Wednesday, July 31, 2013

August Tip of the Month

Watermelon is a heavyweight in the nutrition department.
A standard serving (about 2 cups) has one-third of a day's
vitamins A and C, a nice shot of potassium, and a healthy
dose of lycopene for only 85 fat-free, salt-free calories. And
when they're in season, watermelons are often locally grown,
which means they may have a smaller carbon footprint than some
other fruits.
-Nutrition Action Healthletter

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

September GIG Meeting

Please save the date for our next support meeting
Saturday, September 21st, 2013, 10am-12pm
Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital
2211 NE 139th St.
Vancouver, WA 98686
6th Floor Classroom
A great line up of guest speakers:
Charles Luce from Luce's GF Artisan Bread
Chef Kimi Reid with Real Recipe Plans
We hope to see you there!

Monday, July 29, 2013

September GIG Guest Speaker

Chef Kimi Reid blends years of culinary training and experience with a passion for nutritional awareness.  Before arriving in Portland, Chef Kimi spent many years cooking everywhere from fly–fishing lodges in Chile, private yachts in Italy, cafes in Australia, and Michelin five–star restaurants worldwide. Here in Portland, she offers nutritionally–customized personal chef services, menu consulting, as well as providing “naturally gluten-free” weekly recipe plans atwww.realrecipeplans.com.  She is gluten–free herself and loves working closely with medical professionals to ensure that her clients are eating well, and/or learning to cook for themselves. Chef Kimi is very excited to be sharing the fun secrets of a gluten–free way to the GIG group!  
She will be joining Charles Luce, GF Artisan Bread and Joyce Glaser, Shelf Reliance (Emergency Preparedness), at our next support meeting.
Please come join us on Saturday, September 21st, 2013
Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital
6th Floor Classroom, 10am-12pm
See you there!



Friday, July 26, 2013

A Critical Need

We are still hoping that some people will come forward
soon to help volunteer and take over the Gluten Intolerance
Group of Southwest Washington for 2014.
It is really important to make sure that this group carries on for the
health, welfare and education of all those people that have been and
will someday be diagnosed. Don't lose sight of the help that was given
to you when you needed it, please consider the comfort and satisfaction
of paying it forward. Kristi Curtis is waiting to hear from you soon:
justus323@yahoo.com or 360-518-0464 / 360-695-0862
Thank you for your support!


Keep Your Cool

50% is how much less weight your joints carry when
you walk waist-deep in water instead of on land- a
cool alternative when it's hot out.
55,000 is the number of people treated in emergency
rooms for heatstroke and other heat-related injuries
from 1997-2006. Certain heart and other medications
can raise the risk for some people, so play it safe and
work out in the air-conditioning or when it's cool outside-
and drink plenty of water.
25 degrees is how much cooler it can be on a shaded trail
than on unshaded asphalt. Find a trail through the woods
for your walks this summer. Studies show being in nature
will boost your mood, too.
260 calories in 1/2 cup of Haagen-Dazs dark chocolate
ice cream.
80 minutes it will take to walk off that ice cream at a brisk,
3.5 miles per hour.
-Arthritis Magazine, July/August 2013

Monday, July 22, 2013

September GIG Meeting

Please save the date for our next support meeting
Saturday, September 21st, 2013, 10am-12pm
Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital
2211 NE 139th St.
Vancouver, WA 98686
6th Floor Classroom
A great line up of guest speakers:
Charles Luce from Luce's GF Artisan Bread
Chef Kimi Reid with Real Recipe Plans
We hope to see you there!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Ice Cream Recipe

Soft Serve Ice Cream (Dairy Free)
We love this quick treat on a hot day. Loaded with healthy fats, nutrients
and enzymes. Servings: 2 (Or in my house, 4)


  • 2 frozen, sliced bananas
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 1 tablespoon organic cocoa powder or dark chocolate ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Friday, July 19, 2013

    Luce's Gluten-Free Artisan Bread

    Charles Luce learned to bake when he was four, but never took his knowledge seriously until celiac disease struck him in 2002.
    Within days of going on a gluten-free diet he realized that if he was going to enjoy this new life, he'd have to make his own baked goods - such was the state of commercial GF products.

    Calling on his long-dormant skills - as well as new ones gained by a lifetime in the visual arts - he set out to make excellent gluten-free food. Soon he came to the last frontier: bread. Every commercial version was inferior, and the recipes in cookbooks weren't much better. Adding to the frustration was the fact that American wheat breads had improved so much in the previous decade.
    What Charles wanted was simple: excellent, rustic bread with no additives or enrichments. Of course, making it was not so simple. It took 7 years of experimenting, but finally he got there with a bread he came to call Classic Sourdough. Expanding on the basics of this formula he soon had many flavors.
    Still, he wasn't satisfied. Small, local bakeries make great products, but shipping a bread degrades it. Even though his breads did not go stale for 5 days or more, they couldn't be perfect if they lingered in a truck, a freezer, or on a store shelf. Charles felt that great bread is everyone's birthright. So he took what he'd learned several steps further and devised ways of simulating artisan bakeshop oven techniques in a simple paper bag.
    In May of 2010, Charles met TJ Fontenette and his wife Vanette. After tasting Charles' bread, TJ convinced him it should become available to everyone. Together they formed GF Creations LLC to produce Luce's Gluten-Free Artisan Bread.
    In the months following, Charles worked out the formulas that made the breads "no-rise," or instant. It was time to bring them out.
    Today, Luce's complete artisan bread mixes have put Great Bread in Everyone's home. With simple kitchen tools and the smallest, clunkiest oven, anyone can have great gluten-free bread.
    Luce's Gluten-Free Artisan Bread mixes were launched to the public on October 13, 2012 at the GlutenFreeLivingNow Expo in Carmel, Indiana.
    To contact Charles Luce, click HERE.
    To go to Charles Luce's blog, click HERE

    Thursday, July 18, 2013

    Real Recipe Plans

    Just wanted to say a huge thanks for sharing Real Recipe Plans' statuses on your Facebook page. 

    We wanted to properly introduce ourselves and share our latest Facebook promotional with you so that it's clear for your gluten free audience. 

    All of our meals at Real Recipe Plans are gluten, soy and dairy free.  We offer a subscription service for only $10 a month through which the subscribers receive five gluten-free meal plans delivered right to their inbox.  These plans come complete with a shopping list and funny/quirky recipe tips.  It's very convenient and because it only uses whole foods, it makes eating gluten-free healthy, easy, convenient and simple.
    Right now we're running a Facebook campaign through which anyone who likes our Facebook page and messages us their email address gets a one month free trial of the recipe service.  We'd love to share this opportunity with your followers.  Feel free to let them know about the opportunity and tag our Facebook page so they know where to find us.
    Let me know if you have any questions.  I look forward to working together.

    Thanks.

    Jana Stambaugh

    Green Tea, Blueberry and Banana Smoothie

    Directions
    1. In small glass measuring cup or bowl, microwave water on high until steaming hot. Add tea bag and allow to brew 3 minutes. Remove tea bag. Stir honey into tea until it dissolves.
    2. In blender with ice crushing ability, combine berries, banana, and milk.
    3. Add tea to blender. Blend ingredients on ice crush or highest setting until smooth. (Some blenders may require additional water to process the mixture.)  
    4. Pour smoothie into tall glass and serve.   -Prevention Magazine

    We Need Your Help

    Please consider helping our local GIG chapter stay alive by volunteering your
    time and energy in 2014. We have 3 open positions that still need to be
    filled: Branch Manager, Event/Donations Coordinator and Treasurer.
    We have all worked very long and hard to establish this group in order
    to help educate and support people with gluten intolerance and Celiac
    disease. With your dedication and passion, we can carry on...
    If you are interested and want to help continue this important mission,
    please contact Kristi Curtis: 360-518-0464 / 360-695-0862 or
    justus323@yahoo.com. Thank you!

    Wednesday, July 17, 2013

    Frozen Almond Mousse

    Ingredients
    Instructions

    1.     Into a bowl, scoop out the coconut cream that rises to the top of the refrigerated can of coconut milk (save the leftover water for smoothies).
    2.     Add the almond butter and stevia and whisk to combine (I used the whisk attachment of my immersion blender
    3.     Pour the mixture evenly into two small bowls and freeze for 25-45 mins or until mostly frozen (or if you can't wait, eat as is :) )

    Notes
    Net Carb Count*: Frozen Almond Butter Mousse: 6.5 net carbs for one serving (makes about 2 servings) *Note carb counts are estimated based on the products I used. Check nutrition labels for accurate carb counts and gluten information.

    -Living Low Carb

    Tuesday, July 16, 2013

    Abby's Table

    Hope you are off to a great summer! I want to share some big, exciting changes that are happening for me and Abby's Table this fall. As you may know, my mission for Abby's Table is to inspire a healthy food culture in America by creating celebratory, social dining and education for all kinds of eaters! 

    Over the last 4 1/2 years I've gone through various transformations of the business. The "table dinner" experience is the most successful tool I've found to really reach an audience and inspire change. Recently, I've been presented with the exciting opportunity to work on a cookbook about making celebratory, social dining a reality for the home cook.  Starting this fall, I will be distilling Abby's Table into the concept of the "table dinner" which is an all-inclusive dinner party for eaters of all kinds.

    In order to do the research for the book and make Abby's Table more useful to home cooks everywhere, I am going mobile! I will continue our summer calendar and then will be moving out of our current kitchen on September 30th. The table dinners will thereafter be "pop up" style events for the cookbook, in which the host or diners will participate in the cooking with me, so that I can learn about how to make the table dinner concept possible and useful for non-professional cooks. This could be you!

    So much of my success is due to your incredible support, and I am so excited to take Abby's Table into the homes of people everywhere, beginning here in Portland this fall. I'd love to hear your thoughts, as I am going to be leaning into my community as I research and create an "everybody's at the table" kind of dinner party. If you'd be interested in getting involved as a host or guest or have relevant knowledge about this book project, I'd be so happy to hear from you! I hope to see you at the kitchen for a dinner sometime this summer (our regular schedule continues through September), and I look forward to staying connected thereafter.

     
    Thanks again for your support!  Chef Abby
    ______________________________________________________________________
    SUMMER DINNER CALENDAR
    Join us for our last 25 dinners in the kitchen!


     
    WEDNESDAY + THURSDAY DINNERS 

    Italian Inspired - July 17th and 18th, August 28th

    Indian Inspired - July 24th and 25th  
    Northwest Inspired - July 31st  and Aug. 1st
    NW Americana Inspired -  August 7th8th

    French Inspired - August 14th,  15th 
     
    Middle Eastern Inspired - September 5th and 6th

    Full September Menus to Be Posted August 1st.
      
    rawravioli
     
      FRIDAY NIGHTS 

    Italian - July 19th, Aug. 30th

    Indian Inspired  - July 26th

    Northwest Inspired  - August 2nd

    NW Americana - Aug. 9th

    French Inspired  - Aug. 16th

    zucchini soup
    SIGN UP FOR ALL DINNERS AND EVENTS ONLINE AT OUR CALENDAR PAGE

    Monday, July 15, 2013

    A New GF Restaurant

    Harlow, new 100% gluten-free restaurant opens on SE Hawthorne in Portland

    HARLOW RESTAURANT
    100% GLUTEN FREE
    SE PORTLAND OR


    There is a new 100% gluten-free restaurant in town: Harlow Restaurant on SE Portland. It is the brainchild of the owners of Prasad Cafe in the Pearl. The restaurant is already vegan/vegetarian friendly so there are options for those who are dairy and egg sensitive, too. 

    They are open Mon-Sat 8am to 9pm, Sun 8am - 3pm. They have a full menu, and a juice bar and smoothies. Next to the SE Hawthorne space that used to be the BridgePort Ale House.




    3632 SE Hawthorne Blvd

    Portland, OR 97214

    p: 971-255-0138
    A review on pdxeater.com: "Harlow breaks from the vegan mold (though remains vegetarian) mostly during breakfast, with a menu offering scrambles alongside rice or quinoa; huevos rancheros with housemade tortillas; and lemon poppy quinoa pancakes with a choice of vegan or dairy butter. (Also available for breakfast: granola, classic oatmeal, and maple-roasted veggies served with polenta and eggs.) Lunch expands Prasad's cafe menu of hot and raw soups, salads, and bowls (including the "Mighty Bowl," which is offered on a donation basis) with dishes like a vegan mac and cheese; dinner includes three raw dishes, including a raw veggie burger, and barbecue tempeh. In an attempt to make drinking a healthier pursuit, the bar will serve fresh juice-based cocktails, like the "Dorian's Tonic" (featuring gin, cucumber, apple, basil, and cilantro), as well as a bourbon-heavy spirits menu."

    What a very exciting addition to our Portland gluten-free nirvana!! 



    Saturday, July 13, 2013

    Healthy Salad Options

    Start with: 4 cups of your favorite mixed greens or lettuce
    and 2 cups of your favorite sliced veggies.
    Then: Add the ingredients from one of the following options.
    Chicken & berry salad
    Fresh raspberries, blueberries, seasoned, boneless chicken
    breast, cooked and sliced, lemon or lime wedges and top with
    your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.
    Salmon & asparagus salad
    Wild salmon, cooked, stalks of asparagus, steamed or roasted,
    chopped nuts (pecans or almonds), sliced cucumber and top with
    your favorite honey-mustard dressing.
    Fiesta salad
    Black beans, 1 large tomato, diced, 1 sliced avocado, chopped
    scallions, shredded low-fat cheese and top with your favorite
    ranch dressing.
    -Natural Choices Magazine, June 2013

    GIGSWWA

    Please consider helping our local GIG chapter stay alive by volunteering your
    time and energy in 2014. We have 3 open positions that still need to be
    filled: Branch Manager, Event/Donations Coordinator and Treasurer.
    We have all worked very long and hard to establish this group in order
    to help educate and support people with gluten intolerance and Celiac
    disease. With your dedication and passion, we can carry on...
    If you are interested and want to help continue this important mission,
    please contact Kristi Curtis: 360-518-0464 / 360-695-0862 or
    justus323@yahoo.com. Thank you!

    Thursday, July 11, 2013

    Make Varicose Veins Vanish

    A powerful healing secret to beautiful legs.
    There is probably not a more frustrating topic than unsightly varicose veins, especially this time a year when you often have no choice but to have your legs on display. It’s starting to become a major source of concern among so many of my female clients. Females are much more likely to develop these veins— about three times more likely, to be exact— since one of the biggest risk factors is pregnancy, along with getting older, lack of exercise, and getting heavier.
    Plus if your oral hygiene is less than optimal, you may also be at risk of developing varicose veins despite your gender. Researchers have discovered that nearly half of all varicose veins contain the exact same kind of bacteria that triggers periodontal disease. Those same bacteria settle on the valves that assist the blood that flows through your legs back up to your heart. When those valves are infected with the periodontal bacteria, they can quickly lose their seal-making ability across the vein. So, rather than flowing uphill, the blood starts to pool downhill.
    The result? Veins that are stretched out with damaged cellular walls. Could this also be the reason why so many of us are seeing so many spots and spider veins below the knee?
    Whatever the real cause, women are embarrassed and go to great lengths to conceal the blue bulging appearance of varicosities. While surgery is definitely an option for many, surgical procedures do not address the underlining reason that made the varicose veins develop in the first place. And even if the surgery was successful —as it sometimes is— it does not insure that new veins will not develop.
    The appearance and discomfort of varicose veins are simply an outward reflection of what is going on inside. You will be surprised, as I was, to discover another piece of the puzzle— overlooked and ignored research that may be a hugely important, forgotten key to healthy veins.
    Vitamin K-2
    Yes, it is the same vitamin complex that targets calcium absorption directly into the bone: K-2. This vitamin complex plays a crucial role in the biochemical process which produces a substance called MGP (matrix GLA protein) which prevents the calcification of arteries when fully activated. Concurrently, another compound called osteocalcin stimulates the calcification of bones.
    Without enough K2, calcium can easily exit the bones and clog up arteries.
    The same mechanism which causes the arteries to harden can also occur in the veins. When K2 is deficient, the veins get coated with the calcium which was meant to be deposited in the bones.
    So, it stands to reason that taking supplemental vitamin K-2 can help the varicose veins from developing and it will also help to protect the veins that are already there while starting the repair process. It is so much easier to prevent the calcification process in the first place, than undoing it later.
    When my clients ask me about a formula for varicose veins, I typically recommend Osteo-Key, the same formula that I developed for daily bone protection. It contains the research-based formulation of Vitamin K-2 (known as MK-7) providing the optimum dosage of 150 mcg daily. This formula also contains the most absorbable form of calcium (microcrystalline hydroxyapatite) to provide a daily 800 mg of elemental calcium with 400 mg magnesium, 150 mg silica, 3 mg boron, 40 mg manganese, and 20 mg zinc which constitute one powerhouse of synergistic bone building minerals.
    You don’t have to be embarrassed by veiny veins anymore. Attractive, healthier legs are just a click away.
    -Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

    Wednesday, July 10, 2013

    Did You Know?

    Greek-style yogurts are highly strained. Removing excess water
    creates a thick, creamy texture without upping fat content.
    Nutrients: Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Vitamins B2
    (riboflavin) and B12.

    Keeping eggs in the door of the refrigerator may not be the best
    practice, according to the US Food Safety and Inspection Service.
    They'll stay fresh longer if you place them in the coldest part of
    the fridge. Also follow these suggestions when purchasing eggs.
    Make sure they aren't cracked or dirty.
    Check expiration dates before buying.
    Choose eggs with USDA grade shield.
    Refrigerate eggs as soon as you get home.

    The sun's rays are strongest between 10am and 2pm. Here's a
    visual aid: If your shadow appears to be shorter than you are,
    seek shade.
    -Natural Choices Magazine, June 2013

    Thursday, July 4, 2013

    Surprising Foods That Fight Pain

    Achy Joints - Food Rx: Cherries, turmeric
    Here's sweet news: Preliminary research suggests that
    eating 20 tart cherries may be as effective as taking
    ibuprofen for reducing pain. In a more recent study, eating
    about 45 cherries a day reduced C-reactive protein, a major
    marker of inflammation associated with arthritis, by 25%.
    Likewise, the spice turmeric contains curcumin, a compound
    that in one study eased pain as well as ibuprofen did in people
    with knee osteoarthritis.
    Digestive Pain - Food Rx: Peppermint, coconut
    The menthol in fresh peppermint and peppermint tea acts as a
    carminative (a compound that relieves gas and bloating) and a
    muscle relaxer, which can help relieve the cramping and spasms
    associated with occasional intestinal distress and full-blown IBS.
    For diarrhea, Reardon suggests eating 1 to 3 teaspoons of
    shredded unsweetened coconut, which has anti-inflammatory
    and antimicrobial properties.
    Headaches - Food Rx: Coffee, pumpkin seeds
    Your pounding head is often a result of dilated, or enlarged, blood
    vessels in your brain. Caffeinated drinks such as coffee can help
    constrict blood vessels and ease the pain; they also make painkillers
    work better so you can reduce your dose. But if  you have the
    mother of all headaches- a migraine- you may be deficient in
    magnesium and could benefit from foods rich in in this nutrient, such
    as pumpkin seeds, says Reardon. Magnesium helps calm the
    overexcited nerves and tense muscles that contribute to migraine pain.
    -Prevention Magazine, July 2013

    Tuesday, July 2, 2013

    Please Help!

    Please help keep our local GIG chapter alive by volunteering your
    time and energy in 2014. We have 3 open positions that need to be
    filled: Branch Manager, Event/Donations Coordinator and Treasurer.
    We have all worked very long and hard to establish this group in order
    to help educate and support people with gluten intolerance and Celiac
    disease. With your dedication and passion, we can carry on...
    If you are interested and want to help continue this important mission,
    please contact Kristi Curtis: 360-518-0464 / 360-695-0862 or
    justus323@yahoo.com. Thank you!

    Tip of the Month

    All beans are good beans. They're rich in protein, fiber, magnesium,
    potassium, and zinc. But garbanzos stand out because they are so
    versatile. Just drain, rinse, and toss a handful on your green salad;
    include them in vegetable stews, curries, and soups; mix them with
    brown rice, quinoa, or other gluten free whole grains.
    -Center for Science in the Public Interest

    Monday, July 1, 2013

    The Kids Cooking Corner

    Hello!

    I want to  personally invite you to a fundraiser for one of our community partners!  The Kids Cooking Corner works with children to build self confidence and learn to cook. They facilitate cooking classes, birthday parties, summer camps, and learning experiences for special needs children.  If you haven’t checked them out before, I encourage you to HERE.  They are a great non profit organization, and this is their largest fundraiser for the year.  Come and join us for a harvest dinner, and experience the magic of the school and garden yourself!

    Heidi OConnor invited you to

    The Kids Cooking Corner 3rd Annual Fundraiser!

    Sun, Sep 29, 2013 at 5:00 PM
    Where:
    The Kids Cooking Corner
    5206 Northeast 78th Street
    Vancouver WA 98685