Living with celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder that keeps the body from processing gluten) doesn’t have to be unbearable: Gluten-Free Girl Shauna Ahern’s newest cookbook, Gluten-Free Girl Every Day, features easy recipes for home cooks who want to make easy, gluten-free meals every day of the week. Plus, you’ll learn how to stock a gluten-free pantry and even bake sweet treats.
You can buy your own copy of Gluten-Free Girl Every Day or enter in the comments for a chance to win one. Just let us know, in the comments, what dish you’d love to try gluten-free. The contest starts at 10:00 a.m. EST today, and ends on Friday, May 17 at 5 p.m. EST.
We’re giving away one copy of Gluten-Free Girl Every Day to five randomly-selected commenters. You must include your email address in the “Email” field when submitting your comment so we can communicate with you if you’re a winner.
You may only comment once to be considered and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited. Only open to legal residents of 50 U.S. states, D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 to win. For the first day of the giveaway, all entries (answers) must be entered between 10:00 a.m. EST on May 15 and 5 p.m. EST on May 17, 2013. Subject to full official rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of each prize: $30. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a Food Network, 9721 Sherrill Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37932.
So tell us, what dish would you love to try gluten-free?
It’s the newest supplement making headlines. Does moringa live up to the hype? More importantly, is it safe?
What Is Moringa?
Also known as the “Drumstick Tree” moringa oleifera is grown in the Himalayas, as well as throughout India and Malaysia. The bark, leaves, fruit, seeds and root are edible and are used to make teas, oils, extracts and other supplements.
Peddlers of morgina products claim it can boost energy, suppress appetite, lower blood pressure and improve mood.
Morgina products range from teas and oils, to capsules and liquid extracts. And these supplements aren’t cheap! A bottle of 120 capsules costs about $30 to $40.
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A common tip for eating healthier is to take cooking into your own hands. In theory it sounds good: when you control the ingredients, you control the nutrients and calories. Less butter and salt, more veggies and spices, etc. But when push comes to shove, we often end up staring at a recipe – and a big pile of spoiling ingredients in the fridge – while calling for take-out. If we only had the time, knowledge, energy and/or desire to cook! Here are three tips to make the process easier:
1. Pre-prep.
Cutting, dicing, slicing and chopping can take a lot of time. Save time on a busy weeknight by having all of the chopping done ahead of time: set aside a half-hour or so on a Sunday evening to slice and dice the vegetables you’ll need for the week. Then when you’re ready to snack or make a meal, half of the work will be done for you. Pre-cut, packaged vegetables cost a little more at the store, but you may find it worth the cost if it gets you cooking at home more. Buy a big bag of prewashed and cut lettuce so salad- making is a snap. Frozen veggies can be steamed or microwaved in minutes. Frozen fruit can be blended with yogurt or milk (and spinach!) for a quick five-minute morning smoothie, mixed into a bowl of whole grain cereal or scooped on top of some yogurt. You can pick up already marinated poultry, fish or meat from the supermarket and throw it on the grill or in the oven.
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Most people love coconut-crusted chicken, fish and shellfish. Problem is, most coconut-crusted dishes contain lots of fat from heavy egg-based batters and pan-frying or deep-frying in lots of oil. That’s a shame because coconut “meat” is high in fiber and has a low glycemic index, meaning it doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar. It’s also rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s), which, unlike long-chain fatty acids (LCFA’s), have no negative effect on cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease. The good news is, you can create a crunchy coconut exterior without tons of fat and calories. In this recipe, I coated chicken with three simple layers: flour, egg whites and coconut. The crust is light and delicious and also works well with fish and shrimp. The tangy and slightly spicy pineapple salsa takes the dish over the top. Let me know what you think! Read more »
Ever wonder how moms like The First Lady, celebrity chefs and renowned nutrition experts speak to their children about healthy eating? Find out how four amazing women talk to their kids about food, weight and body image.
Q. How you talk to your daughters about a healthy weight and how do you recommend parents talk their kids about healthy weight?
Michelle Obama: I don’t talk about weight at all. I talk about healthy choices. When I talk about exercise I don’t talk about exercise in terms of you have to look good. Exercise is about competition; it’s about learning a new sport; it’s about being introduced to something interesting; it’s about learning about how to compete and why competition is important. We talk in those terms.
When we talk at the dinner table we talk about eating a balanced meal, not because of how you look but because of what your body needs.
Now that [the girls] are getting older they’re starting to conversations [about weight] in their community, so it’s not coming from us, it’s coming from the outside. But I always shift them back to health and tell them the best way to never have to worry about what you look like is just to get good food in your body.
It’s all about balance. It’s not about never having birthday cake, or going out to lunch and not having a burger. I don’t even want them to think about that. I don’t want them to obsess about food. I just want them to live their lives.
So if they’re doing a sport, if they stay active, if they’re eating vegetables most meals and not overeating, if we treat foods as treats — so the weekend I’ll tell them you can have one breakfast that’s a splurge breakfast, just once a week — because you just don’t need to have pancakes and sweet rolls — at the White House, you walk in and it’s like pancakes and a sweet roll and a biscuit — (laughter.) it’s like, who’s idea was this?
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As summer approaches, try this cooling fresca as a replacement to sugary lemonade. The fresh watermelon and lime juice give this mock-tail a unique flavor and you can top it off with springs of cilantro for a touch of fresh garden flavor. It makes the perfect family-friendly beverage for a Mother’s Day brunch.
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Spring to me means fresh green soups and that’s just what I created for this year’s Mother’s day menu at our home. This soup combines sweet veggie flavor from the peas with creaminess from almonds. I added a few sprigs of fresh mint and my favorite Vidalia onions to dazzle taste buds and add a sweet touch without any added sugar. Pair this soup with a salad and lean protein such as grilled fish and a spinach salad for a Mother’s Day dinner that Mom will love.
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You might know Gail Watson for her beautiful confectionary creations, but the former wedding cake designer is now using her food expertise to promote healthy eating. Her blog A Stack of Dishes features wholesome meals that are attainable to the everyday home cook. With a Master’s degree in Nutrition/Exercise Physiology from Columbia University, she is currently developing the site A Healthy Hunger, a menu plan subscription service for people with diabetes or elevated blood sugar.
When did your love for cooking and baking begin?
My mother jokes that she used to put cooking magazines in my playpen when I was a baby, and I would tear them apart all day long. Perhaps that was the spark of a humble beginning? Or maybe the fact that she had Julia Child on the TV every afternoon (more likely).
I come from a long line of food-centric folks. Some families get together and discuss sports teams, or politics — we talked about restaurants and recipes. I always liked to bake and cook from when I was a young girl. I made my first apple pie when I was 8 after nabbing some apples from my neighbor’s tree. I think it comes from an internal desire to make and create things in general- and then to be able to share it with others — well that’s just magical.
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Corn and flour tortillas have made a big splash on supermarket shelves recently. From whole grain to flavored to low-carb, you can find a tortilla variety to please everyone in the family. Check out some great uses for tortillas beyond the traditional wrap or fajita.
• Create quick, thin pizzas: top flour tortillas with pizza sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and fresh veggies; bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
• Start your day with egg tacos: fill flour tortillas with scrambled eggs, pepper jack or cheddar cheese and your favorite salsa. Read more »
My kids always want to prepare a very special breakfast for me on Mother’s Day. But guess who ends up doing most of the cooking AND cleaning? (hint: me!) Instead of getting upset at the thought of extra chores, I take this opportunity to bond with my kiddos while we whip up delicious memories together in the kitchen.
The Menu
A few days before Mother’s Day, my kids and I plan out the menu and hit the market so we’re fully stocked and ready to cook. Here are some mouthwatering Mother’s Day breakfast picks, complete with tasks your kids can do.
Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Pancakes (pictured above)
Kid-Friendly Tasks:
- Gathering ingredients
- Measuring ingredients
- Washing the blueberries
- Cracking the egg
- Stirring ingredients
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