The Dill plant is native to southern Russia, western Africa and the Mediterranean region. Did you know that Anethum graveolens is the biological name for the herb that we affectionately call Dill?  This herb is also identified by several different names in a variety of languages such as Sowa (Hindi), Sathakuppi Sompa (Tamil), Sathakuppa (Malayalam), Sabasiege (Telugu), Sowa (Bengali, Punjabi & Urdu), Surva (Gujarati), Surva, Shepu (Marathi).  Regardless of the spoken language or the name used Dill is globally known as a flavor and aroma enhancer.  History has noted that Dill was a staple item at Emperor Charlemagne’s banquet table. But you do not have to be an emperor to enjoy the taste of Dill. This herb is used in many dishes such as smoked salmon, sauces, eggs, cheese, sour cream, yogurt and cucumber pickles to name a few.
 
Historical writings also reference Dill as a healing property in Ancient Greece and Roman. According to these writings, Dill was used to create cleansing formulas for the mouth.  The Dill seeds were burned and applied to wounds to accelerate the healing process. Remember these are historical writings, so I do not recommend treating any medical conditions with Dill.  However, I do recommend experimenting with Dill in cooking recipes.  The culinary use of Dill is both global and endless.  There are numerous existing recipes that contain Dill or perhaps you can create a few of your own. So follow your taste buds, this herb is an annual plant and can be ground year round. Depending on where you live, Dill can be grown outdoors and indoors.
 
 
XOXOXOX
 Dawn
 
  
http://www.foodofy.com/dill.html

Granny Smith apples are easily identified by their green skin. Once you take a bite out of these apples you will immediately notice that they are crisp and tart. Granny Smith apples have a higher acid content than other apples, that is why they take longer to go brown once you cut into them.  These apples are rich in vitamin C, high in fiber and are full of antioxidants. Granny Smith apples have a slightly higher potassium content than other types of apples. These apples are naturally low in calories, so if you are eating healthy, counting calories and/or watching your weight Granny Smith apples make a great snack.  Also, Granny Smith apples are available year round, so it is easy to incorporate them into your weekly/daily food plan.

XOXOXOX
Dawn


 
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-granny-smith-apples-3334.html

Most people consider Quinoa to be a staple in the vegetarian diet.  While that is true, it is also perfect for those who are gluten free, wheat free, soy and dairy free and eating healthy.  Quinoa has many health benefits.  One cup of Quinoa contains five grams of fiber and eight grams of protein. It is also low in calories.  One cup of Quinoa contains 22 calories and 4 grams of fat.  This is perfect for those of us who are watching our weight.
 
Quinoa is easy to prepare.  You can incorporate it into almost any dish such as pasta, vegetables, with meats or you can eat Quinoa as a cereal.  Cooking Quinoa requires two cups of water per serving and it is done in 20 minutes.  I love to make Quinoa cereal.  You can purchase Quinoa cereal flakes at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and numerous other stores.  To create variety in my cereal, I use fruits as a topping and a small amount of agave nectar instead of sugar.
 
In addition to finding Quinoa tasty, I am amazed how full I feel after eating my Quinoa cereal. Eating Quinoa cereal in the morning has eliminated my need for snacks between meals.  I highly recommend introducing Quinoa into your diet or at least trying it once.
 
XOXOXOX
Dawn

Goya has a line of gluten free products that are a great fit for the gluten free world!  These products can easily be found in your local grocery store or supermarket. The price point is extremely reasonable. As a working mother, I enjoy using these products because they taste great and are easy to prepare.

This is a picture of salmon prepared with dill, pesto butter and a light coating of Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I baked the salmon for 20 minutes are paired it with Goya's Aged Basmati Rice. 

Dinner was ready in less than 45 minutes.

#GFAFExpo #glutnfreeeye  While attending the GFAF Expo I met a 4th grade teacher and author, Monique Vagueiro.  She was marketing her book Allergic to Bullying.  The book addresses the issues of children being singled out in the form of bullying because of their custom eating needs.  I am a shamed to say, I forgot that bullying as was an issue faced by younger customer eaters.  As adults custom eating bullying is experienced in subtle ways. Custom eaters are labeled picky because we refused to eat a salad after the croutons are removed.  People view us as being difficult because we ask a lot of questions about ingredients and how food is prepared. My most recent experience with custom eating bullying was at a workplace event. The spouse of someone going gluten free because it is trendy made rude comments that were clearly directed at me.  This person cycles on and off of a gluten free diet and their spouse told me that I did not understand how difficult it was for this person to watch other people eat bread.  This person also commented that their spouse did not notice any change from eating gluten free.  Needless to say, I has highly insulted and this person was not intelligent enough to realize that their comments very extremely offensive to someone with Celiac disease.

Children bully in a more overt manner.  They target specific things and do not disguise the meaning of their messages in a cryptic language. Unfortunately custom eating frequently means special meals, lacking the ability to eat the same snacks at parties and depending on the necessity of the custom eater there may be more serve methods of separating foods.  Allergic to Bullying provides insight on how parents, students and schools can address the issue of bullying students because they are custom eaters.  In addition to being a 4th grade teacher, the author of this book also has Celiac disease.  This is a must read book. 

 Here is link to the interview with Monique Vagueiro: https://youtu.be/V6QO__qRBOQ

This book is available in print & ebook at:

amazon.com

barnesandnoble.com

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allergic-to-Bullying

Contact Monique Vagueiro:

mv[email protected]

XOXOXOX

Dawn