Diet

Cha cha cha chorizo!

Sorry, that sounded like a good idea at the time. Like a chorizo party.

I can’t say that I’ve had Mexican Chorizo often, I just know that when I do have it, it’s quite a tasty treat.

Also, it’s a fun word to say (noted, above). It just sounds so zesty and authentic.

Truth be told, normally I cheat and go for the Soy Chorizo at TJ’s. It tastes the same as chorizo, but without all the pork fat.
Since soy isn’t the greatest for our bodies, and you can’t make it mass quantities for a low cost, this recipe is my new option.

I’ve mostly had chorizo with Read More »

Squash and Turkey Bacon Hash on Arugula and Mixed Greens

Squash and turkey bacon hash takes a savory-sweet spin on many of the usual Thanksgiving ingredients – a spin that is tasty and very nutritious! The secret to the development of the flavors is being patient and allowing the ingredie Read More »

To take a load off of your plate for the upcoming Thanksgiving preparation, here is a game plan for a quick and easy side-dish that will absolutely delight the palates of your family and friends.

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetables

Read More »

Lately, it seems like more and more celebrities and professional athletes are openly talking about going gluten free. Whether it’s due to a diagnosis of celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, or simply because they want to get healthy, many of them have noted a weight loss as part of the benefits they’ve been seeing. Then why is it, that so many doctors and specialists will dismiss a diagnosis of celiac disease in a patient simply because the patient is not underweight?

In a recent article by Sonia Kupfer, MD, the belief that people with un-diagnosed celiac disease are all underweight is revealed to  Read More »

For me, being happily gluten-free means eating many different kinds of foods—from meats to nuts—rather than just trying to replace bread products. This approach has sent me into the world of legumes, and I eat lots of beans. As a result, I’ve become more interested in the nutritional value of beans. More specifically, I began to wonder why beans are considered an “incomplete” protein.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really understood the term: incomplete protein. I know we have to “complete” the protein with other food, but what does that mean, and how are we supposed to do it?

Clearly, it was time to do some research, and here is what I learned. Read More »

Alexandra Grablewski Getty Images

Tacos! Drive thru beef and chicken, crunchy or soft may be our most familiar tacos – staples of a fast food diet. But if you’ve never had a fish taco, I content that you’ve never enjoyed the best taco of all.

From South America, across Arizona and up to Alaska, fish tacos are routinely on restaurant menus, even at airports and most home cooks have their very own favorite versions.

Fish tacos, in all their regional variations are a  culinary sensation.One you shouldn’t miss out on just because you don’t frequent these locales. They are incredibly easy to make at home.

Gluten-free tortillas are easy to find in local groceries.

This makes constructing a perfectly delicious gluten-free fish taco pretty darned easy in under 30 minutes.

The best fish tacos I have eaten are made with Alaskan halibut or mahi-mahi. Spicy coleslaw and fusion mayonnaise (spicy, often citrus flavored mayo)  are the icing on the cake, when it comes to dressing up a fish taco.

Here’s a recipe for my version of gluten-free fish tacos, just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Add a side of homemade guacamole and pico de gallo and be prepared to enjoy. Viva tacos de Read More »

Photo: Whole Foods, http://wholefoods.com

It can be challenging enough on gluten-free diet, but what if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet?

It’s well established that there are health benefits to reducing the amount of meat in the diets of most Americans, and the lifestyle has appeal for some people based on ethical and/or environmental reasons.  Fortunately, with extra planning, a well-rounded and delicious gluten-free vegetarian diet is possible.

The good news is that many vegetarian staples, like beans, lentils, tofu, dairy, nuts, seeds and eggs are already naturally gluten-free.  And some of the best sources of vegetarian and vegan protein are gluten-free pseudo-grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth. Also, grains, such as millet, teff and sorghum are very nutritious.  In addition to protein and fiber, they all have other vital nutrients, like Read More »

The following questions and answers were developed by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School:

Q. What is it like for a person you see who is newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease?
A. The gluten-free diet requires more preparation, taking food with you when you travel, making sure that you are safe in dining-out situations or when you are visiting with family or friends. So for some, it is very simple and straight forward and they are already experimenting with new grains like amaranth, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, and teff. But some people are Read More »

Here is a list of the top ten gluten-free items that every gluten intolerant person needs in their pantry.

1. A good general gluten-free flour blend. Highly recommended: Better Batter Flour, Meister’s Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Blend.

2. Xanthan gum or guar gum for your baked recipes.

3. Quality flavored olive oils and vinegars. Make sure these are gluten-free and you can whip up a marinade or salad dressing in no time.

4. Quinoa. Buy pre-rinsed quinoa from a company such as Ancient Harvest and save yourself a few minutes in the kitchen.

5. Great gluten-free bread such as Udi’s or Katz’s. Keep it in the freezer for those times when you need to make a sandwich on something that tastes like the “real” thing. Read More »

The Go Gluten-Free study assessed the affects of a gluten-free diet on digestive health and fatigue in healthy people, without celiac disease. This was the largest study of its kind in the United Kingdom. Participants ate a gluten-free diet for three weeks and then went back to their regular diet.

The independent research was performed by Rowett Institution of Nutrition and Health at Aberdeen University. The results refute the claims made by many that the gluten-free diet is deficient in nutrients or in some way “bad” for people without celiac disease. In fact, these participants ate better, felt better and experienced decreased cholesterol levels, decreased salt, increased energy levels, clearer thinking and increased fiber contents of their meals.