Showing posts with label gluten free

Serve Up Smiles with healthy Protein Puffs

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, December 31, 2020

We did it. We made it to the end of this year and that my friends, is something to celebrate! I took a needed break from work the last few weeks and stepping back really helped me gain clarity, focus and optimism for the new year. I’m a natural optimist and tend to look for the good in situations, so I’m ending this year on a high note by sharing a new way to snack that I think you’re going to like. I’ve been serving up smiles with healthy protein puffs snacks from Happy Little Plants. Want to serve up smiles with plant-based protein puffs too? Here’s how.


Protein Puffs!

Serve up Smiles Healthy Protein Puffs

My husband and I love to cook good, wholesome meals for our family of four, but lately, we’ve fallen into a bit of a mealtime rut.  We both agree that adding more fall vegetables and good for you grains was a must- but even those small changes didn’t feel like quite enough to get us back on a healthy eating track. While working online one day, a cookbook title caught my eye- Nourishing Meals by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre (husband and wife) and I thought this would be a great way to add fresh ideas to our meal planning.



Read on to learn about Nourishing Meals 365 Whole foods, allergy free recipes for healing your family one meal at a time


Nourishing Meals book cover



Clearly this book was written for those who are trying to eat better, I expected that from the title. What I didn’t expect was that all those inviting meals I’d seen on the cover were really gluten-free, dairy-free and soy free dishes. Nobody in my family has a dietary restriction, so you may be wondering why I would select this type of cookbook. It was the promise to help me ditch the processed foods one allergy-free meal at a time that grabbed me and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve learned so far.




Nourishing Meals offers 365 whole foods, allergy-free recipes for healing your family one meal at a time. I’m educating myself, or rather, re-educating myself while reading this cookbook, starting off with the preface-   7 steps to sustainable dietary change. These are do-able steps that aren’t meant to be hurried through, or done all at once. The author’s idea is restorative nourishment, which can gently and gradually nurture our systems until unhealthy foods and habits naturally fade away.



My family and I are spending more time on step one, which is Add more vegetables. We know we eating vegetables is good for us. Our parents told us to eat our vegetables when we were kids and chances are if you are a parent- you are saying it to your kids now. Sometimes though, it can be challenging to get kids to eat their veggies. Never fear, this book is loaded with tips- from pregnancy through childhood- on how to deal with and prevent picking eating behaviors. 



Chickpea curry recipe- Nourishing Meals
Source

You are invited into recipe chapters during the 7 steps. For instance, in step 1, there is a Smoothie chapter that can aide in getting kids to eat their veggies. look at the tasty Chickpea vegetable curry recipe highlighted in the photo above. Doesn't that look like a delightful way to eat more vegetables?


Step 2 talks about making your own salad dressings while step three- (where I am this week) discusses the importance of replacing processed grain foods with whole foods. In this step, the recipes I’d like to try are Fluffy Cashew Pancakes and Chicken Breakfast sausages.



Another chapter I’ve found very helpful and timely is Packing a healthy lunchbox. Now that my daughters are teenagers, they pack their own lunches. Keeping a variety of good for them lunch foods on hand can be daunting, so I’m thankful for the fresh ideas in this chapter. With their easy to read lunch and snack lists, I can just turn to this chapter and make my shopping list, choosing what I know my kids will eat. Same goes for my husband’s lunchbox. He’s always pleasantly surprised when I add celery stalks or pepper slices to his lunch, and now I’m armed with even more healthy lunchbox ideas.



If one of your goals is to feed your family healthy, nourishing, tasty meals, I am happy to suggest this all-inclusive book. I’ve learned so much already in the short time I’ve had it.  I’m educating myself on why living a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free lifestyle is perfect for some and that it may not be perfect for me and mine- it is always good to know the WHY behind each choice. The next time I am hosting a dinner or sleep over and learn that one of our guests does have a food allergy, I will be better equipped to cook and serve them food that tastes good and is nourishing to them. 



Another great part of this book is how hands on it helps you become. Check out this cool DIY recipe for homemade herbed sea salt on the Nourishing Meals Facebook page. 


DIY homemade herbed sea salt Nourishing meals
Source

Learn More: 

I invite you to learn more about the authors by visiting their website and by following them on Facebook and Twitter.  



I highly recommend this book and will keep this book as an eating healthier recourse and may even gift a copy or two this holiday season. You can purchase a copy today on Amazon




Please share in comments- Do you or somebody in your family have a food allergy? How has that impacted the way you cook?


Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions stated are my own. 


We are not a gluten free family, but several of my daughters friends who visit our home have dietary restrictions, so when I was asked to review the NoGii line of protein bars, why protein powder and The G Free Diet book by Elisabeth Hasselbeck for free as part of the MomsMeet blogger group, I happily agreed. My opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.

My WAHM Plan tries gluten free products


I received a box full of goodies, much to the delight of my daughters, who live to try new protein bars. Created by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Gluten-Free Mom, Emmy Award-Winning Talk Show Host, and New York Times Best-Selling Author of “The G-Free Diet” and “Deliciously G-Free.


About NoGii Products:

NoGii is a line of certified gluten-free protein bars, protein powders, and paleo bars. Made from high quality and sustainably sourced premium ingredients, all products have an ideal balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates and do not contain high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, or hydrogenated oils. 

NoGii offers a variety of choices to provide you and your family with good, clean, certified gluten-free, and nutritional food choices that fit your active lifestyle.

We received boxes of high protein bars in:

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Crisp- 30 g protein, 390 calories
  • Peanut butter & Chocolate- 20 g protein, 230 calories
  • Cocoa & Brownie- 20 g protein, 220 calories
  • Chocolate & Mint- 17 g protein, 230 calories
  • Chocolate Coconut- 17 g protein 240 calories


My Thoughts:

Even though my whole family enjoyed these high protein bars, and found them quite tasty and satisfying, I had to remind them that they each packed a pretty big calorie load and must be factored into our daily healthy living goals. 

Personally, I found the paleo bars a much better choice for my goals and dietary needs. All bars are free of dairy, soy, high fructose/corn syrup, gluten, trans fat and peanuts making them a perfect on the go snack for our busy schedules.  


My WAHM Plan tried Paleo bars

My favorite Paleo bar is Nuts and Berries, which has 4 grams of protein and just 180 calories. My daughters love the Paleo Nuts about Nuts bars, which have 5 grams of protein and 200 calories. Unfortunately none of us liked the flavor of the Nuts about Tropical fruit bars, which have 4 grams of protein and 190 calories. There was a hint of soapiness to the bar that we all found off putting.

The Vanilla Bean whey and quinoa protein powder made a delicious, satisfying after work out drink, with none of the bloating I felt using soy based products, so I’m thrilled with this product as well.


About the G Free Diet Book:

"For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick.  She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have the answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian outback, living off the land, on the grueling TV Survivor show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished.Returning home, she pinpointed the food that had been making her sick- gluten, the binding element in wheat."


My Thoughts:

Elisabeth starts chapter one My G-Free journey with this “I learned about gluten the hard way. I wrote this book so you don’t have to.” While I don’t subscribe to some of Elisabeth’s opinions on living gluten free whether you need to or not, I found The G free Diet book to be informative and helpful in navigating the gluten free lifestyle.  I now know to shop for and cook for company who come to our home.

If you are interested in learning more about Elisabeth’s journey from pain to loving what she eats, please visit nogii.com to learn more about her books and product line, or follow them Twitter, Instagram and Facebook where you can enter to win a trip to New York City, where you’ll meet and have lunch with Elisabeth Hasselbeck! To enter, visit facebook.com/nogiinogluten, look for the link for the contest, and complete the entry form. Hurry! Contest ends on July 31st, 2015.

Please share in comments: Do you or someone you know follow a gluten free lifestyle?



Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.




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