Gluten-Free QUICK Oats!!

Posted on 06/13/2011 by Christy

About a year ago, I was on the prowl for some gluten-free oats, but I could only find the “Old Fashioned” variety, even online. It was brought to my attention the other day (thanks, Pam) that Bob’s Red Mill brand does now carry certified gluten-free QUICK oats! Yay!

They’re available online, but if you live in Omaha, I did find some at the Baker’s on 132nd & Maple Streets (in the “health food” section) yesterday – WAY cheaper than paying shipping for an online order! I also found them at Whole Foods – regular price $6.99, but on sale now through June 28, 2011 for $5.98! I haven’t tried them yet, but will let you all know how it goes…

I’ll also let you know if I find them anywhere else in Omaha! If you know of another retailer that carries the QUICK variety, please leave a comment below. Thanks!

How to Make ADDITIVE-FREE Grilled Chicken w/ Pasta

Posted on 06/12/2011 by Christy

This dinner is simple, tasty and won’t break the budget! See below for recipe and grocery selection tips….

Grilled, boneless/skinless chicken thighs – Sprinkle both sides of meat with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Throw on the grill! Sometimes we add onion powder, too!

Don’t use those pre-made grilling seasonings from the store – most are full of additives and mystery ingredients! Stick to whole, real herbs and spices. But still ….check the labels for surprise ingredients – for instance, “garlic salt” often contains much more than just garlic and salt!

For more great recipes and all of the grocery shopping tips you need to ensure that you select the most additive-free versions of all ingredients needed to make this recipe (and all of my recipes), check out my book “Eating Additive-Free“!

Make sure the chicken you buy is free of any additives, solutions or broth! If there’s no ingredients label on the package…be sure to ASK the butcher….assume nothing!

Garlic butter noodles – Cook whole wheat angel hair pasta according to package directions (the only ingredient listed should be “whole wheat”). For every 8 ounces of noodles, you’ll need 1/2 stick butter and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. While noodles are draining in a strainer, melt butter in the pan and then stir in the garlic powder. Return noodles to the pan and toss to coat. Add sea salt and pepper, to taste. Yum! 8 ounces of pasta yields about 4 servings (as long as they’re not as huge as MY “serving” shown here). 🙂

Check the ingredients on your butter!! At most, the ingredients should read, “cream (or “cultured cream”) and salt.” Many varieties add “natural flavor,” especially if the butter is unsalted, so beware. And, please tell me you’re not eating margarine!!! That’s a whole other blog post in itself!

Freshly sliced cucumber (or veggies of your choice). Actually, I’d recommend something more colorful like carrots, tomatoes or bell peppers to make the plate more interesting, but all I had on hand were cucumbers!

Give it a try and comment below to let me know how you like it!

It’s Everywhere!! The Many Hidden Names for MSG!

Posted on 06/08/2011 by Christy

So…you’re not eating MSG anymore because you’ve heard all about its health effects, right?!

Unfortunately, many products that say “MSG-Free” on the front of the package actually still contain hidden sources of this toxin. And it’s perfectly legal according to current labeling laws!

Outraged?! You should be!

It’s difficult to list all of the possible names that can disguise MSG because the food industry always seems to stay one step ahead of us consumers when creating new ways to “describe” their ingredients. For starters, though, click here for an overview of many of the names which disguise MSG on food labels.

Commonly reported physical effects of MSG ingestion are also included in the above link. I’m sure most of you will see a few ailments on that list that “hit close to home.”

This is just one example of the crap that we’re better off avoiding in our food as much as possible. Reading food labels can be really tricky, so it’s best to just:

1) Avoid foods with lengthy ingredients lists.

2) Don’t assume that a food has no ingredients list. For example, you may think that “sour cream,” “ground beef,” and “garlic salt” are pretty self-explanatory. But you’d be surprised at what you’ll find lurking on the back of the package of certain brands (I’ll blog about those later)!

3) If a food contains even ONE ingredient that you don’t understand, then leave it on the grocery shelf!

For many of us, it doesn’t take much of a toxin to have a devastating health effect, so don’t fool yourself into thinking that a little bit doesn’t matter! And, unless you enjoy spending hours at the store and online researching chemical ingredients, just stick with basic additive-free foods! If you’re not sure where to start with making such dietary changes, I’ve worked hard to create a book just for you! My “Eating Additive-Free” Natural Cookbook & Grocery Guide contains 160 delicious and simple natural recipes as well as ALL of the grocery shopping guidance you need to make every one of my recipes! Click here for more details, pictures, complete Table of Contents and ordering instructions. It’s available as an e-book (instant download)!