Sweet Earth Brings Wholesome Treats to Royal Oak

Here's the scoop on a new Royal Oak business and its healthy ice cream alternatives.

Another sweet option is being added to downtown Royal Oak's lineup: Sweet Earth is a frozen yogurt shop that specializes in vegan (animal- and dairy-free) selections and allows customers to enjoy a create-your-own selection of healthier treats. The family-owned frozen yogurt business has a location in downtown Birmingham at 141 W. Maple. The Royal Oak store at 313 S. Main St. will have a similar look and feel. "The design of the Royal Oak store is just a little different," general manager Renee Hadley said. "It's designed to move traffic a little better." The yogurt shop is made up of cafe tables as well as a make-your-own ice cream bar, where customers can pour their own soft serve and help themselves to toppings. Customers decide on size…

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Cooking For Special Diets

Vegan Cheese at Buddy's Pizza, Gluten-Free Desserts Among Special Diet Discoveries

Columnist Alissa Malerman shares five great finds she made this week. Leave a comment to tell us about yours!

As a mother of a son with celiac disease, I'm always making discoveries. And, when I find them, I share them! Here are five tidbits I picked up this week: Leave a comment if you have any special diet-friendly discoveries to share!

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Cooking For Special Diets

Try These Tips for Healthy, Gluten-Free Snacks

Savor go-to treats such as smoothies, Garden Fresh chips and salsa, carrot sticks and hummus, fruit and nuts, or whip up a batch of Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.

More than a year ago, I went gluten-free for about a month to get some perspective on what it was really like for those who must seek out foods free of the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and related grains. I discovered a new way of eating, new recipes and a large amount of resources for my son, who has celiac disease. Among my discoveries, I found an especially frustrating challenge was eating on the go. At first, it was a real issue. I went a little bananas, literally. Day after day, all I could think to do was to peel yet another crescent moon-shaped fruit. I needed to expand my horizons and eventually found that once I started to dive into labels and do a little searching, I could hang my old standby back on the hammock and dive …

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Alissa Malerman

3:19 pm on Thursday, January 19, 2012

Hang in there, Lisa. It gets easier! I'm happy you find this column useful and hope you find, like I did when my son was diagnosed, that there are a lot of options out there.   more ›

Cooking For Special Diets

One For the Recipe Book: Gluten-Free Sticky Rolls

Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour comes up with a sweet treat that will have your special dieters' mouths watering.

There are some recipes I try and toss. Then, there are those I save to use again and again. When I come across one of these gems, I like to share. So, here goes. Just before the holiday break, I received an email from Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. In the message was an intense recipe for gluten-free sticky buns. It looked complicated but I was curious whether they would taste as good as they looked. So, I got my camera out, put on my apron and dove in. I wasn't let down and neither were my special dieters, who after smelling warm cinnamon rolls in the oven, could barely wait for them to cool. "My grandmother had a recipe she (and we) could always count on for family gatherings: Cinnamon Sticky Rolls! This was the recipe I (and all …

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Cooking For Special Diets

New Year is an Opportunity to Reflect on Lessons of Food, Life

We should face 2012 with perspective and intention, rather than self-defeating resolutions, advises Cooking for Special Diets columnist Alissa Malerman.

My dad once told me how he became successful at making resolutions. "I resolved years ago to stop making resolutions," he said. "And I've stuck to it ever since." As we all think back on the year that has passed, and look to the one ahead with great expectations, it's easy for the resolution wheels to start churning. If a resolution is (and it usually is) an unrealistic goal that will just self-explode in a month or so, it may not be the best way to approach the next 360 days. We should be facing the new year with perspective and intention and use that knowledge to drive us farther along the path we've already created for ourselves and not into a brick wall because we couldn't spend six days a week at the gym, eliminate carbs or run a …

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Cooking For Special Diets

Toast the Season With Gluten-Free Beers, Adult Beverages

Be safe, merry and free to celebrate the holidays and new year, even on a special diet.

The final days of 2011 are here and I'm thinking many of us are planning on having a few adult beverages to mark the occasion. I also was thinking of making some special cocktails to enjoy with friends, inspired by my favorite show, Mad Men and the list of old-time drinks here. But, here are some questions I have to consider: What kinds of grains are used to produce alcohol and what does that mean for adults who are gluten-free? Here is what I found out: So, enjoy a cocktail responsibly. I would recommend Torino Espresso + Bar's New Year's Eve event in Ferndale if you will be in the area. The mixologist there makes some interesting drinks that would be perfect for welcoming the new year. Or, here's a recipe for an at-home New Year's Eve …

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Guilt-Free Holiday Dips Give Reason to Celebrate

These recipes are healthy, and special diet-friendly, for every muncher at the party.

Editor's note: Check back tomorrow for recipes and suggestions for adult beverages, including gluten-free beer. There's a reason people gain weight during the holidays. There's stress, sure, and holiday treats. But I think most of all there's the "s" word: snacking. Perhaps this year you can take a dish to dip into that revelers can enjoy without feeling guilty. Here are some good (and gluten-free) suggestions: Put all ingredients into food processor and blend. Store in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. Try this dip with Crunchmaster's multiseed crackers, which I found at Westborn Market in Berkley and Kroger. It's just a great cracker and looks just like the wheat variety. Your guests won't miss a thing. Cut avocados in half and remove …

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Cooking For Special Diets

Tips: Help Children With Special Needs Enjoy Holiday Meals

Plan ahead, bring comfort items and communicate with family members about your little one's needs to ensure celebrations are the joyful events they are intended to be.

So, here we are at the doorstep of the holidays. Families will gather, presents will be exchanged and, oh yeah, there's food to worry about. Every year, we plan ahead by counting down days on a picture calendar, discussing what is coming up and preparing or purchasing special food items our special dieter can enjoy. Since he also has special needs and is easily overstimulated and gets upset at sudden changes, we take even more steps to prepare him for holiday gatherings. I found these tips about bringing a special needs child to the holiday table from the Friendship Circle to extremely helpful and accurate. (By the way, the nonprofit that helps families of children with special needs is offering a Chanukah in the Wild event on Christmas …

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Cooking For Special Diets

Making Latkes for Hanukkah Is a Labor of Love

Spending your time cooking for others this holiday season? I think that's a mitzvah in itself.

Editor's note: Check back Monday on Patch and read some tips about how to survive the holiday table with children who have special diets and/or special needs. Cooking is not an easy task for me, I fully admit that. Years ago, I was forced into tackling it anyway, when my son was diagnosed with celiac disease and I began a journey of learning how to bake, cook from scratch and recreate all his favorite meals. To this day, I am learning. A good lesson was learned in my kitchen this week as I attempted to fry up my mother-in-law's recipe for latkes. She traditionally makes them every year, in advance, and heats them for our enjoyment during the holidays. I see now why she does that! It may seem easy to stir up a few ingredients and heat them …

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Gluten-Free Gift Baskets, Premade Meals Make Season Bright

Food-related presents can be a treat this holiday for those who have special diets; we've made it easy for you by providing recipes and cooking instructions to attach to jars filled with ingredients.

It's the giving season and many of us are baking and making food gifts for teachers, friends and family. If there is someone on your list who has a special diet, don't back away from the challenge! There are plenty of food-related gifts to whip up for the holidays. Some suggestions: I made this jar of rice and spice one year and handed them out with jars of chickpeas. Delicious, especially with the feta! Cooking instructions to attach: Combine dry ingredients with 3 cups water and one 15-ounce can of chickpeas (garbonzo beans). Bring to boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in one cup feta cheese, cover and let stand 5 minutes. This recipe would be great attached to a cup-sized jar filled with lentils (red, green or …

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