Zucchini is coming out of my ears!!!

My garden hasn't been as productive as I'd hoped this summer.  Beetles have infested my tomatoes, and since the thought of using pesticide makes me as sick as the thought of my heirloom tomatoes rotting on the vine, I'm having to pick them when they are still green leaving them small and not nearly as flavorful as previous years.  But, the green beans, lettuces and herbs have been great!  And I'm having the best year of Zucchini yet.  I've made zucchini boats, grilled zucchini ribbons, I added them to omelettes, pastas and soups and even grated zucchini into Liam's gluten free pancakes.  I also used my favorite pickle recipe to make zucchini pickles.  Here are a few new-to-me recipes that have come out really well.  I've modified them all to be gluten free, however I must admit that I have indulged in a little dairy, but these recipes are totally worth the splurge.

Zucchini Pizza Crust (Makes 1 large thick crust or 2 medium thin crust)
8 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup flour (sub gluten free all purpose flour)
2 tsp garlic salt
3 tsp dried oregano
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 550F with a pizza stone pre-baking in it.
2. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with 1 teaspoon sea salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the squash by wrapping it up in a clean tea towel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing it out, discarding the water.
3. Once all of the excess moisture has been wrung out and discarded, place the shredded zucchini back into the bowl and add the cheddar cheese, flour, garlic, oregano, basil, eggs, and salt.
4. With your hands, incorporate all of the ingredients together.
5. Place the zucchini mixture onto a piece of parchment paper at least 15” in diameter, set on something solid that will make it easy to transfer into the oven.
6. Using your fingers, spread the zucchini crust mixture to form a circle about 14” in diameter, 1/2" thick. Pinch the edges up so that it forms a nice crust.
7. Once the pizza crust has been shaped, transfer the crust on the parchment paper onto the heated pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 8 minutes or until the crust starts to brown.
8. Once the zucchini crust has baked for 8 minutes, transfer the pizza on the parchment paper out of the oven, onto the solid surface you used before.
9. Top the pizza with sauce and any additional toppings that you'd like.
10. Once the toppings are on, transfer the pizza on the parchment paper back onto the heated pizza stone in the oven and bake for an additional 4 minutes.

No Pasta Zucchini Lasagna (Makes a 9x13in glass pan)

1 large zucchini

1 16oz can or homemade tomato sauce

1 16oz can alfredo sauce

2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil

1 Tblsp dried oregano

8 oz whole milk mozzarella thinly sliced

8 oz grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast

1 16oz pkg frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

1 lb chopped mushrooms (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease glass pan.

2. Slice zucchini into very thin slices.  Sprinkle slices lightly with salt, set aside in a colander to drain for 10-15 minutes

3. To assemble the lasagna, spread 1/2 of the tomato sauce on the bottom of pan.  Then layer 1/2 of the zucchini strips, 1/2 of the spinach, all of the mushrooms, 1/2 of the alfredo sauce, 1/2 of the basil and oregano and 1/2 of the mozzarella.  Repeat.  Top with Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

4. Cover pan with aluminum foil, bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned.

5.  Let stand 5-10 minutes then serve.

Eliminating Chronic Respiratory and Allergy Symptoms Naturally

More than once last week I ran into a mom with a little one battling chronic allergies, respiratory issues  and/or ear infections.  I've shared my story about curing my kids and husband of their allergies and respiratory issues with countless people over the years, so I decided to share it with you guys.

When my husband (Trey) and I were married, Brennan (our oldest) was 6 years old and had been battling seasonal allergies for years and had tubes put in his ears as a toddler due to chronic ear infections.  My husband still recalls that as being the worst experience of his life.   Trey also struggled through Louisiana springs and they would both would take a Claritin tablet every morning for about 9 months out of the year.  At the time, I had no experience with allergies myself and assumed it was something they just had to live with.  After all, it's the south... pollen happens.

When Liam, our youngest was about 4 months old, the ear infections started.  He was a breast fed baby, he wasn't in daycare, we didn't have indoor pets and we used "natural" baby products whenever we could afford to, so I couldn't understand why he was so miserable.  We spent months on and off antibiotics and bouncing between the pediatrician, ENT and allergy specialist only to be diagnosed with the "possibility" of every respiratory issue or infection I'd ever heard of including RSV.  Never a definitive diagnosis but let's put him on yet another round of antibiotics, an oral steroid, an anti-viral and breathing treatments anyway. And let's throw in some nasal sprays, ear drops and eye drops too, just for fun....

Nothing worked.  We might get a few days of relief only to start the whole process over.  At this point I was at my whits end, everyone was miserable and I was desperate to find an alternative. Even if you believe that modern medicine is the only way to health if you're sleep deprived, your baby is miserable and the previous three rounds of prescription drugs have offered no relief, you're suddenly open to suggestions.  Here are the four things that worked for us.

1. Probiotics- Instead of heading to the pharmacy for the umpteenth time I stopped into the local health food store with hopes of finding some miracle root, tonic or serum.  To my surprise, the clerk recommended I start him on a probiotic.  I had heard of probiotics, but thought they were just for tummy issues. Now I know that at least 75% of our immune system and it's functions happen in our tummies, so a healthy tummy is essential to a healthy immune system.  The probiotics had almost an immediate effect on Liam.  The diaper rash went away and the constant flow of greenish, yellow goop coming from his nose started to run a little clearer.  I will mention that the first few days his diaper had mucus in it, I know that sounds icky, but I was happy to see it coming out, no matter where it came from.  Best of all, he was feeling better. ***Read on to find out why I don't recommend using yogurt as a probiotic suppliment***

2. Chiropractic Care- This one has proven to be a bit controversial.  I remember a conversation with Trey early in our relationship about chiropractors. I had seen the relief it had given my mother after a car accident 20 years ago and the relief it gave me after some sport related injuries in high school, but he seemed to think a chiropractor was some sort of witch doctor with an office full of medieval torture devices.  He later changed his tune when he had some back issues that his GP could do nothing for but prescribe glorified ibuprofen to temporarily mask the pain. I will admit that taking my baby to be adjusted was a little nerve wracking even for me and I was unclear on how it could help Liam's respiratory issues.  But it all made sense when our chiropractor explained how the spinal column housed the start of every nerve effecting every bodily function, not just the joints and muscles.  After his first adjustment, he slept.  He slept like a lumber jack.  He slept better than he had in months.  Although there was still a lot of slime coming out of his little nose, his chest sounded clearer and he was happier.  We continued visiting the chiropractor 2-3 times a week for the next few weeks until his issues were totally gone.  We still visit periodically for maintenance.

3. House Cleaning- This happened gradually so I didn't immediately see the benefits of eliminating toxins from my home, but over time effects were obvious and totally worth it.  Who knew that bleach, ammonia, formaldehyde and other chemicals in everyday cleaning products could worsen, and even create allergy like symptoms??? Now I know all about it...scary stuff.  It took about a year to completely eliminate the toxins.  I started by making all of my surface cleaners, detergents and soaps, then eventually started making shampoo and other body products.  Now I just order all of my products from Melaleuca.com.  If your interested in making your own, check out a few of my earlier posts for homemade recipes.
Homemade Cosmetics   Homemade Cleaning Products
What I noticed after a few months was that Trey and Brennan had completely stopped taking the Claritin.  And to think we blamed the poor old pine trees for their misery, when all along it was in big part to our cleaning products.

4. Eliminate Dairy & Wheat- When Liam was ill as a baby, he didn't have dairy in his diet.  In fact, he was too young for any solid food.  Unfortunately, I ate dairy and wheat while nursing him, but didn't make the connection until a year later.  When he was diagnosed with autism at age 2, we eliminated dairy and gluten from our diets.  We went cold turkey for 3 months, then slowly added it back in to diets in moderation.  What I noticed was that my daughter's chronic sniffle had gone away, then came back with the reintroduction of dairy.  I also noticed excess mucus production in my own system when I consumed dairy and my lack of energy when I consumed wheat.  To this day we do our best to avoid dairy and gluten.

It's been over 4 years since we've sat on the side of the bathtub rocking Liam at midnight filling the bathroom with steam, praying for an hour of relief.  4 years since nurses took my little baby boy and wedged him into a plastic vice to take chest xrays while he screamed, and I cried.  4 years since antibiotics, steroids or the dreaded nasal sprays.  And 3 years since monthly trips to the pharmacy for Claritin.  Now I'm not bashing the medical community, if fact, we love our current pediatrician, although we rarely see him.  However, never did a medical professional recommend anything that would actually boost my kids' immune systems or to avoid things that could suppress it.

There are plenty of studies that argue both sides of each of these things, and I have researched them tirelessly.  What I've learned over the past 5 years of researching and implementing healthy practices in my home is that most research is biased, but you can't argue with personal experience.  And this works for us!  Bonus: it's not medications, so there are no side effects, only health benefits.

Links:
http://www.jigsawhealth.com/resources/probiotics-and-the-gut
http://afcchiropractic.com/allergies-chiropractic-care/
http://www.healthychild.com/chiropractic-for-chronic-ear-infections/
https://suite.io/jane-larkin/3fck25v

Shopping Gluten Free

I got really excited when a personal training client of 2 years told me that she was finally ready to take the next step and clean up her eating habits.  She's decided to try a gluten free diet. She has not been "diagnosed" gluten intolerant, but with her weakness for easy to grab packaged snacks, eliminating gluten will (hopefully) eliminate most of those triggers as well as introduce her to new ways of shopping, preparing and eating food. Although, weight loss is her primary goal, she's in desperate need of an energy boost too, so gluten free it is!

In talking with her during our training session, though, I realized she had some misconceptions about a gluten free lifestyle.  Since I have now been (mostly) gluten free for almost 2 years, I feel confident that I can offer her and you guys a little advice based on personal experience, as well as research and experience as a health professional.

She, like most, associated GF with other "diets", such as the Atkins Diet, or Ideal Protein (which is just a repackaged version of Atkins) which eliminates all carbs.  Going gluten free means eliminating wheat, wheat cousins like barley and rye and most oats, not ALL carbs.  Rice, potatoes, corn and grasses do not contain gluten.  Great news for us southern girls, who wouldn't survive without some gumbo or red beans over rice every now and then.

What the heck is gluten anyway? http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/what-is-gluten Check out this article, cause I couldn't have said it better myself.

Another misconception was that she would have to shop at only specialty health food stores for gluten free groceries.  It's getting easier and more affordable to find GF foods in your regular grocery. However the point is not to substitute all the junk food, but to get rid of it.  Gluten free brownies, cookies and cakes are great for birthday parties, but they are still brownies, cookies and cakes, full of sugar and fat. Aim for naturally gluten free foods like veggies, Lots of Veggies!, fruit, rice, beans to make up the majority of your diet.  Then substitute as needed, there are a few staples even I can't go without.

I will admit that the first few trips to the grocery store will take at least twice the time of your normal grocery isle dash, you will have the urge to search every isle for gluten free items, and check every label of your typical purchases, praying that you don't see the word "flour" anywhere in the 85 ingredients listed on the back of the box.  And when you find an item that is "Gluten Free", you will put it in your buggy, regardless of what it is, if you've ever eaten it before, if your kids will eat it or if you can even pronounce it.  You will also notice that your final checkout total is higher than normal because you have purchased all 47 GF items in the store in an attempt to "replace" the 2 loaves of bread, 1 box of cereal, 2 bags of potato chips and 1 box of cookies that are typically first on the conveyor belt.  And I know all of this from experience.  Umm, except for the cookies and chips part, of course ;)
The good news is after a few trips like that, you wise up and just avoid most of the packaged stuff and basically all of the center isles in your grocery store.  Which IS THE POINT!  All nutrition "lifestyles", vegan, paleo, clean eating, organic, GF, casein/dairy free. etc. have two things in common, eating mostly plant based foods and cutting out the processed, artificially flavored, red dye number 5, petroleum byproduct, test tube, hormone injected, toxic space food!

Nowadays, a typical grocery trip for me goes something like this... Starting in the produce section, I fill the buggy about 1/2 full of fruits, veggies & hummus. Then I bypass the bakery. I used to actually put my hands around my eyes like blinders as I went through, but now I just walk, VERY briskly with my eyes on the deli section.  A quick stop at the deli for Liam's GF Ole Farmers ham, then a sharp left into the chip isle for a few bags of Mission Tortilla chips.  An immediate U-turn takes me to the hormone free chicken breasts and ground turkey, shrimp, fish and Liam's GF Jenny-O hot dogs.  A little further down I dip into another isle to grab a few bags of whole grain rice, quinoa and dried beans, make a loop to the next isle for vinegar, olive oil and organic canned tomatoes and black beans.  Another loop gets me to the Heartland GF Rice pasta.  The rest of the isles get ignored as I head to the dairy section.  Sometimes, I peak into the cooler for vegetarian meals and grab veggie burger patties, and Van's GF waffles (This busy mom needs a few convenience foods too). In the final stretch of dairy products I grab 3 1/2 gallons of Silk almond milk, 2 original and 1 dark chocolate, and a few packs of Go Veggie! Cheese.  In and out in 20 minutes or less, with a buggy full of groceries that didn't cost me a fortune.

Which leads me to the final stigma that goes along with any healthy lifestyle choice.  *Whiny voice*, "But eating healthy is soooooo expensive".  UGGGHHH! If I had a nickle for every time I heard that..... Sure, if your trying to "replace" you're normal boxed and bagged snack foods with the GF, or organic, or dairy free version you can expect to see a higher grocery bill.  BUT, as you eliminate those boxed and bagged items, you will see your bill start to decrease.  Why???? Because, per pound, fruits, veggies, beans and rice are the least expensive things in any grocery store.  The meat, dairy & packaged goods are what drives the cost (and the scale) up.

After just a few days of eliminating gluten, thus eliminating the majority or processed, packaged foods, my client reports more energy that she's had in 15 years.  And for the first time, we are looking forward to the next weigh in.  Gluten free may or may not be right for you, but I would encourage everyone to go a few weeks without it and see how you feel, it may be just what you need.  And don't worry, after you get used to this new way of eating, you can treat yourself every now and then with that hot piece of french bread with your gumbo or a slice of little Suzie's birthday cake.  It's not about punishing yourself, but giving your body what it needs for a healthy, happy, productive lifestyle.

Because I live in a relatively small town in South Louisiana, gluten free convenience food options are limited. Larger cities will most likely have a much better selection in major chain grocery stores as well as more specialty stores.  Here's a list of some GF foods available at our local grocery.  Some of these I've also highlighted above.

Fruits, veggies, rice, beans, seeds and nuts are all naturally gluten free, so eat up!
Bob's Red Mills GF Flour, Oatmeal & mixes (Walmart & Berry Town produce carry it, but I often find them at Big Lots, of all places, for less. Some of their products are not GF so read the package carefully)
King Arthur GF Baking Flour
Bisquick GF Pancake & Waffle mix
Van's Toaster Waffles
Kellogs GF Rice Crispy Cereal & Chex Cereal
Glutino Breakfast Bars, Pretzels, Crackers, etc.
Heartland GF Pasta (There are other brands but this is by far our favorite, it's most like typical pasta.  My kids like it better than the whole grain we used to buy, before I knew better)
Annie's GF Macaroni & Cheese
Rudi's GF Sandwich Bread & Tortilla Wraps (A little hard to find, but the country white will fool most people, it's much more like typical sandwich bread than other brands.  Try Berry Town Produce & Whole Health Market in Ponchatoula)
Ole Farmers Deli Ham (Only at Walmart at the Deli Counter)
Jenny O Deli Turkey (at the Deli Counter) & Hot Dogs 
Mission Tortilla Chips (most tortilla chips are GF, but watch for the flavored versions, the seasoning usually is flour based) 

Keep these stocked...

 

Use these sparingly...

 
 
Here's a link back to earlier posts when I first began my GF diet. And a few recipes.  http://fitfunctionalmom.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=3

Mardi Gras Madness

It's carnival time here in Louisiana. Mardi Gras Balls, parades and parties are in full swing.  With all the celebration comes king cakes, gumbo, jambalaya, poboys and more soul foods that us southerners are known for.  Unfortunately, us southerners are also known for our expanding waist lines.  Yep, I said it, we're getting bigger and less active here in the Gulf region.
Don't get me wrong, you won't see me pass up a slice of Randazzo's cream cheese filled king cake or some grilled oysters with a lemon butter sauce.  However, there are lots of ways to celebrate without having to invest in a new, larger spring wardrobe.  Here's a few...

Commit to your exercise- My group fitness classes get a big pop with New Year's resolutions, but the biggest increase in gym participants and personal training comes soon after Fat Tuesday when all of a sudden we realize that we've eaten our way through half of New Orleans and warm weather is only weeks away.  Start now and/or be diligent through the season.  A bonus of exercising through the holiday is having more energy to score the big beads :)

Run with the party crowd- The race season starts now.  5K, 10K and 1 mile fun runs can be found locally just about every weekend.  These can be really fun for the whole family or make a day of it with friends.  Especially, this time of year, races include live bands and fun post-race activities.  If you've never participated in one of these races, have no fear...you can do it!  It is perfectly acceptable to walk, jog, run or any combination to reach the finish line.  A lot of "racers" are there for the sheer fun of it, they deck out in great costumes, decorate jogging strollers and more.  So grab some friends, throw the kids in a wagon and go for a brisk walk with a thousand of your neighbors.  Check out http://runningintheusa.com/race/List.aspx?State=LA for local races and registration info or visit your local sporting goods store.

Prepare for hungry masses- Whether your hosting festivities or just taking the family to a local parade, prepare good munchies and pack lots of water.  You don't have to deprive yourself of all treats but starting with healthy snacks will keep you and the kiddos from ravaging something on a stick.

Yeah, yeah, you know all this stuff already...The real reason for this post is my health"ier" King Cake recipe, which I have coined my "Queen Cake" recipe.  It's a bit labor intensive since it's made totally from scratch, but totally worth it.

For the Dough
1/2 cup almond milk (you can use cow's milk if you must, but try the almond, it's sweeter and healthier)
2 T. butter (ahhhhh! butter! Relax, it's very little, but you could sub olive oil or applesauce)
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup pure cane or raw sugar
1 egg or 2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. finely ground sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 3/4 cups whole wheat or gluten free flour

1. Scald milk. Remove from heat and add butter (or oil).  Allow to cool to room temperature
2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1/2 tsp sugar.  Set aside until creamy
3. Once yeast is bubbly, add cooled milk mixture.  Whisk in eggs.
4. Stir in remaining sugar, salt and nutmeg.  Beat flour in 1 cup at a time.
5. When dough becomes stiff, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic.
6. Lightly oil a large bowl.  Place dough in bowl, roll to lightly oil all sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and let    rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

In the meantime....
For the Filling
1/2 cup pure cane or raw sugar
1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds *optional*
1/4 cup whole wheat or gluten free flour
1/4 cup currants, raisins or dried cranberries
1/4 cup applesauce
1 plastic baby or token

1. Combine all dry ingredients.  Pour applesauce over mixture and stir till combined.

Once the dough has risen...
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly oil a large cookie sheet
3.Turn out dough on wax paper.  Roll into a large rectangle approx. 1/4 inch thick.
4. Spread filling evenly along one long edge then use the wax paper to roll dough like a jelly roll.  Bring the ends together to form an oval.
5. Place ring on oiled cookie sheet.  Make slits 1/3 of the way through the dough every inch.
6. Let ring rise 30 minutes
7. Bake for 25 minutes.

For the Icing
This ones up to you.  I like to drizzle the top of the cake with 1/4 cup local honey then sprinkle with dried fruits like golden raisins and cranberries then decorate with beads and other festive, non-edibles.  You could sprinkle with colored sugar or make a powdered sugar icing.

*Don't forget the baby!  Push the baby or token in from the bottom of the cake while it's still warm.

TIPS-
*Feel free to double, triple or quadruple this recipe to make multiple cakes at a time.  You could even freeze the uncooked cake for a later date...just be sure to defrost completely before baking.

*Even if you're not following a gluten free diet, a rice flour or almond flour will be closer in texture to a typical King Cake, as the whole wheat flour is denser and has a darker color.

*The texture of this cake is more like a scone than a doghnut or cinnamon roll, but still supper yummy!

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!

GFCF Diet

With the holidays behind us and our lives slowly returning to "normal", I decided to start my family on a gluten free, dairy free diet to see if it would help Liam's development.  Despite a little protesting and drama from my big kids (husband included), I dove right in.  We are only on day 5, so in no way am I claiming to be an expert on this, but I wanted to share the experience while it's fresh.

The first 3 days I spent my waking hours researching recipes and ingredients, hunting through every grocery store in town and giving my KitchenAid mixer the workout of a lifetime.  I think I have literally purchased anything and everything labeled "gluten free" available in this area, except the stuff with dairy in it.  The funny thing is, my cabinets have never been so full of junk!  GF chocolate chip cookies, brownies, breakfast bars, chocolate almond milk, corn chips, etc.
Typically, our diet consists of lots of fruits & veggies, whole grains, low fat dairy and lean proteins.  Very little processed food or sweets.  I guess this was my way of proving to my family that this "diet" was not going to be the ricecake fest they feared.
The biggest hurdle was finding a substitute for sliced bread, as sandwiches are a lunch staple.  But I was lucky  to find a really easy sandwich bread recipe that I can substitute ingredients for regular sliced bread, herb bread or sweet breads.  Of course there were ingredients in the original recipe that the local groceries don't carry, but I made it work, and got a thumbs up from the fam. They are still bummed about the lack of cheese, but I'm working on that.

Breakfast and Dinner are actually going pretty smooth.  Typical breakfast foods for us are eggs, grits, smoothies, granola and sometimes turkey bacon.  So, other than making egg sandwiches on corn tortillas instead of wheat bread, not much has changed.  I did find a really good peanut butter breakfast bar recipe that the kids like.  Dinner isn't to bad either as I found a rice pasta and rice and potatoes are on the OK list.

Dining out is a beast of it's own.  We rarely eat out, but of course, we were invited out to dinner New Year's Eve.  We stuck to steaks, rice, sushi and veggies but 3 of us had tummy aches the next day, just sayin'.  We also had a birthday party and we brought our own bread and brownies, which went over really well and the kids didn't fight me for the cute owl cupcakes made for the birthday boy.

So far, so good.  Liam seems to be a little calmer, although, it maybe because we are all settling down after the holiday madness.  The true test will be the reports from his teacher when he goes back to school.  And other than the day-after-eating-out tummy issues, everyone else seems to be fine.  I know this will take time to see if it makes much difference in our lives and I am not expecting a miracle, but I am glad that we are all becoming more aware of what we are putting into our bodies and making a concerted effort to feel and understand the effects that our food has on lives.

I will post the recipes for the bread and breakfast bars in the next post.