Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta

 Recently the health community has recognized wheat intolerance as a serious health concern.  There have been more cases of Celiac disease diagnosed than ever before.  With all this new information more people are becoming gluten-free to be healthy.  If you stroll the aisles of the supermarket you will see the growing selection of gluten-free products.

I wanted to try some gluten-free options after reading the book Eat Right for Your Type.  I discovered that my family’s blood types do not agree with wheat products.  So while searching for gluten-free items to begin including in our diet I came across pastas made from brown rice.  Sounded like a dream, only the reviews on brown rice pasta said that it tended to be mushy.  My health food store carried Tinkyada Brown Rice which claims right on the bag that it does not get mushy.

I bought a bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Spiral Pasta.  I cooked according to the instructions and it came out perfect.  It cooked up nicely and still had that slight bite we love in our pastas.  So I decided to overcook the bag of spaghetti I purchased to see if it then became mushy.  Even when overcooked the pasta still did not become mushy, there was less of a bite but it still held its form.  I highly recommend Tinkyada Brown Rice for those who are gluten-free.  You will not miss regular pasta at all.

The ingredients in this pasta are very simple, brown rice, rice bran and water.  It's also cholesterol free and low in fat and sodium.  Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta is manufactured in a wheat-free factory premise.  The bag itself boasts being wheat free, gluten-free, cholesterol free, low fat, low sodium, trans fat free, and Kosher certified.  Tinkyada have several pastas to choose from including spirals, spaghetti, spinach spaghetti, penne, elbows, fettuccini, and fusilli.

In mainstream supermarkets and health food stores a bag of this pasta can cost almost $5.00.  I did find it at a bargain in Fairway Supermarket for $3.89; however the best price I have seen was on www.swansonvitamins.com.  Their prices vary from $2.59 to $3.69 for the organic pasta.

If you are trying a gluten-free lifestyle give a bag of this pasta a try.  Share your recipes with us.  Let me know how you like it.

Healthy eating…

Sugar Addiction

I began researching sugar addiction about a year ago.  My son, who is 13, is a bright, loving, outgoing child.  I noticed when he turned 11 his behavior began to change.  He would have a hard time focusing, sleeping and his behavior was becoming more and more aggressive.  Everyone said it was just his hormones.  That did not sit right with me.  Of course the next thing was that he had ADD/ADHD.  That did not make sense either because this behavior came on all of a sudden.

At the time I was attending school for holistic nutrition and we began looking at sugar and the effects it has on your body.  So I did some further research on my own and discovered that sugar addiction is a real problem.  I then began to look at my son’s eating habits.  As I traced back his eating habits I realized that the problem started when I lost control of his breakfast, lunch and snacking.  In the sixth grade he began eating school lunch and breakfast which consisted of sugary cereals, refined carbohydrates and processed foods.  After school he would hit the store for candy, soda and juices.  So the only balanced meal he would get would be dinner.

All of the sugar in his diet was causing a lack of focus, making him hyper and causing very bad, sometimes violent, mood swings.  I sat him down and explained what I believed what was going on with him.  I honestly told him that he was addicted to sugar just has a drug addicts were addicted to their drug of choice.  He did not like that and jumped on board with the new program.  I took him completely off of sugar.  I made sure he had whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and got plenty of protein.  He replaced soda with flavored seltzer, and I must say he stuck with it.  Within two weeks time he was a completely different child.

After a few months I allowed him minimal products with sugar substitutes, but his main diet remained the same.  Now almost a year later I allow him some sugar products, as close to whole foods as possible.  I still keep him very limited on highly refined sugary products.  He is still maintaining to this day.

Sugar addiction is not a joke or a fad.   Most people chalk sugar addiction up to lack of willpower or discipline. Sugar addiction is actually about biochemistry, you were born with a body that is sugar-sensitive.  If you are sugar-sensitive your body responds to sugar, alcohol and refined carbohydrates differently than other people. When you are sugar sensitive, sugar acts like a drug in your body. In fact, it affects the very same brain chemicals that morphine, heroin and amphetamines do.  When you have a sugar-sensitive body, you are prone to be addicted to sugar. You can’t not eat it.  Because you are sugar sensitive, the “high” you get from eating sugar is actually heightened.   Life circumstances can also make you reach for sugar to make you feel better.  Depression and high level of stress will make you reach for that feel good “fix”.

Being sugar sensitive means you have unstable blood sugar, low serotonin and low endorphin levels, all three are out of balance.  If you are sugar sensitive, what and when you eat has a huge impact on how you feel. Eating a diet high in sugar, refined flour, alcohol and junk foods affects your moods giving you a “high” and then an extreme low until your next “fix”.

Some people develop candida, which is an overgrowth of yeast in their gut, because of the sugar in their diet.  Candida revs up the body's craving for more sugar.  This condition again is treated with cutting out the sugar in your diet and strong probiotics.

Because your sugar sensitivity is part of your biochemistry I do not believe there is an actual cure.  However, there are ways to control your addiction.  The best way to control this addiction is to control your blood sugar levels.

Eating regularly plays a huge part in blood sugar levels.  Eat three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day. Also, include protein and healthy fats at every meal.  This will keep you satiated and keep your blood levels from dropping.  When you don’t eat regularly, your blood sugar levels drop, you feel hungry and are more likely to crave sweet sugary snacks.

Whole foods are key.  Choosing foods closer to its original form means it contains less processed sugar. Whole natural foods: fruits, vegetables, some whole grains and meat from animals that are fed grass (not grains and antibiotics).   Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Begin to include a good quality multivitamin/mineral supplement and omega 3 fatty acids. Nutrient deficiencies can make cravings worse.  Vitamin B3 and magnesium seem to improve blood sugar control.  Replace sodas with club soda, seltzer and sparkling water or try tea.

Very important begin to read your labels looking for hidden and added sugar content.  Below is a list of types of “sugar” used in a variety of products.  Try to avoid products with any of the sugars listed below especially if that sugar shows up within the first five ingredients.  Remember that most of the “complex” carbohydrates we consume like bread, bagels and pasta are highly refined and have the same affect as sugar in the body and should be avoided. 

Agave nectar Agave syrup Barley malt Beet sugar Brown rice syrup Brown sugar Buttered syrup Cane sugar Cane juice Cane juice crystals Carob syrup Confectioner’s sugar Corn syrup High fructose corn syrup Corn sugar Corn sweetener

Corn syrup solids Crystalized fructose Date sugar Dextran Dextrose Diatase Diastatic malt Evaporated cane juice Fructose Fruit juice Fruit juice concentrate Glucose Glucose solids Golden sugar Golden syrup Grape sugar

Grape juice concentrate Honey Invert sugar Lactose Malt Maltodextrain Maltose Maple syrup Molasses Raw sugar Refiner's syrup Sorghum syrup Sucanat Sucrose Sugar Turbinado sugar Yellow sugar

Clean out your kitchen throw out all of the products that contain hidden or added sugars, including any juice, soda, candy, sweets and seemingly healthy snacks like granola bars, fruit and grain bars, instant oatmeal and sports drinks.

I know that trying to avoid sugar can be a daunting task.  It is very important remove all sugar in the beginning so that your blood sugar levels can be controlled.  You will notice that after a few weeks your taste for sugary treats will diminish drastically.  Once you believe you are ready, you can begin to use “sugar substitutes” to replace regular sugar.  I don’t recommend the chemical sugar substitutes, but you can use sweeteners with a low glycemic index, my favorite is agave nectar.  A lot of people love stevia, which is an all-natural sweetener, but I find it very bitter.

Begin to look at what effect sugar is having in your body.  If you believe that you are a sugar sensitive individual start taking some of the sugar out of your diet.  Remember as you are taking out the sugar replace it with whole natural foods.

Let me know what you learn from your body.

Healthy eating…

References: 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eating-mindfully/201204/sugar-addiction

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diabetes/addicted-sugar/story?id=10869006#.T836L7BfFEI

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/expert.q.a/04/27/sugar.addiction.raison/index.html

Apple Pie Baked in the Apple

I am in love with this—Apple Pie Baked in the Apple.

You will need 6 granny smith apples, 1 pie crust, 1/4 cup sugar and 1tablespoon brown sugar. Cut off the top of 4 apples off and discard. Remove the inside of each apple with a spoon very carefully, as to not puncture the peel. Remove skin from 2 additional apples and slice very thinly. These apple pieces will give you filling needed to fill the four apples you are baking. Mix sliced apples with sugars and cinnamon in a bowl. If you prefer more or less cinnamon and sugar, make adjustments as desired. Scoop sliced apples into hollow apples. Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4 inch strips. You can also add a strip of pastry inside the top of the apple almost like a liner to add a little more texture/sweetness to the pie. Cover the top of the apple in a lattice pattern with pie crust strips. Place apples in an 8×8 pan. Add just enough water to the cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and sliced apples are soft.  Recipe from Ultimate Women’s Expo.

Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale

Here in New York City there has recently been a huge uproar because our Mayor wants to ban the sale of large size sugary, syrupy soft drinks.  While I know it is unhealthy to consume soda, I believe it is unconstitutional to be told what you can and cannot consume.  Instead of treating people like children and taking things away, I believe you can educate people so that they can make better choices.  (Sorry about the rant, this is a sore spot for me.)  I personally gave up soda about a year ago.  Even after a year I sometimes get the yearning for something sparkling.  I do drink a lot of seltzer water but sometimes you want a little extra treat.  Well I have found a soda that I feel good about drinking and it is actually good for you, Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale!

So what is soooo special about this Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale, it is made with only fresh ginger and pure cane sugar. There is no ginger flavoring, extract or oil.  The ginger ale is unfiltered and the bottle contains about half an inch of finely ground ginger in the bottom.  They have a few different flavors but the basic formula remains the same.  This stuff even provides iron, calcium and a little vitamin A and C.

I was in an Asian market in Brooklyn actually looking for the ingredients for my Irish Moss recipe.  While my husband was diligently looking for my moss I stumbled upon an unassuming bottle of liquid with some form of sediment at the bottom.  Well my curiosity took over and to my delight I realized that this beauty was all natural and that was actual ginger on the bottom.  So of course I bought two of every flavor, one for me and one for my daughter.  As soon as we got back to the car the taste testing began.

Before opening you have to GENTLY turn it upside down a few times to mix.  Please do not vigorously shake or you will have a ginger facial.  It was pleasantly sweetened, light, crisp and gave you that familiar slight ginger burn in the back of your throat.  To my surprise the ginger is not overpowering and it is not syrupy sweet.  My daughter was my second opinion.  I chose her because she absolutely HATES ginger.  So I knew she would give me an unbiased opinion.  She absolutely loved them, so much that we were fighting over the last few bottles.

Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale currently has four flavors; Original Ginger, Jasmine Green Tea, Passionfruit and Pomegranate.  They are all delightful!

Original Ginger is made with only fresh ginger and pure cane sugar, this is a fundamentally simple and delicious, spicy beverage. Unfiltered-the ginger particles settle as it sits---it is the natural pale yellow-green color of fresh ginger.

Jasmine Tea ginger ale is infused this with a fine, whole leaf green jasmine tea from Taiwan.

Pomegranate and Hibiscus is added the fresh ginger and cane sugar of the Original.  Two popular antioxidants, Pomegranate and Hibiscus, rendering it a natural ruby red. Less spicy with a subtle lemon and floral dimension.

Passion Fruit has a distinct tropical tang of passion fruit with our original ginger ale. Turmeric, called "yellow ginger" by the Chinese, is added and brightens the yellow of the drink.

Not only is this ginger ale delicious it has several health benefits.  Using the whole fresh root, captures the health benefits of ginger.  Ginger is great for alleviating nausea, aiding in digestion, and fighting colds.  By leaving the beverage unfiltered, this ginger ale contains 2 mg of iron (about the same as a cup of leafy green vegetables), some calcium and vitamins A and C.

Bruce Cost created Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale, he wrote the book on ginger literally.  Bruce wrote "Ginger East to West", a small, award-winning cookbook that traced ginger's origins and its journey around the world.  Bruce is an authority on Asian food, a writer and restaurateur.  His recipe for fresh ginger ale made its debut on the premises of 11 restaurants.   His handmade ginger ale became a signature item that has since sold an estimated 3 million drinks, outselling all soft drinks.

After I fell in love with this ginger ale the realization hit me that I may have to travel to Brooklyn to replenish my stash.  I was relieved to discover that Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale is available in several stores including FreshDirect, Fairway Supermarket, and Whole Foods Market.  I usually purchase a four pack from Fairway Supermarket for about $6, $1.50 per bottle, a bargain.  Sold separately in stores it can run for about $2.

Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale will be a delicious and healthy addition to your diet.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Healthy eating…

Deep & Velvety Chocolate VitaBrownies

There is nothing like a moist chocolate brownie.  The smell, the sweetness and taste is like a hug from a loved one.  Unfortunately, these brownie treats do not always agree with our bodies for various reasons.  Don’t fret; I believe I have found a delicious alternative that will not divert us from our healthy eating regimens.

I first discovered the Vitalicious brand browsing through the freezer section of the supermarket.  The box boasts low calories and fat, while full of vitamins and fiber.  Sounds like a dieter’s dream, unfortunately flashbacks of similar products I had tried in the past went through my mind.  As I relived the memories of eating sawdust-tasting products, I quickly put the Vitalicious product back in the freezer.  I just resigned to the fact that I would have to give up these types of treats.

Over the next couple of weeks the Vitalicious brand kept popping up all over.  They were highly recommended by fellow students and on several TV shows including Hungry Girl and Dr. Oz.  Then they went on sale at my supermarket, well for sure that was my sign to try these products.  Vitalicious has several products to choose from, but I of course was drawn to the Deep & Velvety Chocolate VitaBrownies.

I find these brownies to be a fantastic alternative to their sugar laden counterparts.  They are indeed very chocolately (is that a real word?) and moist.  Now let me just say I have read other reviews that say these taste JUST like the brownies your grandmother used to make.  If you buy these expecting your grandmother’s brownie, you will be disappointed.  The vitabrownies have a different texture, they are a little denser, they are not as sweet and there is a faint vitamin taste in the background.  This in no way takes away from the fact that they are a terrific little snack.

Vitabrownies are a great 100-calorie snack and they are actually nutritious.  Each generous 2 oz. brownie as 2 grams of fat, 10 grams of fiber and loaded with vitamins essential to a healthy you.  Getting 100% of your recommended daily requirements of essential vitamins and minerals is the key to staying strong and healthy. Vitalicious products are fortified with as many as 15 of the crucial vitamins and minerals you need, including folic acid, niacin, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B, C, E and more. In fact, a 4 oz. serving of Vitalicious products are USDA certified to have 100% of the recommended daily adult requirements of many of the most important vitamins and minerals.  I do not recommend you ONLY use these to get your daily vitamins.

This product contains no artificial additives or preservatives.  Ingredients: Water, Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Sugar, Egg Whites, Natural Chicory Fiber (Inulin), Cocoa Powder, Soy Fiber, Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Soy Lecithin [an emulsifier], Vanilla), Wheat Gluten, Dried Honey, Wheat Protein Isolate, Walnuts, Natural Flavor, Leavening (Potassium Bicarbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate), Lecithin, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Natural Sweetener (Rebiana), Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Iron, Biotin, Zinc. Contains: Egg, soy, walnuts and wheat.

About Vitalicious

“Vitalicious is the creator of innovative "vital and delicious" baked goods that promote a healthy lifestyle, without sacrificing taste. Vitalicious is leading the way to a holistic approach to maximize satisfaction with minimum calories, with products that are low fat and high in fiber and nutrients. Vitalicious has created a unique triangle of need-satisfaction, All-Natural ingredients + Nutraceuticals + Weight Management. What are Nutraceuticals?  Nutraceuticals are foods that are enriched with the kinds of vitamins and minerals that are important for maintaining health and preventing illness. Vitalicious offers a variety of unique and healthy products.”   Visit their website at www.vitalicious.com.  Vitalicious products are sold nationwide at a variety of stores including Fairway Supermarkets, Pathmark, Waldbaums, Target and Stop & Shop.

I highly recommend vitabrownies as a part of your overall healthy eating plan.  I eat them several ways, defrosted right from the freezer, warmed up topped with frozen yogurt and crumbled over greek yogurt.  Even my husband, who is a sweetaholic (I know that’s not a word!), likes them.

If you try the vitabrownies or have already tried them or any other vitalicious product please tell me about your experience.

Healthy eating…

Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops

We have all had instances when we need just a little something sweet, so we reach for hard candy.  We are in the doctor’s office, bank, or at the receptionist desk when we mindlessly reach into the candy jar.  We may even have our own candy dish on our desks at work for “the office.”  For those of us who are trying to eat well, the run of the mill hard candy is no longer an option.    Why?  They are all full of sugar, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial colorings and artificial flavorings. 

Don’t give up hope, I have found the natural answer to this dilemma, Yummy Earth.  Yummy Earth offers all natural organic candy.  I have only tried their lollipops, and will be trying their other products in the future.

Lollipops not just for kids anymore!  I do not recommend candy as a regular part of your diet, but everything in moderation.  Now, when you get the urge to treat yourself, why not do it with a healthy and delicious all natural organic product.  I was first introduced to these lollipops by my husband.  He came home from work and said I have an organic lollipop for you, someone in his office had given him some.  You know even after being married for 18 years the little things he does still make me smile. 

Anyway, I don’t normally eat candy and am skeptical when things are labeled organic, so I left it on my dresser.  Besides, I truly believed it would be a tasteless waste of time.  About a week later the lollipop resurfaced and I decided to try it.  Well I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised, it was the cherry flavor and it was fantastic.  Of course, I jumped on the internet and began to research Yummy Earth. 

About Yummy Earth

The first thing I discovered was “Yummy Earth does not use artificial dyes, corn syrup, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, dairy, MSG or GMO products in their lollipops.”  They actually use organic fruits and veggies to create these delicious morsels!  Needless to say, I was hooked.

The website boasted about their various flavors, Wet-Face Watermelon, Tooberry Blueberry, Sour Apple Tart, Pomegranate Pucker, Mango Tango, Googly Grape, Strawberry Smash and Very Very Cherry.  Of course I had to see if the other flavors were as good as the cherry so I ordered a bag, mind you I paid $4.69 for a bag of 50 lollipops.  They did not disappoint!  Every flavor was as delicious as the next. 

My favorite flavor is the watermelon, I must say my least flavor was the pomergranate.  It was still good but I would say more for a discerning palate. It was not as sweet as the others, some might even say it had a borderline medicine flavor.  Needless to say, they were still eaten.

These lollipops begin to tantalize your senses as soon as you open the bag.  My office is always teasing me about eating organic foods, “if it is organic it must taste nasty.”  I tell them you would be surprised and in the end a lot healthier.  I happened to open my bag of lollipops at my desk and the smell wafted through the office.  In about one minute I had three people at my desk trying to figure out what the smell was.  They are always trying to tempt me with donuts, cakes and candy.  They thought I had fallen off the wagon, and I happily informed them they were organic lollipops.  Before they could get another word out, I said here try one.  Next thing you know they were coming back for more, one lady even ordered her own bag.

I also love these for my family.  My kids are teenagers and I am always trying to get them to eat less sugar.  I had to take my son completely off sugar because it was having an adverse effect on his behavior and these lollipops were ideal to keep him on track.  My mother is a diabetic and always looking for something sweet, I gave these to her also.

Yummy Earth’s list of ingredients is impressive and suitable for any diet preferences.

Yummy Earth offers a variety of products including gummy bears, sour worms, jellybeans and hard candies.  Their products a readily available at www.yummyearth.com, various websites including www.amazon.com and many health food stores including Whole Foods.  I bought mine from www.swansonvitamins.com.

If you have any questions, if you have tried them or have any stories about these, I’d love to hear from you!

Healthy eating…

Banana Ice Cream

Banana ice cream is my new healthy indulgence! Okay so you are thinking how any kind of ice cream can be healthy, well this one is. I am an ice cream lover it is one of my favorite comfort foods. When I decided to make better food choices, I thought I would have to give up ice cream. The average supermarket brands, even the low fat and sugar free varieties, have ingredients I am not happy with including corn syrup and MSG. They also have more fat and calories than I would like. Even the more healthy varieties, organic, soy, non-dairy, can still have a good amount of fat and calories. Then there is the debate over dairy, non-dairy and soy. It was becoming too much work to find ice cream that worked for me.

I was home one Saturday afternoon watching Food Network looking for some new healthy recipes and Claire Robinson from 5-Ingredient Fix solved my ice cream dilemma. This ice cream comes out smooth, creamy and custard like, just like I like it. The best part is that you get all of this with just one ingredient…BANANAS!

Before I give you the recipe let me give you a little information on bananas. Bananas, natures wonder food, is low in calories and fat yet high in fiber and vitamins. Here are some of the highlights – Bananas are high in iron good for anemia, potassium essential for lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke; vitamin B6 for your blood; tryptophan a mood stabilizer (makes you happy); is a natural antacid; and has a low glycemic index slowly releasing the carbs into the body. What other ice cream can do all of this for you.

As promised, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe bananas

Optional ingredients: (will explain further)

¼ cup milk

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 to 2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Cut the bananas into approximately ½ -inch pieces and freeze at least 1-2 hours. Put the frozen bananas in a food processor (I use my Ninja blender) and puree, scraping down the sides periodically, until smooth. That’s it! For the optional ingredients, I sometimes use a little milk to help the bananas along. This is not a necessity this recipe works fine without it. You can also add peanut butter for an extra protein boost and honey for sweetness and flavor. I have also added frozen mangos, simply delicious. Play with this recipe, let me know what you come up with.