Give Me Granola

I love granola, but I hate that the store bought versions always seem to have tons of sugar and fat in them, transforming this wholesome snack into something not so healthy. Instead of adding more fat, I added egg whites to bind everything together, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it gave the granola an extra crunch once baked. Next batch, I plan on adding dried cherries, walnuts, and raw cocoa nibs.

Ingredients:

5 cups of rolled oats

3 egg whites

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of salt

5 packets of stevia (or more depending on how sweet you like it)

1/2 cup of toasted coconut

1/2 cup sliced almonds

*Feel free to add in whatever extras you like to create a granola that fits your specific preference, like any dried fruit, nuts, or seeds.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl (minus the stevia). Combine the egg whites, vanilla, melted coconut oil, and the stevia in a separate bowl. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, making sure all the dry ingredients are pretty well coated. Spread evenly over 1 (or 2) baking sheets, and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring the granola mixture once half way through. Try to allow it to cool for 10 minutes before diving in, enjoy!

 

Gluten-Free: Diet Trend or Healthier Alternative?

A few years ago if you mentioned a gluten-free diet to anyone, you probably would have seen a lot of shrugs and raised eyebrows in return. Well those times are long gone. Thanks to the celebrities who glamorize this style of eating, ‘gluten-free’ has turned into a full on movement that seems to have everyone looking twice at the source of their carbs. Gwyneth Paltrow praised it on her blog, Elizabeth Hasselback wrote a book exclaiming she ‘couldn’t live without this diet’, while Victoria Beckham, Rachel Weisz, and Zooey Deschanel are all vocal about strictly cutting gluten out of their lives. It is not hard to see how people might want to emulate this hot new trend among Hollywood A-listers, and these days it is hard to find a restaurant or coffee shop in southern California who’s menus do not include some ‘gluten-free’ options. But is this diet that is taking the country by storm actually the healthier choice, or are we being blindly influenced by the media?

As with any diet, there are pro’s to this one, especially for people with Celiac disease. As many as 1 in 100 people have Celiac disease, although 95-97% of them are undiagnosed. In addition, it is estimated that 20 million Americans are gluten sensitive, a milder form of the gluten-intolerance known to those with Celiac. One good thing about the gluten free craze is that it has brought a lot of light to the harmful effects that gluten can have (if you are in fact gluten sensitive or intolerant) causing many people to get tested and finally, diagnosed.

Celiac disease is an auto-immune digestive disorder that causes damage to the small intestine and is triggered by the consumption of gluten. This damage (caused by the protein found in gluten) prevents the body from properly absorbing nutrients and fat, and often leads to weight loss. The lack of vitamins, resulting from this malabsorbtion, can potentially cause damage to the brain, nervous system, and various organs. The only treatment for Celiac is a lifelong diet that excludes gluten. This disease is hard to diagnose because its symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, unexplained weight fluctuations, fatigue, and headaches, can be caused by a number of other ailments. Manifestations are generally seen within 20 minutes of consuming gluten and because they are often dismissed or attributed to other conditions, it unfortunately takes an average of 11 years for a person to be properly diagnosed.

Often people will praise the ‘G-Free diet’ as the cause of their weight loss. However, this may not be because of the lack of gluten, but rather because of a new awareness of caloric intake. People tend to be more conscious of what they are putting into their bodies if they make a committed decision to stick to a regimented eating plan. The gluten-free diet will also cause people to pay special attention to all of the carbohydrates they are consuming, likely resulting in eating less carbs all together.

Because adopting this diet is a current trend of celebrities, it is frequently assumed that gluten free equals health and fitness. There are, however, some negatives that may go along with the diet that can easily be overlooked thanks to its famous promoters.If you’re not careful, going gluten free can actually cause an increase in your weight. When you remove gluten from food, its texture will change. Mass-produced gluten-free products can easily have twice the amount of fat, carbs, and or sugar as those with gluten, in order to get a similar texture. If that’s not enough, many ‘gluten-free’ foods are lacking in vitamins and minerals compared to their regular counterpart. One may think he or she is making the ‘healthy’ choice, while unknowingly consuming nutritionally inferior foods.

According to the Nielsen Co., the sale of these gluten-free products is estimated to become a $2.6 billion dollar industry by next year. ‘Gluten-free’ products are already two to three times more expensive then foods made with wheat, oats, etc. and sales are still on the rise. This craze shows no signs of slowing down and while it does have positives, don’t assume that you are bettering your health by switching to gluten-free. Basically, if you’re body can tolerate gluten, stick to eating as much unprocessed foods as possible, as that is always the healthiest route.

If you want to experiment with making the switch to ‘gluten-free’, or just try to cut down a little on the gluten that you consume, you may initially feel confused about where you are supposed to get carbohydrates. Don’t worry, as soon as you start looking, you’ll find there are gluten-free options everywhere (just try to make sure that they are as natural and unprocessed as possible). Products made with corn, quinoa, buckwheat, almond flour, and black or brown rice are all great (slow-digesting carbohydrate) options. If you start buying products such as corn tortillas, brown rice pasta, and wild rice, you’ll find your desire for those starchy ‘white’ carbs will diminish naturally.

Some of my favorite gluten-free options:

Johann’s Bakery

Food For Life

Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Pasta

Pumpkin Coconut Muffins

Since I recently did a posting about the different types of flours you can use as a substitute for the typical white flour (here), I thought I should incorporate a recipe that showcases some of these substitutions. I don’t follow the whole “pumpkin is for Thanksgiving” mindset and eat it pretty much all year round. It is such a nutrient rich food that only seems to get a spotlight two months a year. Not anymore. Pumpkin puree keeps these muffins nice and moist while the toasted coconut gives them some texture. I snuck some protein powder in too, making them an ideal breakfast for any busy morning.

Ingredients:

1 can of pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/3 cup of coconut oil

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup of vanilla whey protein powder

1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

7-8 packets of stevia

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the ‘wet’ ingredients together (the egg whites,  melted coconut oil, and the pumpkin puree). In a seperate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, minus the coconut flakes. Slowly, add in the wet mixture to the dry, and whisk until it is completely smooth.

Meanwhile, heat the coconut flakes in a non-stick pan on medium heat until the majority of flakes turn golden brown (keep a careful eye on them as this happens quickly).

Fold the toasted coconut flakes (even they smell amazing, try not to snack yet!) into the pumpkin mixture and then pour the batter evenly into muffin cups. Even though these muffins don’t puff up and rise too much, I would still suggest filling the cups about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 30 minutes and let cool for at least 15, they will take some time out of the oven to harden all the way. I’m so glad I don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy these!

{Keep the coconut moving while on the heat, it turns brown very quickly}

{The pumpkin mixture pre-coconut flakes}

{Toss in the toasted coconut}

{Enjoy these healthy pumpkin coconut muffins, they seem to be quickly dissapearing around my house..}

Flour Power

 

Eating a scone or a muffin as a late night snack can be very soothing. It is not hard to see why these types of food are labeled ‘comfort foods’. However, knowing that you just ate a bunch of carbs late at night while your body is already burning food at a slower rate is not as comforting. For those times when carbs seem like your only friend, try tricking your body and replacing the white flour in your recipes with some healthier options. There are so many different varieties of flour out there, but because white flour is the most popular in American (and is recommended in the majority of recipes that call for ‘flour’) people can easily accept that as their only option. That is hardly the case, experiment with different types of flour (or flour substitutes) to get the comfort feeling that carbohydrates provide, along with the comforting feeling you are taking care of your body.

1.Oat Flour: This low-gluten option is very inexpensive and easy to find; the ground up oats take your body longer to break down making it more nutritious than traditional white flour. I find it works well for hearty cookies or bars, and it will keep you full for longer. Recipe coming soon.

2.Almond Flour: I got inspired with this flour after spending a lot of time drooling over the recipes on Elana’s Pantry. With almonds being a constant favorite among healthy eaters, it is not hard to see this low-carb and gluten-free options appeal. This ‘flour’ is just ground up raw or blanched almonds and happens to be the main ingredient in all my crusts. Recipe coming soon.

3.Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking Mix: This one is a staple among many gluten-free dieters and it tastes exactly like white flour. The only downfall here is it’s a bit pricey (just under $20 for a 4 lb. bag) so use sparingly! Recipe coming soon.

4.Coconut Flour: Another gluten-free option, this high fiber flour is made from just dried, ground up coconut meat with most of the fat removed. When using this naturally sweet alternative, add a little extra liquid to whatever you are cooking, as it tends to dry out baked goods a bit. Recipe example here.

5.Peanut Flour: I only recently discovered this flour and have been pleasantly surprised with it’s mild peanut flavor and high protein content (1/4 cup has 12 g!). I love it for desserts, but recently started incorporating it into Asian inspired dishes and stir fries. Recipe coming soon.

6.Ground Up Flax Seeds: Although it is not technically a flour, it is a wonderful flour substitute, as it full of fiber and contains lots of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.I wouldn’t use this and nothing else to replace white flour in a recipe; if something calls for 1 cup of white flour, I would use use about 1/3 cup of ground up flax seeds at the most, and 2/3 cup of another type of (healthy) flour. Recipe coming soon.

7.Buckwheat Flour: Gluten-free and high in protein, zinc, and vitamin B, this complex carbohydrate is actually made from a seed, not a grain. Try making your own version of buckwheat pancakes instead of ordering them for $15.00 at a restaurant! Recipe coming soon.

 

8.Brown Rice Flour: Made out of ground rice and yet another gluten-free option, this has a higher nutrient content then white rice flour. I find it pretty easy to buy brown rice noodles at almost any supermarket, making a cheap and nutritous dinner well within your reach. Recipe coming soon.

9. Quinoa Flour: Quinoa is the highest protein dense grain around and contains all 12 of the essential amino acids, so it is not hard to understand the superior nutritional value this flour offers verses the typical white flour. Though this flour is wonderful in tortillas, pancakes, or waffles, you can not make yeast breads that rise, as quinoa lacks any elasticity properties. Recipe example here.

 

List of Go-To Blogs

I am always on the lookout for new blogs filled with interesting, wholesome recipes so when that urge to whip up a healthy dish strikes, I don’t have to look too far for inspiration. If you find a recipe you like while searching the sites below, do not be afraid to make substitutions so it fits your preference or dietary restrictions i.e. coconut oil instead of butter, stevia or agave instead of sugar, or almond flour instead of wheat. I love seeing food prepared in a way I have not necessarily thought of before, then playing around with the idea, and finding my own unique creation. Do you have any inspired ideas of your own?

These are a few of my current favorites blogs. Enjoy:

http://www.elanaspantry.com/

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/

http://cookeasyvegan.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/

http://www.realfooddigest.com/

{pictured above our Elana’s Peppermint Patties made with coconut oil and agave}

{Gluten-Free Goddess’ Raw Zucchini Pasta in a Vegan Curry Sauce }

{The Spunky Coconut’s Blueberry Coffee Cake}

Save-the-Guilt-for-Something-Else-Nutella

Everyone loves Nutella. And if you don’t, it’s probably just because you have not tried this all-too-delicious-it-must-be-bad-for-you-food. It it something that comes with a little guilt attached, yet since people can’t seem to stay away from it, I was determined to make a healthy version of this chocolate, hazelnut spread.

I do encourage people to incorporate coconut oil into their diet, and through experiance, I know many struggle with how to actually include this fat into their day. Make this spread and kill two birds with one stone: get those essential fats into your body and put your sweet tooth to rest.

Ingredients:

· ½ cup of raw, organic coconut oil

· 1 teaspoon of hazelnut extract

· 1 tablespoons of high quality unsweetened cocoa powder

· 4-5 packets of stevia

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together (just make sure the coconut oil is left out of the fridge, otherwise it will be rock hard). I kind of wish I could give you more instructions to make it sound fancier, but it really is that simple.

{ My homemade Nutella. Perfect dipping fruit into, spreading on toast, or just eating straight}

Chocolate Lovers Rejoice

It is no secret that chocolate has a pretty bad reputation. When someone wants to lose weight, it always seems one of the first foods they cut out their diet is chocolate. Something this good has to be bad for you, right? Wrong (chocoholics breath a sigh of relief)! So how did this ‘super food’ get such bad press? To understand this, we should start thinking about chocolate in two separate categories. Category #1 is ‘candy’ chocolate, and category #2 is ‘real chocolate’ or the kind you want to incorporate into your diet.

Candy chocolate is basically what it sounds like and is responsible for that all of the negativity. It is the all too common chocolate that is found everywhere (Hersheys, M&Ms.. you get the drift). This, I repeat, this chocolate will not give you any of the benefits that ‘real chocolate’ will give you. Candy chocolate is filled with refined sugar, milk products, bad fats (sometimes even animal lard!) chemical preservatives, corn syrup, and waxes. The cocoa bean in this chocolate has also been altered by having been subjected to high heat from the roasting process it endures. There are so many chocolate flavored substances out there, that it is entirely possible to consume a chocolate candy that contains little to no true chocolate! So there is the sad truth; we take this delicious, extremely healthy product, and stuff it full of chemicals and waxes to make it cheaper and in turn, rid it of its healing properties.

Ok so now that we have looked at, and become depressed over chocolate #1, let’s get excited and uplifted over chocolate #2. Get ready for this little fact: raw cocoa has one of the highest antioxidant value of any food in the world, beating out green tea, red wine, and acai berries. What? Yes. The kind of cocoa (or chocolate) you are going to want to consume should be raw and organic (look for those two words when reading labels). Similar to oil, when you heat up cocoa, it loses some of it’s health benefits, making ‘raw’ the preferable choice. The heating process destroys the natural flavanols found in chocolate (which are phytonutrient compounds that support your heart). So like a macho man eating his steak, lets keep it raw.

{pictured above are raw, organic cocoa beans}

Raw cocoa contains hundreds of chemically identifiable compounds, including:

• Dopamine (the same chemical released during sex, or at least good sex)

• Epicatechins (antioxidants)

• Magnesium

• Serotonin (anti-stress)

• Tryptophan (anti-depressant)

• Phenylethylamine (PEA, same chemical released when falling in love)

If you cannot get raw and organic chocolate, dark chocolate is your second best choice. Although it may taste good, milk chocolate and especially white chocolate offer very little to you besides tighter pants.

My Favorite Products:

Xocai Chocolate

Sunfood Chocolate

Naviats Cocao

Coaching and Consulting Website

If you’re in need of business consulting or personal coaching, I highly recommend a good friend of mine, Carol Lang.  For more information, check out her website: It’s Your Business Consulting.

My Philosophy

I have been working in the nutrition field for 20+ years and have grown a lot over the years of continuing my education and working with thousands of clients.  The biggest problem I have encountered that seems to get people in trouble, confused, and unhealthy, is believing in a certain “diet” program and trying to follow it no matter what.

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Best Oils for Cooking

There is confusion and misinformation about fat especially when it comes to heating it. Marketing does a great job at convincing us that one brand of oil or butter or margarine is the best.  My advice: if you are using a fake butter or margarine, please throw it out.  What would make this fat even worse than it already is?  Heating it.

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