Our holiday book released last week: here are coupon codes!
Desi and I are excited that our four-color Healthy Holiday Favorites book is now in print! (I announced that via newsletter last week, but we did have some issues with shipping which are now fixed.)
Check out this video of Des and me making Chia Snowballs, an easy, quick, and SO-YUMMY recipe from this book. (Okay, I’m just standing there playing Katie Couric/Rachel Ray while she slaves away, but anyway, we’re both IN the vid. Enjoy.)
This week, you can get $5 off 3 books if you’d like to give them as gifts. Use the coupon code holidaydiscount3.
You can get $10 off 6 books using the coupon code holidaydiscount6.
A fun gift idea would be to whip up some Chia Snowballs, cellophane wrap them, and give them with a Holiday Favorites book.
We hope you like our latest work proving that you don’t have to eat refined foods to enjoy the holidays!
Desiree is gluten intolerant and develops gluten free recipes. We’re working on a book to release in 2011 that isn’t just gluten free, but also WHOLE FOODS and plant-based. We’re avoiding the nutritional pitfalls common in many GF recipes. Because even if you haven’t been diagnosed as celiac or gluten intolerant, you would be smart to use our book and recipes to determine if gluten is a problem for you. (Often a problem with ADD kids and many other common disorders–and very difficult to diagnose, so the best thing is an elimination diet.)
Desiree’s new web site is unconventionalkitchen.com.
I’m thinking of buying the complete 12 step program for Christmas ($149) and just wanted to check and make sure that ALL of your books/recipes are included with that, is that correct? Or would I still have to purchase some things separately, if so, what’s omitted? Thanks
RJ, everything’s in it–but the books I’ll be coming out with in the next few months (including the Holiday book just released last week) are in PDF’s on a CD. We will have a premium kit later (3 months from now maybe?) with more things in it–but most of those do not exist, and they will be available as an upgrade, at that time, too. Lots more DVD demos, my two children’s books, all four physical recipe books, a menu planner/shopping list booklet, and possibly monthly webinars.
I want to know how old Desi is? She looks like she is about 19!
I think she’s 24.
cute girl, great recipes, thanks for the both of you sharing!
With regards to gluten sensitivity/intolerance, is there a test that can be done to determine if one suffers from this condition? I submitted a question to your support desk months ago, and Jenni was nice enough to reply. I told her I have PCOS and possibly Endometriosis. She said I might have gluten sensitivity/intolerance.
Anyway, next month I’m going to see my doctor in hopes of having some blood work done, and I was wondering if there was a test for this. Also, generally speaking, are there any tests/bloodwork that you would recommend having done? Once I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid, but the last time they checked they said it was normal. However, I read what you wrote about that test not being accurate enough. Am I wasting my time with this or is there a better solution?
BTW, I want to send a picture of my son drinking his green smoothie as well. He and I both drink a quart a day, and he’s only two! He carries his around in a big gulp cup, and of course when he does he makes heads turn. As you can imagine it’s a great conversation starter.
Thank you!
Great idea for a recipe. I just tried it on a smaller scale and with some changes, as I’m taking a gut class that cuts out all sugar except whole foods.
Here is what I changed:
I added sprouted dehydrated buckwheat groats and hemp seed instead of rice cereal. It still has the rice crispy crunch, but better for you!
I added some raisins for sweetness and a few drops of stevia instead of honey
I couple tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
a dollop of vanilla extract
Crunchy delicious YUM!
I’m a bit confused as to why these are considered healthy when they have so much sweetener in them? We are trying to watch sweet intake at our home so I am always watchful for this. It may not be a conventional sugar, but that’s a lot of sweet with the amount of brown rice syrup and honey. How many grams of sugar/sweetener are in each serving? More sweetener would also come from the cereal (which is a processed food-a lot of nutrition is lost in the heat treated puffing of cereals)? What would this recipe do to one’s blood sugar level? Any glycemic index rating on this recipe? These answers would be most helpful to households watching sugar/sweetener intake. Is this info. published in your book?
Kathleen, this particular recipe is an improvement on “junk food” served around the holidays. Some of the recipes in the book are all raw (12 of them). At GSG, we rate recipes 1, 2, or 3. (Those explained in detail in 12 Steps.) The chia snowballs recipe is a 1–all whole foods. An all-raw recipe is a 3. In between that is a 2, which might contain sprouted/fermented grains (better than just whole grains), or some raw foods.
Katie ~ Ask for a Celiac Panel blood test. It tests:
tTG-IgA or tissue transglutaminase-IgA
AGA-IgG or Antigliadin IgG
AGA-IgA or Antigliadin IGA
Total IGA
“The presence of tTG antibodies is highly suggestive of CD, while AGA can be elevated also in cases of wheat allergy.”
(from this site: http://www.celiaccenter.org/celiac/faq.asp#blood)
If they find these elevated they will probably biopsy your small intestine for a definitive diagnosis. Don’t quit eating gluten until after you are test, or your panels may be falsely negative. Good luck! ~ Lisa
Katie – I recently found out I was gluten intolerant. What I did was cut out gluten foods for several weeks and then introduced gluten then in a small amount in my diet. I had a huge reaction of headache, neckache, and stomacheache. I stopped eating gluten again for several months and now whenever I eat it I feel aweful. I also feel SO much better now that I have stopped eating gluten, along w/ following a whole foods diet. I have so much more energy, lost my excess weight, hardly ever fall ill, and just generally have a happier attitude in life.
Are your breakfast, snack and salad recipes in the 12 step program as well? When you say you are releasing recipe books in a few months, will you have your recipes condensed into those? I want the 12 steps, but am frustrated with all your recipes in different locations. I’m tempted to wait for your updates. What do you think?
Jennifer, breakafast, snack, and salad recipes are ALL in 12 Steps.
I am releasing in PRINTED BOOK FORM the extra recipe collections that currently are in the GSG store as e-books–and they are also PDFs on a CD in the 12 Steps program.
Love the recipes. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing!! (Getting ready to buy the book online too). All the Best and More! Suzie
Hi,
I really enjoy your videos and down home style info. And using ingredients that are readily available. Have you researched or used some of the sprouted flours that are becoming available? There is less gluten, so some people may be able to digest it better. Also because it is sprouted the body digests it as a vegetable. It is more expensive per pound, but better for our bodies.
Thanks, Tod
Katie,
There are blood tests you can have done to look for celiac disease but they are not always 100% accurate. I have known people who had the blood tests, were told they were negative but were actually positive. I found out I am gluten intolerant by going to a chiropractor that does
applied kinesiology or muscle testing. It only takes a few minutes, it’s pain free, needle free and when you leave the office you know right away what things if any you should stay away from.
Good Luck!
i’ve noticed a few of your recipes you do peanut butter? I’ve read and heard that peanut butter we should avoid cuz it’s hard to digest and it helps mold to grow in our bodies? What’s your understanding of it? Why do you chose to use it?
Hi, your chia snowballs look yummy, but I have a kid who does not like peanut butter, or nuts of any kind. Do you have a suggestion for a substitution for the peanut/almond butter? Just curious.
Thanks for this recipe! These are so yummy!! However, I had a little problem getting them to stay in the ball shape. I did use agave instead of honey… which might explain it. So, I put them in a pan. Bar/ball – they’re still great!!
TYVM for this video. I will give these a try as I am interested in providing some nutritious goodies for my family (no more real rice krispy bars at my house as I have personally banned the marshmallow) and you’ve peaked my interest. The next time I am at the book store, I will check out this book and see if there are other recipes I can use for treats for the holidays. I’ve always been a big baker (especially for the holidays) and thought my mixer would just sit this year, but perhaps I can make some nutritious recipes and then pass on a copy of the green smoothie diet book to get people on the track to good health – you are fabulous for providing this information for myself and my family : )
Gluten sensitivity. You may be gluten sensitive and not test as such. Definitely if you’re going to have test, keep eating gluten or you will really mess up the test.
Do some reading. Our family gave up gluten after doing the research. No one had the test. We all feel better. Some people dramatically, noticing life long issues dissolve. Gluten free is an all or nothing project. Gluten creates a chemical reaction so even “a little” creates the big effect.
It’s really quite easy to give up. Learn from somebody who does it so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
So, has anyone tried this with soaked Chia seeds? I remember a past discussion on this blog highlighted that unsoaked chia seeds are just going to soak up the liquid in your body when you consume them. I think I may try the version with the hemp seeds too.
Hi Desi and Robin
I made these this afternoon and they are delicious. Instead of Peanut butter I used Almond butter. My 17 yr old son loved them! Thanks