8 Reasons to Try a Pressure Cooker by Natural News

I got into pressure cooking for macrobiotics, I had never used a pressure cooker before that. Well suffice to say, I LOVE my pressure cooker.....things cook in a jiffy, and all the nutrients are preserved inside. If you eat meats they cook quickly and they are SO tender! Vegan? try beans in a pressure cooker they cook so fast! If you eat grains they cook incredibly fast as well. The two things I wouldn't cook in a pressure cooker are veggies and soups, they come out to mushy and overdone....check out the following article from Natural News. Oh yes it's good for canning as well and can be used as a regular pot when it comes with a regular pot top.

http://www.naturalnews.com/032163_pressure_cooker_kitchen.html

Teens Easter Basket Ideas (no candy needed)

This is a cute idea for those of you that know you or your child/children have food allergies/intolerances. Candy doesn't have to be the main attraction in the Easter basket.. Also remember that an Easter basket can be a very romantic gift for a loved one as well. A coupon for special time with you is also a great idea for children or adults.

Click on the link at the end of this post for more info. Need more candy-free ideas? Search on Google for "other ideas besides candy for Easter baskets".

If you choose to give candy there are many allergen free brands, and vegan chocolate as well. (Divvies and Surf Sweets to name a few) Try not to do artificial colors and try to cut back or get treats with natural sugars and less sugars, most candies my family enjoys for Easter I make myself by melting GFCF (Gluten Free/Casein-Dairy Free) chocolate and adding other ingredients like nuts or mini marshmallows(you can make these as well corn free) or nut butters or dried or fresh fruits. Raw food truffles are also a great low sugar/real fruit treat. Go for raw food treat recipes that use dates and other fruits for sugar instead of refined sugars.

See my recipe blogs for ideas
http://www.lupushopecookbook.blogspot.com/
http://www.myfamilysfavoritegfcfrecipes.blogspot.com/

***Again the warning: only have sweets/sugars if your body tolerates them and also do not overdo, refined sugar is one of the worst things for you and your immune system

Ideas for a candy free Easter basket
http://parentingteens.about.com/od/holidaysspecialoccasions/qt/easterbasket.htm

Please Sign Jamie Oliver's Petition

http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/sign-petition

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is Back - in L.A., California

http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution

New Findings through My Research

Some interesting findings through my research....I will talk about them all soon...investigate them early yourself if you want to...

I need to finish my nutrition course...the deadline is coming and I  have to bury my head in my college work and finish up the last details. I wanted to let you all know some of what's coming next on my blog.

Astragulus

Medicinal mushrooms AHCC Complexes

Cordyceps

Telomeres and TA 65

Raw foods desserts

Grain free

More on "Your Health" show

Doctor directory

Craving sweets is OK sometimes (5 tastes)

It is possible to make a GFCFEF "Funny Bone" is this using my cooking "powers" for  good or evil???

Stress and relationships and health- stress questionaire

Lifestyle choices besides diet that greatly affect your health or lack thereof

Cytomegalo virus and other viruses and double stranded  DNA connection

Are YOU ready to change your diet? My questionaire and inventory (a repost)

Astaxanthin

Natural chelators (to remove heavy metals)

Another person that had Lupus went Gluten Free and felt better....

Ok I realize it's time to give this a rest now and on to other health issues! But had to sneak in one more....are you seeing a pattern here...checking for Celiac Disease is a great idea if you have Lupus or any other autoimmune disease. But EVEN if the test comes back negative, they say you don't have Celiac Disease remember that up to 7 of 10 cases can be false negatives so try a GF diet anyway and see if you feel better. Maybe an elimination diet too or an IgG test to see if you are allergic to anything else as well.  Remember there  are good and healthy GF foods and GF junk foods too. A GF nutritious whole foods diet can be extremely healthy, it's when you start replacing the cookies, breads, cakes, anf chips etc with GF unhealthy versions with high sugars, salt and empty starches that the GF diet turns unhealthy. I will talk about how to create a super healthy GF diet more soon!

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2007/10/02/can-gluten-be-t/ Person writing that GF diet helped Lupus symptoms

celiaccmecentral.com/pdf_redirect.php Celiac Disease booklet and information about false negative testing

Gluten Sensitivity Masquerading as Lupus- Rheumatology Article

Springtime and Curly Onion Grass

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1754806/

Book Review "The GF (Gluten Free) Kid..."

If you know me, you know I love reading, researching, learning and books and the library.

My daughter shares my food allergies/intolerances of gluten, dairy and eggs and lots more intolerances as well. My daughter and I were never tested for Celiac Disease before going gluten free. We have decided that we have such a strong reaction that we almost definitely are Celiacs and someday we will test for it to prove it (so far you need to go back to eating gluten to get a definitive doctor's test). Yes there are DNA tests but specialists argue that that proves you have the gene not the disease and supposedly you can have the gene without the manifestation of Celiac Disease, it seems there is a "catalyst" of some kind that spurs on the disease. I also heard of a new lab called Cyrex that has a new saliva test but I need to research that test and if you need to be eating gluten at the time of testing. http://www.cyrexlabs.com/

My point through all that is that it is hard to explain to her friends why she eats certain things and not others or why she can't have certain candies or a cupcake or ice cream at a party or share a friend's dinner and why she needs to bring her own food....

We found a great book at the library called "The GF(Gluten Free) Kid, A Celiac Disease Survival Guide" by Melissa London. It explains really well what it is like for a child that has Celiac Disease what is allowed and not allowed to eat. How the girl in the story was diagnosed, what she tells her friends and although she can't eat some things that there are still many delicious alternatives to favorite foods. In the back of the book there are many resources of books,websites, celiac organizations, where to get gluten free foods, etc.
I highly recommend this book. I found it at my local library.

http://www.amazon.com/GF-Kid-Celiac-Disease-Survival/dp/1890627690

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Diet Helps Child with ADHD

This is the story of one child but I could find tons more stories of a diet change, eliminating foods that a person is intolerant to, seeming to create "miracles " and changing people's life for the better.

http://crazysexylife.com/2010/how-a-gluten-dairy-free-diet-helped-my-son%e2%80%99s-adhd/

Lupus could be a Gluten Allergy???

http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/703/

Read this Post - Another Lupus patient helped by going Gluten Free Can She Help You TOO?

http://crazysexylife.com/2011/the-lupus-and-gluten-connection/

http://www.glutenfreeguidetohealth.com/

http://www.glutenfreeguidetohealth.com/?p=161

http://www.inspire4health.com/

Celiac Disease and Multiple Sclerosis Connection

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/738740

A New Favorite Salad "Dressing"

Garvie's Point NY

I make a large salad with a variety of greens/lettuces and other veggies and then I top with oil, vinegar and a heaping tablespoon each of hummus and guacamole and mix together well til salad is coated. This is not low calorie but it is delicious and creamy and full of healthy fats.

Another favorite is to top my salad with sardines or salmon and oil and vinegar (I use ume plum vinegar-in Asian aisle, or raw apple cider vinegar and olive oil or flax seed oil)

Eat lots of veggies for highly nutrient dense diet and to sweep out the colon and rid your body of toxins!

How this Blog Started...A Rewind for any New Folks Here

This will give you a look into what started me on my healing journey and made me question and rebel against the system and try to find a different way to heal....

Autism is reversible???? Heard it from Jenny McCarthy on Oprah!
http://lupushope.blogspot.com/2010/03/oprah-autism-jenny-mccarthyand-lupus.html

Pet food recalls and holistic raw dog food seminars and muscle testing for food intolerances!
http://lupushope.blogspot.com/2010/03/dog-food-recalls-dog-nutrition-seminars.html

What is Nutritional Kinesiology (muscle testing for food intolerances and could it REALLY work???
http://lupushope.blogspot.com/2010/03/nutritional-kinesiology-repost.html

"Lupus Recovery Diet" book matches my kinesiology results really closely!
http://lupushope.blogspot.com/2010/03/lupus-recovery-diet-and-kinesiology.html

Lupus Recovery Diet and MS Recovery Diet are much the same!
http://lupushope.blogspot.com/2010/03/lupus-recovery-diet-is-same-as-ms.html

The Books, written by Medical and Holistic doctors and other expert,s that I read to find most of the information that I tell you about on this blog
http://lupushope.blogspot.com/2009/03/books-to-read-on-healing.html

And I find more and more everyday in my research that I will continue to post on my blog that supports the theories and  protocols that changed my life and my health.

The World's Healthiest Foods

The World's Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan

Available at the Website below, at Amazon and probably at your local library to look at before you buy

Unsure if veggies should be eaten cooked or raw and why? Want to know all the nutrition facts on the top healthy  foods? What are the most nutrient dense foods? Click below...

http://www.whfoods.com/ Website

Please Don't Drink Soda and Definitely NOT for Kids!

Real Spring Water

Make your own soda, Perrier and fresh fruit juice, or try GUS soda (it's a little better...but only a little... don't overdo either!) once  in a while if you want something different to drink . Any carbonated drink will rob your bones of calcium...

http://www.drinkgus.com/

What happens to your body when you drink a soda...sounds more like drugs....

http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

"Cereal Killers", a Really Educational Book on Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance

Go to Amazon.com (click on link below) to look inside. I found this at my local library!
http://www.amazon.com/Cereal-Killers-Celiac-Disease-Gluten-Free/dp/1449918204

Doctor Oz News- Gluten Free Naturally with Mark Hyman

More gluten free info and recipes easy and delicious and most importantly... healthy!!!!

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/gluten-free-diet-plan?sp_rid=MTQzMzE3MTc1S0&sp_mid=979868

No Deprivation here - Part Deux (2)

Wanted to add a little disclaimer- I am just saying it is POSSIBLE to make all these foods gluten free, dairy free, and egg free, not that anyone should overdo it on these. Still be aware of portion size and make sure that you are eating greens, veggies and homemade fresh veggie juice as a large part of your diet! Then have a treat now and then if your body tolerates it.

I showed my last post to my husband and he said what about the "real foods" that you make that are delicious and gluten free, dairy free and egg free post some of those too. Well here are some of the favorites lately.

My lunch the other day was a large salad with mixed organic baby greens, romaine lettuce, celery, cucumber, carrots, shallot, ume plum vinegar, flax oil, homemade southwestern hummus, and leftover salmon... delicious and healthy!

I try to have a large salad each day and some cooked greens also (kale or collards etc.)

Here are some other family faves.

Layered mexican lasagna- Brown Rice Tortillas sauteed in a little olive oil til crisp with refried beans, onions, jalapenos, salsa,  layered (we sometimes use chicken/turkey or beef leave out if vegan) baked in the oven then topping of guacamole, dairy free sour cream, lettuce,  tomatoes, cilantro on top when out of oven. Tasted like we were at a fancy Mexican restaurant.

Bean enchiladas- brown rice tortillas soaked quickly in warm water and rolled with beans and mexican sauce, cover with mexican sauce and some grated non dairy cheese (we used Daiya cheddar last time)

Lasagna with raw cheeze Gluten Free Tinkyada lasagna noodles layered with sauce, your favorite raw food cheese recipe or other nondairy cheese add peppers, onions,sausage or chopped meat(leave out if vegan) favorite veggies can be added as well like zucchini, spinach, etc

Southwestern hummus - found a recipe on the internet and modified it as usual will try to post soon. Had chipotle in it!

Chinese egg rolls- A recipe modified from Martha Stewart's website. Used a brown rice tortilla sauteed in oil for the wrapper. Tastes almost like a real egg roll. The wrapper gets very crisp.

Pakoras- Indian "fritters" garbanzo batter with potato, spinach and onions sauteed in oil

Minestrone soup- Tons of veggies and beans and veggie broth and tomato sauce and spices

Turkey burgers wrapped like a package in brown rice tortillas with jalapeno peach jelly- we use Amy's jelly

Guacamole - avocado "salsa"

Lidia's (Italy) potato salad- German type potato salad with sauteed pancetta (leave out if vegan or substitute vegan bacon bits)

Baked ziti- almost same as lasagna see as above

I have some of these recipes on my recipe blogs but I will try to post the rest.

http://www.lupushopecookbook.blogspot.com/

http://www.myfamilysfavoritegfcfrecipes.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

No Deprivation here!

My GF Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Ganache Layer Cake (with Rice Whip- my daughter's idea)

Wanted to add a little disclaimer- I am just saying it is POSSIBLE to make all these foods gluten free, dairy free, and egg free, not that anyone should overdo it on these. Still be aware of portion size and make sure that you are eating greens, veggies and homemade fresh veggie juice as a large part of your diet! Then have a treat now and then if your body tolerates it.

As I was making hazelnut milk this morning for my "Hazelnut Praline Chocolates". I made the hazelnut praline/brittle the other day....I realized again that I am deprived of very little these days. (this recipe was born of my daughter seeing this type of candy in a Godiva chocolate shop -at the chocolate shop all the chocolate had milk in it) You may think I would feel deprived on my gluten free, dairy free, egg free diet (as well as some other foods free as well) but I don't feel deprived..... almost NEVER!

I also was making raw ranch dressing this am, yummy! (My kids used to love ranch dressing before they were dairy free)

And I made vanilla cupcakes with lemon glaze and chocolate ganache the other day...(my daughter and my husband and I had been hankering for a good vanilla cupcake)

The week before that I made a raspberry and chocolate ganache layer cake. (We had seen a chocolate raspberry torte at Costco)

On St. Patty's Day I made a gluten free, vegan Irish Soda Bread . (my daughter said there was Irish Soda Bread at school and she didn't get to try a piece.... being that I like this too I set out to make it and was very happy with the results)

One of my favorite things to say to my kids or husband or even myself if we see a delicious food or treat in the store is " I believe I have the technology" to make the treat or food GF and Dairy Free and Egg Free and EVEN healthier (I have the technology line is from the old 6 Million Dollar Man show- if you all remember) My family may have to wait til I get the chance to make it, but they are usually very happy with the results when I finally do make it!

There is very little that I cannot make a good to great rendition of at this point. I satisfy almost all my food cravings (one I still crave that I can't make gluten free dairy free egg free is a sfogliatelle if anyone ever gets a GF Vegan recipe for that one let me know---I actually tried to make them once with a gluten full recipe I found the recipe in one of Martha Stewart's cookbooks years back and although they tasted good, they were pretty horrible looking) One thing that is harder for me is not to eat all these goodies with them all around. My family shouldn't be deprived because of me though....but I still choose to eat more nutrient dense foods as much as possible because I have Lupus, they do not. Sometimes I am better than others about fighting temptation...but if it gets too crazy I just make things for them that I don't care for or I skip a week of making goodies and make "real foods" only.

My point here is not that everyone should eat tons of goodies, or make tons of goodies, just that if you have a craving it IS possible to recreate these things in a gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and many times slightly to much healthier way than what you would buy at a store/ restaurant/bakery.

Also I am not Martha, I do NOT cook all day long everyday, I go through spurts of wanting to cook, or craving something that forces me to cook, and sometimes not wanting to cook AT ALL! When I don't want to cook I grab an apple or a carrot and munch...sometimes I don't even feel like chopping veggies for a salad. Either I eat the veggies whole or I throw them in the food processor and have a chopped salad. Many times the dressing is just olive oil or flax oil and lemon or ume plum vinegar or raw apple cider vinegar.

Foods are sometimes grabbed and eaten and sometimes slaved over for hours to get the perfect taste.

Have a great weekend !