Saturday, February 28, 2009

Why Should We Eat Fiber (Benefits)

You can read the first article by clicking What Is Dietary Fiber.

This article will explain the many benefits to including fiber into your diet.

1.) Fiber prevents constipation by softening and increasing the weight and size of your stool. This makes it easier to pass without the constipation. It balances the stool if it is too loose or watery, because it also absorbs water and adds bulk. (1)

2.) High fiber diet lowers you risk of digestive conditions like hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of diverticular disease (small pouches in your colon). (1)

3.) Soluble fiber Lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotien or "bad" cholesterol levels. (1) Soluble fiber inhibits the absorption of cholesterol. (2) Soluble fiber can be found in beans, oats, flax seed and oat bran. (1)

4.) Fiber controls blood sugar levels. Particularly soluble fiber can slow the absorption of sugar, help improve sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (1)

5.) High fiber foods help weight loss, by requiring more chewing time and satisfying. By eating slowly, you give your body the time to register that it is no longer hungry. High fiber foods make a meal feel larger and will linger longer in your system so you will stay full longer. High Fiber foods are also less energy dense, meaning they have fewer calories for the same volume of food. (1) Fiber foods are low in fat as well. (2)

6.) Fiber may help prevent colon cancer and other cancer. Fiber foods contain photochemicals, known to reduce caner risks. Fiber can also help to detoxify cancer causing substances. (2)

7.) Fiber may help prevent heart disease. You can read more about that here

8.) Fiber foods contains lots of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. (2)

Fiber Tips

Another easy way to eat fiber is oats. Make sure that they are gluten free oats. Bob's Red Mill has them in regular and steel cut.

- Make some oatmeal in the morning. I like to use my "little dipper" crock pot for this sometimes. Experiment around by adding dried fruit, fresh apples, a banana, or berries. Sweeten if desired. If you don't like oatmeal, try cooking up another whole grain for breakfast.

- Add granola to yogurt. Here is a really easy skillet granola recipe I found recently.

- Kids favorite way to get their fiber would be to add oats to cookies.

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Sheri's Recipe for this Month

Since going gluten free, I have struggled with making a decent muffin. This one is good enough to say I have succeeded. Now I just need to work on success with a blueberry muffin.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 12 large
Preheat oven to 400ºF

Step 1
-1 1/4 cup rolled oats
-1/2 cup yogurt, plain low fat (I use Silk soy yogurt)
-1/2 cup milk, rice milk or soy milk

Step 2
-1 1/2 cup GF flour blend
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp nutmeg
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp xanthum gum

Step 3
-1 large egg, slightly beaten
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/3 cup oil
-2 bananas, ripe, mashed

Instructions
1. ) In a large bowl mix together rolled oats, yogurt and milk. Let soak for 10
minutes.

2.) Mix flour, salt, spices, baking powder baking soda and xanthum gum in a
bowl.

3.) Add egg, brown sugar, oil and mashed banana to rolled oats mixture. Mix
well.

4.) Add dry ingredients to the rolled oats mixture.
5.) Mix well. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20 - 30 minutes.

Notes: I used silicone muffin pan. I loved these muffins. Turned out soft. Only slightly doughy near the bananas. Next time I will try cutting up the bananas more before mashing.

To view the next article, follow this link How Much Fiber Do We Need

Friday, February 20, 2009

Easy Skillet Granola

I love Granola! But I have burned it in the oven more then once. =( So I don't make it anymore, well I won't in the oven. I am also avoiding making it, because of the price of gluten free oats is expensive. For those that are not gluten free, regular oats are contaminated, from what I read. I haven't noticed a reaction and so only eat them when friends are nice enough to make us something safe for us. I love my friends. :) I don't recommend this for others, because it is taking a chance. Back to granola, I buy the Gluten Free granola. It is expensive and very disappointing, because it is not the same from what I remember. :(

I found this recipe on a blog. It makes a lot. I just wanted a cup of granola to try it out and so I just eye balled the adjustments. It turned out great. I also cooked it without the honey on a higher heat for about 5 minutes and then added the honey at the end. So for me, that was almost instant. lol I love eating mine with yogurt, soy yogurt that is.

Easy Skillet Granola --to the table in less than 30 minutes
-1 cup oil
-1 cup honey
-12 cups of oats
-dash of cinnamon.
-3 cups dried fruit

Heat oil and honey together in skillet with oats -- stir in with dash of cinnamon, keep stirring at low-medium heat until well coated and lightly brown (15-20 min) Then add dried fruit. Serve with milk.

You can find this recipe along with some other breakfast recipes at http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/01/you-were-asking.html Not all are gluten free.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Under The Weather Menu

I am working off of last weeks menu this week. We didn't have money for groceries until Friday and we were dealing with some sickness last week. I decided to post my Under the Weather Menu.

Under The Weather Menu
This is a menu I think of when food allergies or a sick bug zaps my energy and I need to heal. These are all foods that are the safest for me. When you plan your own, think of what foods are the safest for you and the foods you long for when you have a cold or upset stomach.

-Day 1 = Chicken Veggie Soup
-Day 2 = Fish and Rice - I season mine with butter and herbs or a sauce, Raw Veggies
-Day 3 = Baked Chicken - I like to season mine with Taco Seasoning, Raw Veggies
-Day 4 = Hamburger (Turkey burger in our home) Gravy over Mashed Potatoes with mixed veggies.
-Day 5 = Stir Fry - or - For Summer time, I would of added in a couple of Salads like BQ Chicken Salad or Taco Salad.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Menu for Feb 9th - 15th

Last year I tried to put together menues for our family. We were transitioning to a cheaper budget and so it was a new learning experience for me. I understood living on a cheap budget with a regular diet, but not a gluten free/casien free/pork free.



This year I decided it was time to take those menues and make lists. My goal is to have seasonal rotating weekly menues. That is only 16 menues for the whole year. I also wanted to include breakfast, lunch and snacks as well. My goal is to attach the menues, grocery list, and include some room for those family cravings to add in easily. The idea is to give me room to have easy and quick meals just in case, not eat out (only special occasions), stay on budget, and also have a few days planned just in case we can't make it to the store until Wednesday. You know, plan for the unexpected. Also, the idea is to be flexible in the week for time allows and what ever happens.



For this weeks menu, I am not completely done and I haven't gone grocery shopping yet. (Luckily, I still have unmade meal plans from last week)



WINTER MENU - WEEK 1



Breakfast

-Hot Cereal

-Cold Cereal and Muffin

-Fried Egg Sandwich

-Oven Pancake

-Smoothies and boiled egg

-Eggs, bacon and toast

-Overnight French Toast and Potatoes



Lunch

-Turkey Cucumber Sandwich

-Mexican Dip and Corn Chips

-Tuna Melt and Soup

-Pizza Toast

-Chicken Salad

-Risotto

-Chili Burgers



Dinner

-Husband's Pick _________________

-Liz's Pick - Spring Rolls, Fried Rice and Chop Suey

-Vicky's Pick - Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, and Salad

-My Pick - Muffin Size Meatloaf (I have a new Pampered Chef Muffin Stoneware that needs some seasoning!)

-Fish Curry, Rice and Broccoli

-Split Pea and Ham Soup with Sandwiches

-Rotisserie Chicken, Baked Potato and Salad or Coleslaw

-Taco's and Refried Beans

-Pizza Rice Casserole and Salad

-Clean out the Refer and Freezer Soup



Snacks

Still working on that - not there yet.




Monday, February 2, 2009

Why I need to take my Vitamin B12 shots!

Sometimes I make myself so mad, because I will forget something important about my health and I will suffer for it. This time I decided that I was going to blog it and hopefully never forget it.



At different times, two different doctors have put me on Vitamin B12 shots. But I hate needles and avoid them. (Although, I prefer blood testing over a lot of other testing!) The truth is, the doctors are right, I do need the Vitamin B12. Once I start the injections, my symptoms improve and I feel tons better. After a while I think my body stocked up enough and I get this crazy idea that my body will replenish Vitamin B12 without the shots. Because I hate needles so much, I am willing to believe any wild story I tell myself.



Each time I started the Vitamin B12 shots, were because I felt tired, unmotivated, foggy brained, and yucky. This last time it started with my backache that didn't go away. I had it for 5 months. Off and on, I also was having other joint pain in my foot, ankle, and knee. Every x-ray that I have had showed arthritis. I was looking at what I was eating, checking my allergy drops, supplements and nothing was the problem. I was stumped. Each week I was losing more energy and my brain was clouding up. Soon I was in a fog. I prayed and must not have heard God's answer. Looking back, I can now see the many times He had revealed the answer to me. When I started the first shot, I immediately knew that was the answer. The next day, all of my pains went away, I had energy and my mind was clear again. :)

Now to learn to maintain it!!!

You can learn more about Celiac and Vitamin B12 visiting these links...


http://www.celiac.com/articles/807/1/Low-Serum-Vitamin-B12-is-Common-in-Celiac-Disease-and-is-not-due-to-Autoimmune-Gastritis/Page1.html


http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C640858.html


http://deliciouslivingmag.com/health/herbsupps/dl_article_1160/

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Menu for Feb 2nd - 8th

GF/CF and Pork free. Will mark with a * if there is traces of Casein in meal. We do fine with traces of CF or an occasional dairy treat once a week.

My goal this year is to cut way down on going out to eat. Every time we do go out to eat, I am asking why and what can I do to prepare us so we don't eat out. I noticed something this week. I was caught off guard and unprepared. I need an extra back up plan for dinner. You see, I already used my quick and easy meal. My crock pot meal was not finished, because there was too much frozen stuff added to the crock . So we went out to eat. :( Not what I want to do. So I am going to include 9 dinners on the menu with two of them Quick and Easy just in case. The Quick and Easy ones are #8 and #9. I also made a cheat list I keep on my refer. under my menu of 12 Quick and Easy meals to put together. That way if I don't have what it takes to put it together, there will be a list to choose from.

The other thing that I added was Breakfast and Lunch. An inspiration from my friend Jen. I didn't include any recipes, but if there are any you would like I could post them upon requests.

Dinner
1. Buffalo Wings (still need to pick them up)
2. Speg. - with rice noodles
3. Swedish Meatballs - I pre-made these
4. Jambalaya
5. Chili (Never made it last week)
6. Rotisserie Chicken
7. Soup or casserole to clean out refer, freezer and pantry
8. Hot dogs (wrapped in corn tortillas) and Chili
9. *Tomato Soup (Not CF) and sandwiches (with Trader Joe's Rice Bread)

Lunch
Our meals are at home, because we are a homeschool family. Some could be for lunch boxing it.
1. Lunch meat sandwich (Trader Joe's Rice Bread) or roll up with corn tortilla
2. Egg Salad sandwich (Trader Joe's Rice Bread)
3. Tuna and *soy cheese melt open face sandwich (Trader Joe's Rice Bread)
4. Glass Noodle Chicken soup
5. Nachos with *soy cheese, salsa and taco meat. We use to have Nachos without cheese.
6. Pizza on Toast (Trader Joe's Rice Bread) with sauce, veggies, *soy cheese and leftover meat
7. Leftovers

Breakfast
1. Boiled eggs and toast (Trader Joe's Rice Bread)
2. Oven Pancakes
3. Hot Cereal
4. Dutch Apple Baby
5. Egg, turkey bacon and toast (Trader Joe's Rice Bread)
6. Cold Cereal
7. Overnight oven French Toast (Trader Joe's Rice Bread) and country potatoes