Eating on the Run: Gluten Free, Dairy Free Healthy Fast Food

You can indeed eat healthy foods on the run.  In our class Healthy Fast Foods, we demonstrate how to make quick and easy meals using 100% fresh whole, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free  whole fresh foods.   That’s for when you’re in a hurry and at home.

Sometimes you’re on the road and you just don’t have the tools or foods to whip up a quick meal.  That’s when having handy- dandy convenience packages of super foods comes in handy.  On today’s video you’ll see a show and tell form my trip to the health food store in search of high nutrient density fast food.

Take a peek:

Question for YOU! What are your favorite on the run healthy fast foods?

Comment Below.

Love, Health and Joy To You,

Dr. Ritamarie

Gluten Free Recipes for Raw Food Diet Picnic and Barbecue Foods

Here’s a sampling of the gluten free, raw foods recipes we’ll teach you how to make in our Picnic and Barbecue class.

Gluten Free Raw Food "Not Dogs"

 

Gluten Free Raw Food Recipe for Veggie Burger with Bun

Cole Slaw

Jicama "Potato" Salad

Strawberry Short Cake

Go HERE to signup and learn to make these moth watering   summer picnic foods in our class “Picnic Foods and Barbeque for Gluten Free and Living Foods Diets. ” Enjoy Your Favorite Summer Celebration Foods Without Expanding Your Waistline and Draining Your Energy.  Learn to Create Mouth Watering, Nutritious, Easy to Make Picnic and Barbeque Foods Using Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, Trans-Fat Free Raw and Living Ingredients.

The Dangers That Lurk in Your Usual Picnic Fare

Given the research linking processed meat and stomach cancer, refined grains, and mayonnaise to immune system disease, you would be wise to consider alternatives this year.

Whether you’re the host or the guest, it’s easy to whip up healthy picnic foods that everyone will enjoy, all while achieving the lean, strong, clear headed body you desire.

Our picnic foods look and taste so much like the “real thing”, you’ll shock your guests and delight your health conscious crowd if you tell them the ingredients. Made with gluten free, dairy free, sugar free whole fresh living plant ingredients, these light and delicious picnic foods will be the hit of the party.

Here’s what’s in Oscar Meyer, a popular brand of hotdog:

“Mechanically separated chicken, pork, water, corn syrup, modified food starch, contains 2% or less of salt, flavoring, potassium lactate, sodium lactate, sodium phosphates, dextrose, sodium diacetate, beef, hydrolyzed soy protein, sodiuerthorbate, sugar, sodium nitrite, sorbitol, extract of paprika“.

Contrast that to our “hot dog” ingredients:

“Raw organic nuts, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, psyllium, Irish moss (a sea vegetable loaded with minerals), salt“.

In the book “Grocery Warning” , Mike Adams reports that “Feeding children hot dogs increases their risk of brain cancer by 300%” and many other startling facts about hot dogs.

In our class

We’ll teach you how to make whole, gluten-free, dairy-free raw and living foods versions of classic summer picnic food that wow your friends and leave even your guests satisfied and well nourished. The good news is you can make these foods quickly, no heat required.

• Instead of greasy burgers that clog your arteries and cancer promoting hotdogs on white flour buns that rob your energy and throw your blood sugar off balance, we’ll show you how to make delicious energy boosting plant based alternatives, loaded with antioxidant rich vegetables.
• Instead of mayonnaise smothered potato salad and coleslaw that increase your waistline and damage your immune system, learn to make our scrumptious health enhancing alternatives, rich in cancer protective, immune boosting omega 3 fats.

Join us for Picnic Foods and Barbeque for Gluten Free and Living Foods Diets. ” Learn:

• How to replace processed, high fat, low nutrient processed picnic foods with whole fresh food equivalents
• Methods to easily transform fresh veggies, herbs and nuts or seeds into delicious burgers and hot dogs
• Easy ways to make condiments that rival your old favorites: mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, using whole fresh foods and NO sugar , hydrogenated fats or corn syrup
• How to make burger and hot dog buns without gluten or flour
• A quick and easy way to make onion rings to top your burgers or eat as a side – without deep frying or even cooking for that matter!
• How to make combine wholesome ingredients to create a guilt free dessert.

You can come to the live and in person class, watch  live  via the internet or view the videos after.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Gluten Free Diet and Behavior Problems

I spend my days teaching people how to achieve vibrant health, reverse disease, balance their hormones, sharpen their minds  and raise healthy kids on a nutrient dense, whole, unprocessed fresh organic food…preferably gluten-free diet.  I’ve raised my kids on whole foods since birth and as a result they have experienced amazing health and strength.

You can imagine my shock and horror at the news I heard about my younger son,  soon to be 13 years old.

Over the last few weeks we’ve been getting calls and emails from several of his teachers about his behavior.  It seems that he’s been having trouble focusing and has been goofing around with a couple of buddies.  We’ve talked to him, tried to figure out if there’s something upsetting him, blamed puberty and hormones and suspected a gluten exposure.

Yesterday his teacher called again and I asked if she’d seen him eating anything he wasn’t supposed to have, like gluten, dairy or sugar.  She seemed surprised that we kept him away from those foods.  I was surprised that she was surprised because we’d met with the cafeteria and alerted those in charge of his dietary restrictions.

What a shock to get a call from him today saying that his teacher saw him with pizza on his cafeteria tray and told him to throw it away and call home!

In further investigating with the cafeteria, we were informed that he’s been buying chips, cookies and pizza  for over a month…in spite of the fact that we’d had them register his dietary restrictions in their computer program…and they have perfectly acceptable vegan alternatives…beans, brown rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, veggie burgers!

It’s frustrating and embarrassing!

The good news is the time frame during which he’ been eating pizza almost exactly lines up with the time frame for the behavior problems!  Even his older bother has been complaining about his behavior over the last month!

Before we put him on a  gluten free diet, Kevin was what I would call oppositional.  Very defiant.  Hard to get him to sit still and listen to what we needed him to do.  After removing gluten, he became noticeably calmer and more present – more mature.

So now he’s taking the stand “It’s my body.  I can do what I want.”  SO NOW what?

We told him when he’s out on his own and paying his own bills, that’s true, but our money goes towards good healthy foods not junk food pizza!  Plus we need to help him be successful at school and food is a big part of it!

Our older son, now 17, was always such a dream about food…still is…so we never even imagined we’d have a challenge with Kevin!

I guess he’s going to have to be a student in our June “Kids in the Kitchen Class” and meet other kids his age working on a whole foods diet.

I believe we are challenged with what we most need to learn.  Perhaps I am on the verge of breakthrough strategies for motivating kids to eat healthy food.

Sad part about this whole thing is I make the BEST pizza and all the kids I’ve fed it to love it!  Why not my kid?  Hopefully he’s satisfied his curiosity and when he gets back on his regular diet, he’ll notice such a profound difference he’ll be hooked!  A mom can only hope!

We’ve canceled his lunch account and he’ll be bringing his lunch again.  Kids his age hate that, yet it seems the only way.  He lost the privilege.

I’d love to hear stories from other moms  and am also open to advice!!!!  Teach the teacher!

Please comment below.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Lean Summer Body Strategies and Summer Cleansing Tips

It’s that time of year when the weather outside beckons you to enjoy outdoor activities, like swimming, gardening, lawn sports, cycling,  nature walks and picnics.  It’s especially  important this time of year  to put the healthy habits in place that nourish your tired  adrenals  and give you abundant energy so you can enjoy your favorite summer pastimes without feeling exhausted every time you exert yourself.

The sad truth is that over 50 % of people today experience fatigue so severe that even a trip to the grocery store exhausts their energy and requires a recovery nap afterward.  And 80% of women will experience adrenal fatigue at some time in their lives. That’s definitely not a pleasant condition to be in, especially if your friends and family members are encouraging you to join them in summer time fun. Unfortunately, the typical summertime celebration food served at picnics and barbecues zaps your energy and can lead to alll sorts of health consequences, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and immune system dysfunction.  In my opinion, it’s just not worth the risk.  Yet you may be emotionally attached to your foods and the happy celebration memories that eating it stirs up. What if you could eat your favorite picnic foods and feel energized and comforted,  knowing that the ingredients  are not only safe, they are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that energize and nourish you? It’s been a long time since I needed caffeine and sugar to energize me so I could enjoy summer activities.  I used to need stimulants to make it through the day and still crashed in the early evening.  Now I fuel myself on whole fresh food and everyone I meet comments on how energetic I am ALL the TIME! What would your life be like if you could say the same?

1) Spring Cleaning

I always do some sort of cleanse in the spring, to rid my body of any excess fat and toxins that come from spending so much time indoors during the cooler months.  I’ve done short water fasts of 5 -7 days, juice only regimes, powdered meal replacement shakes and even a modified version of the Master Cleanse, eliminating the maple syrup and using powdered greens to supplement the lemonade.  I’ve done all sorts of variations of many cleanses and even developed a few of my own. My all time favorite way to cleanse, owing to its high simplicity and satisfaction score is Green Smoothie Cleansing.  A few short years ago, I created a group Green Smoothie Cleanse and have guided hundreds of participants to increased energy, decreased brain fog and a reduction of belly fat.  I am amazed at the profound results most participants receive within just a few days.  Many are even able to reduce pain medications because their inflammation significantly decreases.  I’m leading a group cleanse in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to experience the lightness and sense of renewal I always feel after a  7 day cleanse. The concept is quite simple, and you can can certainly do it on your own if you have the discipline and a variety of recipes.  I find that I personally need the accountability of the group experience, otherwise when those periods of desire for solid foods become strong, I crave in.  These periods don’t last long in general, so when I am accountable to the group and have regular check-ins scheduled, I sail through in spite of occasional temptations. I’ve set up the group Green Smoothie Cleanse experience so that there are 3 different options you can choose from, depending on your level of cleansing experience and your schedule.  There are daily check-in forms you can use to report your progress and get personalized feedback and this time you’ll also get extra support through a facebook chat session. To  join in the Spring 2011 Cleanse register at www.Greensmoothiecleanse.com

2) Make Delicious Nutritious Picnic and Barbeque Foods

Whenever I’m invited to summer parties, or am hosting my own, I make sure to create a few easy dishes to take along that are remakes of picnic and barbecue favorites, like mock hot dogs, burgers and potato salad and coleslaw made with a creamy nut or seed sauce instead of mayonnaise. I also cut up veggies and make delicious dip, usually including some sort of blended green vegetable and sea vegetable.For dessert, there’s the picnic tradition of watermelon and peaches, plus I add berries and cut up fruit with a yummy dipping sauce, usually made with chocolate or carob to please the kiddos. I’ll often make a seasonal fruit pie with a nut, seed or coconut based crust, like the ones in my book,  “Dessert Making it Rich Without Oil.”

The pie is simple to make.  For example, when I get lots of fresh peaches from a local farm, I slice the peaches and lay them inside the crust.  I’ll then make a sauce to hold it all together.  That can be as simple as blended peaches or possibly a different complimentary fruit like berries.  I sometimes add a couple of teaspoons of psyllium husk powder or coconut butter to thicken, and then pour the creamy sauce over the fruit and refrigerate until ready to eat.  This simple pie takes minutes to make and is usually the hit of the party. Burger substitutes can be made by putting sunflower seeds and almonds in the food processor along with vegetables.  My favorites are carrot, celery, onion and something dark green, like arugula or spinach.  Process until it begins to hold together and has the consistency of…I hate to say…chopped meat.  Season to taste and dehydrate or eat as is. Any of the bread recipes in my e-book Dried and Gone to Heaven can be formed into burger buns and even hot dog buns.  There are a few burger recipes in Dried and Gone to Heaven as well.

The bread recipes in our video course Amazing Gluten Free Living Bread can also be formed into burger and hot dog buns. And speaking of hot dogs, my dear friend, colleague and talented chef  Karen Osborne has created a hot dog recipe that has fooled many a kid.  It looks, tastes and cuts just like the real thing without all the nasty ingredients.  Now to me, eating something that tastes like a hot dog is not appealing, but for kids and kids at heart who love hot dogs, that’s great news. Karen will share her gluten free, raw food recipe for hot dogs and several others in our class “Picnic Foods and Barbeque for Gluten Free and Living Foods Diets” on May 22 .  Videos and live cast are available if you either live far away or can’t make the

I interviewed Karen on my Blog Talk Radio show and she shared the ingredients she uses and tips for making summer celebration foods.  The recording can be found at Dr Ritamarie Radio

3) Short Frequent Bursts of Exercise

My last strategy for getting and keeping in shape for summer is to incorporate short bursts of exercise throughout your day.   This can be in addition to your regular exercise program, or on busy days, in place of it.  Studies show that 30 seconds of all out intensity exercise several times a day can have the same or even better effects on your blood sugar balance as a 30 minute aerobic exercise session.  It also results in improved stress hormone balance.  Better blood sugar control and fewer cortisol spikes result in a flatter tummy.

Bonus Results of My Lean Summer Body Strategies and Summer Cleansing Tips

In addition to a flatter tummy and boundless energy, some of my favorite extra bonus results you’ll experience when you use these strategies for getting in shape for summer are:

• Happier mood
• Sharp focus and mental clarity so you can be more productive
• Decreased inflammation and more comfortable muscles and joints
• More efficient and painless digestion
• Improved blood lipid balance and reduced risk of heart attack

If you Have any favorite recipes to share for summer celebrations, please post them in the comment box below.  If you have a website where you offer recipes, feel free to post that too, and if your site is in alignment with mine, we’ll leave the link for all to see.

I wish you Love , health and a happy summer!!

Dr. Ritamarie

Raw Food Recipes for Mother’s Day: Yogurt, Zucchini Spaghetti and Not Meat Balls

I promised I would post my Mother’s day recipes later in the day.  Well, it’s a lot later!  My Mother’s day turned out to be a relaxing and fun day at home, with my kids, husband and on the phone with siblings and friends.  It was indeed a treat! I actually never made it back to the computer until 10pm, after my almost 13 year old Kevin went to bed.

I mentioned on my previous post Mother’s Day Memories that I’d asked for breakfast in bed.  What I realized this morning is that I’m not a “breakfast in bed”  kind of gal …at least not on a sunny summer day.

I prefer to get up and out so what we decided instead was that after my run, we’d have Mother’s day brunch by the pool.  One thing lead to another and by the time I actually got to eat my brunch it was 4PM!

Here’s a photo of the beautiful brunch my husband Scott made me.   In the glass is fresh coconut water.  On the platter was mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, strawberries and honeydew.

The green smoothie he made was not on the platter but it was yummy.

After my run, I snacked on some home made coconut pineapple yogurt I made the day before mixed with fresh blueberries.  That was a treat and the recipe is below.

We had a delicious dinner a few hours later. Scott even made me a “cheese cake” dessert.    I actually haven’t tried it yet, as I got full from dinner and by the time I had room, it was too late to eat.  I’ll see if I can get him to post the recipe tomorrow.

For dinner Scott made a beautiful salad and I managed to whip up a zucchini noodle with marinara sauce and “meatballs”  made from soaked walnuts, Brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds with some veggies.  All the recipes are below.

I felt pampered and appreciated and I managed to eat delicious food that took very little time to make and was health enhancing.  The best news is there are leftovers for tomorrow!!

The yogurt recipe was an improv and turned out great.  You can pretty much make a favorite nut or seed cream and add probiotics and let it culture.

Pineapple Coconut Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup Artisana Coconut Butter (whole, raw organic coconut that’s been pureed into a peanut butter-like consistency)
• 1 teaspoon ground vanilla beans
• 1 1/2 – 2  cups water
• handful of dates
• 10 prunes (As taught in Eating for Bone Health, this quantity of prunes has been shown in studies to reverse bone loss)
• 1 teaspoon Blue Bonnet Probiotics, containing 44 billion live organisms (choose your favorite brand)

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients except the probiotics until smooth.
2. Add probiotics and blend briefly, just to combine.
3. Adjust water if too thick.
4. Place in glass jars and set to ferment in a warm place.  I put it in a yogurt maker.  A dehydrator set on lowest setting works well, too.    It needs to be in the range of 90 to 100 degrees for 12 – 18 hours.   if you turn on your oven to low then turn it off and let the temperature drop you can try in there.The longer you leave it, the more sour it becomes.  It can turn if left too long.
5. Serve plain or over fresh fruit.

Zucchini Spaghetti with Not Meat Balls

Cut the ends off the zucchini and process through a spiral slicer.  There are several options to choose from.  These are handy kitchen gadgets that allow you to turn vegetables into noodles.

Place zucchini noodles in a bowl and allow to sit while you make the rest of the ingredients.  If you prefer them softer, add a sprinkle of salt and gently massage it in.  Drain off excess water when ready to add the sauce.

Not Meat Balls

• 1 cup raw walnuts, soaked, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup raw Brazil nuts, soaked, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds either soaked and dehydrated or dry
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 small onion
• handful arugula
• sprinkle of kelp powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon whole unrefined sea salt

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until the mixture holds together and is almost smooth.  Form into meat balls.  These can be used as is or dehydrated for 8 -12 hours .

Simple Marinara Sauce

• 3 zucchini
• 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked for 1-2 hours in room temperature water or 10 minutes in hot water, to soften
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sale
• 1/2 teaspoon kelp powder

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until close to smooth, but still a bit chunky.  Add soak water from dried tomatoes if it’s too thick.  Adjust salt and seasonings to taste.

Set sauce aside.

Optional:  marinated mushrooms.  The night before I had sliced baby bella mushrooms and sprinkled with a little salt, massaged lightly then added lemon juice an set in a salad press.  This is a device that presses the excess liquid out and enhances the vegetables and softens them.  These too are available on Amazon

To assemble, place the noodles in a large bowl.  Top with sauce and mushrooms.  Toss to combine.  Serve with Not Meatballs.

Enjoy the recipes and comment below about how you spent your Mother’s day!

Love, Health and Joy to you,

Dr. Ritamarie