The Spaghetti Squash Test

Is that spaghetti in my bowl? Well, sort of. I've been on the hunt for something new to try, but still healthy, low fat and full of the vitamins/minerals we need to stay healthy during flu season. I often eye up the spaghetti squash in my supermarket but always end up home with my beloved butternut or buttercup squash. This time though, I took the risk and went to the check out with the yellow melon-shaped squash. I was curious but secretly sure that I was going to be disappointed in it and would just wish that I had real noodles in my bowl.

How wrong I was! Sure, if you literally scoop the spaghetti squash right out of the skin and eat it, you will be disappointed. It is bland...and well, just as you might expect, stringy! BUT if you saute the pulp in oil after baking it in the oven (or microwave if you so choose) and season it with garlic, salt, pepper and italian seasoning and then top it with marinara sauce and vegatables (or meat if you so choose) and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (there is vegan Parmesan), you will find that spaghetti squash can not only be tasty, but a nice change to pasta.

The Bad Waitress - A GOOD option!

Sundays. There is no better day to enjoy brunch. My husband and I were up for something new today, so we took a walk to The Bad Waitress located at East 26th Street in Minneapolis. This little diner/coffee shop exceeded expectations and offered an experience unlike most restaurants in the Twin Cities.

The Bad Waitress earned its name because you have to do most of the work. The menu is waiting for you at the table when you arrive along with a pad where you write down your order with specifications and proceed to bring it to the counter, where they will hand the order to the chef. You pay at that time, then return to your table where your food will eventually arrive.

As someone with dietary restrictions, it actually comforted me to be the one informing the chef with my scribbles that dairy should be eliminated from my entire order. My husband and I both thought this way of ordering was also nice because you order when you are ready and there is no need to rush because the waitress is waiting. You also can avoid paying for the extras that you don't want...i.e. you can order one pancake rather than be forced to buy 3 or 4. Or maybe you never eat that mound of hash browns that always accompanies your bacon and eggs. You get the idea.

The menu had wonderful vegetarian options, vegans have choices such as tofu scramblers, vegan sausages and soy milk. Health-conscious eaters could order things like egg-white omelettes and organic granola. I couldn't stop raving about my egg-white omelette that was stuffed with turkey, spinach, roasted red peppers and mushrooms with a side of whole-grain toast. My carnivore husband was deeply satisfied with his chorizo eggs benedict with side of asparagus. He was also quite impressed with his Thai Coffee which included coffee, espresso and sweetened condensed milk. I took note of the soy chai latte for my next visit.

http://www.thebadwaitress.com/

Green Zucchini Soup

Have a bunch of zucchini on hand and not sure what to do with it? Try something new - Green Zucchini Soup. It has great flavor and texture and its good for you!

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
big pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups potatoes (2 medium) cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups zucchini (2 medium), loosely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
a few drops of lemon

In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt - just until they soften up a bit. Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.

Puree with a blender until smooth. Whisk in a squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Serves about 6.

Special Request Airplane Meals

I just arrived home from a 2 week trip to Europe - specifically Lisbon, Portugal and Barcelona, Spain. Before I left, I called the airline (Northwest) and requested a lactose free meal. The closest they had was a "strict vegetarian" meal which was suppose to be void of any animal products whatsoever. I am not sure why they didn't just label this meal vegan?! Anyway....that worked for me. I was so relieved that my long flight would be accompanied with food that I can eat!

Being paranoid when it comes to my food, when my special meal was delivered to me, I still checked the ingredients to make sure that they were lactose free. Thank god that I did!! I was shocked to find several things on my plate that DID include lactose. I was given vegetable curry with salad. My salad was accompanied by a packet of dressing that included dry milk and the packaged bun had whey! They also included a packet of butter on my tray?! So much for dairy free! I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find my meal on my flight home to be dairy free (and vegetarian, gluten free and kosher all in one). They gave me a rice pasta dish that had a delicious sauce and was topped with pumpkin seeds. Dessert was fresh fruit.

I had read online that this had happened to several people when they had requested special meals. One man had requested a gluten free meal. He ate his food and began to feel sick. After the fact, he looked at the ingredients on the packaging and found wheat listed. He had such a reaction that he was sick for the entirety of his vacation. The moral of the story? Never trust - always double check.

Thank god I had packed a few food bars in my carry on. I really enjoyed one in particular called Sesame Bar by Oskri. It was the date syrup and fennel variety. The ingredients are simply: sesame, date syrup, rice syrup and fennel, and they are both lactose and gluten free. Both my husband and I thought they taste like peanut brittle. Very tasty - and good for you!

Ecopolitan: An Allergen's Safe Haven

When you have food allergies, it is hard to find a restaurant which will offer you a variety of entrees to choose from. At Ecopolitan, however, that is hardly the case... A vegan or someone with an allergy to dairy, wheat, corn, soy, eggs or peanuts can choose literally anything from the menu and be safe.

According to their website, they offer "healthy and sustainable dining by creating 100% uncooked, plant-based meals with 100% organically-grown ingredients and no additives, GMOs or toxic-processing. Our menu is completely vegan (no animal products), contains no refined sugars or flours, and is free of most allergens (no wheat, corn, soy, dairy, eggs or peanuts)". Pretty impressive and hard to find anywhere, really!

So, my family and I had breakfast there this past weekend. Most of us got smoothies and my dad ordered the Flaxjack "pancakes". Pictured on the right (yes, half eaten...I forgot to snap the picture until half way through breakfast) is my dad's breakfast plate which was to die for, yet extremely healthy for you. Two apple-walnut-flaxseed "pancakes" with sesame tahini, fresh fruit, date syrup and cinnamon.

I ordered the Coconut Supreme smoothie (pictured to the left) made with a young coconut base, pecans, dates, ginger and cinnamon. We all agreed that it taste like an oatmeal cookie. Really delicious and so good for you! Because of the pecans, it was filling and truly a meal in itself.

Everyone enjoyed what they ordered and therefore we recommend the following:

• Pina Colada Smoothie

• Orange Julia Smoothie

• Coconut Supreme Smoothie

• Hazelnut "Fudge" Smoothie

• Fresh Orange/Pineapple Juice

• Flaxjack "Pancakes"

• Hummus & Flax crackers
  

Ecopolitan is located at
2409 Lyndale Ave S # 4
Minneapolis, MN 55405-3375

You can find them online and read up on their menu, natural home & body goods shop, infrared sauna, oxygen bar and eco-art gallery at www.ecopolitan.com

World's First Agave Sweetened Yogurt

Concerned about too much sugar in your yogurt? Me too. And the "Turtle Mountain" company (which specializes in dairy-free products) has been listening. Given a generous amount of feedback about the amount of sugar in yogurts, they have just created the first agave sweetened yogurt in the market! "According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, agave’s Glycemic Index (GI) value is five times lower than table sugar’s, making it an ideal choice for diabetics or anyone seeking to reduce their sugar intake." See the press release pasted below for more details:

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08/11/09 - Enjoy Low-Sugar Lifestyle with Agave Sweetened Yogurt
New Dairy-Free Yogurt a Tasty and Diabetic Friendly Treat

Eugene, OR – Looking for a yogurt made with natural ingredients that do not send your blood sugar sky-rocketing? Then look no further. From America’s most innovative dairy-free foods company comes the world’s first agave sweetened yogurt.

A creamy blend of organic cultured soymilk with organic agave syrup, So Delicious® Agave Sweetened Yogurt is packed with six active live cultures to promote optimal digestion, yet contains zero dairy, gluten or cholesterol. The product is fortified with Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin B12.

According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, agave’s Glycemic Index (GI) value is five times lower than table sugar’s, making it an ideal choice for diabetics or anyone seeking to reduce their sugar intake. Studies have shown that high GI foods make you hungry again faster because your body burns them rapidly.

One six-ounce cup of So Delicious® Agave Sweetened Vanilla Yogurt weighs in at only 130 calories with 5 grams of fiber. By comparison, Silk® Cultured Soy Vanilla, made with dehydrated cane juice giving it a high glycemic impact, has 150 calories and just 1 gram of fiber.

Turtle Mountain uses agave syrup to sweeten a number of other products, including Purely Decadent® coconut milk ice cream, So Delicious® coconut milk ice cream novelties and So Delicious® Agave Sweetened Mini Fruit Bars.

“We received extensive feedback from consumers asking for portion controlled desserts with low-sugar options,” says John Tucker, Vice President of Technology at Turtle Mountain. “With agave sweetened yogurt you can enjoy something creamy and sweet without sending your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride.”

The product is available in Vanilla, Blueberry and Plain. Suggested retail price is $1.49 per 6 oz. cup and will be available nationally at Whole Foods Markets and other natural food retailers in August 2009.

For additional information on the world’s first agave sweetened yogurt or to learn more about Turtle Mountain’s array of dairy-free products, contact Chris Turek. Photos, product information and samples are available upon request.

About Turtle Mountain, LLC
Based in Eugene, Oregon since 1990, privately held Turtle Mountain provides consumers with healthier alternatives to dairy-based foods. All products are 100% plant based with no artificial sweeteners, trans-fats or hydrogenated oils, and most are made with certified organic ingredients. For full product offerings and complete nutritional information, please visit: www.TurtleMountain.com.

Gluten and dairy-free items at Boston Market

While browsing online today, I came across this information on the blog "Gluten Free Casein Free (GFCF) and Not Starving". The author of the blog did some research to find out which items at the fast food chain, Boston Market, do not contain gluten or casein. I know people with food allergies are always nervous about where and what they can eat so I thought I'd share what I read:

"The items that are both gluten and casein free are: (if you are only gluten free, you have many more choices)
Entrees -
Rotisserie Chicken
USDA Choice Roasted Sirloin
Sides -
Cinnamon Apples
Cranberry Walnut Relish
Fresh Fruit Salad
Fresh Steamed Veggies
Garden Fresh Coleslaw

My guys had the Chicken, coleslaw and apples. They loved it so much, they had the same thing the next night! Andy did not have a reaction at all - we are so pleased."

Sesmark Rice Thins

How many times have I been excited to try a cracker, only to find that it has whey or cheese in the ingredients? And now that I've been limiting my wheat intake, finding a cracker that works for me seems literally impossible! Almost...

"Sesmark" puts out a cracker called Rice Thins that is rice-based and both dairy and wheat-free. They are very tasty (I've tried Teriyaki and Sesame), light on weight, and have a great crunch, much like a chip.

You can eat these rice thins without much guilt. 15 crackers gives you 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 0 sugar. I've seen these EVERYWHERE: Rainbow Foods, Lunds, Whole Foods, Wedge Coop, etc. Now you can relax, knowing your guacamole, hummus or soup will have a friend again :)

Vanilla Coconut Milk Beverage

Sometimes its nice to take a break from soy...so I went out and bought the Vanilla Coconut Milk beverage, the final piece to the dairy milk alternative puzzle. In this case, "save the best for last" really sums up my experience. Without a doubt, this milk alternative is the winner.

Coconut milk is often thought of as a fattening, high in calorie liquid. This milk, however, has only 90 calories for an entire cup of it. And don't get frazzled when you see that there are 5 grams of fat...remember, this fat is a medium-chain fatty acid, which means that it is stored as energy in the body, not as fat. In addition, there are only 7 grams of sugar, whereas my packet of soy milk had 11.

I've tried the coconut milk with cereal as well as in my chai tea. It worked splendidly in both and I will do it again today. The coconut flavor is pretty subtle which makes it a completely viable option for an everyday milk alternative, not just a "once in a while treat" when you want something really sweet.

I found it, as well as the coconut milk kefir (also great!), at Whole Foods in St. Paul. For a half gallon, it cost a little over $4.

Coconut Milk Kefir coming!

Coconuts seem to be all the rage these days! First it was the initial talk about coconut oil and all of its healing, energizing, weight-loss promoting properties. I have jumped on this band wagon and can attest to the added energy I have after literally adding only 1/4 teaspoon of coconut oil into my daily smoothie. I have added 2 miles to my running route, increased weight in my lifting and overall feel more energized and awake every day.

Then I spied the coconut milk ice cream in the freezer section at Whole Foods. This is a DELICIOUS alternative to regular ice cream. Coconut milk has now been made into a new dairy milk alternative and surprisingly low in calories (80 calories per cup). That is definitely on my to-do list and will post on it as soon as I've sampled the stuff.

Today, I became aware of yet another new product that is made with coconut milk...and it looks very promising! Posted on the "hungry vegan" blog, they announced that there is now a Coconut Milk Kefir coming to the grocery store! Check out this posting which includes a delicious sounding smoothie recipe: Hungry Vegan