Nutritionally Speaking – Wholify

Should you go gluten-free? Are grains and gluten toxic? Is modern wheat genetically modified? All these questions and more are tackled by Stephen Yafa on today’s episode and in his book Grain of Truth. Meal or menace? No controversy in nutrition is bigger than wheat. First Wheat Belly came along to tell us the grain was a one-way ticket to obesity, diabetes and chronic illness. Then Grain Brain chimed in by proclaiming wheat responsible for early Alzheimer’s Disease and a host of other mental disorders.  These mega-sellers paint wheat as the new asbestos. But the story they neglect to tell is that when it is grown and processed the right way, wheat adds essential nutrients and fiber to our diet. The right way includes long sourdough fermentation, which breaks down the gluten molecules that give some of us problems. Grain of Truth explains how and why that happens, and a whole lot more. By taking us through the botany of the wheat plant we’ve hijacked for our own use and simplifying the science of nutrition and digestion,  Yafa shows why mass production —not wheat itself— may jeopardize our health. Refined processing converts the best part of the wheat kernel to animal feed, and sells us the least nutritious remainder. In direct contrast, Yafa takes us inside the local artisan grain baking revolution  from a Woodstock-like Kneading Conference to nutrition labs to a boutique bakery and pasta maker‘s workshop in Brooklyn to present an alternative  whole-food approach that points us towards a better, richer diet. Smoothly blending science, history, biology, economics, nutrition, Grain of Truth gives us back our daily bread. Author Stephen Yafa who lives in Mill Valley, California, has written, produced and directed in a wide range of formats. Grain of Truth follows Cotton, his first non-fiction book. A wine producer of Pinot Noir in the Russian River region of West Sonoma, he writes on wine for the San Francisco Chronicle and  other publications. He created and edited the iPad wine magazine, Uncorked for Nomad Publications and contributed the lead story in the recent non-fiction book, Adventures In Wine from Travelers Tales. As a Hollywood screenwriter at MGM, Columbia, Paramount and other major studios he wrote the original screenplay, Three In The Attic, as well as movies for Michael Douglas among other actors and producers. As a novelist he wrote Paxton Quigley’s Had The Course, and as a playwright his work as been produced nationally at theaters including ACT in San Francisco, the Magic Theater, and on public television, as well as  other venues; as a journalist he has been a frequent contributor to Playboy, Rotarian and magazines that include Details, American Heritage and Rolling Stone. He is also video producer, and was formerly executive producer and director of the Digital Story Center. A graduate of Dartmouth College, with a Master of Fine Arts from Carnegie-Mellon, he is married with three grown children. *** We would love to hear your comments or questions–you can comment below on this episode or listen to previous episodes here. I would also really appreciate it if you would review my podcast on iTunes. Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.  

Adrenal fatigue is a huge topic. A lot of people are wondering if their symptoms – trouble losing weight or low energy and mood – are due to adrenal fatigue. Here to answer your questions and tell us all about adrenal fatigue is Dr. Corey Schuler! We’ll cover the adrenals, the HPA axis, how to test for adrenal fatigue, its causes, and dietary, supplement and lifestyle interventions. It’s all things adrenals on this episode! Dr. Corey Schuler is board-certified in clinical nutrition and integrative medicine. He holds degrees in human nutrition, botanical medicine, research chemistry, and chiropractic medicine. He is also adjunct assistant professor at the School of Applied Clinical Nutrition and is the Director of Clinical Affairs for Integrative Therapeutics. He practices integrative medicine in Western Wisconsin near the Twin Cities at Metabolic Treatment Center and Hudson Headache clinic. Over the last several years, he has been a featured expert at integrative medical conferences. Connect with Corey on Facebook, Twitter and his website. *** We would love to hear your comments or questions–you can comment below on this episode or listen to previous episodes here. I would also really appreciate it if you would review my podcast on iTunes. Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Raw dairy is a scary topic for some as they think that raw milk means E. coli and inevitable sickness. I asked Nathan Glazebrook of Organic Pastures Dairy in Fresno, CA to tell us the truth about raw dairy, the Organic Pastures farm in particular, and how a raw dairy farm differs from a conventional one. Nathan talks to us about the cows’ life and diet, what happens if they get sick, how the milk is handled, their safety protocols, and the potential benefits of raw dairy that is not pasteurized or homogenized. This is a fascinating conversation that you won’t want to miss! P.S. Nathan is at home making lunch for his family while we talk so you may hear some sizzling and cooking in the background :) Learn more about Organic Pastures on their website, find their products, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Disclaimer: this podcast is not meant as medical advice and the content of this episode is for educational purposed only Organic Pastures Dairy Company is a 4th Generation Family Farm started and run by the McAfee family. In 2000, Organic Pastures became California’s first raw milk dairy with certified organic pasture land. The dairy is located near Fresno, California, in the heart of the fertile San Joaquin Valley. Organic Pastures produces Grade A, 100% organic, kosher, certified humane, pasture-grazed raw dairy products. At OPDC, their individually named cows are never given antibiotics, hormones or GMOs. Only organic approved naturopathic methods are used to feed and care for the cows. Preventative, nature-based healthcare keeps the herd healthy all year. *** We would love to hear your comments or questions–you can comment below on this episode. I would also really appreciate it if you would review my podcast on iTunes. Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

I used to think that no one needed supplements, but through my training in Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy and struggling with my own health challenges, I have found that temporary targeted supplementation can be incredibly beneficial. It’s best to get nutrients from food, but when therapeutic doses are needed or On this episode, I share the supplements that I am currently taking and the reasons why. In a few months, this could all change! Disclaimer:  The information I share on this podcast is not medical advice and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.    Show Notes I personally use and recommend professional-grade supplements that are of the highest quality and backed by research. These include: Designs for Health Integrative Therapeutics Metagenics Thorne Research   Here are the supplements I mentioned on today’s episode: Multivitamin: NutriVitamin Enzyme Complex™ with Iron (Integrative Therapeutics) Iron: Iron Complex™ (Integrative Therapeutics) Liquid Vitamin D / K2:  Vitamin D/K2 (Thorne) Adrenal Support: HPA Adapt (Integrative Therapeutics) Thyroid Support: Thyrocare (WTS Med) Activated Charcoal: Activated Charcoal (Integrative Therapeutics) Magnesium: Magnesium CitraMate (Thorne) NIH Magnesium Fact Sheet  Digestive Enzymes: Similase GFCF or Sensitive Stomach (Integrative Therapeutics) Probiotic: FloraMend Prime Probiotic® (Thorne) *** I’d love to hear your comments or questions–you can go to my website wholify.com and click on podcast to comment on this episode or listen to previous episodes. I would also really appreciate it if you would review my podcast on iTunes. Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

There’s a lot of confusion around food sensitivities, allergies, and intolerances. They are not the same and if you have migraines, IBS, or another inflammatory disease, you could very well be suffering from a food sensitivity. In this episode, I interview my colleague and mentor Jan Patenaude RD, CLT. She was the first LEAP dietitian and has counseled over 1500 food sensitivity clients using the MRT test and LEAP diet to eradicate symptoms and restore health and quality of life. What are LEAP and MRT? Listen in to find out! Follow Jan on Twitter and learn more about the Certified LEAP Therapist training     Jan Patenaude RD, CLT is a Consultant Dietitian, Certified LEAP Therapist and LEAP Mentor with over 38 years experience in the nutrition field, her special expertise is in the emerging field of Non-IgE Allergy or delayed food sensitivity and Elimination Diets. She has helped thousands of patients with inflammatory conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, arthritis and more. She is changing the face of dietetics, training or mentoring over 1500 dietitians in implementing the LEAP Diet protocols to help their clients as well. She is a sought after speaker to state and national dietetic association meetings, sharing with others her enthusiasm for the MRT test and LEAP diet protocols, changing lives for the better, one client or one RD at a time.  She obtained her Bachelors Degree in Nutrition from Viterbo University and was 2010 Outstanding Alumni at University of Minnesota, Crookston, received the Excellence in Practice award from DIFM DPG in 2008 and has been awarded other state and national honors. Her special area of interest is working via telecommute. She now splits her time between the Colorado Rockies and the Hawaiian rainforests, when not traveling for presentations and LEAP Meet-ups nationwide *** We would love to hear your comments or questions–you can go to my website wholify.com and click on podcast to comment on this episode or listen to previous episodes. I would also really appreciate it if you would review my podcast on iTunes. Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Pasta has gotten a serious makeover! What used to be a source of refined carbohydrate and little else is now high in protein and fiber and also gluten-free and grain-free. Insane, I know.   Change Pasta Forever! Banza is the one with the mission to change pasta forever. Two brothers dared to take a garbanzo bean and make it a noodle. Penne, rotini, shells, and elbows are all the different shapes this chickpea noodle takes and these have twice as much protein, almost half the net carbs, and four times the fiber of traditional pasta. Banza is also vegan, non-GMO, and low on the glycemic index meaning it doesn’t spike your blood sugar.   I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want to try Banza. If you’re skeptical about the taste, let me assure this that this stuff is even better than regular old durum flour. The texture and flavor are spot-on, and I’ve already raved about the nutrition. If you can’t find it in a store near you, they offer free shipping on every order online. Eat Banza! Give Banza a high five on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

Swerve Sweetener Sugar-free can be easy and tasty with Swerve! Swerve is an erythritol sugar substitute that measures cup-for-cup like sugar and even can brown and caramelize. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that “is made  by fermenting glucose with Moniliella pollinis (a natural microorganism found in honeycomb) which breaks down the glucose and yields erythritol.” It is naturally occurring in many fruits, veggies and fermented foods, and is unique in that it does not cause the gastric complaints that are common for sugar alcohols like xylitol and sorbitol. Swerve combines erythritol with oligosaccharides, which are sweet carbohydrates found in fruit that act as a prebiotic, increasing the population of good bacteria in the gut. The third and final ingredient is natural flavors which are derived from fruits and veggies. The Ultimate Sugar Replacement With all the options for sugar substitutes available, why should you choose Swerve? * Certified Kosher * Easy to Use * Gluten-Free * Good for Teeth * Great Taste * No MSG * Non-GMO * Safe for Diabetes * Zero Calories* *A quick note about the Calories. Swerve has about 1 Calorie per teaspoon (3 Calories per Tablespoon) which qualifies for the “zero calorie” claim. If you use a cup of Swerve, that would be 51 Calories.   Swerve for Diabetes If you look closely at the label, even though the Calories are zero, there are 5 grams of carbohydrate per teaspoon. How does that work? This is where Swerve really rises about the other sugar-free sweeteners. In a comparison to sugar and an artifical sweetener, the Glycemic Index Laboratories in Toronto, Canada found that Swerve is non-glycmemic and does not raise blood glucose even with its carbohydrate content. But what about insulin? Swerve had a very minimal impact on postprandial insulin levels and its impact was lower than that of the artificial sweetener and significantly less than sucrose (table sugar).   Using Swerve The original Granular Swerve is a great choice for mixing into drinks like iced tea or coffee and for baking. Since it measures just like sugar, there’s no crazy math or calculating when it comes time to bake. I’m also very excited to announce that they now have their new Confectioners Style Swerve that can be used in place of powdered sugar. Now you can make sugar-free cupcakes with sugar-free frosting. Hooray! Swerve has a whole archive of low- or no-sugar recipes that you can try, but remember that you can use Swerve just like sugar in all of your favorite recipes.   Learn more about Swerve and where to purchase on their website, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

As someone who has experimented with egg-free baking for 10 years, I am so excited about the Neat Egg! Neat was one of my top picks of last year’s Expo West with their meat substitutes made with real ingredients like pecans and garbanzo beans.  These mixes come in Original, Italian, Mexican, and Breakfast for a huge array of applications from burgers and chili to tacos sausages. Get away from textured vegetable protein with Neat!   Neat now tackles vegan baking and really takes it to a new level. Egg substitutes can be a little confusing. How can banana or applesauce mimic an egg? Eggs have several functions including binding, leavening and moisture. So how does the Neat Egg mimic these roles? Through the combination of chia seeds and garbanzo beans!   This revolutionizes the packaged egg replacers that are infamous for containing very obscure ingredients like corn syrup solids and cellulose gum. True to their standards, Neat uses real, natural ingredients that work really well. I tested this in place of 2 eggs in a cookie recipe and it worked fabulously. I made two other batches – one with eggs and one with a flax egg. The Neat Egg cookie was comparable to the cookie with eggs and had a much better texture and color than the cookie made with flax egg. It is also super easy to use (just add 1 Tbsp water to 2 Tbsp of Neat Egg) and it gels almost instantly, unlike flax eggs that require hot water and must sit for at least five minutes before use. I can only tell you so much, but the proof is in the egg-free cookie! Try out the Neat Egg for yourself and let me (and Neat) know how you like it. Neat is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and they have a blog with recipes using their wonderful products.  

ENLIGHTENED: The Good-For-You Ice Cream Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream. Sounds like something that could be daily dessert? How about a high-fiber, high-protein, low-fat, low-sugar dessert? With ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream, you bet! If you’re not a HUGE salted caramel fan like I am, you can still enjoy ENLIGHTENED with flavors like peanut butter, coffee or mint fudge swirl. And enjoy you will because these ice cream bars have a smooth, creamy rich texture that is very satisfying. When I met the creator of ENLIGHTENED and his mom at their ExpoWest booth, I learned how this product has undergone so many trials and tweaking to get the taste, mouthfeel and nutrition facts that they are proud of. Imagine an ice cream bar with 70-80 Calories, 7-8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and only 3-5 grams of sugar! Actually you don’t have to! Someone already did the work of imagining and making this ice cream that makes you feel as good as it tastes. Thank you ENLIGHTENED!   Spill the Beans! ENLIGHTENED’s newest product is their Crisps which are broad beans (also known as Fava Beans) that are roasted in a high-oleic sunflower oil, sprinkled with sea salt and then seasoned with incredible flavors like wasabi or sriracha. Fava beans are naturally high in fiber and protein and less than a teaspoon of oil is used per serving of Crisps. Sunflower oil is usually high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids which most people get too much of and are trying to avoid to have a more favorable omega 6:3 ratio. High-oleic sunflower oil is just what it sounds like—high in oleic acid which is a monounsaturated omega-9 fat and the same oleic acid that is present in olive oil and avocado. Oleic acid may lower LDL and raise HDL cholesterol. These Crisps are super flavorful (just give the wasabi a try!) and they also can fit into most special diets. They are certified vegan, gluten free, non-GMO Project verified and kosher. This is really the Good-For-You Crisp.   Learn more about ENLIGHTENED on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.  

Our #5 top pick is from a brand that I’m already a big fan of: SweetLeaf! I already wrote about my love for SweetLeaf and their Stevia Drops but wait there’s more! Their newest product that they debuted at Expo West is Water Drops™ Water Enhancers that come in four delicious flavors: *  Lemon Lime * Raspberry Lemonade * Peach Mango * Strawberry Kiwi SweetLeaf has won 14 international awards for taste and innovation and those are well deserved. If you’ve tried their stevia, whether in Sweet Drops, SugarLeaf or SweetLeaf, you’ll know that their products are pure and are free from that common bitter aftertaste found in most other stevia sweeteners. Their commitment to quality is apparent in their method of extracting the sweet glycosides from the stevia leaf without any solvents and their use of plant-based natural flavors from a combo of herbs, fruits and veggies. As you would expect, their stevia leaf extract is organic, non-GMO and also has ZERO calories, carbs or glycemic response. If I could, I’d give them their 15th award! You can feel good about squirting some SweetLeaf Water Drops into your water for some naturally sweet and fruity fun!    

Our #6 Top Pick is Fire Cider! A natural remedy to boost your immune system, fight inflammation and support circulation and digestion. A real winner!   Fire Cider Fire Cider is a traditional natural remedy and tonic that can be taken daily to boost the immune system and fight off seasonal colds and flus. The basic recipe is a mixture of herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables steeped in apple cider vinegar for 4-8 weeks before being strained and mixed with honey. All the ingredients have a function and most of them work together to provide a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial effect. One taste and you’ll also notice that the flavor is like an explosion in your mouth! Think of soaking things like ginger, garlic, horseradish and habaneros in vinegar for over a month and then drinking it. That’s exactly what you’re doing with a swig of fire cider!   DIY Where I live, there are a lot of people who do everything themselves–grow their own food, have chickens, nurture kombucha SCOBYs, pass off sourdough starters, and make Fire Cider. So, if you’re interested in learning, I’m sure you can find a class where you can learn to make it yourself. Or there are a lot of recipes online, like this one from Mountain Rose Herbs or this one from Rosemary Gladstar (who BTW is a wealth of knowledge and shares so much information on herbalism!).   Or Buy It If you can’t see yourself making this or if you need it now, Shire City Herbals has planned ahead and has bottled their own Fire Cider concoction and even made a nifty shot glass that you can use to make your daily dose fun to take! Their Fire Cider is steeped for 6 weeks, after which it is mixed with raw wildflower honey from a third generation, family-run apiary in Massachusetts. Their amber glass bottles (remember how important these are from our coconut oil video?!), including the caps, are recyclable and protect the contents from damage. If you’re really hard core (and I mean REALLY), they have an unsweetened version which means there is no sweet raw honey to take the edge off that habanero vinegar. What’s more, they have a cookbook with all kinds of ways to use your Fire Cider other than taking shots. You can make dressings, marinades, or just spice up your normal fare.   Whether you make it or buy it, a daily dose of Fire Cider could be just what your body needs. Drink on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRMV_RYq4Gk&feature=youtu.be

***Note: Giveaway has ended and winner has been notified*** Coconut Oil! Now you may think coconut oil is coconut oil is coconut oil. But it isn’t. At Expo West, I saw several jars of coconut oil open, delabeled and sitting next to each other for inspection. One had no scent at all, another had a very “interesting” (not in a good way) texture, but one jar stood out as exceptional. This is our #7 Top Pick! Kelapo Kelapo is special. Hailing from Sri Lanka, this oil is cold-pressed, unrefined and organic. With oil, oxidation is a no-no. Oxidation comes primarily from heat and light, making the processing and packaging of the oil highly important. The cold-press process prevents the damage that heat can cause to the oil and their brown amber jar protects the oil and thereby extends its shelf life, especially if you need to stock up! This is the more expensive option, but I’m glad that Kelapo isn’t willing to sacrifice the quality of their oil through cheaper packaging. I am very picky about oils and never buy any oil, whether it be olive, pistachio or avocado, in a clear jar or in plastic. But think about how often you see oil packaged in clear glass or plastic! And think about how these are usually kept by the stove, being affected by the heat of cooking and the light of the kitchen! If you’re up for another thought, how about all that plastic leaching into your “healthy” oil? I’d rather not think about it. There’s a lot of damaged oil out there on shelves and on people’s counters. Come to think of it, almost every other coconut oil I’ve seen is packaged in clear glass or plastic. Except Kelapo.   More Perks If that isn’t enough, Kelapo is also fair-trade certified, vegetarian society certified and kosher certified. What?! Yep, that means that Kelapo cares about * human rights * good and fair working conditions * fair shares for small farmers * workers’ welfare, education and health care * GMO-free * no cross-contamination * allergies * you (and me)! Kelapo is free from animal products and is also produced in a dairy-free and nut-free facility meaning that we can all feel safe and sleep soundly. GIVEAWAY: Win Kelapo Extra Virgin Coconut Oil My friends over at Kelapo want to give you an 8oz. jar (dark amber of course) of their incredible coconut oil. All you have to do is enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Our next top pick from Expo West meets a universal need…stinky armpits! (And don’t tell me yours aren’t stinky) Natural Deodorant that Works! I have been searching for months for a natural deodorant that doesn’t me smell like a stinky tropical breeze or that just dissipates after a couple hours. I need a deodorant WITHOUT aluminum that can last through my CrossFit workouts and the yearlong California heat. I’ve been fooled by that Crystal deodorant that actually does contain aluminum in the form of Potassium Aluminum Sulfate which they shorten to Potassium Alum (tricky tricky).   The Problem with Heavy Metals *Note: see links for a few research articles from PubMed I know I’m not alone in my search. More and more people are coming to see that aluminum should not be going on our armpits and then getting absorbed and doing its damage. Aluminum may play a role in breast cancer  (termed a metalloestrogen for its interference with oestrogen activity) and Alzheimers, with more research needing to be done on these correlations. Heavy metal toxicity is a real problem. This is why dentists switched from mercury amalgam fillings to porcelain, and why people are getting the mercury out of their mouths. It’s also why consumption of tuna and other large fish should be limited since large fish accumulate mercury by eating smaller fish. Anyone have a problem with lead paint on your toys, furniture, or walls? How about aluminum added as an anti-caking agent in baking powder or table salt? Aluminum isn’t the only problem in traditional deodorants. Parabens, phthalates, triclosan (more research here) and propylene glycol are other ingredients lurking in not just deodorants but so many other personal care products like shampoo, body wash, soap, and lotion.   Sweating is Good for You If you think about why saunas and steam rooms are beneficial, it’s basically because they make you sweat! Sweating is part of the body’s detoxification process and also supports the lymphatic system. Anti-perspirants’ function is to STOP you from sweating. That’s more bad news. Which is why all we need is to keep the smell of our moist, wet pits with simply a de-ODORant.   Primal Pit Paste Primal Pit Paste makes your pits happy! It has only a handful of (mostly) organic ingredients and comes in so many fun scents: jasmine, lavender, lemonade, orange creamsicle, or unscented for the boring ones out there. For those who don’t like to get their fingers in the paste, there’s also a Primal Pit Paste Stick, including a baking soda-free version for sensitive pits.   Lavilin Underarm Deodorant Cream If you want a powerful natural deodorant that can handle days of sweat and activity,

We’re back with more top picks from Expo West! Onto #9 #9 Top Pick Expo West 2015 For those who need or want to be gluten-free, you’ve probably suffered through some mouthfuls of bad, albeit free from gluten, breads, pastries, and pancakes. Dense with a very unique (aka strange) texture and taste, they not only lack flavor but also nutrition with a lot of nutrient-poor flours such as cornstarch, potato flour, sweet rice flour and tapioca flour. Zero yum factor and zero fiber make for a sad Michaela.   Cup4Cup Wholesome Gluten Free Flour Enter Cup4Cup. In case you want to know a little more about me, I used to read every book that came out on food and restaurants. I wanted more than anything to go to Chef Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and linger over a multi-course meal crafted by the best chef. Short story: that never happened. Happy ending: Chef Keller co-founded Cup4Cup with Lena Kwak, the first Research and Development Chef at The French Laundry, and brought happy gluten-free (and wholesome!) baking to my kitchen with their Cup4Cup Wholesome Flour.   Gluten Free Flour…But You’d Never Know It Their name and tagline say it all. Cup4Cup means you can substitute it one-to-one for typical all purpose, or in this case whole wheat, flour. No complicated conversions or alterations in liquids, baking powder/soda. Nope none of it. Easy peasy as they say. Actually I think I’m the only one who says that. And you’d really never guess it was gluten-free. The texture is fabulous, which is saying a lot if you’ve taste tested a bunch of GF “goodies”, and the wholesome flour surprised me with the amount of flavor. This is the kind of quality you would expect from Chef Keller! Fiber + Gluten Free As a dietitian, it’s a given that fiber and I are friends. Which is why gluten-free flours with 0 fiber are unfriendly to me. So when I saw Cup4Cup Wholesome Flour with a whopping 4 grams of fiber per 1/4cup, I made a new friend. The secret to all this fiber comes from brown rice flour, flaxseed and rice bran which you can see speckled throughout the flour. These ingredients also give a nutty, what I would call “wholesome” (original, eh?) taste to the flour.   Wholesome Cup4Cup Mix P.S. There is also a Wholesome Vanilla Cake Mix. Add eggs, milk (or substitute) and coconut oil and you have a two-layer cake or 24 cupcakes. This is still a dessert with a good amount of sugar but great for gluten-free birthdays or celebrations. I just made it for my brother’s b-day. Happy Birthday Brother!   P.P.S. Cup4Cup Wholesome is Dairy-Free and Non-GMO.   Recipes, Etc. Find fun ways to use Cup4Cup Wholesome Flour on their recipe page, stay connected on Facebook, Twitter,      

#10 Top Pick Expo West 2015 Expo West has come and gone and I’m back with another Top 10! This year I found so many amazing products that it was really challenging to narrow down my top picks to just 10. To highlight each of my 10 winners I am going to let each have their own few minutes of fame in exclusive short videos to show you why they outshone the rest. In no particular order, #10 is Brad’s Raw Broccoli Poppers!   Brad’s Raw Broccoli Poppers If you are sick of kale everything, it’s time to set the kale chips aside for broccoli poppers! These are organic, gluten free, vegan, massaged and dehydrated broccoli florets. Yes, Brad has outdone himself. His kale chips can sure hit the spot and no one would turn down his raw chips. BUT it gets better with broccoli! Smothered (in a good way) with a spicy chickpea miso and sunflower seed mixture, each piece is poppin with flavor and nutrition. A serving provides 64% of the Daily Value for Vitamin A and a whoppin 140% of the DV for Vitamin C. Not only that but you’re eating broccoli here not potato chips. And they’re not fried in trans fat. And miso is fermented and probiotic-rich for your poor gut. And who doesn’t love something healthy that tastes awesome (sauce)?! Follow Brad’s Raw Foods on social media, schedule a trip to their Chip Factory, and pop that broccoli!