Thursday 13

THIRTEEN NEW DISCOVERIES I HAVE MADE:

1. I am not a professional, gluten-free/dairy-free/egg-free chef, but I am aspiring to be one. :)

2. If you give your kids healthy food, they may not thank you now, but one day they will.

3. Some of the "vitamin water" and "protein water" products available in stores contain milk derivatives, which can cause severe reaction if consumed by someone allergic to milk.

4. Foods that are high in Omega-6 fatty acids (i.e. egg yolks and corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean and cottonseed oil) should be avoided because they cause inflammation.

5. Food that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids (i.e. flax seeds, walnuts, winter squash, and fish, such as halibut, salmon and tuna) are our friends because they reduce inflammation throughout the entire body. :)

6. I love cooking with coconut oil now (it comes in a jar and looks like Crisco). I use it for both cooking (i.e. organic popcorn and brown rice) and baking (as a substitute for vegetable oil or canola oil). And it smells fantastic! I could stand in my kitchen for hours with my nose in the jar because it smells so great! Also, it works wonders for cracked, dry hands. I have been tempted to taste it, but I think that would be a big mistake and the "love affair" would come to an abrupt end.

7. Goat's milk is expensive! So, I am looking into other alternatives for my baby boy.

8. I never thought I would be a "health nut." NEVER. When I was Mia's age, I lived on salami on Ritz crackers practically every day for lunch (unless "encouraged" to eat Miracle Whip and cheese sandwiches on white bread...bleh!) and just assumed that is what I would feed my children one day (minus the cheese sandwiches!)...along with McDonald's Happy Meals. Boy, have times changed!

9. There are so many options for those with food allergies these days. I don't think gluten-free, dairy-free, frozen waffles or uncured, gluten-free, casein-free turkey hot dogs were around 20 years ago. Thank God times have changed!

10. Rice is nice. :)

11. Soy, oh boy!

12. Lara Bar's Cherry Pie tastes like a cherry Fruit Roll-Up and my daughter LOVES them! One Lara Bar is equal to one serving of fruit. They can by found at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and some health food isles at your local grocery store. (Thank you Tanya D. for introducing these tasty treats to our fam!)

13. I am graced for this season of my life.