Happy New Year | Where In the World Was The Gluten Free Chef in 2018?

Dear Readers,

We made it! One more year down one more year ahead of us. If you’ve been a long time follower of theglutenfreechefblog.com you’ve more than likely noticed a decrease in engagement from me throughout the year. For this I apologize. 2018 was a year of great sacrifice for me as it pertains to this blog and theglutenfreechef brand. I spent the majority of the year building my skills as a non-profit leader and growing 540, Inc. and 540WMain Communiversity.

Initially I thought I would be able to devote the same amount of time to both endeavors but early on last year I let go of this optimistic burden and decided that half doing many things marginally well made less sense than paring down my focus and doing a few things very well. This decision meant that for the first time, I would out this blog on the back burner of my creative focus since we started in 2012.

What to Expect in 2019

But don’t fret. This decision has been a blessing in disguise. This creative break has given me a renewed zeal for this blog and brand and allowed me to cultivate a refreshed and renewed interest in the way I am growing and investing in this blog and. Simply stated, I cannot wait to share all the amazing new recipes, digital content and more than I have planned out for this new year.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your patience and support in this journey that has continued for over six years and counting. As I’ve shared before, my present is the result of this website and I will never forget the blog that started it all. Here’s to new beginnings in 2019.

xoxo

theglutenfreechef

Dependence is Not Addiction | Living with Fibromyalgia

The war on opiods is real. Let me restate that” The war on opioids is real and those of us living with chronic pain conditions and invisible illness are at risk of losing essential medications that give us a quality of life.

The war on opioids is real

I say all this in acknowledgement of a real need to address “opioid abuse” and “substance use disorders” which are very real and claiming the lives of many individuals across the country. However, as someone living with chronic pain and a dependence on prescription opiioid medication to live a successful productive life, I cannot help but be fearful that the vilification and “war” on prescription opioid medication with broad sweeping generalizations is not only frightening by upsetting.

The purpose of this post is not to undercut the real need for legislative control and action around “substance use disorder” but to help dispel the myths and misunderstanding of the categorizations of prescription dependence vs illegal and prescription drug addiction (now known as substance use disorder).

What is Addiction

Psychology Today defines addiction as:

“An activity initially enjoyed by a person (eating, drinking, drug-taking, etc.), but with repeated use and higher amounts needed to achieve a similar ‘high’ that can become life-threatening for the person’s level of work and life responsibilities”.

Medical and substance abuse communities have found that there are neurochemical differences between a normal brain and an addict’s brain. There are even perceived differences between addiction versus the abuse of a substance.

Addiction can occur without physical dependence; consider cocaine or methamphetamine both have little outwardly apparent withdrawal syndrome but addiction to either can devastate lives. Non-substance addictions such as gambling, sex or internet also have no physical dependence. What is common to all these addictions is the unnatural cravings that prompt the compulsive behaviors. (National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphone Treatment)

Physical dependence can occur without addiction; this is the common experience of most chronic pain patients who are able to take their opioid medication as prescribed for pain but don’t develop the uncontrollable compulsion and loss of control. A desire to avoid withdrawal is not addiction. (National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphone Treatment)

Studies have shown that addiction can form in individuals through a combination of genetic makeup and poor social skills. This is why the offspring of addicts are prone to becoming addicts. One study showed that a child of a parent with a drug or alcohol addiction is eight times more likely to develop an addiction as well.

What is Dependence

‘Dependence’ is a term used to describe a person’s physical and psychological loss of control due to substance abuse. If a person uses many drugs and develops a physical dependence on these drugs, that person is usually described as dependent. That alone isn’t always an addiction, but it can accompany addiction. Today, medical experts refer to ‘dependence’ usually around a person’s constant drug and alcohol abuse. Conversely, chronically addictive behaviors like compulsive sex, constant gambling, and even non-stop Internet usage can be seen as an ‘addiction.

Why Understanding the Difference Matters

According to recent reports; atleast 100 million people with chronic pain aren’t getting the relief they need and are seeking alternatives.

Because of some healthcare workers’ attitudes toward opioids and media coverage of the opioid epidemic, when patients bring up the fact that they live with pain, they’re looked at with skepticism, questioned relentlessly, second-guessed, and judged. This creates a conundrum for physicians that because they aren’t adequately trained to deal with chronic pain conditions or don’t believe in what the cannot see; create a disparity in how they prescribed opioid medication.

There can be an all or nothing approach to the prescription of pain killers with patients who for instance have a surgery having medication over prescribed. This creates a situation where leftover medication unintentionally getting into the hands of children or worse finding itself to the black market because it wasn’t safely stored or disposed of. On the flip side, chronic pain patients may be cut off from essential pain medication because that same physician that over prescribed to a surgery patient fears long term addiction in a chronic pain patient.

Representation Matters

In addition to these disparities, there’s not a lot in the media about chronic pain patients. Chronic pain is not visible therefore it is hard to fully comprehend how someone can live with vacillating debilitating pain. Additionally because the media is all about “juicy” attention grabbing rhetoric; speaking about opioid use in the context of addiction sells more headlines and is a more interesting story than highlighting the experiences of chronic pain patients. It’s all about addiction and people abusing their pills. But there are pain patients suffering long term and they can’t get any help from the medical community, many experts explain. “No one is willing to listen to them.”

Again there’s no question that the use of opioid medications in the United States is a dangerous and mounting problem. The statistics speak for themselves:

  • In 2015, opioid overdoses killed approximately 33,000 people, up from around 11,000 10 years prior.
  • Opioid abuse has been called the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history.

But the epidemic is driven primarily by illegal — not medical — abuse of prescription pills.

  • A study of over 135,000 opioid overdose victims found that just 13 percent were chronic pain patients.
Even when the numbers are put into the proper context, chronic pain patients bear an inflated burden of the backlash against opioid use, which was driven by the pharmaceutical industry in the 90s.

How to End the Myth

I take opioid medication every single day to function and live. I am not an addict.

The single most important thing people can do is to listen to chronic pain patients and advocates when they share their life experience. To often people judge and stereotype based on what they think they know or narratives that they have seen. Everyone’s experience is different and the statistics show that most chronic pain patients are not addicts. Chronic pain patients should advocate for themselves and share their stories. The more we know the more we can understand to listen.

At a systemic level, in 2013, the American Psychological Association (APA) released the fifth edition of the DSM. In this edition, the definitions revolving around addiction were changed once again. The APA ditched both “substance abuse” and “substance dependence” in favor of “substance use disorder.”

Part of the reason for the change was the confusion surrounding the word ‘dependence.’ The hope is that defining an addiction as a substance use disorder was a more inclusive way to identify people who need help, but may not have a debilitating addiction.

Advocacy

I join the U.S Pain Foundation as a Pain Ambassador or spokesperson for issues and legislation surrounding chronic pain patients, advocacy, and showing everyday through my work with 540WMain Learning Academy and beyond the face of chronic pain. Each of us is different and unique. Laws and legislation have to reflect this diversity. While reform is absolutely necessary, some of the restrictions on opioids have unintentionally harmed legitimate patients who rely on opioids to manage their pain and use their medications appropriately. As a result, these individuals are left with their pain under-treated or untreated. A failure to treat pain appropriately, however, leads not only to unnecessary physical suffering, but also increased disability, lost productivity, depression and anxiety, and even suicide.

Says the U.S Pain Foundation:

“In order to effectively address the opioid epidemic, we must enact balanced reforms that consider the needs of both patients with pain and patients with substance use disorder. Balanced reforms include things like increased access to alternative treatment options (including complementary and integrative medicine and medical marijuana); prescription monitoring programs; abuse-deterrent formularies; increasing public awareness about safe medication disposal; better understanding of risk factors and appropriate screening for substance use disorder; and so on.” Read their full position statement.

To learn more chronic pain visit the U.S Pain Foundation

Sources: Addiction Center | The Recovery Village | Healthline | U.S Pain Foundation |(National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphone Treatment)

Vegan Baked Macaroni & Cheese | Living Vegan

It’s taken me months to find the time to share this amazing Vegan Macaroni & Cheese recipe with you. Created last year, this mac & cheese became one of the most popular dishes that I created for 540WMain Learning Academy’s monthly vegan pop up dinners. My goal was to create a vegan version of this classic American “main” dish as a side.

Feedback was so positive that I made it a staple for the newly created Vegan Cheese Making Class also at 540WMain. I’m elated to finally finally share this recipe with the world. Get into the recipe below.

Vegan Baked Macaroni & “Cheese”

Ingredients

  • 3 yams, peeled and steamed soft
  • 2 stalks celery
  • scallion
    3 cups non-dairy milk
  • 2 cups veggie broth
  • ¼ cup just mayo
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup (1 stick) vegan margarine
  • ¼ cup almond meal
  • ¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
    3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    2 teaspoons tumeric
    1 teaspoon cumin
  • cooking spray

Preparation

  1. Wash and scrub yams, cut in half, cover with foil and bake on 400 degree F for 50-60 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool completely before moving on.
  2. Meanwhile, bring 5-6 cups water to boil. Add pasta, a pinch of salt and drizzle of olive oil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside in large mixing bowl.
  3. In a food processor blend yams with milk until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Coat a cast iron skillet with cooking spray, add celery and scallion and sauté on medium heat until tender. Add margarine, almond meal, vinegar, just mayo, mustard, garlic, cumin, and tumeric and stir until margarine is completely melted. Add in puree yam mixture. Pour this sauté mixture over macaroni along with veggie stock. Stir in yeast and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Grease a 6×9 pirex dish and add macaroni mixture. Bake on 400 for 15 minutes until bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

The Gluten Free Chef Blog’s Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2017

It’s the end of the year so you know what that means…

Best of Compilations

That’s right. Although activity on the blog in 2017 wasn’t as plentiful as year’s past, it wouldn’t be the end of the year without a few best of compilation posts. Up first is the Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2016. These are all the top recipes that you viewed, liked, loved, and shared throughout the year.

The Gluten Free Chef Blog’s Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2017

Vegan Sorghum Pancakes

Vegan Sorghum Biscuits 

Oven Fried Garlic-Chive Potatoes (Vegan)

Chocolate Banana Apple Smoothie

Honey Balsamic Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan)

Slow Cooked White Bean, Lentil & Kale Soup

Sour Cream Pound Cake 

Parmesan Asiago Spaghetti Squash 

Apple Fritters

 

Sorghum Chocolate Pound Cake

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies | Grain-Free Loaded Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (6)

Anybody and everybody who knows me understands that my favorite dessert combination is peanut butter + chocolate. I mean as far as I’m concerned they go together like “White on Rice”, “Simon and Garfunkel”…”Horses and Carriages…ok you get the idea 🙂 This past Saturday a sweet craving in between a nasty fibromyalgia disease flare yielded these quick Grain-Free Loaded Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. With only FIVE main ingredients you literally cannot lose with these cookies. And they a filled with peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. AMEN

Grain-Free Loaded Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup natural smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup Reese’s peanut butter chips
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a food processor pulse together peanut butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Add in egg and vanilla. Fold in peanut butter and chocolate chips.
3. Coat a cookie sheet with baking spray and using a tablespoon cookie scoop drop dough onto pan. (I did 2 rows of three.)
4. Flatten each slightly and baking for 10 minutes. Tops will crinkle slightly.
5. Allow cookies to cool completely before transferring from cookie sheet.

Introducing The Gluten Free Chef’s Natural Product Challenge | Pure Haven Essentials 

I am pleased to announce the Pure Haven Essential Challenge

I was introduced to Pure Haven Essentials through Rochester, NY based Pure Haven Essentials Consultant Heidi Jarvis. Heidi was a vendor at The 2016 Rochester Makers Market at 540WMain Learning Academy (our headquarters) as well as this year’s Rochester Gluten Free Health & Wellness Expo. The Makers Market is all about highlighting local artists, makers, and health and wellness professionals and Heidi and I connected immediately over a shared love of natural and organic home, health, bath and body care.

What is Pure Haven Essentials

What I immediately liked about Pure Haven is their dedication to creating products that are 100% toxin free. The company’s mission is to educate consumers about pure & safe, alternative choices that are easy to add to your daily routine. For the last two years, I’ve been on a quest to remove toxins from my everyday life and begin to make my own all- natural deodorant and toothpaste as well as using purely natural organic essential oils and shea butter based moisturizes. This stems from the knowledge that living gluten free is about more than just what we eat but also what we use on our bodies. The skin is our largest organ and what we put on it is just as important to our overall well-being as what we eat.

Of course, making products from scratch takes a certain level of time and dedication that I do not always have as a business owner. So it is important to have commercial products that are just as trustworthy what I make for myself in my kitchen from scratch.

What is the Pure Haven Challenge

Heidi recently gifted me a box full of  Pure Haven Essentials products and in my excitement I wanted to create a challenge where I tasked myself to use the project line for two weeks at home and at 540WMain and document my honest thoughts and opinions here on the blog. Before I can give my full endorsement of any product line I have to know the products inside and out and genuinely use them in my personal life. This challenge is a perfect way to do that.

What Products Will I be Using?

My gift set includes the following Pure Haven Products:

  1. Glass Cleaner
  2. Moisturizing Hand Soap
  3. Aloe Vera Shea Butter
  4. Shave Gel: Aloe Vera
  5. Surface Cleaner
  6. Lemon Peel Dish Soap

I am beyond excited to get cleaning with Pure Haven and share my experiences with you all two weeks from today.

Happy cleaning 🙂

P.S I was not financially compensated for this post or for the two week challenge. I received products for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my personal experience with the products.

Vegan Blueberry Curly Kale Smoothie | Guest Post by Shell Harris of Smoothieweb.com

Many feel intimidated putting vegetables like kale or spinach (or broccoli) in their smoothies because it seems like a strange thing to drink…Well, I think this smoothie will change your mind! The delicious blueberry flavors completely mask the taste of the kale and even the avocado, which means if you close your eyes, you would not even notice all the nutritional goodness that is in there!

Give it a go and I guarantee you will be throwing vegetables in your smoothies left right and center.

Blueberry Curly Kale Smoothie

Ingredients

  • ¼ Cup Kale
  • ½ Cup Frozen Blueberries
  •  ¾ Cup Coconut Water
  • ½ Avocado
  • ¼ Cup Ice

Preparation

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and mix on a pulsating high speed until completely mixed and thick.

*You may need to remove thick kale stalks before adding to your blender!

Why These Ingredients

Using ice in this smoothie helps to thin down the consistency as the kale and avocado act as thickeners and using ice in addition to frozen blueberries helps to chill it to the perfect drinking temperature for a better flavor (trust me). Also, using coconut water in this smoothie removes the lactose from conventional recipes and makes it suitable for those with intolerances or living a vegan/dairy-free lifestyle.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 230 | Fat: 7g | Protein: 6g | Sodium: 40mg | Sugar: 31g | Fiber: 9g

Benefits

  • Vitamin K is for kale! Ok maybe not, but it does contain a large amount that can reduce the risks of some cancers and has even been linked to the reduction of suffering for those with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to this, kale is high in iron and is recommended by nutritionists to treat those who suffer from deficiencies and their effects.
  • Avocados actually have a high potassium content than bananas but many don’t realize! Potassium can help to reduce your likelihood of having a stroke, heart attack and even kidney failure.
  • In addition potassium can contribute to reducing high blood pressure and maintaining a healthy heart. In addition, the “flesh” of an avocado is high in healthy protein and monounsaturated (healthy) fats, which can be particularly beneficial for vegetarians or those who are looking to increase their protein consumption without the aid of meat.

Shell Harris is the founder of http://www.SmoothieWeb.com, the web’s largest resource for smoothie recipes. His first book, 101 Skinny Smoothies for Weight Loss and Detox is his first book supporting one of his passions (smoothies). His other interests include top 10 lists at http://www.Toptenz.net – and vintage posters and jack russell dogs.You can find more delicious and healthy recipes at smoothieweb.com