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GANE Empowered Wellness
with Kim Jorgensen Gane

Welcome to GANE Empowered Wellness: GANE Possible. Through blogging, I've built much of my upcoming book. My first GANE Possible publication is described as prescriptive nonfiction. Beating the Statistics: A Mother's Quest to Reclaim Fertility, Halt Autism & Help Her Child Grow From Behavior Failure to Behavior Success, is soon to be released.

My "Gramps" lived to be 100 years old.  At his table, Vegetables were friends, portions were smaller, abundance was celebrated and family and laughter were plentiful. For these reasons and because of his appreciation for life and the people in it, my grandfather observed the world in three centuries. His spirit touched everyone he met, me especially. I always felt safe, cherished and nourished at his table, and his legacy has helped me keep my family well. 

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Making #MOREin2014 Veggies Taste Great: Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

4/21/2014

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Maybe I’m weird, but I love most veggies, and I’m passionate about making them taste good to everyone. If you haven’t already, making your own dressings and marinades is a great way to embrace vegetables. It’s super easy, you can make them taste however you like, and you avoid unsavory ingredients, like MSG and preservatives, found in many “over the counter” dressings. Why embrace vegetables? Because they represent an absolutely necessary whole, clean source of micronutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and trace elements the Standard American Diet (SAD!) commonly lacks. 
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Learning to love them and setting a positive example for our kids is a key component to helping our families achieve and maintain overall wellness—especially important for kids as their bodies are building and growing. Fake foods simply don’t fuel that growth at the cellular level. 

I could easily eat spinach for every meal, no lie, breakfast included.  Not recommended for a  #MOREin2014 lifestyle that encourages VARIETY, first and foremost, but I’d be in my own crazy kinda Heaven. Kale I’m still learning to love—it’s a texture thing. Cut the leaves in a chiffonade (remove ribs, stack leaves, roll them into a tube and slice perpendicular to the length of the tube into narrow ribbons), however, and massage this delicious dressing thoroughly into them to help break down the fibers, and I bet it would be delicious. I’ll have to try it. Maybe tomorrow. Right now “I needs to eats me spinach! Toot-toot!”

<--This spinach is sautéed, but I equally enjoy a breakfast salad. Just look at that beautiful farm-fresh egg with its vibrant yolk! 

PictureBeautiful greens from UprightFarms.org!
What you will need:

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon Honey, preferably raw & local

Salt/pepper to taste

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil in a vessel that allows for drizzling

Place all but the olive oil in the bottom of either your immersion blender measuring and mixing container or a regular blender. You might want to double this recipe for a regular blender. And I would start with a few grinds of fresh cracked pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt, you can add more later if you like. Blend these ingredients together, then keep the blender going and sslllooowwwly drizzle in olive oil. Once you’ve added between a quarter- and a half-cup, turn off the motor, allow it to come to a complete stop, taste to adjust for balance of acidity with your particular vinegar (some are more tart and acidic in flavor than others) and your own taste. Keep whizzing and slowly drizzle in more olive oil if needed. Too bland? Add a spash more vinegar, maybe a pinch more salt and pepper.

My favorite salad with this dressing consists of a variety of organic micro greens like the ones pictured from Upright Farms (a delightful little startup for which I'm director, communications & media--keep checking the website, there'll be more to see soon!), with chunks of buttery red pear (I check the current Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen and do my best to buy what I can find and afford accordingly, with a strong emphasis on local when available), shallots, chopped pecans, and either crumbled goat or blue cheese. YUM! It also lends itself very well to a strawberry walnut spinach salad, as strawberries and balsamic vinegar go beautifully together! I bet it would make some rockin’ kale chips, too, which I do love. Or why not just dip your #MOREin2014 VARIETY of raw Veggies right on in? Awesome on asparagus, green beans and more—coat evenly and grill or roast (400° for fifteen minutes, more or less, depending on how thick your veggies are). Whatever you do, don’t cook them to a limp, tasteless death—sample when you think they’re close but retain a bit of crunchy perfection. ENJOY! And tell me in the comments, what are some of your kids' favorite ways to enjoy their veggies? If you've got some great ideas, we'd love to hear them!

Yours in wellness,
--Kim Jorgensen Gane

© 2014, All Rights Reserved 

*If you're newly visiting from Listen to Your Mother, thank you & welcome! I hope you'll stick around! 
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Happy Spring: Lemon Dijon Dressing & Marinade Recipe for Asparagus & Other #MOREin2014 Veggies

4/21/2014

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PictureApologize for the lousy iPhone-ography!
My favorite kitchen tool is an immersion blender. It makes me feel like anything is possible. With it, I blend soups right in the pot and I make a number of delicious dressings and marinades. 

You can perform any of these tasks in a regular blender, but an immersion blender feels so much "chef-ier!" If you're using a regular blender for this recipe, you'll need one with a removable center port in the lid for drizzling, which is important for proper emulsification. It may work best to make a double recipe if you’re using a regular blender, which is great to do anyway. This is delicious thinned down a bit more and used as salad dressing. 



What you will need:

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, sliced

Juice of one lemon

Salt/pepper to taste

Extra virgin olive oil in a container that allows for drizzling


To the bottom of your mixing vessel, add the Dijon mustard, the garlic, salt/pepper (start with a few grinds of pepper and ¼ tsp salt), and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Blend these ingredients together, then keep the blender going and ssllloowwwwly drizzle in olive oil. Once you’ve added between a quarter- and  a half-cup, turn off the motor, allow it to come to a complete stop, taste to adjust for balance of acidity with your particular lemon (for instance, Meyer lemons are milder in flavor and less acidic) and your own taste buds.

Once you’re happy with the flavor, slather about half of this golden goodness all over one bunch of washed and trimmed asparagus (I like to lightly grasp each stalk just under the tip and at the woody end and snap off wherever they naturally like to break, preferably composting what’s not palatable), halved and trimmed Brussels sprouts, green beans, broccoli, etc., and grill, sauté or roast (400° for about 15 minutes, more or less, depending on the thickness of your chosen vegetable) to your desired doneness. I like just a bit of a char, with some crunch still left, and I personally don’t bother to blanche. I detest limp, flavorless veggies! I also don’t mind in the least when my son picks these up with his fingers and eats them like French fries. True story! If I’m honest, maybe not so much the Brussels sprouts, but my husband, daughters and I love them. 

And this positively ROCKS as a marinade on chicken (sprinkle on some basil, tarragon, or parsley) and salmon (how about some fresh dill)!

Mmmmm, this is making me hungry! I can’t wait for the first of our local asparagus harvest to be ready. ENJOY it by the bushels while you can!

Yours in wellness,
--Kim Jorgensen Gane

© 2014, All Rights Reserved 

*If you're newly visiting from Listen to Your Mother, thank you & welcome! I hope you'll stick around! 
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Why "Healthy Lifestyle" Isn't Always Enough: Solving the Puzzle--VARIETY!

2/17/2014

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Does your family battled colds, flu, bronchitis, sinus infections, or other persistent maladies each season, despite what you’ve always thought was a healthier than average diet?

It’s no wonder we have the health problems we do in this country, when we are chronically misinformed about what it means to have a “healthy” diet, when we assault our immune systems with “whole grains,” such as wheat, wheat and more wheat, day in and day out. 

Did you grow up with the stack of “Wonderful” Bread on the table at dinner every evening, after you had a “Wonderful” Bread sandwich (likely made with processed bologna) in the lunch your mom lovingly packed for you, and likely after “Wonderful” Bread toast for breakfast?  That’s what I call “Stacking” (TM).  And even though we’ve perhaps graduated from “Wonderful” Bread-type products, many of us eat our “Wheatie-fuls” or a bagel for breakfast, think we’re doing something better than the local Burger Barn and get a “sub” for lunch, grab a soda and a crunchy Dorito-ey-licious snack mid-afternoon to battle the slump, and then go home to enjoy pasta with bread for dinner. 

I mean, YUM!  But WOW! 

Eating that way twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, nearly 365 days a year is extremely stressful (and/or over-stimulating) to the immune system, and can result in frequent bouts with allergies and seasonal illness—for my son, it was chronic croup that developed into mild asthma.  For me, over twelve years ago now, it was chronic sinus infections, yearly respiratory illness including bronchitis and progressive asthma, which resulted in a couple “Z-Pack” prescriptions per year, followed by dreaded yeast infections. 

For my husband, scarier, more progressive health issues persisted, exacerbated by the incredible job stress he was under.  As a former firefighter, likely with a compromised respiratory system because of it, the stakes were much higher.  He had two episodes of A-Fib (Atrial Fibrillation, which puts sufferers at a dramatically increased risk of stroke), and he battled walking pneumonia, often two to three bouts per season.  For him, the season seemed to start earlier and last longer year after year.    

PictureSon enjoying "Salad in Hand" lettuce wrap.
Something my family discovered because we’re gluten free?  There's no difference if we’re assaulting our immune systems by “Stacking” with rice, rice and more rice.  Eating little in the way of fresh vegetables, not getting enough protein, and consuming tons of empty calories full of sugar and chemicals is a sure way to invite colds and flu to visit and revisit for the winter and to stay awhile.  Ahem.  If I fed myself as well as I feed my son, stopped skipping meals, got more sleep, reduced my portions, and got up from my computer for an hour each day, I’d manage to shrink my size.  Hmmm…it sounds so easy….

Weight alone, however, much to the befuddlement of the Dr. Ozes of the world, isn’t always a reliable indicator of wellness.  So for the purposes of this article, allow me to define wellness as getting through cold and flu season with no episodes of cold or flu, and NO antibiotics.  It is POSSIBLE, even if you aren’t considered ideal weight, and it’s something I’ve managed to avoid for over twelve years.  It's something my grandfather did for 100.  This is an idea I love, and one (knock on wood) we’ve managed to achieve thus far this season, my husband included.  This past winter was his second without walking pneumonia and without antibiotics. My son is ten-years-old and has been on antibiotics only once in his entire life.  That was during our first season in San Diego, when his body was likely adjusting to new and different regional pathogens.  Our family was under an incredible amount of stress with all the adjustments, which didn't help any of us, because stress has a chemical impact on our bodies.

I have discovered and incorporated some important dietary adjustments with my son, however resistant my husband remained to the same changes for himself (when I wasn’t watching).   So what do we do, what have we changed in order to achieve our definition of wellness?

Perhaps you’ve already gotten help that’s lead you to put your child on a gluten free diet, but it hasn’t exactly provided the magic solution you’d hoped for.  It's important to note that many of the gluten free swaps available are simply processed garbage of another sort.  They may not contain gluten, but they contain a variety of starches that offer very little in the way of good things (fiber, protein, essential nutrients) to put in the body, and they're often higher in sugar, fat, sodium, and empty calories to make up for what they lack in taste and texture. 

PictureLettuce wrap or "Salad in Hand"
Whether or not your family needs to be gluten free, Clean Eating (as clean as you can manage and afford at least), whole foods and VARIETY are important components typically missing in the Standard American Diet (SAD) or in the Standard Gluten Free Diet (SGFD).  Equally detrimental, we tend to rely heavily on sodas, artificially flavored and artificially sweetened waters, diet drinks, sports drinks (c’mon, unless you REALLY are an athlete, actively participating in an intense sport that is at that moment producing sweat, it's not warranted, and coconut water is a far better source of electrolytes and hydration), cool-aides, and even fruit juices, etc., which not only contain loads of sugar (fructose is still sugar and needs to be balanced with fiber and a protein source at a minimum—and definitely kept to a minimum—water, folks!  Good old WATER!), but also artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, food dyes, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.  These are all empty calories that sap the body's energy stores, stress the liver and kidneys (the body's detoxifying organs, which the skin is also a big one--so put only good things on and in), and wreak havoc on a tiny body especially, and even more so, an unborn one.  

If these are things that typically land in your grocery cart, there's so much more to solving the puzzle than simply going gluten free, or than simply looking for the pseudo “whole grains” on processed and packaged foods.  If the nutrients are first stripped from the ingredients, and then must be artificially added back in or "fortified," that’s not real food, and it shouldn’t comprise the majority of anyone’s diet.  

We chose in early infancy not to rely on drugs with our son, and we successfully support behavior issues and improve his function in school with diet and by limiting sugar and avoiding many chemicals that pose as *food*.  We put lots of good things IN, and avoid all the bad we can.  That’s not to say we don’t buy cereal or kid snacks or indulge in pizza, hot dogs (OM Selects—no nitrates or nitrites, which are very bad for the heart, Natural Choice is another option with no nitrates or nitrites), or cupcakes on occasion, but one key thing for my son's wellness is knowing that he requires a good source of animal protein with his carbs, or his body simply can’t process them in a way that allows him to be in control of his choices and his focus.  

Maybe once a week or less, my son used to choose Chex cereal, for instance.  I'd mix that with Perky’s Crunch Flax with Chia to reduce the sugar grams he was getting per serving, and the chia boosts the protein grams.  And no, I didn’t love the GMOs, but sometimes we must pick our battles, it wasn't something he ate daily because VARIETY is our focus, and we balance those carbs with protein, always, especially at breakfast.  We've since compared labels and both reduced sugar grams and chosen a corn cereal that's a member of the Non GMO Project in Enviro-Kidz Amazon Flakes. My son gets a local, farm fresh egg (including duck eggs when they’re available) and some varied source of meat with a SMALL bowl of cereal or with his small serving of gluten-free pancakes (with added milled flax) or waffles with a little pure maple syrup (no HFCS fake stuff of the appealing “Aunt” variety) for breakfast every morning.  He still gets to be a kid, but we’ve always fed him more like an adult and his palate is sophisticated and varied because of it. These are the most important ways I keep my particular kid well, and may be helpful to keep in mind with your kids, too. Ours is a kid who eats a veggie-filled omelet on occasion, breakfast tacos, fish that isn’t breaded, craves salad, eats sautéed spinach, beans, and a variety of vegetables …but not broccoli, and not mushrooms, he hates those, and says, “My taste will never change on mushrooms, Mom.  They’re disgusting!”

PictureIncredible local greens! Coming soon!
There are two more important factors for our family, which I will discuss in my coming book. My son has taken supplements all his life, and in fact since before he was born.  As well, physical activity improves his brain/body connection and self-discipline—for us, Taekwondo has been extremely beneficial.  Once it was safe for him to do so, my husband began working out four days a week.  I was doing a good job walking on a regular basis last fall, and hoped to get back at it as soon as winter released it’s frigid hold on our region (I really need to do it anyway, but motivating myself to exercise alone has always been a huge struggle for me, something I have plans to get your help with in the near future), but I haven't yet managed to make it a priority. I love and miss yoga, and hope to come up with a way to incorporate yoga classes into my life again.

A great deal of my energy goes to grocery shopping, to sourcing and preparing food.  I go to a great deal of thought and effort to incorporate VARIETY into our diet, in particular where carbs are concerned, but we also consciously rotate the meats we eat.  If I get lazy, my son and husband tend to get mild to not-so-mild illnesses. We work hard to eat whole food blends and we vary our intake of brown rice, certified gluten-free oats, organic corn, quinoa, teff, millet, buckwheat, etc. (buckwheat is gluten free and is not related to wheat.  If you're not gluten-free, you can work-in organic sources of 100% whole wheat, spelt, and kamut).  We rotate meatless meals, as well as several meals a week that don’t contain any grains, including experimenting with things like coconut flour and almond meal, and we vary the brands of the products we typically buy.  This practice keeps us all much healthier, and my son hasn’t had an episode of croup in ages.  The last time he did, I knew exactly why.

Does it take thoughtfulness, work and planning?  It does.  Was it difficult to get my husband to participate in these ideas? It was for him personally, but never for our son.  He was always more than willing to do whatever worked best to help our son succeed in school, remain unmedicated, stay well, and he's always supported my experimenting.  There’s nothing like being defibrillated six times, however, to make a man sit up and take notice on his own behalf. I hope that will never be necessary for the ones you love, and I hope I’ve given you something to think about to help keep your family well during cold, flu, and allergy season.

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Be on the lookout for my first GANE Possible Publication, Beating the Statistics: A Mother's Quest to Reclaim Fertility, Halt Autism & Help Her Child Grow from Behavior Failure to Behavior Success. I hope to release it by late fall, 2014.

Yours in Wellness Always,
--Kim Jorgensen Gane, (c) 2014, all rights reserved



UPDATE 07/17/14 -- Happy birthday to ME:  Holy Gluten Free Gravy!! I hope you'll check out my new find, Kelly @KitchenKop (do follow her on Twitter), who is from Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN(!), and her amazing weekly Blog Hop, Real Food Wednesdays! I just joined up, and hope to do a lot more of it in the future! What a powerful network of liberals and conservatives alike=truth seekers in FOOD!


*GANEPossible.com is an anecdotal website and in no way intends to diagnose, treat, prevent or otherwise influence the medical decisions of its readers. I am not a doctor, I do not recommend going off prescribed medications without the advice and approval of a qualified practitioner, and I do not recommend changing your diet or your exercise routine without first consulting your doctor. These are merely my life experiences, and what has and hasn't worked for me and my family. You must be your own best medical advocate and that of your children, and seek to find the practitioner with whom you have the best rapport and in whose advice and care you can entrust your health and medical decisions.
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Perfect for Super Bowl:  Scott R. Gane's "Famous" Firehouse Chili Recipe

2/1/2014

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My husband is a man of many talents.  Getting him to write them down or talk about them, however, is akin to tugging a toy out of my grand puppy’s ever so cute but yappy little jaws.

Well, FYI, the hubs and I can both pretty much rock it in the kitchen.  He prefers the elbowroom of cooking by himself.  I rather enjoy the process of cooking together, or at least having company in the kitchen while I’m doing so.  True, I maybe interject my “thoughts” from time to time, which he doesn’t always welcome.   In the chili department, however, it’s hands-off for me.  I’ll occasionally venture into white chicken chili territory, but as a former firefighter (and paramedic and police officer, and don’t forget Eagle Scout—basically freaking Captain America) and highly-sought-after-back-in-the-day firehouse cook, traditional Firehouse Chili is all him, all day long. 

I wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Scott’s Firehouse Chili was a consistent favorite when we had our restaurant in downtown Benton Harbor from 1999 to 2002, The Main Street Café.  We served it mild (as written here), medium, Hot Damn, or Somebody Call 911.  It remains beloved among friends and family when he makes it today, and it promises to be a big winner for your Super Bowl or other gathering. 

If you happen to be the sort with venison in your freezer, chili is a super #MOREin2014 way to rotate VARIETY into your diet using a cleaner, leaner meat*.  If you’re not the sort, my apologies, but we’re from Michigan, and we are.  Or my husband is.  And thank goodness, because the meat he was able to put in our freezer has been a welcome and necessary addition this long, frigid, underemployed winter**.

I believe one of the major issues our nation faces in terms of wellness is lack of variety in our diets.  Eating the same few things (which generally include wheat three or more times a day, or rice if you're gluten free) day in and day out, week after week, is extremely stressful and/or over stimulating to the immune system.  So think outside the (processed) box by cooking at home, and outside the chicken, pork, turkey, or beef quadrangle.  Those who choose to eat meat might seek cleaner sources from local farmers who sell shares or sides of the livestock they raise.  Ask questions and be mindful of how they feed, accommodate, and treat their livestock, to make sure their standards align well with your own.

Bottom line, chili is a hearty, healthy, delicious, flexible and naturally gluten free meal that can satisfy anyone, and this recipe is among the best out there, because my hubby is among the best out there, in my humble opinion.  I think I’ll keep him.

Follow my GANEPossible.com board on Pinterest for many #MOREin2014 ideas.  If gluten-free is a particular concern for your family, then you might like my Gluten-Free Moms board.  And do subscribe (right over there --->) to receive my upcoming Quick Minute to GANE Empowered Wellness Newsletter in your inbox!


Scott R. Gane’s 
“Famous” Firehouse Chili



The Goods:

2.5 lbs. of Ground Beef or Venison (or steak, chopped into cubes)

1 Sweet Onion

1 Yellow Onion

1 Green Pepper

1 Jalapeño pepper (deveined and seeded, finely diced)

8 oz of sliced mushrooms

32 oz of Black Beans

32 oz of Dark Red Kidney Beans

32 oz of Tomato sauce

32 oz of Diced tomato

6 oz of tomato paste
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The Seasonings:

Chili powder (to taste, start with a couple Tablespoons)

Chipotle pepper (to taste, start with half a teaspoon)

Sea Salt (start with a teaspoon and taste, you'll adjust as you go)

Garlic (2 cloves – smashed and finely chopped or minced)

Black pepper

Wash and dice all the vegetables and combine with all the beans and tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a large stock pot.  Season with chili powder, pepper, salt, garlic, and black pepper.

In a separate pan, brown the beef/venison, etc. seasoned as above (at approximately half the amounts listed) for the vegetables.  You’ll taste and adjust along the way.  Once browned (you may want to drain off some of the fat), combine in the pot and bring to a slow boil.

Add the mushrooms, continue to cook, and re-season to taste – add some of the chipotle pepper here too.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for up to 2 hours.  Turn off – better refrigerated overnight and eaten the second day if you can wait that long.

Serve hot with fresh raw onion, cilantro, cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  

And you won’t be sorry for making a batch of my Gluten Free Cornbread to go with!

Copyright 2014 (c) Scott R. Gane, All Rights Reserved
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LOVE my ladies over at Midlife Boulevard and READ some of the other great Super Bowl Party Posts!!

*If you’re not a hunter or don’t know anyone who is, venison can be purchased at better butchers and supermarkets (although it would be farm-raised and thus not as clean as wild and not considered sustainable unless the farm in question uses sustainable practices).  Bison, lamb, goat, turkey, chicken, or beef, ground or in bite-size chunks, would all work, too.  If you prefer a vegetarian chili, HVP-type (hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which is not considered safe for those that require gluten-free, and let’s face it, is fake) chunks or crumbles or tofu would work equally well.  This is heavy on the beans, so you could opt to serve it over brown rice, which would complete the chain of amino acids necessary to provide a complete protein without any meat or meat substitute. 

**I am proud of my state’s dual concern for conservancy and the wellness of our land, where maintaining the proper balance in the deer population is an ever-changing annual effort and concern. 

Require Gluten Free?  Use Caution with these ingredients:  cheaper store brands or blends of canned beans may contain wheat starch (we like to use organic when we’re able, and BPA free).  Read the label.  Packaged, pre-shredded cheese may contain a separating agent.  Check with the manufacturer to make sure it meets your family’s needs or shred your own from a block using a box grater.    

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Healthy & Heavenly Holiday Happenings Cooking Demo with Kim Jorgensen Gane--#GF? Paleo, who-leo? Veg? WE GOT THIS!

11/21/2013

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Please be advised: This demonstration is POSTPONED to a late January pre-Super Bowl Ladies Night Out!  Please Stay Tuned...!
If you would like me to do it in your home on the 11th, please email me at kjgane @ ganepossible dot com.

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Purchase Tickets Below to Join Me at The Box Factory for the Arts, Wednesday, December 11, 6:30pm-9:00pm, for a Fun & Festive Ladies Night Out! 
Enjoy a Tasting Fest and Have a Blast Learning to Simply and Happily Serve All Your Holiday Guests, Whatever Their Needs!

The holidays are supposed to be fun.  However, it's only gotten more difficult to serve the needs of a variety of guests.  Someone you know and love is probably struggling with health problems. Some might have turned to a gluten free diet, others to Paleo, perhaps someone is doing Whole 30, or Weight Watchers, or they just don't want to gain their entire winter layer over those dreaded couple weeks that seem to stretch on forever between December and January. And Super Bowl celebrations aren't far behind.
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Photo credit: Sheftic.com
Watch my intro video on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202880011268041&l=2728274465460820699
You can watch the video even if you don't have Facebook!

So Start the Holiday Partying Early This Year!
 You might not be thrilled to adjust your party preparations to meet everyone's needs, but it really isn't as difficult as it may seem. I can't tell you how grateful I am, first of all for an invitation, and second when I show up to a party and find choices I can enjoy beyond the wilted veggie tray.  And there are so many festive, delicious, and beautiful options if you think just a little outside the holiday baking box. (You can check out my Pinterest board for some great ideas.)

There WILL Be Cupcakes!  Clearly I'm a girl who loves a cupcake, too, but I truly am happiest when I can fill up on satisfying and delicious yet healthy alternatives before I turn to the dessert table. 
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And There WILL Be WINE!!  I'm not one to turn down a glass of wine either! I've invited White Pine Winery to join us for this fun & festive evening!  Be sensible with a wide variety of colorful, delicious foods, and whether gluten-free, Paleo-ish, or lower-carb, a little wine only makes for a better time!
In case you wondered, "There's No Gluten in WINE!!!"

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Purchase tickets below!
And Not to Disappoint, There Will Be Shopping! The Box Factory's incredible local artisan gift shop will be staffed for this fun and festive evening, so you'll be able to shop and support local artists to your heart's content, too.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love a good party, and I really love hosting one. I'm a former restaurateur and avid gluten-free foodie, and I can thow down with the best of 'em. I'm determined to be saved from myself this year, however, and I hope you'll keep me company doing so. I was recently asked to develop a cooking demonstration for the Home and Garden Show this spring, which is what prompted me to whip this up now, although it's been a lifelong dream. I used to pretend to be Julia Childs when cooking for my daughter when it was just the two of us. I won't likely be doing that this evening, though. Well, given enough wine, maybe.  Just kidding!  I'm planning to videotape the event (you'll be asked to sign a release when you arrive), and I promise to be on my best behavior!!  So pretty please, help fill my audience, enjoy delicious food, wine, and a fun and festive holiday evening out with your girlfriends!  
Oh, did I mention?  There WILL BE GIVEAWAYS!!!  Don't miss it!!
Please be sure to sign up for my mailing list----->>>>>
I'd like to keep you informed of future events.  And please Tweet and Facebook your friends to tell them you're coming and invite them to join you.  There's a discount for two!  (Scroll down to purchase tickets--not fruits & vegetables, please.  I hope to get that fixed.)  :/
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    Kim Jorgensen Gane

    Author|Award-Winning Essayist|Freelance CommercialWriter|
    Empowered Wellness Advocate, Facilitator, Speaker

    Kim is a freelance writer, living and working on Michigan’s sunset coast with her husband, youngest son, a standard poodle and a gecko. She’s been every-mom, raising two generations of kids over twenty-seven years. Kim writes on a variety of topics including parenting  through midlife crisis, infertility, health and wellness, personal empowerment, politics, and about anything else that interests her, including flash fiction and her novel in progress, Bluebirds.  Oh, and this is happening!

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*GANEPossible.com is an anecdotal website and in no way intends to diagnose, treat, prevent or otherwise influence the medical decisions of its readers. I am not a doctor, I do not recommend going off prescribed medications without the advice and approval of a qualified practitioner, and I do not recommend changing your diet or your exercise routine without first consulting your doctor. These are merely my life experiences, and what has and hasn't worked for me and my family. You must be your own best medical advocate and that of your children, and seek to find the practitioner with whom you have the best rapport and in whose advice and care you can entrust your health and medical decisions.


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