Being G-Free

I will caution you that this post is the result of a Dr. Oz show I saw last week.  So, for those of you that think Dr. Oz is full of shit, you do not have to read on.  

I’ve admitted before that I am a closet Dr. Oz fan.  I know he’s an alarmist but sometimes his show provides some useful information. It is not rare that when I do watch his show I project his diagnoses onto myself and automatically think something is seriously wrong with me.  It’s usually my fiancé who talks me off the ledge, but last week’s episode did not ignite the hypochondriac in me.  Rather, it opened up my eyes to the fact that I can potentially live my life migraine-free, bloat-free and without the major stomach issues I’ve been having over the past couple of years. 

I have been a migraine sufferer since I was 16.  On top of that, I have spent the last 2 years suffering from stomach issues, extreme bloating and lately, fatigue. I had done some reading on these symptoms as they have gotten pretty bad over the last month or so.  I’ve pretty much had a headache for a month straight, am extremely tired and have been walking around super bloated and with terrible stomach upset. All my readings suggested that I should probably give up gluten but I was in denial until I saw the same list of symptoms on Dr. Oz.  The solution: eat G-free.

So many people walk around feeling like complete crap as a result of consuming gluten.  Why? Gluten as well as many other grains are super hard to digest and are quite hard on our stomachs.

The thought of giving up grains altogether pains me.  There is nothing like a fresh croissant on a Sunday morning with a cup of delicious bold coffee and a crossword puzzle. Friday night won’t be the same without ooey-gooey pizza to accompany the movie I’ve been waiting to watch all week.  The Montreal-style bagels that I grew up eating will surely be missed.  But, I want to feel better and if that means giving up gluten, I will try it.

Goodbye breads, pasta and couscous…Hello G-free alternatives.  Ugh. Woe is me. 

I’ll let you know how the journey goes and I'll be posting some recipes for gluten free alternatives soon.  Next up…kale lasagna (because I ain’t giving up cheese!).

Sleepy Time Foods

*Yawn*

Every sentence I have spoken today has been interrupted by a yawn.  In fact, the word yawn makes me yawn and I am yawning right now as I type this.  I have not had a good night's sleep in weeks and am starting to think I'm becoming an insomniac.

I'm not sure if it's the weather change or the bright street lamp that shines through the tiny crack in my bedroom blinds like a laser beam pointing right at my sleeping face.  Either way, I just can't seem to get a restful sleep.

I have tried everything.  Sleepy Time Tea, forcing myself to get into bed earlier and I've even given up coffee and all other caffeinated beverages. Nothing is working.

Today I decided to consult the internet for solutions to my sleepless nights.  I found this link that highlights 10 foods to help with sleep.

Seeing as bananas, almonds and oatmeal are among the list of sleep aids, I figured I'd share a great recipe for healthy banana oatmeal almond muffins. They are great for breakfast and now I would recommend eating them as a bedtime snack. I have aptly renamed the recipe:

Sleepy Time Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe mashed bananas
• 1/3 cup of almond butter
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups of oat flour (put 1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats in the food processor)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all wet ingredients in a bowl (bananas, almond butter, egg, vanilla).  In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.  Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.  Pour into muffin tins lined with muffin cups and place in the oven for 18-20 minutes.  Let cool (but only a little because apparently warm foods and beverage help you sleep!) ENJOY!

Super Grain: Quinoa for Every Meal (3 Awesome Recipes)

It's been a while since I've shared a recipe...or anything healthy for that matter.  I have been feeling invigorated and inspired since my bout with the two-week-plague and have resumed my healthy lifestyle. I feel back in shape and after several weeks of not grocery shopping, I am now stocked up with all the essentials.  Oh, and I got my taste buds back! Phew.

I usually plan a week's worth of dinners before I go grocery shopping, and on this week's menu, a very delicious quinoa dinner.

For those of you who are like "quin-what?"- quinoa is an ancient grain from South America and contains essential amino acids making it a great source of protein (shout out to vegetarians). It's also a great source of fiber (I am a big fan of fiber), iron AND it's gluten-free (shout out to Celiacs). Quinoa has a light and fluffy texture similar to couscous and can be used as a substitute for risotto, in salads and even as a breakfast food.

I found an AMAZING breakfast quinoa recipe on ridiculouslyhealthy.com (a great website for healthy recipes!):

Quick & Easy Chocolate Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of quinoa
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• sweetener (or sugar) to taste

Directions:
Combine quinoa, water, cocoa and vanilla in a saucepan with a lid.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or as long as it takes for the quinoa to absorb all the liquid.  Turn off heat, fluff with a fork and place quinoa in a bowl.  Top with sweetener (or cinnamon) and enjoy!

This recipe is a great way to get that "hit" of chocolate in the morning and it's super healthy! (calories: 180, dietary fiber: 4.2g, protein: 6.7g).

Not only is quinoa an awesome substitute for oatmeal in the morning, it also makes a great lunch.  You can pretty much sub out lettuce for quinoa in any of your favourite salad recipes, but here's one I really enjoy:

Village Greek Quinoa Salad

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup diced green onions
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup diced red onion (optional: I leave this out because I don't really like raw onions.  Your co-workers might not like them either if you are bringing this salad to work for lunch)
• 2 ounces of light feta cheese

 Salad Dressing:

• 1/4 lemon juice
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Directions:
Combine quinoa and broth in a saucepan, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large salad bowl to let cool. Once quinoa is cool, stir in veggies and cheese.  Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the quinoa mixture. Enjoy!

And for tonight's dinner:

Mexican Inspired Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup cooked diced chicken
• 3 tbs of salsa

Directions:
Combine quinoa and broth in a saucepan, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a for. Add veggies, beans and chicken.  Stir and top with cilantro.  You can also sprinkle goat cheese on top if you'd like (I usually do). Enjoy!

This dinner is packed with protein and is the perfect post-workout meal.

I can't wait for dinner tonight!

Super Fruit

As the weather starts to warm up, I start to crave refreshing treats. Ice cream, gelato and Popsicles are usually a must.   Since I have adopted a new healthier way of being, I have traded in my after dinner ice cream treat for a much healthier alternative: grapefruit.

It's tart, tangy, sour and sweet and has certainly been satisfying my after meal need for a sugary treat.  Grapefruit is jam-packed with health benefits and actually helps to curve hunger.  It's the perfect end to any meal or a great accompaniment to a balanced breakfast.

I am slightly ashamed to admit that I watch a lot of Dr. Oz.  He is an alarmist and scares the crap out of me by making claims that pretty much everything causes cancer. But, his show is like a train wreck- I just can't seem to look away or change the channel.  Like myself, Dr. Oz is a big fan of grapefruit.  Last week, he named grapefruit a superfood.  This prompted me to do some reading and here is what I found out:

Grapefruit is high in dietary fibre, vitamin C and potassium. It contains lucopene which is said to have anti-tumor activity and helps to fight oxygen free radicals, making this super fruit a great source of antioxidants. Grapefruit helps in lowering cholesterol, lowering the risk of kidney stones and helps protect against colon cancer.  And...it 's low in calories. 

I'm no expert, but the benefits of eating grapefruit seem to outweigh my alternative dessert choices.

I also read that grapefruit can interact negatively with certain medications, so ask your doctor if you are taking any prescription meds.

Not only is grapefruit a perfect dessert alternative, it is also a great addition to any summer salad. Try this refreshing salad recipe on a warm summer's day:

Grapefruit, Orange & Avocado Salad
serves 4

Ingredients:

• romaine lettuce
• 1 large grapefruit peeled & sliced
• 1 large orange peeled & sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• feta cheese

Directions:
Place lettuce on four salad plates.  Arrange slices of fruit in alternating layers on top of the lettuce. Squeeze grapefruit and orange juice over top.  Top with some crumbled feta cheese and zest from both citrus fruits.