From the category archives:

Travel

A last thank you to #PidgeonForge and all the #Brandcation sponsors!

I’m having shoulder surgery tomorrow and don’t have much time to get everything done that I need to. So please excuse this mass post thanking all the wonderful companies who sponsored the Brandcation 2012’s Blog Cabin!

Cabin Fever Vacations

Can you believe that 34 women stayed in one cabin for several days in relative comfort? Sure we had to share bathrooms and beds, and there was no privacy to speak of and I had to change in the laundry room. But the place was clean and spacious. It had a fully stocked, big kitchen with two refrigerators,two fireplaces, great showers, two hot tubs, jacuzzi tubs in two of the bedrooms, and so much more. Plus the view of the Smoky Mountains? Amazing!

Cabin Fever Vacations, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee offer cabins to fit all sizes of groups. A cabin works better than a motel, especially if you have a large group and lots of kids. It’s also perfect for parents of children or anyone with a special diet or allergies who can’t eat out. (Our cabin was about four miles from a very nice Kroger supermarket, so very easy to stock up with all your favorite healthy foods.) One of our Brandcation bloggers stays at Cabin Fever Vacations every Thanksgiving with family and they cook the entire meal there, too.

You can check them out at cabinfevervacations.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Lumberjack Feud

If you enjoy watching lumberjack competitions on ESPN, Lumberjack Feud is the dinner theater for you. There’s lots of audience participation, especially for the kids. And the lumberjacks and jills are easy on the eyes to boot. I especially enjoyed the dog competitions, but wished the performers (many who compete professionally) would wear eye protection. It’s scary enough that they’re working with dangerous equipment and I feared for their safety. They also have a really fun gift shop.

You have the option of eating dinner there or just watching the show. You can find more information at lumberjackfeud.com or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede

While I enjoyed watching the piggie races, the kids chasing chickens, eating with my hands, and the horsemanship, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend Dixie Stampede. First, I’m bothered about anyone glorifying war, so the whole “North vs. South” part really rubbed me the wrong way and probably explained why there weren’t any African-American faces in the crowd. Second, the Dixie Stampede is more about the Western expansion than the South, so there are a lot of cowboys and Western rodeo riding (barrel races and a patriotic horse riding demonstration that’s a not very good copy of the Westernaires). I found this confusing and thought I was at a rodeo for a second.

Third, I was put off by the bit about the buffalo. While it’s exciting to see live bison close up, the history behind their purposeful extinction as a way to get Native Americans on to reservations and dependent on Uncle Sam, was lost on the crowd. Same with the celebration of the Cherokee nation whose eastern reservation is an hour away from Pigeon Forge in Cherokee, North Carolina. If you remember, the rest of the tribe was forced to walk to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. It’s sad when Americans don’t know their own history. Or maybe it’s just about bread and circuses – or sweet drinks and biscuits.

Even so, the waiters were terrific, everyone was very friendly, the venue is very clean and organized, the food was tasty, and they were very generous in hosting our group. You can find more information on their website at dixiestampede.com.

Tennessee and Pigeon Forge Tourism Boards

I want to thank both the Tennessee and Pigeon Forge Tourism Boards for coming by the cabin and saying hi and helping our organizers plan the trip. People in Tennessee are super friendly and they’re here to help you plan your next trip. You can connect with them at:

Tennessee Tourism – tnvacation.com, on Facebook and on Twitter.

Pigeon Forge Tourism – mypigeonforge.com, on Facebook and on Twitter.

I love Tennessee and plan to be back soon for a visit to Smoky Mountain National Park and to buy some sorghum. Can’t wait!

Other sponsors

Many of the Brandcation bloggers had sponsors and we got lots of goodies from them like Flashing Blinky Lights, Mom Agenda, Carpet One, Dolphin Organics, Party City, Sportline Pedometers, Cascade Ice Water, Natures One, K’Nex Tinker Toys, Lou Babs & Moogs, Blingles, Trash Pack, Group Gifting, Store Smart, Orbeez, and Fab Kids. There were also other events I didn’t attend like ziplining with Climb Works and a tour of the Hollywood Wax Museum.

If I’ve forgotten anyone’s Brandcation sponsor, feel free to add yours below in the comments.

Image courtesy of Brandy at Loudmouth Photography.

Disclosure: The Brandcation bloggers received special discounts and passes to many of the attractions we visited. All experiences and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Posted on October 14, 2012 in Travel and tagged as Brandcation, Tennessee

All aboard for the Titanic #brandcation #pigeonforge

Besides my visit to Dollywood, the highlight of the Brandcation trip was our visit to the Titanic Museum Attraction. We were treated to a lovely breakfast where we got to meet one of the owners, the wife of John Joslyn, who co-led a $6 million expedition to the site of the sinking to film the remains and retrieve artifacts. They’ve created two world class museums – one in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and the other in Branson, Missouri – that recreate the feeling of being aboard the ship on it’s 1912 maiden voyage.

As you enter, you are given a passenger boarding ticket that has the name of an actual Titanic passenger and the class they were traveling. You follow your passenger through the ship, read their story, and learn their fate in the Titanic Memorial Room. I was given a pass for Margaretta “Daisy” Spedden, 1st class passenger, age 40 from Tuxedo Park, New York. She was traveling with her six-year-old son, Robert, her maid, Robert’s nanny and her husband. I figured since she was in first class, she had a good chance of surviving, but I hoped the best for her family and servants. (Daisy did survive, along with the rest of her group. She went on to write a children’s book, Polar the Titanic Bear, that’s available in the gift shop and online.)

Children are never given boarding passes for people who perished. Even so, be warned that finding out that your passenger died can be very upsetting. I saw several women from the Brandcation group in tears.

The trip through the museum takes two hours. I was very impressed by the amount of information and pictures they had on the building of the Titanic in Ireland. I was also fascinated by the replicas of state rooms for all three classes of passengers. There’s also a room devoted to The Titanic movie complete with costumes for all you movie fans!

My favorite room was the captain’s bridge. As I leaned against the window that looked over the starry night and the iceberg in the distance, I noticed that it was cold. I was amazed that they thought of every detail! Then we got the chance to go “outside” on the bridge and put our hands over the “side” of the ship into icy water to experience how cold it was both in the water and in the life boats. It really gave you a sense of what the survivors went through as they huddled on lifeboats waiting for rescue.

Dining aboard the Titanic

Being the food and dish nerd I am, I was thrilled to see place settings and menus for all three classes of passengers. (You can also buy copies of the menus and some of the dishware in the gift shop.)

While the first class passengers ate filet mignon, the third class passengers dined on items like gruel. I was fascinated by this, so I did a little research on Titanic menus and recipes and found a great book, Last Dinner On the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Great Liner. It’s out of print, but you can find a used cookbook on Amazon. I’ve bought a copy and can’t wait until it arrives.

Even better, you can find the entire menu, recipes and how to plan and prepare the meal at The Dragon’s Kitchen! She has extensive posts on her Titanic Project as well as her Titanic Dinner Recipes. Quite an undertaking, but maybe an inspiration for your next dinner party!

What’s next at the Titanic Museum Attraction?

With so many children learning about the sinking of the Titanic at school, it’s no surprise that in 2013, the museum will feature stories of The Children of Titanic – and the mothers and fathers who loved and protected them. From the press release:

Each child who boarded the Titanic had a dream and a story to tell. Some hopeful, like six-year-old Annie Harper, a preachers daughter from London who couldn’t wait to see America; or Edvin Asplund the youngest child in a family of seven, that soon would become three. Or baby brother, Edmond and Michel Navratil, the famous orphans of Titanic!

The children and more will be the focus of the new exhibit. Where did they come from? What was their life on Titanic really like – what games did they play, what books, did they read, what were their religious beliefs, what meals were they served, where did they sleep and finally, how did they stand up to the challenge of survival? All will be revealed in exciting and dramatic ways in the new Children of Titanic gallery.

If you’re headed to Pigeon Forge next year, a stop at the Titanic Museum Attraction is a must! You can learn more about reservations, prices, times, locations and more at titanicpigeonforge.com.

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Disclosure: The Brandcation bloggers received special discounts and passes to many of the attractions we visited. All experiences and opinions expressed here are my own. Pictures used with permission.

Amazon links are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

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Posted on October 13, 2012 in Cookbooks,Travel and tagged as Brandcation, Tennessee

Making sorghum at #Dollywood and Apple, Sausage and Sauerkraut Slow Cooker Stew at home

I’m not much for roller coasters after getting sick many years ago at both Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland. (Never again!) So while the Brandcation gals were riding the Wild Eagle (and being filmed by the Discovery Channel), I was busy nerding out over the food at Dollywood as well as the folk art and crafts.

There’s a section of Dollywood called Craftsman’s Valley that’s perfect for anyone who isn’t into the rides, has time between music shows to take a stroll, and has already visited the Chasing Rainbows Museum, or the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame. (I did all the above and had a great time.)

My foodie favorite was the Grist Mill where they grind meal and flour for sale. I also enjoyed watching the woodcarvers, blacksmiths, glass blowers and more practice their trade before the Brandcation group met for lunch at Granny Ogle’s Ham N Beans. There we dined on Southern favorites like greens, corn bread and shredded pork. Yum!

However, the cool discovery I made – even the PR person hadn’t seen it yet – was the sorghum making demonstration in The Village. Sorghum syrup is a sweetener made from pressing sorghum cane. The old fashion way is to feed the cane into a mill that is powered by a horse. The day I was there, they had a four-month-old colt tied up to the mama horse. This way mama could teach her baby how to run the mill. It was fascinating and the baby was darling.

The sorghum cane juice is then boiled into a thick syrup that tastes like a cross between honey and molasses. I bought a small container of it at one of the Dollywood stores and wish I bought more because it’s delicious! I hope I can find some here in Georgia, but if not, I may just have to drive back up to Pigeon Forge and buy a gallon or two!

Cooking with sorghum – Apple, Sausage and Sauerkraut Slow Cooker Stew

You can use sorghum in any recipe that calls for agave, honey, molasses or maple syrup. It’s very thick, so you may have to make adjustments by adding a little water or juice to your recipe. I used it in a slow cooker recipe I used to make all the time. I’ve since lost the clipping from the Denver Post, but found a recipe that’s close but without the potatoes. I healthed it up by using chicken apple sausage and using half veggie broth and half apple juice. I also tried to use organic ingredients since I didn’t peel the apples and potatoes.

This was a big hit with my son Nathan who adores sauerkraut and thinks chicken sausage – unlike other forms of chicken – is yummy. My daughter Lucie just ate the sausage, which is odd because she loves pickles. Darn kids!

Apple, Sausage and Sauerkraut Slow Cooker Stew

Based on Corbin Lee’s recipe at Recipe.com

Serves 4 to 6 with lots of leftovers

Ingredients:

1 – 32 ounce jar sauerkraut (Claussen is our favorite brand)
24 ounces (2 packages) of sweet apple chicken sausage (Trader Joe’s), sliced into 1’’ pieces
4 small organic granny smith apples, cored and cut into 1” pieces
1 pound baby potatoes (leave whole)
1/4 cup sorghum
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup apple juice
1 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

Pour sauerkraut – juice and all – into your 6 quart or larger slow cooker or Crock-Pot.
Add the cut up sausage, apples and whole baby potatoes to the crock.
Add the sorghum, salt, pepper, juice and broth.
Cover.
Cook on high 4 hours, or low 6-7 hours.
Stir before serving.

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Disclosure: The Brandcation bloggers received special discounts and passes to many of the attractions we visited. All experiences and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Posted on October 12, 2012 in Crock Pot and Slow Cooker,Featured,Recipes,Travel and tagged as Brandcation, chicken, Dollywood, Tennessee

Dealing with food sensitivities and allergies at Dollywood #brandcation #gfcommunity

As a community leader at Udi’s Gluten Free, a mom to a daughter with allergies, and someone who deals with food sensitivities, I was excited to learn about Dollywood’s Start Fresh program. During my recent Brandcation trip to Dolly Parton’s theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, our group had the chance to meet with food team member, Cecil Page, during lunch at Granny Ogle’s Ham N’ Beans, who told us all about the program they developed with the help of FANN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network). The program has been in place over two years and as far as I know it’s unique to Dollywood.

How Start Fresh works

When you arrive to any of Dollywood’s restaurants or eateries, talk with the manager to let him or her know what allergies and food sensitivities you and your family is dealing with. There’s no need to call ahead, though you can contact the Foods Department at 865-428-9428 if you so choose.

The manager and his or her team will make sure that your table is cleaned, sanitized and as free as possible from any allergens. They’ll also make sure you’re seated away from the kitchen so you don’t get a whiff of anything you may be allergic to, like fish.

The manager will then present you with a yellow binder (yellow is the color assigned to anything Start Fresh related) that contains the list of ingredients of all the menu items. This way you can decide what you feel comfortable ordering for yourself or your child.

Once your order is placed, it’s assigned to a cook who will prepare your meal from start to finish and will not cook up anyone else’s order until after you are done. The first thing he or she will do is clean and sanitize their work area and put on a fresh area. Then he or she will break open a Fresh Start pack containing everything they need to prepare and serve your meal (utensils, cutting board, knife, spoons, etc.) The cook will then prepare the meal to your specifications and deliver it personally to your table. It’s like having your own personal chef!

The cooks go through the special one week Start Fresh program after going through a regular culinary course at the Dollywood. Only those who pass the Start Fresh program can cook for allergy affected guests. So while other theme parks and restaurants serve up allergen free food, this is probably one of the few that understand about allergen contamination.

Dollywood restaurants also offer vegetarian, diabetic and gluten free menu options. I was pleasantly surprised to find packaged gluten free cookies at the Spotlight Bakery. And if you’re traveling with kids with allergies or you have food sensitivities yourself, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy dining at Dollywood can be!

For more information about the park, admission and hours, go to dollywood.com. You can also connect with Dollywood on Facebook and @Dollywood.

Eating gluten free when traveling

The Udi’s Gluten Free Community offers lots of great info and tips about traveling while gluten free:

How do you deal with food allergies and sensitivities when traveling?

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Disclosure: The Brandcation bloggers received special discounts and passes to many of the attractions we visited. All experiences and opinions expressed here are my own.

As a Udi’s Gluten Free Community Leader I’m compensated for my time and efforts on their behalf.

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Posted on October 11, 2012 in Featured,Food Sensitivities,Gluten Free,Health,Travel and tagged as Brandcation, Dollywood, food allergies, Tennessee

Dollywood food! #brandcation #wordlesswednesday

For more information about Dollywood, visit dollywood.com. You can also connect with Dollywood on Facebook and @Dollywood.

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Disclosure: The Brandcation bloggers received special discounts and passes to many of the attractions we visited. All experiences and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Posted on October 10, 2012 in Featured,Travel,Wordless Wednesday and tagged as Brandcation, Dollywood, Tennessee

Vacation, all I wanted. Vacation, had to get away. #brandcation

When we drove from Colorado to Georgia, I fell in love with Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. So when I heard a bunch of bloggers (32 in all) were renting a big log cabin, I jumped at the chance to join them. After all, Pigeon Forge, Tennesee is only a four hour drive straight north from Athens through some gorgeous Smoky Mountain country. Plus, I knew I had to check it out for my family, since it’s only five miles north of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park – and we love our national parks and camping.

However, I’ll be having a different sort of vacation, called Brandcation, with the bloggers since we’ll be sponsored by local attractions so we can share our experiences with our readers. Besides staying in a luxurious cabin courtesy of Cabin Fever Vacations, we’ll be visiting Dollywood, attending the Dixie Stampede, touring the Titanic Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum, and watching the Lumberjack Feud. In our down time, we’ll be exploring the town, some gals will be going ziplining (not me – bad shoulder, hate heights) and having an ‘80s party. (I’ll be attending as an Adam and the Ant fan – stand and deliver!)

The Brandcation bloggers and I will be tweeting away during the event – just follow the #brandcation hashtag on Twitter. You can also check out our Brandcation Pinterest board. I’ll be posting about fun things to do in Pigeon Forge, where we’re staying, and the food (of course) here at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet when I get back, so stay tuned!

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Disclosure: The Brandcation bloggers are receiving special discounts and passes to many of the attractions we’ll be visiting. All experiences and opinions are our own.

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Posted on October 4, 2012 in Travel and tagged as Brandcation, travel

Talking about global cuisine on Skype {sponsored video}

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is experiencing the local cuisine. Recently, my husband and I had a terrific time in Oahu trying local dishes like lomi lomi, kalua pig and poke – and we fell in love with Hawaiian cuisine. Of course, not everyone’s lucky enough to experience global cuisine in person. Instead, you can travel via Skype.

In the video below, Skype has brought together an expert panel of chefs and food connoisseurs to offer their insights on global cuisine. You can watch them introduce native dishes, showcase their favorite ingredients, and debate key issues surrounding the food industry. Panelists include Vani Hari of Food Babe (@thefoodbabe), May Chong of Slow Food Kitchen (@slowfoodkitchen), Sarina Bland of Trini Gourmet (@trinigourmet), and Max Goldberg of Living Maxwell (@livingmaxwell) along with host Will Leigh (@will_the_chef) distinguished chef at Vinoteca.

You’re invited to join the conversation about global cuisine at Skype with your friends. Try it out!

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Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Skype, but all thoughts are my own.

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Posted on August 9, 2012 in Travel

Keeping it fresh and healthy on the road

Do you find eating healthy on road trips to be challenging? So many of us do, whether we’re wanting to eat fresh food or trying to work around food sensitivities and allergies. Here are some tips based on how my family and I eat healthy on road trips:

Bring a cooler. I know you’ve packed the family automobile with everything from toys to clothes, but you must make room to bring a cooler or two. You may want to have a larger cooler in the trunk or back of the minivan or truck along with a smaller insulated bag that will fit up front or underneath the kids’ feet in the backseat. Ask around and see if a friend or relative has a cooler that plugs into the lighter, too.
Ice packs or ice? Bring both! If you’re staying overnight at a hotel, many have mini-fridges to freeze your ice packs overnight. You can also ask for ice packs to be placed into the hotel kitchen’s freezer by one of the staff members. If neither are available, you can always pick up some ice at truck stop or supermarket. Bring some zip lock bags to put the ice in so you can easily store the ice in several coolers. It also makes getting rid of the melted ice much easier.
Bring healthy snacks that don’t require refrigeration. Nuts, dried fruit, jerky, fresh fruit like apples, snack bars, individual baggies of cereal, pretzels, etc. travel well without refrigeration. You can also store a box or two of fruit juice, water or shelf-stable milk boxes in the trunk – just fill the cooler with them when needed!
Bring the kitchen with you. If you’re up to it, you can also bring a loaf of bread, mustard and deli meat and make sandwiches along the way. Don’t forget to bring a roll of paper towels and a knife to spread the mustard and cut the sandwiches! Baggies and garbage bags will come in handy, too.
Buy healthy snacks along the way. The variety of healthy food at truck stops and gas stations is improving all the time. You can find fresh food such as small containers of low fat milk, cottage cheese, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, sandwiches on whole wheat bread, fruit juices, etc. Leave the kids in the car (with an adult, of course) so you’re not tempted to buy them treats like candy and ice cream.
Get it fresh from the farm. If you’re driving through a rural area, keep an eye out for fruit and vegetable stands. Also, before you leave, go online to find farmer’s markets and pick your own fruit farms in the areas you’re traveling through. Kids love to pick their own berries and visit farmer’s markets. Plus, both are a great way to spend an hour or two outside of the car getting some physical activity in before hitting the road again.
Map it! A GPS or smart phone can help you find healthier restaurant choices. Stopping at a supermarket for some fresh sandwich fixings or healthy deli choices is an inexpensive, DIY option, too.

Ben and Justin’s Freshpedition journey across America

So why am I sharing tips about bringing fresh food with you on road trips? Well, besides the fact that bringing fresh food with you on the road is easy, healthy and helps save you money, it’s all part of introducing you to GE’s Freshpedition video series. It’s five very entertaining online episodes where Chef Ben Sargent and Engineer Justin Berger hook up a new GE French door refrigerator to a generator in the back of a truck and drive 2000 miles in 10 days to surprise Wildlife Biologist Ron Thompson with fresh food. (You can learn about the cast here.)

Take a look for yourself:

I hope the Freshpedition video series will inspire you to find your own fresh food from farms and dairies along the way! Now if I can only figure out how to bring one of those GE refrigerators with me on my next road trip!

Freshpedition Sweepstakes

GE is continuing this same passion for fresh food with the Freshpedition Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes uses Pinterest, which means you can actually pin for a chance to win all new GE kitchen appliances.

But wait, there’s even more to win!

You can also enter each day of the sweepstakes for a chance to win a $100 VISA® Prepaid Card. Entering for this prize is fun as you’re asked to pin your favorite fresh foods or your own recipes. Also, these pins when hashtagged with your state (e.g. #GEfreshTX) become part of a “Best of Fresh” map featuring freshness from around the country. Explore the map here.

For official rules and to enter visit here.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by GE via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of GE.

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Posted on July 30, 2012 in Featured,Travel and tagged as family

Wordless Wednesday: Shrimp & Grits at the Melting Point in Athens, GA #wordlesswednesday

Shrimp and Local Grits from the Melting Point in Athens, GA – Georgia Coast Shrimp Sautéed with Shallots, Garlic, Bacon Confit, Tomatoes, Mushrooms. Served Over Red Mule Farm Yellow Grits.

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Posted on July 4, 2012 in Featured,Restaurant Reviews,Travel,Wordless Wednesday and tagged as Georgia

A barbecue tour from KC through St Louis to Tennessee

On our move out from Boulder, Colorado to Athens, Georgia, my family and I traveled through prime barbecue territory – Kansas City, St. Louis, and Tennessee. I wrote about the restaurants we dined at in my guest post, Guest Post: A BBQ Tour Through The South!, at HotelCoupons.com’s blog.

I think my overall favorite barbecue restaurant on our trip was Jack’s in Nashville, though the brisket at Gates in KC was to die for. (And to be fair, I think they were having an off day on the ribs. That’s what some of the local folks we shared our ribs with thought.)

What’s your favorite barbecue restaurant?

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Posted on June 19, 2012 in Featured,Restaurant Reviews,Travel and tagged as Missouri, Tennessee

A Hawaiian seafood adventure with Sea Cuisine

Earlier this month, Sea Cuisine sent me to Honolulu, Hawaii to report on the local seafood scene. You can see my reviews of local restaurants, read about my visit to the Honolulu Seafood Auction, and what I thought about a real Hawaiian luau here.

I had a great time and I hope you enjoy reading about it. Make sure to check out my pictures and leave some comments on my posts, too!

While you’re on the Sea Cuisine website, make sure you check out where they’re sending other bloggers – Baja Mexico, New Orleans, Key West, Thailand, Spain and more. Also, check out this video of the Hawaii-inspired recipe for Macadamia Nut Tilapia with Grilled Fruit and Vegetables that Sea Cuisine created based on my adventures.

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Disclosure: Sea Cuisine sponsored my trip to Hawaii.

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Posted on May 9, 2012 in Featured,Fish,Travel and tagged as Hawaii

Gluten Free Pine Nut and Date Pudding from the Grand Canyon Cook Book

Gluten Free Pine Nut and Date Pudding

Here’s another gluten free dessert inspired by the Grand Canyon Cook Book. This recipe caught my eye because I LOVE bread pudding, but have to stay away from it due to my food sensitivities to gluten, baker’s yeast, milk products and sugar.

My son who’s a big fan of Lärabars, which are date based, loved this healthy snack. Serve it warm out of the oven with a scoop of your favorite non-dairy ice cream or a dollop of Greek yogurt. It also heats up well in the microwave. Served cold, this gluten free dessert reminds me of pecan pie! You may just want to tuck this recipe away for Thanksgiving.

Either way, enjoy a sliver (a little goes a long way) with a hot mug of Crio Brü or a glass of soy milk.

Gluten Free Pine Nut and Date Pudding

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1/4 cup stevia
1/4 cup Big Tree Farm’s Coconut Palm Sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup pitted and chopped Medjool dates
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Organic Brown Rice Flour (gluten free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (gluten free)
1/2 cup whole pine nuts

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix sugar and eggs. Add dates, brown rice flour, salt, baking power, and pine nuts.
Pour into a greased, shallow baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Gluten Free Pine Nut and Date Pudding

Nutritional information

Per slice:

Calories 151
Calories from Fat 59
Total Fat 6.6g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 23mg
Sodium 156mg
Total Carbohydrates 23.3g
Dietary Fiber 2.3g
Sugars 16.0g
Protein 2.8g

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 3

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Posted on April 13, 2011 in Desserts,Featured,Gluten Free,Recipes,Travel,Weight Watchers and tagged as Arizona, healthy snacking, pine nuts

Gluten Free Pine Nut Cookies from the Grand Canyon Cook Book

Gluten Free Pine Nut Cookies

My family and I just came back from visiting the Grand Canyon. It was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken, and if you have a chance – GO! While we were there I picked up a fun little cookbook called The Grand Canyon Cook Book, Southwestern recipes from Arizona’s natural wonder by Bruce and Bobbie Fisher. It features recipes from park rangers, hikers and Grand Canyon chefs. (Yes, there’s fantastic eating to be had at the Grand Canyon, especially at the El Tovar dining room. Check out their dinner menu!)

Piñon nuts versus pine nuts

I was especially intrigued that several of the recipes from the Grand Canyon Cook Book used piñon nuts. According to the New Mexico Piñon Nut Company, “Pine nuts from New Mexico called Pinon nuts are called Pinon or Piñon by law in New Mexico. Pinon nuts come specifically from the pine tree species: pinus edulis. They taste different from other varieties. The pinon pine tree is a two-needled pine which grows wild in high desert mountain areas of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. These edible nuts are not to be confused with the ‘single needle’ pine tree from Nevada.”

The pine nuts you get at the store (usually imported from China) are much cheaper than piñon nuts from New Mexico, which sell anywhere from $25-40. Pinon nuts are a hand-harvest, wild crop and the pines can only be picked once every three to seven years. That’s why you see cars pulled on the highway and people on the medians when it’s piñon season.

Gluten Free Pine Nut Cookies

I’ve “healthed up” the original Piñon Nut Squares recipe from the Grand Canyon Cook Book by using brown rice and oat flours to make the cookies gluten free. I also used stevia instead of white sugar and coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar.

My kids LOVED these!

Makes 30-33 cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Organic Brown Rice Flour (gluten free)
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oat Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (gluten free)
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (I used Quick Quaker Oats)
1 egg
1/3 cup Stevia Extract in the Raw
1/3 cup Big Tree Farm’s Coconut Palm Sugar
1/2 cup softened buttery spread (I used Bestlife Spread)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 whole cup pine nuts (or piñon nuts if you’re lucky to find them)
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Set oven for 375 degrees.
Sift flours, salt, cinnamon and baking soda together.
Mix oats into dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, beat egg, both sugars, buttery spread and vanilla until the butter is well integrated.
Mix in dry ingredients.
Stir in pine nuts and raisins.
Drop by the tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet or one covered with a silicon baking mat. (I use Wilton Easy Flex™ Silicone Baking Mats.)
Bake on the center rack of oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the pine nut cookies turn slightly golden.
Serve with a glass of your favorite “milk” (soy, rice, coconut or cow’s milk) and don’t forget the napkins and plates. These cookies are very crumbly!

Nutritional information

Per cookie:

Calories 69
Calories from Fat 43
Total Fat 4.8g
Saturated Fat 0.8g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 6mg
Sodium 78mg
Total Carbohydrates 6.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.6g
Sugars 2.0g
Protein 1.2g

Nutrition Grade C from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 2

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Posted on April 11, 2011 in Cookbooks,Desserts,Featured,Gluten Free,Recipes,Travel,Weight Watchers and tagged as Arizona, cookies, healthy snacking, pine nuts

20 simple tips to avoid gaining weight while traveling

travel wishes Part of the reason I gained instead of lost or maintained my weight last year was due in part to my heavy travel schedule. (The other was probably due to my food sensitivities and not exercising enough.)

Well, this year already looks like it’s going to be just as busy. This week I’m in Los Angeles with my two kids for the Frigidaire’s Kids’ (good-for-you) Academy event with several other bloggers and their families. (You can follow us on Twitter by searching for the #kidscooking hashtag.) And next week I’m off to NYC.

Keeping healthy on the road

When the publicist for Dr. Wayne Andersen, founder of Take Shape For Life, sent me the following tips of simple actions you can take to avoid gaining weight while traveling, I just had to share. Since it’s directed at people who are doing a Medifast diet, I’ve expounded on several points for those of you are using other diet plans, like Weight Watchers, or are just trying to eat healthier and not gain weight when on vacation or a business trip.

If you travel frequently, you may want to also check out my post, 11 chair exercises to help you stay comfortable and healthy on long airplane flights.

Plan ahead for success

1. Before your trip, make sure you will have enough meal replacements while on your trip. You may want to mail them ahead to your destination to cut back on luggage. (This Mama’s tip: good meal replacements include bars, nuts, protein powders, packets of nut butter, etc.)

2. Find out if your hotel room has a coffee maker, refrigerator, or microwave. This will help you decide what products to bring.

3. See if your hotel has a gym or pool and bring appropriate clothes to get some exercise. No excuses! (This Mama’s tip: Some hotels have special rates at nearby health clubs like 24 Hour Fitness. If there isn’t a workout facility at the hotel, find out if there’s a walking trail, Y or rec center close by. Or indulge in a day of golf or a tennis lesson.)

Travel day preparation

4. Make sure to pack enough meal replacements for your travel day. Always bring an extra in case of layover. (This Mama’s tips: Pack healthy bars, fruit, dried fruit, tea bags, and/or individual packets of nut butters. It’ll help you save money, too!)

5. Remember healthy drinks will not make it through security. (This Mama’s tip: Bring an empty sports bottle. You can fill up at a water fountain in the terminal.)

6. If you don’t want to bring a sports bottle, you can mix drink powders and shakes in a water bottle. Just drink some water off the top before pouring the shake mix in.

7. A Medifast bar is a great snack for the plane. (This Mama’s tip: So are nuts, dried fruit and other types of meal replacement bars. Cynthia Sass, the author of Cinch! likes Larabars. Ask your seatmates if they have any nut allergies before breaking out the peanuts.)

8. If you have a coffee pot in your room, bring oatmeal, chicken noodle soup or instant soups to mix with hot water.

9. Remember to bring you shaker jar! (This Mama’s tip: stop by a convenience store or coffee shop to get some skim milk to mix with your protein powder. You can also get milk in most airport terminals.)

10. Drink lots of water. Air travel is dehydrating!

On your trip

11. This Mama’s tip: If your your hotel serves a complimentary continental breakfast, load up on healthy food like a hard boiled egg – toss the yolk – fruit, oatmeal, skim milk, etc. Or nosh on the goodies you brought with you. I like relaxing with a cup of tea in my room while I get ready in the morning, too.

12. Be aware of your schedule and don’t miss a meal! (This Mama tip: when you miss a meal, you’ll be extra hungry later and may over indulge. Instead, make sure to take some healthy snacks with you. Or head over to Starbucks for an egg white wrap, a mid-day oatmeal snack or a skinny latte.)

13. This Mama’s tip: Get enough sleep! Being sleep deprived will slow your metabolism and may cause you to overeat.

14. Order a salad and appetizer for you main meal. It’ll probably be the proper portion. (This Mama’s tip: it’s probably cheaper, too!)

15. Remember that alcohol will let down your defenses and is full of empty calories and carbs! It’s best to choose club soda or a diet drink. (This Mama’s tip: Ask your server for lime or lemon slices to give your diet soda or seltzer water a little healthy flavor.)

16. Make healthy choices. Some days you may have to have both lunch and dinner out, so make the best of it and choose wisely.

17. Don’t worry about losing weight. After all, sometimes the stress of traveling will slow your weight loss. The main objective is not to gain weight!

18. Remember to bring your journal and write down what you’re eating. Keeping track is important!

19. This Mama’s tip: Walk and take the stairs whenever you can. Don’t forget to pack comfortable shoes and good socks!

20. This Mama’s tip: Get back into your regular eating healthy and fitness routine as soon as you get back home. You may need to sleep in the first day though, especially if you’ve crossed several time zones and have jet lag.

_________________

Disclosure: My participation in Frigidaire’s Kids’ Kids (good-for-you) Academy was sponsored by Frigidaire who provided me with travel arrangements to and from Los Angeles to participate.

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Posted on January 17, 2011 in Dieting and Weight Loss Tips,Travel

11 chair exercises to help you stay comfortable and healthy on long airplane flights

back bends

I’m always looking for ways to exercise and stay fit and healthy on the road. This year it’s been a challenge with multiple airplane trips. Not only have I gained a few pounds, but I’m tired of being sore and jet lagged after a long flight.

So with another trip on my itinerary, I plan to take advice from EL AL, the national airline of Israel. These wellness tips from the Israeli Center of Pilates help airline passengers stay in shape, relax, and feel fresher during any flight as well as upon landing.

leg joint stretch

Each exercise can easily be done from the comfort of any seat, without disturbing neighboring passengers. (Well almost, just watch your elbows.) Exercises can be repeated as often as desired but should not be performed if there is difficulty or if pain occurs.

In flight stretches and exercises

side bends

BACK BENDS: Fold hands behind your head and stretch upward. Then, slowly roll your head down and around in a circle, rising slowly (and change directions).

LEG JOINT STRETCH: Bring knee to your chest, keeping your back in an upright position. Rotate leg in small circles in each direction. Alternate legs.

spinal stretches

SIDE BENDS: Sitting straight up, place your hand on the opposite knee and twist your body in that direction. Repeat the same twist in the other direction.

SPINAL STRETCHES: Link your hands together and stretch your arms overhead. Bend to the right and to the left.

7 more in-flight exercises

ANKLE TWIRLS: Lift your feet from the floor. Outline a circle with your toe tips, moving one foot clockwise and the other counterclockwise. Switch directions.

FOOT PUSHES: Begin with both feet flat on the floor, raising them as high as you can. Then, raise your heels high and keep toes on the floor. Perform this in a continuous movement.

KNEE LIFTS: Raise your leg with knee bent, contracting the thigh muscle (quadriceps). Switch legs.

NECK SWIVELS: With shoulders relaxed, lower your ear to your shoulder and gently move your neck to the right side and then to the left.

KNEE TO CHEST: Bend forward slightly. Wrap your hands around your left knee and hug it to your chest. Hold the contracted position for 15 seconds. Still holding your knee with your hands, lower it slowly. Switch knees.

FORWARD BENDS: With both feet on the floor and belly contracted inward, slowly bend forward and move hands downward, advancing toward feet. Hold this stretched position for 15 seconds and slowly return to a sitting position.

SHOULDER ROTATIONS: Arch your shoulders forward, upward and downward in gentle circular movements.

10 tips for staying comfortable during your flight

Wear loose, comfortable clothing and dress in layers.
Wear shoes that you can slip on and off easily or that can be loosened in case your feet swell. Some people bring bedroom slippers or slipper socks to put on after take off – great idea!
Drink plenty of water. Bring your own water bottle and have the flight attendant fill it up for you. Bring single servings of powdered drink mix in your bag to add to your water. I don’t know about you, but I drink more flavored water than I would plain water.
Reduce consumption of coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages.
Avoid heavy meals. Have a light snack every two to three hours.
Remove contact lenses and wear glasses to prevent eye dryness.
To equalize pressure in the ears, it may help to swallow and yawn.
If possible, get out of your seat and walk around.
Don’t forget to pack your pain medications in your carry on bag, briefcase or purse.
You may also want to look into a no jet lag homeopathic remedy like No-Jet-Lag Homeopathic Jet Lag Prevention Tablets. I’ve used them with some success and felt less tired the day after traveling.

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Posted on July 20, 2010 in Exercise,Health,Travel

An interview with Dr. Susan Mitchell, Target’s Nutrition Expert

Susan Mitchell Target Nutrition Expert Dr. Susan Mitchell is an advocate of nutrition education and believes in integrating nutrition and exercise into busy lifestyles to achieve better health, increased energy and creativity. As a self-proclaimed chocoholic, she believes that realistic amounts of almost any food can be part of a healthy diet, too. She also has a fantastic blog where she writes about everything from weight loss to gluten free diets to greening your kitchen.

She’s now bringing her industry expertise and fun, informative philosophy to Target in her role as their health and nutrition expert, which is how I got the opportunity to interview her.

How to get your family to eat healthy both at home. at school and on the go

This Mama Cooks!: A lot of people complain that healthy food is expensive and that it’s cheaper to buy a burger off the dollar menu than to make your kids a healthy sandwich with whole grain bread and lean meat. What’s do you say to that?

Dr. Mitchell: It’s a little more than simply comparing apples to apples. It’s a trade of time and low cost for a refined white bun, higher fat (and more saturated fat) meat, fillers and additives plus a higher salt/sodium content. On extremely stressful days, this option can be the easier route and an occasional treat for kids. On a regular basis, it makes for a nutritionally bankrupt diet. The good news is that most fast food restaurants now have apple slices to substitute for French fries, chocolate or white low fat milk for sodas.

This Mama Cooks!: Getting kids to eat a healthy but quick breakfast each morning is a struggle. I can barely get them to brush their hair? Do you have any tips on quick meals (to prepare and to eat) that pack a nutritional wallop?

Dr. Mitchell: Breakfast can be a challenge to get children to eat, healthy or not, so the younger you begin the breakfast routine, the better. Breakfast doesn’t have to be a huge production. It can be as simple as yogurt or soy yogurt with added chopped fresh fruit and/or granola such as Archer Farms blueberry granola. Lower sugar, higher fiber cereal with fruit and fat free/low fat milk or soy milk. Whole grain English muffins with peanut butter or low fat cream cheese topped with raisins, microwave scrambled eggs rolled in a whole grain tortilla (with salsa if desired), or an under-5-minute-smoothie are all easy yet very healthful ideas. Even grapes and cereal tossed in a plastic bag or container work…to eat as you go.

My publicist, Terri, says she leads by example. Her young daughter likes hard boiled eggs because she sees Terri eat them. She also doesn’t buy foods high in sugar so her kids have never been used to them.

Simple PB&J Smoothie Recipe

1 cup apple juice
2 T. peanut butter
½ cup strawberries (frozen are fine)
1 banana
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
ice

Blend all together and serve.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be traditional foods either. Left over cold veggie pizza is often a kid favorite. Add cut up fruit and it’s very simple. Pre-sliced fruit is also available if time is really an issue. A fun idea is to buy fresh pizza dough and have kids make their own pizza…you provide the sauce, cheese, and the healthy toppings. The leftovers are great for breakfast.

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Posted on August 24, 2009 in Dieting and Weight Loss Tips,Health,Travel

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