Sugar Free, Dairy Free Iced Coffee

INGREDIENTS

4 cups strong brewed coffee

4 cups pure almond milk (You can make your own or purchase one that the only ingredients are almonds and water)

3 tbs. coconut palm sugar or honey (raw)  or pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Cool the coffee to room temperature.

Mix the almond milk with palm sugar, honey or maple syrup into a glass juice jug.

Pour in the coffee and stir.

Chill one to two hours in the fridge.

Serve with or without ice.  (I know it is iced coffee but I hate ice in my drinks, so I just drink it cold out of the fridge.)

This is one of my new sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, gmo free recipes.

Check out my new blog for more recipes and information.

http://www.ajsgoodhealth.wordpress.com

(A.J.’s Good Health)

I’m Back! (Sort of)

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Hi everyone

I know I haven’t been posting nearly enough and I do apologize.

Here’s the thing.

When I was first diagnosed, I was afraid to try anything too complex until I learned to cook and bake with gluten free ingredients.  So I started with things like corn bread and other breads.

Since then, I have learned that some of these ingredients are as harmful, or more harmful than gluten!

Corn, for instance.  Unless you buy non-GMO corn, you are ingesting an insecticide that is built into the corn itself! Thanks to Monsanto. Look at this article
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_26111.cfm

Soy is bad enough with the roundup built in but when it is processed, it becomes more toxic with the introduction of hexane.  Check out this link
http://www.naturalnews.com/027880_soy_products_milk.html

You can, however purchase safe soy, as explained in the above article.

Processed sugar is really bad for you.  I have now started using palm sugar.

Check this link http://www.puregoodness.net/health/146-reasons-why-sugar-is-ruining-your-health/

Splenda, equal, and all those other artificial sweeteners are bad too as you will see when you read this article
http://www.peertrainer.com/health/complete-guide-to-sweeteners.aspx

So, over the next few months, I will be revising many of my recipes.  I will be replacing the bad products with good and posting warnings with the recipes to encourage people to use organic non-GMO ingredients.

“Organic is expensive” you might say.  Poor health is more expensive.

This blog was designed to help those who need to be gluten free to have access to healthy, safe recipes (with a little junk food thrown in for fun) I want you all to look at the information I have given you, then do your own research and make a conscious effort to feed yourselves and your loved ones healthy (real) food.

Let’s not support Monsanto in their quest to thin out the population by poisoning us.

Please feel free to express your views on this subject too!  I welcome all comments.

With love,

Aunt Jayne

Planning for a Disaster

With all the bombings, threats, nuclear accidents, pandemic scares, crazy weather etc., I think it is wise to have a disaster plan in place.

You will need enough potable water (for drinking and making food) to last at least 72 hours, but you will also want enough water to flush the toilet, wash dishes, wash yourselves etc. (If you live near a lake or river, you might be able to get water there – but not in the case of flooding! When there is flooding, there is the chance of raw sewage going where it normally wouldn’t)

You will also need light. Candles are dangerous, especially around children or pets, so go with battery powered light.  You can buy flashlights that wind up to charge them and lanterns that run on battery power.  Be sure to have plenty of batteries on hand too.  Also, stock up on things like toilet tissue and feminine products.

You should also have a first aid kit on hand.  Plenty of  gauze pads, tape, bandages, cloth to make a sling, rubbing alcohol, a splint or two, Polysporin, an eye patch, scissors, baby aspirin (in case of chest pains), and pain relievers such as Tylenol.

If you have the space to keep one, a generator could keep your furnace running for warmth in winter months or your refrigerator in hot weather.Don’t forget to safely store some fuel for the generator.

Food is probably the most important thing you will need.

My friend Teri of Teri’s Gluten Free can help with this.

Simply go to
http://www.glutenfreeemergencykits.com/

Teri’s Gluten Free offers several emergency kits;

24 hour – for 6 people

72 hour – for 6 people

30 day – for 6 people  and

1 year – for 6 people.

The shelf life on these items is 10 years!

Each item is vacuum sealed and the kits don’t take up a lot of space.

What about taste you ask?  I was lucky enough to sample several items.  The soups are just like home-made.  I took the banana bread and one of the soups to the fire hall I work at and they loved them! There are even scrumptious desserts! Teri is gluten free herself, so you know that all of the foods in these kits is safe and delicious.  Aunt Jayne’s Favourite?  The Gluten Free South Western Soup.

Teri’s Gluten Free also has mixes you can purchase for everyday use.  They are wonderful!  This is a great way to see how good the emergency kit foods are.

You might also want to keep some canned meats on hand.  Although, if your freezer stops working you may have plenty of meat that will need to be cooked.

Now you might be asking yourself, how will I cook these things if there is no electricity?  Do you own a BBQ? Even if you don’t have a lot of space for a BBQ, you can get a propane camp stove.  Don’t forget to keep extra bottles of propane on hand too.  Never use your BBQ or camp stove indoors!! The carbon monoxide will kill you.

Last and least, you will want to have things to do as a family to help pass the long hours with no electricity.  I suggest playing cards, books and board games.  You can also make up your own games.  tossing balled up paper into a waste basket etc.

Let me know if you think of any other ideas and stay safe.

Love Aunt Jayne

Gluten Free PB&O Brownies

Gluten Free PB&O Brownies

My daughter made this recipe with real Oreos and they were such a hit, I decided to make a gluten free version.

These are best served warm

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. K-Toos

Approximately ½ cup peanut butter

1 recipe of brownies
http://wp.me/prAld-i3

 

DIRECTIONS

Make the brownie recipe in a large bowl and set aside.

Grease or line muffin tins.

Place a spoonful of brownie mixture in the bottom of each muffin tin.

Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on one side of each cookie and place in the muffin tin. (peanut butter side up)

Pour brownie mixture over top of each cookie to about ¾ full.

Bake at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the centre will come out clean) DO NOT OVER-COOK!

Letter To The Newly Diagnosed Celiac

Dear Newly Diagnosed Celiac;

I have had quite a few newly diagnosed Celiacs contact me lately with the same questions:   What am I going to eat?  Which company makes the best bread?  Which restaurants have gluten free food?  Where can I find a good gluten free (pizza, cake, pie…) I usually give the same basic answer.

First, remember that there are many foods that are naturally gluten free, such as fruits, veggies, meats (unless they are breaded) etc.  

There are some great gluten free products on the market but you need to ask yourself “Do I want all the additives and preservatives that go along with them?” I highly recommend that you make your own foods. Please don’t misunderstand me here. Almost all of the products in your grocery store (whether gluten free or not) have additives and preservatives, otherwise they would not have any kind of a shelf life. I am not telling anyone to avoid the gluten free products in the stores – just think about making healthier choices wherever possible.

If you can, set aside one day per week and make your own foods.   I make large batches of gluten free soups, stews, meats, sauces, etc. and freeze them in meal-sized containers.   It makes life simpler when you are working too.   You just come home from work, throw on some brown rice or Quinoa, cook some veggies, and heat up the frozen foods (thawed in the fridge all day). Dinner is done PDQ!

I have gotten away from eating much bread, but when I want some, I use my “Gluten Free In 5 Minutes Book” and make enough for the meal.

Living gluten free is actually quite easy once you figure out how to cook gluten free and get into a routine. I have always been a fan of routine for everything (A bit of OCD I think) Got questions?  Leave me a comment.

Take care of you,

Love Aunt Jayne XOXO

Planet Rice – My New Favourite Rice

I recently acquired several bags of Planet Rice lightly milled sprouted brown rice.

You might say that brown rice is brown rice. I beg to differ!

This rice cooks up light and fluffy every time.  I tried the traditional method of cooking in a saucepan on the stove top as well as in my trusty rice cooker and both methods were immensely successful.

Have you ever had a bag of brown rice with crunchy bits?  I have.

But Planet Rice lightly milled sprouted brown rice had nary a one!  I couldn’t believe it!

This rice works great in recipes too. (You can get recipes on their site)  I tried fried rice and rice pudding.  I tried it in casseroles too.  I also mixed it with wild rice and topped it with pepper sauce. (YUM!)  Next time I make cabbage rolls (soon) I will be using Planet Rice lightly milled sprouted brown rice.

I have been staying away from white rice because of all the media reports of high levels of arsenic and because I prefer the taste of brown rice.   But, as I said earlier – crunchy bits.  I am so happy that I have been introduced to Planet Rice!  I is my new favourite.

Visit Planet Rice today!

 

To Cleanse or Not to Cleanse

There was a fairly heated argument about cleansing on Facebook lately and I thought I would bring it to all of you, to see how you feel about it.

Here is what I think:

I believe that cleanses can be dangerous and unnecessary.

If we eat healthy gluten free/non-GMO foods and drink plenty of reverse osmosis water (Tap water contains contaminates and chlorine etc. and spring water is water from a dirty hole in the ground) our bodies will naturally flush the toxins out.

What do I mean by healthy foods?  I mean they are not processed and they don’t contain dyes, artificial flavours, additives, preservatives, anti-biotics, or growth hormones. (and of course no GMO)

The best way to find healthy choices, is to go organic (be sure it is certified organic) and make your own foods from scratch.

It is time consuming and expensive, but aren’t you and your family members worth it?