When people obstruct your path at the grocery store because they’re on their iPhones you may get, well, impatient. But consider cutting them a lot more slack now that they may be on this new app that scans bar codes to give the lowdown on everything from yogurt to shampoo (if you don’t have an iPhone, it offers a texting option). The application comes from the makers of the web site GoodGuide, which gives health and environmental info on 50,000 products and companies. Things the application considers: health performance (cancer risks, reproductive hazards, skin and eye irritation), environmental performance (emissions, natural resource impacts), and social performance (diversity, compensation, working conditions). Sorry fellow shoppers, if I’m in your way.

Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without pie … but if you’re not eating gluten, a typical pie crust presents a challenge. Fortunately, we’ve got a terrific gluten-free pie crust recipe as part of this Almond Apple Pie recipe, courtesy of natural foods chef Alison Anton. (She provided all the special gluten-free dessert recipes in our Oct08 issue.) The key is to have and keep ALL ingredients cold (put the flours in the fridge before making it, for example); chill the finished dough before rolling (wrap it in plastic first); and to treat the dough gently when rolling on waxed paper. Don’t worry if it tears a bit when rolling; just patch as you go, as you would with any crust. Elana of Elana’s Pantry also provides this gluten-free, almond-flour-based pie crust; I haven’t tried it yet, but since I just ordered a big bag of almond flour last week, it’s next on my list.

I love planning out Thanksgiving side dishes almost as much as eating them. The Delicious Living healthy recipe archives are full of great side dish options — and I can vouch for every one of them, having made them more than once. Here are a few of my favorites; all of them can be made gluten free, so my gluten-free son can indulge along with the rest of us. I’ll post more favorite Thanksgiving recipes in the days ahead. And I’d love to hear about yours!

1. Apple, Date, and Almond Stuffing. Hands down, my favorite stuffing ever … and it’s gluten free! It’s made with sauteed apples, zipped up with citrus zest, and given crunch with chopped almonds. This gets raves every single time I serve it. (I also make it often with roast chicken.) Gluten-free kids will love it, as will your adult guests.

2. Brussels Sprouts in Sage Butter. I love these sweet-savory brussels sprouts with pecans. Even if think you don’t like brussels sprouts, try these; browning them gives them a wonderful flavor. To make the dish even lighter, use half olive oil and half butter.

3. Sweet Potato Bake with Maple-Cinnamon Pecans. I developed this recipe a long while back for something sweet yet not drowned with marshmallows. (Not that I have anything in particular against marshmallows … just not on sweet potatoes.) It’s super easy and kids love it.

4. Quinoa Corn Muffins. Another great gluten-free Thanksgiving side dish. Pair it with this dairy-free Pumpkin Seed Spread.

5. Roasted Green Beans with Lemon and Dill. A really nice change from steamed or casserole green beans; and I love the currants, though it’s good even if you leave them out.

6. Mache Salad with Candied Pecans, Pears, and Gorgonzola. One of my go-to special salads. I leave out the gorgonzola for my gluten-free son because sometimes gorgonzola can have gluten in it (plus he doesn’t like gorgonzola). Mache is a delicious, slightly nutty, tender green; you’ll find it in clamshell packaging in the salad section of natural markets. But you may also substitute any tender greens, such as butter lettuce or even green leaf lettuce, or a mix.

If you hurry into your neighborhood Jamba Juice today from 2:00 to 5:00pm, you might be among the first 150 customers to get a free California flatbread; yes, free! Flavors include Tomo Artichoko, Smokehouse Chicken, MedterranYum, and Four Cheesey. Though I’m sure these aren’t gluten-free, I’m already a fan of Jamba Juice because of their gluten-free smoothies, which my gluten-free son boosts with protein and uses as a meal on occasion when he’s not able to get to his dorm for food. Jamba also offers fresh-squeezed juices, steel-cut oatmeal, and other yummy, healthy, fast options. more

I loved this article in the New York Times, “A White House Chef Who Wears Two Hats,” about the new, 29-year-old White House chef, Sam Kass. He sounds like someone who gets it; “when he’s not grilling fish for the first family or tending tomatillos in the White House garden, he is pondering the details of child nutrition legislation, funding streams for the school lunch program and the best tactics to fight childhood obesity.” Interesting read, including the snarky bits from big-ag interests and naysayers who think organic and locally grown isn’t realistic (for more on that, read “In Defense of Organics” from DL’s Sept issue). I appreciate Kass’s opinion on the challenges to feed healthy food to kids: “It’s got to taste good, you know?” he said. “They’re not going to eat it, no matter how healthy it is, if it doesn’t taste good.”

Most mornings lately, I’ve been tired. Not just sleepy—bone-weary tired. There are a million things I could blame, from a hectic family/work schedule to chronically interrupted sleep (2- and 5-year-olds do not sleep very soundly). In the haze, it’s hard to know what it is I really need. More vitamins? Better exercise? It occurred to me this morning, as I turned up the hot water in the shower for an extra “blast,” that I am simply out of step with the season. Despite the fact that we don’t burrow in mud- and leaf-lined caves and sleep all winter, humans are meant to slow down and rest more in the colder/darker months. And lately I have been expecting myself to do everything as if it were still mid summer with bountiful sunlight and tons of social energy. So when Michael Finkelstein, M.D., got in touch to offer these simple tips for staving off the winter blues, I took note. more

I know that I do. In fact, lately I have been spending hundreds of dollars out of pocket to address persistent back pain. (Rolfing and chiropractic are scarcely covered by my insurance, and the physical therapy that WAS covered didn’t do much to solve the issue.) This NYTimes article today underscores the problem, particularly for those with more serious health issues, such as cancer.

Do you struggle with the cost of (or lack of insurance coverage for) integrative or alternative therapies that you or your family members need?

Check out this color-coded world map, showing typical calorie intake by country. Wow. Looks like we’re underestimating the number of calories on our plates. Big time. Too bad, because studies show that calorie restriction may hold the key to longevity. (Get the lowdown on calorie restriction and other natural ways to boost longevity.)

One of the best ways to help your children develop a strong immune system is to make sure they eat well and develop healthy eating habits. Christina Schmidt, M.S., Nutritionist and Author of The Toddler Bistro: Child-Approved Recipes and Expert Nutrition Advice for the Toddler Years offers this checklist of nutrient rich healthy foods to help you and your family fend off H1N1 and seasonal flu this year:

1. Vitamin C: citrus fruits, berries, kiwis, peppers, tomatoes

2. Vitamin E: wheat germ, nuts, fortified cereals, sweet potatoes

3. Beta Carotene (Pro-Vitamin A): yellow and dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, orange squash, apricots, cantaloupe

4. Zinc: meats, fish, poultry, fortified cereals, milk

5. Iron: meats, poultry, fish, egg yolk, dried fruits, fortified grains, dark molasses

6. Copper: meats, nuts, chocolate, cherries, whole grains

7. Selenium: grains, meats, onions, milk

8. Folic Acid: green leafy vegetables, eggs, meats, fish, beans, broccoli

9. Vitamin B6: wheat germ, milk, egg yolk, meats

10. Vitamin B12: milk, eggs, meats

11. Omega 3 Fats: cold water fish, flax oil, soybeans, walnuts, dark green leafy vegetables

12. Probiotics: yogurts with the “Live and Active Cultures” seal, fortified foods, supplements

13. Garlic: as single ingredient or in variety of sauces, soups, ready to eat meals, supplements

Do you know what’s in that can of soup? No, I’m not talking sodium content. I mean do you know what’s in the lining of that can of soup? According to a report in the December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports it probably contains Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in the epoxy resin linings of most food and beverage cans that has been linked to infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, early onset puberty, cardiovascular disease, prostate and breast cancers and diabetes. Of 19 name-brand foods tested, nearly all of them contained measurable amounts of BPA. Worse yet, some of those products were labeled organic and even “BPA-free.” Dr. Urvashi Rangan, director of technical policy at Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, said in a release:

The findings are noteworthy because they indicate the extent of potential exposure. Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies. The lack of any safety margin between the levels that cause harm in animals and those that people could potentially ingest from canned foods has been inadequately addressed by the FDA to date. more