Monthly Archives: March 2012

Saturday

31

March 2012

100th Post! Sprinkles of Things I’m Loving

I’m so excited to say that this is my 100th post on Sprinkles & Allergies! I hope you’ve found the content here helpful, uplifting, and fun. I’ve had so much fun writing them myself, and this has really become a therapy of sorts for me as well. I find peace in sharing with others on this journey and thank you all for the support and encouragement you have shown me. As I continue to become even healthier and flourish further with life threatening food allergies, I will continue to share my personal experiences, thoughts, and findings through my writings here. I couldn’t have come this far without the strong love and strength from my family, friends, and loving boyfriend. Thank you everyone, for helping me persevere through these obstacles and turn them into intensely positive experiences.

Today I’m going to keep it kind of short but wanted to share some “sprinkles” of things that I am loving right now.

I’ve fallen in love with cooking soy free eggs inside slices of avocado. This combination is deadly delicious!

I recently made a yummy pink smoothie/milkshake–I called it my Breast Cancer Awareness Smoothie recipe.

Blend well in a high speed blender. You could even add some Vanilla Island Coconut Ice Cream from Coconut Bliss if you wanted a nice thick milkshake (they only use Agave, not sugar).

I’ve been making homemade turmeric and clove tea–it may sound strange, but the combination creates a warm, spiced, and invigorating tea. Both cloves and turmeric have anti-fungal and antioxidant properties. Turmeric is also something that has been said to prevent against and help cure certain cancers. I like the taste even more after hearing that.

Thanks again everyone for all your support and love. Many more posts to come!

~~~~Much love always~~~~

Bethany @ Sprinkles & Allergies

P.S. Yan will be posting as an author on and off too, so let’s welcome Yan to the blog!

Friday

30

March 2012

Review: Enjoy Life Chewy Bars

Gluten free, and allergen free? You know exactly how difficult it can be to find good on-the-go snacks and bites for long days or when traveling. Convenience stores and fast food chains hold next to nothing for those like us, which can be frustrating at times. I’m always looking for good energy boosters to throw in my bag…along with what seems to be the rest of my life. (Everything I need always finds it’s way to the bottom of the bag. Ladies, I know you can sympathize).

Enjoy Life Chewy Bars are a good item to toss in your purse or bag for on-the-run snacks, and they’re free of the top 8 allergens and gluten free. Enjoy Life was nice enough to send me a sample of all four flavors of the Chewy Bars–Sunbutter Crunch, Caramel Apple, Very Berry, and Cocoa Loco. (I was not compensated in any way for my opinion of the products, I only received them from the company).

The first thing I have to say honestly, is that the taste of texture of these products has increased ten-fold since the first time I tried them a few years back while I was first getting the hang of being gluten free. Before, they seemed a little too dense for me. But now, all the bars are bursting with flavor and a soft, chewy texture which is anything but dense.

They also updated the look of the packaging, complete with adorable bar codes! Super unique! Ok, yes I’m seriously talking about bar code designs right now, but I feel like it’s the littlest details that can make something that much more special. Or maybe it’s just the design obsessed junkie in me. I may or may not have rearranged my room on a monthly basis for years in the past. Don’t judge =)

The only thing I would say is a downfall of sorts when it comes to these Chewy Bars is their size. I remember them being a little bigger in the past, which I felt was the perfect size. With such an awesome recipe and taste, I find myself wanting to eat more for my snack. If the reason for the smaller size is regarding portion control, I feel it may be more beneficial to cut back just a tad on the sugar in the product instead of cutting back on the overall size in my opinion. The ingredients themselves are considered healthy and wholesome in general, such as sunflower seed butter and dried fruits. They are also loaded with vitamins and minerals that really pick me up.

I put in some long hours this week working from home, and these were an awesome counterpart.

Click here to see my favorite flavor!

Do you have any favorite allergen free on-the-go snacks?

Enjoy Life has a lot of great things in this category!

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Tuesday

27

March 2012

Honey & Cinnamon Almond Biscuits (Gluten-free)

Our afternoon has been productive and this was the perfect way to relax. We founds ourselves having an afternoon tea-time with tasty sweet almond biscuits with cinnamon and honey. There was nothing proper and stuffy about it though, as we gobbled these tasty morsels up and dabbed some extra honey on top.

I was inspired by a recipe posted on Roost blog (which is one of my favorites on the blog roll) but I couldn’t help but tweak the recipe to cater to my own taste buds–which are cinnamon junkies. Not enough to perform the spoonful of cinnamon challenge mind you, but enough to put it in a ridiculous amount of baked goods. Cinnamon makes everything just a little warmer and adds that little spark.

I used my homemade blanched almond flour for this recipe and it worked beautifully. I talk about how to make it in a previous post here, along with unblanched almond flour. For a less dense and lighter biscuit, I recommend using the blanched almond flour (no almond skins).

Biscuit drops before the oven.

Warm and golden after the bake. Ready to devour.

Our afternoon break was perfect. Here’s the recipe I used:

Honey & Cinnamon Almond Biscuits (Free of: Wheat, Gluten, Soy, Yeast, Corn, Peanuts, and Milk {casein}).

  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour (blanched)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (I probably used more since I love cinnamon).
  • a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice
  • 2 soy free eggs
  • 1/4 olive oil
  • 1/4 raw local honey (We love Raw Michigan Honey!)

Preheat oven to about 350 degrees (will vary depending on ovens).

Combine dry ingredients together. Separately, combine the wet ingredients and stir well. Incorporate the wet  ingredients into the dry ones and mix well. I contemplated adding some vanilla extract, but decided I would try that another day. Place 8 equal spoonfuls on a baking dish or sheet that has been well greased (some prefer parchment paper, but I’ve never used it myself). Bake for approximately 20 minutes. I baked mine for about 18. Drizzle a little extra honey on top and serve after cooling a bit.

These babies are surprisingly filling–and low carbohydrate. Great for those who are on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for medical reasons. Once again, thanks to Coco at Roost blog for the inspiration.

What’s your favorite baked good to make gluten free or with almond flour?

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Sunday

25

March 2012

Self Sustaining Spring

This spring, we at Sprinkles and Allergies are challenging ourselves to be more Self Sustaining. Take our challenge for Self Sustainable Spring at Sprinkles & Allergies by planting at least one herb, vegetable, or fruit plant this spring. Join us and share your progress! We’d love to know what you’re doing to make a greener spring. Know where your food comes from by growing some of it yourself.

Our indoor garden is preparing for an outdoor move very soon. The usual whispers of spring were anything but quiet this year. Explosions of blossoms, birds, buzzing, and furry creatures started weeks ago here, which is much more than I could have hoped for in previously notorious bitter cold February and March. A mild winter means a wild spring–a time for initiating self sustainable gardens, compost, and overall renewal. Though we live in a small apartment, it’s still surprisingly doable, mostly thanks to our large bay windows and balcony. We love breathing in the fresh wisps of spring.

We’ve been growing Basil and Arugula from the seed for about a week and a half now. I can’t believe how much the Arugula has shot up in such a short time. This week, we’ll be planting some broccoli and parsley to go along with the other plants since our Kale tree seems to be on the fritz after the winter months.

Above, our Arugala is thriving but tending to lean more towards the sun. We’ll be moving it outdoors to the balcony soon where it can grow stronger in the full sun. Below, our baby basil are starting to peek through the moist soil.

This plant has special meaning to us.

Over a year ago, Yan surprised me with a beautiful flowering plant called a Kalanchoe. The day he got it for me marked the first month of our relationship together. This little tree-like gem has been through a lot, even having been knocked clear off our balcony and ripped out of the pot during a nasty thunderstorm last summer. Today it still grows strong and is beginning to show signs of blossoming again for the spring. I think we’ll need a bigger planter for it soon as it’s been growing out of control lately! The flower meaning of Kalanchoe is endurance and lasting affection. When asking Yan if he knew this today, he said “Well…uh…of course!! That’s the reason I got this one! Yeah!” Nice try Yan ;)

Here’s a short video of our small indoor garden. I find tending to it to be full of meditation and relaxation while connecting back to the simplest roots of things.

A Self Sustainable Spring starts now! Take the challenge and plant something. Let us know about it here!

Check out our fall indoor herb garden here.

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Thursday

22

March 2012

Breast Tumor Awareness: My Story Fighting Back Naturally.

Impromptu Adventures heal the body and soul.

Eating right is key for whatever ails your body–especially when it comes to tumors and cancer. In a previous post, I explained that I’ve been diagnosed with a breast tumor (believed to be benign, but still waiting for the biopsy/operation to confirm this status). I’ve been treating my breast tumor naturally by eating tumor and cancer fighting foods daily. We’ll see what the next ultrasound shows, but I don’t feel like it’s growing as much lately. Here are a few of the best foods in my opinion, which are key in the tumor fighting arsenal. Add more fuel to your anti-tumor fire!

Cancer and tumors do not like Green Smoothies and Juices. I try to incorporate at least one green smoothie/juice into my diet every day. One of the main ingredients I use is Kale, as it has powerful anti-cancer properties and is full of healthy anti-oxidants. Fresh, green beverages are easily digested and deliver cleansing throughout your system. Bringing oxygen to your cells and alkalizing your body are two key routes to help ward off tumors and the big-C and come from drinking green!

Eating more raw or lightly cooked vegetables packs your system with natural enzymes and vitamins–many which can be lost by overcooking them. I love adding some Coconut Oil drizzled over the top and this packs another punch of immune system support. I usually take 2 tablespoons of it a day. I was once told to try and  “Eat the Rainbow” every day, since each different colored fruit and vegetable has specific vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. For instance, most orange colored foods, like these carrots, hold a high Vitamin A content whereas fruits like red tomatoes are high in Lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant. Mix it up to get some yummy variety.

More Various Powerful Anti-Cancer and Anti-Tumor Foods that I love and eat heartily:

I also love to incorporate some tree nuts, such as almonds and brazil nuts, but I know not everyone who reads here can have tree nuts. I definitely stay away from peanuts because of my allergy, but do okay with other nuts. The main point is to make sure to incorporate a good healthy source of fat into the diet as well (mono-unsaturated). Olive Oil and avocados are great if you’re allergic to tree nuts.

AVOID:

Refined Sugars, Gluten, Soy, Excessive red-meat, White Flour, Syrups, White Rice, Soft Drinks, Fast Food, Food Additives, Artificial Colors and Flavors, Highly Processed Foods, Heavily Fried Foods, Hydrogenated Oils, and any other “empty” calories and bad saturated fats. Cancer loves processed sugar! Feed yourself, not the Cancer/Tumors.

We have to learn to roll with and embrace whatever is thrown our way with a positive hopeful heart.

No one cares more about your health than you do so take it into your own beautiful hands! Eat right and listen to what your body is telling you. It can seem difficult at first, but the right direction will become clearer with time. Try to decrease stress, as too much is a major factor to tumor growth and formation. Chillax and enjoy the sunshine!

I’m hoping for a good ultrasound and a good solid diagnosis soon. I’ve decided to go with a needle core biopsy that will (most likely) rule out any bad news. I’ll post updates periodically.

What are your favorite naturally healing foods? Nature’s a champ isn’t she?