Gluten - Free, Low GI Chocolate, Walnut Banana Bread

I created this recipe for my hubby who loves banana bread. Of course I had to add the dark chocolate for myself (-: It is made with low glycemic flours that are also gluten-free. I will be including recipes like this in my free e-book that is coming out at the end of this month. Enjoy!

·        

          

Chocolate Chip, Walnut Banana Bread (gluten-free)

Ingredients

            3 large ripe bananas

·         2 eggs

·         1 cup agave syrup

·         ½ cup of no sugar added applesauce (this cuts down on the fat)

·         1/3 cup buttermilk

·         ½ cup of whole flaxseed

·         ¼ cup of soy flour

·         1 & ¼ cup quinoa flour

·         1 tablespoon cinnamon

·         ¼ cup of Bob’s Red Mill bean flour

·         1 & ½ tsp baking soda

·         1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

·         ½ cup of chopped dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl (I use my Kitchen Aid electric mixer) combine the agave syrup and the applesauce. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time. In another large bowl mash up the bananas and add the buttermilk. Add the banana mixture to the large mixing bowl with the agave syrup and applesauce and continue to mix.

In a third large bowl combine the quinoa flour, soy flour, bean flour, baking soda, flaxseed, chopped dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Fold the the flour mixture into the banana mixture until it’s combined well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x4 inch loaf pan with wax paper and pour the mixture over the wax paper into the pan. Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top and bake for 55-60 minutes. When it is done cooking you should be able to stick a skewer into it and it will come out clean. Let it stand in the pan for 5 minutes and then let it cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container at a cool temperature.

To Buy Organic or Not, That is the Question

I found this great article on www.healthnews.ediets.com. It is always good to know where we should spend our organic dollars. I think I will print this out and keep it in my purse for easy reference while shopping. 

Buy Organic or Bust
Attention health-conscious shoppers! According to the EWC (and eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein) the following fruits and veggies top the charts when it comes to residual pesticide. So put your hands where we can see them, slowly step away from the shelf and proceed with haste to the nearest organic aisle:

• Apples
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Celery
• Cherries
• Grapes (imported)
• Kale
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Strawberries

Pears and raspberries are also major culprits, according to Pam.
Why do these produce picks pack such a pesticide punch? It depends on the fruit or veggie in question. Peaches and nectarines, for example, tend to requite greater amounts of pesticide for conventional growth. Bell peppers, on the other hand, have super thin, permeable skins, which are no match for potentially harmful insecticides. And strawberries may be imported from a country with less stringent pesticide regulations.
“It may also pay to go organic when it comes to baby food, dairy, eggs, meat and poultry,” says Pam.
“Seafood is left out of this list as the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not set standards for organic seafood. Currently wild and farmed seafood can be labeled organic even if they contain contaminants (mercury and PCBs),” warns Pam.

Optionally Organic:
If you have a little leeway in your grocery budget, Pam recommends buying organic versions of the following fruits and veggies:

• Apricots
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Grapefruit
• Grapes (domestic)
• Green beans
• Honeydew melon
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Oranges
• Plums
• Sweet potatoes
• Tangerines
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Although they aren’t ranked as high as the dirty dozen, these popular produce picks still contain some residual chemicals. This means that a conventionally grown apricot is a better bet than a conventionally grown apple, but it, too, contains contaminants.
Can’t afford the entire list (and perhaps you don’t care for cabbage anyway!)? Go organic with just a few of your faves.
Going Organic Not Necessary
According to Pam, there is little need to go organic when it comes to the following fruits and veggies:

• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Kiwi
• Papaya
• Peas
• Pineapple

“These are the least commonly contaminated fruits and vegetables,” she says.
It’s also unnecessary to purchase organic foods that are packaged or highly processed, such as cereal, chips and pasta because they’re just as safe and sport the same nutrient values as their non-organic counterparts.
The Bottom Line
You should always wash produce before you eat it. However, this safety measure reduces but does not eliminate chemical residue on fruits and veggies. Small amounts of those pesky pesticides and other stubborn contaminants will always linger. Peeling is another option, but when you rid a fruit or vegetable of its skin, you’re eliminating many valuable nutrients, too.
The battle between organic and non-organic foods rages on, but in the end, the choice is a personal one, according to Pam.
“Since the market has skyrocketed with the availability of organic foods, be sure you are really getting what you are paying for. Whether you choose organic or the conventional method is a personal choice. There are advantages to both sides, but make sure your decision is an informed one. Know where the product comes from and pay attention to the product label – information is the key,” she says.

The Power of Kale

I have heard a lot of hype about how healthy kale is in the past couple months, but I wasn't sure what to do with it once I bought it, so I shied away from it. The other day I was enjoying lunch in a local neighborhood and my friend ordered a dish with fresh grilled salmon and kale. It was AMAZING! I was inspired to start using kale in my diet. The waitress told me that all they did was take fresh kale, chop it up very fine and toss it in fresh olive oil, pressed garlic, sea salt, pepper and pine nuts.

Kale belongs to the Brasicca family that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens and Brussels sprouts with several health benefits. Kale is packed with vitamins and minerals such as iron, manganese, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K and carotenoids. It has been touted for possibly helping to protect us from cancer, cataracts, emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis. Kale also has 7 times the beta-carotene of broccoli and 10 times more lutein, which helps with eye health.

I haven't perfected the restaurant dish yet, but have been putting fresh kale in my salads and it tastes great - a lot like broccoli. Below is great salad recipe if you are interested in venturing into the healthy land of kale. Cheers!

P.S. *Kale contains goitrogen which is naturally occurring and might interfere with thyroid function, if you have thyroid problems.

Ingredients: (feeds 4 people)

        Dressing

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Agave Syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
• 1/2 cup olive oil

 

• 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, torn into bite-sized pieces (can use spinach as well)
• 1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced
• 1 (6 ounce) container crumbled low fat feta cheese, or more to taste
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Directions

1. Whisk the vinegar, agave syrup, salt, pepper, and oregano in a bowl until the honey has dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil until evenly blended. Place the kale, Swiss chard, chicken, feta cheese, cherries, and walnuts into a bowl. Toss with the dressing to serve.

Get me some of that meditation stuff!

Now that I'm pregnant, i find meditation very useful.  I found a great site that offers some downloadable mp3's.  I'm definitely trying these.  They have free samples on their page.  Thought I'd share...click next to the pic below to check it out.

Click Here!

CNN Health touts Low Glycemic Diet

To see the full article from CNN Health Click Here
http://bit.ly/gXWHak

Ever heard of CLA???

News about CLA in regards to weight loss and thyroid issues http://fb.me/CM5dWzlU

Attention Parents: Watch this video with your kids

This is such a cute video.  I want to work with this little girl!  Get your kids to watch this with you but now you have to make sure you shop this way so your kids have the right foods. 

She is a smart girl!   Click this link to view http://bit.ly/cOoMkd

Genetically Modified Foods

Your health could be dependent on you learning about the topic of Genetically Modified Foods.  Here are a couple excerpts from Dr. Mercola's article:

"I strongly believe that one of the most obvious clues about the danger of GMO foods is that animals virtually never opt to eat a GM food if conventional food is available. Many times they will avoid GM food to the point of starvation – a clear indication that they have an intuitive sense of the danger inherent with this food.
Many people are unaware of the fact that no safety study has ever proved that GM foods are safe for consumption. Studies have, however, linked GM foods to:

• Cancer
• Food allergies
• Damage to your immune system
• Super-viruses

There are currently eight major GM food crops on the market, so memorizing this list will help you avoid any and all food products that might contain GMO’s:

1. Soy
2. Corn
3. Cottonseed (used in vegetable cooking oils)
4. Canola (canola oil)
5. Sugar from sugar beets
6. Hawaiian papaya
7. Some varieties of zucchini
8. Crookneck squash

You’ll also want to avoid any kind of derivative of these, such as high fructose corn syrup, for example.
Depending on where you live within the European Union, you may also have to contend with the recently approved AmFlora potato, designed by BASF, which contains a gene that produces an enzyme which can confer resistance to several antibiotics. The European Commission approved the commercial growing of the GM potato in early March of this year, despite widespread protests, and concerns raised by the EU’s pharmaceutical regulator.
Part of the potato is also allowed to be used in cattle feed, and the meat will not need to be labeled as GM.
Your best bet to avoid genetically modified foods is to take advantage of local sources of organic foods as often as you can. Remember, some 75 percent of processed foods contain GM ingredients, so you’ll want to avoid as many processed foods as possible."

For the entire article, click GM Foods article

Calcium....why is it so important?

Alot of people think that you can get Calcium from milk.  "Milk does a body good!" right?  Well, the truth is that today's milk is so pasturized that the body cannot assimilate the Calcium from the milk.

Does anyone wonder why America is the largest consumer of milk and dairy in the world and we have the highest incidence of osteoporosis in the world?  If milk is so good for us, why are humans the only mammals that still drink milk after they are babies? 

The truth is that milk and other dairy is acidic in our diet.  Acidity in our diet can lead to all sorts of health issues not to mention the obvious ones like acid reflux and ibs. 


 So if dairy and other acidic foods like junk foods, nuts, etc. are a part of your diet, you need to take a high quality Calcium product that will get your body back to a more alkaline state.  Acid can actually ruin your heart so the body will rob calcium from your bones just to keep you alive.

I have found a high quality calcium supplement that is affordable ($18.50 for 90 servings), is highly absorbable by the body (isotonic), has the proper minerals for absorption (vitamin d, magnesium) and is a thoughtful formulation that will get your body to an alkaline (healthy state).Click below for more info.  Hope this info is helpful

 

Awesome Calcium Formula

Great Brand with Different Flavors of Agave Nectar

Delicious Agave Nectar

I found a great brand of Agave Nectar at Wholefoods the other day. It is called Agasweet. The fun thing about this agave nectar is that is comes in many different flavors such as vanilla, almond and hazelnut! Below is a little article I found on it. 

Health experts and nutritionists agree - agave nectar is a great alternative to refined and artificial sweeteners. Made from 100% pure organic agave syrup, Agasweet flavored agave nectar offers a whole new world of healthy gourmet recipes to diabetics and folks concerned with their glucose intake. Flavored with organic essential oils and pure extracts, this natural sweetener is perfect for a huge variety of uses - for coffee, tea, and cold drinks, but also as pancake and waffle syrup, and as a delicious glaze for hams and roasts.

Agasweet is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar. Use less - save calories and carbs! The low glycemic index rating means that you won't feel a sugar rush from consuming agave syrup. It absorbs into the body at almost half the speed of honey! Due to its purity, agave syrup never crystallizes like honey, and no refrigeration is necessary.

Agasweet flavored agave nectar is carried by stores with strict quality standards, such as Whole Foods Market (Vanilla, Almond), Central Market Texas (most flavor varieties), and numerous health food stores across the country. However, for those of you without access to some of these outlets, or if you prefer the convenience of home delivery - this page will provide the necessary ordering information.