The One Thing About Gluten Free Eating that I've Been Afraid to Say

It's all over the internet. Everywhere you look where there's any mention of gluten free products or cookbooks or anything gluten free, it's always the same thing. It has been bugging me for a long while and now I am just going to say it.

Why does everything that's gluten free have to be a baked goods like breads, cookies, pizza doughs, cakes and all those sugar laden "treats" that if we eat them every day, we will continue to have intestinal problems and quite possibly diabetes and/or cancer over the long haul? What about breakfast lunch and dinner? What are we supposed to eat then?

I speak for the hundreds of choices of fruits, vegetables and meats of the world with all the delicious savory spices to prepare them with that add flavor. We can combine the multitude of ingredients in thousands of ways to make tasty, delicious and healthy foods.

More and more information is coming out about sugar and nutritionally depleted gluten free flour mixes and their links to cancer and diabetes. I don't suggest we take our fun foods away but let us make them a background choice rather than the main one.

Eighteen years ago when I went gluten free to save my health, there weren't that many choices available. What was around did not taste that great. I lost 25 pounds and made a miraculous recovery. Today, I hear people in my audiences say they gained weight on ther gluten free diets trying to replace their excessive bread, cake and cookie habits with gluten free options.

Eat veggies! Eat fruits! Eat responsibly farmed meats and seafood! Get healthy and be Delicious! Then, once in a while, eat a cookie or two - maybe a piece of cake. Let your body heal by giving it the best you can.

For more information on living a Delicious and Healthy life, sign up for my newsletter at http://www.deliciousandhealthy.com/

Babycakes NYC Comes to Larchmont Village, LA

The popular hangout for food allergy sufferers that began in New York City has spread from its second location in downtown Los Angeles to the sweet little street of Larchmont Boulevard. Situated among privately owned boutiques and restaurants and near Paramount and Raleigh studios, Babycakes could not have come to a better neighborhood.

The cupcakes and most treats are gluten, dairy, casein, soy, egg and refined sugar free. A popular spot for celebrities, Babycakes is frequented by many who just want a healthy, sweet treat option to all the processed, sugary, chemical filled fluff out there.

Do they taste good? Come on out and try for yourself. Come to 236 Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004 and enjoy a treat and a charming street to spend a few hours exploring. Come on Sunday between 10:00 am and 2:00pm and you can also visit the Larchmont Farmer's Market.

A New Soup Recipe - I Could Not Stop Eating It!!!

About a month ago, I made up this soup and invited my friend, Claire to come eat it with me. She loved it (as did I). She told me to write it down while it was fresh in my mind but I kept forgetting to and, like all memories, it faded away.

Tonight, I decided to revive it and it was SO much better than the original that I simply could not stop eating it. Luckily it was nutricious so I did not feel super guilty about it. I was truly thrilled with it. Here is what I did.

Curried Yam with Chicken Soup

1 Rotisserie Chicken (from the market or home made)

1 box chicken broth (or juices from home made chicken plus water to top off)

3 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 yellow onion

1 1/2 cups minced carrots

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter or non-hydrogenated substitute

1/2 teaspoon mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

3 large chopped yams

Chop up yams, onions, garlic, mince carrots in a food processor if you have one otherwise, chop them. Heat soup pot on medium high until hot. Add olive oil and butter. Add garlic and sautee. Add onion, sautee. Add carrots, sautee. Add mustard seed and salt and stir. Add other spices mixed. Sautee until aromatic. Add yams and sautee for about 1o minutes. Add boxed chicken broth or pan drippings from home made chicken plus water to covering. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until tender.

Scoop out most of the soup into a blender or vitamix and blend well. Return creamy soup back in with chunks and broth to create a creamy and chunky effect together. Chop up cooked chicken and add as much or as little as you like and stir. Simmer a few minutes more and serve.

I seriously could not stop eating this. My eyes rolled back in my head upon first taste so I knew it was perfect. I hope this comes out as great for you as it did for me.

For more information on living a gluten free, dairy free, delicious and healthy life, go to http://www.deliciousandhealthy.com/

Thank you!!!!

Be Delicious!

Dr. Meg

Looking for a Natural Energy Boost? This Is Amazing!

A lack of energy is a problem I hear described by many of the people that I work with. My clients that have the most energy to spare are super health conscious - some are raw foodists.

While not everyone can afford the time and money involved in a raw diet, there is an easy solution that can help you get the most important thing you can put into your body on a daily basis - quickly and easily - fruits and veggies!

I found this fantastic raw, vegan, fruit and veggie powder at Whole Foods Market on sale this week (in the West Hollywood store - check your location for certain by calling your Whole Body Department.)

Macro Life Naturals makes "Macro Greens" powder that is gluten free and low carbohydrate. It's delicious! Not too sweet. I cut it with filtered water alone and really enjoyed the flavor. If you know you are sensitive to flavors, try putting this in a smoothie or in apple juice.

I have dips in my energy levels due to early menopause symptoms and a suspected hypo thyriod issue. I was dipping in energy late this morning and really wanting a nap. BUT, I drank one glass of this and did not need one. In fact, I am very focused with plenty of energy to get everything done that needs to be!

This delicious powder supplement surpasses the suggested four servings of fruits and veggies each day. I am very happy with this product and will keep you posted over the next few days as to how I am feeling as I continue take it. So far, I am IMPRESSED!!

To read more about the product, go here: http://www.macrolifenaturals.com/

To sign up for my newsletter: http://www.deliciousandhealthy.com/ or click on the "Newsletter" tab of this blog!

Nana's Gluten Free Cookie Review

I was at Rainbow Acres in Marina Del Rey with a dear friend today. She suggested I try Nana's Gluten Free Cookies. Her cookies are also fruit sweetened, egg and dairy free. Being a chocolate fiend, I chose the "Chocolate Crunch Cookie". Here is what I thought.

I like the big, individually wrapped cookie concept with the bright yellow and purple wrapper. The "O" in "NO" has a line through it with a drawing of a shaft of wheat. I thought, "clever". When I bit into the soft cookie, I immediately noticed the grainy texture of the flour. That's a big deal to me after nearly two decades of trying gluten free baked goods. It doesn't have to be grainy.

The flavor was nice. I really liked the crunch of the chocolaty rice and the richer flavor contained in that puffy rice crunch. It was like they added cocoa puffs to the recipe - without the nasty sugar content.

Over all, I enjoyed this cookie. It was satisfying and great to eat after a simple lunch of tuna salad and a veggie juice. I liked that I only had to buy one big cookie. It's nice not to have to commit to an entire box of them (for a number of reasons.)

As always, I recommend limited sweets, even ones that are fruit sweetened and especially gluten free ones with the high sugar content of rice flour, tapioca and potato starches. I would never say never to sugar unless you know it will do serious damage to you. Once in a while, go for it. Enjoy a delicious treat and as for Nana's, I recommend it as a healthier alternative to a lot of the products out there that are aiming mainly for taste and not nutrition. This brand cares. That's my impression.

For more information on Nana's, click here

Order my Triple Chocolate Cake for the Holidays!

To Order my Triple Chocolate Cake - Gluten, Dairy and Casein Free, for either Thanksgiving or Christmas or both, use the PayPal link below or send a check for $38.00 to:

Meg Haworth, PHD
7063 Lanewood Avenue, #205
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Please include: Name, phone number, address and e-mail adress

FOR LOCAL LOS ANGELES CLIENTS ONLY - for Pick up or delivery (Delivery charges apply based on location.)

Which Holiday

Thanksgiving Christmas

For Thanksgiving, orders must be placed by November 20, 2010
and picked up or delivered by Wednesday November 24, 2010

For Christmas, Orders must be in by December 17, 2010
and picked up or delivered by Wednesday December 22, 2010

Cakes are $38.00 each (delivery charges apply based on location.
Please ask for details.)

A Little GF/DF in Larchmont Village

I'm sitting at a lovely cafe in Larchmont Village - a sweet section of Los Angeles that has that sleepy town USA kind of feel. Independantly owned boutiques and restaurants line the street here just two blocks from Paramount Studios. Larchmont is a gem in LA.
I'm at Bricks and Scones. Its large garden patio has a secluded feel with potted palms and ficus trees lining the decorative wrought iron fence. In the afternoons it becomes a haven for screen writers who can sit for hours partaking of the free wireless internet connection. Its a little slice of coffee shop heaven.

I wanted a cup of coffee this morning so badly. I just wanted to sit on this patio and enjoy.

As I walked the 5 blocks to get here, I contemplated ordering a soy latte but really did not want the soy reaction of a possible headache and my bowels stopping for a day or two. I pictured myself at the counter ordering and asking, "Can I please bring in almond milk and have you keep it for me, pretty please!"

When I arrived I asked if they had an alternative other than soy milk and they said yes! Almond milk and rice milk. Oh freaking yay! So I sit sipping a delicious almond latte in Larchmont in the morning sun. Beautiful!

As for the GF option, they have this popover looking savory roll that I have yet to try. It's kind of on the large side so I asked if they would consider cutting it in half and making a sandwich out of it. Again, they said yes! When I am hungry for a sandwich, I'll try it and get back to you. They tell me it is a popular item that sells out each day.

So, in this moment I posses a huge amount of gratitude for the idependantly owned food conscious coffee shop here in Larchmont called Bricks and Scones.

Check it out yourself at www.BricksAndScones.com

Welcome To This Blog - At Last!!

So many people have requested that I create a blog to share what I am learning and thinking. This blog will be a mixture of a number of things. I"ll supply recipes, tips, new information, current personal experiences and education on food production and how to avoid the toxic foods that are being grown, processed and sold today. Please leave your comments and suggestions. I would love for this blog to become a community of people seeking information and camaraderie in a world where going gluten and dairy free are particularly difficult.

Please sign up for this blog so you will be notified of new posts. I look forward to hearing from you!

Be Delicious!!!

Love,
Dr. Meg