Healing is
a
JOURNEY,
not a task.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Easy Like Sunday Mornin'
As I prepare for my cooking marathon tomorrow, some have asked me why I devote an entire day to cooking. And what it's like to plan and prepare an entire week's worth of food.
Why Sunday?
Well, usually I have nothing going on during Sundays, except for Football. There are the occasional weeks when I need to be flexible and do more on Saturday or throughout the week, but Sunday is traditionally the start of the week and it just makes sense for me to start the week on this task. Lots of times, I'll be cleaning while I cook and even doing homework while things are happening that allow me to multitask (like when something's in the crockpot for 8 hours - I'm not going to run errands, but I'm not going to stare at it the whole time either).
So, who does the menu planning? And for whom do you prepare the food?
Well, I plan the menu and I cook for both myself and my husband. He and I should both be eating a diet filled with as many nutrients as possible, but he's still eating SAD (Standard American Diet). Sometimes, he'll give feedback about a certain food, but usually he just eats what's available.
How do you do it? I don't know where to start...
So, for me, it's all about organization. You can use a meal planner like the one available at SparkPeople to get you started. Otherwise, I just have a word document that sorts out the following: Breakfast, Morning snack, Lunch, afternoon snack, Dinner, dessert. Now, you don't have to have all 6 of those "meals", but dividing it as such keeps me on track. And rewarding yourself with a healthy dessert at the end of the day gives me something to look forward to.
I start with the easy stuff. My morning snack is always bone broth. Whether I make it myself or buy it, it's static on my menu. It's important to drink at least 16oz of bone broth every day for me because it has healing qualities.
My afternoon snack is always a fermented food (I like kombucha) and something snack-y (like plantain chips or sweet potato chips or toasted coconut). Not sweet, because you only get 20g of fructose with AIP, but something nice that takes the place of whatever you would normally grab for an afternoon snack.
Dessert is the fun-nest part. I swear, most of my AIP Recipe Pinterest board is made of desserts. Some would call it sad, but for me, it's all about finding joy in what I can eat... even if a Three Musketeers bar will never again pass through my lips.
Then comes the hard part: the REAL meals.
1) I always throw my sweet potato in somewhere. Every day, I have a sweet potato. It's my starch.
2) Leafy greens are super important. Make sure they're a part of at least one meal, preferably two. For us right now, my husband and I are hoping to conceive in the next couple months. Leafy greens are important for both of us.
3) Proteins for lunch and dinner are easy. One should be a healthy portion of meat, the other should either be fish or organ meat. Again, because my husband and I are hoping to conceive, salmon is supposed to be super wonderful for that process... so we'll probably have salmon every day for the next year. Hah! Time to invest some time in getting to know the local fish markets.
4) Now, add some more vegetables in to the meals. You should be getting 8-10 servings of vegetables a day. AIP rules out nightshades and beans, but everything else is fair game. Cooked, steamed, mashed, baked, raw, etc. My favorite thing to stock up on are those bags of "steam in the microwave" veggies. I can eat an entire bag myself and it's like 2-4 servings. Pair it with an AIP sauce and it's like you are just eating healthy. No one would know the restrictions you have, maybe not even yourself!
5) the hardest step (at least for me) is breakfast. I don't have time to make plantain waffles every morning. I also need to make sure that I eat breakfast, since it's so easy to drink breakfast with a smoothie or green tea. and sure, smoothies are okay sometimes, but remember that 20g of fructose rule. It adds up. Here's a helpful chart.
Here's my menu for the week:
Breakfast: Morning Glory Muffins (1-2 pcs) + green tea
Morning Snack: Bone Broth
Lunch: Salmon + Cauliflower mash + sauteed greens (kale and/or spinach)
Afternoon Snack: kombucha + plantain chips
Dinner: Sweet potato + steamed broccoli and "cheese sauce" + creamy cilantro lime chicken
Dessert: truffles (2pcs)
Some of these things are subject to change. For example, we've been invited to an election night party which will feature pizza and beer. I'll probably save my kombucha and drink that... and stop to get a bison burger at the nearby restaurant so that I can 'eat out' with my friends but not throw my efforts down the drain. And that's the key - be flexible. Be aware that sometimes our best laid plans will fail. And when you fall/fail/lose sight of what you're doing, don't fret. Just get back up. Get back on the horse. Don't wait to start over until the next month/week/day... start right away with the next meal or even the next bite. You got this!
Why Sunday?
Well, usually I have nothing going on during Sundays, except for Football. There are the occasional weeks when I need to be flexible and do more on Saturday or throughout the week, but Sunday is traditionally the start of the week and it just makes sense for me to start the week on this task. Lots of times, I'll be cleaning while I cook and even doing homework while things are happening that allow me to multitask (like when something's in the crockpot for 8 hours - I'm not going to run errands, but I'm not going to stare at it the whole time either).
So, who does the menu planning? And for whom do you prepare the food?
Well, I plan the menu and I cook for both myself and my husband. He and I should both be eating a diet filled with as many nutrients as possible, but he's still eating SAD (Standard American Diet). Sometimes, he'll give feedback about a certain food, but usually he just eats what's available.
How do you do it? I don't know where to start...
So, for me, it's all about organization. You can use a meal planner like the one available at SparkPeople to get you started. Otherwise, I just have a word document that sorts out the following: Breakfast, Morning snack, Lunch, afternoon snack, Dinner, dessert. Now, you don't have to have all 6 of those "meals", but dividing it as such keeps me on track. And rewarding yourself with a healthy dessert at the end of the day gives me something to look forward to.
I start with the easy stuff. My morning snack is always bone broth. Whether I make it myself or buy it, it's static on my menu. It's important to drink at least 16oz of bone broth every day for me because it has healing qualities.
My afternoon snack is always a fermented food (I like kombucha) and something snack-y (like plantain chips or sweet potato chips or toasted coconut). Not sweet, because you only get 20g of fructose with AIP, but something nice that takes the place of whatever you would normally grab for an afternoon snack.
Dessert is the fun-nest part. I swear, most of my AIP Recipe Pinterest board is made of desserts. Some would call it sad, but for me, it's all about finding joy in what I can eat... even if a Three Musketeers bar will never again pass through my lips.
Then comes the hard part: the REAL meals.
1) I always throw my sweet potato in somewhere. Every day, I have a sweet potato. It's my starch.
2) Leafy greens are super important. Make sure they're a part of at least one meal, preferably two. For us right now, my husband and I are hoping to conceive in the next couple months. Leafy greens are important for both of us.
3) Proteins for lunch and dinner are easy. One should be a healthy portion of meat, the other should either be fish or organ meat. Again, because my husband and I are hoping to conceive, salmon is supposed to be super wonderful for that process... so we'll probably have salmon every day for the next year. Hah! Time to invest some time in getting to know the local fish markets.
4) Now, add some more vegetables in to the meals. You should be getting 8-10 servings of vegetables a day. AIP rules out nightshades and beans, but everything else is fair game. Cooked, steamed, mashed, baked, raw, etc. My favorite thing to stock up on are those bags of "steam in the microwave" veggies. I can eat an entire bag myself and it's like 2-4 servings. Pair it with an AIP sauce and it's like you are just eating healthy. No one would know the restrictions you have, maybe not even yourself!
5) the hardest step (at least for me) is breakfast. I don't have time to make plantain waffles every morning. I also need to make sure that I eat breakfast, since it's so easy to drink breakfast with a smoothie or green tea. and sure, smoothies are okay sometimes, but remember that 20g of fructose rule. It adds up. Here's a helpful chart.
Here's my menu for the week:
Breakfast: Morning Glory Muffins (1-2 pcs) + green tea
Morning Snack: Bone Broth
Lunch: Salmon + Cauliflower mash + sauteed greens (kale and/or spinach)
Afternoon Snack: kombucha + plantain chips
Dinner: Sweet potato + steamed broccoli and "cheese sauce" + creamy cilantro lime chicken
Dessert: truffles (2pcs)
Some of these things are subject to change. For example, we've been invited to an election night party which will feature pizza and beer. I'll probably save my kombucha and drink that... and stop to get a bison burger at the nearby restaurant so that I can 'eat out' with my friends but not throw my efforts down the drain. And that's the key - be flexible. Be aware that sometimes our best laid plans will fail. And when you fall/fail/lose sight of what you're doing, don't fret. Just get back up. Get back on the horse. Don't wait to start over until the next month/week/day... start right away with the next meal or even the next bite. You got this!
Monday, October 24, 2016
I Miss Spicy Food
As I sit at work, eating my chili, which is really good, by the way (recipe here), I am struck by the fact that it is... bland. It is as flavorful as it should be and it isn't horrible, but there's something missing. Something that it took me a second to put my finger on.
Spicy.
Chili is supposed to have a kick. Chili is supposed to be hearty and mostly healthy and filling and have a KICK. My chili is hearty and super healthy and I'm stuffed... but there's no eye watering. There's no cleared sinuses. There's no need for water to put out any sort of fire.
It just... was deliciously bland.
So then I got to thinking, how does one who cannot eat nightshades get spicy food? Now for those of you who shouted out the correct answer, humor me a bit. First I needed to figure out if all my favorite spices are indeed nightshades. And why can't I have nightshades anyway? And shoot, for that matter, what's a nightshade?!
What is a nightshade: According to Google, a nightshade is: a plant related to the potato, typically having poisonous black or red berries. Several kinds of nightshade have been used in the production of herbal medicines.
Instead of copying and pasting all the important stuff, I'll also link you to Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's page on nightshades. She's the mother of AIP and offers a lot of good insight. But yeah... tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, paprika, pimentos, eggplant... all of those are nightshades.
Why can't I have nightshades? They're actually poisonous. I know. I like my paprika as much as any other Hungarian... but it can cause harm to my body. Sure, one pepper OBVIOUSLY hasn't killed me. Or even a bushel or the 20,000 bushels I've eaten in my lifetime. But chances are, it hasn't done my body any favors. AIP is about eliminating anything that could cause trouble and resetting your body, so in order to start reintroducing so that I know what is making me crazy, I have to first have a baseline.
So... lesson learned, all my favorite spices are out. So back to my original question - how does one who cannot eat nightshades get spicy food?
Turmeric and ginger. Both of these are anti-inflammatory foods and super delicious. When I get home tonight, I'll be adding a nice amount of turmeric to each remaining bowl of chili. I'll keep you posted on the deliciousness that ensues.
Spicy.
Chili is supposed to have a kick. Chili is supposed to be hearty and mostly healthy and filling and have a KICK. My chili is hearty and super healthy and I'm stuffed... but there's no eye watering. There's no cleared sinuses. There's no need for water to put out any sort of fire.
It just... was deliciously bland.
So then I got to thinking, how does one who cannot eat nightshades get spicy food? Now for those of you who shouted out the correct answer, humor me a bit. First I needed to figure out if all my favorite spices are indeed nightshades. And why can't I have nightshades anyway? And shoot, for that matter, what's a nightshade?!
What is a nightshade: According to Google, a nightshade is: a plant related to the potato, typically having poisonous black or red berries. Several kinds of nightshade have been used in the production of herbal medicines.
Instead of copying and pasting all the important stuff, I'll also link you to Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's page on nightshades. She's the mother of AIP and offers a lot of good insight. But yeah... tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, paprika, pimentos, eggplant... all of those are nightshades.
Why can't I have nightshades? They're actually poisonous. I know. I like my paprika as much as any other Hungarian... but it can cause harm to my body. Sure, one pepper OBVIOUSLY hasn't killed me. Or even a bushel or the 20,000 bushels I've eaten in my lifetime. But chances are, it hasn't done my body any favors. AIP is about eliminating anything that could cause trouble and resetting your body, so in order to start reintroducing so that I know what is making me crazy, I have to first have a baseline.
So... lesson learned, all my favorite spices are out. So back to my original question - how does one who cannot eat nightshades get spicy food?
Turmeric and ginger. Both of these are anti-inflammatory foods and super delicious. When I get home tonight, I'll be adding a nice amount of turmeric to each remaining bowl of chili. I'll keep you posted on the deliciousness that ensues.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
We're Back!
I got sidetracked for a while. some of that time was sidetracked as well from AIP, some of that time was filled with AIP goodness and no time for blogging.
Let's see how long I can stay this time!
So, I've been up since 8a and it's 10:30a and several meals for the week are done. Amazon Fresh delivered some groceries today at 9a and yesterday, my husband and I went out to see what we could get locally. Can't seem to snag a beef heart for the life of me, so as soon as I find one, I'll be buying a couple. I've been itching to try one and have an easy recipe. I've not been doing very well at eating my organ meats and I'm anxious to get back to it.
So... what's on the menu this week?
For breakfast, I just cooked a bunch of bacon and I'll pair it with an avocado/pineapple/spinach smoothie. I also have some chicken sausage to use up first. Bacon is absolutely okay to eat (in moderation, of course)! Yes, it's fatty, but it's a good fat. Much like avocados, our body needs these healthy fats. When I choose lean meats (which I do), and cut out things like nuts, my body simply isn't getting enough and not only will it help me feel full longer and cut down on some cravings, but it will also help improve cholesterol levels, which lowers my risk for heart disease. Every little bit helps, right?
For lunch, I've prepared a nomato crockpot chili. I dumped all of the ingredients into the crockpot last night and let 'er cook through the night. I woke up this morning to an amazing aroma. It's already been divided into 6 grab-n-go containers, although I probably could have easily made 7 or make smaller portions to go toward 8-10. This was my first time working with a rutabaga, so I'll let you know how I think after tasting it.
Dinner was supposed to be a crockpot beef heart, but we're gonna have to improvise (although most butchers here get their shipments on Monday, so I'll be calling around tomorrow to see where I can grab one).
Let's see how long I can stay this time!
So, I've been up since 8a and it's 10:30a and several meals for the week are done. Amazon Fresh delivered some groceries today at 9a and yesterday, my husband and I went out to see what we could get locally. Can't seem to snag a beef heart for the life of me, so as soon as I find one, I'll be buying a couple. I've been itching to try one and have an easy recipe. I've not been doing very well at eating my organ meats and I'm anxious to get back to it.
So... what's on the menu this week?
For breakfast, I just cooked a bunch of bacon and I'll pair it with an avocado/pineapple/spinach smoothie. I also have some chicken sausage to use up first. Bacon is absolutely okay to eat (in moderation, of course)! Yes, it's fatty, but it's a good fat. Much like avocados, our body needs these healthy fats. When I choose lean meats (which I do), and cut out things like nuts, my body simply isn't getting enough and not only will it help me feel full longer and cut down on some cravings, but it will also help improve cholesterol levels, which lowers my risk for heart disease. Every little bit helps, right?
For lunch, I've prepared a nomato crockpot chili. I dumped all of the ingredients into the crockpot last night and let 'er cook through the night. I woke up this morning to an amazing aroma. It's already been divided into 6 grab-n-go containers, although I probably could have easily made 7 or make smaller portions to go toward 8-10. This was my first time working with a rutabaga, so I'll let you know how I think after tasting it.
Dinner was supposed to be a crockpot beef heart, but we're gonna have to improvise (although most butchers here get their shipments on Monday, so I'll be calling around tomorrow to see where I can grab one).
Monday, May 23, 2016
How To Have the Very Best Salad
I just ate the greatest salad ever. EVER. In the history of lettuce, this was an epic moment. I probably should have taken a "before" picture, but I was really starting to get crazy hungry (I believe the proper term for this emotion is "hangry"). It didn't last long.
So, you want to know how to have a similar experience? Even if you don't, I'm about to tell you how. Can't wait until you try this.
Step 1 - Visit local pantry to see what is available there. Our pantry has chicken available almost all the time. It also has raisins and beets. These are crucial to this salad. Pick them up, along with a few other favorites for you meal planning (whether AIP or not, you can always get GOOD stuff at a food pantry and it helps you save money because feeding people is an expensive chore).
Step 2 - Cook chicken. Whether you bought it or you got it from the pantry, all chicken cooks the same. Throw it in the oven and bake it. Put it in a crockpot and let it cook while you're out doing more exciting things. Or, you can roast it like I did. Big ol' roaster over and 350-400* for about an hour and this will be delicious, well cooked meat. YUM! Season it as you see fit. When it's cooked (to an internal temperature of at least 165*), shred it. I recently saw a youtube video of shredding chicken with a hand mixer, but you don't need all that. Just two forks and some tunes. Save the bones for a bone broth and you're on your way to eating full AIP! Store the chicken in a bag or bowl in your fridge.
Step 3 - Roast your beets! We've got the beets, we've got the beets! Okay, in all seriousness, oven needs to be at 350* and your beets need to be peeled and diced. Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl on your stove as it's preheating and it'll be melted by the time you need it. Drizzle it over your beets, then toss them a little (but don't toss them AT anyone - you want to eat these). Put them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Try not to eat them all when they get out. You'll have to have some self-control here. Maybe that should have been another step: self control. It's hard, I know, but it'll be worth it.
Step 4 - Subscribe to a local organic food delivery. I like Door-To-Door and they're available throughout the US in various parts. If they deliver to you, I can give you a $15 coupon code - just send me your email address. Anyway, after you subscribe, get some lettuces - and not just "romaine" or "iceberg". No. Get something with flavor. Try something new. When it finally arrives, chop it up immediately (well, wash it first). Put it into a couple bowls (or one bowl if you have self control - I don't, so I have to rely on portion control) with some paper towel.
Step 5 - Add 1/4 raisins to each bowl. Don't ask questions, just add them.
Step 6 - 2 tablespoons dressing. I have these cute little bowls that don't hold much more than 2 tablespoons of dressing. I use 1 tablespoon oil (olive or avocado) and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I'll add in some strawberry juice or lime juice or something else fun to add a flavor. Today, though, for the EPIC salad, I just had oil and vinegar. There's something to be said for simplicity.
Step 7 - When you're ready to eat, heat up 1/2 cup of chicken and 1/4 cup of beets. Usually one minute in the microwave is sufficient. However, more time won't hurt. Remember, you want your chicken to either be cold or over 165* in order to kill bacteria. This is crucial to remember. I'm not trying to get sued for promoting food poisoning.
Step 8 - Throw everything together (1 cup lettuce, 1/2 cup chicken, 1/4 cup beets, 1/4 cup raisins, 2 T dressing) and enjoy. Try not to cry from the amazing flavors in your mouth.
Step 9 - Let me know how you like YOUR salads. I love trying new things.
So, you want to know how to have a similar experience? Even if you don't, I'm about to tell you how. Can't wait until you try this.
Step 1 - Visit local pantry to see what is available there. Our pantry has chicken available almost all the time. It also has raisins and beets. These are crucial to this salad. Pick them up, along with a few other favorites for you meal planning (whether AIP or not, you can always get GOOD stuff at a food pantry and it helps you save money because feeding people is an expensive chore).
Step 2 - Cook chicken. Whether you bought it or you got it from the pantry, all chicken cooks the same. Throw it in the oven and bake it. Put it in a crockpot and let it cook while you're out doing more exciting things. Or, you can roast it like I did. Big ol' roaster over and 350-400* for about an hour and this will be delicious, well cooked meat. YUM! Season it as you see fit. When it's cooked (to an internal temperature of at least 165*), shred it. I recently saw a youtube video of shredding chicken with a hand mixer, but you don't need all that. Just two forks and some tunes. Save the bones for a bone broth and you're on your way to eating full AIP! Store the chicken in a bag or bowl in your fridge.
Step 3 - Roast your beets! We've got the beets, we've got the beets! Okay, in all seriousness, oven needs to be at 350* and your beets need to be peeled and diced. Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl on your stove as it's preheating and it'll be melted by the time you need it. Drizzle it over your beets, then toss them a little (but don't toss them AT anyone - you want to eat these). Put them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Try not to eat them all when they get out. You'll have to have some self-control here. Maybe that should have been another step: self control. It's hard, I know, but it'll be worth it.
Step 4 - Subscribe to a local organic food delivery. I like Door-To-Door and they're available throughout the US in various parts. If they deliver to you, I can give you a $15 coupon code - just send me your email address. Anyway, after you subscribe, get some lettuces - and not just "romaine" or "iceberg". No. Get something with flavor. Try something new. When it finally arrives, chop it up immediately (well, wash it first). Put it into a couple bowls (or one bowl if you have self control - I don't, so I have to rely on portion control) with some paper towel.
Step 5 - Add 1/4 raisins to each bowl. Don't ask questions, just add them.
Step 6 - 2 tablespoons dressing. I have these cute little bowls that don't hold much more than 2 tablespoons of dressing. I use 1 tablespoon oil (olive or avocado) and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I'll add in some strawberry juice or lime juice or something else fun to add a flavor. Today, though, for the EPIC salad, I just had oil and vinegar. There's something to be said for simplicity.
Step 7 - When you're ready to eat, heat up 1/2 cup of chicken and 1/4 cup of beets. Usually one minute in the microwave is sufficient. However, more time won't hurt. Remember, you want your chicken to either be cold or over 165* in order to kill bacteria. This is crucial to remember. I'm not trying to get sued for promoting food poisoning.
Step 8 - Throw everything together (1 cup lettuce, 1/2 cup chicken, 1/4 cup beets, 1/4 cup raisins, 2 T dressing) and enjoy. Try not to cry from the amazing flavors in your mouth.
Step 9 - Let me know how you like YOUR salads. I love trying new things.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Week #2 in Review
Week #2 was hard. I had my three biggest setbacks. In two weeks, it can be quite disappointing to have already experienced them, but I also see them as an opportunity to learn and to reinforce my reasonings for doing this protocol.
On Tuesday, I overindulged in half a loaf of freshly baked toasted sesame bread from ShopRite. I don't regret it, as it was simply delicious. I, did, however, pay for it with a headache that carried over into Wednesday.
Wednesday was the day I was able to celebrate a master's degree earned by one of my friends. We celebrated with an entire meal of non-compliant foods and beverages. It was fantastic and again, not a regret... but a lesson. I was sluggish and had cramps in my stomach that carried over until the weekend.
And then, as if I hadn't learned my lesson the first two times, I thought I would try my luck again. Eaic and I have encountered several stories of people who had tried their wedding cake on their anniversary and were sadly disappointed. So, of course, I did some research. Turns out, we should have done our research months ago and before we ordered the cake. Apparently if you're saving the top of your wedding cake for your anniversary, you should take the following steps: don't get it filled, wrap it in plastic wrap twice, then in foil, then again in plastic wrap. We did not do these steps and our cake was just in a box in our freezer. We decided that a six week anniversary would be the perfect time to eat it again. It was still so very, very delicious... maybe even better than the wedding day (although I'm not sure I remember much of the taste of the cake on that day... but those potatoes were BANGIN'. That's what I'll remember in regards to food! :)
But, I digress. Here we on, ready to embark on week 3 and I'm so ready to actually see through a week of 100% compliance. On Saturday, my week will culminate with a meal at a Mexican restaurant prior to painting with some dear friends, so I'm looking forward to making sure I can celebrate with them for a successful week and a sense of peace that at least I'm being a good friend by becoming the best person I can be.
On Tuesday, I overindulged in half a loaf of freshly baked toasted sesame bread from ShopRite. I don't regret it, as it was simply delicious. I, did, however, pay for it with a headache that carried over into Wednesday.
Wednesday was the day I was able to celebrate a master's degree earned by one of my friends. We celebrated with an entire meal of non-compliant foods and beverages. It was fantastic and again, not a regret... but a lesson. I was sluggish and had cramps in my stomach that carried over until the weekend.
And then, as if I hadn't learned my lesson the first two times, I thought I would try my luck again. Eaic and I have encountered several stories of people who had tried their wedding cake on their anniversary and were sadly disappointed. So, of course, I did some research. Turns out, we should have done our research months ago and before we ordered the cake. Apparently if you're saving the top of your wedding cake for your anniversary, you should take the following steps: don't get it filled, wrap it in plastic wrap twice, then in foil, then again in plastic wrap. We did not do these steps and our cake was just in a box in our freezer. We decided that a six week anniversary would be the perfect time to eat it again. It was still so very, very delicious... maybe even better than the wedding day (although I'm not sure I remember much of the taste of the cake on that day... but those potatoes were BANGIN'. That's what I'll remember in regards to food! :)
But, I digress. Here we on, ready to embark on week 3 and I'm so ready to actually see through a week of 100% compliance. On Saturday, my week will culminate with a meal at a Mexican restaurant prior to painting with some dear friends, so I'm looking forward to making sure I can celebrate with them for a successful week and a sense of peace that at least I'm being a good friend by becoming the best person I can be.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
#fail
... and just like that, my streak ended.
I had an event today for the opening of a new store. It was a catered meal and an PR moment where they highlight the pantries and soup kitchens where they're already donating food... and I did SO good. went for a plain salad, picked out the tomatoes, no cheese, roasted veggies, some steak... and then they had bags and bags of fresh bread for the pantries. I drive a Fiat, so fitting the unexpected donation in my car was fun, so some of it had to go in the front seat... and then I began the drive from the event back to the pantry. The fresh baked bread smell was intoxicating...
...
...
30 minutes later, half a loaf of bread has mysteriously disappeared. :(squint emoticon
...
...
30 minutes later, half a loaf of bread has mysteriously disappeared. :(squint emoticon
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Week #2
Monday 5/16
Breakfast: Tuna, Cucumber Slices, Banana
Lunch: Salad with Bacon and vinegar/oil, Sweet Potato
Snack: 1 cup Beef Bone Broth
Dinner: Chicken Breast, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets, Sweet Potato
Dessert: 1/4 melon
Tuesday 5/17
Breakfast: Tuna, Cucumber Slices, 1/4 melon
Lunch: Salad with Bacon and vinegar/oil, Sweet Potato
Snack: 1 cup Beef Bone Broth
Dinner: Chicken Breast, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets, Sweet Potato
Dessert: 1/4 melon
Wednesday 5/18
Breakfast: Breakfast Soup
Lunch: Salad, Pork Chop, Sweet Potato
Snack: 1/4 melon
Dinner: Turkey burgers over lettuce with avocado, sweet potato, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets
Dessert: Mango-Lime Ice Cream
Thursday 5/19
Breakfast: Breakfast Soup
Lunch: Salad, Pork Chop, Sweet Potato
Snack: Zucchini Pasta with Bacon Pesto
Dinner: Turkey burgers over lettuce with avocado, sweet potato, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets
Dessert: Mango-Lime Ice Cream
Just a note about desserts - I'm a sugar addict. I'm trying to recover from not only an illness, but also an addiction to the sugar brought on by the standard American diet. I am using desserts as a way to keep my mind from wanting to cheat - if I limit my fruit intake throughout the day, I can indulge in something sweet at the end of the day. Usually fruit, but sometimes something rather sweet - like ice cream :)
I had a rough bout of brain fog this weekend. It kept me from being even half as productive as I'd hoped. So... I still have to figure out the rest of the week. These are the very symptoms of my autoimmune disease that I'm hoping to combat through my food. This is what will keep me going.
Breakfast: Tuna, Cucumber Slices, Banana
Lunch: Salad with Bacon and vinegar/oil, Sweet Potato
Snack: 1 cup Beef Bone Broth
Dinner: Chicken Breast, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets, Sweet Potato
Dessert: 1/4 melon
Tuesday 5/17
Breakfast: Tuna, Cucumber Slices, 1/4 melon
Lunch: Salad with Bacon and vinegar/oil, Sweet Potato
Snack: 1 cup Beef Bone Broth
Dinner: Chicken Breast, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets, Sweet Potato
Dessert: 1/4 melon
Wednesday 5/18
Breakfast: Breakfast Soup
Lunch: Salad, Pork Chop, Sweet Potato
Snack: 1/4 melon
Dinner: Turkey burgers over lettuce with avocado, sweet potato, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets
Dessert: Mango-Lime Ice Cream
Thursday 5/19
Breakfast: Breakfast Soup
Lunch: Salad, Pork Chop, Sweet Potato
Snack: Zucchini Pasta with Bacon Pesto
Dinner: Turkey burgers over lettuce with avocado, sweet potato, Coconut Oil Roasted Beets
Dessert: Mango-Lime Ice Cream
Just a note about desserts - I'm a sugar addict. I'm trying to recover from not only an illness, but also an addiction to the sugar brought on by the standard American diet. I am using desserts as a way to keep my mind from wanting to cheat - if I limit my fruit intake throughout the day, I can indulge in something sweet at the end of the day. Usually fruit, but sometimes something rather sweet - like ice cream :)
I had a rough bout of brain fog this weekend. It kept me from being even half as productive as I'd hoped. So... I still have to figure out the rest of the week. These are the very symptoms of my autoimmune disease that I'm hoping to combat through my food. This is what will keep me going.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Highlights From the First Week
I've been following AIP for six days. Tomorrow is day seven and I'm excited to embark on another week. As I sit down and meal plan each Saturday for the upcoming week, it will be nice to also reflect on the past week.
Some highlights:
a) turning down Nutella cookies at work... because Nutella is probably the greatest thing ever invented.
b) Coconut Milk Green Tea Latte - still doing research on whether the coconut milk at Starbucks is sweetened, but even if it was, it was considerably less sweet than the soy I'm used to ordering. Even if it wasn't compliant, it was a healthy change.
c) No fast food. On Friday night, I was really hungry. Like really, really hungry (I had taken my lunch to work that day, but hadn't had time to eat it). There's a McDonalds around the corner from my home and I stop there at least once a week. Not this week. Not even once. This is probably my most impressing feat of the week.
d) AIP delivery - I am now aware of a restaurant who will deliver AIP compliant meals. Better Gourmet Kitchen has long been a favorite of ours, but we've always ordered cheese and breads and rice. Our new order? Bison burgers sans bun and tomato, on a bed of lettuce with added avocado, baked sweet potato fries and smoothies. Delicious!
e) Liver - Eaic and I were out grocery shopping and banking when we needed lunch. Eaic was craving gyros, so we went to his favorite place right now: Ciragan Palace. Not much was AIP, but I could order pan fried calf liver (requested only oil for frying) and a Shepard's salad (without tomato). Not bad.
f) Ox tail. Compliant bratwurst. Bone broth. All these things are going to be experienced in week 2. I might also try my hand at some zucchini noodles. We'll see.
For now, I'm menu planning for week two. Then I'll do one more shopping run for tomorrow's batch cooking extravaganza.
Some highlights:
a) turning down Nutella cookies at work... because Nutella is probably the greatest thing ever invented.
b) Coconut Milk Green Tea Latte - still doing research on whether the coconut milk at Starbucks is sweetened, but even if it was, it was considerably less sweet than the soy I'm used to ordering. Even if it wasn't compliant, it was a healthy change.
c) No fast food. On Friday night, I was really hungry. Like really, really hungry (I had taken my lunch to work that day, but hadn't had time to eat it). There's a McDonalds around the corner from my home and I stop there at least once a week. Not this week. Not even once. This is probably my most impressing feat of the week.
d) AIP delivery - I am now aware of a restaurant who will deliver AIP compliant meals. Better Gourmet Kitchen has long been a favorite of ours, but we've always ordered cheese and breads and rice. Our new order? Bison burgers sans bun and tomato, on a bed of lettuce with added avocado, baked sweet potato fries and smoothies. Delicious!
e) Liver - Eaic and I were out grocery shopping and banking when we needed lunch. Eaic was craving gyros, so we went to his favorite place right now: Ciragan Palace. Not much was AIP, but I could order pan fried calf liver (requested only oil for frying) and a Shepard's salad (without tomato). Not bad.
f) Ox tail. Compliant bratwurst. Bone broth. All these things are going to be experienced in week 2. I might also try my hand at some zucchini noodles. We'll see.
For now, I'm menu planning for week two. Then I'll do one more shopping run for tomorrow's batch cooking extravaganza.
Monday, May 9, 2016
The Beginning
This seems like an appropriate place to start.
This is me and my husband, Eaic. This picture represents so much to us. It represents our union as one and our vows to each other. It also represents both the beginning and an end to journeys - the beginning of wedded bliss (oh, but the sarcasm is here is silent as you are reading and not listening) and the end to 4 years of dating, 9 months of planning and 6 months of engagement.
So much of our life can be separated into little journeys. I journeyed to work this morning. I'm on a journey through graduate school right now. We are on a journey as an interracial and biracial family which is indeed an interesting journey at times. He is on a journey trying to become a corrections officer and a personal trainer and a physical therapist (he has many high goals and aspirations and watch out, world, for he is determined). More recently, I began on a journey of life with autoimmune disorders.
On September 25th, 2015, Eaic didn't get down on one knee, but he did give me an engagement ring. We announced to the world that we'd been planning our wedding. Less than two weeks later, I almost died. I was hospitalized in early October for multiple pulmonary embolisms. Thankfully, the urgent care doctor knew exactly what to do and sent me to the ER and I was well cared for and introduced to a world of medical teams that would soon become my journey.
Following months of testing, I as diagnosed with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (also known as APS). In some other blog, I'll put into my own words what that means. For now, just know it means that my body hates me.. or as some put it, it loves me too much and is overprotective to a fault.
There have been a lot of tears and a lot of anger. There really hasn't been much hope. And so... I'm trying to change that.
One month later - May 9th, 2016
This seems like an appropriate place to start a new journey.
When I was first diagnosed with APS, a dear friend added me to a Facebook support page regarding AIP. I had no idea what this was and didn't even look at it except when the notifications alerted me that she'd posted there. It was a strict diet and it seemed silly that people were eating paleo to combat blood diseases. While I'm overweight (read: severely obese, but let's not admit that), this disease has nothing to do with my weight. Several months ago, I was under the impression that eating correlates to weight and only that. Forget the fact that I work in the world of nutrition. Forget the fact that I know better. But for me, my food intake should only be changed for weight purposes... and even then, if I go to the gym, I could still eat whatever I want.
Then the symptoms started to get worse. I'll get into those at another time, but for now, it's enough to know that they got to a point that I knew I needed to do something. With a wedding in the near future, though, I knew I couldn't take on one more stressful journey. As that came to a close and as we adjusted to life as Mr. and Mrs., I set a goal date of May 1st for the transition to AIP.
Obviously that didn't happen and I'll discuss that at another time, but today... today it happened.
AIP is AutoImmune Protocol. It's a very strict paleolithic diet which resets the body - detoxing it of all the crap we've stockpiled in it. Then slowly, very slowly, foods are reintroduced to see what symptoms they trigger. It's no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no nightshades, no processed foods. It's going to be really hard, but my hope is that it will be worth it.
And so, here we are. Day 1.
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