We have enjoyed immensely the last few weeks at the Pearl Brewery Farmers Market, sharing our products and meeting enthusiastic new customers! A question that has come up numerous times is what is so bad about grains? I will chat a bit about my perspective here…

WHAT IS SO BAD ABOUT GRAINS?

I am not saying grains are bad for everyone.  In fact, if there was not a steady consumption of grains worldwide, based on current food production rates, it would be impossible to feed the billions of people that populate our planet. What I am saying is some people have bodies and digestive systems that struggle to process them, causing damage to the system and restricting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut.

Most people started consuming grains from the earliest stages of life,  beginning with rice based cereals at  4-6 months old. This is before their little bodies are mature enough to produce the necessary starch splitting enzyme amylase.  When these babies become toddlers they are often bombarded with prepackaged grain based snacks and convenience foods, like puffs, piles of pasta and crackers. It simplifies mealtime when some breaded chicken tenders or fish sticks are gobbled up by little fingers. In elementary school the quickest, cheapest breakfasts are grain cereals and for lunch a bag of chips, cookies and a sandwich.

This may read as a criticism of parenting decisions, which is not my intent. I grew up eating like this, and today, surrounded by my daughter’s friends and other young children, I know it is still a very typical approach. My intent here is to highlight the prominence of grains in America’s food culture. Most American diets, fad or otherwise, either highly value or condemn grains. There is rarely a middle ground.

As these children get older, habits and tastes from early childhood become the habits of adults. Adult metabolism slows and the gut damage begun in childhood steadily increases. For anyone who has experienced the impacts of gastrointestinal disease, auto immune disorders or allergies, they are widely varied, uncomfortable and often painful. The cumulative effects of grain consumption is glaringly evident when grains are removed from the diet. Oftentimes, removing grains from a diet result in significantly reducing the persistent inflammation and irritation from the conditions, providing relief to sufferers.

Besides the biological effects, these grain-based eating habits from an early age instill an emotional desire for classic American comfort foods, which are generally defined as containing high levels carbohydrates and/or sugar. Foods like pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza, macaroni and cheese or pie often fall into the category. The are full of highly processed grains/carbohydrates that can irritate the previously mentioned gastrointestinal and autoimmune disorders. If grains are being avoided it may be assumed such comfort foods must also be spurned, but it does not have to be true.

By using the right ingredients in the right combination you can have grain free versions of your beloved comfort foods. In my personal experience, my longing for such foods is two-fold. The first is based on the taste of the comfort foods, and thankfully, much of the flavor of such foods come from grain free elements. Thank goodness! The second element I miss can be harder to duplicate, which is texture – grains definitely make it easier to create crispy, crunchy, gooey, flaky….  Since the flavor aspect was significantly overcome I knew the next step was to tackle the texture challenge. I knew I could do it and now spend a large part of my time sharing my successful results.

Those results are nutritionally dense, filling, healthy meals. They include options that are indeed crispy, crunchy, gooey and flaky. They are succulent, sweet, spicy and savory. Meals that can be made in advance, snacks at the ready for the entire family, and staples that can be relied on for any meal. It has taken years for me and my family to figure it all out, but it was worth every minute. Our digestive systems now function like clock work, my husband’s gastrointestinal problems are in check, our daughter is contentedly growing like a healthy, robust weed, and my symptoms from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are much more under control and accomplished without medication.

To ease your path to eating grain free I encourage you to explore my world. Between my food blog, Any Kitchen Will Do, and the products offered by Grain Free Haven it is is possible to enjoy delicious, comforting dishes while avoiding grains.

If you have not yet come by our booth at the Pearl Brewery Farmers Market to sample our products, please take some time one weekend soon and say hi! Also feel free to call or send a note if you have questions. I am constantly experimenting, so if you have any ideas or challenges to present to me I am ready to hear them!

RECIPE

These chicken tenders are a great substitute for the more traditional wheat flour based breaded tenders. They freeze well after being cooked, so you can stock up for quick weekday dinners. The pecans in the crust also add protein and fill up the family more quickly!

Pecan Crusted Chicken

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken pieces (tenders and thighs recommended)
2 pounds raw pecans (or 1 pound pecans and 1 cup almond meal)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor pulse pecans (and almond meal if used), salt and garlic powder until nuts are finely chopped.

In a medium bowl whisk together egg whites and mustard until well combined, but stop short of the whites becoming stiff.

Line one to two shallow baking sheets with aluminum foil. Spread the nuts on a third sheet or large plate.

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the egg wash, letting the excess run off. Roll chicken in the nuts, gently pressing them into the meat. Place chicken on the foil lined baking sheets with about an inch between pieces.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until juices run clear (whole chicken breasts or bone-in chicken may take longer). Serve immediately, plain or with desired dipping sauces.

Note: the leftover egg yolks are perfect for making a fresh batch of blender mayonnaise and/or hollandaise sauce.

DISCOUNT CODE

If you come by my booth and tell us this week’s discount code you will get $1 off any purchase! The code for this week is PEARL!

Please feel free to forward and share this newsletter with anyone you like! We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

What a crazy Halloween market day last weekend! With our blue pumpkin and allergen free treats available the kids loved the toys and bubbles and glow in the dark finger extensions!

The products sold by Grain Free Haven are definitely not for people with nut allergies. With the exception of our drink mixes everything has nuts in them. I often get a lot of questions about how my products fit with nut allergies. In response I always focus on thoroughly listing ingredients, for I do not presume determine whether someone is allergic or not. I have also taken time to learn about nut allergies to help as much as possible. Between tree nut allergies and non-tree nut allergies, such allergies are unique to each person. Some people are allergic to only tree nuts, other just peanuts.

But where the heck do coconuts fall in the nut world? Technically, coconuts are fruit, but Public Law 108-282, Title II, Food and Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, as Amended, classifies them as a tree nut (see item 25 here).

Now that you know  our products are nutty, what do you need to do to have a grain free kitchen? How do you cook and eat every day without grains? Here is a peek at how my family does it.

GRAIN FREE PANTRY

A lot of times when I talk to people about not eating grains they get confused and shocked looks on their faces, followed by comments like “well gosh, what do you eat?!” and “that must be hard!”

I won’t mislead you. Eating grain free means that a lot of convenience foods are literally off the table. You may end up spending more time in the kitchen preparing foods. This does not mean you will be in the kitchen alone, slaving away over a hot stove. It can mean that the whole family migrates into the kitchen with you, helping to make food, doing homework at the kitchen counter to keep you company, or watching the ball game while you putter. I already live in a food-centric house, with the main living area connected openly to the kitchen. I don’t feel isolated when I am preparing food for my family, or for Grain Free Haven. It may be a shift for you, but for me, I feel more in control when I know what is in the food my family eats and how easy it can be made to fit their tastes.

It was challenging at first, but meeting the challenge was well worth it, since we were doing it for good reasons, like health, longevity and such. If you are interested in restocking your pantry and fridge for grain free eating, here are a few things to consider.

Read labels: go through what you currently have in your pantry and fridge. You will need to get rid of anything that has grains. Don’t just put it to the side. Get rid of it, or you will be tempted. Here is a list of some ingredients that you should look out for, focusing on crop grains:
Wheat   Rice*    Oats*    Millet*    Sorghum*    Barley    Einkorn    Rye    Spelt    Teff*    Triticale    Bran    Graham    Quinoa*    Semolina    Soy    Malt    Maltodextrin (made from corn)   Modified Food Starch (usually made with corn and soy)    Corn* (some consider non-meal corn excluded from a grain list and treated as a vegetable)
*gluten free grains

Some products that you may need to pay particular attention to include:
soy sauce    seasoning mixes    baking mixes    roux    teriyaki sauce    potato chips    tortillas     tortilla chips    bread    breakfast cereals    granola and breakfast bars    canned soups    frozen meals    store bought jar sauces and sauce mixes    ice cream    popsicles    yogurt    sausage    foods canned in sauces (like chipotles in adobo sauce)

Congratulations! You are officially overwhelmed with what needs to be removed from your kitchen. By this time you are starting to miss some of your favorite convenience foods and want to figure out how to replace them.

Other than buying some stuff from Grain Free Haven (unabashed promotion entered here), there are some baking staples to add to your pantry for making such things as breads, muffins and cakes. I am basing this list on my personal grain free and sugar free baking habits, documented in my almost four year old food blog.

To be ready to make baked goods, stock your pantry with the following:
coconut flour     almond meal     golden flaxseed meal (neutral flavor)     regular flaxseed meal (nutty flavor)     chia seeds (thickener)     cocoa powder     cinnamon     baking soda
baking powder (aluminum free)     wheat free soy sauce     sugar or preferred sweetener    coconut milk/heavy whipping cream    extra virgin olive oil

WEEKLY PREP

Before you freak out about what is no longer in your kitchen, here is a list of items we prepare weekly. They are based on my family’s preferences, which excludes most of the starches out there, in addition to grains and sugar. Recipes for the salads, coleslaw and prepared meats can be found on my food blog.

boiled eggs
chicken or tuna salad
prepared meats–slow roasted pork, chicken or beef (shredded) or cooked ground beef
trimmed cauliflower and broccoli florets
celery, carrot, zucchini and cucumber sticks
coleslaw
washed tomatoes, apples, grapes and berries
deli sliced ham, turkey or chicken
cheese slices and sticks

Sometimes we prepare it all at once in a cooking marathon, sometimes we do one at a time as things run out. It may see overwhelming, but after you realize you have a fridge full of ready to eat food that is good for you, the preparation time is definitely a good investment. Additionally, here are some ideas for quick grain free breakfasts.

RECIPE

Here is a grain free recipe for you to try using your newly stocked pantry! My daughter loves them and are great for what she calls “peanut butter and pancake sandwiches” when we are on the go.

Fluffy Pancakes

1 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp Stevita (equals approximately 1/4 cup pure cane sugar)
1/2 tsp sea salt
11 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, Stevita and salt. In a separate mixer bowl place the eggs, coconut oil and cream. Mix the wet ingredients on medium until combined. Add the dry ingredient mixture and mix on high until well combined and any solid pieces of coconut oil are broken up and incorporated.

Heat a large skillet to medium high. Add a drop of fat (about a teaspoon of butter, coconut oil or lard) to the pan and let it heat up. Add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of the batter and gently spread it out into a pancake with approximate diameter of 3″ – 4″. Cook for about two minutes until the bottom of the pancake sets, then flip it over with a large spatula. Cook for about two more minutes until both sides are consistently browned.

An alternative is using a waffle iron – our iron has a flat reverse side, so we can use the flat side, drop two dollops of batter, close the top and cook two pancakes until browned (relying on instructions for your particular waffle iron, if it does such wondrous things). Repeat with remaining batter until it is gone.

Serve immediately or store in fridge/freezer in air tight container.

LOCATIONS

We have some convenient holiday gift sets ready this week for you to enjoy! They have Grain Free Haven products, including a special seasonal sugar free hot chocolate mix. Here is where you can find us this week!

Grand Prairie Farmers Market on Saturday, November 7th, 8am – 1pm: this week’s market is focused on collecting non-perishable foods for the North Texas Food Bank–bring five items to receive free gifts and be entered into a grand prize drawing! Find more information about the Market and the food drive here.

We are delayed in starting at the Dallas Farmers Market downtown until after the construction and holidays are over. We are looking forward to completion of their expansion so there is room for us and other new vendors!

DISCOUNT CODE

If you come by my booth and tell me this week’s discount code you will get $1 off any purchase of $15 or more! The code for this week is CAJUN PEANUTS.

Please feel free to forward and share this newsletter with anyone you like! I look forward to seeing you this weekend!