This time I decided to write down one of my favorite variations… it makes a very satisfying, fragrant and chunky snack.  Dainty starchy sweets just don’t do it for me… which is why giving up oats was such a hardship.  After having a bad reaction to GF oats a few years ago, I hadn’t tried them again until recently when standing in the Gluten-Free aisle at New Seasons, I picked up the GF Oats and read and saw that they were ELISA Tested.  This convinced me to give them another shot.  I’ve been really craving something something chewy and hearty lately… the perfect fiber-rich topping for coconut milk yogurt!

Recipe:

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl with a big spoon:

• 6 Cups GF Oats (like Bob’s Red Mill or Gifts of Nature)
• 1 1/2 Cups Raw Buckwheat Groats
• 1 C Raw Walnut Halves, broken by hand into large pieces
• 1 C Coconut Flakes (I like the large flat flakes best)
• 1/2 C Raw Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 C Raw, Unhulled Sesame Seeds
• 6 Tbs Chia Seeds
• 3 Tbs Cinamon
• 2 tps Ground Celtic Sea Salt

Whisk wet ingredients into a small sauce pan on low heat until well combined:

• 3/4 C Raw Local Honey (if you don’t eat honey you can sub Agave Nectar)
• 3/4 C Real Maple Syrup Grade B
• 1/2 C Virgin Coconut Oil*
• 1/4 C Expeller Pressed Oil (Canola, Sunflower, Grapeseed, Safflower)
• 1/4 C Almond milk (coconut or rice work too)

Pour the warmed wet-ingredient mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well with a big spoon.  Spread batch evenly between two ungreased 9×13 cookie sheets.  I use the silicone mats on my cookie sheets, but it isn’t necessary at all. Bake sheets at 325 F for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir granola to provide even browning.  Place trays back in oven with bottom tray now on the top.  Bake again at 225 for 12 minutes.  If you want to add any dried fruit, add now.  Bake another 10-12 minutes at 225 F.  Turn off oven, open door and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.  This will make the granola harden enough to be chunky.  When ready, break into chunks and put in storage containers. YUM!!

*If you are like my husband Ian and don’t like coconut, leave out the coconut flakes and substitute in Soy-Free Earthbalance for the Coconut Oil.  If you do this, you probably won’t need to add the salt.

These treats are a much healthier alternative to the classic recipe.  You could really add any nuts or dried fruit that you like, and even pieces of dark chocolate!

Brown Rice Almond Crispies

• 1 tsp virgin coconut oil
• 1 C Brown Rice Syrup (I like Lundberg
• 4 Tbs Almond Butter
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 C Unhulled Sesame Seeds
• 1/3 C Almond Meal
• 6 C Brown Rice Cereal- Gluten Free (make sure you check b/c they often contain barley malt)

Put coconut oil in Large Pot on the stove on low heat.  Add Syrup and almond butter and melt together.  When fully combined, add in Sesame Seeds and Almond Meal.  Turn heat off , add Vanilla, and stir well.  Add in Cereal and mix to coat thoroughly.  Wet hands and pat mixture into 9 x 13″ pan.  Cool at room temperature to let set.  Cut when cool.

For a more decadent dessert: melt dark chocolate in a double boiler (place bowl over pot of simmering water).  Pour dark chocolate over the rice crispies and let cool to set up.

For me it’s not just about finding the MOST effective products, but also finding the LEAST toxic ones.  Many active ingredients (like glycolic & salicylic acids) have been found to be potentially hazardous, but they give great results.  Just like any effective medication, there could be some side effects… it’s just a matter of how much you are willing to compromise.

One things that kill me are parabens.  These are simply chemical preservatives added to products to make them last longer on the store shelves.  They have been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, mutations, and they are an endocrine disruptor (ie. they mess with your thyroid & hormones).  So why are cosmetic companies still adding these harmful preservatives to everything from makeup to shampoo to lotions?  We know they’re bad and many “natural” companies have abandoned them… there’s really no excuse.

And onto the hottly debated topic of Sunscreen.  Studies have linked certain UV filters to the transsexualization of male fish, hormone disrupting activity and low birth weights in infant girls.  One of these culprit chemicals is oxybenzone, which is common in many sunscreens.  To lower the toxicity of sunscreens look for physical and not chemical blockers (ie. zinc oxide) in their non-nano form.  This means that the particles are large enough to sit on the surface of the skin.  The downside to this is the dreaded pasty-ghost-white film… but many products are getting better.  A way around this is to use a tinted moisturizer with spf on your face.

I really like Juice Beauty’s tinted moisturizer (SPF 30).  It is the least harmful one that I’ve tried.  My mom swears by Skinceuticals Physical Defense SPF 30.

The cosmetics database from the Environmental Working Group, a DC-based nonprofit, has 1,000’s of products rated on their safety levels.  It’s a wonderful resource to lookup your favorite products and see their toxicity level.  I used to buy Aveeno’s Positively Radiant facial sunscreen until I looked it up a couple of years ago.  Today we are so bombarded with environmental pollutants and toxins from every angle (food, water, air, homes, etc.) that it is no wonder that an alarmingly high number of us have some kind of hormone, auto-immune, endrocrine (thyroid) or adrenal problem!  One of the easiest things we can control is what we put onto my body.

Here’s the 2009 Guide to Sunscreens.  Now, I’m off to enjoy the nice weather!

Also check out: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

This pumpkin seed butter is an excellent additive to smoothies and also a great ingredient in raw energy bars like the ones in the Thrive Diet book.  I like to make variations on Brendan Brazier’s bar recipes and keep them wrapped in wax paper in the freezer for snacking and quick breakfasts.

So to make the pumpkin seed butter…

Soak the desired amount of seeds for at least an hour.  (you don’t HAVE to soak them, but they will blend easier and break down more easily in your digestive system).

• Add pumpkin seeds (2-3 cups) to food processor or high powered blender.  (I love my 3HP K-Tech)
• Add sweetener to taste (suggestions include: local raw honey, raw agave, grade B maple syrup, or stevia)
• Add a few pinches of salt (use Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt for added minerals)
• You may need to add a little coconut oil or water for added creaminess when blending especially if using stevia.

The chart above is from the World’s Healthiest Foods, they are a great resource for nutrition information on plant-based foods: www.whfoods.com

The summer here in this corner of the country… is generally another story.

Trail running is an enjoyable way to get in longer, slower runs to build endurance.  Dirt is great for lessening the risk of impact related injuries like stress fractures. The uneven terrain also helps build strength in your core and works your stabilizing muscles… this can also help prevent injuries from happening over time.  If you feel uneasy on trails, you could try doing some balancing exercises at home and work on ankle strengthening exercises (like sitting with your legs crossed and tracing each letter of the alphabet with your foot in the air).  The most common trail injuries are turned ankles, so you’ll want to watch for rocks and roots.  The good news is that more you run on trails, the stronger your ankles will get!

For me time goes by so much more quickly gliding through forests or along the ocean than pounding the pavement.   Running in these settings is my mediation.  Somehow being surrounded by towering redwoods or the vast sky of the horizon, my problems seem tiny.  All I have to focus on is breathing and taking it all in.

If you happen to be visiting Portland, Oregon or if you live here… the Portland Monthly magazine has a great issue out right now.  I picked it up last weekend at Whole Foods as inspiration to get out to the Gorge and the Coast.  My husband and I love driving to different trails for adventure runs when the weather’s warmer and we don’t have weekend practice.  I hate to say it, but living in the Northwest, but when it’s cold and rainy- I’d rather just slog through Forest Park then drive out of town.  When I’m freezing, I like to be close to a hot bath when I’m done.

Enough about the rain.  The weather has been warmer for a month or so and it feels like Summer is just around the corner.  I can’t wait to get out of town for some fun!  The hardest part for us is usually choosing where to end up.

Portland Monthly Article:  The trails are broken up into categories based on the following locations:

• Portland
• The Coast
• The Gorge
• St. Helens (the mountain not the town)
• The Valley (down toward Salem)
• Mt. Hood

By no means an exhaustive list, but a great start and includes both well-known and interesting ones as well.

Find a Trail Map:  Check out the featured tool where you can find a trail close to a certain area.  It’s great if you’re looking to minimize your drive time or looking to for a route close to a known destination!

And hey, are you looking for people to run with?  My friend Mallory who ran XC and Track at Portland State helps to organize a group called Trail Factor.  They meet every Sunday at trails all over the area.  As long as you don’t mind an 8am start time, it’s a great group full of interesting people of all ability levels.  For more information or to check out their schedule: www.trailfactor.com

Wishing you sunshine & happy trails…

I know it might seem like anyone who is able to run 70 mpw should have plenty of energy, but it’s all relative.  I used to have energy coming out of every pore of my body… I never sat still!

Any athlete who is trying to push their body in any capacity, even if it is just recreationally, knows when something is off.  As athletes we demand more from our bodies and frankly require a higher level of health.  Having a doctor or health care provider that understands this is IMPERATIVE.  I always try to get referrals or interview a doctor before I see him/her to make sure that they work with athletes, or in the very least understand the increased demands that training places on the body.  This goes for Primary Care Providers, ND’s, Acupuncturists, Masseuses, OB’s, Endocrinologists, Allergists, etc. They have to be willing to treat your symptoms and not treat to a broad desired range that might work for the general public.

For instance, some doctors consider a “normal” serum ferritin (shows how much iron is stored in the body) range to start as low as 18 mcg/L and I’ve even seen ranges starting as low as 3 mcg/L!  A common recommendation is for runners to be over 30, however, many top athletes and coaches strive for ferritin levels over 100 mcg/L.  It’s one of those things that is very dependent on the athlete.  We have a girl on our team who has naturally high iron, and she starts to feel terrible when her ferritin gets down to the 60’s.  This is why regular blood tests are a good idea, so you have a health history and can see changes over time.  We test our team 2 x per year to establish baseline levels and make sure that everyone is staying on top of things.

The increased demands that endurance sports place on the body just mean that we have to pay extra attention and make it important to find great partners in your health.  If you aren’t receiving the treatment that you need, don’t be afraid to show your doctor research and get second or third opinions.  Be your own advocate!

Well, after going downstairs for a hit of Americano (bad!) and snack, I realized that I really take the Lärabar for granted.

Lärabars are always there when you need them.  They are my food in a pinch.  These bars are vegan and have no gluten, no soy, no gmo’s,  and are only sweetened with fruit. Except for the newer Peanut Butter Cookie flavor, they are completely raw. (I don’t eat peanuts for other reasons though).  All the flavors even have fewer than 6 ingredients.  How many other foods can say that?

They also make a great bar to take on the road for a recovery food.  Every ingredient is a food in a recognizable state to your body!  That means less waist to build up and process and the more nutrients the body can absorb from the food.  Reading the ingredients for most “energy bars” is a frightening and (hopefully) sobering moment.  I wish people would stop to realize that if they can’t pronounce something, they probably shouldn’t be eating it.

My Favorites: Cherry Pie (cherries have been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties, so great after exercise!), Pistachio, Cinnamon Roll and Jocolat Chocolate Hazelnut.

One upside about the company being bought out by General Mills is that you can find them everywhere from cafeterias to gas stations.  And as anyone with food allergies or restrictions can relate to:  they mean not having to go hungry.  So, thank you Lärabars.  I owe you more than one.

Actually what made the difference was all the chocolate research and tasting that I did for my cookie recipes.  I became obsessed with chocolate production, with cocoa mass content, with the purity of the ingredients and with the absence of soy lecithin…. something that I very much contribute (along with low quality milk solids) to the waxiness of my childhood Halloween candies.

It’s no secret that cacao is a superfood.  The bean is high in antioxidants and a delicious source of minerals… including IRON.  Next time you are shopping for dark chocolate, look at the nutrition label and check the iron count.  The brands vary, but all the bars that have a high cocoa content should supply a really decent amount of iron!  It by far my favorite iron-rich foods… pumpkin seeds are second!

So, I thought I would share some of my favorite eating and baking chocolates…. (a note of disclaimer: the darker the better for me!) And although there are some lovely raw chocolates, they don’t have the complexity of flavor that I find from some of these amazing chocolate gurus.  Here are my faves in order for least intense to most hard-hitting.

1) Sweet Earth Baking Chocolate- 65% Big Baking Chips

Small chocolate producer in the Bay area.  These are the big chips I used in the Sift Bakery Double Chocolate cookies.  They are organic and Fair Trade Certified, vegan and soy free!  They have a number of other quality items too.  These were my snack during long days at the bakery!

2) Vivani’s 85% Bar

Just the right amount of bitter bite and smooooth.  When this goes on sale at New Seasons, I buy a case full.  This bar is truly astounding. Organic with just three ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter, raw cane sugar.  They have an Allergy note on the website, saying that the machines are cleaned to a very high standard.  I have never had a problem with these and I am very sensitive.  There are many other chocolate bars that I’ve tried and won’t eat again because of reactions, but these feel very clean to my system.  Chock it up to German fastidiousness.

3) Theo Chocolate’s Venezuela 91% Bar

This company is from Seattle and it rocks.  The Origin Bars all have distinct flavors, like fine wines or coffees where you feel you are tasting the nuances in the soils from different regions of the world.  hmmm.  And 91% is just hardcore, but not bitter.  I love it.  The higher the cocoa content, the less I feel like I need to satisfy the jones.  No soy, no dairy, it’s beautiful!

4) Michel Cluizel’s Noir Infini 99% Bar

OK, I admit that 99% cocoa content sounds extreme, and maybe it is… but this bar is sweeter than expected.  The first time I bought a tiny square of it at Portland’s chocolate boutique (HEAVEN) Cacao, I was expecting it to taste like chomping on a square of baker’s chocolate.  Was I wrong!  The Noir Infini is an intense experience and not for the mainstream snicker’s addict… but it is a cocao-lover’s dream.  In addition to a tiny amount of sugar, it contains bourbon vanilla, a hint of orange and undisclosed spices.  Lucky for me I can’t taste the orange, I just taste intensity.

Here’s my cocoa recipe again:

1-2 TBS Raw Cocoa (I love Nativas Naturals)

pinch celtic sea salt

2 packets stevia (I love NuNaturals)

6-8 oz Hot H2O

2 oz Coconut Milk (like SoDelicious- I use the unsweetened)

optional: sprinkle of cayenne or cinnamon or both!

This Spring has just felt like a time of constant change on so many levels.  With the current climate of uncertainty so many people are stepping back to take stock of their lives.  The recession has had far-reaching consequences already, and I would argue that they are not all necessarily negative.  For me, it has meant a re-evaluation of my habits, possessions, activities and occupational trajectory.

May marked the sale of my gluten free & vegan cookie business called Sift Bakery.  It was a nice end to a year and half long balancing act of obligations that taught me an enormous amount about the food industry and many aspects of business, including what I do and don’t want out of my next venture.  The cookies are now being produced by the wonderful vegan distributors Earthly Gourmet.  And they can still be found at Whole Foods and local food co-ops around Portland, as well as many other locations that will be listed on their website.

Selling the business has given me the energy to really try to resolve some of my long standing health issues…. especially my iron levels.  I have even been running with a little more direction lately, since my husband has decided that I should attempt to get back into racing shape.  We’ll see.  If I can get my iron up, I will think that anything is possible.  I ran the Phoenix Rock N’ Roll marathon with a friend for fun in January and managed an easy 3 hours without much training.  After a string of incidences including illness, a Mexican vacation, and a 2-week snow storm, I opted to run with a pace group- which made the effort feel like a hard training run!

The weather recently has made everything feel lighter.  And I’m intending on continuing my “Spring Cleaning” well into the summer… detoxing my home and cleansing my body with a focus on intention.

Wishing you health, lightness, and energy.

Dana

It’s the easiest time in recent history to avoid gluten (at least in the last 50 years). One of my favorite allergy-friendly recipe sites has always been Karina’s Kitchen, aka the Gluten Free Goddess. She is an amazing artist who has luckily chosen food as one of her mediums.

Read more: “Karina’s Kitchen: Gluten-Free Recipes: The Gluten-Free Cheat-Sheet- How to Go G-Free” – http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/04/gluten-free-cheat-sheet-how-to-go-g.html#ixzz0FEuCFML1&A