How to Throw a Valentine's Party with Usana foods

How to Throw a Valentine's Day Party with USANA Foods

The winter doldrums are here so thank goodness Valentine's Day is around the corner! It's mid winter and we have 6 weeks to go until the Spring Solstice. Here on the East Coast in reality that means we won't see any buds on the trees until April. Temperatures have been in the mid twenties on average with gusting winds making the less winter sports minded more inclined to spend time inside often resulting in feelings of isolation and boredom. And what do we do when we are bored and lonely? We eat. Thank heavens with the foods provided by USANA Health Sciences, we can enjoy eating in the company of others,  a sure fire cure for the mid winter blues. Throwing a party and showing guests, friends, family, new prospects or long time customers how to eat better with optimal nutrition is a wonderful way to meet the goals we set for ourselves as business persons while they stick to their weight loss goals for the new year. While lauded as a lover's holiday, I say spread the love around and expand it.This year we have two weekends to celebrate as February 14th falls on a Thursday. On the weekends of Feb 10th and 17th, I will be hosting two parties with half a dozen persons each. I feel good that the mother's with kids attending don't have to worry about the children over dosing on empty sweets too.
My featured guest is Paige Graham maker of  Paiges Perfections returning with her limited edition of Love Is in the Air hand poured lead free soy candles. Her stuff is so so good.
Some friends are bringing red wine and dishes rich in Omega 3 Fatty acids. After all, February is Heart Health month and everything served supports a healthy heart. Yummy! Whether your peeps are vegan, vegetarian, chocolate lovers or are trying to lose weight & keep it off,  these are all excellent options that supply real nutrition. After all, if life isn't fun who cares about being good?
On the Menu

  
Celiac Safe Gluten Free Chocolate cake Celiac Safe Gluten free recipes Usana Test Kitchen
Believe it or not this dream of a cake uses chick peas as it's base. Chickpeas are very high in protein. It's a flourless cake that incorporates USANA's Fibergy and Whey Nutrimeal. If you don't care to use eggs,  feel free to use an egg substitute. For those suffering from gluten intolerance or celiac's disease this will be a welcome treat.  Another winner from Diana Yin.



Baby It's Cold Outside!
Hot Cocoa Healthy Hot Cocoa Usana Test Kitchen

I recently made this cocoa using milk from Ronny Brook Farm that's sold at my local farmers market. Oh my goodness, good is not the word! Delicious, satisfying and best of all no crash and burn high that you get from traditional hot cocoas. Diana Yin was the mastermind behind this one. Drink and rejoice!

Chocolate Raw Mousse from LA Yoga Magazine

  Raw Chocolate Mousse! 
This recipe by Alicia Ojeda uses avocados, dates and cacao as the base. This recipe is a brilliant combination of
*Avocados which are naturally creamy, rich in Omega 3 fatty acids
*Raw Cacao a great source of anti oxidants and magnesium and
*Dates rich in fiber, a great natural laxative, they provide natural sweetness and nutrients such as potassium, iron. manganese, copper, vitamin A and  zea - xanthin that supports eye health. Used since Biblical times to break fasts. Potassium, also found in bananas, is a great way to help control high blood pressure reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries by Paige's Perfections

Celiac Safe Gluten Free Recipes from Usana Test Kitchen

Celiac-Safe, Gluten-Free Recipes from the Usana Test Kitchen

Diana Yin May 11, 2012 at 7:42 AM Celiac Disease, gluten, gluten-free, recipes

USANA Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake made with pureed garbanzo beans

If there’s one confession I can make during National Celiac Awareness Month, it’s that I honestly haven’t taken other people’s gluten sensitivities very seriously.
In fact, I’ve sometimes regarded it as an inconvenience, having once gone to three different grocery stores to hunt for gluten-free hamburger buns for what I originally thought would be a simple cook-out. Gluten intolerance sounds kinda made up, I remember thinking to myself.
After speaking with Dr. Nancy Steely, USANA’s in-house naturopathic physician, I felt a little tinge of shame. I realized that my dismissive attitude about Celiac Disease and gluten intolerances was largely the result of being poorly informed.
According to the doctor, those with Celiac Disease experience an immune reaction to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley) that causes damage to their small intestine and poor absorption of nutrients. This is in addition to a wide range of seemingly random symptoms, such as muscle cramping, diarrhea or constipation, fatigue, skin rashes, joint pain and so on that can also occur.
Some research has even shown connections between Celiac Disease and autism, depression, ADHD and other concerns. In Dr. Steely’s case, she suffered neurological symptoms associated with CD that went away a month after she was diagnosed and stopped eating gluten.

A Complex Condition

But why are the symptoms so varied? Dr. Steely explained it’s because Celiac Disease is an auto-immune condition in which your body attacks your own cells, so how it manifests in each person is different. That’s also why it’s often misdiagnosed.
In fact, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, people usually go 6-10 years before they’re correctly diagnosed and about 95% of celiacs today are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions.
It also explains why it seems like suddenly everyone is gluten intolerant — because in the past, doctors didn’t know to test for Celiac Disease and the technology for testing wasn’t as advanced.
While it may seem like gluten-free lifestyles are an American fad, you might be surprised to hear that European countries have been addressing gluten intolerance for decades.
For example, in Italy, a country famous for its gluten-laden pastas, children are screened for Celiac Disease by age 6 and Italians of any age are tested for the disease as soon as they show symptoms. WebMD quotes a CD sufferer as saying: “It may be a fad diet, but it’s not a fad disease.”
That said, a patient diagnosed with Celiac Disease is different from someone who simply has gluten sensitivities, where negative reactions to gluten exist without visible damage to the small intestines. The numbers suggest that about 3 million Americans have CD while another 40 million Americans have gluten sensitivities.
“Many people find it difficult to digest gluten, and they simply feel better by eating a gluten-free diet,” explains Dr. Steely.
However, because of the lack of understanding about gluten intolerance, celiacs and people with gluten sensitivities will simply tell people they are allergic to gluten, since allergies are an easier concept to understand. But Celiac Disease isn’t by definition an allergy. It’s a chronic illness.
When asked if there was one thing she wanted readers to take away from this blog post, Dr. Steely said: “If you have a chronic health condition that doctors cannot seem to diagnose, get tested for Celiac Disease. It’s better to rule it out than suffer longer than you need to.”

Gluten-Free Recipes

Below the doctor shares her favorite Frozen Tropical Chocolate Smoothie, while I’ve prepared a USANA Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake made with pureed garbanzo beans (everyone here loved it!). It was inspired by USANA’s in-house nutritionist and senior scientist, John Bosse, who is a big fan of bean cakes and brownies because of the extra protein they provide.
Taste these dishes and let us know what you think!

Frozen Tropical Chocolate Smoothie

Courtesy Dr. Nancy Steely
Ingredients

• 2 scoops Chocolate Whey Nutrimeal
• 1 banana
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup ice

Preparation
Blend all ingredients at high speed until creamy.

USANA Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate or carob chips
• 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (rinse and drain, if using canned)
• 4 eggs or equivalent egg white substitute
• 2/3 cup ultra-fine cane sugar or low-glycemic equivalent, such as Stevia for Baking
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbs Chocolate Whey Nutrimeal
• 1/2 Tbs Fibergy Plus
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries or preferred fruit
• (optional) 1 Tbs confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
2. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave on medium, stirring frequently.
3. Combine the beans and eggs in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, combine bean mash, sugar, baking powder, Nutrimeal and Fibergy Plus; whisk until thoroughly combined.
5. Stir in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate; cover with desired fruit and dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, just before serving.

Your Turn

Are you living with gluten intolerance or have a loved one who eats gluten-free? What are some recipes that you love to prepare?
Eating well is an important part of being healthy. From the USANA Test Kitchen is a monthly column offering useful nutrition tips, as well as delicious, healthy recipes that use USANA products in creative ways.

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