Chicken Salad Recipe

CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Combine mayonnaise, ginger and salt.
2. Stir in chicken, grapes, celery, onions and walnuts.
3. Cover and chill.

Makes 7 cups.

CeliaAction Study

For more information and to see if you qualify visit: http://www.celiactionstudy.com/

Just Eliminating Gluten From Your Diet.....What Now?

Continuing on in our series of questions answered by renowned gluten doctor, Dr. Vikki Petersen, is the answer to the question “What now?” – just eliminating gluten from the diet and home is not enough as you are about to discover in Dr. Vikki’s answer.

Once one has determined they have a gluten sensitivity what’s the best course of action to start healing the body?

The first course of action is to immediately eliminate all gluten from your diet. It’s best to clean out your refrigerator and pantry and give the food away to a non-gluten challenged friend. Dairy products are also discouraged (organic butter is fine- it is a fat and doesn’t contain much of any milk solids, a protein) as they tend to be very inflammatory to the digestive tract, something you don’t need when you’re trying to heal it.

Once you are convinced that no gluten remains in your home, it would be a good idea to give a good cleaning to any kitchen items that may contain remnants of gluten. The toaster is traditionally the biggest culprit but look around for anything else.

Next acquaint yourself with a local grocery store and on-line stores that carry gluten-free food items. While I don’t encourage a tremendous amount of refined, simple carbohydrates, everyone likes a little treat now and again, so you need to have some things on hand that will allow you to have a pleasure moment. Whether it’s a rice pasta or Carol’s wonderful baking flour, make sure that you have these things on hand so you won’t be tempted to cheat.


My website, http://www.healthnowmedical.com/ has a nice page discussing exactly what you can and can’t eat as well as where gluten may sneak into certain foods. So feel free to visit and get more educated. Once you know the ingredients to look out for and some synonyms for gluten, then start reading labels in earnest before you buy anything. The labeling laws have improved markedly over recent years, so it’s much easier to make selections.


Now that you diet has no gluten in it (and hopefully no dairy either) I encourage you to consume foods that will help you to heal and detoxify. It’s interesting to note that the most bioactive foods are all found in the plant category. Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, spinach and bok choy are all very therapeutic. Further, broccoli rabe, cabbage, cauliflower, etc should be consumed in abundance. Try to eat organically as much as possible and eat at home more where you know what quality you’re getting. 


You also need to take some proactive steps to heal your small intestine. Whether you’re suffering from complete villous atrophy from celiac disease or inflammation and loss of normal function due to gluten intolerance, restoring the integrity and health to your small intestine is critical to the attainment of good health.


Try to find a clinician that specializes in this area to assist you. If there isn’t one local to you then please let me know and I can try to assist you. It is an unfortunate fact that there aren’t sufficient numbers of clinicians specializing in this area.


Meanwhile make sure that your Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Iron and Calcium levels are tested. These are standard tests that an M.D. can order for you. If any are found to be deficient you should start augmenting with a good supplement. Both B12 and D can be given in a liquid form to enhance absorption as they are fat soluble vitamins.


Attaining healing is often accompanied by the removal of more than just gluten. Often organisms such as bacteria, parasites, amoeba and the like have taken up residence in your intestine due to a gluten-induced weakened immune system. These organisms rarely leave on their own and need to be “driven out”. But first they need to be diagnosed and that requires a comprehensive stool analysis. I know this isn’t something you can do on your own but I am happy to assist you to find someone. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this point as we have seen that most patients do not regain their health simply by eliminating gluten. Healing won’t take place in an inflamed, infected intestine. But don’t despair, the test is easy and treatment is not difficult either.


After removing gluten and any inhospitable organisms and supplementing with needed nutrients, one also needs to re-inoculate the gut with the healthy probiotics. These are absolutely critical in helping to discourage any new inhospitable “guests” not to mention they are anti-inflammatory and a boon to the immune system. Try to get human strains of these organisms in capsules that contain about 20 billion organisms.


This may sound like a lot to do but just take it step by step and please do let me know if I can assist in any way. It would be my pleasure to do so.


To your good health,


Dr Vikki Petersen
Founder of HealthNOW Medical Center
Co-author of “The Gluten Effect”

- See more at: http://simplygluten-free.com/new-to-gluten-free/2010/03/18/answers-from-a-gluten-doctor-part-3-now-what/#sthash.hapW7mbP.dpuf

Gluten Free Corn Free Tamale Pie Recipe

Gluten Free Corn Free Tamale Pie Recipe

Gluten Free Corn Free Tamale Pie Recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, use divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ pounds ground sirloin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can mild green chilies, diced
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1 (7.5 ounce) box Chebe All-Purpose Bread Mix
2 large eggs
¼ cup water
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese, use divided
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sugar

Optional garnishes:
Sour cream
Avocado slices
Salsa
Cilantro

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned. Drain any fat from the pan. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the canned tomatoes (with the juices), chilies, and olives. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Put mixture into a 9 by 12 inch baking dish (or if using a cast iron skillet, leave in the pan).

In a mixing bowl, combine the bread mix with 2 tablespoons oil, the eggs, water, 1 cup cheese, green onions, and sugar. Mix to combine – mixture may be clumpy, that’s ok.

Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth. Pat into a size that will fit the dish using to bake and place on top of the meat mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the dough crust is browned.

Servings:

A gluten free recipe that serves 6 – 8.

Is Wheat Grass Gluten Free

Is Wheat Grass Gluten Free?

Cynthia Kupper of the Gluten Intolerance Group answered the question at the conference.  She said that gluten is actually contained in the seeds, not the grass itself.  So fresh cut wheat grass, that is free of the seeds, is naturally gluten free.

As we know, gluten is a protein found in wheat (as well as barley, rye & cross contaminated oats);  It is not the actual wheat itself.  So as long as the plant has not started to grow the seeds, then technically, it is gluten free.

While wheat grass in it’s purest form is considered gluten free, because it is typically cut before the seeds have grown, we can’t forget about the importance of how it is harvested & produced.   For example, if a farmer allows some of the seeds to sprout prior to harvesting, then that entire crop is at risk of containing gluten and will very likely cause a reaction in our bodies.

Or it could easily be cross contaminated if processed alongside, or on, shared equipment.

Because of these potential sources of gluten, Cynthia cautioned that products, such as powdered wheat grass, are at a high risk of possibly containing gluten and should be avoided, unless clearly labeled “gluten free”.

But really, unless you are growing & harvesting your own wheat grass, why risk it?  

Although wheat grass is touted as this “super food”, there is really nothing that special in it that we can’t get elsewhere.

I think I will ditch it all together & continue to absorb my vitamins & minerals from other vegetable sources.

8 Tips for Dining Out Gluten Free

I can vividly recall my first time dining out gluten free after receiving my Celiac diagnosis.  The experience was nothing short of overwhelming.  I was still adjusting to my new GF lifestyle and I wasn’t entirely confident yet on exactly what gluten was, what it hid in, let alone how to order a gluten free meal or explain it to a server.

Over the past 3 1/2 years, I have learned how to navigate restaurants, read menus & overcome the challenge of communicating with servers.

Tips I’ve Learned & Practice when dining out gluten free:

1. Understand Gluten: Before dining out, it is essential that you understand gluten.  You need to be able to ask the right questions & understand potential cross-contamination sources when navigating menus & speaking with servers.  It took me years to truly feel confident in dining out gluten free.  And as you know, I didn’t even start this blog until well over 3 years after being diagnosed with Celiac.
2. Go to restaurants with Gluten Free Menus: I will try a restaurant if there is a gluten free menu, &/or GF procedures, OR if I’ve heard other Celiacs recommend it.  I will not just blindly walk into any restaurant and cross my fingers that I do not get sick.  I look for places that have managers and/or Chefs that have spent time understanding and identifying gluten; this provides me with a bit more confidence when selecting a restaurant.
3. Dine With People You Trust: I have certain friends and family members that have graciously joined me on this gluten free journey by educating themselves on what I can, and can not, eat.  I feel comfortable dining with them because they do not judge me for speaking up at a restaurant, and many times they are more considerate of my health than I am.  Then there are other loved ones that still have not taken the time to understand my disease.   With those folks, I just prefer to grab coffee.  I have found it to be more comforting to eat out with those that understand the severity of my “allergy” & take my health into consideration when choosing a restaurant.
4. Avoid Peak Dining Hours:  During peak hours, there is a higher chance of cross contamination as the kitchen is slammed and Chefs are more likely to overlook special allergy instructions.  For lunch, I will either get to a restaurant as soon as it opens, 11 AM, or wait until after the lunch rush hour, say 2 or 3 PM.  Same thing goes for dinner, I will either join the senior citizens at 4 or 5 PM, or wait until 8:30 or 9 PM to dine.
5. Speak with Servers Politely:  In the beginning, I was so self righteous and would take offense if a server did not know what gluten was.  I have come to realize that I can not expect all servers to understand gluten; heck I had never heard of it before I was diagnosed!   With time, I have learned how to quickly identify if a server is knowledgable on gluten, based upon their responses to my questions.  If I feel they are not, I politely ask to speak with a manger or Chef; I do not shame them.
6. Understand Sources of Potential Cross Contamination: There are certain questions that always come to my mind before ordering, even if a GF menu is available.  They include:
   • Is there a separate fryer for gluten containing items (ie: chicken fingers) versus non gluten containing items (ie: your french fries)?
   • Are the GF salads mixed in a fresh bowl?
   • Is the meat dusted with flour before being sautéed?
   • Is the grill cleaned before a gluten free entrée is cooked?
   • Do the Chefs change their gloves before preparing gluten free meals?
   • Are there any gluten containing garnishes (ie: fried onions)?
   • Does my meal come with bread?
7. Confirm GF Dish with Food Runner: I can not tell you how many times this step has saved me!  From the time I am seated, until the moment my meal has arrived, I probably use the term “Gluten Free” well over 5 times.  However, the most important time is when I receive final confirmation.  Typically, it is not my server that is presenting the meal, it is a food runner.  If there is a communication breakdown, then the food runner may not know about my gluten “allergy”; and herein lies a huge problem.  They could, unknowingly, serve me someone else’s similar meal, or a gluten filled version of the meal I ordered; and this has happened to me in the past on several occasions.  As soon as the food runner places the dish in front of me, I say for a final time, “This is my gluten free meal, correct?”.  If they hesitate, or are not sure, I kindly ask them to verify with the kitchen before taking my first bite.
8. Trust your gut!:  Ultimately, if you do not feel comfortable, do not be afraid to get up and leave.  I have left restaurants on several occasions after being seated and realizing that the server/manager is not knowledgable on gluten.  If I’ve already ordered a drink, I leave enough cash to cover it and walk out.  It’s not worth compromising your health for fear of insulting a restauranteur.

Nature's Path Foods

Thanks for leaving the earth better than you found it By enjoying our delicious, organic cereal, did you know you're also supporting positive, sustainable practices? Take a look below to learn some of the ways your breakfast helps protect the planet. Tell us what you learned by posting a comment on our Facebook, and you could win a prize pack featuring your very own “Always Leave The Earth Better Than You Found It” T-shirt. Zero Waste by 2015   At Nature’s Path, we love to make deliciously organic breakfast food, not waste. That’s why we’re always looking to reduce, reuse, and recycle – in fact, our goal is to be zero waste by 2015.     Gorilla Growth  DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND: One of our longest standing EnviroKidz partners, they've been on the ground in Africa monitoring and protecting endangered gorillas for 46 years!> READ MORE Climate Neutral by 2020 REDUCING OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT: Cereal fuels your day, but what fuels the facilities and equipment that makes your tasty breakfast? We're on the path to making our systems even leaner and greener by 2020. > READ MORE New EnviroKidz Jungle Munch Cereal  OUR GLUTEN FREE KIDS CEREAL NOW IN CINNAMON. YUM! And as a 1% for the Planet member, every time you buy Jungle Munch, you're supporting great organizations like our newest partner, Fauna & Flora International. > READ MORE

© 2014 Nature's Path Foods, Inc. A