AlternativeAppetitesMay 2011

For those who crave something different...

The Gluten-Free Craze!!

Lactose-Free Indulgence Shortcut for Vegan Bakers Eco-friendly party supplies

Clean Dishes

Find out more about Colgate products at: www. colgate.com

Clean Conscious

Table of Contents

AlternativeAppetites11

On The Cover10 Free From the Sins of Gluteny

6 Alternative Accesories: Party Edition

14 A Secret Weapon

16 Lactose-Free Sips

At the Market5 Next time your at the store...

6 Alternative Accesories: Party Edition

Dining Out8 Where to eat healthy in...St. Pete, Fla.

Feature Story10 Free From the Sins of Gluteny

Culinary Explorations14 Make it Meatless

16 A Secret Weapon

18 Lactose-Free Sips

Feature Story20 Get a word in edgewise

AlternativeAppetitesCredits

Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Kemper

Design Editor: Jessica Kemper

Photo Editor: Jessica Kemper

Photographer: Jessica Kemper

Staff Writer: Jessica Kemper

Copy Editor: Jessica Kemper

Recipe Editor: Jessica Kemper

Cover Photo: Jessica Kemper; Cover Layout: Jessica Kemper

Contact Alternative Appetites:Phone Number: 727-237-0683

Email: jskemper@aamag.com

Website: www.issuu.com/jskemper

Having a party?Celebrate in eco-style!

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At the

Market Next time you’re at the

store... By Jessica kemper

Just a few things to look out for...

Larabars: A ShowdownLarabars have been a popular snack choice for the health concious for years. These bars of simple goodness

come in 19 flavors, each with a base of pureed dates. For first time buyers, here is a rundown of four of the brand’s popular flavors. For more information about Larabars, visit: www.larabar.com.

This bar is merely a blend of dates and ca-shews. Impressive in its simplicity.

However, the flavor is too simple While the crunchy, buttery cashews contrasts nicely with the sweet dates, there’s just something missing.

Dates, coconuts, raisins, almonds, cashews and co-cont oil compose this bar.

The flavor here is nice, and a little more complex, however, it might be a little too sweet, and I’m not sure the coconut and dates are in perfect harmony.

This flavor consists of: dates, apples, raisins, almonds, cinnamon and walnuts.

I enjoyed the cinna-mon in this bar, but the apple was a bit overpow-ering, and there was a tartness I found off-putting.

Perhaps I’m biased by my love of chocolate, but this blend of dates, chocolate chips, cashews and salt was my hands-down favorite.

It doesn’t really taste like cookie dough, it just tastes good!

Cashew Cookie Coconut Cream Pie Apple Pie Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Squeezable fruit in a pouch: It’s everywhere, but is it any good?

VS.

When I first saw squeezable applesauce by Buddy Fruits and Materne’s Go Go Squeez, I was hesitant to try it because I kept picturing apple-flavored goo in a pouch.

Fortunately, this stuff is pretty good. Both brands are all-natural and have no added sugar. The applesauce, which comes in multiple flavors, easily oozes from the pouch.

However, after trying GoGo Squeez plain and Buddy Fruits’ apple cinnamon, I much pre-fer GoGo Squeez. It’s slightly chunkier and has a sweeter flavor. Also, the cinnamon in Buddy

Fruits is barely noticeable. Find these at most supermarkets. For

more information about Buddy Fruits, vissit: www.buddyfruits.com. For more about GoGo Squeez, visit: www.materne.us.

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At the

Market

Alternative Accesories: Party Edition

By Jessica kemper

Have fun and help the environment, too. Here are a few helpful and affordable products for the next time you and your friends decide to have a ball!

Eco-friendly, effortless dinnerware.

Dinner is served

Clean-up Time!

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1. Chinet Casuals Recycled Paper Plates 2. Chinet Classic White Napkins3. Solo Bare 20% recycled cups.

1. Target Home Bamboo Bowl2.Good Cook 5 piece Bamboo tools3. MainstaysBamboo Coasters

1. GreenWise Paper Towels2. Nature’s Place Dishwashing Liquid3. Scotch-Brite Greener Clean natural fiber sponges

Next Week:

On The Go!

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FRESH PRODUCE

DECADENT WINE

HEALTHY SNACKS

THE GREAT OPTIONS AT... 6

Visit www.freshmarket.com for locations.

In a world of grease, calories and highly processed food, it’s not always easy to find the healthy food you crave. Those vegan, organic and vegetarian options are usually forced into a corner. Alternative Appetites is here to help, because it shouldn’t be so hard to protect your arteries or stand by your nutrition morals. Here are the best healthy restaurants and markets for those who live in or plan to visit St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rollin’ Oats Market and Cafe

Angie’s Front Porch Cafe

Dining

Out

Where: 2842 Dr. Martin Luther King St. N., St. Petersburg, Fl

What: A store that sells organic products, natural meats, and gluten-free and vegan items. The whole foods market also contains a small cafe/deli.

What sets it apart: The shop features a huge selection of fresh herbs and seasonings. The spices are left in jars, so customers can decide how much they need.

Where: 497 7th Ave. North St. Petersburg, Fl

What: This cafe features dishes made with fresh, locally-grown produce. Produce is also sold for satisfied customers.

What sets it apart: Angie’s offers its customers a Sunday brunch buffet with drinks included for $8.95 per person.

The Fresh MarketWhere: 2900 4th St. North Petersburg, Fl, plus locations countrywide

What: This supermarket features a both conventional and organic items.

What sets it apart: The Fresh Market is a full-on chain supermarket, featuring produce, meat, a bakery, a deli, candy and gourmet snacks. It’s also marked by a decidedly more sophisticated feel than your average supermarket.

Where to eat healthy in... St. Petersburg, Fla.

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Fresh Go Wild Market and Grill

Leafy Greens Cafe

Central Cafe and Organics

Alternative Appetites loves reader feedback. Next month, we’ll be exploring whole food restaurants/markets in Atlanta, Ga. If you have any favorites, send us a photo and information at jkemper@aamag.com. Thanks in advance!

Where: 600 34th St. North, Petersburg, Fl

What: More grill than market, this restaurant serves meals made with all-natural ingredients. Fresh Go does sell a small selection of natural energy products and flavor oils.

What sets it apart: Fresh Go serves fast food, dine-in or take-out. It’s even complete with a drive-through window.

Where: 1431 Central Ave., Petersburg, Fl

What: This quaint cafe features an impressive list of vegan options, deli-cious organic tea blends, and desserts, including their famous macaroons.

What sets it apart: Leafy Greens Cafe features a largely raw menu, one of the only of it’s kind in St. Petersburg.

Where: 243 Central Ave., Petersburg, Fl

What: This cozy market/cafe serves meals and treats made with organic, fresh ingredients. Healthy snacks and beverages are sold in the market.

What sets it apart: Central Cafe and Organics features an impressive veg-gie juice menu, and allows you to concoct your own health beverage from a list juice options. The cafe also features a selection of organic beers and wines to enjoy.

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The M

ain

Course Free from the sins of

Story by JeSSica Kemper

photoS by JeSSica Kemper

A Powerful Protein

Gluten is a protein prolamin that lurks around inside grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. It’s very helpful to the foods that contain it, as gluten acts

as a glue that keeps ingredients stuck together and adds an elastic quality to dough. Furthermore, gluten lends to the chewy texture of breads and cookies.

There are different types of gluten proteins. Thegluten in wheat is called gliadin; in rye, it’s called secalin;

and in barley, the protein is known as hordein.What’s the fuss?

Gluten may be a great addition to a breakfast muffin, but for many, it’s not a healthy addition to their digestive system. The potent little protein is the cause of health issues such as Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetiformis and gluten intolerance.

For some people, gluten just doesn’t sit right. People with a gluten intolerance simply find that they feel ill after con-suming food that contains the protein. According to Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), there are no tests for gluten sen-sitivity. It’s simply a matter of cutting gluten out of one’s diet for a while, and waiting for a change.

Celiac Disease involves a more serious intolerance to glu-ten. It’s an autoimmune disorder, that causes people to have an immune-mediated toxic reaction following consumption of the protein, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF).

According to the National Digestive Disorders Informa-tion Clearinghouse (NDDIC),this reaction occurs because a person’s immune system responds to the consumption of gluten by damaging or destroying villi that line the small intestine. Destruction of these villi can lead to malnour-ishment, because nutrients from food can no longer be released into the bloodstream. This reaction can lead to damage to the small intestine and small bowel. Common symptoms of Celiac Disease include: Abdominal cramping, chronic diarrhea or constipation, anemia, bone and joint pain, fatigue and migranes.

Another complication that can be caused by consump-tion of gluten is Dermatitis Herpetiformis. This is a chronic skin disease caused by a negative immune reaction to glu-ten, according to GIG. The result is a painful, itchy rash that develops into blisters.

Getting Rid of Gluten

For people suffering from the aforementioned disorders, the best solution is to eliminate gluten from their diet. It’s not easy, but thanks to expanding education and increasing availability of gluten-free products, it’s not impossible.

Getting rid of gluten isn’t as easy as cutting out bread, cookies and cakes. There are many foods that one might not immediately associate with containing the protein. Breaded or fried foods are generally coated with flour mixtures or bread crumbs. Many sauces and soups are thickened with flour. A person on a gluten-free diet is really forced to check the label on any product, as gluten seems to have a way of sneaking in.

Instead of spaghetti...Try a corn-based spaghetti, such as DeBoles Corn Spagetti.

Instead of using flour as a thickener... Stick with cornstarch, mixed with a little water or milk.

Our favorite brand of gluten-free cookies...

Instead of bread crumbs... Use crushed Corn Chex, crushed corn tortilla chips or crushed potato chips.

If you want a cracker... There are a number of gluten-free cracker options on the market. The hot items now are crackers made from nuts or seeds. Blue Diamond and Crunchmaster are among the brands that offer these products.

Gluten-Free Substitutions

Mi-Del chocolate chip cookies are two-bite size and are great for dipping into milk.

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For the baking aficionados out there, there are plenty of options for crafting a gluten-free loaf of bread or muffin. Combinations of non-wheat flours can be use to replace the real thing. These include: rice flour, potato flour, tapi-oca flour, cornstarch and cornmeal. Xanthan gum and guar gum can be used as replacement for gluten.

Unfortunately, these things ingredients can get expensive. Fortunately, many food manufacturers out there are wis-ing up to the growing problem of Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity. There are several brands that specialize in craft-ing gluten-free products, and even some of the mainstream brands are getting in on the action. Glutino produces everything from pretzels to bagels and even frozen maca-roni and cheese without that pesky little protein. Bob’s Red Mill boasts a line of gluten-free baking mixes. Corn Chex and Rice Chex cereal proudly displays a gluten-free label on their box. Betty Crocker produces four gluten-free mixes that include brownies and cookies. And even Fruit Roll-Ups are pointing out the lack of the protein in their product.What about the rest of us?

Going gluten-free is no longer just a health necessity. The diet has become a growing trend among people who simply believe it’s healthier to give up the gluten.

According to Ethan A. Huff of Naturalnews.com, many people are adopting the lifestyle as a way of improving their overall health and boosting energy. Jacquie MacDonald, owner of Jacquie’s Smart Foods, believes that wheat has a a lot of health benefits that shouldn’t be ignored unless you have a gluten intolerance.

However, as nutritionist Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., explained for Huffington Post, it’s not cutting out gluten that makes these people feel better. It’s cutting out many of the processed, carb-filled foods that contain gluten.

Gluten-Free Chicken ParmesanIngredients: 1 1/2 Cups Corn Chex1/4 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. black pepper1/4 tsp. Garlic powder1/4 tsp. Paprika1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Grated parmesan1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning1 egg4 chicken breasts1 8oz. package DeBoles Corn Spaghetti1/3 cup + 1tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil2 Cups premade marinara sauce

Directions:

1)Crush the Corn Chex by placing them in a sealed bag and smashing them with a rolling pin, meat mallet or can. Add the four following ingredients, 1/4 cup parmesan and 1/4 tsp. to the crumbs and mix well.

2)Beat the egg in a small bowl. Rinse of chicken breasts. Dip both sides of each chicken breast in the egg, then dredge through the crumbs, getting an even coating on each side.

3)Heat 1 tbsp. oil at medium heat in a skillet. Add chicken. Cook about five minutes on each side, or until fully cooked.

4)Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and toss with 1/3 cup oil, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, a dash of salt, a dash of pepper a 2 Tbsp. parmesan. Warm up sauce either on stove or in microwave.

5)Assemble a chicken breast on desired amount of noodles, top evenly with sauce, and sprinkle with extra parmesan, as desired.

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Information provided by The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.

Make it MeatlessrecipeS and photoS by JeSSica Kemper

It might be easy to grab a premade veggie patty out of the freezer, but it’s no difficult feat to make a vegetable-based meat on your own. A few affordable ingredients is all it takes to mix up a delicious meatless meal for your family.

Culin

ary

Explorations

Red Beans and Rice Patties

Black Bean Supreme

Italian Wedding Soup with Mini “Meatballs”

“Sausage” Gravy

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Make it Meatless C

ulinary

Explorations

Italian Wedding Soup with Mini “Meatballs”Ingredients: 3 cups vegetable broth3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning1/4 tsp. black pepper1/2 tsp. garlic powder1 cup canned Northern beans1/2 cup bread crumbs1/2 cup cooked ditalini1 cup cooked frozen spinach1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Instructions:

1) Pour broth, 1/4 tsp. Ital-ian Seasoning, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a saucepan. Add spinach. Sim-mer for 1 hour.2) Meanwhile, mash or puree the beans. Stir in remaining

seasonings and bread crumbs. Roll into small balls.3) Heat oil in skillet and cook “meatballs” until browned.4) Add “meatballs” and di-talini to the broth and spinach. Enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice PattiesIngredients:2 cups red beans1/2 cup white rice1/2 cup diced onions1/2 cup diced red peppers1 cup bread crumbs1/4 tsp. black pepper1/2 tsp. ground red pepper1/2 tsp. chili powder1/4 tsp. salt2 tbsp. vegetable oilInstructions:1)Pour 1 tbsp. oil in a skillet, and saute onions and peppers on medium heat until soft-ened, about 5 minutes.2)Cook rice according to pack-age instructions.3) Puree beans in a food pro-

cessor, or mash with a spoon.4) Stir seasonings, onions, pep-pers and bread crumbs into beans.5)Shape bean mixture into 4 patties. Cook patties until browned on medium heat in a skillet with 1 tbsp. oil.

Black Bean SupremeIngredients:2 cups black beans1 cup Mexicorn2 cups tortilla chips1/4 tsp. black pepper1/2 tsp. chili powder1/4 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. ground red pepper1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Instructions:

1) Place tortilla chips into a small ziplock bag and seal. Crush chips finely with a mal-let.2) Puree black beans in a blender, or mash with a spoon.3) Stir seasonings, Mexicorn

and chips into mashed beans.4) Shape mixture into 4 patties.5) Heat oil in a skillet on me-dium heat.6) Cook patties in skillet until browned, about 7 minutes on each side.

“Sausage” GravyIngredients:1 cup black beans1/2 cup bread crumbs2 cups + 2 tbsp. milk2 tbsp. cornstarch1/4 tsp. black pepper1 tsp. Italian seasoning1/4 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. parsley1 tbsp. vegetable oilInstructions:

1) Puree or mash black beans.2) Stir bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp. parsley into beans.3) Heat oil in a skillet at me-dium heat.4) Place bean mixture in skillet and ground with a fork, as if

cooking ground beef. Cook un-til browned, about 7 minutes.5) Add 2 cups milk, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, black pep-per, salt and 1/4 tsp. parsley to skillet. Once boiling, add a mixture of 2 tbsp. milk and cornstarch. Simmer and stir until thickened.

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Culin

ary

Explorations

Top Secret

Weapon

Vegan baking poses a few challenges. Until you’ve taken on the role of environmentally-concious pastry chef, you don’t appreciate how easy it is to just pour in some milk or cream in some butter. Once you’ve settled on substitutes for these prominently-featured ingredients, it’s time to figure out how to replace the ever-important egg.

The egg subsitute you choose really depends on the purpose of the egg. That’s a whole other article, though. This article focuses on what to do if you need something to bind and moisten your ingredients. In these cases, I suggest using a fruity baby food.

Don’t act so surprised. Many vegan bakers use pureed fruit when they need a binder. It adds an extra something to the flavor of your favorite cake, while at the same time keeping your cake moist. Baby food just cuts out the time-consuming step of peeling, chopping and pureeing fruit.

Unless you want the flavor of the baby food to factor into the flavor of the whole dessert, I recommend using a mild-tasting, fruit-based baby food. Think pears, prunes, peaches, etc.

The following are two examples of baked goodness that use baby food as a secret ingredient.

Crunchy SnickerdoodlesIngredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

6 tbsp. carrot baby food

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Instructions:1) In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and bak-ing powder.2) In a separate bowl, beat the oil and 1 1/2 cups sugar until well mixed.3) Add baby food to sugar mixture. Beat well.4) Beat in vanilla.5)Add the flour mix-

ture to sugar mixture and beat well.6) Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and remain-ing cinnamon and nutmeg.7) Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in spiced sugar.8) Place 2 inches apart on greased pan. Flat-ten with a fork.9) Bake cookies at 400 degrees for 14 min-utes.

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Take Your Pick 19 Flavors that Taste Great All Made From Dates

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour3/4 cup unsweetened co-coa powder1 1/2 tsp. baking powder1 1/2 tsp. baking soda1/2 tsp. salt6 tbsp. baby food prunes2 cups almond milk1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp. vanilla extract1 cup boiling water2 tbsp. instant coffee gran-ules4 cups confectioner’s sugar1/2 cup slivered almonds

Instructions:1) Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, bak-ing powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.2) Add almond milk, prunes, oil and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes3) Add coffee gran-ules to boiling water. Pour boiling water into batter and stir well. 4) Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan.

5) Bake at 350 de-grees for 55 minutes.6) Meanwhile, to create icing, stir to-gether almond milk and powdered sugar until well-blended and thick.7) When cake is baked and cooled, pour icing over the top.8) Garnish the cake by sprinkling and pressing almond slices onto the cake.

Chocolate Almond Bundt Cake

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Visit us at www.larabar.com

Culin

ary

Explorations Lactose-Free Sips

recipeS and photoS by JeSSica Kemper

Here are a few delicious, creamy beverages that refresh without lactose. Remember, most of these recipes still contain milk, so this is for those who only have issues with lactose. Also, if you plan to garnish your drink with whipped topping, use Cool Whip or another brand that is lactose free.

By Jessica kemper

Chocolate Macaroon Milkshake

1)Chop 2 prepared macaroon cookies. Set aside.

2) Pour 1/2 cup coconut milk into a blender. Add 2 cups of chocolate lactose-free milk. Add chopped macaroons.

3) Place lid on blender and pulse until mixture is smooth. Pour into 1 glass.

4) Chop 1 macaroon cookie.

5) Top shake with a dol-lop of Cool-Whip or other lactose-free whipped topping. Sprinkle with chopped cookie.

Amaretto Alert

1) Heat 3/4 cup of water in microwave for a minute and a half.

2) Add 2 tbsp. instant coffee granules to hot water and stir well.

3) Add 2 tbsp. lactose-free milk to coffee and stir well.

4) Stir in 1 oz. amaretto.

5) Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla.

6) Top with Cool-Whip or other lactose-free topping. Garnish with a pinch of cin-namon.

1) Pour 1/4 cup of almond milk into a blender.

2) Add 2 cups of raspberry sorbet.

3) Place lid on blender and pulse until mixture is smooth.

4) Pour into one glass.

Raspberry Almond Delight Creamy Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie1) Mash one banana. Don’t use an overly-ripe banana.

2) Pour 1/2 cup coconut milk into blender.

3) Add 1/2 cup honey-roast-ed peanut butter.

4) Add mashed banana.

5) Add 1 1/2 cups ice cubes.

6) Place lid on blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth.

7) Pour into on glass.

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You’ve got opinions and we want to here them! Get a word in edgewise!

Are there anyfoods you have to buy organic?

“I always opt for organic if I have a choice. I most-ly pay attention to fruits and vegetables. I choose organic because it's bet-ter for you.” Agne

“I make it a point to buy my baby spinach leaves organic. They are more tasty and organic foods don’t use the nasty pes-ticides so I try to buy it when I can. I”m also concerned about GM foods and I’m pretty sure if it is labeled “organic” in the US then it cannot be genetically modified.” Chuck

“I buy organic soymilk, eggs, bananas, celery, and, baby carrots.” Evan

“I grow my own food, and when out of my own supply I just get w/e from publix. Organ-ic really means nothing to me. DDT is organ-ic, petroleum is organic, etc etc. It’s impor-tant to remember that “organic” doesn’t mean the crop was raised with...out pesticides. It just means that the pesticides used were from an approved list of non-synthetically derived pesticides and some synthetic ones, which includes such quite toxic materials such as copper sulfate, pyrethrum, lime sulfur etc. So honestly its a waste of money in my opinion. A good long wash, peeling the fruit/veggie, and if possible cook it.” David

“Organic eggs :) Thats about it.”

Mary

“Oh a friend of mine raises free ranged chick-ens and he hooks me up with the eggs.” David

17To answer next week’s question, “What’s your favorite milk substitute and why, email us at jskemper@aamag.com

They’ll never know the difference.....

Asian Helper Gluten-Free Chicken Fried Rice

www.bettycrocker.com