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!

The Road to Healing (…Yeah, a post is long overdue!)

For the past year and a half it has always felt like I’ve been going two steps forward and one step back…until now.  It really feels like I’m moving forward.  Now that I know how to treat the three root causing culprits of these food allergies and failing health – missing good gut flora, sticky ileoceacal valves, and Candida – healing is overcoming the drastic ick.  There have been many days – praise God! – where I am now feeling fantastic and everything is clear and energetic.

On my most recent food test, I challenged dairy, nuts, and (accidentally) wheat.  Turns out that I am still ridiculously reactive to wheat (but can now touch it without a reaction – so there is some improvement -- and can have an extremely small fraction once a week through oats), I can have a little more nuts (still on a rotation diet), and (the most exciting) I can have dairy again!  In all seven trials of dairy servings, I barely had any reactions.  I thought that I would have to rotate dairy in (as in, like, once every 3-4 days), but I am actually allowed to have one serving a day.:-D

I can’t find the words to say how amazing this is.  It’s all so surreal and incredible.  When I could rotate in corn that was just corn chips, corn itself, and on rare occasions corn syrup products (a rarity to due their sugar and high-processed nature).  With dairy, it opens up so much more!  Ice cream, yogurt, gluten free mac and cheese (I won’t let this be a staple in my house, but it’ll be nice to have every now and then), real milk, cheese, and so much more!

But, this healing is more than being able to have more food options.  It’s one less hassle when eating out or when someone else cooks for me.  It shows so much healing at work, too!  It’s freedom; and, suddenly the other foods that I still must avoid, or have in strictly regulated dosages, don’t seem as constricting as before. 

I had often found myself saying: Dear God, when I said I wanted to be healthier, being allergic and sensitive to over eight food groups is not what I meant!  And there have been many nights were I’ve lost it – overwhelmed by the fact that I can’t eat (fill in the blank food that every one else can have) and if I do I’ll get really sick for a week.  And there’s also the bazillion alternative and alterated names food now has to check every time I go grocery shopping (for example, dairy is also case-in, whey, lactose, lactaid, carmel color, curds, lactoferrin, and on and on).  Yet, through it all, what often felt like seeds of adversity, have bloomed into healthful prosperity.

There is a taste for life and enjoyment of God’s provisions in a while new way.  I’m eating the best meals I’ve ever had for the most part.  Yeah, there are some flops, but you have to learn from them.  And let me tell you, healthy does not mean revolting food and it still means chocolate :).  And, some day, it will mean less medical expenses (seriously cannot wait for that day!!!).

I often wonder why I never really stopped to truly enjoy food before.  God gave us taste buds to enjoy and savor food, not shove it in our mouths on the run (which also is very hard on the digestive system…).  There’s such an abundance of earthly grown, minimally processed great tasting food out there.  If you doubt that, go without your favorite fruit, vegetable, nut, or whatever else for a year.  Then savor the flavor.  Taste buds are beautiful and awesome things!

You learn who your real honest friends are – those who have respected my diet, those who don’t brag or laugh about what I can’t have in front of me, and especially those who try to cook for me! -- mean more than I could ever express.  Being supportive is active, not passive.  A challenge, such as food allergies, can make you enjoy the things you have taken for granted and focus more on experiences and moments, rather than stuff. You have to acknowledge that there is more to life than food, less you be suffocated – figurative and literally.

Seeing a naturopathic doctor has really opened my eyes to how poisoned the food industry is becoming and how all these medications we have may be helping us in one way, but giving seed and light to many other health risks and factors. To me, there is a clear link between western illnesses and the western diet.  I am blessed by an incredible ND doctor – two actually – who honestly care about my health over the act of just making money.  No matter how many curve balls my health has thrown – trust me, there’ve been many – they are committed to furthering my optimal wellness and health education.

God has had a plan all along.  It’s not a coincidence that when food allergies were suspected, that my aunt called that weekend and opened my eyes into the world of naturopathic care.  Ailments – more than I can list on all my fingers and toes – that doctors told me to forget about are now being healed.  It’s amazing how much more alive you feel when burdens that have nailed you down are released, and you didn’t even know how heavy they really were.

I still have a long road ahead of me, and there may be many more days where I travel backwards against my will or just want to sleep the stress/pain away, but perseverance and faith is what I rely on.

---

Recipes:

Gluten Free Potato Italian Sausage Gnocchi

Though they suggest using a tomato-ish type sauce, I found butter and minced garlic to be quite delightful.

http://www.livingwithout.com/recipes/gluten_free_potato_italian_sausage_gnocchi-2265-1.html

Because all sausage has some form of case-in (a dairy protein) I made my own sausage.  Mix all dry ingredients below together and then add to 1 pound ground beef (or turkey):

- 2 tsp dried sage

- 2 tsp salt

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 tsp ground black pepper

- 1/8+ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

- a pinch ground cloves

- a very generous dash of turmeric

Tug-O-War

The difference sugar makes is quite surprising.  On the days I avoid it or have minimal amounts I find myself to be more attentive, hydrated sufficiently, increased energy, and "cleaner".  However, on days when I overdose beyond my daily limit of 45 grams, I am the opposite and it can also get a little painful in the head and gut at times.

So, are the detriments to sugar the sugar itself or the Candida?  (Yes, one out of three culprits for this whole health mess is Candida, more commonly known as a yeast infection, that has been hanging around for several years.  I haven’t done a lot of research on it yet, but apparently Candida is often misdiagnosed by doctors and leads to a whole mirage of health issues, ranging from simple headaches to crippling illnesses.)  Okay, so sugar or Candida?  Honestly, I’m sure it’s both, but I still find it disconcerting that the USDA puts sugar in practically everything (HFCF anyone?) and finds no harm it.  Really?  I don’t think so!

Cooking without sugar has not quite yielded perfect results, but I’m getting closer.  I’m settling on using 100% maple syrup.  Maple syrup actually contains a lot less sugar and has antioxidants in it; so, it is not all bad.  Most important thing in using maple syrup over sugar is that, since it is liquid and a whole lot sweeter, the amount has to be cut in half and the other liquids in the recipe must be decreased a bit, too.  I had some very doughy cinnamon bread last month – still good, but could have been way better.  Actually, I made the same bread yesterday with the correct liquid measurements, added a little extra baking soda/powder to help make it fluffy, and added 5-10 minutes baking time.  Not quite there -- it was a little too dense -- but it is improving greatly! 

I am looking forward to the day – that I hope will come! – when I don’t have to count grams of sugar and can occasionally eat “non-modified” junk food once in a while – desserts!  No sugar – no matter how much I rant on it – is too good to give up completely.  Nevertheless, I have to keep telling myself that the less I have now, the greater my chances in the future will be (for all forbidden foods, actually)...and the better I will feel overall.  It's also a reminder that not all great things in this world are made in the kitchen.

Great Recipes

These are two ice cream pies.  Yeah, the sugar content is tricky with these, but so good!

http://smilinggreenmom.com/2009/11/make-stuff-monday-peppermint-kick-butt-pie/

http://delectablyfree.com/2010/11/pumpkin-ice-cream-pie/

I find it surprising that there are no cookbooks on various oatmeal preparations -- as in breakfast food, not cookies.  One I like is to add half a banana with gluten free granola (or nuts on the day I can have my one serving of it).  Another one is to add cinnamon and whole cranberries while the oatmeal is cooking. :-d

Peppers, Onions, Garlic. 'Nough said.

Meal of the month is Chicken Garlic Pizza.  (I really want to make some again as I type this.)  Preheat oven to 350˚F and please wipe off your kitchen work space before beginning.  And, use that veggie cleaner -- FYI, if you're worried about the $, you only use a few drops at a time so it lasts for a very long time.

Yeast-Free GF dough:
-1.5 cups of gluten free all purpose flour OR 1/3 coconut flour and 1.25 cups of gluten free all purpose flour for a higher fiber content
-1 tbs of baking powder
-2 tsp of xanthum gum (or guar gum)
-(add about 1 tbs of Italian Seasoning for a more flavorful crust)
-little less than 1/2 tsp salt (too much salt is not a friendly food)
-1/2 cups water
-2 tbs oil grape seed oil (or desired food oil), plus more for brushing

Mix all dry ingredients first with wire whisk.  Next, add the water and oil.  Place a very thin coat of oil on pan.  Flatten out dough to desired size and thickness.  It averages out to a medium size pizza.  Now brush the oil around the edge of the crust as well as underneath it.  Set aside.

Now for the heart of the pizza!
Part 1. Place in skillet:
-2 tbs butter (I usually let the butter melt before adding the other goods)
-2 cloves (or more!) garlic
-2-3 tbs green onion
-1/2 large red onion
-1 red and/or green pepper
-splash of grape seed oil
-generous helping of basil and cilantro

Make sure all of your ingredients are cut up fairly small.  Saute all ingredients together until onions are somewhat translucent.  When done, quickly scrape all contents of pan, with heat proof spatula, into a bowl.  Cover and place in fridge while the rest of the pizza is prepped.

Part 2. Cut 2-3 chicken breasts into small pieces (think bite size here).  Fill pan with about an inch of water.  When the water boils, add chicken pieces.  Let them boil until the chicken turns white (do not overcook!).

Okay, return to your pizza dough and grab your choice of cheese (I used goat Gouda).  Grate a small layer of cheese over the dough.  Next, add the sauce (that stuff in the fridge) and another layer of cheese.  Place chicken on top.  Now, grate as much cheese as you want.

Cook pizza in oven for 20 minutes, or until edge of pizza begins to brown.

Have a salad while it cools and viola!  Great food.


This picture isn't the greatest, but you the point right? :o)


QUICK FOOD:
And by quick I mean 15-30 minutes, because flash burning unidentifeid objects (known as TV Dinners) in a little magic box is a disgusting option.  Oh, not an option. Okay then.

Saute up some chicken pieces.  While the pan sizzles on medium (don't forget to stir it!), quickly cut up desired amount of green and red peppers and an onion into large, yet bite-able, pieces.  Don't forget to mince some garlic too!  After chicken is eatabe-lish (no more pink), throw in the veggies and some spices -- I'm finding that oregano or basil works well.  Cover pan whenever you are not stirring.  If your pan lacks a lid, a piece of aluminum foil works well.  About 10 minutes later serve with rice or pasta.  OR, place in some tortillas and add some hot sauce or more spices.  Instant fajita!

Sweet Agony

Food is a blessing and a curse.  It can taste amazing and brighten a day at the first vapor of smell.  It can also add hidden health hazards and empty your wallet so fast you forget what money looks like.  Yep, blessing and a curse -- particularly sugar. 

For the past month, having to eliminate all forms of sugar has proven to be the hardest diet change.  The irony is the fact that sugar is horrible for you.  I took the liberty to read a book about the detriments of sugar -- Suicide by Sugar by Nancy Appleton (hey, what better time to read it).  Eye opener!   I don't know if what she's claiming is 100% accurate or if she's twisting facts around, but her ultimate point is one that cannot be escaped: if we know that "too much" sugar makes us feel sick and rots our teeth, how much more damage is being done to the unseen world of the body within? 

There are medical websites which claim similar arguments to Appleton's.  A few of them are:
-Sugar causes hyperactivity, anxiety, inability to concentrate, and irritably
-Sugar throws the body's chemistry off balance
-Sugar causes (or influences) a wide array of illnesses, cancers, and various diseases
-Sugar suppresses the immune system
-People who abstain from sugar are very healthy

So, even while reading this book and seeing its point, I still want it!  (I guess it is that addictive).  I've just recently been able to play with natural sweeteners (agave, maple syrup, honey, etc.) a little.  And I mean a little.  Some days cookies and brownies and chocolate seem far, far away...  I haven't decided whether I want to stay away from sugar as much as possible, have it moderately, or focus on using natural sweeteners (which have mixed receptions of being good and bad for you)...  I'll keep you updated on this change, dear blogosphere.  It is a decision that must be well thought out.  And sugar is so good...and everywhere...and it's good...and fun to make...and...yeah.

I am still finding it hard to find snacks that aren't hummus based, but here are some basic sugar-free meals:
-Rice spaghetti (meat with citric acid free spaghetti sauce)
-Chicken dishes (such as marinating it in ginger and lemon, or sprinkling oregano while sautéing)
-Salmon dishes
-Homemade soups (watch out for the broths, some have added sugar, even though it is a very little amount)
-Brown rice wraps with meat and some thinly sliced veggies
-A lot of recipes in Gluten-Free Italian cookbook are sugar free (or very low in sugar)

After the sugar cravings lessened (somewhat) and realigned my thinking process of cooking (once again), my meals still have great flavor :)