May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month!

 

Gluten-free Scallop Scampi -- find my recipe in the Winter/Holiday 2012 back issue of Delight Gluten-free Magazine.

May is Celiac Disease awareness month! After being gluten-free for 5 years now, my life and health have completely changed for the better. I went 20 years before getting a diagnosis of gluten intolerance or Celiac. Since doctors started me on an elimination diet rather than testing me with a biopsy first, (you need to be actively eating gluten in order to have a positive result) it means now that I'm needing to be gluten-free, there is no way I am painfully consuming gluten again in order to get a positive biopsy. They noted my symptoms were so extreme they were sure it was classic Celiac disease. One day, I will get a genetic test to be absolutely sure. 

According to Celiac facts from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, the average diagnosis time right now is 6 -10 years. That is 6 - 10 years too long so spreading awareness to cut down average time is important. 1 in 133 suffer from Celiac and it is estimated that 83% of Americans who have Celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions. Please share this to spread awareness this month if you can, or at least hug a Celiac near you. Just make sure there's no crumbs on you first! 

The only treatment for Celiac disease right now is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. No wheat, barley, rye, or cross contaminated oats might seem restrictive to some, but for me it means a bountiful and healthful life again. It's not bad at all, even with my many other food allergies. A positive attitude really helps heal anything. For more information about Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity and managing food allergies, check out my resources page.

Sushi at Home

Sushi is one-hundred percent addictive in my book. So when I found out I was allergic to soy, fond times with friends and family at various sushi hot spots in town came to a screeching halt. Anyone allergic to soy will probably feel the same. Sushi and Chinese foods ordered out are a major risk. However, that doesn't mean they can't be recreated in the safety of home. Sushi rice and sushi nori (seaweed wrap) is easy to come by in most grocery stores today. 

What really puts a soy-free sushi party over the top is coconut aminos, which is similar to soy sauce and is made from the rich sap of coconut and mineral rich sea salt. And adding sriracha or chili garlic sauces for dipping add just the right amount of kick. I prefer my sushi with smoked salmon, but other types of sushi grade fish can be used instead. However, if you have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance like me, steer clear of the imitation wasabi by all means! It usually contains wheat as a filler. Rejoice for safe sushi at home!

Easy Smoked Salmon and Veggie Sushi

What you'll need:

• 1 package sushi nori (seaweed sheets)
• 1 and 1/2 cups of prepared sushi rice (boil 1.5 cups of sushi rice with 2 cups water, reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, remove from heat). 
• thinly sliced cucumber
• cubed avocado
• sliced asparagus
• 1 package smoked salmon
• Other optional fillings: diced mango, cream cheese, orange bell pepper or whichever fresh veggies are on hand. 
• coconut aminos for dipping

1. Add enough warm sushi rice to form a thin, even layer onto one sushi nori (seaweed sheet).
2. Assemble smoked salmon, cucumber slices, avocado, and optional cream cheese into the very middle of the sheet that is to be rolled up. 
3. Carefully roll the assembled sheet starting at one end, either by hand or using a bamboo sushi roller.
4. Make sure the sushi roll is tight, but not too tight that it breaks the seaweed wrap. 
5. Slice the roll into bite sized pieces, dip into a favorite sauce and enjoy right away! 

What Celiac Disease Awareness Month means to me

This is a face of too many misdiagnoses. This is me before I finally had an answer.

My body was wracked and in shambles. Nervous system stressed to the point of strong shaking episodes. I could no longer drive myself more than ten minutes without experiencing massive dizziness and bouts of blurry vision. No food would stay down no matter how much I ate, which resulted in a scary weight of less than 95 pounds. ADHD ruled my everyday, my mind raced constantly, and then there was the pain. A lot searing pain. These things were the norm, and the norm was becoming worse and worse--fast. I thought I would never function in society normally ever again because of what seemed to be eating me alive from the inside out. But I couldn't find an answer. And I knew I couldn't go on like that.

I remember feeling incredibly frustrated and ready to give up after doctor upon doctor brushed off my debilitating symptoms, whittling them down to things like stress, "being a college student", irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression,  just "getting older", and even an eating disorder. Well of course I had an "eating disorder"; food just went in and came right back out...unintentionally! The fact that I saw half a dozen doctors that misdiagnosed me and failed to look for the root cause, (one that isn't "solved" with a pill) frankly scares me. It scares me more today than it even did back in that moment because at the time, I didn't realize that I really could have died from this.

Luckily, my parents were able to help me find a doctor who finally listened to all of my symptoms. That doctor turned my life and health completely around in a matter of weeks with the first mention I'd ever heard of Celiac Disease and gluten. While grateful, I questioned why I was not correctly diagnosed when my first symptoms showed as a toddler. I was nearly 21 years old when the diagnosis came, and it came at the breaking point. This is not acceptable to me, and shouldn't be to anyone.

May is Celiac Disease awareness month. I see it as my moment to shine and be proud of what I've overcome. I'm healthy and alive today, living in harmony with my lifelong disease. While I often advocate for awareness throughout the year, I'm taking the special opportunity today to share my story again in hopes that the more we share, the shorter the diagnosis time will become. According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, the average time it takes for someone to be correctly diagnosed with the disease is 6 to 10 years. Misdiagnosis and no diagnosis can cause permanent damage, cancer, and can kill.

Healing can only begin after answers are found. Talk to someone about Celiac Disease today. Read about Celiac Disease on the NFCA website, or follow the links in my Resources page. And don't forget to hug a lovely Celiac near you ;)

Happy Celiac Disease Awareness Month!

Celiac: In the Family

Since my diagnosis nearly four years ago, I've had the pleasure of conversing with some wonderfully pleasant people about living gluten-free, Celiac disease, other food allergies, and health obstacles. Reaching out to this community is probably my favorite thing in the world to do, as making connections with people who share the same winding road is an invaluable experience.

One thing in my conversations as of late has been more than troubling to me though. When faced with the facts that Celiac is a genetic disease, many people who were cordial to me just moments ago turn angry and lash out, refusing to believe that their parents, their children, or even their grandparents may carry the gene. I become the bearer of supposed "bad news" and am shunned as the "bad guy". Well, bad girl I suppose. It is understandable that such breaking news may be a shock to some, but in the wake of an attitude that is truly reckless and selfish, I have to call foul.

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center states that genes related to Celiac disease are passed down through generations. A first degree relative (parent, child, brother or sister) of someone with Celiac disease has a 1 in 22 chance of developing the disease while a second degree relative (niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, grandparents, and half siblings, etc) has a 1 in 39 chance. A great place to start with the breakdown of testing is through this U of Chicago pdf. While some carriers of the gene may not have active Celiac, they could develop symptoms at any point in their lives. Routine testing is recommended in these cases. It's also possible the gene was not inherited, which in that case is a fabulous thing to know.

So many people are brushing these facts aside in a "why bother testing?" attitude that is really doing a major injustice to themselves and the health of their family. In one instance, a mother struck up a conversation with me to talk about her recently diagnosed daughter. I responsibly let her know the risk that her other children may face as well as her and her husband. The genes had to come from somewhere in that immediate family, but she refused to believe me and stormed off.

I strongly urge all of us with Celiac disease to speak out and make these facts well known! Knowledge is power and when lives could be at risk, we need to know we are doing all that we can to improve the situation. I've always said this disease was a blessing and a responsibility. It is now more than ever. It doesn't have to be Celiac Disease Awareness Day, Month, or Year for us to spread the word and maybe save a life in the process. Please feel free to forward, repost, share, and link back to this post.

Resources:

• The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center
• Celiac.com
• Delight Gluten-Free Magazine
• Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University

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Celiac Disease Awareness Day

When I was diagnosed nearly four years ago, I remember explaining Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance to everyone I knew. Most of those people had no idea what I was talking about at the time, but were almost gluten-free experts by the time I had stopped talking their ears off. Mentioning or explaining Celiac to someone may seem trivial at the time, but in the long run, it sure has gotten us far along the road to widespread awareness. Talk to someone about Celiac Disease today and help spread the awareness even more! Happy National Celiac Awareness Day!

Check out my other post on Celiac Awareness here.

Check out my past posts on the symptoms of Celiac, basics of diagnosis, and the importance of getting a diagnosis.

Who will you tell today?

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Maintaining a Healthy Weight with Protein Shakes: Gluten-free,Allergen-free

Whether you're looking to put on a few pounds (like me) or you're getting rid of a few, protein shakes can be beneficial in both circumstances. Being allergic to gluten and a few of the top 8 allergens definitely makes finding a good protein powder challenging though. Usually they're made from soy, whey (dairy) or have a combination of other allergens present in the ingredients. I'm so glad to have found a safe alternative: Jarrow Formulas Brown Rice Protein Powder.

Most rice is usually considered non-allergenic, and when you combine this with the allergen statement from the Jarrow Formulas webpage, you get a wicked awesome product that suits a lot of food allergic folk. Here's the statement:

No wheat, no gluten, no soybeans, no dairy, no egg, no fish/shellfish, no peanuts/tree nuts.

In addition, the website states that this product is fine for vegetarians and vegans alike. I plan to look into other Jarrow Formulas products in the near future since I now know they have an extensive food allergen labeling system going on.

TIPS:

• Gaining Weight with Protein shakes: Sometimes being allergic to many foods can make it hard to increase your BMI to a normal level. Try mixing the chocolate, vanilla, or mixed berry flavors of the powder with some good quality coconut milk (I use SO Delicious Sugar Free Vanilla) and add these shakes into your regular diet. Don't use them as meal replacements, but rather to supplement and add extra calories and healthy protein. This is the route I'm taking right now.


• Losing Weight: Instead of adding sugary or fatty snacks to your mid-afternoon, try whipping up a protein shake instead. It will fill you up and make you feel full longer. When you binge on sugar laden foods, you get an instantaneous boost, but it doesn't last. You'll end up crashing, then eating more to keep your energy levels up. Adding a protein shake instead will help break the cycle.

(Disclaimer: As I always like to note, I am not a medical professional and this should not be regarded as medical advice. Talk with your health professional to determine the best diet/health regimine for you).

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Dow Goes Gluten-Free!

Pop the bubbly, and get ready to celebrate! (Most likely!)

I'm excited to share some great news for the gluten-free world! Dow has gone gluten-free and has come out with a new vegetable cellulose based food product that closely mimics the texture of gluten in baked goods. It's plant based and could really bring some new fresh tastes to our plates! Who needs gluten anyway?

I say way to go Dow, and way to go Dad for giving me the heads up awhile back. Since he works for Dow, he navigated me towards the website about the beta product a few months ago. I'm so glad it's finally hitting the gluten-free community soon! Check out the gluten-free goodness! (I did notice they got some of the gluten intolerance vs. celiac disease facts a little wrong as far as numbers and explanations between the two different reactions go. Celiac is about 1 in 110 these days and gluten intolerance is about 1 in 10 last I read).

What do you think? Will you be trying products containing the new "gluten" replacement? Let me know!

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Drew Brees for So Delicious

Drew Brees has been a great advocate for living fully and healthily with food allergies. It's crazy inspiring to see a Pro NFL Quarterback who won the Superbowl rock it out while living with a gluten-free diet and multiple food allergies to boot. (I've written about Drew in the past here). Drew recently worked with So Delicious Dairy-free in a video detailing the importance of getting yourself tested for food allergies, and enjoying a fuller life as a result. I can personally vouch that So Delicious Coconut milk products are all phenomenal. There are a some So Delicious Coconut yogurt products that contain small amounts of legumes (locust bean gum, carob gum) so if you are legume-free like me, you'll want to avoid those ones. The Coconut milk products are always a staple in my pantry and are a favorite of everyone in the family. Check out Drew Brees and his wife discuss living healthy lives food allergy free with So Delicious below:

Those of us with food allergies, celiac disease, or other food disorders are just as capable of greatness as anyone else, despite dietary restrictions or health issues. Thanks for the inspiration Drew!

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From a Gluten-Free Nutritional Standpoint...

 

 Snapshot of Snacks at Starbucks (contains gluten and other allergens).

Not all Gluten-free or Allergy friendly processed foods are created equal. I've found that some prepackaged gluten-free products are just as devoid of nutrition and quality ingredients as the traditional and glutenous processed junk that lines grocery store aisles in excess.

I've been meaning to sound off on this for awhile. Now I'm not saying that that all prepackaged gluten-free (or top 8 allergen free) cookies, cakes, breads, or snacks are bad. There are certainly some amazing brands out there that cater to our health and taste buds. And even the so-so brands are great in moderation. Let's face it, it's nice to indulge. But what I see so often in the gluten-free community is the feeling of wanting to replace what's been lost--sugar laden, bad fat filled, white-floury, processed crap! And filling the void until the main source of food consumed is processed, high in sugar, low in nutrients, and unnatural.

Too many food companies are now catering to this dopamine addiction in my opinion. My personal experience with being diagnosed and needing to go gluten free was a journey of needing to heal myself. What my malnourished body was crying out for after all the damage to my stomach and intestines was real solid nutrition--something that isn't always found in processed foods. When you have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, the last thing that is going to heal your villi is this kind of food.

And so you've become an expert at reading ingredient labels. Now it's time for the easy part; reading nutrition labels in combination with ingredients. Look for processed foods that include wholesome grains instead of more "white flour" like plain rice flour or potato flour. Check out whole grains, natural ingredients, and organic products now and then. Here's a few more detailed things to look for when navigating healthier (but just as tasty!) GF processed foods:

DO: (in moderation)

• Real Food Colorants (one example: beet juice colorings instead of "Red40" or other synthetic colorants)


• Healthy Gluten-free Whole grains (whole grain brown rice, wild rice, brown rice flour, almond flour (if you can tolerate nuts), coconut flour, amaranth, sorghum, quinoa, or buckwheat flour).


• Alternative Sweeteners to White Processed Sugar (some examples: Small amounts of stevia, agave, or raw local honey).


• "Good" fat content--monounsatured fats found often in olive oil, avocado, almonds, etc.


• A SHORT INGREDIENT LIST! -- A good rule to follow here is if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it. Or if it's over 5 or 6 non-organic ingredients, don't eat it.


• Organic, Whole Ingredients (I love some of the Organicville Products. The Pasta sauce is soy free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, egg free).

[
A Hearty Wild Rice dish is a great alternative to White Rice.

DON'T: (or limit to rarely)

• Baking mixes or processed breads, snacks, etc. that mainly use "white" flour such as white rice flour or potato flour. These really don't do much for you in the nutrition department. Stick to the healthier choices listed above. In my opinion, the healthy ones taste better in baking anyway.


• High Fructose Corn Syrup, Raw Sugar, Evaporated Cane Juice and any other form of highly processed/unnatural sugar in high quantities.


• Artificial ingredients or products that use GMOs. When you're healing and living with a disease or allergies, you really want to limit your intake of these.


• Any Trans fats.

These are just some of the Dos and Don'ts that have helped me heal along the way. Try not to get into the habit of treating your disease or allergies emotionally or mentally with unhealthy foods. Instead, heal your body which will help heal your attitude and emotional damage much more easily. Of course though, the best source of food you can eat will never be processed--it will be straight from the garden or the tree! Food (fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds) in it's natural state can never be fully replaced. You're really not giving up anything when you show your body some much needed love.

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Living with Food Allergies: Overcoming Challenges

Since going gluten-free over 3 years ago and being highly allergic to soy, peanuts, and legumes for one year, I'd had my fair share of ups and downs. I know most people dealing with multiple food allergies have probably at one point dealt with many of the following things:

• People telling you (directly or indirectly) that they think you're limited or "damaged goods" due to your strange immune system.


• Strangers commenting on your weight or body in a negative light.


• Misunderstandings about what you can and can't eat, and others seeing you as difficult due to your limited diet.


• Feeling alone or isolated from people, close and not so close, that don't fully understand your situation or refuse to acknowledge it.


• Struggling with safe food choices and keeping a balanced diet despite numerous restrictions.


• Self loathing or feeling inadequate due to being different with food allergies.


• Frustration on not being able to eat what everyone else does.


• Depression/Anxiety over your permanent situation.


• Feeling the need to apologize to others for your special diet or food allergies.

At first, I had a hard time grappling with the changes that had been shoved into my life without my consent. I felt myself asking questions like, "Why me?" or "How am I going to overcome this without losing myself?". The truth is, all of the above have come to be great and priceless blessings, even if it felt like the absolute opposite at the start.

Using these obstacles as stepping stones to building yourself back up after the fall takes patience and practice, but will ultimately make you stronger and more resilient than anyone or anything aiming these negative energies your way. Some of my best days have been laughing in the face of what seemed to be impossible to live with. I am constantly surrounded by food I cannot eat everywhere I go, but that doesn't mean my attitude needs to be sour. Let your light shine brighter and learn to love what you do have. Here's some of the many things I'm thankful for and that have taught me to embrace my radiant self, no matter what's testing me that day:

• Precious and delicious food that I can eat


• Learning to be my own gourmet chef and rock it out in the kitchen whenever I have a craving (waaay cheaper, healthier, and more fun than a few rounds at a run of the mill restaurant).


• My support system: Family is forever and the ones you can trust to just "be there" truly shine with you through the challenges making you realize your full potential and grace.


• The power of nature, nourishing the body, mind, and spirit, and keeping life simple.


• A positive outlook changes your life, and no one can take away your own powerful thoughts.


• Organic, pure, and real food.


• Small steps and victories that reaffirm you are capable of anything you focus on overcoming.


• How small and big my life seems at the same time when I look at the sky.


• Others negativity ultimately becomes my strength.


• Love. Pure and Simple.

That list could go on probably forever, but you get the idea. Overcoming challenges from living with special diets or food allergies can be difficult, there's no question about that. It's what you do with the opportunity that's knocking. Let your little light shine and be authentically you. You don't ever have to apologize for that. You are strong, beautiful, and you are the one that's in control. What will you do with your blessings today?

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Thank you, Dad

 

Sophie, my dad's other little girl.

In celebrating my wonderful father today on Father's day, I'd like to share the story of how I came to be diagnosed with gluten intolerance (or celiac), and how my father ultimately found my diagnosis.

Three and a half years ago, my family and I were trying desperately to figure out why my health was in shambles. I wasn't digesting correctly, was losing weight with no explanation, and had severe depression and anxiety. I felt sick all over and knew something was very wrong with my body. I visited doctors who took one look at me and told me I was simply "overworking" myself as a college student or cracked it all up to IBS and threw depression medication at me. I knew deep down that they were only treating symptoms and feared we would never find the root cause.

One weekend, I was having an especially hard time. I drove home from college and just being around my parents again was comforting, though the health problems persisted. I remember feeling so defeated as I sat cross legged on the carpet with my dad and our two puppies. He listened to everything I had to say about what I'd been going through and made me feel safe, as he always had done. He told me to stay strong, keep my faith, and that we would find what was going on.

The next morning I woke up feeling fairly better than I had been and was in good spirits. I bounced upstairs and found my dad in the kitchen, the smell of fresh brewed coffee filling the room. We talked and he made me a hearty breakfast--a delicious ham and cheese filled omelet--while he taught me about how to make sure the eggs don't stick and how to season for great flavor. After eating the omelet, I felt fantastic. For once, I felt my stomach wasn't too bloated to eat any more. My dad made me some toast since I was feeling alright.

About 10 minutes after eating the toast, I began to feel the anxiety creep over my body again as my stomach started to ache. My dad watched me transform from being happy and energetic to scared and sick all over again. We couldn't figure out what we had done wrong. Soon after, he talked with his doctor about his worries and talked about how I used to have a problem with wheat when I was a baby. The doctor had said that I would outgrow the issue, despite the rashes and irritation that plagued me. He wondered if I had never outgrown the issue, especially after the recent toast issue.

I ended up going on a gluten elimination diet for an extended time after the doctor mention that I might have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. After a while, I was told to put gluten back in my diet to test for a reaction. I had been feeling amazing since cutting it out and was reluctant to try it again. I loaded up on a glutenous pizza and beer binge to test, which proved to be an absolute terrible idea the next day. I had a classic gluten reaction and really didn't feel like getting out of bed at all. I was diagnosed soon after and made a full recovery.

My father and mother have always done everything they could to try and find the root cause of my health issues, and I am forever grateful for their love, support and persistence with everything that I've gone through. Thank you Dad, for helping me better myself and save my health in the process. I'm happy, gluten free, and 350% better than I was before thanks to you. Thank you Mom, for going out the same day we found out the issue and helping me find all the food I could eat. You've made me the woman I am today, and there are no words I can say to express how much I love you both. I can't ask for better parents and wish I could be home for Father's day, and that I could've also been home for Mother's day. My dad is traveling today, and I'm wishing him a very safe and happy trip. I'll be thinking of him the whole time.

Have a blessed Father's Day and don't forget to say I love you.

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Diets Don't Work, Lifestyles Do.

Different diets and fads are abundant. But the one thing they almost all have in common is that they are no more than a temporary break from bad habits. Going back to eating overly sugary and processed "food" after a health kick is a sure fire way to undo all the health you've pumped into your body during 3 miserable weeks of detox.

Diets will lock you into a perpetual, unhealthy cycle that feeds off of itself until permanent healthy changes are made.

So where do you start when you're starting a healthy lifestyle?

1. Start slow. If your body is used to high quantities of sugar, fat, and highly processed foods, switching to a healthy meal plan of lean meat, vegetables and low glucose fruits will trigger a natural detox. You may feel worse at the start than you felt before. When making a slow and gradual transition, all the toxins leaving your body won't hit your system at once. This way, you won't overload your liver.


2. (Almost) Everything in moderation.A large reason why people relapse after starting a rigorous diet or health kick is because they find the changes too drastic and limited. Being on an extremely restricted and mandatory meal plan myself, I completely understand this mentality. Sometimes you just want out. But with an "everything in moderation" lifestyle, you don't have to miss out all the time. My rule is generally 80% healthy, 20% indulgent. It really keeps me in check and balance. There are certainly things you never want to eat though, such as trans fats.


3. Play with taste. Eating more vegetables more often doesn't mean it has to taste healthy and boring. Learn to use spices and food combinations to your advantage. Not only will adding things like fresh herbs, cayenne pepper, curry powder, turmeric, and parsley add to your arsenal in the kitchen and make your cooking more versatile, these things blast away bland taste with just a pinch. Try making a creamy curried cauliflower soup (shown below) by boiling a chopped head of cauliflower and one diced onion with curry powder, garlic, turmeric, cayenne, black pepper and salt until the vegetables are softened. Add a cup of coconut milk and reduce the heat. Let it simmer for a few minutes, then blend the mixture with a high speed blender. You won't even know you're eating vegetables. I promise. 


4. Avoid Processed Sugar. We are stuck on the dopamine effect. Meaning, our bodies crave sugar and fats when they are consumed frequently. They directly tap into our dopamine release, which is associated with rewards and satisfaction. It can sometimes take a lot to break this "addiction", but it's worth it knowing that many researchers and scientists are now calling excess sugar consumption toxic. Below is a great video with Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN on the question of sugar being recognized as a toxin.


5. Reap the Benefits.It's amazing what the power of good food does. Let food be your medicine and erase the root cause of many avoidable illnesses and disease. For instance, want to avoid high cholesterol? Instead of popping a pill after it's already too late, load up on heart healthy foods like monounsaturated fats found in almonds, olive oils, and avocado before it becomes a problem. You'll thrive with abundant energy by eating more raw vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and natural protein rich foods. You'll probably find that you don't actually need to drink even one cup of coffee to stay energized throughout the day. Nutrients are necessary. And you simply can't get them from a processed bag of junk foods.

When you change your eating habits for good, it changes your mindset and your lifestyle with little extra effort. An equilibrium is achieved and balance comes more naturally as a result. The ups and downs of sugar highs and crashes subside, weight management becomes attainable, and you still feel like you're not missing out on any awesome food.

Remember: Diets don't work. Life changes do. You only have so long.

(I am not a medical professional or dietician. This should not be taken as medical advice, so please consult with your physician with any questions regarding diet and health changes).

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Enjoy Life Plentils Review

The well over a week long hiatus is officially over!

My life has been pretty busy with starting a new job these past few weeks, so I apologize for the infrequent and haphazard posting as of late. But we're back on track and have a huge list of topics to cover over the next few weeks. Today, I'm going to hand the keys over to Yan for his first official post on the blog! For those of you who are new to the blog, Yan is my boyfriend and has been there for me every step of the way through most of my worst allergic reactions to eventually my severe soy allergy diagnosis. He was with me before the allergy development and always supported my gluten free lifestyle due to celiac/gluten intolerance.

Yan grew up in Belarus and moved to the U.S. when he was 13. He also has some food allergies, but I'll leave that to him to explain. Without further ado...

YC: Hello guys! I'm excited to post here today! Beth and I are also excited that she now has an updated domain name of SprinklesandAllergies.com!

Recently Enjoy Life sent Bethany a sample of Plentils, but because of her allergies to legumes I offered to taste them instead of her. I found them to be delicious and quite addictive with my favorite flavor being dill and sour cream. These Plentils prove to be a wonderful quick snack and everyone who'd try them should be surprised to find out that they are free of top 8 allergens. I'm allergic to various fresh fruits and vegetables foods due to my hay fever, so I appreciate Enjoy Life's sensitivities to those living with multiple food allergies. (Some of the foods I'm allergic to include fresh celery, cherries, peaches, apples, cilantro, and many more. I can eat most of these foods after they've been cooked, however).

The Enjoy Life Plentils come in 4 flavors: Dill & Sour Cream, Light Sea Salt, Margherita Pizza, and Garlic & Parmesan. They're crunchy, delicious, and offer an awesome alternative to regular potato chips. The addition of lentils adds more protein to the chip which is a nice twist.

Thanks everyone, and go check out Enjoy Life's new Plentils!

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A big thanks to Yan for reviewing this product for me, as I'm allergic to all legumes (lentils, beans, peas, soy, etc). I'm so thankful for all your support and love.

Have you tried Enjoy Life Plentils? What's your favorite flavor?

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May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month!

(statistics from NFCA & CDF)

As of this past February, I have been gluten-free for 3 years. I can't put into words how dramatically my life has changed as a result of getting on the right diet to treat my reactions. My life has more clarity, I am properly digesting food and am no longer malnourished due to malabsorption of nutrients. Switching to a gluten-free diet has definitely been a blessing for me.

The bad thing about all of this is that my diagnosis took about 20 years. During that time, I was increasingly and increasingly plagued by various health issues including ADHD, nervous system disorders, forgetfulness, malabsorption, unexplained weight loss, indigestion, depression and anxiety. After about 2 weeks on the Gluten Free diet, all of my symptoms completely reversed. On an older episode of the Hold the Gluten podcast (by the brilliant Maureen Stanley), it was said that the average time for a diagnosis of Celiac Disease was 10 years. Spreading awareness will help decrease that ridiculously high diagnosis time and will help the search for a cure. This May, being Celiac Awareness month, let's spread the word like wildfire.

For more information regarding the importance of a gluten-free diet, symptoms of Celiac Disease/gluten intolerance, going gluten-free and getting a diagnosis, see a few of my previous posts: Importance of Gluten-Free, Symptoms, and Basics of Diagnosis.

Some great additional resources:

• National Foundation for Celiac Awareness


• Celiac Disease Foundation


• Celiac.com

Have you been diagnosed with Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance?

Share your story here!

Thriving happily without gluten, soy, peanuts, and legumes.

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Healing from a Reaction

Occasionally, one of my allergens slips through the cracks and finds it's way into my system despite my precautions. Today was one of those days, complete with a lump in the throat and difficult breathing/swallowing. I'm still trying to track down the culprit, but whatever it was, it was certainly of the "Soy" persuasion.

Whenever I have a strong reaction or accidental gluten-ing, I try to clear out my system as fast as possible. I load up on easily digested foods and nutrient heavy smoothies. Today's reaction called for something easy to swallow, so I opted for a powerful "liquid lunch" with a healing veggie smoothie. It tasted like a delicious bloody mary, sans the alcohol of course.

Healing Smoothie Recipe

• 1 cucumber
• 1 roma tomato
• 1 handful of green leafy lettuce
• 1 handful of kale
• 1/2 cup of bell pepper
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic
• Cayenne pepper to taste (I use a lot to cleanse my body)
• 2 cups cold filtered water
• Optional--ice cubes

Mix everything in a high speed blender and enjoy it right after for the most nutrition. You could even add some protein powder to take it a little further.

Trusted Loratadine (Cheaper than Claritin and works just as well when you don't want to take another Benadryl).

What are your tips and tricks for bouncing back after an Allergic Reaction?

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Earth Day: Herbed Organic Carrot Soup

Since Earth Hour came around on the 31st of March, we've been inspired to try for an Earth Hour at least once every week. This is in combination with cutting down on water consumption, fuel consumption, and eating organically whenever possible.

Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day. In celebration, I'll be switching off appliances and lights and heading outside for a large part of the day. I think it's a perfect time to reconnect with our natural roots and bask in the new fresh spring that's arrived. Keeping it simple and earthy, I made an Herbed Organic Carrot Soup that was smooth and energizing. (This is an allergen free recipe--free of the top 8 allergens and gluten).

Herbed Organic Carrot Soup (allergen free).

• 7-8 Organic carrots


• 1 medium white or yellow onion


• 2 cloves garlic


• Olive Oil


• 3 or 3 1/2  cups water or vegetable stock (depending on if you like the soup to have a thicker or thinner consistency).


• Salt, Pepper


• Mixed Italian Herbs, dried or fresh. I used dried Parsley, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, and Rosemary.

Chop and saute the onion and garlic with olive oil over medium heat in a sauce or soup pot. Add the chopped carrots, water/vegetable stock, spices, and herbs. (You could make a curried version by adding some curry paste or curry powder). Bring the water to a medium high temperature, but not quite boiling. Then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the soup simmer for 20-30 minutes. After the carrots are cooked through, pour the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the soup to the desired consistency. I like mine mostly smooth, but with a fair bit of fine texture left.

Wishing everyone a Happy Earth Day!

How do you plan to celebrate our planet not only on Earth Day, but everyday?

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Gluten Free Namaste Chocolate Chip Blondies (Soy free, Peanut Free,Dairy Free).

Namaste Foods is a company I've talked about before, but I feel they're worth mentioning again and again. They have some of THE best gluten free and allergen free mixes I have tasted in all of my allergy laden years. My personal favorite has to be their Blondie Mix--it stands perfectly on it's own, but can be jazzed up even more with a little imagination and a few special ingredients. I love to add some allergen free Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips and some ground organic Saigon Cinnamon. I also add some more moisture into the mix by using So Delicious Sugar Free Coconut Milk instead of water, which actually doesn't add much coconut taste at all. And soy free eggs are a must. If you are sensitive to eggs, egg replacement product by Ener-G works well too.

If you haven't checked out Namaste Foods LLC, you are seriously missing out and I suggest you go do it right now. Here, I even did all the work for you, so click here. Their Waffle/Pancake Mix is also phenomenal and I vote it for the best Gluten Free (and allergen free) Pancakes on the market. This is my personal opinion and I've have not received any compensation for it. I know it's a serious free plug for them here, but I just can't get enough of their stuff. Thanks Namaste Foods!

Do you have a favorite allergen free mix?

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Honey & Cinnamon Almond Biscuits (Gluten-free)

Our afternoon has been productive and this was the perfect way to relax. We founds ourselves having an afternoon tea-time with tasty sweet almond biscuits with cinnamon and honey. There was nothing proper and stuffy about it though, as we gobbled these tasty morsels up and dabbed some extra honey on top.

I was inspired by a recipe posted on Roost blog but I couldn't help but tweak the recipe to cater to my own taste buds--which are cinnamon junkies. Not enough to perform the spoonful of cinnamon challenge mind you, but enough to put it in a ridiculous amount of baked goods. Cinnamon makes everything just a little warmer and adds that little spark.

I used my homemade blanched almond flour for this recipe and it worked beautifully. I talk about how to make it in a previous post here, along with unblanched almond flour. For a less dense and lighter biscuit, I recommend using the blanched almond flour (no almond skins).

[caption id="attachment_874" align="aligncenter" width="468"] Biscuit drops before the oven.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_875" align="aligncenter" width="468"]
Warm and golden after the bake. Ready to devour.

Our afternoon break was perfect. Here's the recipe I used:

Honey & Cinnamon Almond Biscuits (Free of: Wheat, Gluten, Soy, Yeast, Corn, Peanuts, and Milk {casein}).

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour (blanched)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (I probably used more since I love cinnamon).
• a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice
• 2 soy free eggs
• 1/4 olive oil
• 1/4 raw local honey (We love Raw Michigan Honey!)

Preheat oven to about 350 degrees (will vary depending on ovens).

Combine dry ingredients together. Separately, combine the wet ingredients and stir well. Incorporate the wet  ingredients into the dry ones and mix well. I contemplated adding some vanilla extract, but decided I would try that another day. Place 8 equal spoonfuls on a baking dish or sheet that has been well greased (some prefer parchment paper, but I've never used it myself). Bake for approximately 20 minutes. I baked mine for about 18. Drizzle a little extra honey on top and serve after cooling a bit.

These babies are surprisingly filling--and low carbohydrate. Great for those who are on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for medical reasons. Once again, thanks to Coco at Roost blog for the inspiration.

What's your favorite baked good to make gluten free or with almond flour?

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Self Sustaining Spring

This spring, we at Sprinkles and Allergies are challenging ourselves to be more Self Sustaining. Take our challenge for Self Sustainable Spring at Sprinkles & Allergies by planting at least one herb, vegetable, or fruit plant this spring. Join us and share your progress! We'd love to know what you're doing to make a greener spring. Know where your food comes from by growing some of it yourself.

Our indoor garden is preparing for an outdoor move very soon. The usual whispers of spring were anything but quiet this year. Explosions of blossoms, birds, buzzing, and furry creatures started weeks ago here, which is much more than I could have hoped for in previously notorious bitter cold February and March. A mild winter means a wild spring--a time for initiating self sustainable gardens, compost, and overall renewal. Though we live in a small apartment, it's still surprisingly doable, mostly thanks to our large bay windows and balcony. We love breathing in the fresh wisps of spring.

We've been growing Basil and Arugula from the seed for about a week and a half now. I can't believe how much the Arugula has shot up in such a short time. This week, we'll be planting some broccoli and parsley to go along with the other plants since our Kale tree seems to be on the fritz after the winter months.

Above, our arugula is thriving but tending to lean more towards the sun. We'll be moving it outdoors to the balcony soon where it can grow stronger in the full sun. Below, our baby basil are starting to peek through the moist soil.

 

This plant has special meaning to us.

Over a year ago, Yan surprised me with a beautiful flowering plant called a Kalanchoe. The day he got it for me marked the first month of our relationship together. This little tree-like gem has been through a lot, even having been knocked clear off our balcony and ripped out of the pot during a nasty thunderstorm last summer. Today it still grows strong and is beginning to show signs of blossoming again for the spring. I think we'll need a bigger planter for it soon as it's been growing out of control lately! The flower meaning of Kalanchoe is endurance and lasting affection. When asking Yan if he knew this today, he said "Well...uh...of course!! That's the reason I got this one! Yeah!" Nice try Yan ;)

Check out our fall indoor herb garden here.

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How to Blanch Almonds

Blanched almonds are awesome. Essentially, they are just almonds with the skin off. After making my first batch, I was interested to see if my boyfriend Yan could eat them without an allergic reaction. He is usually mildly allergic due to his Hay Fever. After eating a few, I was ecstatic to hear he was not having a reaction from the blanched almonds!! So it wasn't the actual nut he was allergic to, it was merely the skin of the almonds.

I'm about to make my second batch since we've been flying through the first one so quickly, and I plan to use it to make blanched almond flour for a light fluffy almond cake recipe I'm working on. The one I was working on with unblanched almond flour will probably be too dense to be called a proper cake. Here's to experimentation!

To blanch the almonds, start out by boiling a sauce pan of water.Drop the rinsed almonds with the skin on into the boiling water for only about one minute. Emphasis on the one minute--if you boil them too long, you may end up with almond butter instead of crunch almonds. Nearing the one minute mark, most of the almonds will start floating to the top of the water, much like ravioli does when it's almost done cooking.

After one minute, strain the almonds out of the hot water and rinse them immediately with cold water to bring the temperature down. Once cooled, dry them off and begin lightly peeling the skin off. Usually they just slide or pop right out of the skin when light pressure is applied by the hands.

This is what we think of no more Almond allergies for Y:

He's "cured"! Well sort of.

And we're about to embark on a delicious Blanched Almond Flour cake recipe extravaganza. Hopefully.

Until then, we'll be enjoying the 80 degree weather (in March!?) while chomping on fresh almonds.

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