Displaying items by tag: oilfree

With all my dietary preferences, it can be challenging to find crunchy snacks that really satisfy. Potato chips are tasty yet have no nutritonal value and are full of oil. I'm sensitive to gluten and corn, so chips made from those ingredients are out of the question. Bean chips are a great alternative, but they often upset my stomach. Kale chips have been the answer for years, however I crave variety. That's why I was absolutely thrilled when I discovered Wonderfully Raw's Snip Chips and Brussel Bytes - in addition to being raw, they're:

I'd like to say that a drop in temperature is responsible for the desire to eat comfort food, but let's be honest - when do you not want macaroni & cheese? OK, maybe it isn't that appealing on a super hot day, but you can always serve it cold right? It's nearly impossible to resist the creamy texture and buttery taste. The only catch is that most mac 'n' cheese is loaded with oil, salt, soy and gluten, which can leave you feeling weighed down and bloated. Fortunately it doesn't have to be that way - this recipe puts a healthy. spin on the classic favorite.

The "cheese" sauce is free of salt, oil, gluten and soy. However, the "secret" ingredient (tortialla chips by Way Better Snacks) adds a tad of the former two - it's totally worth it in my opinion. The flavor is cheese-like and tangy (remiscent of kale chips), the texture smooth and crunchy, and it is extremely filling. Inspired by a recipe in the Forks Over Knives cookbook, this dish is relatively low in fat and can be even more so if you cut back on the amount of cashews you use. Or, if you feel like indulging, double the amount of cashews to make it extra creamy!

The is the first of a series of recipes featuring Way Better Snacks' tortilla chips now that I'm part of their ambassador team (read more on that here). My goal is to find unique ways to use them and inspire you to get more creative - there's so many ways to enjoy chips other than in dips and nachos. This is a twist on the traditional SouthWest Salad - it is free of salt, oil, sugar, gluten, soy, and corn and is raw (however, the chips are made from organic, non-GMO corn and contain a bit of oil).

I served it to my family and they really enjoyed it. They're not used to salt and oil-free dressing so if I were to make it for them again I'd add in more garlic (2 cloves instead of 1) and perhaps use a bit more dressing. We all agreed that the crunch and flavor of the Way Better chips were the best part. It was more than enough salad for a filling lunch for each of us.

This salad is incredibly easy to make and is a delicious example of how great veggies can be without oil or dressing.  It's also a great way to feature kale in a dish. Though it is raw and unprocessed, keep in mind that the avocado and seeds add a significant amount of fat, so if you're trying to cut back on that you may want to reduce the amount suggested in this recipe. From an eco standpoint, this meal is wonderful because you can get everything without packaging!

I had the pleasure of making a meal with my fabulous new intern Junghwa of An Apple A Day and together we prepared 2 raw recipes. She picked out the Spanish "Rice" from Unprocessed by Chef AJ and I chose the Marvelous Minestrone from Ani Phyo's new book 15-Day Fat Blast. These are great recipes for summer, whether you're trying to lose weight, get healthier or incorporate more fresh, whole foods into your diet without unecessary additives like salt, oil and sugar. In fact, these are acceptable for the 80/10/10 diet as well.

I often receive questions from readers via email and I love them - keep 'em coming! Here is a recent question and my answer.

Question: 

"I was hoping you may have some advice for my friend. She recently was told that for two weeks to a month she has to be completely gluten-free, yeast-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free to cleanse her body because she developed a yeast infection in her intestines. That means she cannot have her usual fruit, oatmeal and whole-grain breads, so pretty much she is at a loss for what to eat. She is also taking a host of herbal remedies and acidophilus, but I thought I would try to help as much as possible and do research and ask others for some help. If you have any information or suggestions that may help her, I would so greatly appreciate it."

Every Friday there is a farmers market within walking distance from my apartment, but I rarely go because it closes at 11am and I'm usually still sleeping (I'm a night owl and don't go to bed until 3 or 4am)! However, since I've been eating so much produce recently I decided it's worth getting up "early" at 10am and making it a weekly trip. Today I made my first trip there in a while and bought a bunch of delicious, local food that will last me about a week - all for less than $30! The best part is, most things at the farmer's market are naturally free of gluten, soy, refined sugar, and oil (unless you buy pre-made food like bread).

I realized that I'm often writing about what I don't eat: I don't eat gluten, I don't eat soy, I don't eat refined-sugar, I don't eat oil. People probably think I'm depriving myself! Sure, I post recipes and list what I consume everyday, but I feel like it's time I highlight all the amazing food I do eat. Check out this video of all the organic produce I picked up today and stay tuned for the recipes I'll use them in later this week.



Here's a list of what I bought:

• Apples
• Grapefruit
• Avocado
• Daikon Radish
• Carrots
• Bok Choy
• Beech Mushrooms
• Tomatoes
• Fingerling Potatoes
• Onion
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Mixed Greens
• Cilantro
• Basil

Please read my health disclaimer

I am on another health mission/journey/experiment: greatly reduce the amount of oil I consume, or eliminate it all together. This topic will be elaborated in another post - I have a lot more research to do. In summary, many people that I trust have explained that oil is actually not that good for us, even olive oil. This may seem strange, since olive oil is something most people think is very healthy - turns out that might not be so true. Like most things, moderation is key, though some people believe we shouldn't eat oil at all. My friends Lex & Kristen have a great blog called The Healthy Vegans where they discuss this more in detail - most of their diet is based on Dr. McDougall. You can also check out Exsalus Health & Wellness. Again, I will do a well-reseached post soon and let you know more.