Valentines Day

Are you looking for a allergen friendly Valentine Candy for a school snack or school party? Are you looking for something special to put in your child's lunch or send to your favorite college student in a care package? Are you looking for a treat for yourself?

We associate Valentine's Day with the color RED and hearts, flowers, and chocolate.

Enjoy Life Foods has a line of Valentine Mini Chocolates that are just what you need! Between now and February 14, 2019 you can get 15% off Enjoy Life Valentine’s Day Chocolate Minis using the code BeMine15.

Mango Mania: Add Superfoods to Your Diet

Mango Mania

According to an article by Jenny Ivy published on Delicious Living.com, "The National Mango Board is touting multiple studies that found potential health benefits associated with eating mangos. These health benefits include improved blood pressure, blood sugar control and gut health."

Money Saving Tip

Stock up on mangos and start to include this superfood in your diet. I stock up on mangos when they are reasonably priced and enjoy them fresh as well as freeze some for later to use in smoothies!

Recipes

Next time you are at the store and find mangos, pick some up and prepare my Mango Overnight Oats Recipe. Pictured below are a few images of the Overnight Oats process.

Mangos are Nutritious

Mangos are SUPERFOODS containing over 20 different vitamins and minerals. Mangos are fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free. According to the National Mango Board, 1 cup of mango has:

• 100 calories
• 100% of daily Vitamin C
• 35% of daily Vitamin A
• 20% of daily folate
• 12% of daily fiber 
• 10% of daily Vitamin B6

Mangos are Available Year Round

There are seven varieties of mangos and one is always in season. Each has a unique flavor and texture.  Read about the varieties at Mango.org.

Health Benefits of Mangos

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Researchers from Texas A&M University examined the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of gallic acid, galloyl glycosides, and gallotannins in lean and obese individuals that consumed 400g of freshly frozen mango pulp daily for six weeks. The study’s lead researcher suggests that extended mango consumption may offer increased anti-inflammatory benefits compared to sporadic mango consumption.

Gut Health
In a randomized pilot study, researchers from Texas A&M University, investigated the potential role of mango consumption in changes of the gut microbiota, bioavailability of galloyl metabolites, and anti-inflammatory activities in lean and obese subjects. They concluded that after six weeks of eating mangos, the fruit helped improve gut health in obese people.

Mango Trivia ... Allergies

Did you know mangos are related to cashews and pistachios? Some people have allergic reactions to mangos as they are not only related to cashews and pistachios but also poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac. If you have had a reaction to the other foods or plants, be cautious when considering whether a mango is the best choice for you.


Read more at Delicious Living ... New Studies Show Mangos Can Boost Health.

Mango Mornings: Overnight Oats

I have made many varieties of OVERNIGHT OATS and come back to the mango recipe variation quite a bit. The recipe is simple to make and other fruits can be substituted for mangos to make the recipe fit your taste preferences and seasonal fruit availability.

Simple Formula 

Add the following to a jar (I rinse and use glass nut butter jars to reduce waste):

• 1 cup of mango (I layer mine)
• 1/8 cup organic chia seeds
• 3/4 cup gluten free oats
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 TBSP honey or agave (OPTIONAL)
• 3/4 cup milk of choice - I use almond or cashew

TIPS:

You can make a couple of jars ahead of time. The night before you wish to enjoy the breakfast, add the milk of choice and shake. In the morning, stir the jar and add additional milk if the oats absorbed more milk than you wish. I start with a ratio that errs on the dry side so that more liquid can be added at the last minute. It is difficult to soak up additional liquid last minute, especially if you want to eat the breakfast on-the-go.

NOTE: for details on mango availability, how to pick a mango, and how to store a mango can be found at Mango.org. 

Nourished Festival in Del Mar, California

For years the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo has been visiting cities around the country to provide opportunities for companies and consumers to connect. This year, they are coming back to the San Diego area ... with a new name, the Nourished Festival.

The Nourished Festival is the Largest Gluten Free, Allergy & Special Diet Festival in the United States!

 

What can I expect?

The show is meant to meet the needs of people with a diverse array of health conditions. All products are gluten free however, many booths do contain other allergens. The show features classes and exhibitors from both national and local companies. You will have an opportunity to sample products and purchase product to take home. Come ready to sample and talk to people that share common food interests! You will learn about new products and have a great time!

Buy Tickets in Advance

Click here to get tickets to the event February 9 and 10, 2019 from 10-3 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Tickets are 30% off until 1-18-19 and 20% off until 2-8-19.

Join me for an opportunity to connect with great companies and find allergy friendly foods in which you will fall in love! Details about classes, exhibitors, and parking can be found by following this link.

I am excited to attend the Nourished Festival! 

Locations of 2019 Festivals 

Visit the Nourished Festival website for specifics if you are in the following areas:

• San Diego, CA
• Atlanta, GA
• Sandy, UT
• Denver, CO
• Schaumburg, IL
• Worcester, MA 
• Dallas, TX
• Seattle, WA
• Secaucus, NJ
• San Mateo, CA

Granola Simple and Sweet

I love making homemade granola using my GRANOLA MADE SIMPLE RECIPE/FORMULA. Today I made a sweeter variation than I usually do. I omitted the dried fruit and added mini chocolate chips.

Granola Formula

Oats + Ancient Grains + Seeds + Flavor + Oil + Honey + OPTIONS

Sweet Start Variation

• 4 cups gluten free oats  
• 1 cup seeds ... pepitas + sunflower seeds
• 2 TBSP almond flavoring  
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup honey (use agave to make vegan)
• 3/4 cup  Enjoy Life Foods Mini Chips in my recipe for a sweet treat
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds

Each batch of granola I make just a bit different ... after all, variety is the spice of life!

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

My New Hope Blogger Box arrived with a sample of Healthy Gourmet Kitchen's Moroccan Red Lentil Soup. The soup was easy to make and tasted great ... a nit of spice and not salty!

Simple to Make

All I had to do was dice 1/2 an onion and 3 cloves of garlic and add them to a pot with olive oil and saute until translucent.  I added the sample soup package and 5 cups of broth ( I used low salt) and brought it to a boil. Once the soup began to boil, I turned it down to low, covered it, and let it cook on low for 30 minutes. Before serving, I used an immersion blender to puree the soup.

What I learned ...

This is a great product. I ate a bowl of soup with cheese and crackers and my husband enjoyed a bowl with a roasted vegetable and hummus sandwich. It was satisfying and warm on a cool January night. Next time I might cube some roasted potatoes and add to the soup as I serve it for some added texture. I might also pan fry some tofu and add cubes of tofu to the soup for additional texture. (Chicken could be added too if you wanted to stray from the vegan meal).