Sweet Success – Day 10

Posted in My Gluten Story, Recipes by PhoenixRize

I’ve lost 6lbs! Woo Hoo!

Okay… okay.. I know that wasn’t the (whole) point of this little (huge) endevor…. The goal was to feel good, be healthy, not want to barf all the time… not have crazy reactions to food …. BE HEALTHY. That’s why I started this…. who knew all the amazing “extras” that would come along with the “real” goals?!

I’m sleeping through the night (I used to wake/get up 4-5 times a night… now usually only once)
My knees don’t hurt and my hands feel better too – my hands were hurting so much the last time I knit that I was actually thinking I wouldn’t be able to knit in another few years. And my rings are SO loose now!
No more stomachaches! – I’d been having random, terrible stomachaches… I could never identify what was sparking them.
Weight loss! – 6lbs gone in just 10 days.. OMG! I’m not hungry or feeling deprived… I’m actually eating very well (once I found safe chocolate.)

I’m sure there are other things that are happening that I haven’t even been able to recognize yet. It’s all really exciting. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I admit… I mostly started blogging about my allergy-detox to keep me on track… public accountability…. what I hadn’t counted on was all the great support/stories/suggestion and questions from friends and family. Ususally, when you are on a diet/detox you feel so alone and deprived… I have been SO lucky! My husband has been so supportive… joining me in this new lifestyle (because that’s the plan… a new lifestyle that we want to continue). Mom, as always, super! Friends are even sending me new recipe suggestions… Yay!

Yesterday my Auntie B sent me this great link: No Sugar Oat Drops by Blueberry Girl… I loved the blog name! Of course, I had to check it out!!

No Sugar Oat Drops

1 1/2 c. regular rolled oats
1 c. coconut flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 c. of almond meal (How to make your own – another great blog – Detoxinista)
1/2 c. mixed nuts, finely chopped
1 c. dried fruit (I used Crasins and chopped candied ginger)

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease baking sheet. (I used my Misto…Misto Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, Brushed Aluminum – LUV!)

In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, almond meal, mixed nuts and coconut flakes. Stir in allspice and cinnamon. Add dried fruit and stir until well and evenly mixed. Make sure the dried fruit does not stick together in big batches.

In another bowl, combine canola oil, mashed banana and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet – (I used my cookie scooper – OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop)

Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

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Thank you Auntie B and Blueberry Girl!! These were amazing!

5Jan2013

Taco Seasoning – Day 9

Posted in My Gluten Story, Recipes by PhoenixRize

When my doctor put me on the allergy diet the first time, at six years old, one of the (many) things that I wasn’t allowed to have was Caramel Coloring. Of course, caramel coloring is found in all sorts of things. Brown sodas, canned soups, seasoning packets… brown things…. lots of things!

Today, a tad bit older than six, I’ve googled and I see that a number of places are saying that caramel coloring is now gluten-free and doesn’t have any listed allergens…. umm… I dunno… and I still think the crap is bad for you.

Good article about Caramel Coloring: Much Ado About Caramel Coloring

The FDA says its okay (and you know we can always trust the FDA….), and California says caramel coloring will kill us all (paraphrasing a bit, maybe)…. I’m with California on this one. Gluten-free or not… I’m going to cut out all the caramel coloring and additives that I possibly can.

I’ve been wanting nachos since Dad and I got Mexican for lunch last week and I couldn’t figure out if the nachos were made with flour or not. Dinner wasn’t the best tonight… we tried out a few new recipes and… they kinda sucked. So we thought we’d have nachos for a movie snack.

Taco Seasoning

1 Tbs Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Garlic Salt
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Ancho Chile Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Stir spices together. Store in an airtight container.

We combined the Taco Seasoning with ground hamburger, taco sauce (Taco Bell – Mild), sheep’s milk cheese and nachos. YUM!

2Jan2013

Days 7 & 8 – New Year, New ME!

Posted in My Gluten Story, Recipes by PhoenixRize

Brian and I had such a great time at Whole Foods Market the other day…. I might have gotten carried away in the fish department… but it was SO worth it! I’m the baker in our house… but Brian is our griller. OMG.

New Year’s Day Brian made the most delicious Tuna Steaks…

Tuna Steaks

Old Bay Seasonings
Lemon Juice

Grill for 2 minutes on each side. Allow to cook and additional 4 minutes off of direct heat.

I didn’t make it through my entire piece of fish… so good, but too much for me. I sliced up the left overs and made up a Salad in a Jar to take to work on Tuesday. The trick to a Salad in a Jar is the order of the layers. You don’t want your lettuce to come into contact with the dressing. Letting the carrots marinade in the dressing makes them super yummy! (Check out this cute blog…Salads in a Jar…. The girls are friends of mine!)

Salad in a Jar

Dressing ( raspberry vinaigrette!)
Carrots, shredded
Fish (or chicken or whatever..)
Feta Cheese (or your favorite)
Lettuce
Pecans
Dried Cranberries

I am totally addicted to Sweet Potatoes right now. According to Wikipedia:

“Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid), vitamin C, vitamin B₆,manganese and potassium.”

And…

“Despite the name “sweet”, it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.”

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato
1/8 tsp. Paprika
1/8 Ancho Chile Powder
1 Tbs. Brown Sugar

(More or less to taste, of course.) I love the little bit of smoky heat from the ancho chile powder (do not confuse this with cayenne… it’s not the same thing…. go find it…it’s worth it!)

Bake the sweet Potato. Slice it open and add the spices… mix it up… eat… LOVE! So simple! And you don’t need any butter, so this is a dairy-free recipe! I could make a whole meal out of this sweet potato.

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So days 7 and 8… I’m sleeping better. Honestly, as horribly as I was sleeping before… this new lifestyle is all worth it if I can sleep through the night! Woo Hoo! I haven’t had a single allergic reaction or stomach upset since I started this detox diet. Double Woo Hoo!