Since I feel I was successful in my baking endeavors this week, I thought I would post the recipe I used to make my muffins. I know this recipe comes from a cookbook, but I don't know what cookbook because the recipe I have is just a copy from the book. Perhaps my honey will tell me what book it came from if I ask him.
Banana Bread
2 Cups of Brown Rice Flour or any combination of gluten free flours
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (all-spice works well here too if you don't have nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 5 medium or 3 large)
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cooking oil (I used olive oil, but any vegetable based oil would work with the exception of peanut)
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used shredded coconut, but any nut would work)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3 inch or two 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 inch loaf pans, or two muffin tins with 12 muffin cups apiece (if you do muffins, just use the paper muffin cups - saves time and grease). In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (Batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s).
3. For the larger loaf pan: bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
For the two loaf pans: bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Muffins: Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
A Baking Success
I am not very good at baking. I do fine with the cooking part but baking things like cake, cookies, bread, or anything else like that - I fail miserably! I do okay with the boxed mixes, and I make good chocolate chip cookies, but anything beyond that I cannot do.
So, I was given a challenge this week. My boyfriend texted me the other day and told me he had some bananas that were no longer fit for eating, but were perfect for banana bread. The last time I made banana bread the bread crumbled and was not done in the middle. He said he was going to bring me the bananas along with the recipe. So, I took it as a challenge to be successful in this baking endeavor.
Instead of using the gluten all-purpose flour I opted to use brown rice flour. I then had to come up with something in place of the sugar. I have been doing a lot of research on natural sweeteners and whatnot and the other day I came across one I hadn't heard of - coconut sugar. Apparently coconut sugar is made from the nectar of the coconut blossoms that bloom before the coconut grows in its place on the tree. I am able to have coconut, so I figured its sugar counterpart was fine. Just like refined sugar, though, it has as many calories and needs to be eaten in moderation. The plus side is that it has a very low glycemic index score, which means that it won't make your blood sugar spike as quickly as regular sugar does and it is easier for the body to digest. So needless to say, I went and bought some coconut sugar.
Now I was ready to make this banana bread. I whipped up the batter according to the instructions and then put the batter in the fridge. This morning I got up a little earlier than usual and pulled out the muffin pans. I put in muffin papers and proceeded to fill twenty four muffin cups with banana bread batter made with rice flour and coconut sugar. I then put in the muffin pans into the oven and while the muffins were baking, I went and got ready for work. After I was done getting ready for work, the muffins were done.
They turned out really well and they are tasty too! I am happy to say that this baking challenge was a success! People at work liked the muffins and so did my honey! And I have a lot left for tomorrow too! Yay!
I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year! See you all "next year!"
So, I was given a challenge this week. My boyfriend texted me the other day and told me he had some bananas that were no longer fit for eating, but were perfect for banana bread. The last time I made banana bread the bread crumbled and was not done in the middle. He said he was going to bring me the bananas along with the recipe. So, I took it as a challenge to be successful in this baking endeavor.
Instead of using the gluten all-purpose flour I opted to use brown rice flour. I then had to come up with something in place of the sugar. I have been doing a lot of research on natural sweeteners and whatnot and the other day I came across one I hadn't heard of - coconut sugar. Apparently coconut sugar is made from the nectar of the coconut blossoms that bloom before the coconut grows in its place on the tree. I am able to have coconut, so I figured its sugar counterpart was fine. Just like refined sugar, though, it has as many calories and needs to be eaten in moderation. The plus side is that it has a very low glycemic index score, which means that it won't make your blood sugar spike as quickly as regular sugar does and it is easier for the body to digest. So needless to say, I went and bought some coconut sugar.
Now I was ready to make this banana bread. I whipped up the batter according to the instructions and then put the batter in the fridge. This morning I got up a little earlier than usual and pulled out the muffin pans. I put in muffin papers and proceeded to fill twenty four muffin cups with banana bread batter made with rice flour and coconut sugar. I then put in the muffin pans into the oven and while the muffins were baking, I went and got ready for work. After I was done getting ready for work, the muffins were done.
They turned out really well and they are tasty too! I am happy to say that this baking challenge was a success! People at work liked the muffins and so did my honey! And I have a lot left for tomorrow too! Yay!
I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year! See you all "next year!"
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Chicken And Curry - YUM
So last night for dinner I decided to make something different. Wednesdays typically are my day to try different recipes, so I decided to make coconut-ginger curried chicken. This was based on a recipe I saw on one of the many blogs I have recently discovered that have recipes galore of foods that I can eat.
This recipe was definitely a hit! I didn't have coconut milk like the recipe called for and I wasn't about to spend four dollars on something I would only use once, so I used almond milk and added a little bit more coconut to the recipe. It was good! My boyfriend even liked it, but he tends to like food with a little kick to it.
I didn't have any cayenne pepper either, so I used chili powder in place of it. It still provided enough spice in the recipe. But if you want it to be very spicy, then cayenne pepper is definitely the way to go.
This week I noticed a flare-up cause I had a little too much sugar so for the last couple of days, I have been on the base anti-inflammatory diet and I am starting to feel better again. So there is definitely truth to what you eat will determine how you feel. Of course everyone is different, but this is what I have noticed. I have not weighed myself yet, but I will tomorrow so I will see if I have lost any weight. I am not that concerned with the weight loss. I am more concerned about feeling healthy and having the energy I once had. But if I lose weight in the process, I am definitely not going to complain.
Well that is all for now. I have one more major holiday to get through and then I should no longer be tempted by the bad foods for awhile. Yay!
This recipe was definitely a hit! I didn't have coconut milk like the recipe called for and I wasn't about to spend four dollars on something I would only use once, so I used almond milk and added a little bit more coconut to the recipe. It was good! My boyfriend even liked it, but he tends to like food with a little kick to it.
I didn't have any cayenne pepper either, so I used chili powder in place of it. It still provided enough spice in the recipe. But if you want it to be very spicy, then cayenne pepper is definitely the way to go.
This week I noticed a flare-up cause I had a little too much sugar so for the last couple of days, I have been on the base anti-inflammatory diet and I am starting to feel better again. So there is definitely truth to what you eat will determine how you feel. Of course everyone is different, but this is what I have noticed. I have not weighed myself yet, but I will tomorrow so I will see if I have lost any weight. I am not that concerned with the weight loss. I am more concerned about feeling healthy and having the energy I once had. But if I lose weight in the process, I am definitely not going to complain.
Well that is all for now. I have one more major holiday to get through and then I should no longer be tempted by the bad foods for awhile. Yay!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Learning To Cook Again
I have always prided myself in my cooking abilities, and I have always enjoyed cooking, but since I have changed my eating habits and dietary needs I feel like I am eight years old again learning how to cook again.
It hasn't been easy, but it has been an adventure for sure. I am so thankful that there are people in this world that have figured things out and have posted recipes, blogs, tips, and other helpful hints on the internet for me to find. This has helped me in learning how to cook again.
I went grocery shopping last night and I really paid attention to the different kinds of health foods and alternatives there really are. I have to do the bulk of my shopping at a health food store so I can get exactly what I need, but it has been an eye-opener for sure.
And while I have given up a lot of foods that I love I have discovered new foods and new combinations of foods that I love. For example, if I hadn't had to give up dairy, I would have never learned how much I love almond milk. It is so delicious and works as well as cow milk in most of my recipes. And because it has a mild flavor, it doesn't overpower or change the flavor of other foods that call for milk.
Well, that is about it for today. Tonight for dinner I am trying a new recipe. I am making curry-coconut chicken with sweet potatoes, carrots, and collard greens. I whipped up everything last night and it is sitting in my fridge waiting to be cooked in the oven. It had to marinate anyway, so I thought making it last night would cut down the prep work this evening. This way I won't be eating dinner at 8:00PM either. I plan to also cook some quinoa and serve it with the chicken as well.
Hope it goes well. Have a great day everyone!
It hasn't been easy, but it has been an adventure for sure. I am so thankful that there are people in this world that have figured things out and have posted recipes, blogs, tips, and other helpful hints on the internet for me to find. This has helped me in learning how to cook again.
I went grocery shopping last night and I really paid attention to the different kinds of health foods and alternatives there really are. I have to do the bulk of my shopping at a health food store so I can get exactly what I need, but it has been an eye-opener for sure.
And while I have given up a lot of foods that I love I have discovered new foods and new combinations of foods that I love. For example, if I hadn't had to give up dairy, I would have never learned how much I love almond milk. It is so delicious and works as well as cow milk in most of my recipes. And because it has a mild flavor, it doesn't overpower or change the flavor of other foods that call for milk.
Well, that is about it for today. Tonight for dinner I am trying a new recipe. I am making curry-coconut chicken with sweet potatoes, carrots, and collard greens. I whipped up everything last night and it is sitting in my fridge waiting to be cooked in the oven. It had to marinate anyway, so I thought making it last night would cut down the prep work this evening. This way I won't be eating dinner at 8:00PM either. I plan to also cook some quinoa and serve it with the chicken as well.
Hope it goes well. Have a great day everyone!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Christmas Weekend - Some Good, Some Bad
I hope everyone had a great Christmas and if you celebrate Kwanzaa and Hanukkah I hope you are still enjoying your holidays! I made it through Christmas better than I thought I would. I was surrounded by a lot of wonderful things to eat and for the most part I did okay.
One of my family's Christmas traditions is to make aebleskivers for breakfast on Christmas. Aebleskivers are little round Danish pancakes and they are usually served with syrup, jam, powdered sugar, or anything else that sounds tasty to dip them in. Well, they are loaded with gluten and dairy and I cannot have gluten or dairy so I was not really happy about possibly missing this breakfast. I made a decision and decided I was going to eat them regardless, but on Christmas Eve morning I decided to get online and see if I could find a recipe for a different version of aebleskivers. Since I can have brown rice and corn, I figured I might be able to find a replacement.
I logged online and did a search for "gluten free, dairy free aebleskivers" and I found a wonderful recipe which uses whole grain gluten free flours and apple cider vinegar and milk alternatives instead of white flour and buttermilk. I printed off the recipe and decided to try them. I went to the health food store I typically shop at and bought some brown rice flour and combined it with my buckwheat flour. You have to mix the flour, milk alternative (I used unsweetened almond milk), and apple cider vinegar together and leave the mixture out to age overnight. You then mix the mixture with some egg yolks, baking powder, baking soda, sweetener, and then add in whipped egg whites and then cook the aebleskivers up in the pan. These aebleskivers turned out fantastic! I had them with a little bit of fruit jam and had some turkey sausage and an egg to eat on the side. I have posted the recipe, a picture, and a link to the original recipe as it isn't my own.
Now for the bad - I did indulge a little. I did have some sugar over the weekend. That is about the only bad thing I ate, but I am definitely feeling the after affects of the sugar. However, I didn't have as much sugar as I usually do over Christmas, so I feel like I was mildly victorious!
Aside from the wonderful food, I have to say I was very spoiled this Christmas! My parents gave me the Rachael Ray pans I have been wanting for the last three years or so! The bulk of my pans I have been using are ones I bought back in college and they were cheap pans anyways, so I am so excited I have new ones to cook with. They also gave a Christmas decoration and a new shirt. My boyfriend spoiled me all over the place. He bought me a gorgeous pink sweater and a purplish blouse from my favorite clothing store, and then bought me a couple of puzzles, and a lot of lotion and some candles. He is wonderful! I love him lots!
So I hope everyone has a great New Year! See the recipe below and if you have the hankering to try it and don't have a pan, you can buy an aebleskiver pan at Bed Bath and Beyond, or any kitchen stores that carry specialty things like that.
Gluten and Dairy Free Aebleskivers
2 1/2 cups of gluten free whole grain flour ( I used 1 cup of freshly ground amaranth, and 1 1/2 cups of freshly ground millet)
1 1/2 cups of water or dairy free milk of choice
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1) Mix together the above ingredients and leave out, covered in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours.
3 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sweetener (whole cane sugar, coconut sugar, or maple sugar)
1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2) In a clean bowl whip the egg whites into soft peaks.
3) Mix together the egg yolks, baking powder and soda, and salt with the flour mixture until well combined. Fold in the egg whites. Cook according to the directions below.
Directions for Cooking
Heat a seasoned, cast iron pan over medium heat until a sprinkle of water jumps and sizzles on the pan. Grease with palm shortening, olive oil, coconut oil, or butter, and fill 3/4 full of batter. Allow the bottom to brown and set. Using a toothpick or wooden skewer, turn a quarter turn. It sounds strange, but it’s not hard! Then turn once, or twice more, as it continues to brown . You should be left with a round pancake! Adjust heat as needed as you continue cooking and serve right away, as they will deflate some as they cool.
One of my family's Christmas traditions is to make aebleskivers for breakfast on Christmas. Aebleskivers are little round Danish pancakes and they are usually served with syrup, jam, powdered sugar, or anything else that sounds tasty to dip them in. Well, they are loaded with gluten and dairy and I cannot have gluten or dairy so I was not really happy about possibly missing this breakfast. I made a decision and decided I was going to eat them regardless, but on Christmas Eve morning I decided to get online and see if I could find a recipe for a different version of aebleskivers. Since I can have brown rice and corn, I figured I might be able to find a replacement.
I logged online and did a search for "gluten free, dairy free aebleskivers" and I found a wonderful recipe which uses whole grain gluten free flours and apple cider vinegar and milk alternatives instead of white flour and buttermilk. I printed off the recipe and decided to try them. I went to the health food store I typically shop at and bought some brown rice flour and combined it with my buckwheat flour. You have to mix the flour, milk alternative (I used unsweetened almond milk), and apple cider vinegar together and leave the mixture out to age overnight. You then mix the mixture with some egg yolks, baking powder, baking soda, sweetener, and then add in whipped egg whites and then cook the aebleskivers up in the pan. These aebleskivers turned out fantastic! I had them with a little bit of fruit jam and had some turkey sausage and an egg to eat on the side. I have posted the recipe, a picture, and a link to the original recipe as it isn't my own.
Now for the bad - I did indulge a little. I did have some sugar over the weekend. That is about the only bad thing I ate, but I am definitely feeling the after affects of the sugar. However, I didn't have as much sugar as I usually do over Christmas, so I feel like I was mildly victorious!
Aside from the wonderful food, I have to say I was very spoiled this Christmas! My parents gave me the Rachael Ray pans I have been wanting for the last three years or so! The bulk of my pans I have been using are ones I bought back in college and they were cheap pans anyways, so I am so excited I have new ones to cook with. They also gave a Christmas decoration and a new shirt. My boyfriend spoiled me all over the place. He bought me a gorgeous pink sweater and a purplish blouse from my favorite clothing store, and then bought me a couple of puzzles, and a lot of lotion and some candles. He is wonderful! I love him lots!
So I hope everyone has a great New Year! See the recipe below and if you have the hankering to try it and don't have a pan, you can buy an aebleskiver pan at Bed Bath and Beyond, or any kitchen stores that carry specialty things like that.
Gluten and Dairy Free Aebleskivers
2 1/2 cups of gluten free whole grain flour ( I used 1 cup of freshly ground amaranth, and 1 1/2 cups of freshly ground millet)
1 1/2 cups of water or dairy free milk of choice
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1) Mix together the above ingredients and leave out, covered in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours.
3 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sweetener (whole cane sugar, coconut sugar, or maple sugar)
1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2) In a clean bowl whip the egg whites into soft peaks.
3) Mix together the egg yolks, baking powder and soda, and salt with the flour mixture until well combined. Fold in the egg whites. Cook according to the directions below.
Directions for Cooking
Heat a seasoned, cast iron pan over medium heat until a sprinkle of water jumps and sizzles on the pan. Grease with palm shortening, olive oil, coconut oil, or butter, and fill 3/4 full of batter. Allow the bottom to brown and set. Using a toothpick or wooden skewer, turn a quarter turn. It sounds strange, but it’s not hard! Then turn once, or twice more, as it continues to brown . You should be left with a round pancake! Adjust heat as needed as you continue cooking and serve right away, as they will deflate some as they cool.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A New Chapter
So today I had another doctor's appointment, but I actually went to the doctor's office instead of having the appointment via phone. I learned today that I lost another pound which brings my total weight loss thus far to 16 pounds! Oh yeah! I haven't lost weight at all in like that last two years and I have been steadily gaining, so to see this kind of dramatic weight loss is very thrilling to me! The doctor was very pleased with my progress. I honestly cannot tell that I have lost weight, but the doctor said that he can tell after not seeing me for like three weeks as all of my appointments until today were done over the phone. YAY!
I am starting some new supplements and was also given the go ahead on trying corn in my diet. I have been successful with the brown rice, so I was able to get some bread made from brown rice flour. I have tried it a few different ways already and I decided that I like it toasted best. I toasted some of the rice bread for dinner tonight and I couldn't even tell that it was rice bread instead of wheat bread. I will definitely be having some for breakfast!
If all goes well with the corn, it will mean I can have corn chips (as long as they are cooked in sunflower oil), corn tortillas and anything else that has corn in it so long as everything else is diet friendly. I have learned from this journey that our bodies are amazing things and if we feed it the right things, it can heal itself. For the first time in almost eight years, I finally have some control over my digestive issues that have plagued me for so long. They are almost completely eliminated and I am so thankful for that. Of course, if I eat things I shouldn't then they come back almost immediately.
Well, that is where we are at with the progress so far. This week is Christmas and I am bound and determined to be a good girl! We will see how it goes. I will keep everyone updated! Have a great Christmas, an awesome Hanukkah, and a fabulous Kwanzaa everyone! And Happy New Year!
I am starting some new supplements and was also given the go ahead on trying corn in my diet. I have been successful with the brown rice, so I was able to get some bread made from brown rice flour. I have tried it a few different ways already and I decided that I like it toasted best. I toasted some of the rice bread for dinner tonight and I couldn't even tell that it was rice bread instead of wheat bread. I will definitely be having some for breakfast!
If all goes well with the corn, it will mean I can have corn chips (as long as they are cooked in sunflower oil), corn tortillas and anything else that has corn in it so long as everything else is diet friendly. I have learned from this journey that our bodies are amazing things and if we feed it the right things, it can heal itself. For the first time in almost eight years, I finally have some control over my digestive issues that have plagued me for so long. They are almost completely eliminated and I am so thankful for that. Of course, if I eat things I shouldn't then they come back almost immediately.
Well, that is where we are at with the progress so far. This week is Christmas and I am bound and determined to be a good girl! We will see how it goes. I will keep everyone updated! Have a great Christmas, an awesome Hanukkah, and a fabulous Kwanzaa everyone! And Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
An Update On My Goals
Well, I haven't posted in a week or so. I have been busy getting ready for Christmas. I have some time to post right now so I will.
My diet restrictions have been eased a little, but not much. But the things that have been added back in have allowed me to eat and enjoy more things and also be more creative in my meal prep. I think the biggest challenge this week has been the bread. Once I have determined I can handle brown rice, the doc says I am free to eat any gluten free breads made from rice flour, so I am getting very excited about that! I enjoy sandwiches and it will be wonderful to have them again. I have never really liked condiments on my sandwiches, so that is something I won't miss.
Today I decided to weigh myself because the doc kept asking me every time he would if I had weighed myself. I don't own a scale and haven't had a chance to weigh myself anywhere since I started this adventure. So I took some time and wandered up to the scale on the third floor of my office. This scale adds ten pounds to your weight (because it isn't weighted properly), but I did weigh myself on that scale right before I started this adventure so I did have a starting number to go off of. I stepped on the scale and put it at that starting number. It was too heavy, so I moved the little thingy down some more. Still too heavy! Then it finally evened out! I have lost almost fifteen pounds in a month! In all of my weight loss goals I have never lost that much weight in a month and I am proud to say I have done this healthily and I haven't felt deprived. I think the biggest things that have helped has been giving up the refined sugars (aka candy) and the soda and caffeine. I feel much better about this treatment.
Well, I am hoping to start trying to new recipes next week - just haven't had time to whip up anything with the up and coming holiday, but I will find time! Have a great weekend everyone!
My diet restrictions have been eased a little, but not much. But the things that have been added back in have allowed me to eat and enjoy more things and also be more creative in my meal prep. I think the biggest challenge this week has been the bread. Once I have determined I can handle brown rice, the doc says I am free to eat any gluten free breads made from rice flour, so I am getting very excited about that! I enjoy sandwiches and it will be wonderful to have them again. I have never really liked condiments on my sandwiches, so that is something I won't miss.
Today I decided to weigh myself because the doc kept asking me every time he would if I had weighed myself. I don't own a scale and haven't had a chance to weigh myself anywhere since I started this adventure. So I took some time and wandered up to the scale on the third floor of my office. This scale adds ten pounds to your weight (because it isn't weighted properly), but I did weigh myself on that scale right before I started this adventure so I did have a starting number to go off of. I stepped on the scale and put it at that starting number. It was too heavy, so I moved the little thingy down some more. Still too heavy! Then it finally evened out! I have lost almost fifteen pounds in a month! In all of my weight loss goals I have never lost that much weight in a month and I am proud to say I have done this healthily and I haven't felt deprived. I think the biggest things that have helped has been giving up the refined sugars (aka candy) and the soda and caffeine. I feel much better about this treatment.
Well, I am hoping to start trying to new recipes next week - just haven't had time to whip up anything with the up and coming holiday, but I will find time! Have a great weekend everyone!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Time For Rice
I had another phone appointment with the doc today and today he told me he wants me to start eating brown rice. Which means I now have another carb source in the diet. I have never really been a big fan of brown rice, so this will be an adventure. But I am sure I will like it if I prepare it myself.
Yesterday was good day overall for me diet. I did very well all day other than I nuked my turkey for too long at lunch and didn't get a chance to eat it cause it turned into rubber, but that was my bad. Tonight I have plans of making chicken strips. I found a good recipe online on Food Network's website. I am going to be modifying it a bit, but I think it will work for what I want to do. I will be combining it with another recipe so I have a good chicken strip recipe. I am hoping it turns out. I also plan to make some sweet potato fries as well. And then maybe I will come up with something for dessert.
Sorry today's post is short. I don't really have much to say, but I will let everyone know how the chicken turns out tomorrow!
Yesterday was good day overall for me diet. I did very well all day other than I nuked my turkey for too long at lunch and didn't get a chance to eat it cause it turned into rubber, but that was my bad. Tonight I have plans of making chicken strips. I found a good recipe online on Food Network's website. I am going to be modifying it a bit, but I think it will work for what I want to do. I will be combining it with another recipe so I have a good chicken strip recipe. I am hoping it turns out. I also plan to make some sweet potato fries as well. And then maybe I will come up with something for dessert.
Sorry today's post is short. I don't really have much to say, but I will let everyone know how the chicken turns out tomorrow!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Yesterday Was Not A Good Day For Eating
Do you ever have a day where something in that day seems to just not go right? Well, that was me yesterday. I woke up late and therefore barely got out of the door to make it to work on time. As a result of running late, I did not have breakfast or my vitamins or anything. So, I was pretty hungry when I was finally able to go to lunch. I ate a hamburger and fries for lunch and then for dinner I went to Hot Dog On A Stick! I knew it was a bad thing! I felt these meals come back to haunt me too this morning! I am thinking I am intolerant to gluten - not allergic, but intolerant, because I woke up with my 3:00AM itches that I used to get in the past. I don't have hives or anything - I just itch all over the place. Or it could have been the starch or peanut oil - needless to say, the foods I ate yesterday made their presence known in a bad way.
Today I decided to start over. Because of my itches I really only managed another hour of sleep or so, so I decided to get up. I had seen a recipe on Pinterest (my new internet love) that I was eager to try. It was a recipe for gluten free, dairy free, and even egg free drop biscuits. The recipe encouraged the person making the biscuits to use a combination of gluten free flours, but most of the gluten free flours are made from things I can't have right now, so I had to use all buckwheat flour even though the recipe discouraged it, but I did anyway. I mixed the ingredients and made the dough and then put the dough on my Pampered Chef stoneware and baked them. Buckwheat flour is kind of dark all by itself so it is really hard to know when things made from it are done. But they did bake up and they looked fine to me. I then cooked up some turkey sausage, sweet potatoes, and an egg for breakfast. I then paired a couple of the biscuits with everything else and also got some almond butter for dipping the biscuits in.
It was like eating a real big breakfast this morning. I typically don't make big breakfasts for myself only but since I had loads of time this morning I decided to get creative. I have quite a few biscuits left, but I have bread now! And the recipe stated that buckwheat flour can have an aftertaste, I didn't really taste one. If you aren't used to the flavor of buckwheat, these may taste different, but they tasted like any other drop biscuit I have had before. And if you dip them in almond butter or any nut or seed butter for that matter, they are even more tasty! I packed some of the leftover ones in my lunch today. I plan to see if my boyfriend and best friend like them. I am planning on using these biscuits as part of my breading for my chicken strips I plan to make tomorrow. So glad I tried this recipe! See pictures below for the biscuits (they look like cookies, but they really are biscuits) and my delicious breakfast!
And here is the link to the recipe: http://wholenewmom.com/recipes/easy-drop-biscuit-recipe-w-gf-df-options/
Today I decided to start over. Because of my itches I really only managed another hour of sleep or so, so I decided to get up. I had seen a recipe on Pinterest (my new internet love) that I was eager to try. It was a recipe for gluten free, dairy free, and even egg free drop biscuits. The recipe encouraged the person making the biscuits to use a combination of gluten free flours, but most of the gluten free flours are made from things I can't have right now, so I had to use all buckwheat flour even though the recipe discouraged it, but I did anyway. I mixed the ingredients and made the dough and then put the dough on my Pampered Chef stoneware and baked them. Buckwheat flour is kind of dark all by itself so it is really hard to know when things made from it are done. But they did bake up and they looked fine to me. I then cooked up some turkey sausage, sweet potatoes, and an egg for breakfast. I then paired a couple of the biscuits with everything else and also got some almond butter for dipping the biscuits in.
It was like eating a real big breakfast this morning. I typically don't make big breakfasts for myself only but since I had loads of time this morning I decided to get creative. I have quite a few biscuits left, but I have bread now! And the recipe stated that buckwheat flour can have an aftertaste, I didn't really taste one. If you aren't used to the flavor of buckwheat, these may taste different, but they tasted like any other drop biscuit I have had before. And if you dip them in almond butter or any nut or seed butter for that matter, they are even more tasty! I packed some of the leftover ones in my lunch today. I plan to see if my boyfriend and best friend like them. I am planning on using these biscuits as part of my breading for my chicken strips I plan to make tomorrow. So glad I tried this recipe! See pictures below for the biscuits (they look like cookies, but they really are biscuits) and my delicious breakfast!
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| Buckwheat Flour Drop Biscuits |
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| Turkey Sausage, Egg, Drop Biscuits, and Sweet Potatoes |
And here is the link to the recipe: http://wholenewmom.com/recipes/easy-drop-biscuit-recipe-w-gf-df-options/
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Now The Fun Begins
I have been freed somewhat from my strict diet! I can now enjoy tomatoes, beef, and eggs. I know there are some people who think that is still very restrictive, but having those three items back in my diet open a world of new possibilities! You just have to take time to think about it.
For example, there are eggs. Eggs are versatile little things and can be used to make lots of things. You can just cook them up and eat them or you can use them in a lot of recipes and other things as well. I have made my own chicken strips in the past and one of the crucial things was the egg\milk wash, so now that I can have eggs I can combine them with my almond milk and make the egg\milk wash. And I can make my breading from buckwheat flour, nuts, and herbs. I then pan fry the chicken in olive oil or bake it.
With the tomatoes I can now add more to my turkey burgers and I can have salsa! One of my favorite things to eat is salsa chicken. I take a chicken breast and cook it part of the way on the stove and then I put some salsa on top of it and then finish cooking it in a 350 degree oven for about twenty minutes and it is delish! So I get to have that again! YAY!
I have never been a huge red meat eater so having beef back in my diet isn't really going to impact me much other than I can now have a beef burger if I go out to order one. I can also use ground beef in my tacos at home when I make tacos. I also make these fabulous meatballs so I can use ground beef in those too even though I usually prefer ground turkey!
Well, I will update on how my attempt at my chicken strips went as I plan to make those tonight! Have a great day everyone!
For example, there are eggs. Eggs are versatile little things and can be used to make lots of things. You can just cook them up and eat them or you can use them in a lot of recipes and other things as well. I have made my own chicken strips in the past and one of the crucial things was the egg\milk wash, so now that I can have eggs I can combine them with my almond milk and make the egg\milk wash. And I can make my breading from buckwheat flour, nuts, and herbs. I then pan fry the chicken in olive oil or bake it.
With the tomatoes I can now add more to my turkey burgers and I can have salsa! One of my favorite things to eat is salsa chicken. I take a chicken breast and cook it part of the way on the stove and then I put some salsa on top of it and then finish cooking it in a 350 degree oven for about twenty minutes and it is delish! So I get to have that again! YAY!
I have never been a huge red meat eater so having beef back in my diet isn't really going to impact me much other than I can now have a beef burger if I go out to order one. I can also use ground beef in my tacos at home when I make tacos. I also make these fabulous meatballs so I can use ground beef in those too even though I usually prefer ground turkey!
Well, I will update on how my attempt at my chicken strips went as I plan to make those tonight! Have a great day everyone!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Day 19 - Day 21: The End!
Today is my last day of being on the very restricted diet. This weekend proved to be a challenge, though. Friday evening I had a bit of a breakdown and ended up eating some Chinese food. While I ordered grilled chicken with veggies and cashews, the whole dish was dripping with a sauce made from soy sauce. Saturday I had a flour tortilla and fries. I was a very bad girl, but somehow I still managed to avoid everything else and still not have my Pepsi. I have been impressed with myself that I have avoided caffeine for so long. In the past I have told myself I am not going to drink caffeine and that last oh about a day and then I am right back to nursing my habit. In the last 21 days I have had a Pepsi twice. That's incredible! I have never gone that long before - 19 days with no caffeine! I am awesome!
People have been asking me if I have noticed a difference since I started this diet and I have noticed a few things. As far as my energy goes, it seems to be a progressive thing. Before I started this diet, getting out of bed was an absolute challenge. I would literally cry because it was so hard to get out of bed and face the day because I was exhausted even after sleeping 11 hours the night before. Since I have started, getting out of bed hasn't been nearly as difficult and I am not so ornery about it anymore. Also, my best friend and my boyfriend have both caught colds within the last week and I haven't gotten sick because of all of the Vitamin C and Zinc I have running around in my body as a result of the supplements the doctor has me on. I have a swollen spot in my left leg that just seems to be always swollen and since I have started this it has gone down in size. It isn't gone but it is a lot smaller than it used to be. And a lot of my digestive issues have seem to have resolved as well.
As far as my diet goes, yesterday (Sunday) was the best day I had all weekend. I ate very well and avoided everything I can't have and didn't cheat at all. YAY! I did actually drink a glass of almond milk all by itself with nothing added to it and I do like it, but the taste on it seems to be backwards to me. When I drink cows milk the flavor of the milk kind of comes to me as I am swallowing and has that satisfied taste. With the almond milk, the flavor came first and then it didn't taste like anything as it went down. I just wanted more to the flavor. I am also drinking Unsweetened Almond Milk so that may be part of the problem. While I plan to incorporate Almond Milk into my diet going forward, I still love my cows milk.
Tomorrow I get to start eating the other foods I mentioned in a previous post. I am thinking tomorrow I will be adding tomatoes back into my diet and see what happens. If I am good there, then I will be doing eggs and so on. Maybe one day I will be able to have cows milk again.
People have been asking me if I have noticed a difference since I started this diet and I have noticed a few things. As far as my energy goes, it seems to be a progressive thing. Before I started this diet, getting out of bed was an absolute challenge. I would literally cry because it was so hard to get out of bed and face the day because I was exhausted even after sleeping 11 hours the night before. Since I have started, getting out of bed hasn't been nearly as difficult and I am not so ornery about it anymore. Also, my best friend and my boyfriend have both caught colds within the last week and I haven't gotten sick because of all of the Vitamin C and Zinc I have running around in my body as a result of the supplements the doctor has me on. I have a swollen spot in my left leg that just seems to be always swollen and since I have started this it has gone down in size. It isn't gone but it is a lot smaller than it used to be. And a lot of my digestive issues have seem to have resolved as well.
As far as my diet goes, yesterday (Sunday) was the best day I had all weekend. I ate very well and avoided everything I can't have and didn't cheat at all. YAY! I did actually drink a glass of almond milk all by itself with nothing added to it and I do like it, but the taste on it seems to be backwards to me. When I drink cows milk the flavor of the milk kind of comes to me as I am swallowing and has that satisfied taste. With the almond milk, the flavor came first and then it didn't taste like anything as it went down. I just wanted more to the flavor. I am also drinking Unsweetened Almond Milk so that may be part of the problem. While I plan to incorporate Almond Milk into my diet going forward, I still love my cows milk.
Tomorrow I get to start eating the other foods I mentioned in a previous post. I am thinking tomorrow I will be adding tomatoes back into my diet and see what happens. If I am good there, then I will be doing eggs and so on. Maybe one day I will be able to have cows milk again.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Day 18: Almost There!
Three days, people! Three days! While I know next week I won't be able to go back to eating whatever I want, I do know it will be a little easier just for the fact I will be able to have a little bit more variety in my diet. One of my favorite breakfasts of all time is hashbrowns, sausage, and fried eggs. Well, I have been able to eat chicken and turkey sausage and the potatoes, but no eggs. Starting next week I can have eggs! I crave protein in the morning more than any other time of the day. I don't want carbs - I just want protein. In fact if I go out to breakfast to like IHOP or Denny's, I will always be the one at the table that orders the all meat and egg breakfast - bacon, sausage, chicken fried steak - all the meat and eggs! It's really the only time I am a huge meat and protein lover!
So, this is why I am glad I will be able to have eggs again. Eggs are so versatile and you can do so much with them. I know there are a lot of people out there who don't think eating eggs is right because it is an animal product, but if a chicken doesn't lay her egg she will die as I have witnessed first hand. You also cannot leave the unfertilized eggs with the chickens or they may get cracked open and if a chicken tastes the egg they go crazy! They will do anything in their power to get the other eggs and eat them - they basically get Mad Chicken Disease and have to be removed from the rest of the flock or put down. So this is why I am not opposed to eating eggs and this is because I have seen firsthand why it is important for the hens to lay their eggs and secondly why they need to be removed. The eggs I eat come from free range chickens. The eggs themselves cannot be considered organic because these chickens do not eat organic feed and they also eat all of the fruit and veggie leftovers my mother has. I think since my father got chickens my mother has not had to throw away and fruit, veggies, or bread away. The chickens eat it all!
I am also looking forward to eating tomatoes as well. One of my favorite things to make is my own fresh salsa - well I like tomato based salsas better than any other kind of salsa, so I am very excited about having salsa again and marinara sauce. I will be able to make meatballs again now that I can have eggs. I make these awesome Italian inspired meatballs and I have tried other things to get them to stick together and nothing really works better than an egg.
I also found a recipe online for buckwheat flour drop biscuits which I am itching to try. That would make a delicious breakfast option. Serve some of those bad boys up with almond butter and a slab of turkey sausage - yumness!
I keep talking about how I crave protein for breakfast in the morning - well, today was an unusual day. As I getting ready for work I found myself craving a bowl of fruit. So I stopped and a local bakery and cafe here on my way to work and ordered their bowl of fruit. It had cantaloupe, honey dew, pineapple, and red grapes in it. It was delish! Once in a while I crave lighter fare, but most of the time I like meat!
Have a great weekend everyone! I know I will!
So, this is why I am glad I will be able to have eggs again. Eggs are so versatile and you can do so much with them. I know there are a lot of people out there who don't think eating eggs is right because it is an animal product, but if a chicken doesn't lay her egg she will die as I have witnessed first hand. You also cannot leave the unfertilized eggs with the chickens or they may get cracked open and if a chicken tastes the egg they go crazy! They will do anything in their power to get the other eggs and eat them - they basically get Mad Chicken Disease and have to be removed from the rest of the flock or put down. So this is why I am not opposed to eating eggs and this is because I have seen firsthand why it is important for the hens to lay their eggs and secondly why they need to be removed. The eggs I eat come from free range chickens. The eggs themselves cannot be considered organic because these chickens do not eat organic feed and they also eat all of the fruit and veggie leftovers my mother has. I think since my father got chickens my mother has not had to throw away and fruit, veggies, or bread away. The chickens eat it all!
I am also looking forward to eating tomatoes as well. One of my favorite things to make is my own fresh salsa - well I like tomato based salsas better than any other kind of salsa, so I am very excited about having salsa again and marinara sauce. I will be able to make meatballs again now that I can have eggs. I make these awesome Italian inspired meatballs and I have tried other things to get them to stick together and nothing really works better than an egg.
I also found a recipe online for buckwheat flour drop biscuits which I am itching to try. That would make a delicious breakfast option. Serve some of those bad boys up with almond butter and a slab of turkey sausage - yumness!
I keep talking about how I crave protein for breakfast in the morning - well, today was an unusual day. As I getting ready for work I found myself craving a bowl of fruit. So I stopped and a local bakery and cafe here on my way to work and ordered their bowl of fruit. It had cantaloupe, honey dew, pineapple, and red grapes in it. It was delish! Once in a while I crave lighter fare, but most of the time I like meat!
Have a great weekend everyone! I know I will!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
YAY For New Foods!
I spoke with the doc this afternoon and I discussed with him what foods I will be allowed to eat when I am done with this diet in four days! I will for the most part still be continuing this diet, but the goal is to slowly figure out what foods my body can handle and which ones it cannot. So, starting next week I will be allowed to have eggs, tomatoes, and beef again. I am most excited about the eggs and tomatoes part! So, starting next week I won't be nearly as miserable. I still can't have dairy or gluten, but where I can have eggs, I can make some batters with my almond milk and buckwheat flour for like pancakes and stuff. So, happy day! Maybe I can even get my grandfather to make his famous pancakes using my buckwheat flour and almond milk. . . .hmmm. . . .
Day 17: Bacon Burgers Are Better With Cheese!
I tend to like to celebrate little occasions when I can. I don't necessarily need to celebrate them in a big way, but I don't like them to pass quietly into the night. So yesterday was my two month anniversary since I started dating the boyfriend and I wanted us to have a special dinner. Well, everything that we would have normally done could not be done because of this diet, so I had to get creative.
In the booklet thingy the doc gave me there are recipes and one of the recipes was for bacon burgers. I decided to do those. I also purchased some sweet potato fries from the grocery store and made sure they were okay to eat. They were good to eat and since I baked them I didn't have to worry about any oils or anything like that as well.
So for dinner, I cooked up some turkey hamburger patties and then also cooked up some turkey bacon as I could also eat that as well. After the meat was done, I took the patties and put each one inside a big lettuce leaf and then topped it with some bacon. I then put chipotle Tabasco sauce, cucumbers, and a couple of fries on my bigger and then wrapped the rest of the lettuce around the burger. My boyfriend did the same but also added mustard and onion to his as well. We then served the burgers with the fries. All in all things tasted fairly well, but the while I was eating I kept thinking that it would taste better with a big fluffy bun, cheese, tomatoes, and ketchup as well.
It's nice to know that when we hit the three month mark in our relationship, I should be able to eat more things again. I have four full days left in addition to today, and I am very much excited to be done. Today when I speak with the doc I am hoping to find out what they would like me to add back into my diet starting next week. The end is near!
I shall continue to blog about this because I find it has helped me a lot. I suspect that if I hadn't had this blog, I probably would have failed all over the place. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my words and support me in this endeavor quietly. It has been very much appreciated!
In the booklet thingy the doc gave me there are recipes and one of the recipes was for bacon burgers. I decided to do those. I also purchased some sweet potato fries from the grocery store and made sure they were okay to eat. They were good to eat and since I baked them I didn't have to worry about any oils or anything like that as well.
So for dinner, I cooked up some turkey hamburger patties and then also cooked up some turkey bacon as I could also eat that as well. After the meat was done, I took the patties and put each one inside a big lettuce leaf and then topped it with some bacon. I then put chipotle Tabasco sauce, cucumbers, and a couple of fries on my bigger and then wrapped the rest of the lettuce around the burger. My boyfriend did the same but also added mustard and onion to his as well. We then served the burgers with the fries. All in all things tasted fairly well, but the while I was eating I kept thinking that it would taste better with a big fluffy bun, cheese, tomatoes, and ketchup as well.
It's nice to know that when we hit the three month mark in our relationship, I should be able to eat more things again. I have four full days left in addition to today, and I am very much excited to be done. Today when I speak with the doc I am hoping to find out what they would like me to add back into my diet starting next week. The end is near!
I shall continue to blog about this because I find it has helped me a lot. I suspect that if I hadn't had this blog, I probably would have failed all over the place. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my words and support me in this endeavor quietly. It has been very much appreciated!
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