I grew up in an Italian/American household. The smells of homemade sauce still elicit a salivating response. It’s a food that reminds me of fond memories; comfort and time with family.

Going gluten free these days can be met with ease since there are gluten free replacements available in nearly every grocery store. Gluten free pasta, breads, baked goods, for examples can help fill the void in a country where carbohydrates are of emphasis. Still I try to abstain from refined flours the best we can and find or create menus that focus as much as possible on vegetables as carbohydrates, good fats and protein. I also try to adopt recipes that reduce the stress in my life rather than add to it.

This dish is a score in my books because it meets the needs of above, is ideal for dinner parties and my kids seem to know no difference (bonus!). The name is more complicated than the dish.

Noodle-less, paleo, dairy free, gluten free, vegan lasagna.

Ingredients:
2-3 zucchini
1 cup greens of your choice: Swiss chard or kale
1 eggplant
2-3 sweet potatoes (baked)
Cashews or ground cashews
1tsp nutritional yeast
2 cans organic tomato sauce
Basil, oregano, olive oil, garlic

Prep time: 30 to 40 minutes.
Turn oven on 425f and put whole sweet potatoes on oven baking until they are cooked on the inside. This can be done ahead of time.

Slice zucchini and eggplant longwise.
Ground cashews and mix with nutritional yeast, dash of salt, dash of basil, oregano, diced garlic and water to make a cheese consistency- referred to as cashew cheese)
Fill base layer of baking dish with one layer sliced zucchini. Add tomato sauce to cover the layer. Mix cashew cheese with greens and add as a second layer.

Add a third layer of sliced eggplant ( in a contrasting direction of how you laid the zucchini). Add sauce to cover. Scoop out insides of baked sweet potatoes and mash with fork in a bowl. Add to dish as your 4th layer. Top with last layer of zucchini and finish with sauce and olive oil drizzled. Sprinkle basil and oregano.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes with a lid. The last 15 minutes without the lid. Let cool then cut into squares. Makes about 12. Serve with a bolognese sauce.

Bon appetite and Salud

Be well,
Lynn

We’ve allowed the genetic modification of foods which have contaminated our soils, depleted our foods of essential nutrients and has created an epidemic of food sensitivities, all contributing to chronic illnesses. We are now facing these realities as we unveil the root sources of dis-ease.

What became surprising to me in an article written recently is that the current agricultural practices of eliminating natural landscape and substituting with gmo grains/ crops is not only catastrophic to our food supply but endangering our ecology. The monarch butterfly lays it’s eggs on the native plant milkweed that for centuries are native to prairies across the nation. But farmers in an effort to increase their revenues are eliminating milkweed to optimize their use of land. Since 1996 the monarch butterfly population has dropped from 1 million to 33 million, a drastic reduction.

You can read the full article here
the plight of the monarch butterflies

It’s imperative as a nation that we give incredible thought to our actions and their outcomes.

A global thought.

Be well,
Lynn

Unfortunately this is a common mis perception. Yes an IgG test can identify certain food sensitivities especially when looking for cumulative chronic low grade inflammation. And I use it often in my practice to help clients identify foods to remove in an effort to reduce inflammation. But an IgG test tests for only one protein portion of wheat. There are actually numerous other proteins and reactions that can and do occur and are not covered by an IgG test. Let me explain.

Transglutimase 2 are the enzymes that are typically measured in an IgG test. This measure identifies antibodies that have developed to protect the body from enzymes used in the digestion of wheat. In other words it measures antibodies in the digestive tract.

Yet there are two other transglutimases: TG3 (antibodies found in the skin) and TG6 (antibodies found in the nervous system) that are not tested for in an IgG test.

Gluten is broken down into gliadin, which is then broken down into alpha, omega , and gamma gliadins. One marker typically tested for is alpha gliadins while the other two are not tested for in an IgG test and can and do create reactions.

Glutenin is the sticky part of gluten and can cause reactions. This also needs to be tested for.

Lastly, deamidated gluten is an acid used by the good processing industry to make wheat more friendly to mix with other foods. This acid has show to create a severe immune response in people. It is not identified in an IgG test.

Fortunately Cyrex lab tests for all of these reactions.

Some other facts about gluten reactivity:
The protein structure of gluten is similar to the protein structures in the nervous system which means when the body creates antibodies against gluten it can begin attacking its own tissue.
The majority of our brain is filled with microglial cells indicating that our brain is loaded with immune cells. Gluten in creating an immune reaction can penetrate the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier is designed to keep infections out and allow nutrients in, similar to the intestinal barrier.

If you suffer from chronic pain, foggy thinking, neurological disorders, an autoimmune disease or are symptomatic in other ways it’s necessary to consider removing all wheat from your diet, regardless of an IgG test results. Keep in mind that food can create reactivity up to three days later. Or if you prefer evidence, get tested for all the
exposures mentioned above.

Be well,
Lynn

I’m a sucker for really good ice cream but the brands I used to consume are laden with sugars and dairy, two items I stay away from.

You may be thinking: no dairy and no sugar then what’s in this ice cream? Healthy coconut cream ( full of good fats and anti-inflammatory properties), and natural flavorings such as pure vanilla, or mint, or cocoa (depending on the flavor). The only sweetener it’s filled with is stevia(the plant sweetener that doesn’t play games with your insulin receptors). It even says on the front 1g of sugar.

Must you travel far to buy this incredible find? Nope. I found this one at the freezer at VONs (our local grocery store) so for those that live locally you won’t have to travel far. And for those that live near a plethora of health food stores it will be an easy find.

How much should you eat? This is the best part. It’s full of healthy fats- so it’s good for the brain. It’s an indulgence you don’t have to feel guilty about. I must admit that I do play down its benefits to my children. ‘Ok you can have some but only after you eat your dinner’. Shhh don’t tell 🙂

Enjoy and be well,
Lynn