Disclaimer: This post is not meant to be medical advice, always talk to your doctor before you start taking any supplement or over-the-counter medication. Your doctor or dietitian can recommend a supplement for you and make sure that it doesn’t interact with other medications you’re taking.

Supplements can be an excellent way to enhance your nutrition and ensure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs. But you have to be careful not to just blindly supplement because you could potentially do more harm than good. It is also important to remember that while supplements can add nutrients to your diet, it will be most beneficial to get the vast majority of your nutrition from a well balanced diet full of whole foods (source). You can’t “out supplement” a poor diet.

The FDA doesn’t evaluate dietary supplement labels and ingredients before they’re sold, which means what is on the label isn’t always what is in the bottle. Instead, manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that their products are safe to use before they’re marketed. Companies don’t have to provide proof that the capsules, powders, gummies, and liquids they sell contain the ingredients on their labels or provide the strength and amount of the nutrients stated on the label.

Here are a few things that I personally look for when buying supplements of any kind:

USP Verified Mark

If you’re not familiar, USP is an independent organization that sets federally recognized public standards of quality for medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. “During a climate of increased government scrutiny and consumer concerns about the quality of dietary supplements, the USP Dietary Supplement Verification Program can help enhance a manufacturer’s competitive position and brand recognition by promoting the manufacturer’s commitment to produce quality products for consumers.” source

Seeing the USP Verified Mark on a dietary supplement label indicates that the product:

• Has been made according to FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices using sanitary and well-controlled procedures.
• Contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the declared potency and amounts.
• Does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants.
• Will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time.

GMP Certified

“Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is a set of standards created to instruct the processes of manufacturing a wide range of products. Becoming and remaining GMP compliant is increasingly essential for manufacturers in various industries.”

Process standardization is one of the most essential factors in ensuring consistency in manufacturing. And when it comes to manufacturing pharmaceutical products, medical devices, skin products, and cosmetics, consistency is everything.

As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formalized GMP to help companies in all industries ensure they consistently manufacture quality products. (source)

Third-Party Testing

Third-party certification means an independent organization with no ties to the manufacturing company has evaluated a dietary supplement and verified its quality and manufacturing process. Once the product is verified, a manufacturer can put the third-party program certification or verification seal on their product. Third-party certification does not mean the product has been evaluated for safety (whether it could cause an adverse event) or effectiveness (whether it works the way it is claimed to). It means the product content and label match. (source)

Third-party testing is not required by law, but I look for companies that are willing to get third-party tested. This shows that they are willing to be fully transparent and committed to providing high quality products.

Do I need to be taking supplements?

If you are a generally healthy adult that has had blood work done with your doctor, then you may not need to be supplementing much, if at all. But if you know for sure that you have certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies, then supplementation can be helpful. You always need to do this under the supervision of a doctor or nutrition professional. (I do believe that everyone can benefit from taking a good quality multivitamin as sort of an ‘insurance policy’ for your diet. This would be just to fill in the gaps.)

There are a few exceptions, and some people may need additional supplementation:

• pregnant or breastfeeding women
• those with a condition that can cause malabsorption (like celiac disease)
• infants who are breastfed
• vegans and vegetarians (source)
• if you are diagnosed with a nutritional deficiency

All of these conditions will require different types of supplementation, so consult with your doctor.

A few supplement brands I trust…

These are all brands that I have vetted myself, and we have taken them for a long time. There are specific products that I have taken from each brand, that I love!

I will also continually update this post as I learn about new brands that I love and trust!

NOW Foods – Most of my supplement cabinet is from Now Foods. I was fortunate to take a tour of their manufacturing facility a few years ago, and it was SO impressive. My family and I have taken an array of their products over the years, and they are GMP Certified and third-party tested. Use code CANDACE for 20% off.

Naked Nutrition – Naked Nutrition has things like Naked Iron, Naked Biotin, Multivitamins, Creatine, and my husband LOVES the preworkout. They are GMP Certified and third-party tested. I have loved their collagen creamers as well!

Thorne – I have taken a magnesium supplement from Thorne, and I know that their products are very high quality.

Mary Ruth’s – I give my kids the multivitamin gummies from Mary Ruth’s and they love them! We have also taken their kids’ vitamin D3, as well as their pre/postnatal liquid multivitamin during my pregnancies.

Nordic Naturals – Nordic Naturals is one of the only brands that I trust in terms of fish oil. I give my kids the children’s DHA, and I take the Ultimate Omega.

All of these companies have many different types of supplements, so you will most likely be taken care of when it comes to your supplement needs!

Thank you to Naked Nutrition for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own, and this post has many credible sources to scientific claims about supplements.

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The post How To Choose High Quality Vitamins & Supplements appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

Collagen provides a whole host of health benefits, including for hair, skin, and nail health. As well as providing key amino acids for muscle repair, joint health, and even support for your gut lining.

While the body creates its own collagen from protein-based food sources, collagen supplements provide a special form known as hydrolyzed collagen. This type of collagen has been broken down into peptides that may be easier to absorb than those in regular foods. This is why collagen supplements have become a go-to in many people’s daily routines, and not to mention they are convenient.

You can easily add it to your hot coffee or smoothies every day, but I’ve got a few more ways that you can add it into other meals, and you won’t be able to taste it or even know it’s there!

Oatmeal

You can easily stir a scoop of collagen powder into your hot oatmeal after it cooks, or include it in your overnight oats jar when you shake it up to prepare it. This will add protein to an otherwise carb heavy meal.

PB&J Overnight Oats

get the recipe

Blueberry Pecan Baked Oatmeal

get the recipe

Gluten-Free Steel Cut Oatmeal – 5 ways!

get the recipe

Pancakes

Just add a couple scoops of collagen right into your pancake batter! You won’t taste it and you are adding protein to breakfast.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

get the recipe

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

get the recipe

Muffins

Another easy one to add a couple scoops of collagen to! Add the collagen to the batter and you won’t even know it’s there once baked!

Chocolate Chunk Raspberry Almond Muffins

get the recipe

Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

get the recipe

Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

get the recipe

Yogurt

You can stir a scoop of collagen right into your yogurt bowl to add even more protein. This is an especially good idea if you are using a dairy-free yogurt that doesn’t provide much protein. Make sure you stir until there are no clumps left!

2-Ingredient Coconut Yogurt

get the recipe

Bars & Balls

You can add collagen powder right into the mix when you are making snack bars and energy balls for you and your kiddos! It will up the protein content so that they will stay full for longer.

Chocolate Coconut Protein Balls

get the recipe

Carrot Cake Protein Balls

get the recipe

Cranberry Coconut Protein Energy Bites

get the recipe

Hummus

Hummus is an easy one because you can blend the collagen powder right in!

Homemade Hummus & GF Flatbread

get the recipe

Smoothies & Beverages

Smoothies are an obvious one, and you can use collagen powder instead of protein powder if you don’t want to add any extra flavoring.

Mixed Berry Matcha Protein Smoothie

get the recipe

3-Ingredient Cantaloupe Smoothie

get the recipe

Iced Salted Caramel Collagen Latte

get the recipe

Soups

Soups are great because collagen dissolves so well into hot liquids, which will mean that there are no clumps and you won’t even know it’s there.

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup

get the recipe

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili

get the recipe

Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup

get the recipe

Coconut Kale Chickpea Soup

get the recipe

Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is another snack that you can add the benefits of collagen to by blending it right into the mix! I like to blend my chia pudding in the blender right before I eat it, so this will blend the collagen in even more.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

get the recipe

A collagen product that I have personally been adding to my meals is from Naked Nutrition. The Naked Nutrition Marine Collagen has only one ingredient: premium marine collagen peptides sourced from wild-caught cod.

Highly bioavailable marine collagen is easily absorbed by your body resulting in more radiant skin, shiny hair, and strong nails.

It is odorless, tasteless, and dissolves easily in your favorite hot or cold beverages like coffee, tea, smoothie, soups, or any of the recipes I listed below!

You can buy it HERE!

Thank you to Naked Nutrition for sponsoring this post, all opinions are my own and I truly use and love this product. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Wheatless Kitchen!

The post 9 Creative Ways to Add Collagen to Your Diet appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

Fortunately, protein intake isn’t something most parents need to stress about. There is a good chance that most kids get enough protein in a day without putting too much pressure on them. We need to focus on where they are getting their protein from, rather than stressing about how much they are eating each day. 

Benefits of Protein For Kids

There are many benefits of protein for kids. It is essential for basically every area of their bodies. For young children, protein is important for growth and development. It helps to repair and build muscles, bones and organs, and it also helps kids’ bodies build a strong immune system.

Protein also helps keep them full between meals, which all moms want help with so they are not asking for their 12th snack of the day! It always helps to pair a protein, fat, and carb source for most meals to keep it well-rounded. It doesn’t need to be perfect every time, but it is a good foundation to go by for meals and snacks. 

High Protein Foods For Kids

Meat, Poultry & Seafood

Of course this one is a no-brainer, but there are many different ways that you can serve meat and seafood to your kiddos. You can serve them chicken cooked in different ways, ground turkey in tacos, add any type of ground meat to enchiladas or lasagna, add chicken or ground turkey into soups, do sheet pan dinners, or pan-fry your fish of choice. The options are endless!

Yogurt & Cottage Cheese

Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are both great high protein options if your kids can tolerate dairy. I always recommend buying organic when it comes to dairy products, and make sure you are getting things that are unsweetened so that you can control the sugar content. You can make yogurt bowls with honey, berries, and nuts (and you can serve cottage cheese the same way). You can also use yogurt and cottage cheese in pancakes to up the protein. You can get creative and stir in a small amount of protein powder to vegan yogurt to add flavor and even more protein, as well as make a fruit dip by combining greek yogurt, cinnamon, peanut butter, and maple syrup. My girls love to dip apples in this!

Cheese

You can use string cheese, sharp cheddar, or add shredded cheese on top of pretty much anything! Some easy options of are of course things like quesadillas, enchiladas, in sandwiches, or even cube up larger blocks of cheese.

Milk & Milk Alternatives

I have never given my kids whole cow’s milk, but that is just personal preference because I give them unsweetened soy milk, and they eat dairy in other forms. Whole milk or soy milk are both great options for higher protein milk. I don’t believe that kids really need to be drinking a ton of milk after they turn one like the recommendations have always been. If they are eating a variety of foods that are a whole food protein source, then they won’t really need to supplement with milk. But this is always a personal choice that you should talk to your doctor or dietitian about. A couple of ways that you can use milk in other recipes is to either cook your oatmeal in it, or use it in smoothies. 

Nut & Seed Butters

We love peanut butter in our house! But any type of nut or seed butter will add protein to so many things. You can add a spoonful to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt bowls, dip fruit in it, the options are endless! 

Protein Powder for Kids

This one can be kind of tricky, because most parents don’t know if it is safe to give kids the protein powders that adults drink. And those are very valid concerns because a lot of them have very large amounts of protein and extra things in them that kids just don’t need. They don’t need to take in excessive amounts of protein in at one time, so it is smart to be careful. I have a select few that I use to make “chocolate milk” for my kids, and I only use a 1/2 scoop to mix with their milk so they aren’t getting too much. But one of the best protein powders that I have found that is actually made for kids is from Naked Nutrition. My kids love it, it tastes delicious, and the amount of protein as well as the extra nutrients in it are tailored to kids’ needs. This is amazing, and takes the worry away when trying to use protein for my girls. It comes in two flavors, so you can get creative with fun smoothies for them!

Whole Nuts & Seeds

One of the easiest ways to add protein from seeds to your kid’s diet is to add things like hemp seeds, flax, or chia seeds to smoothies and oatmeal. I almost always add hemp and flax to my kids oatmeal and they never even know it is there! 

Eggs

Eggs are a fantastic protein source for kids. You can serve them so many different ways, depending on your child’s preferences. You can of course serve them fried, scrambled, in tacos, or even casserole style. Egg cups are also a great way to add extra veggies in there too, or even egg salad sandwiches!

Protein Baked Goods

Adding protein powder, yogurt, cottage cheese, or nut butters to baked goods are a fun way to serve treats! You can do protein muffins, protein brownies, or different flavors of snack balls! Some of our favorite protein muffins to make are my chocolate banana muffins, and blueberry banana.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is not only a good way to add protein, but it is loaded with SO many other nutrients. I am a huge advocate of adding bone broth to your diet in some way. You can obviously use it in soups, but you can also cook your rice in it instead of water to up the protein. You can add a splash of broth when sautéing vegetables, or even use it in hot chocolate. I know it may sound crazy, but you really don’t taste it when you add the cocoa and sweetener! 

Beans & Legumes

Beans are a fantastic source of protein because they also provide fiber and complex carbohydrates. They are great for gut health, and provide a plant-based source of protein, which are perfect for vegetarian and vegan dishes. You can add them to soups and chili, make quesadillas with refried beans, and you can even make dips out of beans, like my White Bean & Goat Cheese Dip.

Alternative Pastas

Most kids love pasta, so this can be an easy win if you are trying to get them more protein without it being obvious. Pastas made out of chickpeas, or other types of beans and legumes are a great way to up the protein content, and normally kids won’t even know the difference. 

Veggie Burgers

There are lots of veggie burger options out there, but I would recommend the ones that are made with whole food ingredients, and don’t have a lot of fake fillers in them. Look for options that are made with beans, legumes, or lentils, and whole grains. 

Just remember, you are doing a great job feeding your kids! If they are eating a well rounded diet with foods from all of the food groups, they are most likely going to be getting enough protein. Whole foods are the key here because the nutrient density of their diet is so important for their growing bodies!

Thank you to Naked Nutrition for sponsoring this post! I appreciate you for following along and supporting the brands that support The Wheatless Kitchen!

The post Best Sources of Protein For Kids appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

What are sprouts?

Sprouts are typically the young greens that are not fully grown into the mature plant. Their seeds have just germinated, and have small green leaves, and sometimes the sprouts look like little tails.

There are several categories of sprouts:

• beans and legumes: chickpeas, black beans, mung beans, lentils, etc.
• nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds etc.
• vegetables: alfalfa seeds, broccoli seeds, etc.
• grains: quinoa, wheatgrass, millet, etc.

Health Benefits of Sprouts

Sprouts are nutritional powerhouses. They possess tons of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes. When you sprout certain seeds, you are really maximizing their nutrient density, absorption, and optimal digestion. Gram for gram, sprouts are much more nutrient dense than the seed version of itself.

Alfalfa sprouts are also a proven high-antioxidant food, which can help fight oxidative stress and free radicals, which in turn can help reduce the risk of diseases that are linked to aging. There have been studies to show that because of the vitamin K and phytoestrogens, sprouts can be beneficial for women’s hormonal health, reduce the risk of breast cancer, and even prevent osteoporosis.

All legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains have an organic compound called phytic acid. Phytic acid inhibits the absorption of several vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and B vitamins. Soaking and sprouting your food helps break down the phytic acid to ultimately promote the proper absorption.

Sprouts are abundant in nutrients like protein, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and B vitamins, just to name a few. 

How to Grow Your Own Sprouts At Home

Growing sprouts at home is much easier than I thought it would be. It is especially helpful if you have a jar that is made for sprouting, like I used here. I used a sprouting jar from NOW Foods and it worked perfectly! The jar has a mesh lid that makes draining the water from your sprouts so much easier.

Before you start:

• Make sure that you are working with organic seeds that aren’t sprayed with fungicides or other chemicals
• Use seeds that are meant for sprouting
• Clean your jar with soap and water before sprouting

Step 1: If you are using a 1/2 gallon jar like I am here, then you will use 1/4 cup of seeds. Start by pouring 1/4 cup of seeds into the jar, and then add 3/4 cup cold filtered water. Let them soak overnight (or about 8 hours).

The amount of water doesn’t have to be exact, just make sure the water covers the seeds by about an inch or two.

Step 2: Once the seeds have soaked, you are going to drain the water. Next, you will want to rinse the seeds by adding more water and draining again, you may need to repeat this one more time until the water runs clear.

Once you have completely drained the water, lay your jar at an angle in a warm, dark place. This is important because sprouting occurs in the darkness, so I like to keep my sprouting jar in my pantry during this process.

This is DAY 1.

Step 3: You are now going to repeat the rinsing and draining process twice a day. I do this in the morning and then again at night. Just use lukewarm water, and be gentle with your sprouts when you drain them. Make sure you really get all of the water out, you don’t want stagnant water sitting in the bottom of the jar.

On DAY 2 you will start to see the little “tail” start to sprout from the seed. This means it’s growing! (Don’t forget to keep rinsing and draining each morning and night!)

On DAY 3, the tails will have grown much longer, and the sprouts will basically be taking up the entire contents of the jar. They may even be starting to sprout tiny little leaves.

On DAY 4, you are almost done! This is when you will place your alfalfa sprouts in the sunlight so that they can develop chlorophyll. I like to place my jar in a windowsill that has indirect sunlight. It only takes a few hours to see the leaves develop a much brighter green color. Turn the jar occasionally so that all sides get to see the sunlight.

THE LAST STEP: Once you have gone through the sprouting process, you now need to prepare them for storage. First, you need to clean out your sink with soap to make sure there are no lingering germs, then fill your sink with cold water. Take the sprouts out of the jar and put them into the water. Use your hand to gently shake them a bit to let the hulls separate from the sprouts. Then just pull the sprouts out and place them in an even layer on a dish towel to dry out. I let mine sit out for a few minutes to dry, then store them in an airtight container with a paper towel underneath them to soak up excess moisture.

You did it! Now you know how to grow your own sprouts! Once you do it, you realize it really is easier than it seems.

How to Store Sprouts

There are several ways to keep your sprouts fresh in the refrigerator. You can wrap them in a mesh cheesecloth or nut milk bag, or even put them in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture. Be sure to use them within 3-4 days for optimal freshness, nutrients and safety.

Note: sprouts are at risk for contamination from foodborne illnesses and bacteria such as E. coli. This can simply be avoided by using safe practices. Be sure to keep your kitchen and jars clean, and always wash your hands.

• One way to prevent bacteria in the sprouting process is to use citric acid. Citric acid helps inhibit the formation of mold and other bacterial growth, an all-too-common occurrence when sprouting in a jar due to the humidity and condensation. All you would need to do is add about a teaspoon per quart of water when you are soaking your seeds. 

How to Use Sprouts In Meals

You can put alfalfa sprouts on pretty much anything because they are a more delicate sprout. I like to use mine to top salads, put them on sandwiches, and even pile on top of my avocado toast.

• For sprouted beans and legumes, you can cook them and eat them just as you normally would. 

• For sprouted grains like quinoa, you can use them just as your normally would, or even in granola and baked goods.

As you can see, growing your own sprouts takes very little time and effort, but yields huge results in terms of quantity, as well as the nutritional benefits. If you are interested in any of the sprouting seeds and jars that I used, check out nowfoods.com/sprouting for everything you will need to grow your own sprouts! 

*Thank you, NOW Foods for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.

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Get Good Quality Sleep

Getting your beauty rest is sure to help you feel ready to conquer all you have on your plate. I get it, with everything you need to take care of in your day-to-day, getting to sleep at a decent time can seem like an impossible feat, especially for busy moms. Adults need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep per night (which won’t happen every single night, especially if you have young kids), but there are a few things you can do to help make this happen. Have a schedule that helps you keep things on track, like set times to get things done early on so you are not doing them late into the night. Tackling household chores, getting homework done before dinner, having devices powered off before a certain time, and creating a bedtime routine to help you relax can help make all the difference for you and your kids. Sleep deprivation can cause your body to be on a blood sugar rollercoaster during the day, which can lead to more fatigue, mood swings, and sugar cravings. The last thing you want is to feel like you are fighting to stay awake and overwhelmed. Getting to sleep should be one of your priorities to avoid burnout.

Eat Well (Use Food as Fuel)

Eating well is SO worth it. You deserve to feel your best, and nourishing your body can help you get there. It is incredible how food can make you feel and impact your day, whether positively or negatively. There are many different food allergies and sensitivities that can make us feel less than great. Do you feel lousy after eating dairy, gluten, or processed oils? If so, knowing your triggers can help you to eat what is best for you, whether that be going lactose-free, or by trying some delicious grain-free recipes. Understanding your unique needs can help you put together meals that work for you and help you to get rid of unwanted feelings like brain fog, muscle pain, or fatigue. The first thing that you can start doing is adding a serving of vegetables at every meal. It doesn’t have to be a huge salad, you could do things like adding greens to your eggs in the morning, adding spinach to your smoothie, or an easy roasted veggie with lunch of dinner. Start small, and you can build on those small choices.

Be Proactive and Take Ownership

Striving to be proactive each and every day can empower you to care for both your mind and body. YOU are the boss of you, and it can be easy to become complacent and not stay on top of things, whether it be with goals, your career, or your health. Your body gives you signals all the time. If you are not feeling well, don’t neglect it, and make sure you see a doctor or nutritionist to look into the problem. Whether it be an allergy, symptoms of IBS, or your mental health, take steps to get help. If you notice you are experiencing some common signs of depression in women don’t brush it off, speak with a mental health professional that can talk to you about how to deal with them. If you feel like your stomach is often upset, don’t hesitate to switch up your diet and speak with a nutritionist that could help you sort through possible food intolerances or recommend some probiotics to try. Being proactive will help you to reach your health goals and feel well. Taking control of my health was the best thing I ever did for myself, you can read about my healing story here.

Consume Consciously

What your body is exposed to every day can really impact your health, it is not just about what we put IN our bodies, but also what we put ON our bodies. That’s why I highly recommend taking the time out to read and understand the labels of products you are using. Consume consciously, stop and take a moment before you pick something off the shelf and put it in your cart for purchase. For instance, does your body wash contain straightforward and easy-to-understand ingredients, or is it full of hormone-disrupting chemicals? We can’t always be perfect at this, but striving to use wholesome, simple, and clean products can cut down on exposure to harsh substances. There are also lots of great homemade versions that can help, which will cut down on cost. This can be everything from beauty products, household cleaners, air fresheners, and even bug repellant.

Exercise Your Mind

We’ve all been told a million times that exercise is good for the body, but have you heard about exercising your mind? Giving your mind a workout is great for your overall health, and can keep your mind sharp as you get older. And not to worry, I won’t be suggesting any algebra equations. Instead, try some relaxing games that can help you unwind and work your mind each day. Take fifteen minutes to complete a crossword puzzle or sudoku. If puzzles are not your thing then try reading a book, or learning a new language, by using an engaging language learning app. Either way, exercising your mind has many benefits for the brain. 

Healthy choices not only are beneficial for your mind and body but can be fun and bring so much joy to your life. From learning how to cook tasty recipes, to getting hooked on a new favorite exercise, or reading a good book, there is so much you can do to take care of yourself. Remember, when we FEEL better, we DO better.

The post Healthy Choices Your Mind and Body Will Thank You For appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

But not to worry, I’ve got your back. My husband and I have traveled a lot over the past decade, and I’ve learned some things along the way. I always have a strategy, and a list of things that I do before and during every trip that make things a lot easier, and safer.

By doing your research and having a plan, you will make your trip so much more enjoyable!

Gluten-Free Tips for Celiacs

• DO RESEARCH AHEAD OF TIME – This may seem obvious, but it is so important. Once you figure out where you’re traveling to, do research on the city and culture. Look for restaurants that can offer GF items, and grocery stores in the area.
• BIG CITIES CAN SOMETIMES BE EASIER – Traveling to bigger cities can potentially give you more options for restaurants and grocery stores. Smaller towns may have some things, but I’ve experienced so many more cross-contamination issues. Bigger cities seem to have more variety too.
• TRY TO BOOK A PLACE WITH A KITCHEN – Finding an AirBnB or hotel with a small kitchen can be very helpful! This way, if you find yourself having a hard time with restaurants, then you can at least make your own meals. We have done this for breakfasts in particular. I will just go to the grocery store when we get into town and grab things like oats, fruit, peanut butter, avocado, chips, and other easy snacks. Being able to whip up some breakfast before we start exploring for the day makes things easier. Also, these toaster bags are something you can also bring with you. They are a new discovery to me, but I’m going to give them a try!
• BRING CELIAC TRAVEL CARDS – Having celiac travel cards on hand can be extremely helpful if you don’t speak the local language. This will eliminate confusion while trying to tell the waiter about your restrictions. I have used these before when we went to Mexico and Costa Rica. Although, I really didn’t need to because our waiters happened to speak very good English.
• ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AT RESTAURANTS – I wrote an entire post about dining out, so this should tell you everything you need to know about eating at restaurants.
• BRING YOUR OWN FOOD & SNACKS – I never travel without bringing at least a few snacks just in case. There haven’t been many times that I haven’t had anything to eat at a restaurant, but you don’t want to be disappointed and hungry. This is another reason to find a local grocery store to stock up on a few things. And if you end up not being able to eat out, then you can run to that grocery store and create a makeshift meal there. Bringing a few snacks for plane travel is a must too, we all know that there aren’t many things in airports or planes that we can eat.
• FIND ME GLUTEN-FREE APP – I have used the Find Me Gluten-Free app on almost every trip we have gone on, and it is normally pretty helpful. You just put in your current location, and it finds GF options that are near you. They even have a section where they have crowd-sourced to let you know if it is safe for a celiac. This is not always foolproof, but it does help.

OUR TRAVELS

We have taken so many amazing trips over the years, mostly within the U.S., but then also a couple to Mexico and Costa Rica. We have made so many memories and have gotten to experience so many fun things. Here are a few recap posts from some of the trips we have taken…

• Costa Rica
• Miami & The Florida Keys
• New York City
• Scottsdale, AZ + The Grand Canyon
• Pagosa Springs, CO
• Las Vegas + Portland, OR
• California Coast Road Trip [Part 1]
• California Coast Road Trip [Part 2]
• Cabo San Lucas

I hope these tips help you in your travel endeavors! If I missed anything, and you are an experienced gluten-free traveler, let me know! I will add it to the list!

The post Gluten-Free Travel Tips for Celiacs appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are a certain type of friendly bacteria (microorganisms) that live inside your gut. They are often taken by supplement, but you can get them through foods as well. In my opinion, it is often better to get probiotics through food because they can potentially be more stable than supplements. And you are also potentially getting prebiotics at the same time (the food that feeds the probiotics).

Health Benefits of Probiotics

The diverse community of microorganisms in your gut is called the gut microbiome, and most of the gut flora is in your colon, or large intestine. Maintaining a healthy microbiome is essential to overall health.

Some of the many ways that probiotics and fermented foods can improve our health are:

• improve digestion
• protect cognitive function
• boost immunity
• help protect against many types of cancer
• help protect you from certain types of infections and diseases
• help treat irritable bowl syndrome (IBS)
• kill harmful yeast and microbes
• provide minerals to build bone density
• help protect against obesity

Probiotic-Rich Food Sources

• YOGURT – Yogurt is one of the most common food sources of probiotics. You want to make sure you are eating a good quality yogurt with minimal added sugar. (You can easily make your own at home too!)
• SAUERKRAUT – Sauerkraut is most commonly fermented cabbage. It has a strong tangy flavor that goes well with other savory foods. It is one of the oldest traditionally fermented foods, and is high in fiber, and many different vitamins.
• KEFIR – Kefir is a drinkable yogurt with many of the same benefits of regular yogurt.
• PICKLES – Your favorite sandwich partner actually has probiotics too! Not all pickles are created equal though, you need to make sure they are fermented. Most store-bought pickles are made with vinegar, which makes them taste sour, but they are not actually fermented in a brine.
• KIMCHI – Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean dish that is made with cabbage and other vegetables. It is often spicy, so it can add a lot of flavor to meals.
• MISO – Miso is made by fermenting soybeans with rice or barley with koji, which is a type of fungus. It is traditional is Japanese cuisine, and in recipes like miso soup. If you have celiac disease, you need to read the ingredients and make sure that it was fermented with rice, as barley is not gluten-free.
• TEMPEH – Tempeh is also made from fermented soybeans. It is a dense mold that can be crumbled and sautéed, or even cut into segments and grilled. It is also a really great source of protein too!
• RAW CHEESE – Raw cheese that has not been pasteurized, and can be particularly high in probiotics. I don’t personally eat dairy, but if you can tolerate it, this is an option.

HOW TO FERMENT VEGETABLES

This post is a really great resource on how to ferment vegetables. They even provide several different recipes for things like sauerkraut and kimchi. It is actually very simple to ferment your own veggies, it just takes a little patience.

WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?

I personally think that incorporating fermented foods with live bacteria into your diet is the best way to get probiotics. But if you feel like you need a little more help, and want to take a supplement, here are some tips.

• Look for “live and active cultures” on the packaging. This is important and makes it a true probiotic.
• You want to make sure it has at least 5 strains of bacteria, strain diversity is important. If it only has 1 or 2 strains of bacteria, skip it, it won’t be as beneficial.
• You want it to have at least 5 Billion CFU per serving. CFU stands for colony forming units, and I like to go for the higher CFU counts.
• Get them from a reputable brand. Many drug store brands are not great quality, and won’t give you much benefit. I like NOW Foods, Renew Life, Seed, Megaspore Biotic, and Thorne.

HOW TO INCORPORATE FERMENTED FOODS INTO YOUR DIET

• Add pickles or sauerkraut to sandwiches and burgers.
• Make yogurt bowls for breakfast with granola and fresh fruit.
• Put a spoonful of yogurt into your smoothies.
• Make meatless meals by subbing in tempeh. It is great in stir-frys.
• Make your own miso soup!
• Add kimchi to your stir-fry or fried rice!

*Disclaimer: I hope this information helped, but remember, I am not a doctor. This advice and knowledge comes from my nutrition training, so if you are needing a probiotic for a very specific reason, I would recommend you talk to your doctor about what is safe for you.

The post A Guide to Probiotics appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

TIPS FOR DINING OUT WITH CELIAC DISEASE ->

• KNOW THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET INSIDE AND OUT – You need to really understand all of the common ingredients that could potentially make you sick, and the rules behind cross-contamination within a GF diet. Reading books about Celiac Disease will help you with this.
• RESEARCH RESTAURANTS – Do your research on restaurants ahead of time to make sure that they even have gluten-free options available.
  • Do they have a gluten-free menu?
  • DO they have items that can be made gluten-free?
  • Do they even talk about gluten on their website at all? If not, call ahead of time to get some peace of mind.
• INFORM BEFORE ORDERING – Make sure you lead with telling the waiter that you have celiac disease before you even order. Starting with this lets them know that it is important, and that you are about to elaborate on it.
• BE ASSERTIVE – This one took me a long time to master. At the beginning of my celiac journey, I was way too passive about it because I didn’t want to be a burden. I always let them know, but I wasn’t assertive enough, and I didn’t stress to them how serious my food restrictions were. This lead to me getting sick a few times from cross-contamination. You can still be assertive, while also being kind.
• SPEAK TO THE MANAGER OR CHEF – If the waiter seems confused or hesitant in any way, don’t be afraid to ask to speak to the manager or chef. You can do this politely, but I have done it when I felt like the waiter didn’t know how to answer my questions confidently. Sometimes the waiter will actually bring the manager to you without you asking because they don’t want to mess anything up.
• ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS – There are a number of questions that you can ask in order to make sure your order comes out correctly. You have to know what to look for, and make substitutions accordingly.
  • Are there flour or thickeners in the sauce or salad dressing?
  • Is it marinated? There are many marinades that contain soy sauce or certain spice mixes that are not GF.
  • Are the french fries cooked in a fryer that is shared with breaded things?
  • Are the french fries dusted with flour?
  • Is the item breaded with flour?
  • Are the items dusted with flour before sautéing?
  • Are there croutons, crispy noodles, or fried onions that come on top of the dish as a garnish?
  • Does the soup have flour thickeners or barley?
  • If it is a vegetarian dish, is there a meat substitute. Some can contain gluten, specifically some vegetarian sausages or imitation crab meat.
  • Does bread come with the dish? Some dishes come with a side of bread, just have them leave it off.
  • Do they clean the grill before preparing gluten-free dishes?
  • Do they use separate utensils and cutting boards to prepare gluten-free dishes?
  • Do they have a separate gluten-free area all together?

• BE PREPARED TO NOT GET YOUR FIRST CHOICE – I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten excited about a certain dish, only to find that they can’t confidently make it gluten-free. So then I end up having to go with a salad or something easier. At the very least, I don’t get sick. But it can definitely be a bummer sometimes.
• DON’T BE AFRAID TO SEND THINGS BACK – I know it is frustrating, and no one wants to be that person, but you can’t be afraid to send things back if your order doesn’t come out right. I would rather send it back than get sick. Just be super polite and let them know what isn’t correct, and they will take it back and fix it.
• BRING SNACKS TO RESTAURANTS – If you are with a group and aren’t able to leave to go somewhere else if they can’t make something safe for you, then have snacks on hand so you don’t go hungry.
• BRING YOUR OWN DISH – If you are eating at someone’s house, then come prepared with your own dish. At least that way, you will know that there is something that you can safely eat, and you contributed to the meal. I never expect a host to completely accommodate my needs, so I just offer to bring something.
• HOLIDAY GATHERINGS – The same thing goes for holiday gatherings. It doesn’t have to be completely stressful, you can easily bring a few dishes that are safe for you so that you can enjoy the meal with everyone else. Don’t even make a big deal out of it, just let everyone know that you brought some things for everyone to share. Just make sure they don’t mix the utensils from the non-GF dishes!
• TEACH YOUR FAMILY ABOUT CROSS-CONTAMINATION – I’m sure that your family and friends would be happy to learn about how to keep you safe when they are cooking. No one wants you to be sick, and people are always willing to accommodate to help others.
• BE KIND AND POLITE – As much as we wish everyone was educated on this, they just aren’t. And that’s okay, we probably weren’t educated on it before we were diagnosed either. Just be as polite as possible when dining out, while also being assertive about your needs. Just remember that restaurants generally do not want to make you sick. They want to take care of their customers so they they become repeat customers. Your kindness will go a long way with the waiter.
• GIVE CREDIT WHEN THEY DO A GOOD JOB – If the waiter, chef, or manager did a great job at taking care of you and your needs, then reward them for it. Tip well if possible, leave good online reviews, spread the word about their great service, and be a repeat customer. And most of all, THANK THEM and tell them that you really appreciate their efforts.

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*Disclaimer: this post is not meant to be medical advice. It is just a resource to help you better understand how to dine out safely with celiac disease. Always talk to your doctor about any personal medical concerns you may have.

The post A Celiac’s Guide to Gluten-Free Dining appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

If you love fresh juice, but don’t own a juicer

Who doesn’t love fresh juice in the summer?! It’s refreshing, hydrating, and can pack a ton of nutrients into one glass. The only problem is that it can really put a strain on the wallet when you’re buying them from juice bars all the time. $13 for a green juice? I don’t think so.

So then the answer would be to just make them at home, right? But what if I don’t own a juicer, and don’t want to shell out $$$ because THOSE THINGS AREN’T CHEAP.

Not to worry. You can make amazing nutrient dense juice right at home, WITHOUT a juicer. All you need is a blender, and then something to strain the juice in. I have used a fine mesh strainer before, but my favorite way to strain juice is with a nut milk bag.

To all my green juice haters…

To all my green juice haters out there, let me just start out by telling you that this one does have fruit in it. So it is a tiny bit sweet and doesn’t taste like grass.

I’m not going to lie, I love the ones with just a bunch of greens and some lemon, I don’t need the sweet. But if you don’t enjoy the stronger green juices, this one is for you! You will also love my Green Glory Juice!

How To Juice Without a Juicer

I will be the first to admit that it does take a little more effort to juice without a juicer, but if you’re not the type of person that is going to drink juice every single day, then it really isn’t bad at all. Let me walk you through it.

• Start by picking the fruits and vegetables you want to use. I went with kale, celery, cucumber, lemon, and apple. You can use any combination you want, the fun part about this is getting creative with the combination of fruits and veggies to see what you like!

• The one thing I normally do if I’m using the blender rather than the juicer is to remove stems or thick skins from the produce. That would be from things like greens and sturdier items (i.e. kale, some citrus skins, etc) You don’t HAVE to do this, but I find that it can sometimes blend a little easier. In this case, I removed most of the lemon peel and the kale stems.

• Just chop it all into big chunks, throw it into the blender, and add about 3 cups of filtered water. Then BLEND!

This works best if you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, Blendtec, or Ninja. But honestly, I think any blender can work, you just might need to blend a little longer.

Nut Milk Bag for Easy Straining

• Let it blend for about a minute or so on high, next up we strain out the pulp. Just get your nut milk bag (mine is from Ellie’s Best), and place it inside a pitcher, folding the edges over the top of the rim. Carefully pour the juice right in, and then give it a good squeeze to get all of the juice out, being left only with the pulp. You can totally do this with a fine mesh strainer if you don’t have a nut milk bag, just set the strainer on top of the pitcher and pour the juice into it.

I highly recommend this Ellie’s Best nut milk bag because it can be used for so many things! I use it of course for all homemade nut milks, but also for juices and even homemade cold brew!

How To Store Fresh Juice

Then you just store your fresh homemade juice in a mason jar inthe fridge for up to 3-4 days. Besides being delicious, this juice gives you an incredible amount of nutrients. You’ve got tons of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and more. We need to feed our cells with as much goodness as we can.

Happy juicing!

*this post contains an affiliate link, if you use the link for Ellie’s Best nut milk bag, you will get 10% off!

Not a juice fan? Here are some smoothies instead!

• Refreshing Strawberry Basil Smoothie
• Healing Orange & Turmeric Smoothie
• 3-Ingredient Cantaloupe Smoothie
• Pina Colada Matcha Protein Smoothie

Print

Simple Green Juice

You can make amazing, nutrient dense juice right at home, WITHOUT a juicer! All you need is a nut milk bag, and it will save you TONS of money from buying fresh pressed juice.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 english cucumber
• 1 large lemon (most of the peel removed)
• 1 red apple
• 4-5 stalks of celery
• 3-4 large kale leaves (stems removed)
• 3-4 cups of cold filtered water

Instructions

• Roughly chop the cucumber and celery, quarter the apple, and half the lemon.
• Add all of the ingredients to a blender, start blending on low, slowly turning up the speed.
• Blend on high for 60 seconds, until you have a very smooth juice.
• If you are using a nut milk bag, put the bag inside a pitcher and pour in the juice. Squeeze the bag to extract the juice, only being left with the pulp.
• Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

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The post How to Juice Without a Juicer appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

Over the past year, I have been sharing a lot of Sloane’s first food exposures and meals on Instagram. And over that time, I have gotten so many questions about how and when we decided to introduce certain foods to her. So now that she is 18 months old, and we have over a year of experience at this, I thought it was time I write a post about it.

I am certainly no expert at this. Bbaby-led weaning has definitely worked for us, and I recommend it to anyone that asks me about it.

I took the Feeding Littles online infant course, and it was extremely helpful! They are so knowledgable. I felt at ease knowing that I was learning about this topic from a Registered Dietitian and a Feeding Therapist. I highly recommend their course if you are wanting to go in depth on all things baby feeding. But for now, I am going to tell you everything that I have done with Sloane. Thi is in hopes that it will help anyone that may not want to take a more extensive course.

What is baby-led weaning?

Baby-led weaning is essentially the idea that you give your baby solid foods right from the start. Rather than only start with purees or traditional baby foods. I know that the term “weaning” can make it sound like you are trying to wean them from the breast or bottle, but that is not the case. You still want to offer breastmilk or formula until they are at least 12 months old. It really just means that you will be weaning your baby toward solid foods. You do not rush them, and just letting them explore all the new flavors and textures.

Whether you are choosing to do baby-led weaning with your baby, or opt for a few purees alongside, the choice is totally up to you. You have to do what is best for YOU and YOUR baby. Feeding your baby shouldn’t pose any strict rules, always do what you are comfortable with.

The Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning

One of the main reasons I wanted to do baby-led weaning is because it helps babies work on their fine motor skills. Also, it helps boost their oral motor development. By feeding them this way, they are constantly able to pick up different shaped foods with their hands and fingers. Also, they feel the different textures in their hands. And in turn, this will hopefully help them to become less picky eaters in the long run. They are exposed to foods in their natural state instead of everything being pureed.

One of the biggest benefits, according to some feeding experts, is that babies are able to learn the feeling of satiety (fullness). They will be able to listen to their bodies. They will know when they are full, and won’t be pressured to eat “just one more bite”. If they are only being fed purees, then they will end up eating the food faster. Their stomach won’t catch up their brain to let them know that they are full before eating more than they actually needed.

What about Choking?

One of the main concerns that parents usually have with baby-led weaning is choking. Most people are taught to believe that purees are safer than solid foods. However, from what I learned from Feeding Littles, that is not completely true.

The gag reflex on babies is more toward the front of their tongue than adults is. It is very common for babies to gag on their food, but gagging and choking are two very different things. When a baby gags, it is only because they are trying to learn how to move food around in their mouth, as well as learn how to chew.

Gagging is common and normal, and you will hear them make a sound, or even cough. The cough or gagging sound is actually a good thing because you know that their airway is not blocked. It is when they look like they are gagging. But no sound is coming out, that they could potentially be choking.

There has been research that says that babies who are given solids (cooked in the right way) are no more likely to choke than babies that are spoon-fed. As long as you stay away from foods that are known choking hazards, you should be just fine. (I will go over choking hazards down below.)

When to Start

There is so much research out there that says that babies really should be 6 months old when you start introducing solids. Their little digestive tracts are just not ready for solid food before then, so that is why we didn’t give Sloane anything but breastmilk before she turned 6 months. Ultimately, the choice is completely up to you and your pediatrician. Do whatever works best for you.

Another important milestone that needs to be met before you start solids is that your baby needs to be able to sit up on their own. When you put them in the highchair, you don’t want them to be hunching over and not able to hold themselves up, this could potentially turn into a choking hazard. They also need to be able to pick up food with their palms, so let your baby be the guide on when to start.

Start Slowly

At first, your baby will have a hard time picking up certain foods, they usually don’t develop their pincer grasp until around 9-10 months old. So this means that they will grasp the food with their hand, and only eat the part that is sticking out of their palm. You want to make sure that you cut foods into longer strips so that they have something to work with.

I think one of the biggest things that I learned from Feeding Littles is to not rush the process. Some babies take to food very quickly, and actually start eating some substance right away. And some babies just play with the food for a while. Both are perfectly fine! Babies need to play with the food to be able to get comfortable with the textures and flavors. All of this is new to them, so just be patient and know that if your baby isn’t eating the food right away, it’s okay!

You can introduce foods to your baby in a couple of different ways. You can just place a couple pieces of food onto the highchair and let them pick it up and play with it. Or, if they are having a hard time with that at first, you can put the food right into their hand and help them grasp it.

Let’s Talk About Food Allergies

Introducing common food allergens can be a sensitive subject for some people, especially if you have food allergies in your family. I won’t lie, I was a little hesitant about giving Sloane gluten because of my obvious allergy. This is definitely something that you want to talk to your pediatrician about because every baby is different, and every family history is different.

There are a lot of traditional thoughts about introducing food allergens one at a time, and some not until after the baby turns one. But these days, there is more and more research saying that the earlier you start introducing the common allergens, the less likely a baby is to develop an allergy to that food. Feeding Littles talks about this in their course, and I talked to Sloane’s pediatrician about it and she recommended that I introduce the foods to her early on. Luckily, she has never had a reaction to any food.

What foods do I start with?

There are really no rules as to which foods to start feeding your baby. This is all going to depend on the typical diet of the parents. The one thing you definitely want to take into consideration, though, is processed foods because of their sugar and salt content. Feeding your baby whole foods is always going to be better for their little bodies.

I started with pretty simple foods for Sloane. Avocado, roasted sweet potato, strips of ripe mango, etc. And then as she got used to those foods, I would add more. I ended up getting more and more creative as time went on because I got more comfortable with feeding her. Before I knew it, she was eating full meals with several components, not just single foods.

I started with just giving her foods at breakfast and dinner every day. We did that for a few weeks, alongside with me nursing her as I normally would throughout the day. She obviously wasn’t eating a ton at each meal, but she was learning.

I would always make sure that I nursed her before each meal so that she didn’t come to meal time hungry. Babies that are new to BLW can get frustrated if they are hungry because they don’t know how to technically feed themselves yet.

Foods to NOT give babies

While baby-led weaning advocates for babies to eat what the family eats, in a modified way, there are still some foods that babies cannot have right off the bat.

Honey is a big no-no for babies. Their bodies cannot handle honey until they are at least 12 months old because it can cause infant botulism.

Common choking hazards also shouldn’t be given to babies, and some even need to be avoided into toddlerhood. These include certain chips and hard crackers, hard candy, dollops of nut butters, whole grapes, certain hard raw veggies, and whole nuts.

Salt should also be very limited until they are at least 1 year old because their kidneys can’t handle much salt yet. Same goes for sugar, the AAP recommends that you not give your baby any sugar or sugar-sweetened beverages until at least 2 years of age.

First Food Ideas

Here are a few things that I made for Sloane in the first couple of months of BLW…

roasted sweet potato wedges

I would roast them either with olive oil, or I would do coconut oil and cinnamon

avocado

sometimes I would leave the skin on half of the strip to help her grip it, and sometimes I would leave the skin off and roll the avocado in almond flour to give her some grip (just pay attention to make sure they don’t try to eat the skin!)

mango strips

make sure the mango is very ripe so that it is soft enough

steamed apple wedges

raw apples can be a choking hazard for them because they don’t have teeth yet, so I would steam them until they were soft, sometimes I would throw some cinnamon on them too

egg strips

I would basically make scrambled eggs, except sort of like in omelette form. I would just let the eggs cook in an even layer, and then cut it up in strips so she could grip them.

banana

I started out by just breaking the banana in half and handing it to her, then after a while, I would cut them into coins

toast strips

lightly toast some GF bread so that it is not too crunchy, and I would spread a VERY thin layer of peanut butter or avocado

strawberry strips

I would take large strawberries and cut them into thinner strips or wedges

frittata

you can chop up bell peppers and spinach very finely and put them in a frittata

pesto pasta

penne pasta with homemade kale pesto

fish

she loved salmon and we would give her little pieces of ours

chicken

i would sometimes give her small pieces of shredded chicken if it wasn’t too salty

date balls

you can make date balls (or energy bites) out of dates and nuts and roll them into balls, just make sure everything is very finely chopped, and there are not big pieces of nuts

baby oatmeal

you can definitely use regular oats, but I used baby oatmeal for a few months because it is fortified with iron, I would mix it with breastmilk and cinnamon, and sometimes even added in flax or hemp seeds

yogurt

I gave her dairy-free coconut yogurt, as well as Siggi’s yogurt to introduce her to dairy, we have never given her fluid milk to drink

There are SO many more fruits, vegetables and meals that you can give your baby, these are just a few ideas!

Baby Products I love

• Gootensils – these are a great first utensil because it helps the food grip to the utensil when your baby can’t scoop yet
• Baby utensils
• Honey Bear Straw Cup – this cup is genius and how we taught Sloane to drink from a straw
• Small Open Cups
• Bumkins Suction Plates and Bowls – these are great for when babies are still young and can’t flip the plate. They eventually learn how, though. We really just gave Sloane the food right on her highchair for the first several months.
• Munchkin 360 cup – it took Sloane a while to figure this out, but when she eventually did, it has been great. You don’t have to worry about the cup leaking when they carry it around.
• Baprons – these things are one of my favorite baby products ever! Sloane always hated bibs around her neck when she ate, so these things are a God send. They cover their entire front, and you can throw them right in the wash when needed.
• Reusable snack bags – I use these to bring snacks for Sloane in my diaper bag. They are durable, wash easily, and cute!

Always remember, no matter what way you decide to feed your baby, you are doing a great job! Every baby is different, just have some fun and let your baby play!

The post Baby-Led Weaning -> How to Get Started appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.