Buffalo Chicken Wrap recipe

Here is a good wrap recipe that has a spicy buffalo kick. It can be "toned down" by reducing the amount of cayenne and Frank's RedHot Sauce.

1. Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.
3. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.
4. To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

 Ingredients

Prep: 35 | Total Time: 35

• 2 tablespoons
  hot pepper sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
• 3 tablespoons
  white vinegar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon
  cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons
  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound
  chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons
  reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons
  non-fat plain yogurt
• to taste 
  freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup
  crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese
• 4 8-inch
  whole-wheat tortillas or gluten free rice wraps
• 1 cup
  romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 cup
  celery, sliced
• 1 large
  tomato, diced

 © Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission. WebMD Recipe fromEatingWell.com

 Nutritional Information

Makes: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 wrap

• Calories275
• Fat8 g
  • Saturated fat2 g
  • Mono Fat2 g
• Cholesterol55 mg
• Carbohydrates29 g
  • Dietary fiber3 g
• Protein24 g
• Sodium756 mg
• Potassium266 mg

* Nutritional Guidelines based on the USDA's MyPlate Standards. 

Gluten-Gree Maple Pecan Granola (dehydrator or oven)

Maple pecan granola

Ingredients:

1 cup dates, soaked
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups pecans, soaked for 2 hours or more
1 cup almonds, soaked for 2 hours or more
1 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked for 2 hours or more
1 cup raw oat flakes (certified gluten-free, if necessary)
1/4 cup chopped dried pear or other fruit

:

Directions:

In a food processor, process the dates, apple, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon and salt until smooth. You may need to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times. It's okay if a few small chunks of dates still remain. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Add the pecans, almonds and pumpkin seeds to the food processor (no need to rinse out the bowl) and coarsely chop with a few quick pulses. You want this mixture to be chunky.
Add the nut mixture to the bowl with the date puree and mix to combine.
Fold in the oat flakes and dried fruit.
Spread the granola on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 6 hours, or until the granola is crunchy. Break the granola into pieces and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

~Alternatively, this recipe can also be placed in the oven and cooked at 350 degrees turning every 20 minutes until lightly crispy. I like to add sulfite-free pieces of dried apricot and raw nuts after they come out of the oven.

Raw Cookie Dough Balls Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup raw almonds
• 2/3 cup raw walnuts
• 2/3 cup raw oat flakes (see note below)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar, pure maple syrup, or honey
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process the almonds, walnuts, oats, cinnamon and salt to a fine meal.
2. Add the agave nectar and vanilla and process to combine.
3. Next, add the cocoa nibs (or chocolate chips) and pulse just to combine.
4. Roll the cookie dough into balls about 1 tbsp each (wet your hands if the dough is too sticky) and place them on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in the freezer for about an hour to firm up. Store balls in a tightly covered container in the freezer.

Raw oat flakes can be substituted for regular rolled oats (or certified gluten-free oats, if necessary), but if you want this treat to be truly raw, look for raw oat flakes, which haven't been steamed or toasted during processing. They can be ordered from a company called Grainstorm .

Choosing the Best Chocolate

Everyone knows that when it comes to indulging your sweet tooth, dark chocolate is the best option. But is all dark chocolate created equal?

Q. How do you know the dark chocolate you have is really good for you? Are there levels to how good it is or isn't? And how much should you eat at one time?

A. Yes, the darker the chocolate, the higher the amount of health-promoting antioxidants (specifically, flavonoids) and phytonutrients it contains. Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, reduce clotting, and benefit overall heart health.

A number of factors affect the antioxidant content, including how the chocolate is processed, but the most user-friendly way to select healthful chocolate is to simply choose one with a high percentage of cacao. I advise people to choose a bar that is at least 70% cacao if you’re looking to cash in on chocolate’s beneficial health properties. This label means that the chocolate bar is 70% cocoa by weight; the remaining 30% is mostly sugar and sometimes milk. (Milk chocolate has an even lower cocoa content — as low as 10% cacao — because it contains more sugar and milk than dark chocolate.) By the way, if the package doesn’t list the percent cacao on the label, you can assume it’s not high enough to meet my recommendation.

In terms of the amount, portion control is key. Because chocolate is calorie-dense, I advise people to limit their daily intake to 1 ounce. That equates to about 150 calories, give or take. A 1-ounce portion is about the size of a standard business card if you’re talking about a thin chocolate bar, If the bar is thicker like the ones pictured above, adjust accordingly.

A Gluten-Free Diet Reduces Inflammation

Due to the growing awareness of celiac disease and gluten-intolerance, food manufacturers, supermarkets and health-food stores are stocking the shelves with  gluten-free products. There is an increasing selection of gluten-free cookbooks and gluten-free websites of information. You can follow a gluten-free lifestyle and it is becoming increasingly easier and more convenient to do it.

LIVING 100 PERCENT GLUTEN-FREE

The most important part of living with any level of gluten intolerance is a 100 percent gluten-free lifestyle. This means eliminating foods such as traditional breads, pastas, beer, baked goods, gravies, sauces and cereals. These items can be replaced with rice, risotto, potato, corn, buckwheat, quinoa, millet and amaranth, as well as legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas.

While the idea of forever living without your beloved favorite foods is daunting, fear not – the availability of great-tasting gluten-free foods is growing. Made with rice flours, corn and other gluten-free substitutes, most stores offer an ever-improving array of gluten-free goodies like beer, cereal, sauces, candy and pasta. People who must eat gluten-free can also search their local bookstores for gluten-free cookbooks to find delicious and inventive ways to cater to their unique dietary needs.

TIPS FOR GLUTEN-FREE LIFESTYLES

Beware of hidden sources of gluten: cosmetics, vitamin supplements, meal replacement powders and bars, restaurant food and even prescription drugs can contain gluten or gluten derivatives. Because of the discomfort – and even danger – of consuming gluten, its paramount to know how to avoid it. Here are a few tips to make sure your diet and other products you use are gluten-free:

1. Read the labels before you buy.

Get savvy on product labels and ingredient lists. If an item does not say "gluten-free", or if you are unsure of the status of certain ingredients, avoid it or call the manufacturer's customer service line for clarification.

2. Check your pantry.

Be on the lookout for stealth gluten hiding in your favorite foods – soy sauce, (however you can buy wheat free Tamari instead). Other things such as, malt flavoring and some varieties of maltodextrin (a food additive) all contain gluten unless labeled otherwise.

3. Avoid processed food products.

Many will contain additives with gluten – unless otherwise labeled.

4. Search for gluten-free restaurants.

Several mainstream chain restaurants, such as PF Chang's and Outback Steakhouse, offer gluten-free menu items. Many other restaurants are willing to accommodate patrons with food allergies and intolerances if given fair warning first, so call ahead and speak with a manager.

5. Order online.

Many online stores stock gluten-free sauces, pasta, cookies, pizzas and snacks in addition to other products that normally contain gluten.

6. Gluten-free does not mean calorie free.

Even though you will be cutting some foods from your diet, gluten-free food contains calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein, similar to their gluten counterparts. You are eliminating gluten from your life as a strategy for better health. Don't counter it by eating too much gluten-free food. Watch your portions!

If you are experiencing gastrointestinal distress and suspect that gluten may be the culprit, see your doctor for a diagnosis and follow-up treatment plan.

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For more information on living gluten-free, see these articles & recipes or e mail me for a free gluten-free meal plan. lifequesthealth@aol.com 

• Celiac disease and gluten intolerance
• Gluten-free recipes

LOW-CARB: It's a Lifestyle, Not a Diet! Safe Veggies and Fruit List

We all need to reduce the amount of carbs from processed foods to keep at a healthy weight and reduce insulin resistance (diabetes). However we also must add a lot more vegetables to our diets to have healthier cells that can fight off disease. Here is a list of vegetables, fruits and other lower carb options we should be going for:

The main vegetables to be avoided when reducing carbohydrates are the starchier and sweeter vegetables:Starchy (High Carb) Vegetables

• Carrots (some diets flag carrots as a problem, though they are lower in carbs than others in this group)
• Beets
• Peas
• Winter Squashes, such as acorn and butternut
• Water Chestnuts
• Parsnips
• Potatoes in all forms
• Sweet Potatoes
• Corn

What Constitutes Cheating?

~Contributed by David Mendoza

This week I ate out at my favorite Nepalese restaurant for lunch with a friend. I went through the buffet line only once, which insured that I didn't gain weight.

But I did have some food that was rather high in carbohydrates, including a samosa. And I enjoyed a couple of other yummy high-carb items.
"Aren't you cheating on your low-carb diet?" asked my friend.
I bridled at his remark. Cheating is dishonest. It's a word best reserved to its usual sense of copying the work of others.
My diet is low-carb. It's not no carb, as I made a point to tell my friend. I'm sure that low-carbing the best way to control my diabetes and my weight.
Each day I generally consume 40 to 50 grams of available carbohydrate. Since I'm a journalist rather than an engineer, I'm not as precise as some people, so I don't know exactly.
I do admire the precision of engineers. That's one of the things that I like about Dr. Richard Bernstein, who was an engineer before he went back to school in his 40s to become a medical doctor and diabetologist. 
He's the only low-carb advocate I know of who specifies precisely how many carbohydrates that we should eat -- 6 grams for breakfast, 12 grams each for lunch and dinner, and another 12 grams for a snack, if it's separated by at least four hours from a meal. He told me once that when he talks about carbohydrates, it's total carbs that he means, not available carbs.
In fact, the carbs that I ate at lunch with my friend were the only carbs I had that day. I started with a small breakfast of two poached egg whites. I had a snack of some canned Portuguese sardines. My dinner was two chicken legs that I had simmered.
Not much. But I did have a big lunch.
My low-carb diet is a way of feeding my body what it needs for the rest of my life. I fully intend to take advantage of the occasional target of tasty opportunity that comes my way. 
I don't think of my diet as depriving myself of anything that I want to eat. Of course, I have my personal guidelines about what's best, but those guidelines encompass the exceptions.

When people make resolutions that they they aren't able to keep, they are unrealistic. Likewise, either through ignorance or stupidity, some people fool themselves in their diet choices. For example, when people who use insulin to control their diabetes have something like a bagel and think that they can "cover" it with more insulin, they are acting foolish. More insulin will just make them more hungry and lead to a vicious cycle of overeating.