Archive for Gluten Free
Guest Blog-Kim Bouldin from Gluten Free is Life
Posted by: | CommentsHi guys! My name is Kim and I write a blog on gluten-free living called Gluten-free is Life. Erin asked if I would do a guest post and I was thrilled and honored to write one. I have been gluten-free for a little over 4 years now.
Kim and her daughter, Hannah
I am currently training for my first full marathon. I ran my first half marathon last October and learned a lot about nutrition and fueling and some of the unique obstacles that come along with following the gluten-free diet. I believe that every obstacle is only as big as you make it out to be. Where there is a will to get over an obstacle, there is a way to get over it. There are just as many protein-filled foods out there to fuel a gluten-free athlete as there are to fuel any other athlete – it is all about creativity.
Now that I am really ramping up my training, I have to pay close attention to the foods that I am putting into my body. I have to make every calorie count. For those that know me, I do have a sweet tooth. I have to limit some of those treats now so that I have room for those nutrient dense foods that will carry me through my runs, especially the long ones. Some of the protein-rich foods that I include in my diet are:
Egg whites
Lean chicken
Lean turkey
Salmon
Lean red meat (filet mignon)
Beans (garbanzo &black beans are my favorites)
Nut butters (almond butter has a special place in my heart)
Greek yogurt
Quinoa (Erin’s note-this is a combo of carbs and protein, but is unique in that for a carb source it is unusually high in protein)
Buckwheat
Millet
Cheese
Nuts
Tuna
All of the above foods are naturally gluten-free.
For carbohydrates, I include:
Oatmeal (Bob’s Red Mill or Lara’s by Cream Hill Estates)
Brown rice
Breads made from whole grain gluten-free flours
Brown rice cakes
Gluten-free cereals (Barbara’s Multigrain Puffins, Mesa Sunrise Flakes)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Apples
Pears
Grapes
Dried Fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, figs, apricots)
Bananas
Corn Tortillas
Squash (acorn, butternut, kabocha, spaghetti)
Peas
Potatoes (baked sweet or regular)
I make up most of my diet from the foods listed above & fill in where necessary. I have been playing around with different foods for my pre-run fuel. Some of my favorites have been:
Zing Bars (love the protein in these)
Rice Cakes w/ Almond Butter
Banana w/ Almond Butter
Blueberry Muffins from Purely Elizabeth
I don’t like to run with a lot of food in my stomach, so this has been something I have really been experimenting with. While I like bananas, they make my stomach feel the fullest of all the options I listed above, so I have only been using that if I have no other options.
For refueling, I try to grab a re-hydration drink of some sort. I have been experimenting with coconut water & it seems to work well & doesn’t make me feel queasy like Gatorade does. I will be reviewing some coconut water later this month on my blog. Once I get the drink in, I reach for protein and some carbs, but mainly protein. I usually go with a 1 egg/3 egg white frittata made with spinach & tomatoes. I add in some Frank’s Red Hot to spice it up. (Erin’s note-LOVE Franks’! Favorite hot sauce by a long run!) I will also have rice cakes with almond butter & fruit spread on the side. I have been toying with some protein shakes, but haven’t found one that I love yet. The You Bar Shakes were good, but they are dairy based. I don’t do well with a lot of dairy or soy, so that makes it tough. I have yet to try the rice protein shakes. They are next on my list.
One of the biggest challenges I have had to overcome is eating after my long runs to get enough calories in. I know this sounds silly to some, but I have no appetite after my long runs. I have to break all the “rules” with listening to my body’s hunger cues, because they are just not there on days when I run 8+ miles. I literally watch the clock to make sure I am getting some kind of food in every 3 hours or so. I try to eat smaller meals on these days so I don’t feel “stuffed” and then in turn, sick. These are the days that I really need to make every calorie count by getting the best nutritional bang for my buck. I snack on dried fruit a lot on long run days – calorie dense &can be an excellent source of fiber, nutrients, antioxidants and complex carbohydrates. I love adding dried fruit &walnuts or almonds to my salads. I have found that eating “by-the-clock” on long run days works well for me. It helps me keep my energy up through the day and not feel like I was run over by a bus the following day.
I am entering week 9 of marathon training now. I have a half marathon race coming up on March 21, 2010 that I am using as a training run. I am running this race to help raise money for the March of Dimes and a couple of NICUs in the Atlanta area. Only 10 more weeks until my first marathon! Wish me luck!
Erin’s note: GO KIM!
Kim was previously profiled here as a Gluten Free Athlete. She gives many great reviews and advice for families with children living gluten free at Gluten Free is Life.
Not Really a Recipe-Gluten Free High Protein “Pancake”
Posted by: | CommentsEveryone has some things that they do so regularly, and with so little thought, that they seem like second nature.
For most of us, driving is one of those things. When we first started driving, it was really challenging, and seemed so overwhelming. After a while, it gets easier, you can turn on the radio. Then you can hold a conversation with a passenger. Eventually, you can apply eye makeup, eat, and talk on the phone all while driving. (Kidding! Totally kdding, and I do not recommend nor condone that. Although I have seen it done. I live in South Florida, remember.)
Eating healthfully and gluten free has become that way for me. I had a bit of an edge, with my fitness background I had already been eating mostly whole unprocessed food, and cutting out gluten was just an additional step. So sometimes I forget that things that seem “normal” to me are a bit foreign to others.
Case in point. My friend Kim, over at Gluten Free is Life. Kim has an awesome handle on nutrition. Last week we were on Twitter (I’ve been so impressed with the people I’ve met and information I’ve gotten on Twitter-you can find me over there @ErinElberson) and she was asking about gluten free pancakes. Well, even before I was diagnosed celiac I’ve been making “pancakes” with oats and egg whites. The only change is now I use certified gluten free oats. It makes a high fiber, high protein breakfast. And it can be very portable.
Kim took the idea and ran with it. She even posted a photo of her beautiful pancake, which I am going to steal and post here. She is a much better food photographer than I am.
See how good she is!
So here’s the “recipe” and variations:
-1:1 ratio of egg whites and oats. 1 serving is approximately .5 cups of egg whites (like in the cartons at the grocery, or I go thru a bunch of them so I use Egg Whites International) affiliate link-if you decide to order thru that link I’ll receive a small percent.
If you use eggs it will be about 4-5 egg whites or 3 ish whole eggs.
-Combine together-if you like a chunky texture you can just whisk ‘em, or you can blend them up if you like a smoother consistency. Mine vary-depends on hunger and laziness quotient.
-I add a little cinnamon, stevia, and vanilla. Sometimes some cacoa/cocoa powder. Many times I’ll also add a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseed for a little texture and healthy fats. Sliced almonds would be yum. Kim took it up a notch and spread almond butter on hers. Mmmm….almond butter…..
-You can add some fresh or frozen fruit. Kim topped hers with fresh berries. I always have frozen blueberries on hand, so those often get tossed in. Right now strawberry season has begun here. This makes me very, very happy, and means there will be a lot of strawberries eaten.
I like mine sweet, but you can also make them savory. Someone on Twitter was mentioning smoked salmon the other day-chop some up, throw it in with some spices, spread a little farmers or cream cheese on top-how’s that for a savory pancake? Anna also had the idea of making it into a wrap of sorts-that’d work!
The macronutrient and calorie breakdown for the basic 1 serving recipe is as follows:
-Approximately 200 calories:24 grams of carbohydrate of which 3 are fiber, 18 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat.
These are also highly portable. Cook em up, cut em up and toss em in a container. Heck, you could even put it in a zip top bag if you had to. These can be eaten warm or cold, and taste good either way. They’re not stinky on planes. It’s a win-win.
Enjoy! Check out Kim’s beauteous interpretation here.
If you haven’t, check out the Gluten Free and Fit basics for a good starting point here. And, for more information on gluten free nutrition, click here.
Let me know what variations you like in the comments!
Non Celiac Athletes Going Gluten Free-Is there a Performance Benefit? Part 2
Posted by: | CommentsIn Part 1, we reviewed some mainstream and popular athletes who had gone the gluten-free route. The experiences that they shared showed a perceived improvement in performance on a gluten free diet. These athletes were not diagnosed with celiac disease. So, what gives?
There are several potential reasons why the athletes may have in fact shown improved performance. These are essentially educated guesses, as we don’t really KNOW.
The sciency reasons:
1-The athletes were undiagnosed, but had celiac disease.
The statistics for celiac disease, and the numbers of undiagnosed, stagger me every time. Approximately 1% of the population (in the US, Canada and Europe) is estimated to have celiac disease. Here’s the kicker-95% of those are undiagnosed.
It’s very feasible that some of these athletes have been walking around with celiac disease and didn’t know it. Put them on a gluten free diet and all kinds of magic happens. We’ll talk about the magic in a bit.
2-The athletes were gluten sensitive.
This is a bit of a can of worms. “Gluten sensitivity” is a big umbrella term that covers a bunch of stuff. Celiac disease falls under this umbrella. However, as we are learning, celiac disease as it is currently diagnosed only refers to damage to the small intestine, which is also referred to as gluten sensitive enteropathy. Gluten can cause damage to many other areas of the body, not just the gastrointestinal system (your guts, for easy reference:) Gluten sensitive neuropathy
(nervous system-brain and peripheral nerves) is recognized as being the most common. However, gluten can affect many other systems of the body, and for more information on the various conditions I recommend you check out Shelly Stuart’s incredibly thorough 12 part series at her Celiac Nurse blog, for which a link will be at the end of this post.
A study performed in Iceland back in 1992 showed that 25% of the randomly selected 200 participants (48) showed high levels of gliadin antibodies. Antibodies are produced when the body mounts an attack against the offending invader-in this case, gliadin, the a portion of the gluten protein. 14 of these 48 people also had gluten sensitive enteropathy, or what is commonly referred to as celiac disease-gluten sensitivity of the gut. 25% is a lot of people to show a form of gluten intolerance. I’ve heard varying numbers and statistics thrown around for gluten sensitivity, even as high as 70%. This is difficult to pin down though. Interestingly, a study published in the journal Gut in 2007 (frustratingly, I could not
access the free full text, but the summary only-luckily there was an article that covered it on celiac.com) showed all NON-CELIAC participants in the study showed an antibody response when challenged with gliadin. All of ‘em. Not some, all.
And that brings us to…
3-Eliminating gluten can have positive effects for all.
I’m going to preface this by saying that more research needs to be done, before the wheat growers association (I made that up, I don’t know that an organization by that name exists, but I’m sure there is one to that effect) comes and sues me. It is possible (how’s that for covering my butt) that wheat gliadin can cause intestinal permeability and immune system response in the intestines. Also, this permeability can cause additional damage to other areas of the body, including the nervous system. And given the research mentioned above, this may extend to everyone, not just those with diagnosed/undiagnosed celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It appears that there is a huge spectrum of tolerance to these wheat proteins-ranging from absolutely no apparent ill effects, on to celiac disease and related autoimmune disorders.
4-Improved absorption of nutrients all around!
If these athletes did have an undiagnosed gluten sensitive enteropathy, then it stands to reason that with eliminating gluten they were able to absorb more nutrition. More nutrition=feeling better=performing better. If it was a gluten sensitive neuropathy, they were able to think better. Thinking better=improved performance.
OK, enough science. You asleep yet?
Here’s the less technical reasons these athletes may have improved their performance.
1-Eliminating gluten meant eliminating a large number of processed foods.
Let’s be honest. Aside from hidden gluten, eating a gluten free diet does not have to be hard. Although I am grateful to the manufacturers for giving us gluten free options of processed food-there is just as much junk that’s gluten free as there is gluten full. Gluten free junk is still junk. Naturally gluten free foods are easy, can be inexpensive and highly nutritious. Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, keep your diet primarily fruits, veggies, meats/fish, beans, nuts, eggs, potato and rice. Easy peasy. It also is inherently more nutrient dense than eating processed food-gluten free or not. More nutrients=more fuel to muscles and brain=higher performance.
2-Eating gluten free made them more aware of overall food quality.
Sometimes as athletes we just look at food as fuel. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But, we perform better with
higher quality fuel. Like a high performance car. Put in crap fuel, get crappy acceleration and knocks. With the added attention to eating gluten free, additional attention can be given to high quality food. This is exactly why I feel so strongly that celiac disease is a blessing in disguise. Built it reminder to eat well, should we choose to perceive it in that light. The athletes on the Garmin team (and now Radio Shack) are certainly receiving a very high nutrient density diet. These guys make their living performing, and their livelihood depends on them performing well.
So I have to say that yes, there can absolutely be a benefit to non celiac diagnosed athletes eating gluten free. Just like
in everything though, it depends on what you eat and how much-not just that it’s gluten free.
It will be interesting to see the press on the Radio Shack cycling team and the gluten free diet as the Tour de France gets closer. Lance’s return to the biggest race in cycling to sure to get a ton of coverage.
Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or experiences! For more of my nutritional ramblings (and some really great free information click here, and here for Gluten Free and Fit 101.)
Resources:
Gluten Intolerance Group on Gluten Sensitivity
US Department of Health and Human Service on Celiac Disease
Gluten Sensitivity via Wikipedia
Article review: Non-celiacs Show Interleukin 15 Production when Challenged with Gliadin Peptides
12 part series on Symptoms of Celiac Disease by Shelly Stuart
Non Celiac Athletes Going Gluten Free-Is there a Performance Benefit? Part 1
Posted by: | CommentsMy Dad handed me a Men’s Journal magazine, saying “they talk about gluten free in here.” I looked at the front cover and sure enough, there it was at the top of the cover. “No More Wheat-the Surprising New Diet for Athletes.” My very sophisticated first response was “huhmph” or something along those lines. I am rarely at a loss for words, but I was caught without anything pithy to say.
Several months ago, a friend of mine had mentioned that the Garmin professional cycling team was going gluten free. (Prior to my last knee surgery I was a fairly avid cyclist-now I just can’t take the chance of crashing onto one of these very expensive knees.) The driving force behind this decision is Dr. Allen Lim. He now is working with Team Radio Shack (Lance Armstrong’s current team.) We’ll get back to the reasoning behind going gluten free in a bit. Let’s take a look at some athletes who have taken the gluten free route and their experiences.
The Men’s Journal article titled “Winning Without Wheat” discussed the Garmin’s team experience and results with going gluten free. It was noted that the athletes were gluten free during the racing season-not necessarily the off-season. During the season, the riders reported performance improvement along with reduced digestive issues. (I found it interesting that the article did not mention if the athletes had been tested for celiac disease, or if any of them chose to continue eating gluten free off season.) It was not reported if the performance improvements were perceived, or if there had been specific testing parameters on a “regular” versus gluten free diet.
An article in Bicycling magazine titled “The Word on Wheat” discussed the idea of voluntarily going gluten free, and the potential pitfalls of a gluten free diet. (which I addressed in the “nutrient deficiencies in the gluten free diet” post and refers you to Peter Bronksi’s well written review) They also mention celiac disease versus non celiac gluten intolerance.
A pro triathlete named Desiree Flicker is quoted as saying “It does end up being a lot healthier because it forces you to stay away from overly processed foods.” (Well-yeah-it can-if you avoid all the processed gluten free crap. Check out my Cagematch on the gluten free “diet” versus lifestyle.) Flicker was diagnosed with celiac disease at age 29 after dealing with gastrointestinal issues for almost 10 years. She noted a performance improvement after going gluten free. (To me this is a “well, duh” moment-of course a celiac will have improved performance on a gluten free diet-but we’ll get to that.)
There definitely appears to be some popularity in the triathlete population with individuals who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease in utilizing a gluten free diet. Team First Endurance offers some guidelines for their members who are interested in trying a gluten free diet.
The rationale presented behind originally moving the Garmin team to gluten free is basically to ease digestion. There are multiple fragments of gluten that can cause adverse reactions, even without specific wheat allergy or celiac disease. The
spectrum of non celiac gluten intolerance is an area that seems to be expanding rapidly. Improved digestion leads to improved absorption of nutrients, which can then translate into improved performance. Keep in mind that while this can be a correlation, it’s not necessarily a causation without proof. In other words, it looks like a gluten free diet may be associated with improved performance, but without specific controlled variables we cannot say that a gluten free diet caused the improvement in performance.
I was unable to find any research studies that examined the effects of a gluten free diet and performance. It does appear
that there is quite a bit of anecdotal evidence where people have experienced improved performance.
Based on these anecdotes, it appears that there is potential for improved performance in athletes to eat a gluten free diet
even if they are not diagnosed with wheat allergy or celiac disease.
In Part 2 of this article we will take a look at why a gluten free diet may correlate with an improvement in performance.
In the meanwhile, check out Gluten Free and Fit 101, or for more specific information on setting up a gluten free diet for health and life click here.
Stay tuned! If you have experienced improved performance with eating gluten free speak up! Leave a comment below!
Custom Choice (Create your Mix) Gluten Free Cereal-Product Review
Posted by: | CommentsI love “make your own” type stuff. I was all about the “Choose your own Adventure” books as a kid-anybody else remember those?
Custom Choice Cereal is a company headquarted in North Carolina. Hajo, one of the owner/creators is from Germany, and was inspired to create Custom Choice from a similar business in Germany based on creating your own muesli. From the Custom Choice website:
“The result of this work is Custom Choice Cereal, a company that allows celiacs and other consumers enjoying a gluten-free or wheat-free lifestyle to customize their own cereal mixes from a variety of entirely gluten-free ingredients. The idea was implemented successfully in Germany in 2007 and is very simple: through an intuitive online platform, you can choose a base mix and add any combination of your favorite dried fruits, nuts, and seeds to your cereal. Because we believe that your cereal should be as individual as you are, you can even name your mix. Custom Choice Cereal then mixes your cereal and ships it conveniently to your doorstep.
Contamination with Gluten
To ensure that all cereal mixes are entirely gluten-free and safe to consume, we carefully selected only naturally gluten-free ingredients from a broad range of suppliers. In addition, all incoming ingredients are tested for gluten and stored in our dedicated gluten- and wheat-free facility. It is our goal to completely eliminate the risk of any contamination with even traces of wheat, rye, or barley – for your safety and your well-being.”
Sounds good to me! I tend to be a creature of habit with my morning meal-I love my gluten free oatmeal, which I have with some berries and eggs cooked with spinach. But, this sounded like a great concept. When Hajo contacted me offering a sample to try, I was happy to accept.
I created a simple mix on the site, using the Good Morning flakes, dried blueberries, and sliced almonds. The site itself
is very intuitive and easy to navigate. A feature that I was very happy with is the interactive “Nutritional Facts” label on the right side of the screen. As you add/subtract ingredients, the label changes to reflect the current nutritional
breakdown of the cereal. Good stuff there-anything that allows people to be more in control and aware of what they are putting into their bodies I am all in favor for.
Nutrition Facts label on the back of the bag
Custom Choice is also an advocate for awareness of celiac disease and the gluten free lifestyle. They have an active blog, on which they post current events in the gluten free world as well as informative articles and links. Oh-and the ongoing “Quest for the Hoff” is absolutely hysterical and made me almost fall of my chair and spit my coffee onto my keyboard. I love the humor. Points for that!
So let’s get down to the nitty gritty of the cereal.
As I mentioned, I made a simple mix to test it out. There are many options for add ins, as well as 3 choices of bases for your cereal. As always, I am looking for the most “nutritional bang for the caloric buck.” You can choose to add as much or as little of the “add-ons” as you like.
The Good Morning flakes that I chose as my base are very similar to Mesa Sunrise cereal, if you have tried that. They are corn flakes woth buckwheat, amaranth, flax and quinoa. The blueberries and almonds are self explanatory. The cereal tasted wonderful-the blueberries gave plenty of sweetness without a bunch of unnecessary sugar. The almonds give a nice crunch and a bit of healthy fat to slow digestion a bit. The blueberries also were really plump and moist for being dried-not the hard little berries I’ve had in the past.
The cereal comes in a resealable plastic sack, which is sturdy. It also stands up in the cabinet like a box would.
The nutritional facts for my “Gluten Free Fitness” mix were as follows:
per 30 gram serving (11 servings per bag)
Calories: 123
Protein: 3 grams
Carbohydrate: 23 grams 3 of which are fiber, 5 of which are sugar (from the berries)
Fat: 2.5 grams
I would definitely recommend adding some protein to make this a complete meal-you could mix it with greek yogurt (yum!) or have it along with some eggs/egg whites, or some cottage cheese, or whatever protein source you choose.
All in all, a great product along with a great company. Many thanks to Hajo and the gang for their work. To order your cereal, click here.
For more information on setting up a nutritious gluten free eating plan, click here. And if you missed the Gluten Free and Fit 101 “class”, check it out here. Stay tuned for more information on specialized GFF “classes.”
What’s your favorite cereal? Have you tried Custom Choice? More importantly, have you read the Choose Your Own Adventure books? (I keed, I keed. 
Gluten Free and Fit 101-class is in session!
Posted by: | CommentsOK, not really.
But kind of, in a weird virtual way.
I have compiled some of my posts/articles/rants into a page that provides the “basics” of living gluten free, fit and well. As usual, I have difficulty with numbers and ended up with 12. Not 10, 12. I have a mental issue with making a “normal” length list at times, I think.
You can find the Gluten Free 101 course listing (I like this metaphor, can you tell?) at the top of the blog in that menu bar thingy. You can also find your Gluten Free 101 course listing here.
There are also two giveaways coming soon.
One of them will be coming to members of the Gluten Free Fitness community who have downloaded my free nutrition guideline. It involves a giveaway of a service that you can’t even buy yet. Only those who are on the GFF newsletter list will be eligible to enter for a chance to win the giveaway. If you haven’t already received your copy of the guideline and want to be involved, click here to get started.
The other will be open to everyone reading the blog. Stay tuned for more details!
Gluten Free Snack Product Review-Zing Bars
Posted by: | CommentsShockingly, the time has come.
There is actually a nutrition bar that has a quality ingredient list, positive nutritional profile, and really good taste.
Did I mention how good they taste?
It’s AmaZing! (That’s actually part of the compant tagline, I can’t take credit for being that creative.)
Zing bars were created by a team of nutritionists who were unable to find a bar they liked enough to recommend to their patients. So, they created their own. I am so glad they did that!
From the Zing Bar website “We could create our own all-natural nutrition bar. Our take on the perfect snack. A bar with everything we wanted it to have, and nothing we didn’t. A healthy balance of carbs, protein and beneficial fats, but no artificial sweeteners, colors or preservatives. No trans fats, synthetic vitamins, or allergy-aggravating gluten, wheat or
soy protein.”
The Zing Bars come in 5 flavors: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cranberry Orange, Almond Blueberry, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. All flavors are gluten free, and the peanut butter chocolate chip and cranberry orange flavors are also dairy free.
Protein sources in the bars are rice protein, whey (in the bars which contain dairy) and a bit from nut butters and nuts.
The fats come primarily from the aforementioned nuts and nut butters. Carbohydrate sources (dependent on flavor) are from fruits (blueberry, cranberry, apples,) brown rice crisps, gluten free oats, Fruitrim, and agave or brown rice syrup.
Fruitrim (R) is a liquid, carbohydrate-based ingredient formed from fruit juice and dextrin is helps the bars retain moisture and extends shelf life. The bars also contain inulin/chicory root for a bit of added fiber.
The nutritional profile is similar for all flavors, but does vary a bit, so here’s a basic idea:
1 bar:
210 calories
25 grams of carbohydrate which includes 4 grams of fiber
9 grams of fat
11 grams of protein
The taste.
I was admittedly floored when I tasted these. They are moist, have chunks of whatever is appropriate to the flavor (blueberries, almonds, chocolate, etc.) and are plenty sweet without being overly sweet. The Chocolate peanut butter flavor has a chocolate coating, which was a pleasant surprise. Given that, this is the one flavor that has melting potential, so keep that in mind if you leave one or two in your glove box for “emergencies.” (Yes, I do that. I get really irritated when I get hungry, and having something available is best for everyone in the state.) I didn’t get to try the Cranberry Orange-I handed it to Jeff, because he’s big fan of that flavor combo. He tried it, said “Wow. This is really good.” And ate the whole thing. His feedback was-”really moist, and lots of flavor, lots of cranberries.” This is from a gluten-eater. I am a chocolate hound, as you guys have heard me say before, and the Almond Blueberry I liked just as much as the chocolate flavors. They are that good.
This would make a good between meal snack, something convenient to keep in a purse or backpack in case hunger strikes. (I also give some other ideas in my “Top 10 portable gluten free snacks” post.) It would even make for a good pre or post workout snack, although the fat is a tad high for that purpose. These would be perfect to keep on hand for your kids-a much healthier choice than a couple of cookies. I will be taking them on our road trip to Tennessee, and out with us when we go hiking-the mix of protein, carbs and fat is perfect for giving some sustained release of nutrition.
These are a great option. Thank you to Stacey for sending me each flavor to sample.
The folks at ZingBars have given the Gluten Free Fitness community a discount code, which is for $10 off a box of 12 bars, and there is no limit to how many boxes you can purchase with the $10 off. However, it expires on 2/28/10.
The discount code is “gffitness” You can order online here.
Let me know your thoughts on the bars in the comments below. Have you tried them? Favorite flavor?
Also, if you’d like more free information on setting up a healthy gluten free nutrition plan click here.
Gluten Fitness And Wellness Podcast: Interview With Shelly Stuart
Posted by: | Comments
In this weeks Gluten Free Fitness and Wellness podcast, Erin talks to registered clinical nurse Shelly Stuart about her experiences with celiac disease, how gluten affects celiacs from an easy to understand clinical view point, and how she deals with celiac disease in her family. Shelly shares useful resources and information throughout this podcast so tune in to find out more. This episode is part 1 in a series of three, two more will follow in the coming weeks.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Show notes Gluten Free Fitness and Wellness podcast: Episode 2
Interview with Shelly Stuart, the Gluten Free RN-Part 1
Shelly’s website: http://www.celiacnurse.com/
Shelly on Twitter: GlutenFreeRN
12 part series on Symptoms of Celiac Disease http://celiacnurse.com/category/12-part-series-cd-symptoms/
Intestinal Villi information and how to improve villi health http://celiacnurse.com/10-facts-about-intestinal-villi-health-for-individuals-with-celiac-disease-or-gluten-intolerance/
Celiac Maniac Radio show : http://theceliacmaniac.com/?page_id=942
Additional notes from Shelly:
On the podcast, Erin and I discussed probiotics. Christina Tennyson
(MD), from the Celiac Disease Center in Chicago, mentioned that she is
not sure about recommending probiotics yet. Probiotics might help to
inhibit pathogens and modulate the immune system. However, there are
many unanswered questions. With Celiac disease, what are the best and
safest strains to use? Is there a possibility that a Celiac’s immune
system may respond to probiotics differently? A 2008 study, “Antigenic
Proteins Of Lactobacillus Acidophilus That Are Recognised By Serum IgG
Antibodies In Children With Type 1 Diabetes And Coeliac Disease”,
highlights this possibility. As with any food, gluten contamination
leading to an immune reaction is also a concern? Overall, is there
enough research to know how probiotics will affect those with celiac
disease? I do take probiotics and I have not had a reaction that I’m
aware of. However, as we know with silent Celiac Disease, pathological
changes can be occurring within the body without any obvious symptoms
(2,6,8). If you are interested in consuming probiotics, I recommend
that you talk to your medical doctor to discuss the pros and cons
before making any changes.
Erin and I also discussed whether Celiac Disease is more prevalent in
men or women. I would like to clarify that Celiac Disease tends to be
diagnosed more in women. However, population sampling has demonstrated
that the prevalence of Celiac Disease is fairly equal between men and
women. It seems reasonable to suspect that perhaps women seek medical
attention for their symptoms earlier than men, or women may have more
encounters with physicians due to regular physicals (8).
I would also like to mention that it is possible to have a gluten
sensitivity even if you test negative for CD. It is also possible that
some of your symptoms could be due to a food allergy/sensitivity or
other disease process. Allergy testing by an allergist and/or a
naturopathic physician may help to investigate this possibility. Other
tests can help rule out other diseases.
I encourage everyone to have their symptoms thoroughly investigated by
their MD and specialists before implementing a therapeutic diet or
making any changes. As well, I recommend waiting until CD/gluten
sensitivity testing is complete before initiating a gluten-free diet
because it may create a false negative. Consult your MD, Registered
Dietician, or other medical specialists involved in your care to
determine if nutrient supplements should be taken and to identify
appropriate dosages for you. Toxicities can occur with over
supplementation and this can lead to permanent damage. A Registered
Dietician can also provide guidance to ensure all nutritional needs
are met.
Gluten Free “Healthy” Treats-Kind of Recipes:Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve mentioned before my love for chocolate. I really, really like chocolate. To the point where I don’t think I’ve ever even had a flavor of ice cream that wasn’t some kind of a riff on chocolate. Really.
When I plan on having a splurge, it always involves chocolate. I follow the 90/10 rule for the most part-if I eat well 90% of the time, the other 10% I can have whatever I want and it won’t have negative repercussions on my health or physique.
Many people will do just fine taking this to 80/20.
On that splurge, I don’t worry about calories. Many times a small amount of “real” ice cream is much more satisfying than a larger amount of “fake” ice cream. And to me, a bit of really dark chocolate is a square of heaven.
But sometimes you want something sweet, but maybe you don’t want to have a full-on splurge. You may want to keep it somewhat “healthy” and yet still quench the sweet tooth.
For that, I have some answers.
For the Superbowl this past weekend I made two items that fit that bill to perfection.
Mmm...chocolate....
I was inspired by Shirley at Gluten Free Easily and her recipe for Flourless Oatmeal Cookies. I actually stayed very close to the original recipe. The only substitutions I made was that I subbed out a bit of nonfat Greek yogurt for half of the butter, and used egg beaters. This recipe does not use much sugar, but you could also use stevia-I did not this go round.
If you do, let me know how it goes!
Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Thanks Shirley!)
-3 TBSP unsalted butter
-scant 1/4 c of nonfat plain Greek yogurt
-1.5 cup gluten free oats
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
-1/8 tsp sea salt
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4 c egg beaters
-2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
-Preheat oven to 350 F
-Melt the butter. Let it sit while you combine and whisk together the oats, sugars, and salt.
-Cream the butter and yogurt with an electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla and egg beaters.
-Add the wet to dry and combine with a wooden spoon. Add in the chocolate chips and combine.
-Chill in the fridge (Supposed to be 30 minutes, I was impatient and gave it about 15)
-On a baking sheet lined with parchment, place small rolled balls of dough and flatten slightly.
Fun tip-a baker friend of mine told me a long time ago she uses a tablespoon measure that looks like an ice cream scoop to measure out her drop cookies so they are uniform. It works great!
-Bake for 12-17 minutes. Mine took 17, which was odd, but I’m OK with it.
These were awesome. I admit I did taste the batter, but for the most part they made it into the oven and to the party.
They were a huge hit-they were crunchy and wonderful. I was the only gluten free person in attendance, and everyone loved them. Given that they are treats, they are relatively healthful as well.
The second treat I made was Black Bean brownies. Various versions of this recipe have been floating around for a while now, but I saw this one at Lean Bodies Fitness, which is a community I am a part of. If you’ve never tried these, I highly recommend. I didn’t tell anyone the “secret ingredient” until after they tried, and raved about, the brownies. They couldn’t believe it. These make a very dense, fudgy brownie. Not a cake-like brownie. The next time I make these, I am going to substitute nonfat Greek yogurt for the bananas. Banana flavor is good, but I’d like to see what they are like without it. Made with this current recipe they are actually vegan.
Mmmm...more chocolate...
Black Bean Brownies
-Preheat oven to 350 F
-Rinse VERY well one 15 oz can of black beans.
Combine in food processor-
-Rinsed black beans
-2 bananas
-1/3 cup agave nectar (or any sweetener of your choice)
-1/4 cup cocoa powder
-1 tsp vanilla
Process very well until smooth. I added 1/4 tsp of spoonable stevia also.
-Add 1/4 cup gluten free oats and process again
Put mixture into a nonstick-sprayed 8×8 pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
These are great ways to feed the sweet tooth without expanding your waistline. However, they do have calories, and just like anything, moderation is key. If you eat the whole batch in one sitting it defeats the purpose a bit.
For more sensible information on setting up a healthy gluten free way of eating, click here.
Let me know what you think in the comments!
The Superbowl-how to “tackle” it with a Gluten Free Fit perspective
Posted by: | CommentsOne day is not going to make you fat.
Not Christmas, not Thanksgiving, New Year, not even Superbowl.
What matters is the other 359 days a year that aren’t holidays, as I touched on in my “Tips for a Healthy Gluten Free Holiday Season” post.
However, these days can be a bit of a calorie bomb. If you are eating well 80-90% of the time, these days are simply a blip on the radar screen of wellness. But-maybe you’re trying to get in the swing of eating more healthfully, or simply want to be aware of what your options can be.
This, dear reader-is for you.
We generally have people over for get-togethers fairly regularly. Our house has an open floor plan, and is set up wonderfully for parties. This time, the “let’s have a few people over for the Superbowl” had turned into a 30 person party.
And so it goes.
I enjoy cooking, and I especially like being in control of the food so I know exactly what is in everything. From a gluten standpoint of course, but also so that I can make choices that reflect quality and health of ingredients whenever possible.
Here’s a sampling of our Superbowl menu:
-Cheese and crackers
I have chosen Mary’s Gone Crackers, and Nut Thins. These will be on a seperate table from the regular Wheat Thins. For my cheese, I have chosen Cabot’s 50% reduced fat cheddar (the only reduced fat cheese that I have found that tastes good and has a good texture,) regular fat extra sharp cheddar, and goat cheese. Goat cheese will be 1 log of regular, and the 2nd I will make a “spread” by adding fresh snipped herbs. Goat and feta cheeses are naturally a bit lower in fat than cheddar, and have strong flavors so you can use less. I will also have sliced cucumbers a’plenty. This is so after I have a couple crackers, I can use the sliced cucumbers instead of crackers to save some calories if I wish. (I also use the cucumber trick for salsa instead of tortilla chips.)
-Salsa and chips
I make my own salsa, for which I’ll provide as close as I can get to a recipe below. (I don’t actually measure, so it’s all
ballpark.) For chips I use Baked Scoops! and baked blue corn tortilla chips. I love, love, salsa-so after a few chips I’ll
switch to cucumber slices.
-Shrimp cocktail
Shrimp is a naturally lean protein, and quite yummy. Instead of commercially prepared cocktail sauce, I use Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup and horseradish to make my own cocktail sauce. I have no recipe-just combine the two, and a bit of lemon juice until you find a flavor and consistency you like. This will save some of the sugar that is common in cocktail sauce.
-Fruit plate
This will be near the cheese. Grapes, apple slices, and strawberries. YUM! Florida strawberries are just coming into
season…
-Tuna Dip
This is for my fiance. There is absolutely not much that is redeeming about this dip, and I just don’t eat it. I would if
I used low fat mayo-but to stay true to the original recipe from a local restaurant it’s full fat mayo all the way. A lot
of full fat mayo. There are so many other great choices, I won’t even miss not eating this stuff.
-Veggie crudite and dip
Love me my veggies, and it gives something very healthful to munch on. This will be red bell pepper, grape tomato,
broccoli, cauliflower, and baby carrots. I will make a quick and easy dip with nonfat Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, and some fresh herbs. You can also add a gluten free powdered Italian or ranch salad dressing packet to the greek yogurt to be even faster.
-For the “real food” we are grilling chicken breast and burgers, for which we’ll use 93% lean ground beef. Nothing wrong with that. The gluten-eaters can have their buns, which I will be keeping an eye on to make sure they don’t contaminate anything, and they never go on the grill. Friends are bringing some sides.
For dessert I will be making Shirley’s Flourless Oatmeal Cookies from Gluten Free Easily. I had considered using peanut butter chips, but will use mini chocolate chips. I will also be making the stealth “black bean brownies” which deserve their own post next week. Maybe some chocolate fondue if there are any strawberries left at this point.
Not Really a Recipe: Salsa Fresca
-Whole bunch of Roma tomatoes, or whatever tomato looks good. You’ll cut these in 1/4’s, and seed them. (Squeeze them over the garbage so the seeds come out-keeps your salsa from getting too watery.)
-Bunch of fresh cilantro, stems removed
-3-4 fresh garlic cloves
-1/2 onion
-6 limes
-sea salt
-1 small jalapeno pepper (optional)
-Tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper all go into the food processor. I remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno. You choose how spicy you want to go. Pulse until combined. Add cilantro, and fresh squeeze the lime juice into the processor. Pulse. Add a few shakes of sea salt, taste, and pulse. Repeat until desired consistency! Enjoy!
Make smart choices, and truly enjoy your food. Eat what you want to eat-don’t just eat something because it’s there. What sometimes gets lost is the idea that get togethers and gatherings are about the company we keep, and being present with your friends and family. Oh-and yeah-there’s a game on, right?
For more sensible information about setting up a gluten free diet, click here.
To check out the Gluten Free Blog carnival in which I participated, click here. Great stuff to see.
What are you going to have/did you have for Superbowl? Come back after the game and give your favorite commercials!
