbly version of a margarita recipe.

While ranch water is a fun summer cocktail, it’s so good we plan on making it all year round.

Ranch Water Recipe

I had never heard the term “ranch water,” until my boys introduced me to the concept.

This cocktail is inspired by LMNT’s seasonal flavor release! Grapefruit LMNT is the boys’ favorite because it’s so tasty, and goes down smooth.

Grapefruit Cocktail Recipe

Along those lines, right when the Grapefruit LMNT electrolytes arrived, my younger son took one look and declared we had to make cocktails with grapefruit.

Let’s just say, I was all in.

Easy Cocktail Recipes

Sometimes I enjoy making fresh lemon or lime juice for our cocktails and mocktails, but other times I just want to rip open a packet of LMNT electrolytes and hydrate quickly.

That’s another thing I love about this healthy cocktail –you don’t need to squeeze fresh lime juice for it.

Paloma Recipe

He toyed with the idea of a healthy Paloma recipe with fresh lime and grapefruit soda, and other cocktails with tequila.

Finally, after a splash here and mix there, he landed on this mouthwatering grapefruit ranch water recipe.

Topo Chico Ranch Water

We up the flavor game of this refreshing summer drink by using grapefruit electrolytes instead of lime juice. This swap fills the mixology process with extra ease.

You can also use LMNT electrolytes to make lime ranch water, and orange, and raspberry work really well too.

Best Electrolyte Drink

Here’s why our LMNT electrolyte cocktail is fantastic:

• Time Saver –no juicing citrus
• Ups Your Flavor Game –approved by Pantry Brothers
• Excellent Hydration –LMNT salt-based, sugar-free electrolyte

We love this detox-retox ranch water. Using an electrolyte in your cocktail keeps you hydrated and properly detoxing while you’re drinking alcohol.

Homemade Electrolyte Powder

If you’d like to know how to make your own Electrolyte Powder, I have the recipe for you!

Why are Electrolytes Good For You?

If you’re wondering, what are electrolytes good for I’m here to help. According to Paleo pioneer, Robb Wolf, hydrating with electrolytes is common sense. He states:

“Drinking electrolytes along with water replaces what’s lost through sweat, urine, and respiration.”

He goes on to say that the issue with most of the electrolytes available on the market today is quality. The majority, think Gatorade, are filled with sugar and artificial chemicals that we don’t want in our bodies. This inspired Wolf to create LMNT electrolytes.

What Are Electrolytes

According to Wolf, “Electrolytes are charged minerals that conduct electricity to power your nervous system and balance fluids inside and outside your cells.”

Electrolytes are involved in the following functions in your body:

• Nerve Impulse Firing
• Healthy Blood Pressure
• Fluid Balance in Brain
• Support Hormone Production

And so much more!

Dehydration Headache and Other Symptoms

When I started drinking sugar free electrolytes and improved my sodium levels, I stopped getting migraines or headaches and my sluggish bowel motility improved. I also felt more alert cognitively.

For me, the benefits have been enormous. And the crazy thing is, I didn’t realize I wasn’t hydrating properly until LMNT came along.

Further, hydrating with LMNT eliminates symptoms from the “keto flu,” as this electrolyte includes salt, potassium, and magnesium.

Easy Summer Cocktails and Mocktails

Here are some of my other favorite fun and easy to make cocktails and mocktails. They’re all low-carb recipes, so you can enjoy them if you’re on a Keto Diet.

• Margarita Recipe
• Lemonade Recipe
• Strawberry Lemonade
• Virgin Mojito

Virgin Mojito

We are all about the highball recipes. With a higher ratio of hydrating mix to liquor, you can’t go wrong!

I’ve stirred the traditional Cuban highball into a healthy sugar free mojito recipe that’s easy.

Just four fresh ingredients and your choice of rum –find the full recipe and many more in Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry!

On The Rocks Cocktails

Backyard BBQ season and the summer heat can now be celebrated with my easy recipes for cocktails, fueling your body with fresh ingredients and hydrating with LMNT.

This Grapefruit Ranch Water Recipe is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared it in 2021.

The post Grapefruit Ranch Water Recipe appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

No Potato Salad

Have you made potato salad using cauliflower instead of potatoes?

Swapping in cauliflower, a fiber rich food, results in a far more nutrient dense gluten free potato salad that’s also low carb.

The low carb diet has worked well for me because it burns fat, stabilizes blood glucose levels, and incorporates so many nutrient rich foods.

Low Carb Recipes

Along those lines, the health benefits of a low carb diet are plentiful.

What Is Low Carb Food?

What is low carb food? I focus on consuming protein, along with low glycemic vegetables, and fat while eliminating high carb processed foods.

Cauliflower Potato Salad

In my cauliflower potato salad, I trade high carb potatoes for fiber rich, nutrient dense cauliflower.

These types of win-win swaps and nutritionally dense unlocks are key to my cooking!

Cauliflower Recipes

When it comes to low carb vegetarian recipes, my No Potato Salad checks all the boxes –easy, healthy, and delicious.

Ready to eat in just twenty minutes, and a busy mom’s dream, my favorite cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower, is the star of the show here.

Cauliflower Carbs

Cauliflower is a fantastic superfood that I eat regularly in a variety of ways.

High Fiber Food

Naturally high in fiber and vitamins B and C, it also contains phytonutrients and glucosinolates that help protect against cancer.

Cauliflower Rice Recipes

This versatile vegetable is also an optimal swap for high carb rice. Here are some of my cauliflower rice recipes:

• Basic Cauliflower Rice
• Cauliflower Mexican Rice
• Mexican Chicken and Rice

Print

No Potato Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Equipment

• Large Bowl
• Measuring Utensils

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 3-4 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
• 2 large hard boiled eggs, diced
• 2 tablespoons primal kitchen mayo
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

Instructions

• Chop cauliflower into small florets (½ inch)
• Steam cauliflower on the stove until fork-tender, not more or a stronger “cauliflower” smell develops
• Allow cauliflower to cool then place in a large bowl
• Add celery, onion, parsley and egg
• Stir in mayonnaise, mustard and salt
• Serve

Celiac Disease Self Care

Wondering how it all started? Living the life of a gluten free pioneer hasn’t always been easy.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998, and at that point, gluten free recipes were incredibly hard to find.

I knew I’d need to create my own.

Gluten Free Recipes

Another issue? So many gluten free recipes use unhealthy ingredients.

For example, the majority of gluten free breads and baked goods are made with high carb ingredients such as rice flour, potato starch, and corn meal.

Since I’m conscious of the advantages of gluten free and low carb diets, I use flours and ingredients that are full of healthy fat, fiber, and protein.

Is Potato Salad Gluten Free?

You don’t have to ask is potato salad gluten free with my No Potato Salad because, yes, it’s gluten free and it’s low carb, too!

Low Carb Dinner Ideas

Here are more of my healthy gluten free recipes for you and yours to enjoy.

They’re far healthier and more nourishing than their Standard American Diet (SAD) counterparts, but just as tasty.

Whether you need a recipe for vegetable salad, easy dinner recipes with chicken, or easy recipes for dessert, I’ve got you covered below with plenty of simple solutions for healthy eating.

Rosemary Chicken with Lemon

This fresh and flavorful marinade for chicken recipe has hints of garlic, fragrant rosemary, and zesty lemon.

A few minutes on the grill, and you’ll be serving savory Rosemary Chicken with Lemon for dinner.

After one bite, this recipe for grilled chicken breast will become part of your regular rotation.

Fresh Friseé Salad

The best salads are those thrown together with whatever fresh leafy vegetables I have on hand from the garden or farmers’ market, but this one is so good we make it again and again.

This colorful and nutrient rich salad with radicchio, friseé, butter lettuce, and arugula is also next level delicious because of my homemade salad dressing recipe.

Shaken together with ease, the dijon mustard and red wine vinegar are the tangy cherry (tomato) on top of this Fresh Friseé Salad.

Asparagus Salad with Tomatoes and Basil

When you’re looking for an asparagus recipe, salad doesn’t always come to mind. This keto side dish is full of fresh garden ingredients and can be prepared in under 15 minutes.

My Asparagus Salad with Tomatoes and Basil complements any entree, and for those of you with a nightshade allergy, it’s every bit as delicious if you leave out the tomatoes.

Fruit Salad Recipe

When you have a fruit salad recipe that’s so simple to pull together, the hardest part is deciding on the fruit medley to use.

I often prepare my Simple Fruit Salad with organic yogurt, adding a bit of vanilla. The combinations are endless and the result, deliciously healthy.

Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

My recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies along with vegan vanilla ice cream that’s homemade is a match made in heaven!

My Ice Cream Sandwich recipe has been a family favorite since the boys were little.

Back in the day, I made assembling these healthy frozen treats an interactive activity for the boys and their friends, setting out a toppings bar with gluten free sprinkles, coconut flakes, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, and more to coat them.

This activity was a huge hit at our end of the season baseball parties and is one of my absolute favorite recipes for summer, but it’s so incredible we make it all year round!

Firecracker Popsicles Red White and Blue

The best way to cool down on a hot day? A healthy homemade popsicle!

Simple and refreshing, my Firecracker Popsicles Red White and Blue are made with 4 all natural ingredients, –coconut milk, strawberries, blueberries, and honey.

For a low carb pop, swap out the honey for Swerve.

Take note though, Swerve is a low carb keto sweetener that’s not on the menu for me. To find out why read What’s the Best Sweetener for the Keto Diet.

BBQ Recipes

The season is upon us for outdoor gatherings and celebrations.

I hope one of these delicious and nutritious recipes I shared will be at your next BBQ with healthy sides. Need more inspiration? Check out my Gluten Free BBQ menu!

This No Potato Salad recipe is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared it in 2009.

The post No Potato Salad appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Safer Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a personal care product on my “must have” list! Because some sunscreens contain toxic ingredients and have been recalled, this product category is something I’ve researched extensively.

Researching Clean Living

I’ve been in the health industry since the early 1990s, and during the last 30+ years, I’ve made it my mission to create the healthiest diet and overall lifestyle that I can.

Part of that is understanding that what we put on our bodies is as important as what we put in them –for me, clean living doesn’t stop with diet or the foods we eat.

Personal Care Products for Clean Living

I believe the substances we introduce to our living space are just as impactful to our health, so I’ve created my own non-toxic household cleaning products and personal care products.

As you can see, the intersection of health with holistic living is about so much more than what goes in your mouth.

Clean Living and the MTHFR Gene

Many of us become so focused on diet that we forget about what we put on our skin. That’s a mistake because our skin is our largest organ of absorption, and what we apply to it is critical.

The skin not only absorbs products but eliminates waste. Because of this, it’s often called the “third kidney,” which is another reason I treat mine with care.

Because I have the MTHFR genetic mutation, this is even more crucial for me. People with the MTHFR gene have impaired detoxification, so avoiding products with toxic ingredients is of importance.

Safer Sunscreen

Growing up in California, my friends and I baked in the sun. By the time I was in my 20s I wasn’t outside much, I spent my time indoors building my first company.

Once I reached my 30s, I started thinking about aging. My top beauty secrets? Sleep, diet, and moderate exercise.

Safe to Use Sunscreen

I also realized that applying good sunscreen to my face might help prevent wrinkles. Since then I’ve used sunscreen on my face religiously. When I go out for a walk I also wear a baseball hat and sunglasses.

It’s great to use these items to protect the delicate skin on your face. It’s also important to find a fantastic sunscreen that does not contain harmful endocrine disrupting chemicals and other toxins.

Safe Sunscreen When Pregnant

When we were starting our family I realized that safe sunscreen when pregnant was critical, as the tiny developing embryo is more vulnerable to harmful substances than children and adults.

Sunscreen Recall 2021

Fast forward to 2021, when a number of sunscreen products were recalled due to harmful toxicity levels.

I was relieved that I had done so much research into personal care products from head to toe, including sunscreen.

Is Benzene Harmful?

Frighteningly, Sunscreen Recall 2021 involved benzene, a very toxic, carcinogenic chemical that causes multiple health issues in adults and children alike.

Why is benzene so harmful? This chemical compound can be lethal because it causes the cells in the body to work incorrectly.

Benzene Toxicity

Benzene exposure can cause bone marrow cells to lower red blood cell production, and it can cause white blood cells in the immune system to fail.¹

Some industries use benzene to make the chemicals used in plastic products and more. Benzene is also used in lubricants and detergents, as well as pesticides.²

Sunscreen Recall Brands

Sadly, mainstream sunscreen brands contaminated with benzene in Sunscreen Recall 2021 included:

• Coppertone
• Neutrogena
• Aveeno

I was troubled by these findings, given that a number of household name brands were included.

What are Safe Sunscreen Ingredients?

Below, you will find what’s not in my sunscreen because the following items are not always considered safe. Buyer beware, read sunscreen ingredients labels carefully!

Read Sunscreen Labels

This list includes endocrine disruptors such as parabens, oxybenzone, and a number of other unhealthy ingredients that may be hiding in your sunscreen.

• Aerosol Spray -application method that can expose lungs to hazardous chemicals
• Aluminum -coloring agent and neurotoxin that affects diverse metabolic reactions
• Oxybenzone -photostabilizer and endocrine disrupting chemical that can lead to adverse cellular change
• Parabens -preservative and endocrine disrupting chemical that may lead to hormonal imbalance
• Propylene Glycol -skin conditioning agent that can lead to eye, skin, and lung irritation as well as organ system toxicity

Sunscreen Causes Cancer?

Finding benzene and endocrine disrupting chemicals in products can lead to concerns that sunscreen causes cancer.

Given these types of incidents, I find researching healthy living more important than ever.

How to Choose a Safe Sunscreen

Wondering how to choose a safe sunscreen? First, read labels to make sure the ingredients above (and others) are not in the product.

Second, there are findings that mineral-based sunscreens like zinc oxide products may be safer than chemical sunscreens.

EWG Safe Sunscreen Ratings

In addition to reading labels, you’ll want to go to the Environmental Working Group website for guidance.

EWG Ratings

I trust the EWG ratings and use them myself to verify that the products I use do not contain the toxic ingredients above.

Safe Sunscreen Zinc Oxide

Although many people prefer them because they rub into the skin more easily, I don’t use chemical-based sunscreens

I prefer alternatives with zinc oxide, the main active ingredient in the sunscreens I I use to block out the sun.

Is Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Full Spectrum?

Zinc oxide is unique because it is a truly broad spectrum blocker that protects from UVA and UVB.

Zinc oxide scores well with the Environmental Working Group because it provides “strong sun protection with few health concerns.” EWG also rates it highly because it doesn’t break down in the sun.

Which Sunblock is Best

Finding the right sunscreen isn’t as easy as you’d think.

I went through product after product for several years until I landed on my non-toxic sunscreen favorites, and I work to update the list each summer since manufacturers’ ingredients can change over time.

What is Safe Sunscreen?

By now, you have a pretty good picture of what makes a sunscreen safe.

Along those lines, below are sunscreens full of safe ingredients that work well for me when it comes to blocking out the sun.

Here, I list them in order of favorites, top to bottom!

TruKid Sunny Days Sport Sunscreen

TruKid Sunny Days Sport Sunscreen has a long name but a short ingredient list. I love that. This is one of the cleaner sunscreen products I’ve tried and recommended.

Can I tell you a secret? Because my skin is so sensitive, I like to use personal care products that are gentle enough for an infant.

Beware though, not everything that’s labeled “baby safe” actually is, so you’ll still need to check ingredients when using baby products.

TruKid has fantastic ingredients, which include aloe vera juice, pine resin, coconut, castor oil, magnesium (from Epsom salt), jojoba and green tea oils, and pomegranate juice –what more could a mom ask for?!

• 20% Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
• SPF 30
• Non-Toxic Ingredients
• Fragrance-Free
• EWG Rating = 1

Waxhead Sun Defense Baby Zinc Oxide Vitamin E + D Sunscreen Lotion

I like Waxhead Sun Defense because it gets a high rating from the Environmental Working Group and smells amazing.

The moment I opened this product and rubbed it into my hands I LOVED it. Waxhead smells like olive oil and I am a huge fan of putting food quality ingredients on my skin.

In addition to zinc oxide, this sunscreen contains only 6 ingredients –spring water, extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, vitamin E, and vitamin D.

• 25% Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
• SPF 35
• Water Resistant
• Non-Toxic, Hypoallergenic Ingredients
• EWG Rating = 1

Adorable Baby Sunscreen SPF 30

Adorable Baby Sunscreen is an odorless product that glides on smoothly, leaving no white residue.

Made with a base of grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil, it’s slightly greasy, which I don’t mind since I live in the high desert of Colorado and have incredibly dry skin.

This clean product made with food-based ingredients gets the highest rating from EWG.

• 21% Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
• SPF 30
• Water Resistant
• Non-Toxic, All Natural Ingredients
• EWG Rating = 1

Badger Active Mineral Sunscreen

For me, Badger Active Mineral Sunscreen works because it goes on smoothly and rubs into my skin easily. It’s a little on the greasy side but an effective and safe product.

• 19% Zinc Oxide
• SPF 30
• Water Resistant
• Contains 98% Organic Ingredients
• EWG Rating = 1

Vanicream Mineral Sunscreen

I am a fan of the Vanicream brand, and this sunscreen is no exception. In addition to zinc oxide, it contains squalene. It has a long ingredient list so it is at the bottom of my list of safer sunscreens, but I include it for those in search of a product that rubs in perfectly.

Vanicream Sunscreen rubs in easily and does not leave a white film like some of the other zinc based safer sunscreens.

• 20% Zinc Oxide
• SPF 30
• Non-Toxic, All Natural Ingredients
• EWG Rating = 1

Raw Elements Tinted Mineral Sunscreen

When I’m in need of a tinted product, Raw Elements Mineral Sunscreen is the one. I use it because the color looks natural , giving me a nice little glow and it blends in easily —it’s almost like a makeup product.

• 20% Non Nano Zinc Oxide
• SPF 30
• Non-Toxic, All Natural Ingredients
• Water Resistant
• EWG Rating = 1

Is Vitamin D From the Sun

I’m often asked is vitamin D from the sun? The answer to that is yes and no.

First, what is vitamin D? It’s a fat-soluble vitamin that helps regulate calcium and phosphorus, both critical in building bone.⁴ Further, studies show that vitamin D may be helpful with the following:

• Reducing Cancer Cell Growth
• Controlling Infections
• Preventing Inflammation

What Vitamin D Deficiency Causes

According to nutrition researchers at Harvard, “Vitamin D deficiency may occur from a lack in diet, poor absorption, or having a metabolic need for higher amounts. If one is not eating enough vitamin D and does not receive enough ultraviolet sun exposure over an extended period, a deficiency may arise.”

Vitamin D deficiency may cause the following:

• Migraines
• Rickets
• Osteomalacia (soft bone disease)

What are Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:

• Fatigue
• Muscle Weakness
• Depression

As someone with a disease of malabsorption (celiac) and a neurological disease, these types of findings are of interest to me –I’ve tracked my vitamin D levels closely through quarterly blood work for more than two decades.

Sun Exposure Boosts Vitamin D Levels

Because optimal vitamin D levels are essential for people with MS, I take a daily D supplement and get good daily sun exposure.

When my level gets back in my optimal range, I stop taking the vitamin D supplement.

Although I wear sunscreen on my face religiously, I’m not afraid to get some good sun exposure on my arms and legs every day!

It helps with my vitamin D levels, and the sunshine feels great when I go out for my daily walks.

Clean Living and Sun Block

The sunscreen debate can be a heated one (pun intended), and I take the middle path, using it on my face but not the rest of my body. What’s your strategy when it comes to the sun? Do you use sunscreen or not?

Safer Sunscreen is an oldie but goodie from archives. I first shared this post in 2017.

The post Safer Sunscreen appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Aloe Vera Juice Lemonade Recipe

I also can’t get enough of this refreshing drink in the summer when it’s hot outside.

Essentially, Aloe Vera Lemonade is so incredible that I drink it quite regularly.

Can you Eat Aloe Vera?

Wondering if you can eat and drink aloe vera? Yes, you can! As a kid, we would rub aloe gel on our sunburns, but aloe vera gel and juice have far more uses than that!

• Moisturize Skin
• Heal Sunburn
• Relieve Constipation
• Lower Blood Sugar
• Heartburn Relief

Organic Aloe Vera Juice Lemonade

I love drinking organic aloe vera juice and keep a couple of bottles stocked in my pantry.

The extra nutrients from this delicious Aloe Vera Lemonade are wonderful, and it’s a refreshing gut healer.

Print

Aloe Vera Juice Lemonade

Course Drinks

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Equipment

• Measuring Utensils
• Pint Mason Jar

Ingredients

• 1½ cups water
• 1 cup aloe vera juice
• ¼ cup lemon juice (see How to Juice a Lemon)
• ⅛ teaspoon stevia

Instructions

• Place ¾ cup water and ½ cup aloe in each glass
• Place 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 4 drops stevia in each glass
• Mix and Serve

How Much Aloe Vera Juice to Drink Daily

Although the recipe above says it serves 2, I have the entire aloe drink myself most evenings an hour or so after dinner.

Pure Aloe Vera Benefits

Why all of this aloe vera love? Pure aloe has fantastic anti-inflammatory properties.

This nutrient rich plant contains the following vitamins and minerals and much more:

• Vitamins A, C, E, B12
• Zinc
• Copper
• Selenium
• Calcium

To learn more about the numerous benefits the aloe vera plant provides, check out my post on Pure Aloe Vera Benefits.

Best Aloe Vera Juice Lemonade

Looking for more delicious ways to get aloe vera juice into your gullet? Read on!

Homemade Lemonade Recipe for Aloe Vera Drink

Here are two of my favorite sugar-free keto lemonade drinks that you can turn into flavored aloe vera juice lemonade:

• Sugar Free Lemonade
• Strawberry Lemonade

Do You Drink Aloe Vera Juice?

Do you drink aloe vera juice? Leave a comment and let me know!

This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared this Aloe Vera Juice Lemonade Recipe in 2023.

The post Aloe Vera Juice Lemonade Recipe appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

While we are not big on gifts in the Pantry Family, I thought you might love to see some of our favorite things that make great gifts.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

If you’ve been struggling to find the right gift for your father, husband, brother, grandfather, or beyond, this list of the best Father’s Day gift ideas is the answer.

Best Gifts for Dad

We typically exchange cards and kind words on appreciation holidays because sometimes a hug can be the best gift for Dad, along with some great food, of course!

Best Gifts for Husband

Still, each of the items below are family favorites, and most importantly, are great husband gifts that are loved by Mr. Pantry.

LMNT

Here’s one of the best Father’s Day gift ideas that’s only a few clicks away from arriving at your door!

LMNT electrolytes are my personal favorite and a huge hit around my house.

My boys love gulping down packets of LMNT on hot summer days to replenish themselves after a day in the sun. And Mr. Pantry enjoys LMNT just about every morning after working out.

Whether used to recharge after work, play, or both, LMNT is phenomenal and one of my best Father’s Day gifts!

Looking to gift some amazing electrolytes? Purchase LMNT here.

Massage Gun

Now that our wonderful fathers are hydrated, it’s time to unwind! The Hypervolt GO massage gun, featured above, is the perfect unique gift for so many people in your life.

My family has been using a Hypervolt massage gun for the last few years and can’t get enough of it.

Not just for dad, the boys use our Hypervolt massage gun for loosening up before a run, and I find it perfect for soothing muscle aches and pains after Pilates.

Looking for an awesome, unique gift? Purchase a Hypervolt Go here.

Magic Spoon Cereal

Over here, no day is complete without a tasty treat!

My family absolutely loves Magic Spoon and simply cannot get enough of it.

The high protein content is perfect for my boys’ active lifestyles, and the low carb count makes Magic Spoon a perfect option for Mr. Pantry’s healthy lifestyle.

Want to go with this healthy gift idea? Purchase Magic Spoon here.

Paleo Snacks: Big Fork Pork Sticks

Just in case your favorite father doesn’t go for cereal, Big Fork has you covered with these amazing craft pork sticks.

Big Fork Pork Sticks are like beef jerky, and they’re not only high in protein but also come in some delicious flavors, making them one of the best Fathers Day gifts I’ve found.

When I discovered Big Fork Pork Sticks not too long ago, I barely had a chance to try them. After putting them on my kitchen counter, Mr. Pantry gobbled them up, giving me a taste of just the last one.

Now I know to order the 20 stick pack, especially if my kiddos are around.

Looking to buy a Mr. Pantry favorite and one of the best gifts for men? Purchase Big Fork Pork Sticks here.

Grill Thermometer

If the amazing fathers in your life prefer a useful gift, this game-changing meat thermometer will be a sure hit.

Just about every time Mr. Pantry hops on the grill, he has a meat thermometer by his side. His father gave us this meat thermometer and it’s a keeper.

Our meat thermometer helps make the cooking process easier and leads to perfectly cooked meat, chicken, and fish every time.

Looking to buy a super useful gift this Father’s Day? Purchase a Kuluner Meat Thermometer here.

Father’s Day Gifts: Gluten Free Recipes

If gifts are not your thing, check out my post on the Best Father’s Day Recipes.

Gifts for Men

I hope you find these Fathers Day gift ideas helpful.

These fantastic items are not useless trinkets that will sit around your home. They’re the perfect gifts for guys in your life, not just dad!

What are you doing for Father’s Day?

This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared this Father’s Day Gift Ideas post in 2021.

The post Father’s Day Gift Ideas appeared first on Elana's Pantry.