Natural Skincare (For even the MOST sensitive skin)

The past year has been a bit of a challenge for me as I have discovered all of the things that I am allergic and/or sensitive to, and the whole thing started with a (very) swollen, dry, peeling, face. My eyes were so swollen it looked like I hadn’t slept in days, my face was broken out, and had started to peel so badly that the skin was actually raw in some places. Seriously, it was hideous (I would put up a photo to show you just how hideous but I avoided cameras for most of that time).

My first trip to the allergist revealed a great deal of the problem was that I was allergic to many of the common chemicals one would find in makeup, face wash, body wash, shampoo, lotion, etc. And no wonder it wasn’t getting better! I was slathering allergens all over my body on a daily basis!

Slowly but surely I found products that I could use, and my face looks like it belongs to a human once again, but, I am very careful (ok, maybe neurotic is a better description) about what I put on my skin.

While I am starting to adopt the less is more approach to skincare (too many products with too many chemicals or excessive scrubbing can leave skin worse for the wear), I also want to do whatever I can to keep my skin looking as young as possible for as long as possible. One of the best things (in my opinion) that you can do for your skin is to get regular facials. Facials can cleanse and nourish the skin, increases circultation, remove dead skin cells, strengthen muscle fibers, soften skin, and retard wrinkles.


But it’s a little more challenging for me because so many of the products used aggravate rather than rejuvenate my super SUPER sensitive skin…Until I went to Green Bamboo Skincare in Boonsboro Maryland. All the good of a facial with NONE of the horrible irritation.

Carol Blessing is AMAZING! She uses natural products that will not irritate even the MOST sensitive skin. Not only will you look and feel rejuvenated after a facial at Green Bamboo, you will also leave completely relaxed. Trust me, I am completely inept at relaxation and even I cannot manage to stress in the tranquil atmosphere she provides.

If you live near Boonsboro MD, do yourself a favor and schedule an appointment at Green Bamboo, you will be so glad you did.

Green Bamboo is open daily by appointment only:
304.279.3109
greenbambooskincare@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.greenbambooskincare.com/

My family can be down right sweet. G-free pancakes for me!

I was lucky enough to be able to spend this past Sunday morning (Father's Day) at my parents' house, before driving the last leg of my journey back home from vacation. I slept in a little later than I should have, hopped in the shower, and emerged to the sweet smell of pancakes. Mmmm.  I was under the assumption that they would be off limits (lest I get a case of 'the glutties'--as Drea calls the stomach ache which results from eating gluten laden foods). But to my pleasant surprise, my Dad had purchased some gluten free pancake mix!

Then to make it even nicer, Drea (my sister) had already begun whipping up a g-free batch of pancakes.

I jumped in to help (or meddle) and we tried the recipe on the box (with a few modifications) to see how these g-free flapjacks stacked up!

King Arthur's Flour
Gluten Free Pancakes

1 2/3 cups of pancake mix
1 cup of milk
1 egg
2-3 Tablespoons of applesauce (the box called for oil or butter but using applesauce cuts the calories and fat and I swear you cannot tell a difference)

Mix it all up, and  drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the lightly greased griddle. Bake on one side until bubbles begin to form and break, then turn the pancakes and cook the other side till brown. Turn over only once. Serve immediately.

Rogers' Family Opinion: The batter was a slightly creamier and thinner than your average pancake mix, but the consistency wasn't problematic--just put them a little farther apart on the griddle. The only other revision that I might make next time is to add cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract (but that is purely personal preference). The pancakes were slightly chewier than your average pancakes, but other than the slight consistency difference they tasted just like any other flapjack. I had the benefit of my Mom, Dad, and Drea being able to compare to the standard pancake and they were all in agreement that these were just as tasty as the regular. Bonus, they heat up well the next day.

So, if you are looking for a gluten free substitute for plain pancakes, King Arthur's Brand is a mix I would recommend.

Also, if you can tolerate gluten, they also have a terrific whole wheat white flour that I used in the past for baking (gives you to the nutrients of whole wheat without making your baked goods go flat).

Books I love--review numero uno.

I started this blog because of my new found love of living g-free, but I don't want that to be the ONLY thing I ever talk about (because you will get bored, I will get bored, I will stop blogging, you will stop reading--you get the idea).


I also want to share with you my other loves of healthy living, exercise, and books! So, periodically (depending upon my amount of free time for pleasure reading) I will bring you reviews of books I have enjoyed to perhaps provide you with some literary enjoyment.


One of my most recent reads was "Mile Markers" by Kristin Armstrong. I read this last week on the beach, and Kristen (who goes by "Kik"--pronouces Keek not Kick) was the perfect beach companion.

I must confess that I started reading Kristin’s blog on Runners World (http://milemarkers.runnersworld.com/) because of her last name (Armstrong) and her past marriage to Lance Armstrong (whom she refers to as her ‘wasband’—very cute and more affectionate than ‘ex’ in my opinion). But, the reason I kept reading was because Kristin Armstrong is a talented writer and insightful woman.

"Mile Markers: 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run" is geared (as the title indicates) towards runners. But the beauty of this book is that I think it could be just as enjoyable for the non runner, in fact I have passed it on to my mother for her to read. Armstrong explains how she uses her running time for everything from keeping friendships (with her 'sweat sisters') nourished, getting her out of a foul mood, helping her switch gears and mentally transition for the times when her children go for some 'Daddy time', and even how running gives her an appreciation for her own body and its capabilities. With her anecdotal stories of friendship, motherhood, and womanhood, each chapter reads like its own little short story about her life, the lessons she has learned, and how running has played a role in either learning those lessons or helping her deal with them. 

She is so real, insightful, and funny I found myself thinking..."If I lived in Austin, and assuming I could keep up with her and her sweat sisters, and assuming she would even like me, we could totally be friends" (I know, a lot of things would have to line up for 'Kik' and I to start our lifelong friendship--lol). My point is (I know, I digress) that although I have read lots of books and have my favorite authors, I have never been pulled in so quickly and easily by and author as I was by Kristin Armstrong.

So, as much as I adore ole’ Lance, after reading Kristin’s blog and now reading “Mile Markers”… I think I have a new favorite Armstrong. Sorry Lance.

On the road...

My apologies for remiss in posting the last few days. I was on vacation with my family and also took a vacation from email, internet, facebook, blogging, etc. It's hard to disconnect, but a good practice every once in a while. That being said, I have lots to share after my week long hiatus!


Trying to maintain a healthy, g-free diet has its difficulties but on the whole, its incredibly easy with a little planning. Ordinarily when I travel I take some fruits, nuts, and snacks along just in case of a hunger emergency. But trying to travel light and cram everything into one (albeit large) suitcase, I decided to forgo my usual snack bag. In hindsight, this was a moderate failure.


Airports can be a somewhat difficult place to navigate when you are trying to eat gluten free. It's pretty easy to find a sandwich on whole grain bread in one of the kiosks, and generally the stewardess will throw you a bag of pretzels, but when you get hungry in the airplane terminal it can be a bit of an issue. How did I handle the issue? Well, first I ate the banana I threw in my backpack, then I realized I had no more snacks and I was still hungry. Dang it. Then, off I went to the airport store and bought a magazine and this...

Then boarded the plane magazine and snack bar in hand. We took off, I unwrapped, bit in, and......uuugghh, ahhh, ickk, gagggg. I immediately looked for something to wash the taste from my mouth...water, coffee, week old raw fish (seriously ANYTHING). Eventually I got the taste out--thank goodness! Sorry to report I do not have any postive feedback on this gluten free treat (if you can call it that). It tasted a bit like rice crispies, with a lot of spice, held together with some sugar syrup, with a alcohol like after taste.


Not wanting to end on a nasty note or leave you with a bad taste in your mouth (not as bad as the aforementioned snack bar, but still...) here is a brand of snack/meal replacement bar that I am a super fan of.

Raw revolution bars are delicious! They are raw, vegan, and made of healthy ingredients like dates, cashews, flax seeds, and coconut. I have tried the raspberry & chocolate, cashew & chocolate, and chocolate & coconut, and liked all of them.

So next time you are in the airport, do as I say and not as I do and pack a ziploc of raw revolution or your favorite snack bars, some almonds, and fruit and stave off a traveling emergency.

A healthier version of the traditional burger accompaniment!

I told you that you could still have french fries but try this cleaner, healthier, version of the traditional burger accompaniment. This recipe uses the traditional standby potato but also adds in some sweet potatoes (lower glycemic index than traditional potatoes and also adds a nice touch of color to your plate), carrots, and parsnips to tantalize your tastebuds. Best of all this recipe is just how I like it: quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious!

Root Vegetable Fries
Epicurious
February 2010

• 1 large carrot
• 1 large potato
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 large parsnip (they suggested beet but I prefer parsnips)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the vegetables into 1⁄2"-wide spears and toss in a roasting pan with olive oil and herbs to coat. Keep the peels on; that's where the vitamins are.

Roast for approximately 40 minutes, turning regularly until all sides have turned a golden brown and the fries are cooked straight through

My (omnipresent) opinion: I really enjoyed these fries, but depending on your oven 40 minutes may not be enough. Just keep an eye on them until they are golden brown-so you don’t end up with limp French fries. And if you dont have the fresh herbs on hand, don't sweat it--a light dusting of sea salt is fine to use in a pinch.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Root-Vegetable-Fries-363401#ixzz1NeM6yBt4

Bonus: With all the delicious flavors at play you don't even need ketchup with these fries, in fact I tried it and thought it detracted from the taste.

Enjoy!

Oh how I love salads!

I love a good salad. I love salads for many reasons, but I will limit my gushing to three reasons.

1) Salads are so versatile! You could literally have a different salad every night for a week and because there are about 5000 (Ok-slight exaggeration) different delectable vegetable combinations you could mix up and yeild a new and exciting flavor combo easily.

2) Salads are quick and easy to throw together. It doesnt take a master chef to put together a salad, you just have to be able to chop up some veggies, fruits, some protein, maybe shake up your own dressing if you are feeling fancy and voila!

3) Salads are beautiful. The bright colors all nicely arranged are so aesthetically pleasing, and you know that the more colors (natural colors of course) our your plate the better the chance that you are about to enjoy a smorgasboard of vitamins and nutrients.

I love a simple green salad prior to a meal (its a great idea to eat one first because the fiber and water content fills you up so that you are apt to eat less of the main course). But I also love a salad as my mail course. 

Here are two salads I whipped up in less than 20 minutes tonight for dinner for my husband and I:

Very veggie greek salad (this is Darren's favorite currently)...use spinach as a base and top with cucumbers, tomato, garbanzo beans, black olives, and some fat free feta cheese. Then drizzle your favorite greek dressing.

 

Very Veggie Greek Salad

Our favorite greek dressing!

 Or if you are on a strawberry food jag like I seem to be lately, try the Strawberry Spinach salad. Start with a bed of spinach and fresh strawberries with a dollop of chicken salad (I just bought some chicken salad at the deli counter with grapes and pecans) and a sprinkling of pecans on top! No need for dressing on this salad, the chicken salad with a mayo base adds a creamy texture and taste.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Next time you are in the grocery store or at the farmers market stock your basket with fruits and veggies to create a delicious produce menagerie of your own!

G-Free & Clean Eating on the run….unwich anyone?

I love to cook, but let’s be honest sometimes it just doesn’t happen….you go to work, run errands, try to be good and work out, walk the dogs, and then don’t have time leftover to cook (or you waited too long to eat and now you are like a ravenous animal). Since no one wants to undo all the good they did at the gym, you don’t want to go and grab some greasy, fatty, sludge-coma inducing drive through meal. But you need to eat, like 5 minutes ago. So try a Jimmy John’s unwich!

An unwich you say? What’s that? Well, let me just tell you. At Jimmy Johns all of their sandwiches are available as an unwich, which means they are neatly wrapped up in lettuce in lieu of bread. Freaky fast (their slogan, not mine) g-free food!

Beach Club # 12 No Mayo Avacado on the side

I was in ravenous animal mode last night and needed something lean, mean, and g-free for dinner so I got their #12 Beach Club® as an unwich. The Beach Club consists of turkey breast, cucumber, cheese, sprouts, tomato, mayo, and avocado spread all neatly wrapped in lettuce. If you get it made with everything (sans bread) you are looking at about 385 calories, which isn’t horrible (but isn’t great either) but take off that mayo and you are down to 190 calories (easy change-huge results). Also, I got the avocado spread on the side so I could control the amount that was slathered on my unwich, because although avocado is a nutritional power house it’s also high in calories and fat (and in my opinion should kind of be treated like green butter, take a little bit and keep moving).

So if you are looking for a fast meal idea for lunch, quick dinner, or a picnic on a grassy knoll in the sunshine this Spring/Summer, perhaps go and try an unwich!

Happily enjoying my unwich!

If you want to check out your options before going to Jimmy Johns, their nutrition facts and sandwich customizer are available at the URL below: http://www.jimmyjohns.com/menu/nutrition.aspx

*Also, I should make sure to give credit where it’s due. Thanks a heap to Caitlin Caskey for opening my eyes to the world of the unwich. My stomach thanks you many times over.

Naturally G-Free: Clean Eating Challenge!

I love a good g-free bready treat as much as the next person (and I LOVE to try new foods, heck let’s be honest, I love to EAT). But since the sun is shining and the farmers markets (and grocery stores) are brimming with fresh produce I think the best g-free treats in the summer time are locally grown, fresh, sun ripened, fruits and vegetables.

                                          (Photo of the Blacksburg Farmers Market)

I also think spring is the best time to focus on naturally g-free foods, partly because there is SO MUCH to choose from, and because we are all gearing up for swimsuit season (eek).

 Even when you try to eat as ‘clean’ (more on this later) as possible during the year those occasional slip ups add up. Thus, I propose a seven day naturally g-free, clean eating, challenge! For one week try to eat only (or at least mostly) naturally gluten free foods. That means build your meals out of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins instead of pre-packaged, processed foods or fast food. Flour (of any kind), sugar, and fried foods (which are already difficult to eat for those with gluten intolerances or allergies) are off limits this week. I’m not saying don’t ever eat a french fry but perhaps try roasted root vegetables (recipe forthcoming) in lieu of deep fried potatoes.

So, if you dare, join me for seven days of naturally g-free foods, give your body a break from processed foods and enjoy the bounty of produce available this time of the year.

Here are the basic tenants of clean eating. This information has been paraphrased from livestrong.com (http://www.livestrong.com/article/31805-eat-clean-eating-diet/).

·     Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Choose fresh, unprocessed foods over canned or processed products. Choose fruit instead of fruit juice and if you must pick a processed vegetable, frozen is always better than canned.

·    Balance protein and complex carbohydrates. Incorporate whole grains like brown rice or millet over processed grains. Eat lean meats, and choose organic or grass fed meats when possible as these foods are usually clean of pesticides, hormones and additives. Grill, broil or steam your meats rather than frying.

·    Avoid sodas and high calorie, sugary drinks. Follow the tenant of clean eating that aims to remove added sugars from the diet. Choose water or tea for your beverages, or juice your own fruits and vegetables and enjoy them without added sugars or preservatives.

·     Trade bad fats for good fats. One of the most important aspects of clean eating is removing saturated fats from the diet. Lower your saturated fat intake by avoiding fast food, choosing lean cuts of meat and getting your fat calories from foods like nuts and fatty fish.

·    Eat several small meals to keep blood sugar stable and to avoid overeating. Choose snacks like nuts, low-fat or fat free dairy and fruits and vegetables. Some people who live a clean eating lifestyle don't eat dairy products while others adapt clean eating to a vegetarian lifestyle.

If you want more information on eating clean check out Tosca Reno’s book: http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Clean-Diet-Fat-Loss-lasts-Forever/dp/B0027VT0DS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1306873563&sr=8-3

Yet more information on clean eating on www.livestrong.com: http://www.livestrong.com/article/419153-what-is-the-eat-clean-diet/

Would I ask you to embark on this little gastrointestinal adventure with me and not provide you with a tasty recipe or two? I think not. So here are some recipes that I tried over the Memorial Day weekend that are lean, clean, and tasty as can be.

I purchased some terrific asparagus at the farmers market this weekend, so I made the recipe below as a side dish to accompany black bean burgers as an alternative to the typical mayonnaise based salads that you see so often during the spring/summer months.

Asparagus Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinegar

Bon Appetit October 2007

Epicurious.com

Boiling the vinegar concentrates and sweetens it, so the dressing doesn't require as much oil to balance the acid.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Yield: Serves 4

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried (I didn’t have any marjoram so I just left it out)
1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Boil vinegar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour vinegar into large bowl. Whisk in oil, mustard, marjoram and garlic. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again. Add asparagus and bell pepper to dressing; toss to blend well. Sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Asparagus-Salad-with-Sweet-Balsamic-Vinegar-4807#ixzz1NZwTEKVO

The verdict: I was quite a fan of this salad, but not as much the second day. I would also recommend waiting to sprinkle the pecans until you are ready to eat (they get a little soggy if left with the balsamic mixture)

So hit the farmers market or produce section and enjoy! Let me know how its going and if you try any new recipes!

Ready, set, go.