Don’t let New Year’s resolutions oppress your palate! Viva Italia with these 11 Healthy Italian Dishes from Oprah.com.

With 2013 around the corner, many people are already planning their life changing goals and resolutions. It’s not surprising that with the obesity statistics being so high that many New Years Resolutions include losing weight. The high count of empty carbs and sugars in a lot of gluten-free foods can mean weight problems for many of the gluten-free eating public. It can be difficult to find good replacements for favorite foods that carry the same benefits in nutrition as the gluten containing counterparts. The blog at glutenfreeworks.com offers many tips and tricks on managing a gluten free diet. No one really enjoys dieting, but it can be even more difficult when your diet is already restricted due to allergies, ethical choices, or medical reasons. Here are some tips for watching your waistline on a gluten-free diet:

• Stop snacking! Instead, split your meals from three large ones into four or five smaller ones. The end result is that you are full all day and have no need to binge on snack foods.
• Limit the amount of gluten-free substitutes that you buy. Put your powers to good use by having three days a week with no gluten-free substitutes. Try to look for the foods that use gluten-free whole grains rather than white rice flour.
• Curb the Carb Cravings. One of the challenges of a gluten-free diet is that it can leave you wanting. It’s hard enough to restrict all of your eating, who really wants to fight those cravings to restrict their diet even more? Luckily for us, the L.A. Gluten Free Examiner has supplied a great article about curbing those carb cravings. Once that’s under control your will power will once again reign supreme.
• Eat a healthy breakfast every day. Try a hot cereal like Quinoa Flakes or Cream of Rice Cereal. Another great breakfast is a smoothie made with coconut flour, fruit and yogurt.
• Put your label reading to good use. While you are scanning to find out if what you are eating is gluten-free, keep an eye out for sugar and preservatives as well.
• Focus on eating mostly whole foods. This includes meat, fruit, vegetables or beans. This can also help you save on the grocery budget and start saving for smaller clothes!
• Make Friends with Your Sweet Tooth. We all know what happens when the sweet tooth is denied for too long. It takes over, possession-style and destroys everything you’ve worked hard to do. Make friends with your sweet tooth by offering some better options: keep sweet treats on hand to replace gluten-free substitutes that might work against you. Frozen bananas are super sweet and make a great dessert.
• Get plenty of sleep. The body, gluten-free or otherwise, functions better when it is well rested. This also includes improved metabolism and digestion.
• Exercise! There is no change in diet that will help you lose weight and keep it off without adding exercise.

No matter what your weight loss goals are for the new year, these suggestions should help get you started on the path to success.

“The Straub’s gift basket is amazing! I didn’t realize there was a bottle of Hess Select Chardonnay included. That is my favorite Chardonnay! I gave Andy the night off from cooking and I made the spaghetti with the Rigazzi’s sauce, and it was a winner. I will not share with you how many Bissinger chocolates I have eaten, but I will tell you that the Christmas tree scented candle is exactly what my house needs. It smells wonderful.”

Order a custom basket like the one described or the one pictured below, or create your very own! Call 314.725.2121 ext 12 for more information.

Some  consider  figs  the  ‘Holy  Grail’  of  fruit – classical references are many. Figs are said to be discovered by Dionysius and the thunderbolts of Jupiter. They are referenced as the tree of knowledge in the bible along with the loss of innocence and the pleasures of Paradise. Thomas Jefferson brought fig trees to Monticello upon his return from France. None-the-less figs are an exotic treasure and a culinary trophy. They are also an excellent source of potassium and dietary fiber. Fresh brown turkey figs are available just in time for the holidays at all four Straub’s locations. Hurry in and try some for yourself!

How to Eat Fresh Figs