If you like to eat salad but don’t like the wilted leftovers, the canisters are perfect for sealing up the leftovers and keeping them fresh for tomorrow’s lunch. We buy chicken breasts in bulk and split them add marinade and vacuum seal in bags in 4 servings and throw them in the freezer. Since they are split they are thinner and thaw very quickly. Great for last minute dinner ideas.

My husband did a lot of research before selecting which vacuum sealer to buy. We bought the FoodSaver model below about 2 years ago and absolutely love it.

Now I understand that some people say that the amounts are so small that they aren’t harmful but I have to wonder that if such miniscule amounts of gluten, from the cross-contamination of bins in the bulk food section, can create such havoc on someone with celiac’s system couldn’t small amounts of these toxic  substances be affecting my body in some unknown way?  Given the rates of breast cancer and thyroid disorders I’m not willing to take the chance so I’ve been replacing all the products that go on my skin.  I prefer to save my indulgences on things I can taste so it’s been a pretty easy decision until I fell in love with the Mandarin Lime aromatherapy soap at my sister-in-law’s house.  To buy or not to buy?  I can’t decide…

If you are interested in learning more, below are articles discussing the dangers of these additives.

http://www.examiner.com/x-18171-Wichita-Natural-Beauty-Examiner~y2009m8d9-Natural-beauty-info-101-Why-are-parabens-in-our-beauty-products-bad

http://www.naturalnews.com/023138_propylene_glycol_food_health.html

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?91

About a year ago my friend Leslie of “Calm by Leslie” invited me to a Tupperware party.  I went for the social experience because I don’t use Tupperware – I use glass or vacuum seal for storage.  But I had to buy something.  So I picked out the FridgeSmart® containers.  They have two little buttons that open or close to control air flow.  I honesty just bought them because I thought they would keep my fridge better organized.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that my cilantro lasts forever – and my refrigerator is neat too!

Water Video

I absolutely love quinoa and am surprised how many people have never heard of it.  Here’s a short video I found that gives a fabulous overview and cooking instructions for quinoa.

Enjoy,

NJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2SgiI-9dFk&feature=related

My adorable step son Eli, who turns 10 this month, makes absolutely the best smoothies.  His twin sister Sabrina and my husband both make good smoothies but Eli’s are always so much better.  So, before he left to go back to Boston, to his mom’s house, we talked him into letting us make a video of him making a smoothie so we could see what he did.  It is really adorable and it shows you how easy it is to make a quick gluten and dairy free snack.

We’d really appreciate it if you would rate it and leave a comment.

Thanks,
NJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITMw2lnNhcM

It’s NJ from Hasty Chef, Inc and MealPlansWithout.com.  I drank too much green tea last night and couldn’t sleep so I was looking at some Youtube videos.  I came across one that I really wanted to pass on to you.  It is a cleverly done demo that really puts organic foods in perspective.

Enjoy!
NJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iznIMOIIumE

Home made gluten dairy free bread tastes so much better!  And it doesn’t have to be a lot of work.  I use my old (more than 10 years) bread machine to make loaves.  There are new fangled “gluten free” bread machines but my old Panasonic works fine.

Gluten Free bread doesn’t last very long though.  It is best to slice them immediately after cooling and freeze.

Adding Xantham gum helps gluten free flours to rise. You can find it in health food stores.  It seems pricey at about $10 but it will last a long time.  You’ll also need much more yeast than you use for gluten
breads.  I find that quick rise works best.

Here is a quick and easy bread recipe for a bread machine.

INGREDIENTS

.       1 egg
.       1/3 cup egg whites
.       1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
.       1/4 cup canola oil
.       1/4 cup honey
.       1 1/2 cups warm rice milk
.       1 teaspoon salt
.       1 tablespoon xanthan gum
.       1/2 cup tapioca flour
.       1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
.       1/4 cup millet flour
.       1 cup white rice flour
.       1 cup brown rice flour
.       1 tablespoon active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

.       Place liquid ingredients in first for better mixing.   Select cycle;
press Start. Five minutes into the cycle, check the consistency of the
dough. Add additional rice flour or liquid if necessary.
.       When bread is finished, remove immediately from the pan to keep the bread from getting soggy.

If you try it, let me know how it turns out for you.

Warm regards,
NJ

It was delicious and creamy.  Not overly sweet like many flavored yogurts. I liked both the blueberry and the mango.  I’m heading back to pick up some other flavors and will let you know which I like the best.  Maybe I’ll even share with my son Ryan, who is 20, and also dairy free.  But he better hurry up before I eat them all.

If you try them let me know what you think.

Warmest Regards,
NJ

We’ve created a free handy tool – our Gluten Dairy Free Product Directory with thousands of gluten/dairy free products.

Angela Pifer, MSN, Certified Nutritionist:

“This directory is a reliable resource that helps patients stop thinking about what they can’t eat and start thinking about what they can eat.  Once my patients realize there’s a whole world of foods available to them, they immediately relax about making the shift to gluten or dairy free. This directory is an invaluable tool that all health practitioners should utilize.”

To view the directory, visit www.mealplanswithout.com/glutendairyfree.html and click on “Download Now.”