The Clothing Caper

I've talked a lot about my food allergies/sensitivities here, but not my fabric sensitivities. I am not sure how long I had been living with obscure sensitivities to polyester and polyurethane, but when I took them out it was quite a difference.

If you thought avoiding foods was a dangerous dodgeball, fabrics is a whole new game.

My polyester story begins 18 months ago. I kept noticing muscle fatigue and just a general tiredness that was growing worse. I kept praying about it and I received the consistent urge to check my clothing. Turns out that the majority of my cotton clothing were the clothes I typically felt more relaxed in, while the bulk of my polyester clothing I rarely felt relaxed in. (I mean, could clothing really cause that much of a difference??) I wrestled for a week with the possibility of doing a trial run of only wearing cotton and minimal synthetics with no polyester. When I took the plunge, I noticed no change at first; but by the end of the day I realized I was more relaxed and could ride my bike with minimal fatigue and could make it up steep hills. But the real revelation would be if my symptoms returned when I brought polyester back in. The first few hours I noticed nothing. However, by the end of the day there was a drastic change in that my heart rate would speed up and I would get severe muscle fatigue again, among a few other symptoms. I wore polyester for three days and when I took it out, the same results happened. When I returned polyester a second time, it was clear that removing it was a dramatic improvement. Even though polyester is not life threatening and I only react with pro-longed exposure (45 minutes) against my body core, it was worth getting rid of all polyester clothing and bedding.

Before you say it's all in my head, why do I react to it when I don't even realize I am wearing it? A few months ago I bought a bra, but forgot to check the label... For a month I could not figure out what was giving me asthma attacks, digestive issues, muscle fatigue, and general tiredness. It finally hit me that it felt like a polyester reaction, but I wasn't wearing polyester. Or so I thought. Sure enough, that new bra had a lot of polyester. Yes, one small piece of clothing effected me that dramatically. After switching it out, my symptoms resolved completely within three days. It's a bit more alarming when you don't realize you are wearing the offender and the symptoms manifest themselves more cantankerously!

When I first noticed a reaction to polyester, I did a lot of research on what this stuff really was. It quickly proved frustrating because clothing manufacturers refuse to tell you what chemicals they spray and saturate into the clothing. If you email them -- and actually receive an answer -- the response will be vague. Nevertheless, numerous sources confirm that polyester is derived from petroleum (oil) and contains lung-damaging pollutants, exposes more phthalates and plastic vapors against the skin. All synthetic materials have a higher likelyhood of chemical exposure in the creation process and tend to have more toxic crap than natural fibers. Also, multiple sources made the point of, if you eat organic food because you want to be healthy and are concerned about chemicals, why aren't you paying attention to what you are putting on your skin? The skin, after all, absorbs more than we think and is not an impenetrable barrier to chemicals.

Already shunning polyester and other synthetic clothing and bedding, I was curious as to the chemicals that douse legal furniture. It was no surprise when I realized that polyurethane (generally known as couch cushion or memory foam) was another culprit to my drastic muscle fatigue. Yet, when I took out polyurethane, not only did my muscle fatigue shoot way down, but my Candida disappeared (skin lesions included), I felt cleaner and more energized, and within a week I shaved off ten minutes of my bike commute (2.5 miles each way) and I can now ride 20 miles with no fatigue. There were only two things that I had to change: my mattress and chairs/sofa. 100% cotton-wool mattresses do exist, however they are well over a thousand dollars. The only other option was to place more layers between me and my mattress. I already had a thick wool mattress cover, so I added some wool blankets. With each layer added, I felt more relaxed. For couches, I had to just give up on them. Chemical and polyurethane free couches and padded chairs exist, but they are also well in the thousands (with the exception of meditation chairs). There were already wooden chairs in my house for eating at the table, so that wasn't an issue. However, the only comfortable long-term seating were the couches...so I settled on investing in an unvarnished rocking chair. Turns out the least toxic of wood oils are boiled linseed oil and tung oil (both derived from plants). I decided on using tung oil and so far it works great (that is, after the smell of newly lacquered-ness wore off a few days later).

Did I mention I don't have a normal fabric reaction? Typical fabric reactions are fabric to skin, meaning the skin will get rashy or itchy when it comes in direct contact with the fabric-culprit. However, even if I simply sit on polyester or polyurethane with a blanket in between, I will still feel the reaction for about a day. I've talked to multiple doctors and no one has heard of this kind of reaction. It is most likely related to the fact that my body cannot handle chemicals very well and something in the off-gassing effects me. This makes it hard to avoid, but as these synthetics are everywhere sometimes I have no choice -- such as restaurants and cars. I can limit myself to natural fibers and wood at home and work (ie, my safe zones), but sometimes I have to endure the realities of not being able to completely avoid these things that breaks down my body. It sucks, but it is what it is.

When I first began this journey, there were two pressing issues: how to afford this green-safe lifestyle and what synthetics things could slide. Obviously, polyester and polyurethane were out. It's near impossible to avoid all synthetics even in the home. After all, there is no such thing as non-synthetic shoes, heavy duty rain gear, headphones, helmets, silicone spatulas, ...a non-synthetic computer or cell phone? Get real! And as much as I want the ugly synthetic carpet gone, I rent so I have no say in that.

Needless to say, I focused on what I could change. Clothing, bedding, food, and pretty much anything that I was in constant contact with should be organic (if possible) and definitely not synthetic or manipulated with chemicals. I like to stick with cotton, wool, and silk. (And, I have learned that putting vinegar in the wash helps remove chemicals from clothing.) I do admit to having neoprene rain boots, nylon rain pants, and nylon coat. Why? Because some days in the northwest it's just better to stay really dry and I am not aware of a natural alternative here -- as wool is only water repellent to an extent -- and for some reason I have not noticed a reaction to nylon. I think it comes down to if there is a natural/organic solution, I'll take it; if not -- and I truly need and will utilize it -- I go with the least toxic option.

Sounds expensive, yes? Not necessarily. First you have to learn to prioritize and simplify. Do you really need a 4 foot span of loaded hangers in your closet along with 3 slippers and 20 polyester stuffed pillows? Ummm, no. Let's be realistic, though, you do need to wear something! Here are some shoestring tips:

-It's nice to have a few organic shirts on hand (personally I am way more relaxed in them), but they typically cost $70 and up. The trick is to look for closeout sales. I have bought organic sweatshirts, sweaters, and shirts for under $30. Yes, you do have to look around and jump on the deal when you find it, but it is possible.
-Second hand stores (or Craigslist, community boards, clothing swaps, etc.) can sometimes be a gold mine! Don't forget to check the clothing labels thoroughly...it's easy to forget.
-I have bought organic cotton blankets, thick wool blankets, wool slippers, wool coat, cotton bike seat cover, and a wool mattress topper for $15-50 on e-bay (these items brand new would be at least $100). E-Bay is a great way to look for deals. The trick is to stick to your max bid -- don't give into the bidding war.
-Let people know if you are in need of something. Someone may have a wool blanket sitting around, be willing to knit you some gloves, have a cotton hoodie that is your size unworn in the back of their closet, or gift you organic sheets.
-Learn to prioritize, as you probably don't need to replace everything in one day and maybe in the past you had six polyester sweatshirts, but really you could get by with two wool/cotton ones.
-Shop around, you'll eventually find deals. If shopping online, make sure you contact the company as not all fabric information is given online. For example, when I was looking for organic mattress toppers and organic stuffed animals, most of them contained polyester though the company did not disclose this information on their website. Also, some companies do a great job of categorizing their merchandise by fabric type, but not all fabric used on the product will be openly listed. If customer service is unsure or doesn't disclose all materials used, it's not worth it.
-Let everything you buy be an investment; in other words, get out of the American habit of buying a new one if it can be fixed and throwing it out because you found something new.
-I am a big supporter of independent businesses -- I LOVE The Herbalist and Rainbow Remedies -- but sometimes it's more cost effective to start with vitacost.com and iherb.com if the price difference is substantial.

Meet Little Mouse who hails from applepark.com! This is the only organic stuffed animal company to not put polyester in their critters. ♥♥♥ Most organic stuffed animals that are larger than 6 inches are in the hundred dollar range, but their prices are SO AFFORDABLE! (I can't imagine having a severe polyester sensitivity as a kid and not being able to have a stuffed animal.)

Helpful Resources:

-Pure Cure by Sharyn Wynters (It's like an encyclopedia to every day toxins and how to minimize exposure.)
-Easy Green Living by Renee Loux (Another great resource in minimizing household toxins.)
-FoodBabe.com (Unashamedly exposes dangerous toxins in foods and occasionally household items.)
-Ewg.org (Environmental Working Group is a database that covers multiple products and determines whether they are considered safe or toxic.)
-vinegartips.com (Distilled vinegar goes a long way for non-toxic cleaning.)

Even if I am someday cured of these synthetic reactions, I will still avoid synthetic clothing and furniture if financially possible. It's just nasty stuff and this is not an experience you simply run back into.

Coffee Cake

If I ever make this again, I am going to cut it in half. It makes a lot of coffee cake (12 large pieces)...but, it's good! And, finding a good allergen free coffee cake that isn't incredibly dense is not easy. (This recipe was adapted from Fruit Sweet and Sugar Free by Janice Feuer.

Dry Ingredients:
4 1/2 c brown rice flour
1 tbs cinnamon
3 tsp xanthan gum (or guar)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp grated orange peel (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:
1 1/3 c orange juice concentrate (make sure there is no added sugar) (for a non-orange twist, white grape is a more neutral flavor.)
1 1/2 c melted butter or coconut oil
2 egg replacers (I like Ener-G)
2 c coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F
Whisk all dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, whisk all wet ingredients. Blend both mixes together until smooth. Spread out in greased 9x13 inch pan. Now, it's time for the topping.

Topping:
1 c brown rice flour
1/2 c amaranth flour (this gives it a more nutty flavor)
1/3 c orange juice concentrate (or desired flavor)
3 tsp cinnamon
4 tbs cold butter or coconut oil

Mix together the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet. If the mixture is wet, slowly add more amaranth flour. Mix until crumbly. Spread over cake mixture.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. The top should be light brown. Insert toothpick or cake tester to make sure cake comes out clean. Set to cool. If you are spreading out the servings throughout the week, make sure it is tightly covered.

Coffee cake goes well with coffee and fruit.

Did Someone Say, Chocolate?

Coming off of a month and a half with no sugar (not even natural, except one piece a fruit a day), I was excited to bring back in honey and maple syrup. One of my first undertakings was making hot chocolate. Right before my cleanse (candida), I discovered that letting hot chocolate simmer in a small crock pot is amazing. I mean, it puts most cafe's hot chocolates to shame -- it is super rich without the processed sugars:

Hot Chocolate
1-3 tbs cocoa powder
2-3 tbs honey and/or maple syrup
1 cup coconut milk
1-3 tsp of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, chili powder, cayenne, chipotle (use the latter spices for spicy hot chocolate)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Place in mini crock pot for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The honey should be dissolved when ready. Stir well and pour. (You can simmer it on the stove and take it off before it boils, but there's something more enjoyable about the slow cooker route.)

It has also been an ongoing quest for me to devise a recipe for chocolate chips with no common allergens and sugar, as no such thing exists on the market. I am getting closer! There is a book called Raw Chocolate and it has an awesome chocolate bar recipe that can be concocted in a food dehydrator. The drawback to this is that the cacao paste and butter needed are really expensive; however, it does make about 5 cups or so of chocolate chips so I stash them in the freezer and spread out the usage. This raw chocolate, once cut up, does in fact work great for chocolate chips in breads and muffins or ice cream. However, it does not work so well for cookies. The viscosity is so low that when melted it runs everywhere. On the other hand, it does successfully re-solidify. :)

Therefore, chopped raw chocolate is the route to go when in a confined space such as a bread pan. Okay, so there is still the dilemma with cookies...

Thankfully Sunspire recently brought back their grain-sweetened chocolate chips to the market. (Downfall is that they contain a small amount of soy. I can work with that, but it would be better if it had no soy. Alas!) So:

Chocolate Chip Cookies:
2 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup melted honey
1 tsp vanilla extract (add a little more if you want softer cookies)
2 Ener-G egg replacers (or, if you want your cookies to have a hint of banana, use one banana instead)
1 package (12 oz) of Sunspire Grain-Sweetened Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Whisk all wet ingredients. Combine both mixtures together. Add in chocolate and coconut. Refrigerate mixture for an 30-60 minutes, or until firm. Use scoop to distribute on cookie sheet. (If you want small cookies, use a small scoop. If you want larger cookies, use a larger scoop.)

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Half way through use heat proof spatula (I prefer the bamboo ones) to flatten cookies. When done, they should be lightly brown. Let cool.

If you want to take it further, dip half of cookie into a chocolate mixture. This recipe here was successful for chocolate dipping and coating. After I mixed it all together, I placed it in my tempering kit -- which keeps the chocolate temperature stable -- as I dipped half the cookie in and then placed in back on the parchment. At first I had my doubts, as the chocolate had the consistency of hot fudge. It tasted great, but not exactly what I was going for. Thankfully, after I set the finished cookies in the fridge overnight, the chocolate hardened perfectly. (I poured the remaining chocolate in to a mold and froze it. It tasted like fudge.)

A Worthy Investment

Lately I have been experimenting with allergen and sugar free ice creams.  It's actually very easy to make and a lot more cost effective. I favor the CuisinArt Ice 21, full retail price $60, which makes one and a half quarts. Allergy friendly ice creams (like Purely Decadent and So Delicious brands) average $6 per pint.  If you were to make ice cream once a month, your ice-cream maker will have been paid for before the end of the year. Plus you get SO much more ice cream and can play with the flavors -- and not feel betrayed by that one ingredient that you can't have.

My base recipe was derived from Living Without Magazine August/September issue.  They suggested using both coconut cream and coconut milk; however, I combined these to just coconut cream -- the more water you have the more likely your ice cream will come out icy.  Speaking of, ice is the most common issue with homemade ice cream -- which is why it does taste better if eaten right away, should ideally be eaten within the week, and may take a little longer before being able to scoop -- and adding guar gum or xanthan gum will help lessen the chance of ice. When experimenting, never overdo the liquids!

Mocha Chip Ice Cream
1/4c lightly grounded (decaf) coffee
1/2c hot (decaf) coffee
1/2c date paste
2c coconut cream
1 tbs vanilla extract
1/2 guar gum

Mix all ingredients in blender. Mix well and pour liquid into containers and refrigerate for one hour. Pour mixture into ice cream maker according to manufacture's instruction. (Most likely it will take 20 minutes.) And of course, whatever is left from the first feast, freeze!

Cherry Chip Ice Cream
2c pitted cherries
1c allergy friendly chocolate chips
2c coconut cream
1/2c honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp amaretto extract
1/2 tsp guar gum

Mix all ingredients in blender EXCEPT pitted cherries and chocolate chips. Mix well and pour liquid into containers and refrigerate for one hour. Pour mixture into ice cream maker according to manufacture's instruction. (Most likely it will take 20 minutes.) Add in the cherries and chocolate chips and mix for 5 more minutes. And of course, whatever is left from the first feast, freeze!


Mint Chip Ice Cream
2c coconut cream
1/2c honey
1 tsp peppermint extract
1c allergy friendly chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients in blender EXCEPT chocolate chips. Mix well and pour liquid into containers and refrigerate for one hour. Pour mixture into ice cream maker according to manufacture's instruction. (Most likely it will take 20 minutes.) Add in chocolate chips and mix for 5 more minutes. And of course, whatever is left from the first feast, freeze!

Chocolate Ice Cream
2c coconut cream
1/2c date paste
1/3c cocoa powder
1 tbs vanilla extract
1/2 tsp guar gum

Mix all ingredients in blender. Mix well and pour liquid into containers and refrigerate for one hour. Pour mixture into ice cream maker according to manufacture's instruction. (Most likely it will take 20 minutes.) And of course, whatever is left from the first feast, freeze!

For Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream*, add in about 1/4-1/2c scoops-worth of peanut butter during last 5 minutes of mixture. For Chocolate Caramel Swirl Ice Cream, and in about 1/2c of caramel during last 5 minutes of mixture. See below for caramel recipe.

*Contains nuts -- though I suppose you could try sun butter

Pumpkin ice cream that unfortunately turned out too icy -- need to work on it more.

Caramel (great as topping or dipped with fruit):
1. Melt 1 tbs of butter OR coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add ¾ cup of maple syrup to the saucepan. Stir ¼ cup of coconut cream. Add a pinch of salt.
3. STIR for ten minutes over medium heat -- seriously, don't stop stirring!
4. After 10 minutes the mixture should feel a lot thicker. Pour caramel mixture into a glass jar (never a good idea to put hot food in plastic) and set it aside to cool. Your caramel will continue to thicken as it cools. Once completely cool, refrigerate leftovers.

Therapy Help

I need your help with vision therapy!

I was in a bike accident this past January, as many of you know, and I am still recovering.

I took a corner too fast and basically landed on my left arm, shoulder, and head/helmet. My shoulder has long since healed, yet my head/vision has not. It was an accident that I should not have been able to walk away from -- my eye doctor said I am lucky that I only got away with double vision and my physical therapist looked at me several times in disbelief asking me, "how did you not break anything?" It was also a miracle no one was behind me, as it happened at a busy intersection.

Since the accident, I constantly either see double or suppress one eye -- the danger in this is that my brain ignores one eye which can lead to other vision problems. Both of these mean a lot of headaches, eye fatigue, that I often cannot read for long periods of time, and I can't get back on my bike since my balance is off and sometimes my vision jumps. (All of my food allergies came back as a result of the bodily stress, but I am finally able to tolerate a little bit.)

Vision therapy (VT) is $105/session which is every week and my expected recovery time is anywhere between 6 months to one year (I also have 20 minutes of daily homework). I have already undergone 3 weeks of therapy. In this time my headaches have gone down (I've actually been able to make it 68 hours without headache medicine), and I was able to focus a short distance for five seconds one day and one minute the next day. A full minute of both eyes working together to form one image may not sound like a long time, but this was one minute longer than I have ever done in the past 6 months!

VT is not covered by insurance and the VT office currently does not have any scholarships available. I am setting a goal for $2600, which will cover 6 months of therapy (and the 5% gofundme takes out for their services). As a humble children's bookseller I am already on a tight budget and am still paying off my MRI bill (my eye doctor and neuro-ophthalmologist were concerned about possible brain bleeding for a while). Without this therapy my eyes may not relearn how to focus (and glasses wont help the cause). Can you please help me out by contributing financially? Any amount helps!

 

DONATE HERE: http://www.gofundme.com/3kfgvs

Please let me know if you have any questions. Feel free to pass this along!

Thank you and God bless,
Emily

Healing is not the end

What did I have today? Cheddar! Melted on a panini grill, in-between a brown rice tortilla and kale. It was awesome. 

Yes, dairy is back in my life! After nearly four months of complete restriction my body can tolerate it again. What other food may be just on the horizon? I used to react slightly to cross-contamination amounts of wheat (for you non-allergy readers, this basically means a very small amount). That appears to be no more! I will challenge wheat probably in a week or so, after I see how much dairy I can handle and what my intake level should be. Oh, and my chocolate intake has gone from once a month to twice a month.  I love healing! These are very recent and positive changes. However, change throughout the past few months often brought negative changes to my health. 

The biggest change since my last entry was soy -- turns out that was the culprit behind sudden internal swelling, intense cramps, and near hemorrhaging amounts of menstrual blood loss.  Yeah, soy is not only an allergy/sensitivity for me, but it in fact completely screws up hormones and other bodily stuff.  I didn't like soy before, but now I think it as a greater evil.  It wasn't a huge switch taking it out of my diet, but certainly will be as my diet changes and I can incorporate more food back in. Soy is practically in everything semi-processed or commercial!  But, enough of that peril, let's go back to the healing.

What was the switch? Medically the integration of vitamin B12 (which was quite deficient within me) and the removal of a pharmaceutical that was used to help with my headaches and migraines -- mainly from the post concussion and the continued double vision -- could answer this sudden upswing in healing.  Amazing, eh? However, I do believe there is another important factor while working toward healing: pray to Jesus Christ. 

Don't roll your eyes, I do not mean one prayer and everything is all better. It doesn't always work that way. I've prayed for months and others have prayed over me for months and physical healing was slow in progression. Yet, even when it seemed every other week shot a new arrow -- leading to discouragement, depression, fear, and pain -- it was prayer that brought me toward peace, endurance, thankfulness. Supplements can't do that. Too often we think of healing as working toward a state of being pain free, but there is a lot to be said for the journey to that place. It's what you do with yourself and what you learn that makes a difference. It's what you find yourself worshiping or running toward (or from).

I haven't really come up with new recipes lately, just modifying:

Blueberry cereal from a modified granola recipe in 1,000 Gluten Free Recipes

Snicker doodle cookies in 1,000 Gluten Free Recipes

Cupcakes from Baking with Agave Nectar

Allergy cooking isn't limited, it's just learning how to use a different palate of ingredients.  All of the above are free of that white sugar stuff and the top 8 allergens.

Improvisational Awesomeness

I've been experimenting around the last month with various foods and have comprised a variety of things to keep working with as I create and alter recipes as usual.

The first is date paste. Date paste stands in as a natural sweetener (like agave, maple syrup, and honey) and apparently is rich in a wide array of vitamins and is anti-inflammatory. As a stand in for brown sugar, it worked great in an altered brownie recipe from Easy Gluten-Free Baking.  To make date paste, you pit 1 cup of dates and combine with 1 cup hot water.  Mix in blender until pureed -- this will take at least one minute.  It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks.  The brownies held together; and, my experience with brownies on my diet is that they are too crumbly and not moist enough.  This is no longer the case!  Do these properties of date paste hold up for bread and cake?  I don't know.  But I am definitely going to play around with it more. I was originally hoping date paste would hold my granola bars together, but alas, I still have to work on that as they still crumble.  Date paste is also a key ingredient in a dairy free homemade coffee creamer I've come to use a lot.

I have been trying to find a sugar free chocolate chip (or recipe) ever since Sunspire discontinued their grain-sweetened ones.  Alas, I have had no luck yet.  People often suggest cocoa nibs, which aren't the same -- mainly due to their lack of sweetness.  I did try coating the nibs in maple syrup before making chocolate chip cookies and even though it was not a replicated taste of chocolate chips, it was pretty good.  By the way, the dough in Fruit-Sweet and Sugar-Free has the consistency of Chips Ahoy -- it's awesome.

 

 

This pesto was amazing.  Instead of using Parmesan I used goat cheese (many dairy allergic folks can tolerate this in moderation). I also sauted some chicken before adding the sauce, and mixed in cooked gluten free pasta.  Total success.  I'm thinking of using turkey instead of chicken next time, just to mix it up.

 

 

There is a restaurant in Oregon that had these amazing apple pancake topping years ago.  I had been really wanting them, so I replicated the recipe as best as a could -- taking the tastes from memory.  Here it is, Maple-Apple Sauce Topping:

-Core some apples (how many apples you ask?  However many you want!).

-Cut up into bite size chunks.

-Place some coconut oil in frying pan (maybe...a couple tablespoons or so) on medium high heat.

-Once oil has melted, place apple chunks in pan.

-Douse in maple sugar and cinnamon (taste to liking).

-Pour pure maple syrup in (enough to cover bottom of pan) and make sure everything is coated evenly. 

-Place lid on pan, stir occasionally.

-Roughly ten minutes later apples should be soft and about half of the syrup will be absorbed (don't let them get soggy).

-So now, there are two choices: pour in organic unsweetened applesauce or use an immersion blender to blend half of the apples.  Blend/stir to desired chunkiness.

-Top with more maple sugar (it gives it a little more zest)

-Serve over pancakes, waffles, french toast, etc.  And now that I think about it, a GF graham cracker crumble would really highlight the experience.

I've also been experimenting with salads because I need a more steady diet of greens, but need them in meals.  I mean, salad greens by themselves are not filling, nor are kale chips.  At the store I just pick and choose two salad packs, because really I have no idea and have so far all kinds have been good for my liking.  I often end up with spinach in one because I like it and it has proven its worth to me (I'll spare you the graphic details for that one).  The real fun is in various combinations of other stuff: sliced avocado, radishes, pear, apples, strawberry and blueberries, chicken or turkey or salmon covered in a spice, cucumber, carrots, or quinoa.  Endless possibilities here!

Now, we move on to salad dressing.  Honestly, I used to hate salad dressing.  Why sogg-ify what is supposed to be crunchy?  But now, I often put a combination of olive oil, flax oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and crushed garlic because they are all good oils that dramatically effect the health of my gut.  And I've actually have grown to like the taste.  I don't think this combination exists on the market and it's so much cheaper to keep a fresh jar of my own likings in the fridge anyways. 

Cooking is wandering through flavors and combinations. So, in the words of Tolkien, "not all those who wander are lost."  Yeah, some creations don't turn out and there have been epic failures, but there are so many more keepers. Recipes are just guides, but ultimately you are the one in control of what and how you eat.

For all you improv cooks, you've got to check out the Flavor Thesaurus.  It's not exhaustive, but it pairs different foods together and it is a great tool for experimenting.  (This is where I got the idea to marinade a turkey breast in olive oil and dill to highlight the cucumbers in a salad.)

And, for your entertainment, here is an awesome food allergy parody: One Grain More

The Answer is in the Coconut!

People often ask me how I survive with so many restrictions.  My answer is that there are still a lot of foods left to eat but you have to be open to new flavors, be creative, make it fun, and play around with it.  You also have to make time -- buying processed food is not an option here.  And, in the words of Flying Apron, "It's not about what you can't eat."

Yes, my grocery bill is on the higher end for a single person, but personally I would rather spend money on food over stuff -- unless it's a new kitchen toy…mmm, Vitamix Blender, Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, dehydrator…oh wait, budget…new cookie scoops and large glass storage jars…maybe.  Anyways, over this past week I have been experimenting with different kinds of milk alternatives in light of my dairy allergy returning.  (Last time my sugar intolerance and dairy allergy did not overlap, so some aspects of it are of new territory.)  Unfortunately I can't do almond milk due to my nut allergy coming back.  Soy milk I won't use if I can help it.  Hemp milk was good, but still really thin -- like rice milk, of which I have unaffectionally deemed as flavored water -- and not really a good match for me.  Somewhere I read that silken tofu works as creamer so I was interested since I always drink my coffee with cream or milk.  Do not try this!  For one, the flavor of the coffee wasn't transformed into awesomeness and when I accidentally spilled it, little white curd things splattered all over the porch -- they reminded me of that puss when you have strep throat :-& .  Nasty and so never doing that again -- and not just because it was soy.  But then I found the chosen one!

Because I favored whole milk I needed something with a thicker texture and coconut milk was suggested.  I used to be hesitant because I tried it by itself once several years ago and it was so disgusting.  I could not bring myself to go beyond two small sips.  It was that bad.  Maybe it was that one kind, who knows, but I tried it straight this week and it's not bad.  And for cooking, it has been awesome!  My first test was with smoothies.  All the other milk alternatives failed to give the right consistency.  Just to give you a picture of the desired consistency, I used to use whole milk and yogurt and a banana as a base thickener and add the desired berries/fruit and supplements.  I tried hemp milk and silken tofu, but it was too runny and the flavor was not right.  Yet, when I used the coconut milk the texture was really thick and smooth. So now my base is unsweetened coconut milk and a banana (the banana helps make it thicker).  The smoothie mixture that is my favorite so far is half mango (which may be acting as a thickener), half raspberries, one banana, about a tablespoon of chia seeds (to balance my blood sugar and for other health benefits), a splash of lemon juice, along with coconut milk filling up the space in the blender.  (I never measure for smoothies, I just dump it all in.)

I continued on in my journey to make chocolate sauce (basically my version of Hershey syrup), which was: 2/3c unsweetened cocoa, 3/4c pure maple syrup, 3/4c whole milk.  Whisk all ingredients together before heating up on stove.  Place on high, bring to a full boil for one minute.  Stir!  Stir!  Stir with a wooden spoon!  You do not want burned chocolate pieces in your mix.  When done, stir 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  Pour immediately into storage bottle of choice (I always use glass because I do not trust any form of plastic with high heat).  Let it cool completely before capping and refrigerating.

I did a straight exchange in the milk amount. The sauce worked great at first.  The only difference was that it tasted more like dark chocolate due to the fact that coconut milk is not as sweet.  I made chocolate coconut milk with it (you know, chocolate syrup and coconut milk mixed together) and even though it wasn't the same as traditional chocolate milk, it was good. The next evening I pulled it out of the fridge and turned the bottle upside down to find that the mixture had become super thick!  I used one of my long, small spatulas to stir it up and realized it had the consistency of pudding.  This was awesome because I've been trying to figure out a sugar free pudding for over a year and have not had a success.  The answer, you guessed it, is in the coconut milk.  On my next round with making chocolate sauce I am going to start by increasing the maple syrup to 1 cup and the coconut milk to 1 cup and see where that gets me.

Coconut milk also went well with the blueberry muffins I am currently obsessed with (recipe in Green Market Baking Book), so there you have it.  Long live the coconuts!  Thank you Lord for that creation!

Oh, and if anyone knows if a coconut creamer exists that does not contain added sugar and does not come in a can please let me know!  I have yet to find such a creation.

So Allergy Nemeses, We Meet Again!

It was a great year and a half being able to have any food I wanted.  Alas, the tides have turned.  I was in a bike accident a few months ago -- don't take a sharp turn at 30 MPH going downhill on a bike -- and had my arm in a sling for a few weeks.  In addition, when my head hit the ground -- a helmet takes in a tremendous amount of impact, seriously, wear it! -- I messed up my vision so that if I intentionally focus both eyes I see double.  I'm still working on that.  Anyways, over time I found wheat and sugar were making my symptoms increasingly worse and eventually resulted in migraines.  And then, I realized that dairy was creating headaches and other allergic reactions.  And with all of my sensitivities worsening and developing allergies I had to cut the high tolerance groups.  So I am completely off: wheat, sugar, eggs, nuts, dairy, yeast, and alcohol.  An average person would say what food is left?  I say, a whole lot!  I enjoy a good culinary challenge but I know the frustrations ahead and I am trying not to dread them.

The biggest challenge is reacquainting myself with a dairy free life.  Dairy was originally the first offending food I could add back in my diet 2 years ago.  And I love cheese and whole milk and ice cream (though, my usual kinds are already dairy free).  I'm going to really miss those, you just can't remake the flavor and texture of hard-core dairy food! And then there is the question of soy intake.  I generally don't use it, not because of an intolerance, but because the high controversy and I don't really favor the taste in most products.  However, most dairy alternatives are saturated in soy.

Being on full restriction is a lot different this time.  For one, I know how to manage it and can skip the dear-in-head-lights phase.  And, this time I have multiple friends who know the allergy life and some of them are roommates!  It's so different to have a community and be able to compare notes in person and not be the only one.  Plus alternative and allergy friendly cafes are in greater abundance in Seattle.

It's been two days since I've been completely off dairy and I feel great.  I'm still sorting out and exploring what dairy-free alternatives to go back to but it will come together.  This week I experimented with roasted chickpeas (recipe here: http://www.wholeliving.com/130298/roasted-spiced-chickpeas).  The person who invented these is a genius.  I also played around with making apple chips.  The recipe I was originally looking at wanted me to bake the apples in the oven for 6 hours -- monopolizing the oven for several hours with six other roommates is not an option -- or to use a dehydrator -- which I do not have the money for.  So I compared some similar recipes and devised my own and added some spices (recipe below).  Not exactly foods that require conversion, but they were amazing.  I left no survivors.

Flying Apron is the best cafe ever -- http://flyingapron.com/

----
Apple Chips Recipe
    1.    Core and slice apples (I just used Gala) with a mandolin slicer -- you want the pieces to be super thin.
    2.    In bowl whisk desired amount of cinnamon and maple sugar together.
    3.    Lightly coat each apple slice by dipping it in the bowl.
    4.    Lay apple slices on cookie sheet.  They don't need to be super spaced out, but make sure they do not overlap.
    5.    Lightly drizzle honey over slices.  Be careful not to douse them or they will be soggy.
    6.    Put in oven on 250˚F for at least an hour and a half or until crisp.

Overdue update!

By the grace of God, my health is stable!  If I miss a supplement (though, it is not a good idea) or have food on the restricted list for a few days, I'll be fine.  The effects will not be detrimental or debilitating!  I wanted to write this post a month ago, but I really have no good excuse, so pardon my randomness approach as I try to articulate the changes that have come:

five meals -- Somewhere along the line Americans established three meals a day -- breakfast, lunch, and dinner -- even though it is better to have five (or, 3 meals plus 2 snacks about 3 hours in-between meals).  The way it was explained to me is that it has something to do with stabilizing metabolism and blood sugar.  Once your body is already hungry, the damage is done.  Without eating for so long, the body releases stress hormones and can create feelings of irritability, tiredness, inability to focus, and other unpleasant sensations. Granted, sometimes I feel odd needing meals/snacks at five points in the day when many people out there barely have one...this change was a drastic improvement.

liver -- At the beginning of last month my body was showing different signs of instability.  I prayed that God would help take this tip of a downward spiral away before it nose dived.  Later that week, I randomly looked up the property of artichokes -- a food I never cared for that much.  Turns out they help to detoxify the liver.  The functioning of my liver had been in question for a while.  It was immediately apparent that this green veggie drains my liver like crazy, in turn granting greater focus and energy as well as needing less sleep.  Feeling it drain is a weird painless sensation -- kind of like squishing sturdy jello through a small hole -- but I'm glad it's working now.

acupuncture -- I hate needles!  But acupuncture is amazing.  My ND suggested this to provide a treatment that wouldn't involve yet another lifestyle change.  Through it, my gut is totally relaxed and, let's just say, I can feel it move a lot of junk through.  However, the cost is high!  To do the recommended treatment, my medical bills would seriously double -- if you know what that number is against my income, it's enough to make your jaw drop.  So, I had to decline further treatment.  But I knew if this was a crucial treatment that God would somehow provide a way.  I prayed and, long story short, she offered me an immense and gracious sliding scale -- which at my first appointment was not an option.  Granted going once a month is different from the prescribed three times a week, the difference is worth it.

"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22

Social Pleasures

At first regulating sugar to every 3-4 days was going great.  I was simply grateful to have it again.  Period.  And then vacation came.  And, I was careful to stop myself when I was nearing too much and only had it when out of the house.  However, the trouble began after.  I kept reaching for sugar.  Justifying my reaches.  The consequence was weeks of feeling like crap again.  I was tired.  I was constantly distracted by anything and everything.  Needless to say, I started to grow frustrated at the things I knew I should be doing but could not find the energy or focus for.  I wasn't able to spend time writing.  My devotions were suffering. I was getting through fewer and fewer books.  Letters and emails fell through.  After a month I finally found the courage within me somewhere to stop, accepting the truth that too much sugar is often a catalyst for regret and iniquity.  It's not worth the cost; but alas, it is so easy to reach for.  So easy to apply false excuses to.

I prayed for wisdom, and basically the contents of Matthew 5:30 revealed to me that I need to keep sugar out of the house and not have it at work either (unless there is a special occasion).  And then if I go to friend's house who is offering some sort of sugar substance, fine -- as long as I am keeping to the prescribed intake of once every 3-4 days.  If I want ice cream, JP Licks and Coldstone are very close.  I can save the cool coffees for times I am out with friends.  Potlucks, great!  The rare restaurant outing, fantastic!  But on a day to day basis, the answer is no.  No more sugar.  I know I can live without it.  I've done it for over seven months.  Sugar is now a social thing -- like alcohol once was. (Plus the less I have on my own will, the more I can have when socializing!)  I don't need it, but it's nice to have once in a while -- especially when it breaks the food barrier of isolation I know so very well.

Now that I'm past the sugar withdrawal -- intense cravings, headaches, etc. -- I feel great!  I'm clean!  And it's actually a lot easier to say no.  You don't really crave it very much once it's completely out of the system.  However, with it being Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas and all those activities in between coming up, it's going to be interesting juggling my sugar intake - especially on the weeks with 3+ events that involve food. Kind of regretting the two cartons of ice cream in my freezer...they may have to stay in there for a while.  The great thing about the freezer, though, is that if I do have sugar and I can freeze it, I can't use the excuse oh, it will go bad so I need to eat it now and I won't see it all the time as a reminder of eat me, I taste so amazing.  No, keep eating me; you know you want more of me. Hey look, I've moved myself closer to you.

This week I decided to deep clean my room and I found a note I wrote when I first had to give up sugar pretty much cold turkey (as well as natural sugars and was only allowed 2 pieces of fruit per day max).  I said I was feeling so much better now that my body was being cleansed from sugar.  But I found myself staring at sugar-containing products, from cookies to sauces and salsas.  I was hoping the allergy test was wrong about sugar -- though it was the most accurate one.  I tried sugar again and needless to say, it was not fun.  After one gram I had to fight to stay awake and be functional.  My only fix was a dosage of Benedryl -- not a cure-all, but a big help.  I wanted sugar so bad I contemplated putting up with exhaustion, headaches, and fragmented thought processes again.  It's hard to believe how food is a such a stronghold...  It's wonderful to not be controlled by it any more!

Go forth in determination!

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Cor 10:13

FREE!

Or, closer to it.  This past week I accidentally had sugar twice with NO reaction.  During three trial runs, my reaction revealed itself as a fraction from what it was.  No immediate super-drowsyness or the many other symptoms associated with sugar.  This is the last food group that was completely off limits!

After two and a half years, I can go out and order anything I want.  I don't have to constantly check ingredients and ingredients of the ingredients in restaurants. No more long discussions with the head chef, back and forth between staff members to take apart the menu, nervous or incorrigible waitresses, no scouring over notebooks and webpages to view the truth about the food being sold in every restaurant that is run differently.  I wasn't sure if having sugar back in my diet was ever possible.  This week has been very surreal and I am still trying to comprehend the fact that I can eat out and participate in potluck-like dinners.

Sugar is not something I can have all the time, and probably never will be.  For one, this intolerance has a high likelyhood of getting worse again if I over do it.  Therefore, I have to be strict on dosages.  Also, it's sugar.  If It start eating too much of it, it's straight back to Appleton's Suicide from Sugar to regain my perspective.

Whether I have sugar only when I go out, on rare occasion, or once or twice a week, I don't know yet.  Depends on how my body will handle it now and in what amounts. Having experience with 9+ food allergies, I can say with out hesitancy that sugar is the hardest.  It's just in too many things.  And there is a HUGE difference between being able to have something a little and not being able to have a single gram of it. 

I think the next milestone will be to not be dependent on 9 supplements or to not have to "rotate" so many foods -- wheat, eggs, yeast...

(Really excited about the holidays this year!)  Whoo!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of lights
James 1:17a

To be assembled, or pre-assembled...

Love this cookbook!

Power Foods from the editors of Whole Living Magazine (which I might add is a great magazine to peruse for recipes)

It's always hard to get enough vegetables into one's intake without creating numerous side dishes.  However, this book uses vegetables as the basis of nearly every meal.  Many recipes don't involve wheat either!

I love cooking -- as I'm sure my regular readers have read before.  There is something comforting about making your own meal and knowing what's in it.  And it's necessity, so you might as well make it great, right?  Yeah, I know it takes time.  And no, I do not have all the time in the world.  Having to work 50+ hours a week often leaves its mark.  You just get used to the time it takes and use it to relax, talk, listen to great music, or catch up on audiobooks.  It also helps scrape off the rush-rush attitudes that feed us Americans, as well as sticking with portion control. 

God gave us the ingredients to use.  Not using them...well, I think we've paid our price.  I honestly believe all these chemicals in the environment and food we are using (ridiculous amounts of sugar, too) is a huge contributor to rising behavioral disorders and numerous cancers.  What's even sadder is that there are a lot of people who do not know how to cook a basic vegetable or piece of chicken.  Unless it goes in the microwave, instant-add-water, or comes from a restaurant, it's a foreign concept.  I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong to enjoy such things once in a while, but it is awful to think that humans cannot even cook food unless it comes pre-assembled any more.  Why has it come to this?

Even when I do try the few pre-made frozen meals that I can have, my body and taste buds always relent with "what the heck is this!?"  Fresh always gives me better energy.  Seriously, it's amazing and totally worth the time.

Next up: a very, very big change!  Stay tuned.

Oh yes, this cookbook rocks!  This is "poached salmon with asparagus, herbs, and baby greens."

--
Quick Stir Fry:
Throw some vegetables (snow peas, peas, corn, garlic, carrots, broccoli, etc.) that need to be used up into a skillet with a bit of preferred food oil.  Once cooking, put the lid on to keep in the steam.  Stir occasionally.  Meanwhile boil rice noodles (or what ever pasta).  Once vegetables are soft but still bright in color -- about 10 minutes, I think -- put in drained, cooked noodles.  Mix well. Add some oregano or other favored spices.  Then (the best part) grate desired cheese over stir fry.  I used Vermont sharp-cheddar and it was great.

If you put thinly sliced veggies -- like zucchini, radishes, and asparagus  -- on a panini grill or cast iron grill it makes some great tastes -- with or without adding oils and spices.  It's pretty quick too!

Artificial what?

What can better be better than fresh donuts in the morning?  Donuts made with pronounceable every day ingredients.  Yep!  Real food.

Now sugar is the only food group that I completely have to avoid.  From 9+ down to 1 -- praise God! -- I call that success.  However, this is America and sugar is in practically everything.  It's pretty sad that I can't eat at some places because their menu is literally 99% sugar.  Seriously, does pizza crust need sugar?  Grilled chicken in a salad? Come on!

There is an awesome picturebook put out by Candlewick press entitled: How did That Get in My Lunchbox?  This book helps illustrate what is used and how bread, cookies, and apple juice is created from the very beginning (such as growing wheat or picking an apple) to being displayed on the shelves for public consumption.  The sad part is that this book was created because most (urban) kids don't know that true food does not magically appear at a grocery store.  As a matter of fact, they think unpronounceable ingredients is the way food has always been consumed.

Feeling gross yet?  Apparently there was an ending "We like sweets a lot, but they make your insides rot.  So, remember it's your body And the only one you've got."  Personally I like this latter ending better.  From this video, it's hard to decipher whether they are pro or con "modern technology food."

Ode to Cheez-Its

Ode to Cheez-Its (which will soon turn into Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies, as there is less unnecessary ingredients)

Orange squares transfer
salt crystals to my tongue. 
A zesty crunch to the 
taste of melted cheese 
throughout my mouth, spreading to
my whole being.
Dear Cheez-Its, your 
wheat does not turn my stomach or head, your 
dairy does not swell my throat. 
I can enjoy you now,
every square your red box gives.

Happpeeee!  My wheat reaction used to cause an itching of the hand upon a mere touch, and one fragment would send my body into attack.  Now, two years later, it's almost gone!  Only very few reactions remain after eating six or so servings of wheat.  Miracle?  Yes, thanks to skilled doctors and the grace of God!  The severe reaction I had had led me to believe that I would never get wheat back.   It's also a milestone in that wheat was the first established allergy, and now I'm leaving more and more behind.    Next battle is bringing down those genetically pre-determined ones...

System Crash

This past week my supplements were changed.  Why?  Well in one word: grass.  Turns out, even though the allergy to trees is gone, I am still reactive to grass.  The odd thing is that it wasn’t really attacking my sinuses that much.  It was attacking the gut, in turn, releasing too many toxins into the body and disrupting the steady incline of health that was happening.  And, in that instability something kept giving me wicked cramps. Could not for the life of me figure out the trigger.  Eventually I was able to link it to chocolate.  For reasons unknown, the grass aggravation led my body to dislike chocolate – which is one of the harder foods to digest.

Yes, I can’t have chocolate for at least three more weeks.  Really, at this point, taking away a small food group isn’t that bad.  Even though it is chocolate, and yes I keep stopping myself from counting down the days – just in case the re-introduction doesn’t go well— until I can have it again.  I will admit that it was very hard to peel myself away from the bag of chocolate chips I had just opened.  I think it took about three days to stop digging into it.  To distract myself I began experimenting with caramel (with great success).  The domino effect of chocolate was a reminder over and over to press on.  When something causes that much pain…STOP…even though it’s frustrating and becomes yet another deprivation. 

Speaking of, did you know that almost every broth has added sugar?  There is no reason for it to be there!  Yeah, let’s just say going grocery shopping during an energy crisis is like trying to pick apples, only to find that 95% of them are rotten and no good.  But you still need the apple, less you have the room, skills, and time to grow an apple tree from a bit of earth. F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Anyways, the subtraction of one specific supplement completely depleted me of energy and focus. Replacing it with stress, frustration, anxiety, and a very scrambled thought process.  Hence, the crash.  Going back to the life of making it through work, eating, only then to lay down till it’s time to go to sleep is not fun – no matter how many Adventures in Odyssey, audiobooks, or movies I can catch up on all week.  Energy is a precious gift; don’t waste it!

Right now I am perusing Laura Martin’s Green Market BakingBook: 100 Delicious Recipes for Naturally Sweet and Savory Treats by Laura Martin.  It uses maple syrup for most of its recipes, separates everything out by seasons, and seems to understand the concept of allergy/restrictive cooking. So far, I am loving this book.  I just had the best blueberry scone ever!  I especially loved the contrast between the moist bread and berries against the honey-topped glaze.  Where would we be without cooking? (And please don’t say fast food.  Nauseating hazardous disguises of food that stuff is.)

Too Amazing to Not Share

A friend's brother was diagnosed with bone cancer in December.  But he didn't do chemo.  Instead, he completely cut meat, sugar, juice, and canned foods from his diet. For 3 months he ate nothing but organic veggies, Quinoa, wild rice, as well as some flax seed oil, cottage cheese, and berries. A few days ago I received word that the cancer is completely gone!  That is amazing!  It is INCREDIBLE what natural foods will do!

Spring Fever No More!

Baby green balls sprouting from the trees.  Cherry blossom petals painting the streets.  Grassy and flowery smells of spring.  It's so great to be able to enjoy all this without my head exploding and my eyes itching.  Besides the fact that my Allersode drops are working -- basically an allergy shot for the pollen stuff without the trauma of the needles -- my body is healing itself.  Yeah spring!  Yeah no Kleenex desperation every other minute.

And, speaking of healing, I can have yeast and aspergillus again!  That brings my allergies from nine to three food groups -- sugar, wheat, and eggs.  Yes, these are still restrictive, especially not even being able to have a fraction of a gram of wheat or sugar, but the absence of six other food groups is massive.  Hallelujah!

My new cooking fascination is 100% fruit concentrate -- yep, that frozen stuff in a can you use to make juice.  Turns out it is a great sweetener like maple syrup.  I learned about it from Fruit Sweet and Sugar Free by Janice Feuer.   The cookies in it have the consistency of Chips Ahoy, seriously! They were fantastic.  The cherry pie was pretty great, too.  I did learn though, to keep the concentrate flavor in mind when baking.  Let's just say that orange concentrate in zucchini bread had a pretty interesting taste.

Hard to believe I've been sugar free for two months now.  And, I don't miss it.  Well, okay, truth be told here, I do miss it when it seems everyone else can have it.  After all, this is America where people enjoy HFCF in applesauce (blech!).  Plus the convenience factor -- I mean, making practically everything by hand is time consuming.  It is here that I have to remind myself that in hindsight being allergic to sugar is really good (wheat, too), and that I have my kitchen.

In my shoebox of a kitchen, I can make anything from lasagna to candy bars to lamb stew to donuts.  I have been blessed with the ability to cook very well.  And to be creative.  For me creativity is a must and one of my sanities.  I've meant other people on similar diets who are in a rut or struggle to use a cookbook, especially when almost every recipe requires a conversion of some kind.  How?  Personally I'm all for playing with my food. :)

Sweet Butterflies!

A few weeks ago I received my latest food test results.  No more eggs.  No more fruit and sugar together (within a five hour window, at least).  And, these will always be the case.  This test determines genetic allergies, so to speak.  Basically my body does not have the proper digestive enzymes to break down these foods, so when ingested it causes various toxic reactions.  Good news is that my other allergies should start to lessen now.  (For those of you who don’t know, I am completely off restriction for corn and dairy!)

I’ve always wondered how much sugar I would be using in my kitchen in the future.  This new change solves it…NONE!

The trick is fruit derivatives are everywhere.  The most surprising places are: citric acid, most tea bags, various food oils, some vinegars, Vitamin A Palmitate, some nuts (in the manufacturing process), most vanilla extracts, nutmeg, …  Yeah, so avoiding sugar is definitely easier (and more healthier) than avoiding fruit.  Even one half of a gram of sugar will spin internal chaos.  Trust me, I tried.  It was not fun.

So, life without sugar? The difference is astounding!  Turns out sugar (with fruit) was responsible for: inner ear pain, other gut irritations, not being able to fully comprehend things at times, difficulty concentrating, blanking out for minutes at a time, being overly tired or exhausted, being socially inept at times...   It will be frustrating at times, especially out in the world, but sugar isn’t worth the risk.  I know that Benadryl Allergy (Dye-Free) dramatically lessens my reactions, so the hope is that someday (when things calm down) I will be able to eat out without restrictions – for special occasions, of course. Yeah, I know, Benadryl is not natural, but it is fairly a benign drug and, hey, it makes a huge difference!

Random thought: I wonder why so many food manufacturers use things like aspartame-based sugars – they taste horrible and have now proven to cause nerve damage and degeneration.  I feel like a poster child for 100% Maple Syrup.  So good with a few health benefits!  And I always have a large jug in the fridge.  So, now that I already know how to bake without sugar – yes, even sweet things — it’s just a matter of perfecting the art.  And, on days when I do have sugar I will have to plan very carefully and make my sugar date well worth it :o).

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

--

Animal Crackers! 

(Personally I would like to have a zoo, but my butterflies and little flowers will do for now.)

•2 cups flour (add 2 teaspoons of xantham gum if gluten free)

•1 teaspoon salt

•2.5 teaspoons baking powder

•½ cup unsalted butter

•½ cup maple syrup

•1 egg (or 1 tablespoon flaxmeal and 2 tablespoons hot water, let stand for 5 minutes)

•1 teaspoon vanilla (I use a sugar and alcohol free vanilla powder)

•¼ whole unhomogenized milk (or preferred dairy beverage)

•[For chocolate add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder to dry ingredients.  Mine tasted like dark chocolate, so adjust the maple syrup accordingly for a lighter taste if desired.]

Blend with whisk all dry ingredients in one large bowl.  In another bowl (or sauce pan), combine maple syrup and melted butter.  (If maple syrup and butter refuse to blend, an electric whisk is a wonderful thing!) Now combine the rest of the wet ingredients in with the butter mixture.  Whisk until well blended.  Scrape bowl of liquid ingredients into the dry.  Mix well with spatula.  Roll into ball and then cover with plastic wrap.  Chill dough for one hour. 

Roll out dough onto desired work surface.  You’ll want the thickness to be 1/8 (crispier) to 1/4 (chewier, but they don’t last as long) of an inch.  Cut out with desired cookie cutters (the smaller the better).  Fit shapes flatly onto baking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes at 375˚F.  For the dual look, place a small ball of chocolate dough next to the vanilla before rolling.

Enjoy!  

(And, just sayin’, they go great with chocolate homemade chocolate pudding.)

Cracker recipe altered from Moose Racks, Bear Tracks, and Other Alaska KidSnacks 

In Which We Say Good-Bye to the Flu

Last week I noticed muscle aches deeply embedded within my back and neck.  And, they weren’t those I slept wrong kind of aches.  It was the flu setting up camp.  But, no worries here.  On my last appointment I asked my ND what to do on the onset of the flu.  Besides avoid sugar, naturally, the answer is drink immune tea generously. 

What is immune tea?  Well, you take 1-2+ gloves crushed garlic and place it into the infuser -- that’s basically a tea bag for you non-tea folks.  After the kettle begins to whistle, pour water into your favorite mug and seep infuser for about 5 minutes at least.  I usually ended up leaving the infuser in the water the whole time.  Add a small amount of lemon, and a small bit of honey if necessary.

I drank this immune tea, and another medicinal tea that lessens inflammation, constantly for three days.  I could feel a bit of tug-o-war in my body as the battle ensued, garlic vs flu.  Muscles tried to keep on aching, there were moments of stomach unstableness, headaches that weren’t food affiliated coming on….  Garlic won!  I was definitely more tired than usual, but I was able to go on as normal.  And now, there is no trace of the icky flu within me. :)  No needles necessary.  Nothing pharmaceutical based.  (Though I did take a few dosages of Zyflamed (natural remedy for aches and inflammation) to help with the body’s natural tendency to inflame itself during such illness.)

Garlic is amazing stuff!  It is one of the most powerful natural sources of antioxidants out there and is helpful in preventing a wide array of medical maladies.

Eat up!

Sorry, no new recipes right now.  However, I have found it very useful to store fruits and vegetables -- when they are already cut up and awaiting their culinary fate – in a small bit of water and closed container.  Their freshness expanded to a week as opposed to a few days.  No shriveled greens or rotting reds or soggy yellows.  Still crisp, bright, and full of flavor!  Just watch out for that extra water they tend to absorb…whoa!