Gluten and Dairy Free Cookies

​Immaculate Baking Company is an all natural baking company that was founded way back in 1995. This company prides itself on using all natural products and making great tasting goods that give back. There is no surprise that Immaculate Baking has recently come out with a line of gluten free, dairy free break and bake cookies. There are two types of gluten free cookies available, the Fudge Brownie and the Chocolate Chunk. Both of these break and bake cookies are certified gluten free by the Gluten Intolerance Group.

The GIG reviews products that are labeled gluten free to determine whether or not they really are. Having their certification means the product is truly gluten free. This is  especially important since their are a great deal of companies riding the gluten free hype with false claims of products being free of any gluten.

Now that we have established these cookies are the real deal, what about the taste? If you have ever eaten a gluten free cookie before, you may know that the taste is, well, not what you would expect from a cookie. That being said, these are not your traditional gluten-free cookie- they actually taste good... like a cookie!

We tried the Chocolate Chunk cookies and were very happily surprised. I ended up having to bake these a few minutes longer than the directions called for, but once they cooled, they did not last the day. Both my husband and I (neither of whom have gluten allergies) loved these cookies; they tasted just like you would expect any break and bake to taste. Just like any other cookie, these guys are delicious but high in fat, calories, and carbs. Too bad gluten free does not mean "as healthy as that kale smoothie you had for breakfast".

Check out Immaculatebaking.com to find out more about their mission, love of folk art, Non-GMO campaign, and other products available.

The Benefits of Chia

Chia seeds are high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, these long chain fatty acids are needed for our body's daily function. Omega-3 fatty acids help with lowering cholesteral and decreasing the risks of cardiovascular disease. These fatty acids are also used in our bodies for proper brain function, in our joints for anti inflammatory benefits, and as a response to disease. In some cases, omega fatty acids have even been found to help with ADHD!

​Although chia is a great source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids (over 6,000 milligrams!) it is not a good source of EPA or DHA. DHA is the primary structural component of the human brain, epidermis, and retina. EPA is a carboxylic acid and the precursor to DHA. EPA can be found in algae, cold water fish, and breast milk. Likewise, DHA is found in breast milk and cold water fish. The good news about Omega-3 is that our body's can synthesize both EPA and DHA from it.

This little wonder seed is also a great source of protein. Chia scores a 115 on the amino acid scale. Anything above a 100 is considered a whole protein because of the complete source of needed amino acids. Chia has the optimal distribution of all nine needed amino acids recommended by the Institute of Medicine. These nine amino acids are the only ones that our body cannot synthesize. Because of this, they are a vital part of our daily diet. In clinical studies, a lack of the essential amino acids showed symptoms of dizziness, nervousness, and exhaustion.

There are 4.4 grams of protein per one ounce of chia, fantastic news for any vegans or vegetarians out there!

One of the quickest and easiest ways to use Chia seeds is to sprinkle them over food or mix them into your usual smoothie. Raw, or unsoaked chia is so small, that they can be added to most foods and not even noticed. One of my favorite ways to use Chia is sprinkled over eggs. Don't let that limit you though, Chia can be used on everything including meats and vegetables at dinner or, sprinkled over your dessert!

Use about one teaspoon in your smoothie for some great health benefits that you will not even notice you are eating. ​Chia are about the size of strawberry seeds, but pack a massive punch in health. Adding these in will give your usual smoothie a jump in minerals, vitamins, and protein.

Disney Blogs

My 25th Birthday last year at EPCOT :)

As of today, I have not been to Disney World for one, whole, month. Some may scoff at my sadness over this, but when you are willing lay down a cool couple hundred for an annual pass, one month is a pretty big deal! Since I am going through very obvious withdraws, I have decided to share some of my favorite ways of staying connected with everything Disney. Happiness.

Inside the Magic

This is first because it is my favorite, and my favorites get to go first! Inside the Magic is a blog and podcast hosted by Ricky Brigante. If you are interested in the happenings of Disneyland, Disney World, Disney Corporate, or any other part of Disney- International included- this will be a new weekly fav. Ricky releases a new hour plus podcast at the beginning of every week. Most podcasts go over what has been on his blog in the past week along with listener submitted tips and questions.

As part of the Disney media, Ricky is able to get sneak peaks and early admission to some of the new things Disney is doing. This has been very handy with the New Fantasyland opening, since I am quite impatient and wanted to know everything ahead of time. He was also able to stay and give a review of the Art of Animation Resort and Disney Cruise ships before they were open to the public. Handy. 

I could, literally, go on forever about his site and podcast. But I will not. Instead, I will just emphasize that it deserves a read and a listen!

Run Disney Blog

This is a great blog if you are interested in all the running news at the happiest places on earth. The Run Disney blog keeps you up-to-date on all runs happening at Disney, including the parks outside of Orlando. runDisney is how I found out about the Expedition Everest 5k Challenge and most other Disney races. What is so awesome about this blog is that you get all the dates, links to sign up, training, and results of past races. It is all there, nice and clear and easy to find. Soooo handy and refreshing compared to some other Disney blogs and websites.

This site gets you seriously hyped to go out and run, and especially to go out and run in a fairy tutu through Magic Kingdom. I love pictures and information, and runDisney.com has both, uber happy blogger here!

The Disney Food Blog

Just because I had my favorite first, does not mean this one is last in line. The Disney Food Blog is, actually, the one that ties in most with P+K. Oh goodness, this blog is such a fantastic find for healthy eating while at Disney. The DFB keeps me up-to-date on new openings, menus, and foods on a weekly basis. I would highly recommend checking this site out if you will be making/planning a trip to Disney in the future.

One of the worst things I can think of doing at Disney is just going in and eating somewhere, or worse, making a reservation for a place and having no idea what the food is like. I have done this enough to know that a little research will go a looong way! There are tons of great, sometimes hidden, places to eat at Disney. This blog will help you find them- no matter your dietary constraints.

Three Great Health Podcasts

View fullsize

There are quite a few podcasts that have to do with living a healthy life, here are my three favorite podcasts for health. Some of these have more to do with fitness, while others are more about food and recipes. They are all fantastic and range in run times from 3 minutes to over an hour. I love these because I can listen to them while doing work around the house, driving, exercising, or just as a form of relaxation. The best part is that they are free! 

Nutrition Diva

The Nutrition Diva is something great to listen to if you are on the go and do not have much time. Her episodes are less than ten minutes each and give great, quick tips on being healthier. She talks about everything from what is in certain foods to health myths. Her advice is simple ans easy to follow and her knowledge is backed up. What more could we ask for in ten minutes a week?

The Jillian Michaels Show

If you are interested in staying current in the fitness world, this will be your new podcast love. The Jillian Michaels Show is a weekly podcast done with Jillian Michaels (of course) and some of her friends. Jillian is most well known from The Biggest Looser and her workout DVD's. She knows her way around fitness and shares weekly tips with us. The show usually runs between 45 minutes and an hour. Perfect for the commute home.

Vegetarian Food for Thought

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is the author of many books for vegetarians and vegans. Her podcast is fantastic for those who are already a vegetarian, or are thinking of placing less emphasis on meat in their diet. Every week Colleen goes over questions that vegans and vegetarians have, nutritional tips, animals rights, myths, and health. She loves literature and uses stories, poems, and etymology as a jumping point for her topics. This podcast is one of my favorites in all my podcast line-ups. It is so informative and motivational for anyone wanting to live a compassionate life.