My Favorite Things...

Okay, I know you've probably seen a version of this Oprah-inspired favorite things list on almost every blog these days, but I just couldn't resist in making my very own:)  I truly enjoyed compiling my list of favorites, and, as you will see, it is rather unfocused and sort of encompasses the healthy living spectrum.  Included on my list is everything from food to skin care to books to exercise.  I tried to offer links to most of the items on my list, but if you have any questions or want more info about anything listed, please don't hesitate to email me at glutenfreejerseygirl@gmail.com.

Without further ado, my most favorite things...

1) tea tree oil- When my friends drop by my house, they often comment on the fresh, clean smell.  They are always surprised when I tell them that what they smell is tea tree oil.  In our attempt to lessen our toxic burden, we no longer use any chemical cleaners, sprays, fragrances, or plug-ins.  I simply mix about 15-20 drops of tea tree oil with water in a spray bottle, and the result is the most wonderful, light and fresh-smelling linen spray and deodorizer that you can imagine.  Click here for a thousand more uses for tea tree oil.

2) avocado- I could eat avocado everyday, right out of the skin with a spoon.  It is so, so yummy and so good for you.  Here are ten reasons why an avocado a day keeps the doctor away.

3) Simply Organic gluten-free carrot cake mix-  If you want a real treat, and you don't want to bake from scratch, you need to get this carrot cake mix.  It is absolutely delicious!  Top it off with a homemade cream cheese icing, and voila, you have a little slice of heaven on a plate.    

4) vinegar- I am slightly obsessed with vinegar, just ask my husband.  No joke.  I drink it- just a few tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar in a glass of water is great for a multitude of symptoms.  And regular old white vinegar is great for all kinds of natural cleaning uses.  Vinegar rocks!  I mean, what else could you buy for less than $2 a gallon that could be so handy and versatile?!

5) Aubrey Organics Collagen TCM creme moisturizer- I have long been searching for an all-natural moisturizer that really does the trick in thoroughly hydrating and smoothing my skin.  Very moderately priced, Aubrey Organics moisturizer far exceeded my expectations, and I am very pleased with the results on my skin.  I highly recommend!

6) spaghetti squash- I love this fall vegetable! It is the perfect complement to meatballs and scrimp scampi without having to resort to insulin-spiking, gluten-free pasta.  I swear my kids eat this by the plateful and never once have questioned if it is, in fact, spaghetti.  Victory!

Is it veggie or pasta? They'll never know:)

7) bone broth- I think by this point most people are sick of me talking about my beloved bone broth.  Because I do all the time.  If you still haven't heard me gush about it and want to read more, click here to read my article about this amazing, healing food.

8) vinyasa yoga- As a former long-distance runner and recovering chronic cardio addict, I never thought that I would see the day when I would be taking yoga classes.  But I am, and I love it!  For those that are local, try a class at East Coast Pilates and Yoga in Avon, and check out Michele E on Saturday mornings at Work Out World in Wall for a totally awesome, calorie-blasting class!

9) Carlson's Fish Oils- Carlson Labs makes one of the highest quality fish oils on the market today.  It is available in chewable kid flavors too.  If you still don't know why you should be taking fish oil daily, check out this article on the proven health benefits.

10) coconut- We eat a lot of coconut in our house, and we eat it in every form.  We cook with coconut oil, drink coconut milk, and bake with coconut flour.  Coconut milk, oil, and yogurt (they even make coconut milk ice cream!) are great non-dairy sources of fats if you are lactose-intolerant or on a casein-free diet.  In addition, coconut flour is an awesome gluten and grain-free flour, which is high in fiber and protein and low in carbs.  Check out my yummy brownie and banana bread recipes, both made with coconut flour.

coconut flour brownies- so good!

11) Dr. Bronner's Magic All-One Liquid Soap-  Dr. Bronner's soaps are completely all-natural, gentle, and very versatile.  They are also free of sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a known carcinogen found in just about every shampoo, toothpaste, and soap on the market today.  I use Dr. Bronner's soap in all of my bathrooms for handwashing (diluted with water), as the kids' shampoo, as a mild facial cleanser (also diluted with water), and I also use it in my homemade laundry detergent.  You can get a 32oz bottle for about $15, and it will last you a good six months or so. 

12)  Nourished Kitchen-  This is of my favorite blogs.  The auther, Jenny, calls for a return to real foods and traditional nourishment.  The blog offers a wealth of great nutrition information and awesome recipes. 

13) coffee- This kind of goes without saying, right?  I mean, who doesn't love a good cup of coffee?  My favorite coffee indulgence is the Newman's Own Organic K-cup.  Yes, these K-cups are a tad on the expensive side, but I like the convenience factor, and I also prefer my coffee without the DDT, so I'll gladly pay the extra buck or two for the organically grown variety. 

is there anything better than a good cup o' joe?

14) Kinnikinnick pizza crust- -While I prefer to make our food from scratch whenever possible, sometimes we are in need of a quick, ready-made pizza crust for an easy dinner.  Kinnikinnick makes the very best-tasting gluten-free pizza crust out there!  

15) Spry Toothpaste- This refreshing, minty toothpaste is flouride-free and made with xylitol (read about xylitol's oral health benefits).  It really leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean! 

16) Nourishing Traditons by Sally Fallon- A must read for everyone in my opinion.  Based on the works of Dr. Weston A. Price, this was the first book that really helped to reverse all the wrong dietary advice that I had learned over the last two decades of my life.

17) MonaVie Mmun- This might be the one product that my family could not live without.  Mmun is a juice blend, made up of the acai berry and 19 other super foods, that has been scientifically proven to boost immune function by strengthening white blood cells.  Everyone in our family drinks a daily shot of Mmun to stay healthy.  Click here for more information about the science behind Mmun or to purchase some.

just 4oz of Mmun daily helps to boost immune function!  

18) Tinkyada Pasta- Tinkyada makes delicious, gluten-free brown rice pasta.  I serve it often to guests, and I don't think that most people can even tell that it is gluten-free.

19) Food Renegade- This is another awesome blog devoted to traditional foods, sustainable farming practices, and fighting back against the industrialized food system that is continuing to make us sicker and sicker.  The author, who refers to herself as the Food Renegade, offers excellent resources, nutrition courses, and a collection of delicious recipes.

20) Reviva hyaluronic acid serum- I love, love, love this all-natural beauty product! Used in conjunction with my Aubrey moisturizer, it does a great job of minimizing the crow's feet and lines around the eye.  It is reasonably priced too, at around $20 a bottle.

21) zumba- This is another form of exercise that I never dreamed I would enjoy, but I must say that I am a complete addict and zumba snob these days!  If you've never ventured to a zumba class, it is an hour-long, super sweaty dance party.  Sound like fun?  It is!  For the very best zumba at the Jersey Shore, check out a class at Academy of Dance in Point Pleasant (yes, I'm biased!).  You will not be disappointed!  Here's a great article that so perfectly articulates why I love zumba so.

zumba- an hour-long, sweaty dance party!

22) Applegate Farm organic meats- While we choose to buy the bulk of our meat from nearby farms, I like that I have the Applegate Farm meats in my regular supermarket as a very good backup option.  My kids love the Applegate Farm grass-fed beef hotdogs, the turkey bacon, and the organic roasted turkey for sandwiches.  All Applegate Farm meats  are nitrate and nitrite-free, gluten and casein-free, as well as free of antibiotics and hormones.  In addition, most of their products are pastured and organic.  This company is right out of NJ, and I really love their story, their mission, and their promise.  Of course, these meat products are much more expensive than Oscar Meyer or other conventional meat products, but again, we don't skimp on the cost for quality food.  I'd rather pay the premium now, than pay the hospital later.

23) dark chocolate- Nothing says "favorite thing" quite like a good piece of dark chocolate.  My favorites are Lindt 85% (or darker) and Green and Black's Organic 85%.  Because I have to be careful not to fall into the sugar trap of cravings and insulin spikes, I aim for 85%-90% cocoa with my chocolate.  These dark chocolates have less than 5 grams of sugar per serving, and really satisfy my palate.

24) Nature's Corner health food store- I don't think anything worries my husband more than when I take the credit card to Nature's Corner in Spring Lake Heights.  This store boasts an incredible selection of supplements, organic and locally grown produce, and all-natural food products (many of which are produced by small local companies).  In addition to having an awesome gluten-free section, they also have the very nicest people on the planet working there.  Seriously.  If you ever need a little lift or are having a grumpy day, you should go there just for a friendly smile and conversation:)

25) Riceworks Salsa Fresca brown rice crisps- I love these gluten-free chips so much that I can't buy them very often.  Inevitably, every time I bring them home, I end up wolfing down half the bag in one sitting.  Dip them in some Fage Greek yogurt, and I promise that you will be hooked!


my fave chips ever!



Meatza, It's What's For Dinner

Happy Fall, everyone!! I do apologize for the lapse in postings as of late, but alas, life is wonderful these days and quite busy! Being mommy to a new kindergartner is great and we are always on the go, go, between soccer practice and dance class and playdates and parks and coffee with friends. We are abundantly blessed, and we are just trying to really enjoy it all.

So, as I've mentioned previously, fall is my most favorite season.  Everything about this season makes me joyful and happy.  I can't wait to take the kids to Terhune Orchards in Lawrenceville for pick-your-own apples and pumpkins and all of their family fun on the weekends.  And while October is officially the end of farmer's market season, I was lucky enough to pick up a spare share at my local Purple Dragon co-op so I will still be getting my fill of delicious, organic, local produce.  Lots of squash, yay!  In my spare time, I have become slightly obsessed with canning and preserving food (I'll blog more about that when I have more time), and so far, we have done pickles, tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, and lots of bone broth.  I am trying to can and preserve as much of my excess produce as I can, so that we can enjoy these wonderful foods throughout the winter and so that none goes to waste.  My great-grandmothers would be proud.

Tonight we are making one of my favorite go-to gluten and grain-free recipes, the MEATZA!  It is a lacto-paleo take on the traditional gluten-full pizza that everyone loves.  I first heard of the meatza from my girlfriend in TX, whose family is paleo (thanks, Avery!)  It sounded delish, and I knew I had to try it.  Now we all love the meatza!  It is super easy to prepare, versatile in that you can literally use any fruit or veggies for toppings, and kid-friendly.  I like to just chop up a whole bunch of seasonal veggies and throw them on top.  My son's favorite meatza combo is olives, pineapple, and green peppers.  Try it tonight, and you too may just fall in love with this creative grain-free take on the pizza pie.

Meatza (Grain-Free Pizza)

• 5 pounds grass-fed ground beef
• sea salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings to taste
• 3-6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce (I like to make my own)
• 1 onion, diced
• various chopped vegetables of your choice for toppings (my faves are eggplant, broccoli, peppers, onions, squash)
• 5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Mix ground beef, pepper, salt, seasoning, and garlic. On a cookie sheet or in a large glass dish, spoon in meat mixture and pat down to make the pizza "crust."
2) Top with tomato sauce and vegetables, then top with cheese.
3) Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and cheese is melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then slice into wedges or squares.
ENJOY!!

Picture courtesy of Kristen M at Food Renegade