How To Get Healthy on a Gluten-Free Diet! Plus Savoury Wild Rice Recipe With Sweet Potato

Gluten-free living is becoming quite trendy - which is great! You can go to a restaurant and ask for their gluten-freindly menu and even find gluten free packaged foods at your regular grocery store. But be warned - Just because a product is labelled gluten-free, doesn't mean it's healthy or good for you. A lot of these products are highly processed, high in fat, preservatives, sugar and other ingredients you may not be able to pronounce.

If you've just been diagnosed with celiac disease or told that you have a gluten intolerance, it may feel like there is nothing you can eat anymore... NOTHING! You're living on salads and starving all the time, realizing afterwards that even the salad dressing you love the most has gluten in it!  So there you are, feeling like all you can eat is lettuce and cardboard... (is cardboard gluten-free?) ...and then you take a trip to the health food store and discover an abundance of gluten-free packaged foods. Now you can eat bread, bagels, muffins, cookies, pizza, all the things you loved before.

BUT your body is trying to tell you something with these auto-immune responses, allergic reactions and intolerances. It's telling you to STOP putting junk into your body. And for many people they need to clean out more than just gluten to heal their body, including dairy and processed foods. Processed foods are very hard to digest, even the gluten-free ones.

When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease I did pretty good at avoiding the processed gluten-free foods, but they eventually, one-by-one, creeped their way into my fridge and into my diet. I was a lazy university student and it seemed easier to grab a bagel or a muffin than to prepare a nutritious meal, and I didn't have to read labels because they had gluten free stamped on the front. YES! But I was soon addicted and gorging on these foods, eating more than I would have normally. I didn't even like breads and bagels until I couldn't have them anymore. It's funny how that affected my appetite and taste for them. I felt heavy and bloated from all the muffins, bagels, and bread that I was eating, ignoring this because I felt sorry for myself. - Little did I know back then, I could just eat fruit! It's quick and easy with little or no prep involved. How hard is it to grab and eat a few bananas for breakfast. Or pack a green smoothie for lunch?

Then I did something different, I started looking at the labels on the gluten free food and reading the other ingredients on labels, not just looking for the gluten-containing items. I wondered what BHT was and food color #4, and monosodium glutamate, which is MSG! I also found that the muffins, breads and bagels were full of fat, and more fatty than a regular gluten-containing muffin. If you put enough fat and sugar into a muffin, you COULD probably make it from cardboard and it would taste good! Sweet, fatty cardboard muffins....should I experiment with this??? Ha!

These processed foods are not only heavy on your waistline, but heavy on your wallet, usually costing more money than their gluten-containing counterparts. And you don't NEED these foods to be healthy or thrive on a gluten-free diet. 

In summary, I 100% believe in eating gluten-free and sticking to it, especially if you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance. We can do this in a healthy way by eating a diet of mostly fruits and veggies, some nuts and seeds, rice, beans and homemade dressings, soups, and sauces. Whole foods for the win! Take my advice and skip the junk, or save it for special occasions. It never tastes as good as the original anyways.  It may take some time for adjustment, but you will feel amazing and your body will thank you for it.

What are you waiting for...go stock up on some fresh fruit and veggies. If it's not in your fridge, how can you eat it?!

Spice up your Rice Recipe! 

Try using coconut water and spices to kick up your wild rice. I like to add flavor, not salt, to my rice and you can skip the salty soy sauce with this recipe! It's way better for you than the msg filled, high salt, preservative laden Side Kicks! 

Savoury Wild Rice and Sweet Potato 

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water

1 1/4 cup water

1 sweet potato

1 cup Lundberg wild rice mixture

1 TBSP  basil

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp coriander or fresh cilantro if you have it

Dash of sea salt - optional

Directions:

1. Wash, peel and chop up the sweet potato into small cubes.
2. Bring the coconut milk and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  
3. Add rice, potatoes and spices. 
4. Stir once and cover with a lid. 
5. Turn temp down to mid-low and simmer for 45-50 minutes.  Take off burner and fluff with a fork. Recover and let stand 10 minutes. 

*If using a different brand of wild rice, be sure to follow the cooking time on the packaging instructions. 

Thanks for reading! Try adding coconut water to your rice recipes for extra flavor tonight!

Keep it fresh, 

Naturally Ashley

Zesty Cinqo de Mayo Recipes featured on Global Regina

I had such a great time today on Global Regina Morning News talking with Rustie Dean about healthy Mexican-inspired recipes for the upcoming Cinqo de Mayo! Rustie, Heather and Erin are so sweet and lovely. Thank you ladies for making me feel so welcomed and comfortable for the show.  Here are the four recipes I shared during the segment. All the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, vegan and mostly made of raw fruits and veggies. Great for your Cinqo de Mayo Party or any night of the week! Anyone can make these simple healthy recipes.

Fresh Avocado Zucchini Guacamole

The first recipe is a fresh avocado and zucchini guacamole - By adding zucchini, we need less avocado and can cut the fat in half. The zucchini also adds to the creaminess, taking on the flavor of the avocado and spices. Avocados are a good fat, but indulging in too much puts extra strain on our digestive system and can leave us feeling heavy and tired. The tortilla chips were homemade from brown rice tortillas and coconut oil, with mexican spices. By making your own you chips can control the amount of salt, the type of oil, and other ingredients that go into them. Plus they are baked and not fried! They only take 15 minutes from prep to finish... and it stops you from opening and potentially eating the whole bag of chips! If you only make one tortilla, you only eat one tortilla!

Guacamole Ingredients

2 avocados

1 zucchini- peeled and chopped 

1 garlic clove

1 small lime, juiced

1 tsp cumin

1 tomato, diced

¼ red onion, diced

1/4 cup chopped Cilantro 

In a food processor or high speed blender, blend the avocado, zucchini, garlic, cumin and lime together until smooth. Stir in tomatoes, onion and garnish with cilantro. Serve with freshly made tortilla chips and enjoy!

Homemade Crispy Tortilla Chips

2-3 brown rice tortilla wraps

coconut oil

1 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix spices together and set aside. Lay out your tortilla shell on a baking pan lined with parchment papaer. Spread coconut oil on in a thin layer to the tortilla using your hands or a pastry brush. Cut into 12 wedges and sprinkle your chili seasoning on top! Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Let cool and crunch away! You can play with the spices for different flavors, or squeeze some lime on them for added zing!

Zesty Taco Lettuce Wraps

I love these healthy Zesty Taco Lettuce Wraps. What do I love about the taco wraps... What don't I love!? They are made entirely of fresh fruits and veggies and so incredibly delicious. I make the taco seasoning from scratch and use chopped cremini mushrooms as the meat replacement. Top with your favorite taco toppings for a fresh, crunchy, zesty meal.

Taco Shells

Romaine lettuce leaves- washed and dried 

Taco 'Meat'

1 small container of cremini or white button mushrooms - chopped finely 

Taco Dressing

3 medjool dates, soaked in ½ cup water for ½-1 hour until soft

1 green onion chopped

1 garlic clove

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp bell pepper flakes

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp coriander

Toppings

1 avocado, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

¼ red onion, chopped

1/2 lemon

Blend all of the ingredients together for the Taco Dressing, including the water from the dates, in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth. Pour over mushrooms and stir until mixed well. Let them marinate for an hour and then serve on fresh romaine lettuce boats, topped with fresh avocado, onion, tomatoes. Finish by squeezing some fresh lemon juice over top of your tacos and enjoy! You can add chopped cilantro, salsa, pico de gallo or guacamole. 

Spicy Black Bean Brownies Recipe

Anybody can make these easy Spicy Black Bean Brownies, inspired by spicy mexican hot chocolate! All you need to make this spicy chocolate treat is a brownie mix and a can of black beans. I'm serious! I used a gluten-free brownie mix from the health food store and a can of black beans. The only directions you follow on the brownie mix are the oven temperature settings and baking times. The can of black beans replaces the oil and eggs in the brownies, making them moist and chewy, high in fibre and low in fat. Adding in the cayenne pepper and cinnamon gives them a spicy, mexican kick that will intrigue your taste-buds.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
 (15.5 oz)

1 dry brownie mix (20 oz)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp cinnamon 

It doesn't get any easier than this. Blend UNDRAINED black beans in food processor or blender until smooth. Mix in with brownie mix, adding the cayenne pepper and cinnamon and stir until well blended.  If you like them really spicy you can add 1/4 tsp of more cayenne pepper. Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan and follow the package directions for baking temperature and bake time. Let cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle cinnamon on top and gently rub it in. You won't believe how good these are!

I hope you get a chance to try these simple, healthy recipes this weekend. Throw a Cinqo de Mayo Party for your friends and family and wow them with your new recipes. They will be impressed!

Thanks again to the lovely ladies on the Global Regina Morning New Show. I can't wait to do this again!

Lots of Love and Fresh Squeezed Hugs!

xo

Ashley Clark

Holistic Health Coach

Naturally Ashley Nutrition

Ashley Clark is a Health Coach, Artist, Photographer and the owner/operator of Naturally Ashley Nutrition. “I am bananas about holistic health and nutrition!" I want to help you create a happy, healthy lifestyle in way that is flexible, fun and lasting. Healthy living isn’t just about the food you eat  – Primary ‘Food’ is important too, like finding a career you love, relationships, and connecting to your spirituality. Love your Life, Love your Food, Love YOU! 

Connect with Ashley:

www.naturallyashley.com

www.facebook.com/NaturallyAshleyNutrtion

www.naturallyashleynutrition.blogspot.com

Email: naturallyashleynutrition@gmail.com

Follow Naturally Ashley for lots of recipes, tips and inspiration!

Instagram - @missnaturallyashley

Twitter - @bananaavenue 

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What are your personal health goals? 

Message me anytime to schedule your free initial health consult! xo

Straw-mazing Strawberry Mango Sorbet

I was craving something straw-mazing for dessert. Organic strawberries were cheap today at the grocery store so I bought a couple pounds. They are in season right now and oh so yummy! Strawberries are also very good for your health. They boost immunity and are packed with antioxidants like vitamin C which is cancer-fighting, wrinkle-fighting and great for your beautiful eye's sight. Anti-inflammatory properties make them great for those with stiff joints and arthritis. They help regulate blood pressure, which is good for your heart... and what are strawberries shaped like??? - A heart! And don't forget the two f's - fibre and folate. Fibre is great for digestive health and folate is especially important for expecting mothers or women who are trying to conceive. 

So I had all these fresh strawberries and I thought, 

'what could I blend these with?' 

(I blend everything)...

...Mango! 

I had frozen mango in the freezer, one cup left, the perfect amount. So I blended one cup of frozen mango and 6-7 large strawberries in the blender with two pitted medjool dates... Straw-mazing! 

It was just what I wanted for dessert. 

Straw-mazing Strawberry Mango Sorbet

6-7 big ripe strawberries

1 cup frozen mango

2 pitted medjool dates

Blend all ingredients together in high-speed blender or food processor and enjoy! 

Until next time,

Keep it fresh and fruity! 

Naturally Ashley

xoxo

Sweet Catalina Salad Dressing

Do you like Catalina salad dressing? Catalina and Ranch used to be my two favorites! 

I was craving a big salad for supper tonight with lots of cremini mushrooms but didn't know what to make for a dressing. So I looked in my fridge to find a red pepper, a tomato, a mango and a lemon. I blended the four ingredients together and it was delish! So tasty and it reminded me a little of Catalina salad dressing. So I googled a Catalina recipe and added a few ingredients to my blended fruit dressing. I added one clove of garlic, one green onion, 2 pitted medjool dates and 1/4 teaspoon of mustard powder. And voila, Catalina dressing for the first time in over a year. It was delicious!

My salad was very sweet and simple: 2 heads of romaine lettuce, one chopped tomato, a container of cremini mushrooms sliced, and 2 chopped and pitted medjool dates. It was the perfect combination for the Catalina dressing. It's made entirely of fresh veggies and fruit, so it's naturally low fat, oil free, dairy-free, gluten-free, raw, vegan yumminess. 

Catalina Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 tomato

1 red pepper

1 mango

1 lemon

1 green onion

1 glove of garlic

2 pitted medjool dates

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

Directions:

1.  Wash and chop up the tomato, red pepper, mango and green onion and throw in the high speed blender or food processor. 
2. Squeeze the lemon from one lemon and add in the lemon juice. Try not to get the seeds in.
3. Remove the pits and chop up two medjool dates and add to the blender/processor.
4. Toss in the garlic and 1/4 tsp of mustard powder.
5. Blend on high speed and enjoy!!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! What other salad dressings do you like or miss? I will try to make a healthy version of it if you leave a comment below!

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Healthy Sushi: Wasabi Recipe

I love sushi. Nori and other sea vegetables are a great source of iodine. I've made sushi a few times but my family all agrees it tastes better from a restaurant for some reason. I decided to make some at home the other day and went to buy the wasabi and pickled ginger from the grocery store. I checked the ingredients on the wasabi first, sorbitol was the second ingredient! Gross. I know it's only a small amount that you eat but there's no way I was putting that crap in my body. I didn't even have to pick up the pickled ginger because I could clearly see Aspartame written across the bottle. What's with the artificial sweetners?? Do they use these same brands in the restaurants? 

Not willing to give up my sushi I set out to make my own wasabi. I found wasabi powder at the asian food market but there were preservatives in that too so I looked at the two main ingredients: Horseradish and mustard. My next stop was Safeways grocery store to grab some horseradish root. I already had mustard powder at home. This was too easy - I peeled and cut the horseradish root into chunks, and threw it in the blender with the mustard powder, 1 juiced lemon and some water. You could tint it green with spirulina if you want a more authentic looking wasabi paste. 

 It turned out great! It was almost identical to wasabi. It had that POW that I was looking for and I could enjoy my meal, preservative and artificial sugar-free! I was going to make homemade sushi but felt like going out and sharing this awesome wasabi. So I bottled up my recipe and took it to DK Sushi for supper with my sister Nikki and dear friend Lisa. Now what about the ginger you ask?? I brought ginger powder from home, but my next venture will be to try making my own pickled ginger or trying it with some fresh thin slices. Be careful not to inhale the ginger powder like I did! 

You may have also noticed that my sushi is all veggies! I asked the server and he said they add sugar to the rice, so I asked for a rice free roll. He looked at me funny but it was no problem for them to make them rice free for me. I am sorry if I have ruined sushi for anyone, I just thought you should all know what you are eating! Maybe there are restaurants that use organic healthy versions of wasabi and pickled ginger, I suggest you ask the next time you go out or try making your own wasabi at home! 

Wasabi
3/4 cup horseradish chunks (peeled)
1 tsbp mustard powder
1 lemon juiced
1/4 cup water (I added more after)

This makes a big batch so you can share with the whole family. I blended all of the ingredients together in my vitamix on high, but you could also make this in a food processor. I had to add more water as I went. Keep adding water until it's not chunky, but be careful not to add too much or it will become runny.

Chocolate Hair, Cacao Bronzer and Aloe Vera Gel Hair Treatment

I was inspired to try shaking some raw cacao onto my roots this morning after seeing a post from my sister Nikki. She tried using baby powder like a dry shampoo, but found that it was too white for her dark brown hair so she used cocoa powder instead. I rarely eat cocoa/cacao, so this was a great way for me to use up the powder I had in the cupboard. My hair hasn't been washed in a week and I was just about to use aloe vera gel as a mask when I seen the post so I thought I would try this first!

I took about a teaspoon of cacao and sprinkled it onto of my head, gently shaking it throughout my roots. It worked pretty well but it did build up down the middle in my part and you could see the brown powder. I would maybe sprinkle less on next time.  I would also suggest you avoid wearing white or light colors just incase it shakes down and stains! The powder also sprinkled onto my cheekbones so I rubbed it in like a bronzer and it worked pretty good! I am going to try this with carob powder!!

After I was done playing with the cacao, I applied a aloe vera mask using 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel, generously massaging it into my scalp and hair. It was cool and soothing to my scalp, which is still irritated. I let it sit in my hair all morning as I edited photos and had breakfast - 6 bananas blended with cinnamon!

The gel almost evaporated and I wondered if I even needed to rinse it out. But I did and my hair felt really nice. The roots were a little heavy but my scalp was saying THANK YOU! This definitely helped with the irritation.

Here are 4 reasons to try Aloe Vera Gel today:

1. Hair Growth - Aloe vera is a natural treatment that can prevent hair loss and it may even stimulate the growth of new hair! Great to try for both men and women with thinning hair.

2. Natural Shampoo - When you mix coconut milk with aloe vera it becomes a nourishing shampoo, packed with vitamins and minerals that repair strengthen your scalp and hair. You can also add essential oils to boost the potency and add a lovely fragrance. Peppermint oil will help wake you up in the morning and adding lavender oil at night will help you sleep.  

3. Dandruff -  Aloe vera gel is refreshing, and feels cooling as it soothes and moisturizes the scalp. It alleviates itching and  dandruff as well as balances oil production to prevent excess oils or dry scalp.  

4. Conditioning - Aloe vera naturally moisturizes and repairs the hair to make it strong, soft and shiny. I've also ready that it's great for frizz control and doesn't leave you with a buildup that other products may leave behind. 

So now that you know all these great things, you can go buy a bottle from the health food store. It's cheaper than shampoo, and way better for your hair! Next on the list to try - coconut milk! I will keep you posted! 

Stay fresh and fruity, 

Naturally Ashley

xoxo

30-Day No Shampoo Challenge Results

If you have been following me on Facebook or YouTube you may have noticed that I have been doing a 30 day challenge where I have not used any products like shampoo or conditioner in my hair. You also refrain from using hairsprays, gels and de-tanglers but I wasn't using these products to begin with, so it was just the shampoo and conditioner I had to do away with. I started this challenge as an experiment to see if shampoo was the cause of my irritated, dry itchy scalp. I can't remember the last time I had a healthy, flake-free scalp for more than a week. (except for when I spent 10 days in Hawaii!) 

I exhausted every possible product over the years starting with expensive salon shampoos and gluten-free shampoos, moving to paraben and sulphate-free, then anti-dandruff shampoos like head and shoulders, to organic, then to vegan with no success lasting longer than a week. I was tired of wasting my money on these products and knew there had to be a better way.

I just looked under the sink and counted 11 different shampoo bottles plus their conditioner counterparts. 

I was inspired by 40 Below Fruity video on facebook to try this for myself.  She hasn't washer her hair in two years and it looks beautiful. I researched other YouTube videos and found that going 'poo-free' is trending and that it is working for people with all different hair types whether you have corkscrew curls or poker-straight hair like me. 

Check out the BSV rinse video here -->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6u_KHpGauk

I started by washing my hair with a baking soda solution and rinsed it with apple cider vinegar, as suggested by 40 Below Fruity and other poo-free challenges on YouTube. The first time went over great - I couldn't believe how nice my hair turned out. I left it for five days and tried the BSV rinse again, with less success. My hair was overproducing oils and I had to wear a scarf/headband to hide the slick-ness. I knew this was to be expected as my head was adjusting to being poo-free and it inspired me to try other things like diluted food grade hydrogen peroxide, pureed bananas and avocado! It wasn't always pretty but I am so happy I tried this.

Banana Mask

Click here to watch the banana mask demo --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG4ZamUqE1o

Here are the results of my 30-Day No Shampoo Challenge:

My hair is gorgeous. I love the way it feels, the natural shine and the reduced irritation of my scalp.

After 30 days my hair is not overproducing oils like it used to, and the BSV rinse works well every 5 days or as needed. As for my dry scalp, I will continue to use bananas and avocados to moisturize and treat the flakies. I can already see great improvements and feel that if I continue on this path it can only get better.

One downside is that my hair doesn't hold a curl as well as it used to. My hair is poker-straight and had trouble holding a curl before, unless I used a flat iron to curl my hair. Now the ringlets don't last, but I actually like how they fall into loose beachy-looking waves. And I probably shouldn't be using that intensity of heat on my hair anyways if I'm going to all this trouble to restore it's health. I think the curls don't last as a result of my hair being more healthy. I have noticed over the years that the more damaged my hair was the more curl it would hold. It's also slightly heavier, weighing the curls down. Bottom line -I'd rather my hair be healthy than curly so I guess that's a no-brainer.

Got knots? - apple cider vinegar - it's THE best de-tangler for your hair. Even if you don't want to go poo-free I recommend trying the apple cider vinegar for your locks. The vinegar smell goes away quickly and you are left with easy to comb, shiny hair. Apple Cider Vinegar has made my tangled locks the easiest hair to comb in all of Canada! Seriously!

And if the Baking Soda isn't cutting the grease, try a pureed - banana mask - It may leave some sugar flakes but it absorbs the excess oils. Rinse well with water then use the apple cider vinegar solution to de-tangle.

My hair is also not as static-ky, which is nice, I don't enjoy it sticking to the side of my face and getting in my mouth!

List of things I tried in 30 days:

• Baking soda and water solution (2 tbsp mixed with a little water in ketchup-type bottle) with an apple cider vinegar rinse (4 tbsp mixed with 1/2 cup water in the same bottle). This worked great the first time, but lost its power in the 2nd and 3rd week. Now that my hair has adjusted it works well again. 
• Epsom Salts - I was inspire to try this as a result of how great my hair feels after I've swam in the ocean. It didn't really do anything that I noticed but I will try this again later on and see. 
• Food grade hydrogen peroxide - a small/specific amount diluted in the bath water that really cleaned out the gunk, leaving my hair more bouncy and curly but failed to remove any of the excess oil. ***warning, this can be dangerous if not done properly and extremely harmful if this gets in your eyes.
• Banana hair mask - left on 1 hour -worked great for moisturizing scalp and removed excess oils better than the baking soda solution. I rinsed this with the apple cider vinegar to detangle and remove the sugar. I was left with some sugar flakes and it loosened the natural flakes on my head. I just wore a headband for a few days until I washed again with BSV. 
• Avocado mask - left on 30 minutes - moisturizing scalp and roots of hair. Worked best for flakes and itchy-ness. 
• Coconut oil in ends of hair - used this to tame any fly-aways from winter static

So now I can toss all those bottles and know that my hair is more beautiful and healthy the Naturally Ashley way using Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar and Bananas! (except the Dr. Bronner's - I use it to clean everything, great for bathtubs, body wash and laundry!) 

I challenge you to try 30 days poo-free! The first month is tough but so worth it. I'm looking forward to sticking with this and seeing how it goes.

Thanks for reading!

Lots of sweet, fruity love, 

Naturally Ashley

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