Can't wait to hear how these things taste... HELP!

Allsmiles · 09-09-2007, 01:51 PM

After seeing a naturopath, I am going to a health food store today to buy some things, and I want to know your opinion on them! Favorite brand, how they taste, best uses, average cost for you, etc...

Rolled Rice Flakes
Rice Bran
Lecithin Granules
Ground Flax Seed
Milk Thistle Seeds
Cashew or Almond Butter
Fat Flush Tortillas
Ezekiel Bread
Ezekiel Sprouted Tortillas
Agave Nectar

I have to avoid anything with dairy, soy, sugar (unless it's agave nectar or stevia), and gluten. Going to be a tough one!

I guess I will be eating a lot of corn-based foods (corn tortillas and chips, polenta), salads, lean meats, brown rice, rice noodles, and fruit and nuts. LOL!

Thanks!

Allsmiles

gertiegirl · 09-12-2007, 10:55 AM

hi!

I have been using agave nectar.. and love it! I have been experimenting with it and having a great time! I think I spent 6.00 for a 32 oz bottle.. it was cheaper if I bought a large container... but I wanted to try it first. I find that it's very sweet, but not in a sugar way... I don't know how to describe it. I don't remember the brand off hand.. but it's a raw organic. I just made a very yummy chocolate sauce with it.. (equal amounts cocoa powder and agave, a pinch of salt and a bit of water simmered for a few minutes.. then adding vanilla when taking it off the heat. It's a very strong syrup.. but very yummy! I have also used it to make a caramel sauce... and now I'm going to start baking with it.

Flax tends to be best if you can grind it yourself... buy the whole seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder or even a magic bullet works if you have one. just grind what you need, and store the rest in the fridge.

I am also staying away from gluten. actually no.. that's not true.. I have to eat it right now, because I'm going to go for a celiac test.. and need to have gluten for the test to be accurate... anyway.. watch out for hidden gluten in foods.. check out some great books that give you lots of info and recipes.. the books by Bette Hagman are great... I also just picked up another baking book... but can't remember the name of the author... I'll let you know if you're interested... I can check at home tonight.. the recipes look amazing! I haven't started with the gluten free baking yet.. but will let you know how it goes. I have had gluten free treats from a bakery... and they're pretty good.. not exactly as other items, but not bad.. definitely something I can live with!

Also, watch some of the corn based stuff.. there can be hidden gluten in them.. I actually checked my corn tortillas I had at home.. and there was wheat in them!

Cashew and almond butters are YUMMY!! Watch for natural ones though... a lot of processed nut butters have sugar in them. You can make your own as well... just do the nuts in a food processor until they become a butter. Sometimes I've added a bit of oil to get them creamy enough ( I use olive oil.. not enough for the taste to be noticable). But sometimes I don't need to add anything... guess it depends on the nuts.

Sorry this is so long... lol... I went through the same thing last summer with my naturopath... so I just wanted to share some of what I've done... I was to give up wheat, corn, hazelnuts, and chocolate.. chocolate isn't happening... lol... neither is corn... but they were both minor intolerances... so I'm not going to worry too much about it. She also "suggested" getting rid of dairy... but I haven't been able to face that one either. I was doing milk thistle and lecithin... along with about 10 other pills a day and some homeopathic remedies each day... but I quit all of that, because I felt it wasn't doing me any good (not saying it won't work for you, every one is different).. and I felt that it was too much for me... it seemed my naturopath was kind of a drug pusher.. lol... now I just take my metformin and basic vitamins.

Any other questions... just let me know!

Good luck!

jacqui