Syntrax makes a protein product called Nectar that is GLUTEN FREE! After taping many small videos during the last few weeks while trying each of the Nectar flavors, I found that I repeated one word an embarrassing amount of times: SHOCKING.  I guess that is the best way to describe my experience with these Nectar packets by Syntrax. I’ve tried many different brands of protein shakes and drinks over the years.  In college, my friends and I would try a few brands, then put in a large order to one of them.  Just so we could stand the taste of drinking it every day, we would have to settle...

I have found it essential to track every calorie and nutritional fact that I eat. Getting the right amount of calories is important in many ways when on a diet. If you were eating a different amount of calories each day, you would have no way of knowing what works and what does not on your diet. After you can hit your calorie goal for a couple weeks straight, you can then accurately evaluate your progress and make necessary changes. I started using Calorie King to look up the nutritional values of what I was eating. They have a huge database of foods to choose from. They also offer a software...

Preparation! I can’t stress this enough.  It was my biggest mistake so far. These are all things you MUST do before your diet starts. Have your mind right.  FOCUSED Set goals. Surround yourself with motivators. Plan your diet with an expert. Buy your foods. Know the nutritional values of each. Set up a tracking plan in Excel or with an online service. Get your sleep pattern established if you are getting up earlier. Precook & package your foods. Buy your supplements. I failed on the majority of these items and it set me back a day or two.  It takes a couple days to figure out a...

As you know, I have many gluten free people in my family that have celiac- at least 9 diagnosed, and many more in D’Nile, in Egypt(right, uncle Dave?).  Usually the gluten free people are left out when it comes to desserts… but not this year! This Christmas, Earth Cafe sent me two great gluten free cheesecakes!  The package came to my parents house, where we were having Christmas Eve, and my mom couldn’t even wait for me to open them.  She told me they were packaged really well and with dry ice. Read this list, and you wouldn’t believe that they still can taste good: Wheat...

I was privileged to receive a bottle of Bombora & CooranBong Vodka to try.  I am impressed, and so are many others. First, I have to say, while it is still an open debate on whether or not certain liquors are gluten free, it is a huge relief to absolutely know that Bombora and Cooranbong are gluten free!  I’m sure many of you can relate to that, and depending on how sensitive you are, stand on one side or the other of that dilemma.  Here is a solution. Both vodkas are made from grapes grown in the Barossa Valley where many of the great Shiraz and Cabernet wine grapes are grown.  They...

Here are the videos from all of my beer tastings: Gluten Free Beer Tasting: Episode 1: Part 1 of 2 Redbridge Bard’s Tale New Grist . . Gluten Free Beer Tasting: Episode 1: Part 2 of 2 Green’s St. Peter’s Hambleton Please see the full gluten free beer review article HERE.

OK, Who has one? Anyone switching to the gluten free lifestyle? Anyone committing 100%? Anyone vowing not to ever cheat again? . . January 1st, 2010, will be my 1 year 100% committment to being gluten free! Now that I think I have mastered the gluten free diet, I plan to set some new health goals including the GF diet. My 2010 resolution will be to lose weight on a gluten free diet.  I have a relaxing trip planned to Costa Rica at the end of March, so that is my main motivation for losing weight.  I have set the goal of losing 30lbs in the 12 weeks prior to our departure.  My diet will start...

digg_url = 'http://switch2glutenfree.com/gf-recipes/gluten-free-raviolis-recipe/'; digg_title = 'Gluten Free Raviolis Recipe'; digg_bodytext = 'Here is the Gluten Free Raviolis recipe you\'ve all be asking about!  This is my great grandmother\'s recipe, so I am divulging family secrets with my well-being at risk.  I don\'t know if it is anything special, but if both of my knees are broken by the St. Louis Italian Mafia, we will know.\n\nA month before Christmas, some of the family gets toge'; Here is the Gluten Free Raviolis recipe you’ve all be asking about!  This is my...