I have a secret ambition.

Some life coaches dream of getting noticed by Oprah.

I dream of Martha Stewart.

Why Martha?

Well, she’s always cool under pressure. She makes everything beautiful, and even the most complicated craft seem simple. Her recipes have never failed me. Plus, I’ll never forget that she gathered dandelions in prison for her salads and said she missed lemons most of all.

I read this little tidbit about her on her website: “She’s been known to stand in front of an open refrigerator and drink buttermilk straight from the carton and eat pickles right out of the jar. If she spots some liverwurst, forget about it — she’s in heaven.”

Swoon.

So Martha, if you or your people read this, please know that I am ready to make it happen.

But really, the reason why I bring up Martha and her genius up is because when it comes to Thanksgiving, I have always followed her lead. And until I eliminated gluten, dairy, eggs, and sugar from my diet, that was as easy as researching her website and picking out some fun recipes to try during my favorite holiday.

Now, I adapt and fiddle and honestly, I don’t try so hard. Thanksgiving can be  simple AND delicious if you don’t obsess over re-creating rolls, the perfect flaky pie crust, and stuffing. Not that trying to make those things is bad, mind you. I’m all for it, and in part II of this post, I’ll share with you some good recipes to try to make that happen. However, I suggest starting by mastering the basics, and maybe finding one new recipe to try too. The basics will never let you down and there’s always plenty of food.

How to master the basic Thanksgiving dishes:

1. The Turkey: Some turkeys have broth added to them for flavor and tenderness. And guess what? That broth can contain gluten. It’s best to stick with turkeys with no-added ingredients and my personal preference is for a turkey that is free range and organic. You can buy great humanely raised turkeys at U.S. Wellness Meats and have a turkey shipped right to your door!

For turkeys without added broth, I’ve used Martha Stewart’s turkey brine recipe for years to add flavor to the turkey before it’s roasted. I also like her basic roasted turkey recipe. Just make sure you baste often!

2. The Stuffing: If you are visiting someone else’s house, you WILL have a reaction if you eat turkey that has been stuffed with traditional wheat bread, so make sure you either bring your own or ask them to make stove-topped stuffing for you. You can also use gluten-free bread to make your own stuffing. Here’s a link to a great video from Gluten-Free Girl, on how to do that. Another good option is a quinoa or wild rice stuffing recipe from Martha Stewart.

3. Gluten-free Gravy: Remove the drippings in the bottom of the turkey roaster and place them in a saucepan and heat until boiling, and then add a cup of water mixed with 2 tablespoons potato flour (not starch) to thicken it. You can also use arrowroot starch or corn starch if you’d rather. Whisk the drippings and water together until it’s to the thickness you desire. Add some sea salt and poultry seasoning to flavor if you like. Keep stirring with a whisk to make sure your gravy doesn’t get lumpy!

4. Mashed Potatoes: Basic mashed potatoes are so simple to make dairy-free I almost feel guilty writing about it. Just add small amounts of olive oil and coconut milk (or your favorite non-dairy bevergage) to boiled and drained potatoes and whip until they are the perfect consistency. To make them extra-special add raw garlic to the potatoes before they boil.

5. Sweet Potatoes: If you want traditional baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, you can get gluten-free marshmallows from Kraft and bake your yams or sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes in the oven. But, the marshmallows are filled with corn syrup. Instead, I’d suggest a crockpot version that is just as sweet and yummy. Just peel a few yams, cut up into large cubes, add pure butter and maple syrup (1/4 cup and 1/2 cup respectively sounds about right) and cook on low for about 4 hours until tender. You won’t regret it!

6. Cranberry Sauce: It’s easy to make homemade cranberry sauce. Every cranberry bag has a recipe on the back that calls for boiling them with water and sugar and then cooling. If you are avoiding cane sugar, you can sweeten with stevia, honey, or maple syrup instead. One year I even used palm sugar and that was delicious too. If you’re looking for a more interesting cranberry recipe, and want to show off your culinary arts, then I would suggest making a chutney. I love Martha’s Cranberry-Apple Chutney recipe.

7. Vegetable Side Dish: Some of my favorite simple side dishes at Thanksgiving are green beans with a vinaigrette sauce or honey-glazed carrots or roasted brussel sprouts. All simply gluten-free.

Next week, I’ll do a recipe roundup and suggestion list for drinks, appetizers, breads or rolls, pies, and other desserts, so watch for Part II! In the meantime, I’d love it if you left a comment here with your favorite Thanksgiving gluten-free dish, recipe, or tip.

Janelle Holden is a food behavior specialist who help smart and successful people grab control of their diets so that they look and feel their best. To get more weekly tips and free resources from Janelle, click here to grab a complimentary copy of her e-zine, “BodyMindLove.”

It’s hot outside. There’s no denying it, and I must admit … I love it. I love the garden that’s growing in my backyard, the cherry tree blooming, and the long, long days. I love the frenzy of summer, cool coconut milk desserts, and smoothies for breakfast. I even love the hot afternoons when I lounge on the porch and pull out a good book (I’m currently reading Tina Fey’s “Bossypants” and laughing out loud).

So, in the spirit of summer reading, I’d like to share with you a few books that have changed my life and have the power to inspire you to reach for a better life too. Sit back, find a hammock, a sweet breeze, and some iced tea. You’re going to love reading these books.

1. “The Joy Diet” by Martha Beck. Okay, so full disclosure, my favorite part of this book was counting how many times I laughed in one day and then trying to boost that number. Martha Beck is so much fun to read. Here’s a snippet from the introduction to give you a taste:

“If you’re looking for ways to shed that potbelly or firm your buttocks, I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere. As far as I’m concerned, your belly and buttocks are absolutely magnificent right now, not that I want you to send me photographs. This book contains instructions for a different kind of ‘diet,’ one designed not for the body but for the soul.”

And here’s the interesting part, what I’ve noticed from my own experience as well as my clients is that the more you focus on feeding the soul, rather than punishing the body into shape, the healthier and better looking you get.

2. “Loving What Is” by Byron Katie. This is a powerful book. In fact, I teach all of my clients Byron Katie’s method of looking at painful thoughts and questioning them.

It’s not complex. It’s not hard. But it requires that you have an open mind, shift your thinking, and see your life from a different perspective. If you don’t like to read, listening to this book is just as powerful.

Here’s what Katie has to say about our worries and anxieties about our bodies: “Bodies don’t think, care, or have any problem with themselves. They never beat themselves up or shame themselves. They simply try to keep themselves balanced and to heal themselves. They are entirely efficient, intelligent, kind, and resourceful … The body is never our problem. Our problem is always the thought that we innocently believe.”

3. “The Survivor Personality” by Al Siebert

It’s funny how some books can sit on your bookshelf for years, never having been read until that one moment when you most needed what the book had to say.

This was the case for me and “The Survivor Personality.” I picked it up earlier this year, and was blown away by the content. His chapter on Self-Managed Healing alone is worth the price of the book. Siebert studied the different personality traits of survivors of war, abuse, hardship, and disease and found some incredible commonalities.

He has this great list of what a person could do if he or she wanted to develop life-threatening illness, some of which includes:

• Live a fast-paced, hectic life. Don’t rest.
• Eat lost of pastries. Avoid vegetables and fresh fruits.
• Smoke and drink frequently.
• Get angry at others but hide your feelings. Worry constantly. Feel unhappy but pretend to be happy.
• Dislike your life and your relationships but do nothing to make any changes. Blame others for your unhappiness. Feel helpless and hopeless. Feel trapped.

If that list sounds like you, then I recommend getting on my schedule for a complimentary Get Acquainted Call by clicking here. Your health is at risk!

4. “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks

Ever wonder why it seems like as soon as something good happens, something bad comes up to counteract it? Gay Hendricks offers some answers in this book, and new ways to look at life, at fear, and at success. As he writes, “So many of us simply never look at the effect of our minds and emotions on our physical health. But the payoff for doing so is well worth it.”

Think about the last time you used your health as a convenient excuse to get out of doing something you didn’t want to do. Is being sick helping you stay safe and hide the truth about you from others? It’s an interesting way to look at the hidden benefits we get from being unhealthy.

As he asks at the beginning of the book, “Are you willing to increase the amount of time every day that you feel good inside?”

Well, are you?

5. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck

At first, this classic of modern psychology actually seems like kind of a downer. “Life is difficult,” writes M. Scott Peck.

Okay, really? Where’s the “life is a box of chocolates” and “life is meant to be filled with joy” sorts of statements I’m used to in self-help?

I wasn’t sure I had enough hope to keep reading but then Peck explains. “Life is a series of problems. Do we want to moan about them or solve them?” This is a pretty interesting question. Most people that I meet would much rather moan than solve. But what the author points out is that we get most of our satisfaction and joy in life from solving problems, rather than avoiding problems.

Ever been bored at work or at school? Then you know what it’s like when you aren’t challenged. It actually makes you angry (boredom is a cover emotion for anger).

But the book really gets interesting when the author says, definitively: “Love is not a feeling.” Love is a choice. Chew on that for a while.

Janelle Holden is a gluten-free adventuress, mindset maven, life coach, and body tamer who helps people who struggle with food and body overcome that problem altogether so that they can look and feel their best. To get more great free content,  just click here to sign up for a complimentary subscription to her newsletter, “Gluten-Free Notes.”

by Janelle Holden

I think the last time I was in a Chinese restaurant was five years ago.

I think. I can still taste the sweet and sour chicken, Mu Shu pork, and fried rice. I remember the crunch of the fortune cookie and scooping the leftovers out for lunch. Oh, the leftovers. Those were good times.

But, I digress.

I initially gave up going to Chinese restaurants because of a severe allergic reaction to peanuts and the possibility that someone’s Kung Pao chicken would cross-contaminate my Mu Shu pork. And then, when I went gluten-free, the only Asian restaurants I frequented were sushi bars.

You can be gluten-free and still enjoy Asian flavors

Many Asian restaurants use gluten as a prime ingredient. Whether it’s soy sauce fermented with wheat, or barley miso, or the wheat paste used to thicken hoisin sauce, gluten seems omnipresent.

So, I can’t tell you how excited I was to get Laura B. Russell’s cookbook, The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen and discover that I could make many traditional Asian dishes  at home, or find gluten-free sauces or seasonings that would satisfy my taste for all things Asian and still keep me healthy.

Plus, I’m just a sucker for a cookbook that has loads of beautiful photos of the recipes, offers great new resources, and is well-written and laid out. In fact, I am so glad I didn’t buy the e-book version of Laura’s cookbook because it’s just beautiful to look at. Her recipes include gluten-free takes on Asian classics such as Crispy Spring Rolls, Gingery Pork Pot Stickers, Korean Green Onion Pancakes, Soba Noodles with Stir-Fried Shiitake Mushrooms, Salt and Pepper Squid, and Pork Tonkatsu. She also added a “Sips and Sweets” section with cocktails and simple desserts. Love.

An interview with Laura

Last week I had the great pleasure of having a private interview with Laura where she explored her own personal gluten-free journey with me and more insights on writing the book. The interview includes great tips about how to follow your body’s wisdom, find great gluten-free Asian ingredients, and make food taste good again.

Laura’s food credentials are extensive. She is the “Gluten Freedom” columnist for the Oregonian and contributes articles and recipes to many magazines as well, including Prevention, Living Without, Easy Eats, NW Palate, and Portland’s MIX magazine.  She is the former associate editor of Food & Wine’s cookbook division.

I highly recommend her blog, “Notes from a Gluten-Free Kitchen” where you can find recipes and a great guide for going gluten-free as well.

But, to start, please take a listen to our interview by clicking on the play button below or downloading it here. I’m really excited to share it with you.

Janelle Holden is a coach, mentor, and guide to people who are gluten-free and struggling with their lives and bodies. To learn more about working with her, click here to schedule a complimentary Get Acquainted Call.

Do you believe that food IS medicine?

Tracy is a nutritionist trained in natural, integrative and functional medicine based out of Laurel, Montana (right down the road from me). She is also grain and gluten-free.

The focus of Tracy’s practice is to help her patients achieve optimal health by identifying root cause(s) of disease, balancing nutritional biochemistry within the body, and teaching her patients how to adopt healthy lifestyle habits. 

Tracy holds a Masters Degree from Bastyr University (1998) and has advanced clinical training in functional medicine.  Her areas of interest within medicine include optimal aging, detoxification, gastrointestinal health, food allergies and sensitivities, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and estrogen dominance disorders.  To listen to my interview with Tracy just click on the play button here:

In my interview with Tracy  I learned some pretty amazing facts about the body, food, and diagnostic testing for food sensitivities.

Here are just a few:

• Getting your gut in-shape can help your depression.

• Food and chemicals are often the root cause of migraine headaches.

• Mediator Release Testing, which Tracy offers, can help people find out exactly which foods and chemicals their bodies are sensitive to and which ones to eliminate from their diets.

• People can recover from autoimmune disorders and debilitating chronic illness.

Janelle Holden is president and founder of the Gluten Free Life Coach, a company dedicated to helping people with food sensitivities love life and discover their new favorite foods. To get started, schedule a complimentary Get Acquainted Call with Janelle today.

No joke!

In my dream/nightmare I stood over my Kitchen Aid mixer watching the batter go round and round, wishing I could eat it.

My torment was a direct result of withdrawal. Before diagnosis, I had a major cake addiction. For years, hardly a day didn’t go buy without a frosted brownie at 3:00 p.m.. I made lemon cakes, carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting, chocolate cake with raspberry filling, and lots and lots of brownies.

After diagnosis, my naturopath told me I wouldn’t be baking much anymore, and to buy myself a sorbet maker. Secretly, I said, “There’s got to be a gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan way to have cake!” I went home and immediately searched for gluten-free carrot cake (my favorite cake) recipes online.

I ended up pretty frustrated. I found a lot of gluten-free cake recipes, some gluten-free vegan cake recipes, and no gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free cake recipes. I spent months experimenting with different recipes before I found the perfect baking book for me: “Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Baking Book” by Jennifer Katzinger. This book changed my birthday.

With very simple ingredients: brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, virgin oils, and maple syrup/concentrated fruit syrup/agave for sweetener, I now make delicious cakes and frostings. So good that even my non-gluten-free coworkers asked for seconds and the recipe.

Go get yourself a copy. Every recipe in the book is worth making and eating.