Seasonal Eating

Spring has finally arrived in Rochester, New York! Yippee! Hooray! We are so excited to welcome in the warm, spring air, the smell of fresh cut grass and the beautiful blooming flowers. Most importantly, we can't wait to welcome in the seasonal goodies grown fresh in our area!

Most of the year we are avid Public Market shoppers, but I do regret that I stop in the bitter cold of winter here in Upstate, New York. My children just don't enjoy it as much as the warmer days! Because of how important eating fresh, home-grown foods is to us, I wanted to share with you some important information about Seasonal Eating that may inspire you to do the same!

Seasonal eating is a fabulous way to eat for many reasons, but most importantly, it benefits your health! Of course, the added money it keeps in your pocket is an extra bonus when working within a limited BUDGET!! With the economy the way it is right now, we are all feeling a little crunch--so every little bit helps. As a side note, stay tuned to Charis Creations for some upcoming, budget-friendly, seasonal meals!

As far as your health goes, seasonal eating yields FRESH FOODS. Seasons are considered a source of natural diversity. Look at the beautiful vegetable garden in the middle of spring and summer, take a peek at the same garden in the middle of winter! They are definitely different and naturally balancing each other out.

In our society it is easy to forget that picture--walking into the supermarket and finding just about anything you would like to get your hands on at any time of the year. This definitely has its blessings of course, but it also makes it easier to forget that these foods don't grow year round in our area!

The problem with shopping at the supermarket for produce is simple: all the "fresh" produce is not so "fresh". It has been picked prematurely, ripened off the vine (usually gassed), packed, shipped, and ends up sitting on shelves way longer than if you walked into your own garden and picked a nice, juicy, ripe tomato off the vine and sunk your teeth into it! Choose local and seasonal for your health!

Economically it is wiser as well as great deals are offered at the farmer's market. When you choose to shop this way, you are also supporting the hard work of the local farmers who truly care for their crops and who are learned in sowing and reaping! It is a fun atmosphere for family and friends and a great learning experience as well. So with that little bit being said, here is what to expect this Spring to Summer season:

• Tender Leafy Greens (Swiss, Chard, Baby Lettuce)
• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Scallions
• Early Peas
• Cauliflower
• New Potatoes
• Celery
  
• Kale
• Artichoke
• Parsley
  
• Basil
• Rhubarb
• Raspberry

What is Celiac Sprue Disease?

Celiac Sprue Disease is most commonly referred to as having a gluten allergy/sensitivity. When a person who is allergic consumes gluten, the body views gluten as a toxin and tries to attack and destroy it. However, instead of destroying the protein gluten, the body ends up attacking itself which then results in various uncomfortable (and potentially dangerous) symptoms.

Celiac Sprue is a common condition that could be silently attacking your body in a serious way.

BUT, not to worry! There IS HOPE for those suffering with gluten sensitivity. Changing to a gluten free diet may seem overwhelming and frustrating at first since gluten is in most processed foods. It may take you a little while to get used to checking labels and searching through various brands of products for the best tasting gluten free foods/breads/muffins, etc. But DON'T GIVE UP!

Charis Creations provides a list of some of our favorite store-bought Gluten-Free Products, and provides resources such as recipes and baking tutorials to make your new diet and lifestyle more enjoyable, bearable and a lot more hopeful!

Attention Moms and Dads:

If you notice your child has severe eczema and skin rashes (especially around the mouth), you may want to eliminate gluten and/or dairy from his or her diet. Gluten and dairy are known to bring on such symptoms.

Articles and testimonies of gluten sufferer's left undiagnosed for extended periods of time showed resulting cases of blindness, paralysis, neurological problems, seizures, autism and more. Check out this website for information on how Gluten has been linked to Autism in children ("Dylan's Story" http://mothernecessity.com/).

Could YOU Have Celiac Disease?

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, 1 in 133 people are affected by Celiac Disease!!

Symptoms of Celiac Sprue (An allergy to wheat, rye and barley) include the following:

• Recurring bloating, gas or abdominal pain.
• Chronic diarrhea, constipation or both.
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain.
• Pale, foul smelling stool.
• Unexplained anemia.
• Bone or joint pain.
• Behavior changes, depression, irritability.
• Vitamin K deficiency.
• Fatigue, weakness or lack of energy.
• Delayed growth or onset of puberty.
• Failure to thrive (in infants).
• Missed menstrual periods.
• Infertility male and female.
• Spontaneous miscarriages.
• Canker sores inside the mouth.
• Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel.

While these symptoms are meant to guide your awareness, please do not self diagnose. Visit your health care provider and have your doctor confirm your diagnosis. He or She may perform the following tests in order to conclude Celiac Sprue Disease:

• Endomysial Antibody
  
• Tissue Transglutiminase Antibody
• Antigladin Antibody
• Total Serum IgA
• Endoscopy (which is taking a sample of the lining of the small intestine).

In an instance in which you take yourself completely off wheat products prior to seeing your doctor for testing, please be aware that your test results may come back as a false negative!

Resources

WHAT'S SAFE TO EAT IF I'M GLUTEN FREE:

· Amaranth
· Arrowroot
· Beans
· Buckwheat
· Corn
· Eggs
· Fish
· Fruits & Vegetables
· Milk
· Nut Flours
· Nuts
· Peas
· Plain Cheeses
· Potatoes
· Poultry
· Quinoa
· Rice
· Sorghum
· Soy
· Tapioca
· Tef
· Unseasoned Meats
· Vanilla
· Vinegar (except Malt Vinegar)
· Wild Rice

STAY AWAY FROM THESE IF GLUTEN FREE & ALWAYS CHECK LABELS:

· Breading/Bread Crumbs/Croutons
· Candy
· Certain Beers
· Certain Chocolate Bars
· Icecreams
· Lipsticks
· Pastas
· Sauses
· Soy SauceS
· Stocks/Broths (Chicken/Veg/Beef)
· Toothpastes

Where To Shop For Gluten Free Foods

Ok, so you've been diagnosed with Celiac's Disease and you need to know WHERE to go to find gluten free foods. If you haven't learned this already, gluten seems to be in just about everything (see our list to the left of commonly overlooked items to stay away from). BUT, do not get discouraged--it's time to look at the positive side of things instead of the negative.

Instead of looking at someone eating "normal" foods and getting upset or jealous, remember that you are faced with a lifestyle change that takes a little time to adjust to. If you think you have to give up certain snacks or sweets just because you've gone GF, you're wrong. Check out our list (and see pics) of just SOME of the great foods you DON'T have to eliminate from your diet.

You may have to begin preparing more meals than you have in the past, but you will be blessed at the fact that you can enjoy FRESH, healthy foods that you will savor with every bite. So, here is a list of places to go to find some of your gluten free items:

Wegmans' Nature's Market (All locations**Pittsford's Monroe Ave. store & Greece's Mt. Read Blvd. stores are the best I've seen).
Lori's Natural Foods (Jefferson Road--Henrietta)
Local Farmers Markets (for fresh--and some organic--produce)
Natural Oasis Market (Monroe Ave--Downtown)

Some of our favorite products can be viewed below. There are also some "On the Go" meals you can find within these stores as well that actually taste great. We will post an updated list of those for you very soon!

Glutino Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Amy's Gluten Free Flat Bread Spinach Pizza (Very yummy!)
By George Corn Bread Muffins
By George Blueberry Muffins
Glutino Bagels
Glutino Pretzels

Please note that these are just a FEW items listed. There are many more that we will update our site with shortly!

Bon Appetite!

Interesting News Relating Gluten to Autism

A Gluten Free & Casein Free (GFCF) Diet Helps More Than 50% of Children With Autism *

Some children with autism have an immature or problematic digestive system and are unable to break down the complex protein chains found in wheat (gluten) and/or dairy (casein) products.

The best way to help your child is to incorporate a gluten-free/casein-free (GFCF) nutritionally complete formula in your childs daily diet. Doing so ensures your child will receive all the essential nutrients he or she needs to grow and thrive.

Info taken from NutritionandAutism.com

Eating Out? Where To Go For Gluten Free Dining

Having been diagnosed with Celiac's for a few years now I have been compiling a list of restaurants that offer gluten free menus and/or food items. I was going to post them here for you this evening, but I decided to do a little more research on local venues in hopes to broaden your dining out resources. Upon doing so, I stumbled across a list from our local Rochester Celiac Group website that had a number of choices to choose from. Their site even has links to menus so you can view what they have to offer before heading out on the town. Check it out and enjoy!

http://www.rochesterceliacs.org/restaurants.htm

~ Krista

BTW...I highly reccomend Nick's Deli, Tasteology, Biaggi's and PF Changs China Bistro!

Where to find Krista & Monique on the Web:

KRISTA & MONIQUE'S BAKING TUTORIALS ON YOU TUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/user/CharisCreationsGF

MONIQUE @ PAMPERED CHEF:
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/nowilove2cook

DID YOU KNOW?

OCTOBER IS CELIAC AWARENESS MONTH!!!

Luckily for you, you have found our site and can now check out different options you have to help make your Gluten Free lifestyle even better!

Going Gluten Free does not have to mean you lose out on eating great tasting foods. Quite the contrary actually! Gluten Free living is about being food conscious. It becomes more of a goal than an annoying challenge. Once you take on the mindset that Gluten Free living is a healthier choice for your body (since in taking gluten when intolerant can cause severe physical ailments), your whole outlook at eating will begin to change.

We all want to take care of ourselves, eat better, maintain a healthy weight, and ENJOY LIFE. Part of enjoying life is savoring all the different yummy tastes in the foods God has created. There are SO MANY options to eating gluten free, we may just not be used to them. But they are there. If we are creative, we will find them. If we are resourceful, we will research. If we are uneducated, we will ask questions. That is what our site is all about!

Charis Creations is here to offer you an outlet from stressful food habits and provide you with tons of information to get you on the right track to Gluten Free Living. So ENJOY Celiac Awareness month. Focus on putting great foods into your body and eliminating all the things that will cause your body harm. Ask questions, post comments, search our menu options, try a new food item each week. Get creative. Most importantly, have fun on your quest, and let Charis Creations help you along the way!

Krista and Monique
Co-Founders of Charis Creations

A Healthier Choice for Snacking!

Hello Friends,


I recently tried Kettle Valley's Organic Fruit Snacks and have become a HUGE fan. These snacks taste GREAT and are SO good for you--it is an awesome combination of flavor and health all packed into a simple fruit bar!


I checked out their website today and pulled up the below information. Check it out and then go try a box for yourself. You'll be glad you did!


Krista





Get REAL with Kettle Valley 100% Fruit Bars! Not only “Made with Fruit”, Made ONLY with REAL Fruit. An Apple in every Bar, 1/2 of a Cup of Fruit in every Bar. Certified Kosher.


Kettle Valley’s Fruit Snacks are increasingly popular as consumers choose Real 100% Fruit Snacks over the sugar based, less-than natural, fruit snacks. Kettle Valley Fruit Snacks are 100% natural, containing no preservatives or added sugar, artificial colours or flavours. Kettle Valley Fruit Snacks (20g) are available in 7 popular flavours: Strawberry, Raspberry, Wildberry, Sour Apple, Tropical Blend, Watermelon and Grape.


Check us out at:


www.everydayfruit.com or www.givemefood.com


Nutritional Information:


Each 20g product has an apple in every bar and they are the equivalent of eating a 1/2 a cup of fruit. None of their products have been made with genetically modified fruit. The combination of simple and complex carbohydrates provide an excellent source of "substainable" energy (versus a quick simple sugar fix) and make a perfect snack for Diabetics. Research studies around the world are now uncovering the wide array of phytonutrients that are contained in fruits and vegetables that make them an important part of a nutritious diet. These nutrients offer many benefits, not unlike the antioxidants we hear so much about. Kettle Valley Fruit Snacks may contain the same important phytonutrients as whole apples (e.g., quercetin, numerous other flavonoids).


Fruit sugars such as those found in apple products serve as an immediate source of energy. And because apple products taste so good, they are readily consumed by infants and children.
Apple based fruit snacks have a nutrient/calorie ratio superior to many of the alternative snacks being consumed by children. One serving of Kettle Valley’s 20 gram fruit snack is equivalent to a ½ cup of fruit, according to the meal planning guidelines published jointly by the American Dietetic Association and American Diabetes Association.


In keeping with recent health professionals’ recommendations to increase servings of fruits and vegetables and reduce the amount of fat in the diet, apple products can make an important contribution to a well-balanced diet.

What's In Season--Early Autumn Food Choices

Hey Readers!

Thanks again for visiting our site. Just thought I would share some insightful information with all of you!

As the seasons change, so do our options for fresh food. Not everyone is aware of what foods are currently in season , so below is a link to a great website I found this morning. It lists our many choices of Fruits, Vegetables, Meat and Fish and allows readers to click on the food of choice for even more info and preparation ideas.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/season/autumn/early/index.shtml

Moms, Check This Out: All Natural Baby Foods at a Fraction of the Cost of Store Baught Foods

Hey there Moms (and Dads),

Have you seen the price of baby food lately? $.50-$1.10 per jar?! The prices are even higher if you decide to buy organic. Most non-organic baby foods contain added coloring and preservatives to make the foods look more appealing and last longer. But did you know you could still feed your baby HEALTHY foods at at a fraction of the cost, simply by making it yourself?

Now you may be thinking, "Who has time for that?". But for those of you Moms (and Dads) who have a couple hours on hand once or twice a month, you could prepare your child fresh, home made, all natural, and even organic baby food (for less than you'd pay at the store)! Hey, I learned that if I eliminated watching television or a movie once or twice a month, I could actually do something worthwhile with my time that would be so beneficial and worth it for my little girl!

Most children may begin eating baby food between the age of 4 to 6 months old. The best foods to introduce to their diet first would be:

• Bananas,
• Avocados and
• Sweet Potatoes (yams).

Doctor's reccomend parents introduce one new food every 3-4 days in order to check for food allergies. It is also been noted that it takes a child around 12 different tries to acquire a liking for a taste of foods. So if you introduce green beans or carrots to your child down the road and they refuse, don't give up! They may just need to taste it a few different times before it actually grows on them!

So where do you start? It's simple. All you need are some ice cube trays, a blender or food processor, some freezer bags and whatever type of food(s) you decide to make that day.

Depending upon the type of food you are preparing, you may have to do some cooking prior to pureeing. Here's a few helpful tips for certain foods:

• Yams: Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a flat baking pan with tin foil. Place the yams on the pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a fork will easily poke through the yam. Remove from oven, peel, cut up and puree.
• Avocados: Peel, cut up and puree.
• Bananas: Wait until bananas are fully ripened. Peel, cut up and puree.
• Pears, Apples, Carrots: Boil some water, cook until tender, cool, skin, cut up and puree.
• Sweet Peas: I buy mine frozen, follow the microwavable directions and then puree.
• Chicken: I like to go Organic for this especially due to all the hormones used in regular chicken. Boil some water, place chicken in pot and cook until tender. Remove the chicken, let cool, tear apart into small pieces and puree.

Once your food is blended, you are ready to transfer it into your ice cube trays. Do the following:

• With a teaspoon, scoop the food into each individual cube.
• When your tray is filled, place it in the freezer until frozen.
• Remove from the freezer, empty the cubes from the tray and place them into your individually labeled freezer bags for storage.
• If you make enough food, you should only have to do this about once or twice a month at most.

When ready to use, place 2-3 cubes of choice in a glass container, microwave for 30 seconds and serve!

Feel free to comment and ask any questions~we're always here to help!

A Day at the Market

Hello Friends,

About a week ago I made plans to go to the market. It was on my mind to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables and create a great recipe and meal for my husband. I had some great finds today so I thought I'd share them with you. Almost all the produce I bought was locally grown, organic and pesticide free. Makes you feel like your doing something nice for your body, you know? Anyways, over a conversation about foods with my best friend, I decided why not make good old fashioned egg plant parmisean. So...that's what I did--but GLUTEN FREE style.

It was my first time experimenting with gluten free bread crumbs and I was a little nervous that the taste would just not be the same. You know how different products sometimes lack that homecooked feel you grew up with? Well, I was pleasantly surprised! I used a product manufactured by a company called ORGRAN. The product name is "Gluten Free All Purpose Crumbs" and it comes in a brightly colored red and yellow box. It just so happens to be free of many other things as well (dairy, egg, yeast, GMO, soy, nut, wheat), which makes it great for people with various types of allergies. However, my meal was not dairy, egg or lactose free. (I used freshly grated mozzerella and dipped the eggplant in eggs)

Here is a picture of my meal. It was AMAZING, and tickled my tastebuds with flavor. I loved it, and so did my husband so it will definitely be something I make more often. Also check out the pics of just some of my fresh produce. Definitely check out your local farmers markets to get some great organic buys!

Thinking About Going Organic? Why Organic Foods Are Worth The Extra Cost.

The purchasing of organic foods is on the rise and expected to continue to increase steadily over the next few years. Why are so many people making the switch, you may be wondering? Organic foods are just plain better for you.

Organic foods lack the chemicals pumped into every other food for growth, preservation and pesticides. And why add un-needed chemicals into your body when we're exposed to so many already on a daily basis? Have you ever stopped and wondered if what we put into our bodies could reflect upon the increases in various Cancer's and diseases and our overall health and well-being? Just a thought...

According to a report featured on Fox News, there are 5 main foods one should consider switching to when making the conversion to Organic. Those 5 are as follows:
Potatoes, Apples, Soy, Milk, and Beef.

Fox News also reported that of all the produce tested in the United States, POTATOES were found to contain the most chemicals and pesticides AFTER they were washed and peeled! So if anything, one should consider switching at least to organic potatoes to start.

Buying organic is not always as easy as one would like to think. Upon deciding to make the change myself, I went to my local Wegmans in search of EVERYTHING. I wanted to see WHAT the supermarkets had to offer and at what price. While Wegmans has improved their "Nature's Market" section within their stores, the selection of Organic fruits and veggy's is still low. The best place to find Organic produce? Try your local farmers markets, stands, and Co-Ops in your area.

For those of you located in Rochester, NY, below are a list of places to go for Organic Foods that will make your shopping much easier:

Downtown Farmers Market
Greece Farmers Market
Chili Farmers Market
Lori's Natural Foods
Natural Oasis Market on Monroe Avenue
and yes, I still do reccomend Wegmans for various selections.

For more information on Why to Choose Organic and What Foods are Best to Buy, go to the following website and check it out for yourself:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13737389/page/2/

Thanks~ Krista