Spicy Tuscan Bean Soup with Kale

Ingredients:

• 2 TB Widltree European Dipping Oil, Tuscan
• 1 cup chopped peppers (any and/or all colors)
• 2 cups diced onion (any and/or all colors)
• 1 cups diced celery (If it's not green, it's probably not celery.)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• Juice from one lemon
• 32 oz. container of Chicken or Veggie Stock OR                                                                              4 cups water + 4 TB Wildtree Chicken or Veggie Bouillon Soup Base*
• 15 oz. can of Cannellini Beans
• 15 oz. can of Great Northern Beans
• 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp. Wildtree Hot & Spicy Fra Diavolo blend
•  4 cups kale, stems removed and chopped

Directions:

• Heat the grapeseed oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the veggies & the lemon juice and cook until onion is translucent, about 10-15 minutes.
• Add the Chicken or Veggie stock (or Bouillon), beans, bay leaves, tomato sauce, and Hot & Spicy Fra Diavolo blend and stir.
• Cover and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes. (I left mine simmering on the stove for 45 minutes until my husband came home from work.)
• Ten minutes before serving, add kale and continue cooking on low heat until kale is wilted.
• Remove bay leaves and serve with crusty artisan bread (or in my case, gluten free crackers) spread with Wildtree Smoked Mozzarella & Tomato Spread.

So good! This was a perfect meal for a freezing Minnesota winter night.  This soup can be made Vegetarian by simply using vegetable stock, or you can use chicken stock and add 4 ounces of cooked spicy Italian sausage for an extra kick! You can also use pretty much any veggies you want, I just used up what was left over from the holidays in my fridge.  Sweet potatoes would be a great addition to this soup!

*Please note that the Wildtree bouillon soup bases are NOT gluten free.  I used Kirkland Organic Chicken stock from Costco.


For the original recipe, please visit:
http://shop.wildtree.com/pages/cfRecipes_Detail.cfm?RecipeID=1007

Cajun Basil Winter Squash

Cajun Basil Winter Squash (with vegan option)

My mom sent me this recipe a couple of years ago.  I can't believe I haven't gotten it on to my blog until now- it's so good!  (Oh wait, maybe it's because I'm horrible at blogging. ;o)  Anyway, here it is now.  It is perfect for a snowy winter day!

Preheat oven to 400.

You will need:
1 medium size winter squash (acorn, butternut, etc.)
 1 small onion/chopped
1/4 cup Wildtree Butter Grapeseed Oil
1 T sugar (or xylitol)
1 clove garlic/chopped
1/2 t Wildtree Cajun Seasoning 
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2+ T chopped fresh basil or 2tsp. dried basil

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds, set aside.  Sauté remaining ingredients, adding the basil just before it goes into the squash.  Place cut halves open side up in a 9x9 glass baking dish or anything that will hold them. Fill dish half full with water.  Fill with 1/2 the mixture per each. Bake 1 hr. Enjoy!

Stir Fry Sauce

My parents made this stir fry sauce when we were up there for Christmas and I loved it.  I have included my dad's version as well as my modified, slightly healthier version.  Enjoy!

Dadoo's Stir Fry Sauce

2 T soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 T rice wine or dry cooking sherry
1 t white sugar (or Xylitol)
4 T brown sugar
2 T katsup
1 T chili powder
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 t sesame oil
1 t Five Spice powder
2 t ginger powder

2 t cornstarch mixed in to 2 oz chicken broth

Add all ingredients (except cornstarch mixture) to sauce pan and while stirring bring to a boil.  Boil for about one minute. Add cornstarch mixture to boiling mixture in sauce pan.  Cook just 'till thickened.


Jenni's Stir Fry Sauce
2 T Tamari, Coconut Aminos,  or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 T Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp. Xylitol
2 T Organic Ketchup
1 T chili powder (more or less to taste)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Five Spice power
2 tsp. powdered ginger

2 tsp cornstarch plus 2 oz. chicken broth

Add all ingredients except cornstarch and chicken broth to sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring constantly.  Boil for about one minute.  Mix cornstarch in to chicken broth.  Add mixture to ingredients in sauce pan.  Cook until sauce starts to thicken.  Serve with your favorite stir fry meats and veggies.

A whole new chapter...

Hi Everyone!
Just a quick note that has nothing to do with food or health, although I have lots five pounds doing it- we are having a HUGE garage sale and I would love it if you could come!  Hope to see you there!


HUGE multiple family yard sale, so big the garage couldn't contain it all! NEW ITEMS ARRIVING DAILY!!! Baked goods and homemade crafts! Thursday, September 19th through Saturday, September 21st from 8 AM to 6* PM. (*Time extended an extra hour!) Look for the neon pink Garage Sale signs. CLOTHES (Mens, Womens, Children, and Juniors). STROLLER. BABY SWING. INFANT CAR SEAT (Exp. 8/2014). TOYS. FURNITURE. HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. HOME DECOR. BOOKS. GARDEN TOOLS. SPORTS EQUIPMENT. BOOKS. JEWELRY. MINI BLINDS. BATHROOM FAUCET... Everything but the bathroom sink! **Cash only, please. No checks or credit/debit cards.


http://www.yardsalesearch.com

Chop and Drop Simple Veggie Soup

Recently my husband and I did a ten day vegan-style cleanse and during that time I had a lot of odds and ends of vegetables in my fridge.  I had also picked up several boxes of veggie stock (I'm to impatient to make my own, ) and I was in the mood to use our Crock-Pot.  Here's what happened next...

I used these ingredients:
One box of Vegetable Stock* (or 32 ounces)
Two sweet potatoes, cubed (2 cups)
Five large carrots, chopped (2 cups)
One bunch of green onion, chopped (1 cup)
Fresh green beans, cut to 1" pieces (3 cups)
a half bag of frozen organic corn I found in the freezer (2 cups)
Pureed tomatoes from our garden that I froze last fall (2 cups)
Olive oil (1 TBS)
Two cloves of garlic, pressed
Juice from one lemon
2 Bay Leaves
And one teaspoon each of dried parsley, dried basil, and herb de province

After all my chopping, cubing and dicing, I just dropped it all in to my Crock-Pot and set it on low for seven hours (ready in time for dinner that evening).  I was a little worried that some of the veggies would either get too mushy or not get cooked well enough.  I had no idea how it would taste, but the house smelled amazing.

Seven hours later, I sat down to the best bowl of veggie soup I've ever had!  The beauty of this recipe is that you can throw in whatever veggies you have on hand, even those half full bags of green beans and corn you have left over in the freezer!


For those of us who need a definitive recipe to help us get started, here you go:

Chop and Drop Fresh Veggie Soup
Active Time: 30 minutes (more or less depending on how fast you can chop veggies)
Cook Time:  4-6 hours on high, 7-8 hours on low (depending on when dinner time is)

Ingredients:
32 ounces vegetable stock*
1 TBS olive oil
two cloves of garlic, pressed
juice from one lemon, or 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 Bay Leaves (remove leaves before serving the soup)
1 tsp dried parsley or 1 TBS fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried basil or 1 TBS fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp herb de provence
2 cups potato (any kind) cubed
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion, any kind
2-3 cups fresh or frozen green beans, cut in to 1 inch pieces
2 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh* (not canned)
2 cups pureed tomatoes, any kind (I just put the tomatoes in my food processor for a few seconds, then drop them in the soup.)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a 5 quart Crock-Pot or slow cooker and cook on low for seven to eight hours or on high for four to six hours.  Remove bay leaves and serve.

* Be sure to check in ingredient label for extra preservatives and additives in anything boxed, frozen, or canned.  With all ingredients, fresh and organic is the best option.  If you can find non-GMO corn, that is even better.   I can't always afford that, so I do as much as I can. 

One other thing to consider, take a look at the ingredient list above and then compare it with the ingredient list for Progesso Vegetable Classics Garden Vegetable:
Ingredients: Water, Potatoes, Carrots, Tomato Puree (water, tomato paste), Tomatoes, Corn, Celery, Kidney Beans, Green Beans. Contains less than 2% of: Modified Food Starch, Salt, Sugar, Vegetable Juice Concentrates (carrot, celeriac, red beet, lettuce, spinach, citric acid, natural flavor), Onion, Potassium Chloride, Corn Protein (hydrolyzed), Dried Parsley, Spice, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Calcium Chloride, Yeast Extract.

I know it takes extra time, but the lack of scientific-sounding chemicals and additives in my food is worth it to me.  And I think it tastes much better, even without the added salt and sugar!  I hope you enjoy it as much as my awesome** husband and I do!

** = this is what happens when I ask my awesome husband to proof read my blog.

Ten Things I Learned Since Going Gluten Free

One of the unexpected benefits of being on this complicated journey with food and food restrictions is the ability to help other people in their own journeys with food, food allergies, sensitivities, and restrictions.  Every time someone asks me for information or perspective regarding this journey, it helps me feel like there is a bigger purpose in it and it is not just something that I have to deal with alone.  It is a club that no one really wants to join, but if life signs you up with a membership against your will, it is nice to know that you are not on this journey alone.

Today a friend asked me about going gluten free and wanted to know "How difficult is it, really?"  She told me why she was interested in trying it and asked about the best way to go about it.  Since she is not the first person to ask me this question, I thought it was about time I wrote about it on my blog!

So.  Going gluten free.  How hard is it really?  I'll be totally honest, the first few weeks were not fun and I had meltdowns on a regular basis.  Take everything you think you know about the food you eat and throw it out the window.  You have to relearn how to shop for your food.  You have to read EVERY label and research every restaurant before you go to see if they have a menu and facility that can accommodate a gluten free diet.  I have been gluten free for almost a full year and I am still learning the ins and outs of this gluten free lifestyle.

The level of difficulty varies based on your level of gluten intolerance- someone with Celiac Disease (http://www.celiac.com) has to be much more diligent and careful than someone who is simply trying out the gluten free diet to see if it will help.  If the server at a restaurant messes up my order and brings my burger out with the bun on it, I am able to simply remove the offending bun and don't have to send my burger back and have them cook me a new burger.  (This happened to a friend of mine who does have Celiac and she had to send the burger back twice.)  I can handle fries that are cooked in the same oil as things with flour, but if they have actually coated the fries with flour (to make them more crispy?) than that does not work so well for me.

Which leads me to my next point- what works for me and my gluten free diet might not work for you.  I have come to realize just how individual and personal a person's diet is and, like gluten free flour blends, it is not one size fits all.  That being said, here are some things that I have learned since going gluten free.

1.  Commit to at least one full month of going GF.  Everyone told me that I would feel "so much better!" after just a few days.  Well, it took me a few weeks.  If I had given up after that first week or two because I wasn't feelin' it yet, I would have missed out on getting to that point where I did feel better.

2.  Find a mentor.  I was very blessed to have several friends who had already gone gluten free and they were a huge help and encouragement to me.

3.  Find what works best for YOU.  There will be so much conflicting information and everyone will be trying to sell you the "best" way to eat GF, but you have to find what works best for you, your circumstances, and your preferences.

4.  Find new ways of doing the things you love.  Love pasta?  Try brown rice or corn pasta.  Can't bear to give up cookies and cupcakes?  Check out Elana's Pantry or many of the other dedicated GF cooking websites out there.

5.  Take it one day at a time.  There is so much to process, and learn, and relearn that you will most likely feel overwhelmed at first.  If you "mess up" and realize that you missed something on a label and accidentally had gluten, don't worry.   Just learn from the mistake and move forward.

6.  If you are like me, at some point you will most likely need to stop doing research in to every single aspect of GF living and just start living.  I had to give up the need to know every thing there was to know about it (read every new article, every new idea that came out there) and just live my life.

7.  Trust that what you are doing is good for your body.  So much of the wheat products that we consume in our culture are so highly processed that they barely resemble food anymore.  Wheat, in and of itself, is not the real culprit.  It's what we have done to wheat and the amount with which we consume it that is the real problem.  Cutting out wheat and wheat products is going to lead you in a  healthier direction, and it can open your eyes to a whole new way of eating that is much healthier than our Standard American Diet of junk food and drive-though dinners.

8.  Be careful not to assume that just because something is gluten free it is inherently healthier.  There is plenty of unhealthy, gluten free junk food out there!

9.  It will take time to learn all the tricks of the trade and a little trial and error on your part.  Things like which GF flour blend to use (it depends on what you are making), how to store Udi's GF bread (in the freezer!), and how long you can store almond flour (3 months in the fridge, up to 6 in the freezer- it goes bad if you leave it in the cupboard) are a few of the details I had to learn the hard way.

10.  Believe that you can do this.  Realize how much you have most likely been taking food for granted and be thankful that you able to take this step to reclaim your diet.  Just being able to go on a GF diet is a luxury that many people in this country can't afford.  It is expensive, especially at first as you figure out what works and what doesn't, but it is worth it.

I hope that this helps you if you are starting out on the GF journey.  I know it can be difficult, but hang in there- it's worth it!

What a Difference a Year Makes

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2012

One of the side benefits of being on the Candida Diet, and eating much healthier in general, is weight loss.  I lost over 25 pounds in 2012 by cutting out sugars and eating whole foods.  I did not increase my exercise routine, I didn't starve myself, and I did not eat a low-fat diet.  Still, it was not easy.  It does take commitment and dedication, but for my health it is totally worth it!  My migraines have lessened, my sensitives are way down, and I am just much more healthy in general.



My goals for my health in 2013 are to continue eating healthy, whole foods and to increase the amount that I exercise.  Since I have been reintroducing whole grains and dairy into my diet, I know it will be important to keep my metabolism going if I want to not regain the weight I've lost and to just be and feel healthier in general.  I feel I am getting close to finding the end of the Candida Diet maze, but I am also realizing that getting out "the maze" is just the beginning.  Healthy eating is not a maze to be solved, rather it is a journey to be traveled.  It is a journey that I am learning to enjoy and one I hope that you will join me on.  Trust me, it is worth it!

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

I came up with this recipe for a going away party at work and everyone loved them.  They are great on salads, on top of Greek yogurt, or just as a tasty snack.  Be careful, though, they are addicting!

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

• 2 cups raw pecans (and/or walnuts, cashews, or almonds)
• 2 TBS raw honey
• 1 TBS Wildtree Organic Coconut Oil
• 1/4 tsp Wildtree Cajun Seasoning (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Wildtree Cajun Seasoningmore or less to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt honey and coconut oil in sauce pan over low heat.
3. Add salt and spices to the honey/oil mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour honey/oil mixture over pecans and stir until nuts are completely coated.
5. Pour nut mixture in to a 9x13 baking pan and bake for 15 minutes, stirring mixture every five minutes.
6. Let mixture cool completely before serving.  Store in air tight container for up to two weeks.
7. Enjoy!

Cookies!

Please let me offer my most sincere apologies for not posting this in time for the holidays.  I was too busy making and eating these cookies!  (On the positive side, I could eat these year round and the Cookie Cutter Cookies can be cut in to any shape for any holiday or occasion.)  The star shaped cookie and the tea cake cookie are super simple to make and are gluten free and vegan.  The darker brown cookie is a Snickerdoodle from Trader Joe's.  The Snickerdoodle is free from all eight common allergens, but it is pretty high in sugar so I didn't eat too many of those.  The star cookies and the tea cakes are both candida diet friendly!

My Cookie Cutter Cookie Recipe 

adapted from Holiday Cookies in "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (NOT almond meal)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup hazelnut infused olive oil (regular olive oil or grapeseed oil work as well)

1 TBS sugar-free vanilla extract

3 TBS coconut or almond milk plus 1/2 tsp liquid stevia

Cinnamon and Xylitol to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.  
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well.  
3. In a medium bowl, combine oil, vanilla, milk, and liquid stevia.  Mix well, and then our over dry ingredients.  Mix all ingredients until fully combined.  Mixture will be somewhat dry- if it is too dry and falling apart, add an extra tablespoon of milk. Be careful not to add too much milk or your cookies will be dense and chewy.
4. Place the dough in the freezer for one hour.  
5. Once dough has hardened, take out half of the dough and put the other half back in the freezer.
6. Carefully roll out the dough on a baking mat or sheet of parchment paper to 1/2 inch thickness.  
7. Very carefully cut out the cookies, dipping the cookie cutter in cold water between each cut to keep the cutter from sticking.
8. Put cookies on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon and Xylitol if desired.
9. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  
10. While first batch of cookies is baking, take second half of the dough out of the freezer and repeat steps 6-8.
11. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for ten minutes, then move to cooling rack.  Cookies can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks*.  

*Because these cookies use almond flour, they will spoil if left at room temperature for extended periods of time.  

My Tea Cakes

adapted from http://www.elanaspantry.com/pecan-shortbread-cookies/

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/2 cup grape seed oil or EVOO

1 TBS sugar-free vanilla extract

3 TBS coconut or almond milk plus 1/4 tsp liquid stevia

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400*F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.  (I use a wire whisk in the dry ingredients to make sure they are fully blended.)
3. Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add to dry ingredients and mix well.  Mixture will be fairly dry and crumbly.
4. Roll dough in to 1 inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until they begin to brown.
6. Allow cookies to cook on baking sheet for 10-20 minutes before moving to cooling rack.  Cool completely and then store in air tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

These cookies remind me so much of my mom's Russian Tea Cakes, minus the powdered sugar coating.  I was so excited to find a familiar (all be it altered) Christmas cookie that I didn't even care about the missing sugar.  You can also roll them in a cinnamon/Xylitol blend for a little added flavor, but I like them just the way they are.  Served with a cold glass of almond milk, I could eat these every day, all year long!

*To make Snowball cookies, make powdered sugar by pulsing Xylitol in a small food processor or coffee grinder. (I have a small coffee grinder that I used exclusively for making flax seed meal and it worked perfectly for making the powdered "sugar.")  Allow cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes after taking them out of the oven, then roll in the powdered "sugar."  Xylitol has a naturally cooling taste, hence the new name, Snowball cookies!  My gluten & sugar loving hubby keeps snitching them, so they must be good! :)

I made this recipe with my in-laws when they came to visit us in November and it has been a favorite of ours ever since.  Everyone we have made it for loves it, and we will usually make a double batch so we can have left overs for lunches during the week.  This recipe is gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy free, and is perfect way to take the edge off a cold winter's night!  

White Chicken Chili

Adapted from a recipe by PaleOMG - 

Paleo Recipes at http://paleomg.com/paleo-creamy-chicken-chili/ 

Ingredients
2 lbs chicken, diced into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp. baking soda (to soften & moisten the chicken)
1 15 oz. can of Great Northern Beans
5-6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and minced (depending how spicy you want it)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1-1.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup canned coconut milk (not light)
1 (4 oz) can green chiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Instructions
1. In a large soup pot over medium heat,  saute the minced garlic and onion in olive oil.
2. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the chicken and baking soda and begin to cook. Mix as needed with a wooden spoon to cook on both sides.
3. Once your chicken is half way cooked through, add in all of the remaining vegetables. Mix together and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk, along with all of the spices.
5. Stir together.
6. Cover and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
7. Enoy!
Recipe by PaleOMG - Paleo Recipes at http://paleomg.com/paleo-creamy-chicken-chili/

Happy New Year!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season!  I was very blessed to be able to take a week and a half off from work and spend most of that time with family and friends.  I was also very blessed, and very excited, to lift many of my dietary restrictions in time for the holidays.  I was able to lift my restrictions on the number of servings of gluten-free whole grains, add back legumes (beans and peas, including chick peas which means hummus!), and add back dairy in moderation.  It made for a much more relaxed and enjoyable Christmas and New Years.  

You would think that having nearly two weeks off would have given me time to update my blog and make some posts, but here's the thing you might not know about me... I am horrible at keeping a journal.  I always have been, but it is something that I am working on.  So please forgive me for the two month hiatus in posts.  My goal is to do at least one post per month.  It sounds exceedingly simple, but for me it will be something I have to focus on and work to accomplish.  

Which brings me to another point, I am making it my goal to blog more regularly, not my resolution.  Every year people make "New Year's Resolutions," and every year, it seems, we fail to follow through.  (This is especially unfortunate given that most of our New Year's resolutions revolve around becoming better, healthier human beings!)  So why a goal and not a resolution?  A goal is "the end toward which effort is directed," whereas a resolution is "the act or process of resolving."  One of the definitions of resolve, according to Merriam-Webster, is to "reach a firm decision about something."  A New Year's "resolution," then, is the act or process of reaching firm decision about something.  If I get stuck in that process of reaching that firm decision to make a change, I'm not really going anywhere.  

A goal also has an end to work towards, it has focus and purpose.  Having a goal gives you something to work towards and therefore allows you to know when you have accomplished what you have set out to do. Instead of a  resolution to "eat better," make a goal to have at least one serving of fruit or vegetables with every meal.  Instead of a resolution to "exercise more," make a goal to start taking the stairs at work and park at the back of the parking lot at the grocery store.  Be realistic in what you can accomplish.  Small successes encourage us to try more; major "failures" (not making it to the gym 3 times/week after the first week, anyone?) cause us to give up and go back to our old way of doing (or not doing) things.  Have someone to help keep you accountable, it makes the journey easier and you are more likely to stick to your goals.  In the case of this blog, I have my Post list and all of you to help keep me accountable.  Wish me luck!

My Ideal Gluten-free, egg free Thanksgiving....

Preparing for (and eating!) a Thanksgiving meal should be fun, but when you have to ditch most of your favorite recipes and use ingredients you have never heard of it can become downright maddening.  If you have multiple food allergies/sensitivities, your list of acceptable recipes gets even smaller.  This Thanksgiving, I am needing to be gluten free, egg free, and sugars free (only Xylitol or Stevia are okay).  It seemed like stuffing and pumpkin pie were completely out for me, but it can be done!  If I had the time and the money (and/or my own personal chef), this is what my Thanksgiving Day menu would look like:

Roast Turkey with Herby Gravy 

http://mariamakesmuffins.com/2011/11/10/thanksgiving-menu-roast-turkey-with-herby-gravy/

Serves 12

4 organic carrots, scrubbed, cut crosswise and then into thirds
4 ribs celery with leafy tops, cut crosswise and then into thirds
2 onions, peeled and quartered
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh sage
1 apple, quartered and cored
1 cinnamon stick
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup pomegranate juice, red wine or additional chicken stock
10-14 lb free range or organic turkey, defrosted and brought to room temperature
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
4 tbsp water
spicy and smoky turkey spice rub

Preheat oven to 500˚.

Place 3 carrots, 3 ribs celery, 1 onion, 5 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary and 2 sprigs sage in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Cover with stock. If possible, place the rack on top of the vegetables, arranging them so the rack is stable.

Remove and discard turkey beck and giblets. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Place on rack in roasting pan breast side up. See the video below on prepping your bird.

Gently lift up skin on breast and thighs, if possible. Rub meat, under skin, with half of the spicy and smoky spice rub. Pull back skin into place. Drizzle skin with olive oil and rub skin with remaining spice rub. Fill cavity with remaining vegetables and spices.

Firmly turn wings under the breast of the turkey to stabilize on rack.

Create a turkey triangle. See the video below for a tutorial. Fold a large piece of foil into a triangle the size of the breast of your turkey. Lightly mist with cooking spray. Gently mold the foil to the shape of your turkey breast. Set aside.

Place turkey into oven and bake at 500˚ for 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven. Reset oven to 350˚.

Place a temperature probe into the breast and set to 161, make sure the alert is turned on. Place turkey triangle over turkey breast and return turkey to the oven until breast reaches 161, about 1-2 hours (dependent upon the size of your bird); most of my birds only take an additional 45-60 minutes of baking. For some reason, free range and organic birds take less time to cook than conventional turkeys.

Remove turkey from oven and cover with two thick towels (I use bath towels). Allow the turkey to rest on the countertop for 30 minutes before carving.

with Gluten Free Herb Gravy

Pour pan drippings through a mesh sieve into a large saucepan. Add ½ cup pomegranate juice, wine or stock. Heat drippings over medium high heat. In a small bowl combine arrowroot and water with fork until no clumps remain. Pour into drippings. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and summer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Or... Herb Gravy
http://www.elanaspantry.com/herb-gravy/ 
1 quart chicken stock
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
pan drippings (from roasted chicken or turkey)
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, heat chicken stock, onions and garlic to a boil
2. Reduce heat and simmer until onions and garlic are soft, about 30 minutes
3. Pour pan drippings into saucepan
4. Blend stock-onion-drippings mixture in a Vitamix until smooth
5. Place mixture back in saucepan and reheat, then season with salt and thyme
6. Serve over turkey, mashed cauliflower, or anything else

Chorizo and Corn Bread Stuffing  
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-sanchez/chorizo-and-corn-bread-stuffing-recipe/index.html#

1 pound hard chorizo diced

1 white onion diced 

1/2 cup chopped carrot (1 large carrot)

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups crumbled corn bread

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat until the fat has been rendered, about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the chorizo and cook until the vegetables have carmelized, about 10 minutes.

Add the crumbled corn bread, chicken stock, and cilantro. Make sure that the stuffing itself is not to dry but at the same time not to wet.

Place the stuffing into a buttered casserole and bake in the oven until heated through and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Gluten Free Corn Bread

http://www.picklesnhoney.com/2012/06/06/gluten-free-vegan-cornbread/

• 2 flax eggs (2 Tbs ground flax, 6 Tbs water)
• 1/2 C. Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 C. Garbanzo Bean Flour
• 1 C. Finely Ground Cornmeal
• 1 Tbs. Baking Powder
• 3/4 Tsp. Xanthan Gum
• 3/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 C. Organic Sugar or Xylitol
• 1 C. Non-Dairy Milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/4 C. Coconut Oil, Melted

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.
3. Combine the ground flax seeds and water to make ‘flax eggs’. Stir and set aside for a couple of minutes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, garbanzo bean flour, cornmeal, baking powder, xanthan gum, and sea salt.
5. Add the ‘flax eggs’, sugar, non-dairy milk, and coconut oil to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined (do not over-mix).
6. Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool slightly, cut into pieces, and serve!

Ginger-Lime Cranberry Sauce (Sugar-Free)
http://www.glutenfreehippie.com/2009/11/ginger-lime-cranberry-sauce-sugar-free.html#

1 12 oz. package fresh cranberries (4 cups)
heaping 1/2 cup xylitol
1 heaping Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
6 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
zest of 1/2 lime

In a sauce pot on medium heat, add all ingredients and stir, cover. Cook for about 20 minutes or until desired thickness is reached, stirring occasionally. Serve hot or cold.

Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes" (aka. Faux-Tatoes or No-Tatoes)
modified from:  http://steamykitchen.com/20966-cauliflower-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html

1 head of cauliflower
3 tablespoons almond milk
1 tablespoon organic, unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
freshly ground black pepper
snipped chives

1. Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the core finely.

2. Bring about 1 cup of water to a simmer in a pot, then add the cauliflower. Cover and turn the heat to medium. Cook the cauliflower for 12-15 minutes or until very tender.

3. Drain and discard all of the water (the drier the cauliflower is, the better) and add the milk, butter, salt and pepper and mash with a masher until it looks like "mashed potatoes." Top with chives.

Cinnamon Apple Tart with Pecan Crust

http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-apple-tart/print/

• 4-5 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced ⅛-inch thick
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1 tablespoon Xylitol
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Pecan Tart Crust

1. In a large bowl, toss apple slices, lemon juice, arrowroot, honey and cinnamon
2. Fan apples out on top of uncooked crust, forming a circle
3. Layer more apples over circle and in its center
4. Cover tart with foil, and bake at 350° for 45 to 70 minutes, or until juices are bubbling
5. Remove foil and cook uncovered for 5-10 more minutes

Serves 6

Paleo Pecan Tart Crust

http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-pecan-tart-crust/

• 1½ cups pecans
• 1 egg or egg replacer (1 TB. flax seed meal + 3 TB. water)
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• ⅛ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. Place pecans in food processor and pulse until the texture of coarse gravel
2. Pulse in egg, coconut flour and salt until mixture forms a ball
3. Grease a 9-inch tart pan
4. Using your hands, press crust onto bottom and up sides of tart pan
5. Top off crust with your favorite filling
6. Bake until filling is done (length of time dependent upon filling recipe)
7. Serve

"HEALTHIFIED" PUMPKIN PIE IN A JAR

http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/

CRUST LAYER:

3/4 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup coconut oil or butter

1/2 cup JUST LIKE BROWN SUGAR or SWERVE

1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using Swerve)

1 egg (omit if egg allergy... it will still work!)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

CREAM LAYER:

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 c powdered Swerve (or powdered erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)
8 oz cream cheese OR mascarpone cheese, at room temperature (or coconut cream for dairy allergy)
1 tsp pure vanilla
PUMPKIN LAYER:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves

CRUST LAYER: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, Just Like Brown Sugar and stevia. Cream for a few minutes until very fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Roll 2 TBS of dough into a ball in your hands (for uniform shape) onto a cookie sheet. Place cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Crumble and use as cookie crust.

CREAM LAYER: Mix the almond milk, cream cheese, powdered swerve and vanilla until well combined. 

PUMPKIN LAYER: Pour the almond milk into a large bowl. Add the pumpkin, sweetener, and spices. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes, or until very well blended. The mixture should be quite thick.

TO LAYER INTO THE JARS: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip (or a large Ziplock with an end cut) with the whippy cream cheese mixture. Pipe a layer of this mixture onto the bottom of an 8-ounce Mason jar or cute jar like the ones I used (click HERE to find), starting at the edge of the jar and working to the center. Repeat this step with the rest of the jars.

That would be my ideal Thanksgiving dinner for this year, but this stuff is expensive and I don't have the time to do it all.  I'm guessing you don't either, so the best advice I can give us is pick which dishes are most important to you and focus on those.  (For me, nothing says Thanksgiving dinner like savory stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes.)  As always, plan ahead! If you are able, try recipes before the actual day.  That way if they don't work or need to be modified you are able to do so and you don't end up having to go without your favorite dish.  Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

Basic Chicken Noodle Soup

Basic Chicken Noodle Soup
This recipe is my starting point for all my other variations.

4 c. chicken broth or stock
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 c. diced cooked chicken (I use left over rotisserie chicken.)
1 package cooked noodles (I use Kelp Noodles, but you can use which ever kind of noodles fit your diet.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth, celery, and onion to a rolling boil.  Boil for about 5 minutes or until celery and onion are soft (but not mushy).  Add chicken and noodles and cook for another half hour on low heat.  Makes 5-6 servings.

Variations:

• Before adding the celery and onion to the broth, boil the leaves from the celery stalk and 2-3 bay leaves for ten minutes.  Remove celery leaves and bay leaves and continue recipe as above.
• Try different spices (such as Herbs de Provence) or make the soup a little more spicy by adding a little bit of powdered ginger. 
• Add other veggies such as carrots, zucchini, or even kale leaves.  Boil carrots & zucchini with the celery and onions in the broth.
• Make it vegetarian by using Vegetable Stock and omitting the chicken, then adding lots of other veggies.

Thankfulness and Vitamin D

As promised, I am back to share something positive and hopeful.  Clearly yesterday was a rough day for me.  I'm thinking I might be low on Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, so I'm going to work on that.  A friend shared that possibility (being low on Vitamin D) with me on facebook and it got me thinking about how blessed I am to have the people in my life that God has blessed me with.  This lead to my realization of how fully blessed I am simply because God is walking this journey with me.  

Last night my husband played a song for me.  It was one that I had already heard and it speaks right to the heart of where I am at right now, but it was also affirming that he recognized on his own where I was at and wanted to share that song with me.  The song is "Need You Now (How Many Times)" by Plumb and the chorus goes like this:

How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this"?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

Today in my daily devotional Beth Moore had this to say:  "If Your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92).  Teach me your Word during this season of my life like I have never known it before, and make this verse my testimony when I emerge from this place."  My desire should be to know God more through the struggles of this time, until the time "when I emerge from this place."  He is my strength, my hope, my rock, and my Truth.  He alone can heal my body, my mind, and my spirit.  Doctors and chiropractors can only do so much- ultimately healing comes from the One who created me.  

Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me through your living Word and through the people that you have placed in my life.  To you, oh Lord, I life up my soul; in you I trust, oh God (Psalm 25:1).  Amen.

Day 60 of the Candida Diet- How am I doing today?

 People often ask me how I am doing on this diet, and most of the time I just don't even want to answer because to give a truly honest answer wouldn't be very uplifting.  Today is day 60 of the strict phase of the candida diet and it finds me cranky and melancholy.  Two months down, how many more to go?  I am craving "normal" foods and I am sad over the loss of many of my favorite foods and restaurants.  I'm tired of having to make all of my food from scratch using very limited ingredients and I am so very tempted to chuck it all and have a nice, tasty gluten free pizza.  (Unfortunately the eggs in the crust, tomatoes, and dairy make that not the best option for me right now.)  I have come to the realization that the things I really crave when it comes to food are balance, convenience, and variety.

I crave balance.  If I eat something sweet, I crave something salty to balance it out.  If all I eat are vegetables, I crave fruit to balance it out.  Since nothing that I can eat has any real crunch to it, I crave tortilla chips and crackers.  Balance and variety go hand in hand.  It is hard to achieve balance when your options are so limited.  I also crave convenience.  It is very stressful knowing that if I forget my homemade lunch on the kitchen table when I go to work, my options for going out to "grab a bite to eat" are severely limited.  I crave the convenience of being able to look up a recipe and not have to wondering if my egg replacer will work or how much agar flakes cost.  I crave "normal."

I am worried about the upcoming holidays.  Potlucks, holiday parties, and family gatherings are a minefield of danger and deprivation.  Or at least that's how it looks from here.  I'm so new at this and I don't have a lot of time on my hands to try out these recipes that I find.  I know that a gluten-free, Candida Diet approved Thanksgiving dinner is possible, I just don't have the time to figure out how to do it.  I'm tired and I'm frustrated and I just want to be done with this diet.   I look at all the other bloggers and they are so upbeat and optimistic.  Am I the only one who really struggles with this?  I guess one difference is I am not trying to sell anything with this blog, so  I can afford to be real with how I am feeling and not sugar coat it.  I couldn't use sugar anyway, I would have to use Xylitol.

So, in a nut shell, that is how I am doing today.  I promise to come back and post something more optimistic and hopeful soon. Reminder to myself:  THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

Vegan Pancakes

Woo hoo!  This morning I made pancakes that actually taste like pancakes, my father-in-law even asked for seconds!  I started with the pancake recipe from Elana's Pantry (which is the starting place for most of my current cooking attempts) and modified little by little.  These pancakes are made from blanched almond flour and use chia seed meal plus water and arrowroot starch as egg replacers.  I also substituted a Xylitol/ Stevia blend for the agave nectar and then added an extra 3/4 cup of liquid to get the batter to the right consistency.  These are best made on a griddle for even cooking, but I used a junky skillet on an electric stove and they turned out fine.  Also, keep in mind that I am NOT a professional anything in the kitchen - this is just how I made this recipe work for me.  Happy breakfast!

Vegan Pancakes (Candida Diet approved!)


2 TB. chia seed meal + 6 TB. hot water (egg replacer)

Dry Ingredients:
1&1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 TB. arrowroot powder
1/4 cup Xylitol/Stevia blend (I use my own 60/40 blend.)

Wet Ingredients:
1 TB. vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
1/4 cup of water to start, plus up to 3/4 cup additional liquid to thin batter

1. Make egg replacer by mixing the chia seed meal and hot (but not boiling) water.  Set aside while mixing other ingredients and allow mixture to gel.  
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well.
3. After egg replacer has gelled, add remaining wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Add extra liquid (I used coconut milk) to batter until is resembles normal pancake batter.
6. Using a table spoon from the silverware drawer, scoop one spoon of batter onto griddle and use spoon to spread batter around to thin pancake.
7. Cook until edges brown and pancake bubbles.  Flip pancake and allow to cook until it rises and then collapses.  This is how you know the inside of the pancake will be fully cooked.
8. Serve with Coconut Manna and crushed almonds or other sweeter nuts.

Makes approximately 20 small (2-3 inch) pancakes.

PS.  Many thanks to my in-laws and my hubby this weekend for all their support, encouragement, and culinary knowledge. They helped me improve a couple of my recipes and answered many cooking related questions.  Most of all, they enjoyed the food that I can eat right along with me- from purchase to prep to plate.  It's really nice to be able to share what I am doing with others who are willing to try something new!  

A Case of the Crazies

I knew this treatment diet would be difficult and expensive.  I knew it would be frustrating and time consuming.  I did not realize just how much of an emotional roller coaster it would be.  One minute I am doing well and feel like I've got it all under control, the next I am in tears on the edge of a melt-down.  (I guess I'm getting a good idea of how it feels to be a three year old.)  Little things like not being able to find real, whole foods at the grocery store can send me in a tail spin.  My husband asks how he can help and the truth is I just don't know what to tell him.  

One thing that I have realized is that I am, in a sense, going through a grieving period over the loss of "my foods."  The Kübler-Ross Model, commonly known as the Five Stages of Grief, include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.  I can go through all five stages in the course of an hour.  Denial:  "YEAH, I'm fine, I can do this, this is no big deal!  It's only for a few months." Anger:  "This SUCKS.  I HATE THIS.  I'm going have to be on this diet FOREVER."  Bargaining:  "I just need to find a new doctor.  Maybe if I do this differently, it'll be over sooner.  I just need to go hard core and it'll all be good."  Depression:  "No one understands what I am going through.  No one really cares.  I'm just going to curl up in a little ball and hibernate until this stupid diet it over."  Acceptance:  "Yes, this does suck but you are NOT alone and it is only for a period of time, not forever."  I know that it is no where the same as loosing a loved one (it doesn't really even compare to that), which is what these stages were originally developed for, but it is still a loss and it does leave a big hole in your life.

This may sound silly if you haven't been told that if you continue eating what you have been eating you will continue to be sick.  This is NOT a fad diet.  I'm not doing this to lose weight or to clear up my complexion.  I am doing this because my body was shutting down and I am sick all the time.  So, yes, I can cheat and sneak one of the forbidden foods here and there, but then I get to feel like junk the next day.  

Here's where the loss comes in- our culture, our lives, revolve around food.  Imagine birthdays without cake, Thanksgiving without stuffing, Christmas without cookies.  Imagine never being able to go to your favorite restaurant again because you can no longer eat anything on they have on the menu.  Imagine all your favorite recipes from your childhood are no longer a possibility.  We have an emotional connection with our food, traditions and memories accompany much of what we eat.  I am mourning the loss of those traditions and future memories.  I am trying to learn to make new traditions and to look forward to new memories.  And I am still looking forward to reintroducing some of those favorites, just in a new and healthier way.  So if you are going through this, know that it is okay to grieve, to cry, to get mad.  It is difficult, but you will learn new ways of doing things and it will get easier.  At lease that's what I am hoping for.

Salad Dressings

Here is a few of my "Go To" salad dressings.  Store bought salad dressings are full of preservatives and additives- making your own salad dressings is both very easy and very good for you!  I've had to cut out tomatoes completely because of my acid reflux, but I love the Tomato Basil dressing and look forward to adding that back into my diet someday.  The Green Goddess Dressing is smooth and creamy and goes great with spinach and chicken.  The Italian Dressing is super versatile and can be kept in the fridge for up to three months.  The recipes below are how I make them, but feel free to experiment with seasonings and ingredients to make your salad dressing just right for you.

Tomato Basil Dressing 
from Maximized Living's Nutrition Plan, http://www.maximizedliving.com/

1 medium tomato, roughly chopped, or 1 pint cherry tomatoes
2-4 TB Apple Cider Vinegar (organic, raw & unpasteurized is best)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Basil Leaves (whole) or 1/8 cup dried basil
1/2 Clove Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  This dressing is also great as a substitute for ketchup on burgers or steak.  I love it over steak with fresh avocado!

Green Goddess Dressing
from http://www.elanaspantry.com/green-goddess-dressing/

1 avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon herbes de provence
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
3-5 drops stevia or 1/2 tsp Xylitol
1 cup water

1. Place all ingredients in a Vitamix or a blender
2. Process on high speed until smooth and creamy
3. Pour over your favorite salad greens
4. Store remaining dressing in a glass jar in fridge
5. Keeps for up to 5 days 

I love Elana's Pantry!   I have had to modify them to fit my Candida Diet plan, but many of my recipes are from her blog.  If you are getting in to clean eating or just want delicious food that is much better for you, check out her site! http://www.elanaspantry.com/

Perfect Homemade Italian Dressing
from http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/07/perfect-homemade-italian-dressing.html

1 cup of the vinegar (any type is fine, whether ACV, wine vinegar, rice vinegar, etc...)
1 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of water
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon Xylitol, optional (I prefer it without)
1 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoons salt

Instructions
1. Pour ingredients into a glass jar or bottle with a cover. You may need to use a funnel, in which case pour the dry things in first before the liquids.
2. Cover and shake well.
3. Use, or refrigerate for up to 90 days.
4. Enjoy!

When using after it has been refrigerated, you will need to let the dressing get to room temperature as the dressing solidifies when cold.  This usually takes just a few minutes.  This dressing is also great as a marinade for chicken or fish and on cold salads, such as quinoa salad or a pasta salad.