Selena De Vries, RD Shares Recipe for Strawberry Lavendar Lemonade

A great way to use up all those strawberries that are in season right now!  Relax on the patio and enjoy this lovely, long-weekend drink.

Selena De VriesThere are a few health benefits of this lemonade, including:

  1.  There is no added sugar in this drink.  Compare this to the average 33g of sugar (or just over 8 teaspoons of sugar) in a 16 ounce Starbucks Iced Passion Tea Lemonade!  This is OVER the recommended 6 teaspoons of added sugar (or 9 teaspoon for men)  per day set forth by the World Health Organization.  Healthy sounding drinks are usually quite high in sugar and most Canadians get the majority of their added sugars from sweetened beverages.  Easily reduce your  sugar intake by making your own, having them only occasionally instead of everyday or modifying drinks by cutting the sugar in half, when possible.
  2. This lemonade has fiber!  It is unlikely to find fiber in beverages so this is definitely a bonus.  Strawberries are one of the highest fiber fruits.  Fiber helps to make you feel full, keep energy levels stable, and helps to prevent cravings.  Pair this drink with some protein (such as a hard boiled egg, yogurt or some nuts)  and you have a perfect mid afternoon snack.
  3. Lavender provides phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients is just a fancy word for plant nutrients.  In fact, lavender has been found to helpful in the treatment of anxiety, nervousness, depression as well as digestive health concerns such as gas, nausea, and loss of appetite.

Strawberry Lavendar Lemonade

  • 6 tablespoons lavendar buds
  • 6 cups of water
  • 3 cups of strawberries
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 3 lemons, freshly squeezed
  1.  Put the lavendar buds in a steamer basket of your kettle or a pot (fit with a lid).  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 12-15 minutes.  If using a pot, strain the buds out using a sieve set on top of a bowl.
  2. Blend the strawberries together with the 4 tablespoons of water, using a high powered blender or vitamix.  Blend until very smooth. 
  3. Join together the lavender tea, strawberry puree, and fresh lemon juice.  Put in the fridge to cool.  Enjoy!


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  • “I contacted Selena when I still wasn’t feeling well a year after my celiac diagnosis. I’d read so much on the Internet I thought I knew everything I needed to know. I was wrong.  
  • Selena has important advice on how to do GF properly (it’s not as straightforward as I thought) and for regaining your health. She is organized, punctual, and professional.  And she has celiac disease herself , so she gets it.
  • I think a lot of us, by the time we’re diagnosed, have had more than our share of health care practitioners and may not want to bother with a dietitian.
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selena devries healthbean nutrition gluten free

  • HEALTHBEAN NUTRITION  specializes in digestive health.  We deliver easy to digest, bite-size pieces of information so our clients can, finally, achieve the healthy & happy digestive system they’ve been striving for. Learn more ...
  • HEALTHBEAN PHILOSOPHY– Selena employs elimination diets and/or a specific diets in accordance with her clients’ conditions, and only when deemed necessary.  She reserves advice about the gluten-free diet for those who require it – not those choosing to follow the diet as a lifestyle choice.  Expect clear, concise instructions on the appropriate diet for you and, maybe even some myth busting! Learn more  …

Selena knows first-hand how her undiagnosed celiac disease affected her physical and emotional health. After telling her that, “Well, you have celiac disease,” her MD suggested she, “google the diet,” and out the door she went. Sound familiar?

That’s why Selena established Healthbean Nutrition.  She is dedicating her education, personal insights and her own recovery to helping her fellow celiacs make this enormous lifestyle transition – and find  joy in eating again! Learn more …

Selena’s Road to Diagnosis

Selena De Vries RD, Celiac Disease Specialist

Selena De Vries RD, Celiac Disease Specialist

  • “When I was going through university, I was exhausted, ALL the time.  I had to drag myself out to hang out with friends, and if I had it my way I would have spent most days in bed sleeping.  It was not unknown for me to sleep 12-16 hours a day.  Call me crazy, but I related it all to the busy-ness of school.  I was even checked for anemia at one point (common with celiacs) and I was ‘fine.’  
  • The symptoms continued through school and the brain fog was undeniable.  I distinctly remember during my dietetic internship (like a medical residency except everything is nutrition based) at Kelowna General Hospital sitting in the office, charting on a patient and, literally, feeling like my brain was so fuzzy that I could barely keep my eyes from nodding off.  It was awful. 
  • Another thing I didn’t pay much attention to, was bowels.  I was always constipated.  Never the other way around. Never.  And, I also remember mentioning this to my gastroenterologist just before the endoscopy and he said ‘oh, well with your very low antibody levels and constipation, there is a very low chance that you are actually celiac but we will proceed with the endoscopy since you’re prepped and ready to go.’  
  • The piece of paper I received after the endoscopy said to follow up with my GP.  I did follow up with my GP and the report came back positive for celiac disease.  My GP said “well, you’re celiac.  But, you’re a dietitian, right, so this should be easy for you!”  
  • Perhaps I had a leg up in the nutrition part of it, but I think we all know that the gluten free diet is not a walk in the park.  And, although, I am so appreciative of the medical care I received, it did open my eyes to the lack of knowledge within the medical community when it came to celiac disease and the lack of support offered to individuals with celiac disease.  

That’s how Healthbean Nutrition was born!

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  • *Information and perspectives posted on  The Celiac Scene are intended to provide general information, without independent verification on the part of The Celiac Scene for  the accuracy of the information provided to it. The information is specifically not intended to be a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by your physician or other health care professional. Always consult your own physician or other health care professionals about any medical questions, diagnosis, or treatment, especially before trying any diet. Healthbean Nutrition does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on any content contained herein.