The Fiscal Cliff and What It Means for Non-Profits

There’s a new catchphrase in town and it’s called the “fiscal cliff.”  These are two words that should probably never be linked but here we are, fast approaching this newly defined financial term.

The question is, what does it mean for us as taxpayers?  That is difficult to answer at the moment, but here is what we do know:  There will be changes to capital gains taxes, estate taxes, and most likely additional limitations to charitable deductions, especially for high income earners.  What is a high income earner?  Preliminary talk suggests that the definition of a high income earner will be $200,000 of adjusted gross income for an individual and $250,000 for a married couple.

Changes to charitable deductions will have an effect on all of us because of its direct impact on funding for non-profits like NFCA.

I don’t know if you find this a bit unnerving, but I do both personally and professionally.  While we’re not all high income earners, the changes to charitable deductions will have an effect on all of us because it will directly impact the funding that non-profits like the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness rely on to serve you.

Consider this: As reported on Philanthropy.com, a recent survey by Bank of America found that 49% of high income earners said they would decrease their giving in 2013 if charitable deductions are limited. That could deal a major blow to non-profits across the U.S.

So what’s the solution? Instead of waiting to see what changes take hold, many donors are opting to increase their charitable giving in the remaining weeks of 2012. We know with certainty what the law says about charitable deductions today.

Donors who make a gift now through December  31st will enjoy the benefit of a full tax deduction and provide NFCA (and other non-profits) the ability to use that gift in the coming year.

We encourage you to share this information with anyone considering charitable giving in the near future. By acting now, you can maximize the impact of donations – for both the donor and the charity!

I am here to help you with any questions or information that you may need.  Please contact me, Kimberly Moyer at kmoyer@celiaccentral.org or at 1-215-325-1306 x110.

–          Kim

3 Tips for Making Gluten-Free Food Better Than the Original

The following post is from guest blogger Annsley Klehr, owner of Gluten Freedoms, a gluten-free consulting business. Annsley is a teacher, a mom, and a volunteer with NFCA.  You can read more on her blog, Gluten-Free Food and Fun.

Some people have the misconception that “gluten-free” means “taste-free.”  Here are 3 tips to make your gluten-free dishes delicious:

Choose the Best Tasting Brand

Try as many gluten-free products as possible, and choose the one that reminds you of the good old gluten-days.  Remember that quality matters.

Choose the Naturally Gluten-Free Ones

So many foods are naturally gluten-free, and so are plenty of recipes.  Focus on those for best bet recipes like Catch-All Roasted Root Vegetables.

Pay Attention to Other Cultures

Choose the gluten-free foods that other cultures eat as part of their everyday diet.  That way, you know that you’re not just “substituting,” but rather using foods that have been loved and enjoyed for hundreds of years.  Quinoa was considered the mother grain to the Inca and cultivated by the Bolivians over 5,000 years ago.  It’s been tested for a lot longer than some of the other shelf products!  And the Brazilians make a tapioca cheese bread that is just heavenly.  You can find it on the table at the Brazilian steakhouse chain, Fogo de Chao.

Don’t give up on your diet or your belief in gluten-free!

–  Annsley

Holiday Wish List

The following is a guest post from Amie Valpone, a Manhattan based Personal Chef, Culinary Marketing Consultant, Whole Living Expert, Professional Recipe Developer and Food Writer specializing in simple Gluten-Free ‘Clean’ recipes for the home cook.

Looking for a few fun stocking stuffers or gifts to get for your loved ones?

Look no further!  I’ve got a list of fun surprises that were carefully curated for your home, kitchen and beauty routine.  Many don’t take up space so you can stuff them into Christmas stockings with no problem.

The perfect gift isn’t easy to find so let me do that job for you. I’ve scoured the web for my 2012 gift guide to streamline your holiday shopping and keep you jolly!

Happy Holidays!

Foodie Favorites

YS Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey

Offer your honey the gift of raw honey in its true, solid state. YS Eco Bee Farms is a pioneer in organic bee farming and you can taste the purity of their product in every bite of this rich, creamy, decadent treat. Packed with natural antioxidants and healing agents, raw honey is amazing in hot teas, on toast, in desserts, with peanut butter—and quite honestly, on a spoon. You can also use this product to make your own beauty products.

Chocolove Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds and Sea Salt

Dark semi-sweet Belgian chocolate + whole dry roasted almonds + sea salt = a chocolate lover’s dream! All Chocolove bars contain a love poem inside. How sweet is that?!

Pamela’s Products Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Gluten and Wheat Free)

Tantalizing, decadent cookies by Pamela’s Products are gluten-free, wheat-free and non-dairy—and sure to delight dark chocolate lovers (even those with dietary limitations.) The box is adorable and very “giftable.”  (Hint: these cookies are deliciously scone-like in their dryness and taste and are especially yummy when dipped into icy cold almond milk from Blue Diamond Almond Breeze!)

Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams and White Chocolate Wonderful

Peanut Butter & Co.’s Dark Chocolate Dreams is indeed the stuff of dreams. All natural no-stir peanut butter blends with rich dark chocolate for an amazing spread, ice cream topper or BFF to organic fruit.

Give as a gift along with Peanut Butter & Co.’s White Chocolate Wonderful (soooo good with a cold, fresh pear) and reinvent the experience of peanut butter for someone you love.

Navitas Naturals Raw Chocolate Organic Cacao Nibs

Give the gift of antioxidants, iron, magnesium…and let’s not forget dark chocolate with this certified organic, raw, vegan treat. A foodie must-have, raw chocolate nibs are packed with flavonols and polyphenols. These nibs are also great for baking, delicious in smoothies and decadent in oatmeal or yogurt.

Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic Extra Bold Dark Roast Keurig K-Cups

For serious coffee drinkers, Dark Magic by Green Mountain Coffee is truly a magical java and bound to become a favorite of anyone closely attached to their Keurig machine. This 100% Arabica coffee blend offers an intense, bold start to your morning.

Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Pancake and Waffle Mix

There’s no better treat than fluffy pancakes, hot off the griddle. Free of gluten, nuts, wheat, eggs, dairy and peanuts, this decadent mix by Cherrybrook Kitchen offers a home-cooked treat for people with special diets that will delight everyone else at the breakfast table, too.

Vitacost Extra Virgin Certified Organic Coconut Oil

This super-food is an amazing butter substitute in baking, adds a lightly sweet taste in high-heat cooking and can be used for skin and hair health, too.

The Gift of Gorgeous

DevaCurl Volumizing Frizz-Free Foam

Curly-haired friends will love this frizz-free volumizer, which is free of sulfates, parabens and silicone.

Deep Steep Candy Mist Foot Cream Dynamic Duo Gift Set

Tired feet and legs? This energizing gift set is infused with cooling essential oils and rich Shea butter for a healing and rejuvenating lift. Plus, the deodorizing mist gets rid of foot stinkies! You’ll appreciate that it’s already adorably packaged to fit right under the Christmas tree or beside the menorah.

Alba Botanic Hawaiian Sea Salt Body Scrub

Baby, it might be cold outside, but you can feel as dewy and smooth as if you just emerged from a tropical getaway with this delightful, invigorating citrus scrub. Hypoallergenic and gentle enough for all skin types, this exfoliating medley of tropical oils is scented with jojoba, kukui, macadamia and sweet almond.

DermOrganic Leave-In Treatment with Argan Oil

Made from certified organic argan oil from Morocco, this cruelty-free and vegan hair helper revitalizes and repairs strands, adding softness and shine.  Not only does it protect your locks from thermal damage, it speeds drying time by 30% so you won’t need that hair dryer in the first place!

Earth Therapeutics Neck Pillow

Soft, fleecy U-shaped pillow snuggles around your neck to take you away to your relaxing, happy place. Heat it in the microwave to intensify the scent of lavender and chamomile for an added dose of aahhhh…

Desert Essence Organics Coconut Hand and Body Lotion

This 100% vegan and cruelty-free body lotion is exceptionally kind to your skin, as well. Rich, tropical organic extracts give it its scent and sheen.

Monoi Tiare Tahiti Vanilla Coconut Oil

It sounds delicious—but this light, delicate oil isn’t for eating. Turn any massage into a tropical experience with this exotic body oil, enhanced by the scent of fresh Tahitian gardenias.

Organic Figi Lemongrass Tangerine Nourishing Lotion

This GMO-free, paraben-free lotion pampers skin with cold-pressed organic virgin coconut oil infused with a delectable lemongrass and tangerine scent.

Earth Therapeutics Dream Zone Sleep Mask

With a gossamer-soft blend of silk and cotton resting coolly above your eyelids, sweet dreams are easy. Perfect for frequent travelers, light sleepers—and that significant other who complains that you need to sleep with a light on.

Home Sweet Home

Numi Teas Glass Teahouse Teapot

Unique, hand-blown glass teapot captures a flowering tea in bloom and serves up to 14 oz. of delicious, individually brewed tea.

Kiss My Face Peace Candle in Lemongrass Clary Sage

Adorably boxed in 100% recycled packaging, this clean-burning candle is made from hand-poured soy wax and scented with delightful essential oils. It has a 38-hour burn time and 10% of profits support Seeds of Peace.

Aloha Bay Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamp

A warm, peaceful glow emanates from this 110V light fixture, which is made from crystal salt mined from 200-million-year-old salt layers located at the foot of the Himalayas. When the crystal heats, it purifies the air by removing dust, pollen and cigarette smoke.

Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Room Diffuser

Deodorize, naturally. This plug-in unit uses low levels of heat to volatize essential oils. Perfect for rooms inhabited by pets!

Bodum Chambord French Press 8-Cup Coffee Maker

Designed by Normandy craftsman, this coffee maker has been a favorite brewing method of diehard coffee aficionados for decades.

“If the Shoe Fits, Buy It” Coin Purse by Blue Q

Too cute for words! The perfect gift for the shoe addict in your life, this adorable vintage-inspired woven bag is made from 95% post-consumer material.

Aloha Bay Chakra Candle Healing Jar

Made from 100% pure essential oils including lavandin, orange and tangerine, this healing jar is the perfect gift for someone who is dealing with heartache or grief, because it is inspired by the “heart chakra,” the center of compassion and love.

Want more gift ideas?  Check out the  2012 Gluten-Free Holiday Gift Guide from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA).

– Amie
www.TheHealthyApple.com