Day 2- What's the Deal with Gluten?

My gluten-free shopping spree! Looking forward to trying new things like millet and dried pomegranate.

And what is gluten, anyways?

Gluten is found in grains, pastas, and in most bread. It gives baked goods a fluffy bounce. It contains protein, as well as starch or carbohydrates. Of course, this explains why we love it so much. You can even find gluten in just about every processed food.

Many people don’t tolerate gluten well, but have no idea. According to Kathy Freston in the 21 Day Quantum Wellness Cleanse,

“At the least harmful end of the spectrum, gluten in the diet is suspected to cause headaches, asthma, skin rashes and hives, weight gain and/or loss, bloating, fatigue, and behavioral problems such as depression. At the most harmful end of the spectrum is celiac disease,” which affects the small intestine and causes chronic inflammation in the body. About one in 133 people have celiac disease and many don’t even know it.

Gluten can be taxing on the digestive system, so your belly will appreciate the break. The biggest reason we are cutting gluten out completely for this cleanse is to see if gluten is fine for us or not. See how you feel without it and after the cleanse, see how your body responds when you add it back slowly.

Last time I did this cleanse, I was alarmed to realize that formerly ongoing headaches disappeared, my energy increased, and I lost weight easily. When I reintroduced the bread products, even in small doses, the headaches and fatigue came back immediately.

Some studies have shown that gluten can contribute to autism in children. Groups of parents have removed gluten and dairy from their children’s diets for at least three months. The results are very interesting: 

“Children who made the dietary switch began making eye contact with their parents for the first time and attending regular classes at school.”

If you are feeling intimidated since gluten seems to be in everything, pay closer attention to breads and pastries, rather than worrying about the small amounts in things like dressing and sauces.  You will still notice a difference.

See below for charts listing foods with gluten and without. I know that going gluten-free can be quite confusing at first. The charts below were very helpful for me when I was starting out and I've even shared my favorite products that I've discovered over the years, saving you some trial and error. Don't miss my recommendations- they are my very favorites and I feel they are fantastic substitutes that don't make me feel deprived or "dieting" at all.

Now enjoy a guilt-free, gluten-free, stress-free dinner!

1 Tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
½ to 1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or ¼ tsp dried ground ginger
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari sauce
1 Tablespoon red chili paste (a little less if you don’t like spicy)
1 cup brown rice
¼ cup chopped peanuts
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

1.   Cook rice according to package.  Before boiling, add a drop of sesame oil, some sesame seeds, and a couple drops of soy sauce (separate from ingredient measurements.)
2.   Heat the oils on medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet.  If using, add the chipotle chili powder and cook, stirring, for 15 seconds.
3.   Add the beans and cook, stirring constantly, until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
4.   Add the garlic and fresh ginger (if using), and cook, tossing and stirring constantly, until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. 
5.   Add the soy sauce, chili paste, and ground ginger (if using), and let come to a boil.  Cook for 30 seconds, tossing and stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, mix in half of the basil, and get ready to serve quickly.
6.   When rice is ready, mix in half of the fresh basil.
7.   Spoon the rice on the bottom, beans on top, then garnish with chopped peanuts.

*Adapted from The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen. Changed a bit by me.
Please note: Technically, soy sauce contains some gluten. The ideal is to have the Tamari sauce, but if soy sauce is all you have, don't worry about it. Progress, not perfection.

Foods with Gluten
Bagels                         Muffins
Beer                           Noodles
Bread & rolls               Pancakes
Cake                          Pasta
Cookies                      Pizza
Couscous                    Sauces (usually thickened with flour)
Crackers                     Baking powder
Deli meats                  Margarine and butter spreads
Flour (wheat, spelt, semolina, and rye)    Flavored tortilla and potato chips
French fries, frozen     Soy sauce
Seasoning mixtures     Cereals

There are now many Gluten-free products available to replace these.  With just about anything packaged, make sure it says “gluten-free.”

Gluten-Free Foods !
Corn and cornmeal                Rice noodles
Dairy products and eggs        Soy & Tofu
Fruits and vegetables             Quinoa
Herbs                                    Millet
Beans and lentils                    Nuts and seeds (plain)
Buckwheat                            Rice – brown and wild is best
Jams, jellies, preserves           Sugar, honey, maple syrup
Vinegars                                Yeast, fresh and dried
Tamari (replaces soy sauce)   Popcorn (yay!)

Alternatives to foods with gluten
Arrowroot (for thickening in place of flour)
Cornstarch
Cornmeal, polenta (great to replace pasta!)
Tapioca flour
Rice flour
Quinoa flour
Chickpea flour
Potato flour  

My favorite gluten-free products (I've tried many and highly recommend these):
Namaste Foods Pizza Crust Mix (We LOVE this!)
Truroots Organic Ancient Grain Pasta
Truroots Sprouted Quinoa Trio
Go Raw Sprouted Watermelon Seeds (crazy delicious snack!)
Lotus Foods Organic Jade Pearl Rice (I order from Tropical Traditions)
Lotus Foods Organic Volcano Rice (same as above)
Lotus Foods Organic Mekong Flower Rice (Jasmine rice- same as above)
Bob's Red Mill Products- many are gluten-free
Garden of Eatin' White Corn Tortilla Chips

Sweet Corn on the Grill with Fresh & Fruity Salsa

It had been a rough day and I was actually thinking about getting some pizza instead of washing all the veggies on my delightful CSA pick-up day.  But then I saw the first ears of fresh corn for the season and I felt excited and renewed, happily washing the lettuce for one of my giant salads.

My favorite way to grill the corn is directly on the grill, without the husk.  It gets charred in places and tastes so nice and sweet.  Because we’re going out of town in a couple of days, we grilled all of the corn and I made mango salsa, a black bean & corn mixture for the salad, and then scraped some more corn to freeze for later.  Using grilled corn in soups adds a nice little crunch of smoky flavor.

Oh, wow, I hear you shouting: “Mango salsa?!  Recipe please!”  I had some mango left over from making mango pina coladas over the weekend (you can use mangoes instead of or in addition to pineapples), so I chopped up the mango slices into little cubes, diced ¼ onion, diced one jalapeno pepper, and added the kernels from about one ear of corn and half a can of black beans, the juice of one lime, a squirt of honey, some fresh cilantro (optional), plus salt and pepper.  I’ve made a similar variation with pineapple- it’s also delicious!

I love summer salads!  I took the rest of the black beans and mixed with an avocado, ½ onion, kernels of corn from two ears, diced jalapeno, and a squeeze of lemon.  I also added chipotle chili pepper, a dash of cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  We grilled zucchini and onions as well and threw all of these things on top of the lettuce.  Add your favorite Mexican dressing.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been some tomato, which we didn’t have this week. 

Having green beans frozen and waiting enhances fall and winter crock pot meals, but it’s always so difficult for me not to eat them immediately!  This time, our upcoming vacation made it easier for me to freeze the green beans for the future.  I snipped and washed them, just like I would if I were eating them right away, but then I laid them on paper towels to dry thoroughly before freezing.  Finally, I threw them into a gallon size freezer bag and tucked them away for the days I don’t want to think about - when I’ll be missing my fresh CSA veggies (and sunshine!)  With a smile, I realized that this little bit of summer will be waiting to cheer me- in minestrone soup, perhaps?

Day Two- Seriously? No Caffeine?

How was Day One for you?  Hopefully, you are feeling a little bit lighter as you are beginning to free your body of common toxins.

If you would like a really super-powered breakfast, try this smoothie:
1/4 avocado, 1 leaf rainbow chard (or kale, swiss chard, etc), 1/2 green apple, 1/3 banana (Frozen), 1 tsp fresh minced ginger, a squeeze of lemon, and chia seeds soaked in water (1/4 -1/2 cup). Blend well. It's really refreshing, surprisingly sweet, and gave me a nice energy boost.  Plus, that’s three servings of fruits and vegetables already!

As I’m writing this, I wish I could have a little sip of green tea to perk me up and help me focus just a tiny bit more.  The No Caffeine rule has been, and still is, the toughest one for me.  Why is it so important?

Kathy Freston shares that Caffeine:

• Is a central-nervous-system stimulant

• Affects perception, mood, and behavior

• Raises dopamine, increasing feelings of pleasure, but depleting future stores of dopamine, making you need more and more

• Blocks adenosine receptors, which calm you and help you sleep, leading to anxiety, restlessness, and inability to sleep (but it does not take away the need for sleep.)

• Exhausts the body by stimulating adrenaline production, also raising cortisol (stress hormone)    Extended overuse of caffeine leading to stress fatigue and high levels of cortisol can lead to:  lowered thyroid function, cognitive problems, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity, raised inflammatory reaction in body

According to Freston, “The very things we take caffeine for – more energy and mental focus – are sacrificed over the long term by ingesting it.”

What to avoid:
Coffee, tea, caffeinated soda (or sodas with guarana), green tea
Energy drinks
Dark Chocolate
Coffee-flavored desserts
Medications containing caffeine

Enjoy:
Herbal tea
Decaf coffee

A warning, though – when I drank decaf coffee, I wanted real coffee and that led to one of my backslides…

And now for a recipe!

Spicy Basil Green Beans & Rice

1 Tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
½ to 1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or ¼ tsp dried ground ginger
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari sauce
1 Tablespoon red chili paste (a little less if you don’t like spicy)
1 cup brown rice
¼ cup chopped peanuts
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

1.    Cook rice according to package.  Before boiling, add a drop of sesame oil, some sesame seeds, and a couple drops of soy sauce (separate from ingredient measurements.)
2.    Heat the oils on medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet.  If using, add the chipotle chili powder and cook, stirring, for 15 seconds.
3.    Add the beans and cook, stirring constantly, until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
4.    Add the garlic and fresh ginger (if using), and cook, tossing and stirring constantly, until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. 
5.    Add the soy sauce, chili paste, and ground ginger (if using), and let come to a boil.  Cook for 30 seconds, tossing and stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, mix in half of the basil, and get ready to serve quickly.
6.    When rice is ready, mix in half of the fresh basil.
7.    Spoon the rice on the bottom, beans on top, then garnish with chopped peanuts.

*Adapted from The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen. Changed a bit by me.
Please note: Technically, soy sauce contains some gluten.  The ideal is to have the Tamari sauce, but if soy sauce is all you have, don't worry about it.  Progress, not perfection.

And finally, a meditation:

“Find a quiet spot and sit or lie down and close your eyes.  For at least ten breaths, drop down as deep into yourself as you can and connect to the part of you that wants to heal and flourish.  Feel the little buzz of magic that is getting stirred.” 

Think about why you are doing this cleanse.  Imagine yourself feeling lighter, happier, cleaner.  Be gentle with yourself and acknowledge that this is a big step- you are doing your best and are already doing better than last week.  Feel the pride in your commitment.

Use whatever time you can squeeze in – even letting these thoughts settle quietly as you breathe deeply is a good starting point. 

When I first did the cleanse, I would take 3 minutes out of my lunch break and close my eyes at my desk.  The main thing is to take some time to reflect and to let the good of the changes you are making settle in.