I’ve been following Allergic Girl, Sloane Miller, on and off for the last few years. She writes a clever and wonderfully named blog, Please Don’t Pass the Nuts, that helps those with food allergies navigate all aspects of their life safely and with joy. I was really excited when she contacted me about her new book, Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies. She’s written you a lovely guest post and to help promote this amazing resource, we’re giving away a copy of her book and a $25 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card to two lucky winners. See below for giveaway details and how to enter. Without further ado, here is Sloane…

People ask me two questions, a lot:

First:  Why write Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well With Food Allergies?

My Please Don’t Pass The Nuts blog readers who have food allergies and the friends and family who love and support them are the inspiration for Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well With Food Allergies. There is a real need for information and support in the food allergic community.  I want Allergic Girl to fill those needs.

I became a food allergy advocate because I am committed to helping people with food allergies live safe, effective and joyous lives.  Allergic Girl talks about the intimate feelings, concerns and dreams those of us with food allergies have and shares my experience and expertise.  I write about the practical realities of understanding and living with food allergies and I offer proven strategies for living well with food allergies.

I have always been an allergic girl.  I have had food allergies since birth and I developed environmental allergies in early childhood.  I am also a social worker and writer.  My work as a food allergy advocate—“Allergic Girl”—combines my commitment to helping people with my personal experience as someone with food allergies and my professional expertise as a social worker and writer.

Second:  What’s my one piece of advice to people with food allergies and the people who love and want to support them: Take your food allergies seriously.

Living with food allergies can be challenging—even scary.  It can and should also be joyful.  Reliable, clear information and support make the difference.  Allergic Girl offers my experience and my best therapeutic strategies for living safely, effectively and joyfully with food allergies.  And remember:  Be patient.  Living well with food allergies doesn’t happen overnight.  But, if you take your food allergies seriously and follow some basic rules, it can happen.

Giveaway:

First of all, we’re not discouraging anyone from entering, but I must say this resource is invaluable for those with food allergies. I hope that anyone who wins will enjoy it and share this with someone who has food allergies and could use Sloane’s wonderful guidance. Even though celiac disease is not an allergy to food, Sloane’s book is a great resource for anyone with celiac disease as many of the same principles still apply.

To Enter:

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here or on our Facebook page and tell us about your most positive food allergy experience, whether it was your own or a loved one. We’ll pick two lucky winners at random from all of your entries. You have until midnight on March 13th to enter. We’ll pick our two winners using random.org on March 14th.

Seeing as how most of the country is experiencing a winter-chill today, I thought I’d share this recipe for Creamy Mushroom and Grains Soup. It’s delightfully easy and wonderfully soothing on a cold day. Not to mention the amazing nutrition from whole grain barley and oat groats. Both wonderful sources of dietary fiber, these two grains are definitely a heart-healthy team! We have many more heart-friendly soup and stew recipes on our website. Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom and Grains Soup

Ingredients

* 1 c. Whole Hull-less Barley
* 1 c. Oats, Whole Groats
* 6 c. Water
* 3 c. Milk (Soy or Cow)
* 1/4 c. Sherry
* 1/4 c. Soy Sauce or Tamari
* 2 tsp. Paprika, Hungarian
* 1 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes
* 3 c. Mushrooms, sliced
* 1 small Leek, sliced
* Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Combine oat groats and barley with water and bring to boil. Turn heat down, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add soymilk, soy sauce, sherry, spices and vegetables to cooked grains and bring to boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite bread and enjoy! Makes 8 servings.

Good fats are almost an oxymoron in our society, but a little bit of nutritional research quickly reveals that your body needs fat to survive and some fats are much better than others. Trans fats and saturated fats are the “bad” fats, those that promote clogged arteries, obesity and heart disease. Unsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids, however, are the “good” fats. Good fats typically come from plant sources and are helpful for reducing cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

The body produces a small amount of dietary cholesterol and absorbs cholesterol from any animal protein we consume. The body makes exactly what it needs and any of the excess we eat gets stored. When we eat too much of it over time, it increases plaque in our arteries. Arterial plaque can lead to deadly heart attacks and strokes.

Healthy fats often come from plant-based foods, such as olives, peanuts, tree nuts, flaxseed, whole grains, chia, hemp and avocados. Most fish also offer up a good serving of healthy fats. Healthy fats are most recognizable by their ability to stay liquid at room temperature. The good fats help lower cholesterol levels and have so many health benefits that it’s hard to list them all here. Omega-3 alone aids in reducing cholesterol, promoting brain health, boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation… not to mention that it promotes healthy skin, nails and hair (we’ll call that an added bonus).

Choosing to eat more whole grains and avoiding foods with trans fats and those heavy in saturated fats is not exactly new health advice, but we all need a reminder once in a while. This month, through our website, we have many of our oat products along with Flaxseed Meal on special. Next month, we’re placing some of our best sources of healthy fats on special- so keep your eyes on the Monthly Specials section to stock up and save!

Bob calls “Forks Over Knives” a very worthwhile film and encouraged all of us at Bob’s Red Mill to take ourselves and families to go see it.  I have seen this documentary twice already, and even though I have eaten a plant based diet for 15 years now, I still learned a wealth of information and was reminded to focus on whole foods in my diet.

“Forks Over Knives” deals with the health crisis in America and how to use nutrition as medicine.  The film concentrates on the correlation of increased meat, dairy and sugar consumption with the influx of our biggest killers as a nation; heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.  Although the medical community works hard to find cures for what ails us, often times the actual cause of disease is overlooked and is often related to diet and lifestyle.

Dr. T. Collin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn are ground-breaking scientists using their education, years of research, clinical experience and observations to separately come to the realization that a plant based diet will increase human health, and that the standard American diet leads to disease. Research has further shown that a plant based diet will not only keep you healthy, but it can actually reverse some health conditions, especially of the heart.

Although the idea of completely changing your diet can be overwhelming, the documentary looked at individuals with compromised health who embraced a plant based diet.  This resulted in not only increased standard of living, but in many cases, even saved peoples’ lives.  Individuals were able to reverse health conditions, stop taking medications and were feeling better than ever.  It was truly remarkable and encouraging to see these transformations.

I truly appreciate all the information the film provided and the undeniable facts concerning our food choices in America.  This is a must-see film for every one who wants to live a healthier life.  “Forks Over Knives” releases nationwide in May.  To keep yourself updated on the film and when it will be showing in your area, visit www.forksoverknives.com.

Beyond eating right and getting exercise, dealing with your stress levels is a crucial component to heart health. Stress can lead to high blood pressure, sleep deprivation, weight gain, overeating and an increase in high-risk behaviors, such as drinking and smoking cigarettes. Those are just some of the things stress can induce that are related to heart-health.

No one is exempt from stress, so we might as well start figuring out how to manage it. None of these tips are new, but they make for an excellent reminder of how we should be taking care of ourselves.

• Move more! Get out and walk for 20 minutes on your lunch break or take a five minute cruise around the office every hour. Can’t leave your office or your desk? There are some great stretches and breathing techniques that calm your body and mind, here. Exercise releases endorphins which make your mind and body feel good and naturally reduce stress. read more about exercise and stress here.
• Sleep more! A properly rested body and mind will be more equipped to deal with the daily ups and downs you face. Every body is different in how much sleep it requires, but on average, adults need 8 hours every night. Instead of burning the midnight oil trying to finish a project, go to bed earlier and let the project wait. Your mind and body will be better-equipped to handle the project after a good night’s sleep. I know how impossible that sounds to some of you, but if you can manage it, it will be worth it.
  • Have trouble sleeping? I personally have trouble falling asleep at night and use relaxation techniques to help me hit the hay more smoothly. This is a wonderful article from Women’s Health about sleep and how to get the most out of your night.
• Let it go! Some things are just not worth the energy; find a way to let small things go while still holding sight of the big picture. I like to think , “Will this matter in a week/month/year?” If the answer is no, then it is not worth it and shouldn’t be taking up any of your vital brain space.
• Laugh more! People who laugh often are generally happier and more relaxed. Laughter is the perfect cure for stress. The hormones released when you laugh combat the stress hormones in the body, such as cortisol and epinephrine, and promotes the immune system. So lighten up and check out funny blogs like The Oatmeal or visit YouTube to find the newest funny videos.
• Touch more! Whether you snuggle with a loved one, a pet, or simply start hugging your friends more often, the physical interaction promotes hormones that naturally calm us. If these options are not available or make you uncomfortable, a 30-minute massage will work wonders to reduce your stress!

Here is a wonderful article on stress heart disease from WebMd.

February is National Heart Health Month and we’re dedicating ourselves to bringing you tips for keeping your heart in good working condition.  To kick us off right (even if we are almost a week late!), it seems like the perfect time to discuss the newly released 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

As a brief background, the Guidelines are reviewed and revised by the USDA every 5 years. The Guidelines are intended to help guide legislation and provide information for drafting educational materials in an effort to promote healthy eating in Americans. Sounds simple enough, but after listening to Eve Essery, PhD speak at the Whole Grains Conference last week, I realized that these guidelines are anything but simple. The committee who drafts the Guidelines must sift through hundreds, if not thousands, of reports and research papers pertaining to every part of human nutrition to develop a strategy to combat chronic diseases and obesity. Then, they must take their strategy and apply it to the reality of every day life for people of all walks starting at the age of 2.

The Guidelines are not perfect and they really haven’t changed that much in five years. What I found to be the most significant change was the increased focus on portion control and calorie consumption. It’s no secret that the United States has seen a significant rise in obesity levels and the USDA is trying to course-correct our country. Not a bad idea, really. With a few exceptions, we all could stand to pay more attention to what and how much we eat and how much we exercise.

The 2010 Guidelines are not truly ready for public consumption yet, as they still need to be shaped into documents that make sense in our daily lives, but you can find all sorts of great information here at MyFoodPyramid.gov. For instance, did you know that you can make your own My Pyramid Plan? This is the one I made to help me reach a healthier weight (yep, I packed a few on during the holidays, too). I like that it gives me some basic goals to shoot for with different food groups and suggestions for varying my menu. Following a plan of moderate calorie reduction and increased activity is the single best way to reduce your weight. It won’t happen quickly like most diets, but it will be easier to keep off and maintain over the long term.

For more information on the 2005 and 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, visit www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Part three of our Demystifying Label Terms Series will cover Gluten Free. Part four will cover Kosher.

Gluten Free: Another term not regulated by a governing agency and one that is appearing on more and more labels. When a product states “gluten free” it can mean any number of things specific to that product: it may be tested to ensure the absence of gluten (such as all Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free products); it may simply not contain any gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye or barley); it may be inherently free of gluten, but not tested (such as milk). It does not mean that the product is safely gluten free, however.

At Bob’s Red Mill, it strictly means that the product has been produced in a gluten-free facility, procured in a manner that minimizes the chance of cross-contact with gluten and tested to be under 20 [gluten] parts per million in our gluten free laboratory. Until the government releases a regulation (due any time now) regarding the use of “gluten free”, it behooves the consumer to investigate the company and what they mean when they use the term “gluten free”.

At Bob’s Red Mill, we use the above symbol to indicate whether the product is gluten free. Even if this symbol does not appear front and center, it may appear in the bottom left corner of the package. If a product does not have this symbol, it is likely not gluten free. If you’re unsure, please contact our customer service team at 800-349-2173 for help or consult our handy gluten free product listing here. For more information about Bob’s Red Mill gluten free products, find gluten free resources and to watch a tour of our gluten free facility, click here.

In part two of our “Demystifying Label Terms” series, we’ll cover the term Whole Grain. Parts 3 and 4 will cover Gluten Free and Kosher.

Whole Grain: The Food and Drug Administration has defined whole grains as “cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components — the starchy endosperm, germ and bran — are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain.” To use the term “whole grain” on a label, it must meet the above definition. While the term is not as strictly enforced as the term “organic”, it is regulated and is trustworthy when found on a label. However, terms such as “wheat bread”, “multigrain”, “100% wheat”, are often used in place of “whole grain” to confuse and mislead consumers into buying products that are not made with whole grains. Always check the ingredient statement to be sure the one of the first ingredients is indeed whole grain.

A useful tool developed by The Whole Grains Council is the Whole Grain Stamp (see above right). This stamp is appearing on more and more products. The whole grain stamp comes in two different forms- either “100% Whole Grain” or simply “Whole Grain”. Contrary to what you might think when seeing the “100% Whole Grain” stamp, this stamp simply means that all of the grain-derived ingredients in the product are whole grains. What this means is that your whole grain bread bearing the “100%” stamp will not contain things like wheat germ or oat bran- it will only contain whole grain ingredients like whole grain rye flour. It might still contain ingredients like sugar and yeast, but these are not grain-derived products. The “Whole Grain” stamp simply means that the product is a good source of whole grains, containing at least 8 grams of whole grains per serving. Products bearing this stamp may contain ingredients like oat bran and wheat germ.

At Bob’s Red Mill, we strive to bring you delicious whole grain products. As you know, we also make things that are good for you, but are not whole grains like dried beans and seeds. Heck, Flaxseed Meal is not considered to be a whole grain product and it’s one of the best foods you can add to your diet. We are working to add the stamp to all of our qualifying products, but if you find a great product that doesn’t bear the stamp, it doesn’t mean that it’s not whole grain or that it’s not good for you. Always read the ingredient list and, when in doubt, give our customer service team a call. They’re always happy to hear from you and love helping find answers to your questions.

The second part of this two part series on integrating whole grains into your kitchen deals with baking.  There are so many ways to add whole grains to your baking with wonderful and delectable results.  Here are some tips to get you started.  If you find yourself with more questions, please let us know!

Tips for Using Whole Grains:

• Replace up to 50% of your baking with whole wheat flours.  When a recipe calls for white flour, you can use half white flour and half of a whole wheat flour for an easy way to increase whole grain goodness.  For breads, use Whole Wheat Flour or Hard White Whole Wheat Flour and Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for baked goods leavened with baking powder or baking soda.

• Use Whole Wheat Flour for breads and Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for pastries such as muffins, cookies and cakes.  Whole Wheat Flour is made from hard red wheat berries and pastry flour is made from soft white wheat berries.  The hard berries contain more protein, which makes it ideal for bread which rely on the gluten found in protein for rising.  The soft wheat berries allow baked goods to be less dense.

• For whole grain nutrition with less whole wheat taste, use Hard White Whole Wheat Flour in your baking.  Use as you would Whole Wheat Flour.  This flour is made from hard white wheat berries.  It performs the same as traditional whole wheat flour, but is lighter in color and taste.  This is because it contains less tannin than hard red wheat berries which gives it the distinctive taste and darker color.

• Replace up to 25% of your recipes with whole grain flours such as Quinoa, Barley, Millet and Spelt Flours.  If this simply means adding just ¼ cup of a whole grain flour to the recipe, that would be equivalent to one serving of whole grains.  There are a large variety of whole grain flours which can be added to baked goods that not only add nutrition, but flavor as well.

• Integrate whole grain dry cereals into your baked goods.  You can replace up to 20% of a recipe with oats, multi grain cereals, farinas, cracked or rolled grains.  The cereals add nutrition as well as texture to baked goods, may it be breads, muffins, cookies or other baked goods.

• When using all whole wheat flour, use 7/8 cup per 1 cup of white flour for best results.  This is for when you want to convert a recipe to use 100% whole wheat flour.  Since the flours are denser, a little less flour is required.  For breads, you may also want to add Vital Wheat Gluten Flour for best results.

Whole Grain Recipes:

• WOW Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Whole Grain Power Bars

• Bran Flax Buns

• Blueberry-Yogurt Pancakes

• Whole Grain Corn Muffins

• Oatmeal Cake

• Breakfast Muesli Bars

• Honey Oatmeal Bread

• Oatmeal Pancakes

• Whole Grain Waffles

For New Year’s, we often try our hand at ways to improve our health and happiness.  Integrating more whole grains into our lives is a delicious, easy way to start.  Intact foods are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, which are just a few of the benefits of whole grains that your body will surely thank you for.  During the month of November, I avoided all processed foods and sugars and noticed that I had more energy and felt better overall.  I partook in my share of holiday treats during December and I could tell that my body wasn’t happy about it.  I look forward to starting the New Year once again with a focus on whole grains.  If this sounds like a good New Year’s resolution to you, here are some ideas for introducing more whole grains in your diet. 

Whole grains can be added to both your cooking and baking for delightfully delicious foods.  This two part series of helpful hints starts with cooking with whole grains. We’ll tackle baking next.

Whole grains Millet, Spelt, Amaranth and Quinoa

Tips for Using Whole Grains:

• Eat barley, quinoa, brown rice, kasha or another whole grain as a side dish instead of white rice or potatoes.  All you have to do is cook them according to the directions for a more wholesome side kick to your meal.

• Use grains such as quinoa or barley in entrees like risotto, pilaf and stuffed peppers.  Bob’s Red Mill has many such recipes available on the Recipes portion of our website.

• Add whole grains to soups, stews and salads.  You can follow a recipe or simply add ½ cup of cooked whole grains to your favorite dishes.  Depending on the recipe, more could be added.

• Soak whole grains in the morning to cut down on cooking time for dinner preparation.  Simply place the grains in a pot, cover with water called for in the instructions and let soak 4-8 hours.   When ready to cook, prepare as usual, except the cooking time will be less and vary depending on the grain.  

Whole Grain Recipes: 

• Bean and Barley Burgers

• Szechwan Peanut Salad

• Whole Grain Polenta

• Creamy Mushrooms & Grain Soup

• French Beans & Berries Salad

• Wheat Berry Minestrone Soup

• Kasha Scramble

• Quinoa Salad