http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ Forums for the elanaspantry.com website en Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:11:16 +0000 http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/burnt-chocolate-cake#post-1299 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:13:18 +0000 eeastman 1299@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>It was still delicious, don't get me wrong! My hubby even said he liked the burnt part. Ha ha. Thanks for the advice. I'll try it again at 325 and let you know how it goes. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/coconut-cinnamon-almond-drop-cookies#post-1298 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:25:02 +0000 bakingfool 1298@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Hi Lisa, </p> <p>Glad to hear your family is still enjoying the cookie recipe. I like to hear that people are adapting and making recipes their own.</p> <p>You are so sweet to ask about me. I check in now and then. Alas, I've given up baking for now. I needed to cut it out to work on regaining my health and am not currently eating sugars of any kind. </p> <p>Take care and I'll be "reading" you around. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/burnt-chocolate-cake#post-1297 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:14:44 +0000 mymanzwife 1297@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Yep, I've made the chocolate cake and did so by lowering the temp 25 degrees and had no burning problems. I automatically lower the temp on all of these recipes as I find they brown easier on the outside before the middle gets done properly.</p> <p>Not sure about whether the reduced agave may have been more of an issue with yours burning, though. Guess you'll know if you go to make it again using the same amount AND lowering the temp. The chocolate cake is one of my faves, so I hope it works out for you next time! </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/margarite-cupcake#post-1296 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:03:02 +0000 mymanzwife 1296@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>By using the "search" at Elana's Pantry, it came up with this comment (from the blog post on Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting).<br /> <a href="http://www.elanaspantry.com/vanilla-cupcakes-with-chocolate-frosting/" rel="nofollow">http://www.elanaspantry.com/vanilla-cupcakes-with-chocolate-frosting/</a><br /> The margarita version sounds good! :)</p> <p>"My friend just had her 30th Birthday and we celebrated with Elana's Vanilla cupcakes... MARGARITA STYLE. My friend adores margaritas so I took on the challenge. I used your exact recipe except I added 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 2 tsp. tequilla, 1 1/2 tsp lime zest, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. I topped off half of the cupcakes with a cream-cheese, agave and fresh orange juice Frosting and the others I topped off with powdered Xylitol I whipped up in my Vitamix." </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/burnt-chocolate-cake#post-1295 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:23:22 +0000 eeastman 1295@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I'll try it. Thanks! </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/margarite-cupcake#post-1294 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:42:33 +0000 cookie 1294@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>i was once reading over a recipe on this blog where a reader posted a comment saying that she had made margarita cupcakes out of one of the cupcake recipes here. i can't remember which cupcake it was, and don't know that it was explained how she had done it.<br /> any one want to own up? i'd like to make these for a fiesta i'm having next week!<br /> xoxo </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/burnt-chocolate-cake#post-1293 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:40:19 +0000 cookie 1293@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>i have not used the cookbook yet, but baking from the blog, i have made the coconut flour chocolate cake a few times, and find it quite likely to burn the same way you describe. to remedy this, i have adjusted the baking temp at 25 degrees less than the recommended temp.<br /> hope this helps? </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/substitue-almond-flour-for-regular-flour-in-recipes#post-1292 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:15:22 +0000 eeastman 1292@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Similarly, I was wondering if you could make Elana's recipes with regular flour? I don't need to eat gluten-free for allergy reasons. I just prefer the high protein, no sugar options, but it would be nice to know if I could use regular flour in a pinch. I wonder if you just reverse the 5/8 -&gt; 1 cup ratio? </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/burnt-chocolate-cake#post-1291 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:46:20 +0000 eeastman 1291@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Hi everyone! I made my first chocolate cake out of the book yesterday and found that the bottom and sides burned before the middle was done cooking. I followed the directions to a T, except I only used 3/4 cup of agave instead of 1 cup. Could this reduced moisture have led to the burning or do you think it's an issue with my oven? Thanks! </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/maltitol-or-xylitol#post-1288 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:02:22 +0000 fsussman 1288@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>new link to my article on the therapeutic benefits of xylitol: <a href="http://www.fransussman.com/the-surprising-therapeutic-benefits-of-xylitol/" rel="nofollow">http://www.fransussman.com/the-surprising-therapeutic-benefits-of-xylitol/</a> </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/sugar-addiction#post-1287 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:12:14 +0000 kdfunk 1287@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Wow! Can I relate to all of this. I have been following many of Elana's blogs and post and finally decided to comment. I will attempt to make a very long story short. I have been sick all of my life. I am 49. In 2004 I hit, what I thought, was my lowest point. Western medicine could not diagnose me. By the grace of God I found help. I discovered what I was allergic/intolerant to; gluten, casein, yeast and many others. I cut these items out of my diet. I felt better and did wonderful for a few years. I slowly started introducing other forms of grains, carbs and sugar into my diet. I got worse and started going down hill quickly. I was desperate, depressed and sick. Again western medicine could only tell me I have a autoimmune problem and only wanted to treat the symptoms. I turned to a reputable ND, MSOM. I was put on the very strict Eubiotic diet along with homeopathic and chinese herbal medicine. I started receiving acupuncture also. Has taken several months but I am finally getting better. Bottom line: sugar is poison. And anything that is broken down quickly and turned to sugar in our system. It is very addicting and difficult to give up. It is a daily struggle. Just like any other addictive substance. I have enjoyed reading each of your struggles, comments and suggestions. I appreciate the opportunity to post my thoughts here. I am going to bake the GF simple bread today. I am anxious to see how I feel after eating it. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/teaching-gluten-free-classes#post-1286 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:39:14 +0000 cjschimpf 1286@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>My name is CJ Schimpf. I am a continuing education teacher at a technical college in Washington. I am have put together a gluten free class together that runs once a week for 4 weeks. I am looking to see if you might have any information I can use in my class to help teach people about gluten. I have some recipes I am going to show them and give them a packet of recipes, as I myself have learned to cook and bake gluten free foods. I am not gluten intolerant but many of the higher ups at this school are, as I was going through the culinary and the baking programs I had the task of making gluten free products handed to me. I have done some research and I feel there is so much more to learn. Any help or anything you would be willing to send my way will be helpful. Thank you. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/microwave-use-and-our-health#post-1285 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:43:50 +0000 lisastafford 1285@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>There is a necklace on the market that one can wear around their neck which helps the body combat the exposure to Electro Magentic Forces. My natural practitioner sells them and we are putting money into the budget to buy one for each member of our family.</p> <p>We have been off the microwaved food for 9 days now. The warmed up leftovers taste so much better out of the toaster oven. Yum. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/salt-not-sticking-to-the-roasted-almonds#post-1283 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:12:45 +0000 Freedom 1283@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I made the recipe for roasted almonds which were delicious, but I can not get the salt to stick! I even tried a light spray of olive oil and all it did was make the salt stick to the container. Any ideas where I went wrong? I followed the recipe exactly. I have more almonds to make this again, and even got jars to store them in, but I really dont want to make them again until I know I can get the salt to stick. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/sugar-addiction#post-1282 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:22:40 +0000 elissajeanette 1282@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>coconut oil helps me with sugar cravings - I have a teaspoon or two in herbal tea and it helps, apart from that, high protein diet and lower in carbohydrate/ fewer grains works for me (most of the time). I find that i get crazy sugar cravings if I let myself have bread or rice with a dish<br /> sarahcamp20 makes an interesting point, and reminds me that I've been going to an acupuncturist about a month now, and that has really helped me. I think much of it has habitual, like my body in times of stress started craving sugar, then it became a pick me up - can't have caffeine, but have had terrible energy and blood sugar drops in the past. Acupuncture has really helped with all of that. And spirulina I think for the energy/blood sugarish drops helped yesterday. I'd have to take it long term or more than once to recommend it, but it popped into my head so there it is.. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/need-something-mozzarella-like-ricotta-like#post-1281 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:15:27 +0000 elissajeanette 1281@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I can have cream cheese frosting again?? I'm on the verge of screaming with enthusiasm... WOW thank you for doing all the hard experimenting for us haha<br /> Carrot cake here I come! </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/microwave-use-and-our-health#post-1280 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:10:36 +0000 elissajeanette 1280@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>* I said "little can be done about it" but iodine in the iodine deficient, some homeopathy and energy therapies can be very beneficial in combatting the effects of radiation of all sorts, including microwave. I still don't recommend eating as a rule foods that have been zapped in the microwave.. and I agree they taste icky - isn't that a good enough reason? </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/microwave-use-and-our-health#post-1279 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:47 +0000 elissajeanette 1279@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I don't use a cellphone if I can avoid it, and there is nothing I can do about the outside microwaves outside apart from move to a remote area, not exactly in my budget to do. I realise the danger, particularly when we moved clinics and can observe the health patterns in areas of concentrated microwave radiation, but I also realise there's little that can be done about it. At least by little ole me..<br /> I'd give links but I'm old school in my research, I hate using the internet (or it hates me.. I'm still trying to work that out haha) most of my stuff comes from books, journal articles and a little from family medical/herbal gossip. Slow death by rubber duck is a more recent commercial book that addresses some of this stuff, microwaves are a very small part, but it's very interesting. I recommend you read it, but then I'd say that about a million books this week.. procrastination. Read whatever I can but what is necessary for university haha<br /> On another note - have either of you read the brain that changes itself? Completely off topic, but I read it recently and it's really interesting. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/passover-seder#post-1278 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:39:02 +0000 elissajeanette 1278@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>OOH your gravy recipe sounds delicious, I'm going to try that. No I haven't tried that version of matzo/mock matzo, but it looks good. I wonder if it would be possible to do it with hazelnut meal or ground cashews? My niece is coming and is allergic to almonds. Oh how I love our genes - it makes family get togethers so confusing!<br /> Stuffed roasted capsicum is always a winner. Oh, I had dinner with someone last night who said that they get large flat mushrooms, and stuff it with falafel mix before baking.. an interesting take on stuffed mushrooms if you like flafels </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/the-paleo-diet#post-1277 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:33:31 +0000 elissajeanette 1277@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>vyvyan<br /> I haven't read anything really about this diet, but I have read a bit about good fats and I have been using coconut oil, olive oil, i will use butter when I can find that incredible goats butter again... I can definitely tell the difference just from starting to make my diet simpler and more traditional. I'm grain free at the moment (except oats, for some reason I can't tolerate gluten but I seem to be genetically adapted to oats) because I'm trying to lower my carb intake - something about insulin resistance and what not. I'll read about these diets, but I don't think I'm going to give up my morning porridge drizzles with coconut oil and the teeniest bit of cocnut palm sugar (I was surprised to find it's lower GI than agave)<br /> HAve you read anything by Mary Enig on traditional foods and oils? </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/the-paleo-diet#post-1271 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:29:44 +0000 vyvyan 1271@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I used to use Earth Balance but vegetable oils (processed or not) are not Paleo... or probably good for you. Even though they contain healthy fats, they are not converted properly by the body, according to Cordain and the other people who study this issue. They say animal fats (butter, ghee, lard) are preferable to vegetable oils, and also recommend olive oil, flax seed oil, canola (rapeseed). I use butter, lard, coconut oil and almond butter (for spreading on Elanas bread). </p> <p>It might be hard to grasp this claim, but my flat stomach and increase in muscle mass is a testament to this rejection of conventional wisdom. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/carrot-souffle-recipe#post-1270 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:52:20 +0000 lisastafford 1270@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Sorry, I left out two ingredients above. 1/2 stick unsalted butter, and 1/2 tsp baking soda. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/coconut-cinnamon-almond-drop-cookies#post-1269 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:39:57 +0000 lisastafford 1269@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I continue to make these cookies regularly. My husband likes these better with Bob's Red Mill flour because they are thinner and more crispy. BRM is pretty expensive, so I got some almond meal at Trader Joe's the other day that I'm going to try. I have added some chopped almonds, but he likes them better without the added nuts. </p> <p>I miss talking to you, bakingfool. You are so nice, positive, and encouraging. Are you on facebook? Do you go to Elana's page? </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/almond-flour-cupcakes#post-1268 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:34:50 +0000 lisastafford 1268@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>How long has your daughter been on the SCD? Do you soak the beans and cook them yourself? Does your daughter tolerate the chocolate icing ok? My daughter is celiac and on the SCD also. My husband and I are doing the diet too, and it's been 7 1/2 weeks. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/carrot-souffle-recipe#post-1267 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:31:59 +0000 lisastafford 1267@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Carrot Souffle 1 pound organic carrots, cut into 1" lengths, cooked 10 min in pressure cooker or 20 min in a steamer,½ cup Honey, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp grated orange rind/zest OR 1 tsp Vanilla, 2 eggs, 2 Tablespoons Almond Flour. Blend well in the Vita Mix. Place in buttered 8" square glass baking pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or til done in the middle. Serve hot as side dish or cold as dessert.</p> <p>I made this dish Tuesday night and had some with our meat and salad. I warmed some up in the toaster over for lunch on Wednesday. Before I put it away, I tried it cold. Oh my goodness! I like it cold much better. It reminds me of the sweet potato pie I used to eat when I lived in Georgia, and of the Pumpkin Pie my mother made when I was growing up. Feel free to use other sweeteners in place of the Honey. We have to stay SCD Compliant, so we use Honey.</p> <p>I might try using it as a filling with Elana's crunchy pie crust recipe. Mmm Carrot cream pie </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/the-paleo-diet#post-1266 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:22:02 +0000 lisastafford 1266@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Butter is one thing we still use a little bit of. We use no milk, cream, ice cream..., and I am having no cheese. I have used a little oil on fish and veggies, in place of butter a few times. We still like a little butter or Earth Balance spread (non dairy oil blend) on our almond flour waffles.</p> <p>The Paleo Diet says to eliminate salt from the diet, but our natural practitioner said that my daughter is low in salt. She said to continue to use Celtic Sea salt to taste, so our whole family will continue to do that. She said Dr. Cordain doesn't want us to have "Table salt." </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/pizza-recipe-in-elanas-cookbook#post-1265 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:51:38 +0000 gkmt50 1265@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I am wondering if any of you have frozen this? I was thinking of making my own frozen pizzas for those (too many) days when we are busy in the evening and I have no time to cook.</p> <p>If you did freeze them, did you sauce and cheese them first, so they were ready to go, or did you just freeze the crusts?</p> <p>If you just froze the crusts, did you top them and bake or did you thaw, top and then bake?</p> <p>Thanks for any help you can give :) </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/the-paleo-diet#post-1264 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:47:59 +0000 gkmt50 1264@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Ah ok Lisa. :) </p> <p>I can't see myself going dairy-free just yet, haven't wrapped my head around it ;) </p> <p>I did get some ghee though, because the thought of living without butter made me :| Haha. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/agave-nectar#post-1263 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:07:16 +0000 wheeler604 1263@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I just found this article and immediately came to this forum since I do nothing but sweeten everything and bake with nothing but agave nectar!!!! UGH!!! Say it isn't so!!!</p> <p>Article from the FOOD RENEGADE WEBSITE:</p> <p>Is agave nectar good? Is agave nectar bad? Believe it or not, I thought I’d written a definitive post on this topic.</p> <p>As it turns out, I hadn’t. Earlier this week a reader emailed me, seeking an answer to the classic question: Agave nectar — good or bad? She pointed out that she’d done a search for agave nectar on this site and only turned up two entries. In one, I’d said to avoid it. In another, I mentioned that I’d used agave nectar while experimenting with kombucha and didn’t enjoy the results.</p> <p>So, she concluded: “Why, if agave nectar is a natural sweetener, should it not be used? What about it is bad? I’ve been preferring it to honey and maple syrup on my waffles, pancakes, and yogurt.”</p> <p>I realized then that I needed to post a definitive guide to agave nectar, answering the question once and for all. This is it.</p> <p>Agave Nectar: Good or Bad?</p> <p>The short answer to that reader’s question is simple: agave nectar is not a “natural sweetener.” Plus, it has more concentrated fructose in it than high fructose corn syrup. Now, let’s get into the details.</p> <p>Agave Nectar Is Not A Natural Sweetener</p> <p>Once upon a time, I picked up a jar of “Organic Raw Blue Agave Nectar” at my grocery store. It was the first time I’d ever seen the stuff in real life, and the label looked promising. After all, words like “organic,” “raw,” and “all natural” should mean something. Sadly, agave nectar is neither truly raw, nor is it all natural.</p> <p>Based on the labeling, I could picture native peoples creating their own agave nectar from the wild agave plants. Surely, this was a traditional food, eaten for thousands of years. Sadly, it is not.</p> <p>Native Mexican peoples do make a sort of sweetener out of the agave plant. It’s called miel de agave, and it’s made by boiling the agave sap for a couple of hours. Think of it as the Mexican version of authentic Canadian maple syrup.</p> <p>But this is not what agave nectar is. According to one popular agave nectar manufacturer, “Agave nectar is a newly created sweetener, having been developed in the 1990s.” In a recent article now posted on the Weston A. Price foundation’s website, Ramiel Nagel and Sally Fallon Morell write,</p> <p>Agave “nectar” is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but from the starch of the giant pineapple-like, root bulb. The principal constituent of the agave root is starch, similar to the starch in corn or rice, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of chains of fructose molecules.Technically a highly indigestible fiber, inulin, which does not taste sweet, comprises about half of the carbohydrate content of agave.</p> <p>The process by which agave glucose and inulin are converted into “nectar” is similar to the process by which corn starch is converted into HFCS. The agave starch is subject to an enzymatic and chemical process that converts the starch into a fructose-rich syrup—anywhere from 70 percent fructose and higher according to the agave nectar chemical profiles posted on agave nectar websites.</p> <p>Compare that to the typical fructose content of high fructose corn syrup (55%)!</p> <p>In a different article, Rami Nagel quotes Russ Bianchi, managing director and CEO of Adept Solutions, Inc., a globally recognized food and beverage development company, on the similarities between agave nectar and high fructose corn syrup:</p> <p>They are indeed made the same way, using a highly chemical process with genetically modified enzymes. They are also using caustic acids, clarifiers, filtration chemicals and so forth in the conversion of agave starches into highly refined fructose inulin that is even higher in fructose content than high fructose corn syrup.</p> <p>So there you have it. Agave nectar is not traditional, is highly refined, and actually has more concentrated fructose than high-fructose corn syrup. It is not a “natural” sweetener. Thus far, the evidence definitely points toward the conclusion: Agave Nectar = Bad.</p> <p>“But,” you ardent agave nectar enthusiasts say, “agave nectar has a low glycemic index. I’m a diabetic, and it’s the only sweetener I can use!”</p> <p>What’s wrong with fructose?</p> <p>First, we need to clarify something. Concentrated fructose is not found in fruit, or anywhere else in nature. When the sugar occurs in nature, it is often called “levulose” and is accompanied by naturally-occurring enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fruit pectin. Concentrated fructose, on the other hand, is a man-made sugar created by the refining process. To clarify:</p> <p>Saying fructose is levulose is like saying that margarine is the same as butter. Refined fructose lacks amino acids, vitamins, minerals, pectin, and fiber. As a result, the body doesn’t recognize refined fructose. Levulose, on the other hand, is naturally occurring in fruits, and is not isolated but bound to other naturally occurring sugars. Unlike man-made fructose, levulose contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fruit pectin. Refined fructose is processed in the body through the liver, rather than digested in the intestine. Levulose is digested in the intestine. (source)</p> <p>I want you to pay special attention to those last two sentences, for they are a huge key that will help unlock the mystery of why fructose is bad for you.</p> <p>Because fructose is digested in your liver, it is immediately turned into triglycerides or stored body fat. Since it doesn’t get converted to blood glucose like other sugars, it doesn’t raise or crash your blood sugar levels. Hence the claim that it is safe for diabetics.</p> <p>But it isn’t.</p> <p>That’s because fructose inhibits leptin levels — the hormone your body uses to tell you that you’re full. In other words, fructose makes you want to eat more. Besides contributing to weight gain, it also makes you gain the most dangerous kind of fat.</p> <p>This has been verified in numerous studies. The most definitive one was released just this past year in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The full study is available online, but for the sake of space I’m including Stephan’s (of Whole Health Source fame) summary here:</p> <p>The investigators divided 32 overweight men and women into two groups, and instructed each group to drink a sweetened beverage three times per day. They were told not to eat any other sugar. The drinks were designed to provide 25% of the participants’ caloric intake. That might sound like a lot, but the average American actually gets about 25% of her calories from sugar! That’s the average, so there are people who get a third or more of their calories from sugar. In one group, the drinks were sweetened with glucose, while in the other group they were sweetened with fructose.</p> <p>After ten weeks, both groups had gained about three pounds. But they didn’t gain it in the same place. The fructose group gained a disproportionate amount of visceral fat, which increased by 14%! Visceral fat is the most dangerous type; it’s associated with and contributes to chronic disease, particularly metabolic syndrome, the quintessential modern metabolic disorder (see the end of the post for more information and references). You can bet their livers were fattening up too.</p> <p>The good news doesn’t end there. The fructose group saw a worsening of blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity. They also saw an increase in small, dense LDL particles and oxidized LDL, both factors that associate strongly with the risk of heart attack and may in fact contribute to it. Liver synthesis of fat after meals increased by 75%. If you look at table 4, it’s clear that the fructose group experienced a major metabolic shift, and the glucose group didn’t. Practically every parameter they measured in the fructose group changed significantly over the course of the 9 weeks. It’s incredible.</p> <p>Back to our original question — Agave Nectar: Good or Bad?</p> <p>The conclusion is clear. Agave nectar is bad for you. It’s not traditional, not natural, highly refined, and contains more concentrated fructose than high fructose corn syrup. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/pate-a-choux#post-1261 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:33:56 +0000 carrolch 1261@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Has anyone tried to make pate a choux with either almond or coconut flour? Any success? </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/almond-flour-exchange#post-1260 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0000 carrolch 1260@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I found on pastryscoop.com a reference to sub 5/8 cup almond flour for every 1 cup of AP. It doesn't work with all recipes as I've found with some cake recipes that you will need more, maybe 3/4 cup to 1 cup of almond flour, especially if it uses a lot of liquid or fat. I haven't tried the ratio with other regular recipes for bread or cookies. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/the-paleo-diet#post-1259 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:23:59 +0000 carrolch 1259@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>My husband and I have been eating primal for about 2 weeks now and feel good about it. I am excited for all the new recipes I have found and do not even feel like I would be missing out on much of the grain &#38; gluten foods at all. There are a lot of recipes on freecoconutrecipes.com that use coconut flour - including one for pizza crust. Blogs like sonofgrok.com and girlgoneprimal.blogspot.com also share a lot of primal recipes. If you are not strictly paleo and are looking for a pasta/noodle substitute, you can try noodles made of konjac which is a type of yam/tuber. It's gluten free, very low in calories and mostly just fiber. The texture is definitely different from a wheat noodle. You can find it in asian markets and at Whole Foods in the deli section. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/passover-seder#post-1258 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:53:54 +0000 janeen 1258@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Mmmm, leg of lamb. I'd like that, but hubby wouldn't. </p> <p>I am completely planning to make the unleavened bread myself. I was thinking of using the Gluten Free Bay version. Have you tried it? It is made with potato starch and almond meal.</p> <p><a href="http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/2007/03/mission-possible-gluten-free-mock-matzo.html" rel="nofollow">http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/2007/03/mission-possible-gluten-free-mock-matzo.html</a></p> <p>Here's my favorite gravy: Take some of the roasted veggies iin the pan and puree them with the drippings. We always do that for Thanksgiving, too, and everyone loves it! </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/the-paleo-diet#post-1257 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:11:18 +0000 vyvyan 1257@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>I'm surprised people are following the SCD diet rather than Paleo/Crossfit which is more advanced and at least based on evolutionary science which is up to date. SCD is based on some very flaky science from the 1920's which could be considered pseudo-science. SCD works great though, and helps a lot of people, no doubt, inspite of its dubious scientific claims... that is probably because of the low glycemic load (low sugar), no grain/gluten, no beans (which are toxic), all reduce inflammation in the body... and it's very close to Paleo (which is based on sounder science) except for yogurt/cheese. To answer the above question, mung beans would not be Paleo because of beans... and are also illegal on SCD (http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/legal/legal_illegal_d-n.htm) because beans are toxic unless soaked. </p> http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/diabetic-celiac-low-gi-cake#post-1256 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:05:03 +0000 vyvyan 1256@http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/ <p>Palm sugar/Agave have the same GI. I usually mix 50/50 - maybe around 30 GI according to claims (haven't tested on myself though). Be careful since Palm Sugar burns easily in recipes - its less forgiving than agave. </p>