tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53636375954122750262024-03-05T15:39:50.709-06:00FreelingFeeling free.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-12843426548401454662014-04-12T23:22:00.002-05:002014-04-12T23:22:51.133-05:00We've moved! This chapter of my blogging adventure has been closed, and a new chapter is being written. Freeling will no longer be updated, but all the old posts will stay here. <div>
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New content--with a new focus--will be posted at <a href="http://kindlingstarlight.com/" target="_blank">Kindling Starlight</a> from now on. I hope to see you there!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-20669429661434048612014-03-09T20:24:00.001-05:002014-04-12T23:23:35.723-05:00College Tips for Crunchy Kids: SanityThis post isn't just directed at college kids, even though that's what the focus of this series has been. Most of us could probably use a few extra tips for dealing with stress, right?<br />
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Really, this is probably the most important part of a healthy lifestyle. And you know what? It's usually the most difficult part, too. Mental and emotional wellness are inextricably linked with physical wellness. If you take care of your body, you are taking care of your mind as well. Similarly, when you do the things that make you happy, your body will respond positively. <br />
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I've been putting off writing this post, admittedly, because stress management is something that I struggle with. In the past few weeks there's been midterms, a new job, family members' health issues, a broken microwave and a particularly difficult round of PMS (too much information?), and I could feel my body responding to my stress with physical tension, difficulty sleeping and more morning shakes (sadly, this sounds all too <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-things-that-make-you-you.html" target="_blank">familiar</a>). <br />
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Over-doing things--and then poorly handling the resulting stress--is something I regularly run into. And looking back, those high levels of poorly-managed stress have significantly contributed to my own health problems in the past. <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-story.html" target="_blank">Psoriasis</a>, digestive discomfort, <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2014/01/learning-to-dance.html" target="_blank">anxiety</a> and <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/05/on-stretch-marks-weight-and-metabolism.html" target="_blank">weight gain</a>, anyone? Hmm. Yeah, definitely not ideal. <br />
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So, what does one do to nourish one's mental and emotional health? I really think this is gonna be different for everyone, but here is my master list. Take whatever inspires you, and leave the rest. Whatever you go with, the most important thing is this: <b>Do not feel guilty about taking the time to take care of yourself. </b>If you're in shambles, you're of no use to anyone. If you are to love others as you love yourself, then you have to be loving to yourself. The idea is simple, but the execution is notoriously challenging.<br />
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<b>1. Make your bed. </b>Heck, clean your whole room while you're at it. When I'm feeling stretched thin, I've got a pile of clothes on my floor, a jumble of notes on my desk, and particularly disheveled bedding. Regardless of which came first, the stress or the mess, an I find that an orderly environment promotes an organized psyche.<br />
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<b>2. Get up and move. </b>Unless you tend to push yourself too far physically, in which case the next season of <i>Revenge </i>on Netflix is just what the doctor ordered. Or whatever. (I'm not a doctor.)<br />
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<b>3. Seek out heat. </b>Hot food (yes, I'm lookin' at YOU, broken microwave!), hot tea, a hot bath and a Castor oil pack with a hot water bottle, preferably all in one evening. During the winter, if my stress starts to show up in the form of physical tension, heat is an effective remedy.<br />
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<b>4. Find a creative outlet. </b>Something that makes you think in a different dimension than everyday logical reasoning. Creating or appreciating art, playing or listening to music, dancing, singing, reading, writing or cooking (hopefully healthy foods that promote a healthy mindset) are all good options, but by no means the only things to choose from.<br />
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<b>5. Spend time with friends and/or family. </b>Or don't, if silence is your sanctuary. But personally, I start to shrink when I don't have enough time with friends. A week without a good laugh, and I'm downright neurotic. (This is especially interesting, given that I generally behave in a more serious, reserved manner.)<br />
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<b>6. Ditch the technology, at least for a little while. </b>It's only a tool until it's a crutch. At the very least, look at the person who's talking to you. You'd be amazed how much more human you feel when you acknowledge the humanity of those around you. <br />
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<b>7. Dream. </b>I mean this in two ways: First, make sure you're getting enough sleep. Wind down before bed by dimming lights and avoiding TV, computers and phones for an hour or so before you crash. <br />
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Second, day-dream. Come up with your most compelling list of what ifs, <a href="http://www.marieforleo.com/2014/02/brainstorming/" target="_blank">Marie Forleo</a>-style, and journal about them if it feels good. Think about what you want in your life, and how you want to feel on the way there. (After all, life is in the journey. Check out Danielle Laporte's <a href="http://www.daniellelaporte.com/thedesiremap/" target="_blank">The Desire Map</a> for some major inspiration and direction here.) When you're actively working toward your dreams, it doesn't feel so much like work--which is, like, healthy cupcakes for the mental/emotional health realm. Try 'em, they're good. :)<br />
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So, what do you think? Does your stress ever manifest itself in noticeable physical symptoms? In what ways do you nourish yourself?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-91418516135985190812014-02-17T13:37:00.002-06:002014-02-17T13:43:58.989-06:00College Tips for Crunchy Kids: Exercise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the first installment of <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2014/01/college-tips-for-crunchy-kids-nutrition.html" target="_blank">College Tips for Crunchy Kids</a>, we talked nutrition. Once you've got down those basics, you're ready to move into movement--specifically, movement for those with other obligations and a minimal amount of money to expend. Movement for college kids, crunchy or otherwise.<br />
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<b>1. The first tip here is to stick with what you know. </b>If you love baseball, you might consider joining the baseball team at your university. Similarly, if you're already acclimated to running or jogging on sidewalks, you might adopt the sidewalks around your school for this purpose. <br />
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<b>2. For those who don't have one particular passion, try new things. </b>The fitness center at (or affiliated with) your school might offer group fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, or Zumba. If you have a few extra credits to burn and you think you might not be able to fit in fitness otherwise, consider taking an introductory dance class, archery, or any other fitness class that suits your fancy.<br />
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<b>3. No matter what you do, make it a part of your daily routine. </b>If you don't have the option of taking a group class or joining a team sport, this tip still applies to you. One option is to punctuate study sessions with physical activity. What works for me on days where I have no other plans is to alternate between studying for twenty minutes and intense activity for three to five minutes--whether that activity is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSCcAGyv98icFpIzjv_9s3mqdJmKKHuAl" target="_blank">Blogilates pop song challenge</a> or <a href="http://www.rochelleschieck.com/qoya-online/free-qoya-videos-online/" target="_blank">shaking in Qoya</a> or just jamming out to my new favorite song on <a href="https://www.spotify.com/us/" target="_blank">Spotify</a> (Crystallize, by Lindsey Stirling, is awesome). <a href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ZldqU8Sj7jpB2N36kO79A" target="_blank">Sadie Nardini</a> has some seriously challenging yoga sequences, if you've got a little more time on your hands, too.<br />
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Also, walk whenever you can, and take the stairs. Just do it.<br />
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<b>4. Do something with friends. </b>Dance parties totally count as exercise. So does a game of basketball in the gym, or volleyball out on a grassy knoll. You could even get creative and make exercise out of seasonal musts, if you live in the appropriate climate: in the fall, traipse across campus to collect leaf piles in which to jump; in the winter, bumble through thick snow to wrangle up a snowman. Whatever it is, make it fun--that will encourage you to stick with it rather than burn out and wind up on the couch watching season after season of whatever it is you watch on Netflix.<br />
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Well, that's all I've got for now! Next time we'll talk sanity--specifically, how to maintain it while in college.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-2799591107777421512014-01-27T16:11:00.003-06:002014-01-27T16:17:58.045-06:00College Tips for Crunchy Kids: NutritionSo, last month I turned 18, but I'm actually on my second year of college. My friends that are my age are just now gearing up for college, so I've got new beginnings on my mind. Fellow 18-year-olds, fear not: I come armed with tips to help you feel more college-ready in all the ways that your counselor won't know how to address. <br />
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Behold: College Tips for Crunchy Kids (like myself). Today we're gonna talk about how to eat healthily while in college.<br />
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<b>1. First and foremost, scope out the scene. </b>If you are living on campus, ask: What does the cafeteria already serve? Are there multiple options? If you're allergic or sensitive to something, your first step is to talk to nutrition services. Can they accommodate your food sensitivities or dietary preferences? Don't just assume that the people handling your food will automatically know all the places that gluten can hide, or that cross-contamination is a major problem when it comes to peanut allergies. Further, it is not enough to tell the staff what doesn't work for you. Let them know what you CAN eat! You must be your own advocate.<br />
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If allergies and sensitivities aren't as much a problem for you, or if cross contamination is no biggie, the salad bar can be the perfect place for a crunchy kid to nosh. Not all of the options at a salad bar are inherently healthy, however crunchy they may be (croutons, for example). Load up on the greens, choose lean proteins and seek out or even bring in an inoffensive vinaigrette. Whole fruits are likely to be provided, and as far as grains go--you know which are or aren't appropriate for your own body.<br />
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<b>2. The kitchen is there for you to use, so use it. </b>Especially if cafeteria food isn't gonna cut it, you should seek out the kitchens available for student use. There might be one in the dorm. Keep in mind that others will be using this kitchen, as well. It might be worth educating your regular kitchen-mates about your dietary peculiarities, if you are allergic, sensitive or averse to any particular foods. No sense suffering from cross-contamination if cooperative camaraderie is a request away.<br />
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Consider making big batches of food to consume all week. Hard-boiled eggs, muffins or roasted chickpeas might be a good place to start for grab-and-go food.<br />
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<b>3. Invest in dorm or apartment-friendly appliances to make your life easier. </b>A mini-fridge can be immensely helpful to any college kid, crunchy or not. Ask administration (or whoever is in charge) what appliances are or aren't allowed in the dorm. Blenders might be helpful for making on-the-spot smoothie meals (I like this little <a href="http://www.target.com/p/ninja-express-chop-professional-gray/-/A-14678450#prodSlot=medium_1_4&term=ninja" target="_blank">Ninja</a>, which has held up amazingly well through regular use for the past year and a half). A crock pot might be useful, too, depending on how much cooking you're willing to do. Talk to your room-mate, as well--if he or she is interested in using the gadgets, you could go halvsies on the cost and share.<br />
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<b>4. If you are pressed for time (who isn't?), check out minimally processed convenience foods. </b>Hummus and veggies, almond butter with apples or celery, trail mix, quality energy bars like <a href="http://thurobread.com/" target="_blank">Thuro Bread</a> or <a href="http://chapul.com/aztec-bar-box-of-12/" target="_blank">Aztec bars</a>, grass-fed jerky like <a href="http://www.nicks-sticks.com/" target="_blank">Nick's Sticks</a> or even an organic rotisserie chicken from the local health food store (if you've got a way to store it) can be a lifesaver. Figure out what works for you, and keep those things in mind when finals week rolls around. (You'll be glad you did.)<br />
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Please avoid using caffeine as a substitute for real-food-derived energy. You'll feel better and perform better in the long run, and you won't end up with an addiction to coffee or energy drinks out of the bargain. <br />
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<b>Old-hats, got any tips to share? Bestow your wisdom in the comments below. Newbies, got any questions? Let me know so they can be addressed! </b><br />
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*It's worth saying, as well--I am not compensated for any recommendations that I make in this post. All the resources I mention here are things I've used or that I would consider using for real. Complete transparency here. :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-48176092602920160942014-01-25T21:52:00.006-06:002014-01-25T21:55:43.618-06:00Roasted green beans and mushrooms<div>
Green beans and mushrooms are a classic combination. I keep it super simple--but crazy good--in this quick and easy recipe. You can make these by oven-roasting them, as directed, or you can opt to give them a quick sautee instead.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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12 oz haricot vert<br />
8 oz baby portabella mushrooms<br />
2 tablespoons seasoning of choice (I like Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute)<br />
2 tablespoons melted refined coconut oil OR a good-quality olive oil<br />
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Roast vegetables in a 9x11 pan at 350 for 15 minutes or until the green beans reach desired tenderness. Stir occasionally to prevent the vegetables from burning.</div>
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Reheat leftovers atop buckwheat cooked in <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2014/01/chicken-and-veggie-broth.html" target="_blank">homemade broth</a>, with some roasty-toasty cashews on top, for a delicious breakfast!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-45688573511922774192014-01-18T16:23:00.001-06:002014-01-25T22:20:45.629-06:00Learning to danceDancing hasn't always been my thing. For the l<span style="font-family: inherit;">ongest time, I was afraid of looking silly, and of being the only person who didn't know what to do when the music started. In the thick of adolescent anxiety, I felt too uncomfortable, too vulnerable, to express myself with dance. So I didn't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aside from just growing up, there were two things in particular that helped me kick my fear of dancing and of self-expression.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">First, I was introduced to Qoya. <a href="http://www.rochelleschieck.com/" target="_blank">Qoya</a> is a movement system created for women. It's little like yoga and a lot like creative, expressive (even meditative) dance. When I first tried Qoya, using online videos for guidance, one principle really resonated with me: it's not about how it looks, it's about how it feels. Home alone, curtains drawn, I closed my eyes and let myself stop caring about how my dancing looked. And then, something magical happened: I started to enjoy dancing. </span>It took intentional silliness and dancing like no one was watching--because no one <i>was </i>watching--to shake (quite literally) my fear of looking silly.<br />
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The other thing that helped me let go of my anxiety was deeper transformation and growth in my life, assisted by homeopathic remedies prescribed by my naturopathic doctor. As she explained, homeopathic remedies help to combat a "stuck" feeling. Sometimes, we can see ourselves behaving in ways that are not consistent with our true natures, because of old habits or conditioning. A good constitutional homeopathic remedy helps break through that, and lets us choose how to respond instead of sinking into the groove of old behavior patterns. In my case, homeopathic remedies helped me to overcome my old pattern of meekness, and to find my voice. I am growing into myself. <br />
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This growth is evident in my recent activities: I went to my first dance (ever!) this August, though I didn't do anything particularly interesting. A month or so ago, I danced as part of my role in a play. And then, the crowning jewel: as a perfect symbol of the growth I've made over the past year, I welcomed in the New Year with dancing--adventurous, bold, joyful dancing with friends at a New Year's party. I have a feeling 2014's gonna be a good year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-85827441097842151872014-01-06T15:31:00.004-06:002014-01-25T17:50:33.454-06:00Chicken and veggie broth<div>
Homemade broth is a simple way to "make something out of nothing," as I like to say. It is a way to make use of otherwise un-useable odds and ends: chicken bones and giblets, celery greens and less-than-crisp stalks, woody vegetable stems, and clean carrot peels can all be tossed into the bubbling brew. <br />
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Chicken broth is soothing to the digestive system, because it contains gelatin. Homemade broth can be especially beneficial to those who are unable to consume dairy products, since the broth can also have a high mineral content. I add apple cider vinegar to my broth, since the acidity of the vinegar helps to leach minerals from the bones. Veggie scraps add flavor and nutritional content, as well. <br />
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Store-bought broth will not have these nutritional benefits, and may contain artificial flavoring agents and MSG. </div>
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With a good homemade broth in the fridge, flavor and nutritional value can be added to soups, grains (think risotto!) and hotdish-like recipes, like <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/11/mustard-chicken-and-veggies.html" target="_blank">mustard chicken and veggies</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hDj7jVfGv0vJqDi1tJBndBGJxG8buNLZojKfqoUpi7gQV_4lCc_M8dio54XhcqVbeucUao-aEtxCiIx4EEEyWcx2Avr2pTrAIZX48CgIXF93xtVvHPTWXc3rEqzVTAyzrUD8ywZh2pkx/s640/blogger-image--209998646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hDj7jVfGv0vJqDi1tJBndBGJxG8buNLZojKfqoUpi7gQV_4lCc_M8dio54XhcqVbeucUao-aEtxCiIx4EEEyWcx2Avr2pTrAIZX48CgIXF93xtVvHPTWXc3rEqzVTAyzrUD8ywZh2pkx/s640/blogger-image--209998646.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Here, I've got a pot with squash seeds and pulp, kale stems, and a chicken carcass ready to go.</span><br />
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<b>The "recipe" for a homemade broth is incredibly simple:</b> toss leftover bones and vegetable scraps into a 4-quart pot. Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Cover the pot's contents with filtered water, and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for three to six hours. Then, strain and discard the bones and vegetable matter. I like to store my broth in glass jars, but you can also pour it into a pitcher. Use or freeze the broth over the course of one week.<br />
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<b>One clever idea to get you in the swing of broth-making </b>is to collect bones and vegetable scraps, over the course of the week, in a plastic bag in the freezer. <br />
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<b>DO </b>use peels from organic vegetables, especially from aromatics like carrots and onions. It's a frugal way to get the most out of your produce--and you don't want to make pesticide soup!<br />
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<b>DON'T </b>add liver or brassica vegetables like broccoli or cabbage to your broth. Liver will make your broth taste bitter, while brassica vegetables will make it taste (and make your house smell!) sulfurous.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-76131463876587321412013-11-26T13:29:00.000-06:002014-01-25T17:45:56.080-06:00Mustard chicken and veggies<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I started out following <a href="http://recipe-junction.blackjava-coffee.com/mustard-roasted-chicken-with-vegetables/#.UpTvaKPnYeG" target="_blank">a recipe for mustard roasted chicken</a> and ended up changing--well, mostly everything--about the recipe. So, here it is: a super tasty one-pot meal. </div>
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While the recipe calls for chicken, it tastes just as good with any other meat, or even beans. The recipe calls for soy sauce, and you will NOT want to add more salt the dish until you taste it.</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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1 1/2 lb diced cooked chicken </div>
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3 stalks of celery, chopped (including the greens on top of the stalk)</div>
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4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped</div>
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1 red onion, chopped (or two onions if you find it's your favorite part, too)</div>
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1/2 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped</div>
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3 packed cups of fresh or frozen spinach</div>
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1/4c yellow mustard (<a href="http://www.annies.com/products/condiments-sauces/organic-yellow-mustard/" target="_blank">Annie's</a> is perfect)</div>
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2tbs gluten-free soy sauce, or to taste </div>
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freshly cracked black pepper, to taste</div>
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1 1/2 tbs caraway seeds</div>
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2tbs dried thyme</div>
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chicken or veggie <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2014/01/chicken-and-veggie-broth.html" target="_blank">broth</a>, to desired thickness (It can be a hotdish or a stew, however you prefer)</div>
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cooked rice, noodles, potatoes or even sweet potatoes to serve over</div>
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<b>Method</b></div>
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1. After chopping the apple and the veggies (minus spinach), sweat them in a large pot. You won't want to cook them totally through just yet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDHtQyijqy88M0VjnTLL-2bnyEHAdRigMUVRtfAhz1pfDKEHcPWwMiNAV9BnpgPLz6HkoDIDAhqBYqQTq-scyis9ugfs5m4wTizKxHutGsga6pMU1FA53ShXd9yQcDjhDfdcfoGabs67f/s640/blogger-image--895103413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDHtQyijqy88M0VjnTLL-2bnyEHAdRigMUVRtfAhz1pfDKEHcPWwMiNAV9BnpgPLz6HkoDIDAhqBYqQTq-scyis9ugfs5m4wTizKxHutGsga6pMU1FA53ShXd9yQcDjhDfdcfoGabs67f/s640/blogger-image--895103413.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I just love all the colors!</span></div>
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2. When the onions are nearly translucent, add chicken or other protein, mustard, soy sauce, spices and broth. Stirring occasionally, simmer until veggies just barely yield to a fork. </div>
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3. Stir in spinach and cover again. Let it simmer until spinach is de-thawed and/or wilted.</div>
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4. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXCsrWlSDA5TmXdaQmwpWKuODps5zMiFwaCIQaDoFSmyMoC5o7BvwrL8omBc7ZHgqIclwyWwcyjJS-rVC01enpzvTDM9qlvxErXrleVUUkW8QKNqkaYY02YJaeRVw0C_PBsNQhTm4mTNm/s640/blogger-image--2073360495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXCsrWlSDA5TmXdaQmwpWKuODps5zMiFwaCIQaDoFSmyMoC5o7BvwrL8omBc7ZHgqIclwyWwcyjJS-rVC01enpzvTDM9qlvxErXrleVUUkW8QKNqkaYY02YJaeRVw0C_PBsNQhTm4mTNm/s640/blogger-image--2073360495.jpg" /></a></div>
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This post is linked to <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-112713/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 11/27/13</a> at Holistic Squid</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-32345033519449452572013-10-29T22:11:00.001-05:002014-02-18T13:15:15.557-06:00The things that make you YOUIn the past year or so, I have gone through some pretty amazing transformations, health-wise. Daily stomach aches are a thing of the past, as they have been for a while now.<br />
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However, in the past month (or three), stress has taken a pretty heavy toll. I had been so busy with school, all the while trying to process a shift in a friendship, that I had neglected myself. I buried myself in schoolwork and housework and a million little errands and obligations, and when I finally surfaced I found myself sulking about and suffering through stomach aches all over again. My nervous system was running on overdrive. When my alarm clock went off in the mornings, I would wake up and my heart would race or I would start shaking. Obviously, something had to change.<br />
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When I visited my naturopath last week, in addition to homeopathic support, she gave me words of wisdom. The words that most resonated with me were these:<br />
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<strong>Don't give up the things that make you YOU.</strong><br />
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So that's what today's post is about--slowing down, clearing out the hustle and hurry from day-to-day life, and making space for the things that matter most. The things that define you, that will make up the most memorable parts of your life. We all have things that we have to get done, but it is important that we not to let to-do lists compel us to hurry our lives away.<br />
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For me, this means putting away homework and all of the various forms of digital distractions at each meal, so that I can to sit down and actually enjoy my food. It also means that in addition to my daily to-do list, I need to keep another (equally important) list of things that I need to do for myself during the day. Sometimes this means crochet, curling up with a good book, taking a hot bath, going on a walk, journaling or practicing yoga. Today, it meant blogging before bed and taking a break from homework for twenty minutes of <a href="http://www.rochelleschieck.com/qoya-online/free-qoya-videos-online/" target="_blank">Qoya</a> (which, over the past few months, has re-taught me the joy of dancing that I seem to have lost during a phase of adolescent self-consciousness--but that's another blog post). When I have too much on my plate, rather than let anxiety drive me crazy, I practice asking for help and saying 'no' to new commitments. <br />
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Another thing that helps me 'just be' is to take a few minutes, when I first wake up in the morning, to think about the way I want my day to go and the things that I would like to accomplish. I breathe in and think about the situations that might come up over the course of my day, breathe out and visualize my ideal response or the way I would like things to go. In, input; out, outcome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o2J5bak1EvGRWZmaDMo2umJAEc26badbBvJYZM5LOn69VKd3KFtUU0G2JUjMF9AtIWJKWE7zi5WwS76WzpdRClbBoun1Zh056vWuH-FngRB7YohMVNF-Uu6lBE9yvpPsyw_Vmx6cQArR/s1600/sky-114446_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o2J5bak1EvGRWZmaDMo2umJAEc26badbBvJYZM5LOn69VKd3KFtUU0G2JUjMF9AtIWJKWE7zi5WwS76WzpdRClbBoun1Zh056vWuH-FngRB7YohMVNF-Uu6lBE9yvpPsyw_Vmx6cQArR/s320/sky-114446_640.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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These few simple changes in my daily routine have made a world of difference for my peace of mind. After instituting these new principles in my daily life, contentment is once again attainable, and I find myself making better use of my work time. With the additional help of homeopathic remedies prescribed by my naturopath, the stomach aches and the morning shakes are gone. I've also started to meditate, via journaling, on the best way for me to address the recent changes in a friendship, and found that the same principles hold true: I do not have to jump ship; rather, I need to establish a new set of boundaries.<br />
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<strong>As always, I would love to hear from my readers: What makes you YOU? Do you make a rule of taking time for yourself? And if you don't already, in what ways might you begin? Do these changes necessitate introspection or an outreach for help?</strong><br />
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This post is linked to <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-103013/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 10/30/13</a> at Holistic Squid and <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/10/30/tasty-traditions-51/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions 10/30/13</a> at Cultured PalateAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-41820807795634216842013-07-31T08:09:00.000-05:002014-01-25T17:45:56.077-06:00Tasty Thai Curry<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_wBcZyGLntM27SGmRVq9vDAmq_ArQ_I1jkgMI9h5Av5o-JB9DArbHtahiqk33XQgcclB3k0y8HoOrlsQDqhlBDprwM5LWX_6WQON4qU6pzx7VRQjA2qXMoLlxEYyhIMNN_t-S_6q5ZtQ/s640/blogger-image-220399161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_wBcZyGLntM27SGmRVq9vDAmq_ArQ_I1jkgMI9h5Av5o-JB9DArbHtahiqk33XQgcclB3k0y8HoOrlsQDqhlBDprwM5LWX_6WQON4qU6pzx7VRQjA2qXMoLlxEYyhIMNN_t-S_6q5ZtQ/s640/blogger-image-220399161.jpg" /></a></div>
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The other day, while looking for a quick dinner idea that would use up some leftover chicken, I came across a recipe for <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/thai-red-chicken-curry/" target="_blank">Thai Red Chicken Curry</a> on Allrecipes.com. I applied some of the commenters' suggested changes, and made a few adjustments myself. With a little chicken, lots of veggies and a few pantry staples, this curry was easy to make, super filling and very tasty. Here's what I did:</div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
A bit of coconut or palm oil for the pan<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
1 large white sweet potato, peeled and diced (red would be good, too)<br />
1 peeled, diced zucchini<br />
1 red pepper, diced<br />
1 green pepper, diced<br />
1 1/4 pounds of cooked, diced chicken<br />
2 tablespoons red curry paste<br />
1/2 teaspoon coriander<br />
2 tablespoons unsweetened fish sauce (I used <a href="http://www.markethallfoods.com/products.php?product=Red-Boat-Fish-Sauce&gclid=CJ-hi4Kd2LgCFZBaMgodThgA8w" target="_blank">Red Boat</a>)<br />
2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari soy sauce<br />
2 tablespoons creamy, unsweetened almond butter<br />
1 can coconut milk (I used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/grocery-gourmet-food/dp/B00A0XHFJQ" target="_blank">Trader Joe's Light Coconut Milk</a>, since it is free of chemical crap and allegedly BPA-free)<br />
freshly ground black pepper<br />
salt, to taste<br />
slivered almonds or cashews, to top<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
In a large, relatively deep frying pan, sweat onions in coconut/palm oil. Stir in curry paste, coriander and sweet potato, and cook until the sweet potato is partly cooked through but not yet yielding to a fork. <br />
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Add chicken, veggies, coconut milk, almond butter and fish sauce. Stir in a good 10-15 cracks of pepper. Then, cover and cook until veggies are slightly soft.<br />
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Upon serving, season to taste and top with almonds or cashews. Extra points if you eat it over <a href="http://www.elanaspantry.com/cauliflower-rice/" target="_blank">cauliflower rice</a>!<br />
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This post is linked to <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-73113/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 7/31/13</a> at Holistic Squid, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/07/31/tasty-traditions-38/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions 7/31/13</a> at Cultured Palate and <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-72813/" target="_blank">Sunday School 7/28/13</a> at Butter Believer</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-21851142436232978902013-07-21T12:49:00.000-05:002014-01-25T17:44:59.563-06:00"Balanced" Oatmeal BlueprintWith the improvements I've been seeing in my digestion, my naturopath has given me the OK to slowly wean off of the specific-carbohydrate diet and add in small amounts of oatmeal and cooked, dried fruits. <br />
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This has been a roaring success. Seriously, you've never seen anyone so excited to eat oatmeal before. I credit the extra carbohydrates with further improving my digestion, helping me to feel full <em>without</em> having to eat an entire jar of coconut butter in a day, and raising my body temperature. This morning, about an hour after eating this bulked-up and balanced bowl of oatmeal, my temperature was a steamy, above-average 98.8. Did I mention that I'm <em>loving </em>the oatmeal? :)<br />
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The oatmeal recipe (more a blueprint, really) that I'm sharing with you today is balanced because it contains all three macronutrients, in the optimal proportion of more carbs than protein, and more protein than fat. The additional ingredients bulk it up, too, so that one bowl is all I need for breakfast. It's incredibly filling and soul-satisfying.<br />
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So, for a one-bowl balanced breakfast of goodness, you will need the following <strong>ingredients:</strong><br />
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1/2 cup oats (I used gluten-free)<br />
1 to 1 1/2 cups water<br />
one fruit, peeled and diced<br />
1/4 cup dried fruit<br />
3 tablespoons of gelatin (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Unflavored-Gelatin-16-Ounce/dp/B0008D6WBA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374252853&sr=8-2&keywords=gelatin+great+lakes" target="_blank">Great Lakes</a> brand is perfect)<br />
1 tablespoon oil of choice (I just eyeball it. No need to break out the measuring spoon)<br />
a dash of cinnamon or a splash of vanilla, if desired<br />
a pinch of salt (optional, but warming)<br />
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (optional)<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (optional)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcF6lmCWlWNzXsaEldv3n5LS_OsuD-swkSmT7Qi7Iz4mHIqiufWLdrYRmHgftggYpp-Sfaybasqcmwp1Am69WLc0UXAN7ZaVwE8MCIK5TJtzBQA_WfgH1MhpZBuNFA80I_wv5QewPyaEm/s640/blogger-image-811905419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcF6lmCWlWNzXsaEldv3n5LS_OsuD-swkSmT7Qi7Iz4mHIqiufWLdrYRmHgftggYpp-Sfaybasqcmwp1Am69WLc0UXAN7ZaVwE8MCIK5TJtzBQA_WfgH1MhpZBuNFA80I_wv5QewPyaEm/s640/blogger-image-811905419.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
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1. If desired, soak oats overnight in 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. In the morning, stir in baking soda to cut vinegar.<br />
2. Whether or not you soaked the oatmeal, put your oats, fresh and dried fruit, oil and gelatin into a small saucepan. Then, add enough water (up to 1 1/2 cups total) to cover the mixture.<br />
3. Bring mixture to a boil, and then simmer until water is absorbed, stirring occasionally.<br />
4. Stir in cinnamon and/or vanilla, if desired, and enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpCillOp1_1vZdpbV7pnYEyv-irL8JeWouFVNpufmL34Lj3jm_8oWiQdoZvzTRtQsMhfu08WJYOdWG9rgoS59HaKxQzaiDTRIsl-Qih8eUSRV-lKsD4BRt_4L3YiZOCi6KTsILFCjj49j/s640/blogger-image--2139866096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpCillOp1_1vZdpbV7pnYEyv-irL8JeWouFVNpufmL34Lj3jm_8oWiQdoZvzTRtQsMhfu08WJYOdWG9rgoS59HaKxQzaiDTRIsl-Qih8eUSRV-lKsD4BRt_4L3YiZOCi6KTsILFCjj49j/s640/blogger-image--2139866096.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong>Some of my favorite combos are:</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>granny smith apple, raisins, coconut butter and cinnamon. It tastes like apple crisp, except not crispy. I guess you could add some toasted pecans or something to remedy that, but this oatmeal is so filling that I couldn't imagine adding any more food into the bowl.</li>
<li>3/4 cup mixed berries, cut-up dried figs, ghee and vanilla. This mixture is powerfully reminiscent of the blueberry pancakes at <a href="http://www.crackerbarrel.com/" target="_blank">Cracker Barrel</a>.</li>
<li>peach, cut-up dried dates, coconut oil and cinnamon. I don't have a comparison for this one, but it's really good.</li>
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There's just about a million other combinations of fresh and dried fruits, oils and flavorings that you could add to this, so have fun experimenting, and share your favorite combos in the comments!<br />
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This post is linked to <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-7211/" target="_blank">Sunday School 7/21/13</a> at Butter Believer and <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-72413/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 7/24/13</a> at Holistic Squid<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-81256190850274150442013-07-11T16:24:00.000-05:002014-01-25T17:46:32.259-06:00Kale and navy bean salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvVWHhhzc5p6gkn5DjW1JR-zu8K5IUZN5wKUFjr0mEW0CptxQVB3dIY0ocwGr2F6LtjihoO78ip2rwIv_xBnTDB05Xs22Vo3-PLarCQFJOmvpymbEHq7LedInvFWOOL_3vj-P5pAK_Bxi/s640/blogger-image--1371622111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvVWHhhzc5p6gkn5DjW1JR-zu8K5IUZN5wKUFjr0mEW0CptxQVB3dIY0ocwGr2F6LtjihoO78ip2rwIv_xBnTDB05Xs22Vo3-PLarCQFJOmvpymbEHq7LedInvFWOOL_3vj-P5pAK_Bxi/s640/blogger-image--1371622111.jpg" /></a></div>
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Kale has always been a little intimidating to me; for some reason, it always ends up tough and bitter when I try to cook it. Recently, though, I read through several recipes that used an acidic medium, rather than high heat, to break it down. For this reason, when I came across a bag of the ever dark and forbidding kale at Trader Joe's on Monday, I decided to give kale another go.</div>
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The result? A salad so good, I ate it for lunch both yesterday and today. Because of the salty, sour vinaigrette and the starchy white beans, this salad reminds me of an Italian pasta salad. It's a perfect follow-up for <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-eat-your-veggies-and-like-it-too.html" target="_blank">How to eat your veggies, and like it too!</a> since the recipe is both a) a veggie recipe and b) delicious. </div>
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To make a big bowl of this kale and navy bean salad, you will need the following <strong>Ingredients</strong>:</div>
<ul>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
10 oz. raw kale, shredded with stems removed</div>
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4 cups of cooked navy beans</div>
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1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar</div>
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1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil</div>
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1 to 2 tablespoons seasoning of choice (I used <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=539" target="_blank">21 Seasoning Salute</a>, also from TJ's)</div>
</li>
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4 oz. shredded Romano cheese from goat's milk (optional)</div>
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1/2 cup almond slivers, cashews or sunflower seeds</div>
</li>
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unrefined salt, to taste</div>
</li>
</ul>
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<strong>Method</strong>:</div>
<ol>
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In a smaller bowl, whisk vinegar, oil and seasoning into a vinaigrette</div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Place kale, beans and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the vinaigrette a little at a time, stopping every now and then to toss the salad, until the kale is visibly coated. You might not use all of the dressing. Conversely, if you like salad dressing as much as I do, you might opt to whisk together a bit more, keeping in mind the 2:1 olive oil to vinegar ratio.</div>
</li>
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Cover and refrigerate about 8 hours. If you plan to eat the salad for lunch, refrigerate overnight and divvy it up in the morning. If it's dinner fare, you can toss it together in the morning so that it's ready by evening.</div>
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Top with almonds, cashews or sunflower seeds just before it is served.</div>
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Voila! Perfect summer fare. I promise not to tell anyone if you gobble it up for breakfast. ;)</div>
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This post is linked to <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-71013/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 7/10/13</a> at Holistic Squid, <a href="http://www.allergyfreealaska.com/2013/07/11/whole-food-fridays-07-12-13/" target="_blank">Whole Food Friday 7/12/13</a> at Allergy Free Alaska, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/07/10/tasty-traditions-35/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions 7/10/13</a> at Cultured Palate and <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-7141/" target="_blank">Sunday School 7/14/13</a> at Butter Believer</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-20390308293849637512013-05-30T15:14:00.001-05:002014-01-25T17:48:19.067-06:00On Stretch Marks, Weight and Metabolism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJwsku56VqtrwR7RyKRG_qkC-3lQeIi4CDikWRc6X38zoIdGO03mRRfsSEMl1GJqfrDb_CfMo9Y1ZnlKQ-28-8OODmVZlOaftDINyFQIr9S3J7pZhPo1p-Hp9EWY1AwP8sy2g1u_i4byg/s1600/belly-2354_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJwsku56VqtrwR7RyKRG_qkC-3lQeIi4CDikWRc6X38zoIdGO03mRRfsSEMl1GJqfrDb_CfMo9Y1ZnlKQ-28-8OODmVZlOaftDINyFQIr9S3J7pZhPo1p-Hp9EWY1AwP8sy2g1u_i4byg/s320/belly-2354_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Whew. How's that for a lofty title? <br />
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Stretch marks, weight and metabolism. It seems everyone, these days, has something to say on these three hot topics. Being a seventeen-year-old student, I am certainly no expert. Still, I find that my favorite blogs are those that provide information in conjunction with stories of personal experiences, and thus, it is my hope that what I have to say here might be of interest to someone.<br />
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I have already posted the story of how I initially changed my diet (which you can find <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-story.html" target="_blank">here</a>), but of course, there is much more to health than that. While I have never been overweight, many of my habits have been less than healthy. <br />
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Until a little over a year ago, my family's diet was a small step up from the infamous, standard American diet (often affectionately nicknamed SAD). We cooked at home, but many ingredients were already highly processed: canned soups, processed cheese, sugary condiments, shortening, etc. Corn was a vegetable, and baking loads of sugary treats was my hobby. <strong>I knew that my diet was unhealthy, but I didn't know what was healthy, and I felt like I didn't have any options</strong>.<br />
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In the realm of physical exercise, I was likewise clueless. I had never been big on sports, so <strong>when recess went away, so did my physical activity</strong>. I knew that I should do something, but here, too, I felt trapped. I wasn't allowed to just hop on a bike or take a walk on my own, and my sister whined and moaned whenever we went together.<br />
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School occupied most of my time, so I resolved to improve my diet and fitness over the summer. I worked a few more vegetables into my diet and watched workout videos on YouTube, but<strong> the real catalyst was my appointment with a naturopathic doctor.</strong><br />
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When I look back, it's astonishing to see how much has changed in just one year. Now, I am the one responsible for constructing a grocery list, and each week we fill our cart with fresh, whole foods. I practice yoga or pilates for an hour almost every day. My mom has lost around 15 pounds, though she still snacks on cookies and visits the gym less than once a week. <strong>All in all, it seems that my health must have improved dramatically, along with my improved habits</strong>.<br />
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Well, sort of.<br />
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In some really important ways, my health has improved. Many of the <strong>digestive troubles</strong> that prompted me to begin this journey, in the first place, have been resolved. As far as fitness goes, I <strong>have more muscle now</strong> than I have ever had before.<br />
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Other problems persist--<strong>moodiness, low energy, trouble sleeping and skin problems</strong> among them. These problems, I understand, are at least partly due to a <strong>small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth</strong>, which I am working with my naturopath to resolve.<br />
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However, there's something else that makes me think that there is more to the story: a little over a month ago, I noticed that I have been gaining weight. Enough weight, in fact, that <strong>brand new stretch marks</strong>, red and angry, blossomed up around my upper legs. <br />
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I'm not going to lie. At first, I freaked out a little bit. I don't keep a scale in my house, so it was easy to think that my jeans were tighter because they had shrunk in the wash. My first clue that I was gaining weight was rosy-red stretch marks. I blamed the weight gain on a lack of enthusiasm in my workouts, and traded in my hour of yoga for pilates and cardio exercises.<br />
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Several weeks later, I had <strong>less energy and even more stretch marks</strong>. It wasn't fair, I thought. <strong>How could I gain weight on cauliflower while my family members lost weight on cookies?</strong><br />
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And then, I was struck with a thought: if I was eating the least and exercising the most that I ever had, then I shouldn't also weigh the most that I ever had. <strong>Something just wasn't adding up.</strong><br />
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I read a couple of books that got me thinking about metabolism--<a href="http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/books/the-nourished-metabolism" target="_blank">Nourished Metabolism</a>, by Elizabeth Walling, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diet-Recovery-Restoring-Metabolism-ebook/dp/B00BEJOSFY" target="_blank">Diet Recovery 2</a>, by Matt Stone--and then wrote down everything that I ate for one day. Without having realized it, in my difficulty following the specific-carbohydrate diet, <strong>I had only consumed around 1100 calories--one half of my recommended daily intake--that day.</strong> No wonder my body was so confused!<br />
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Because I wasn't eating enough calories, in a proper balance of carbs, protein and fat, <strong>my body responded as it would to a famine.</strong> It began to <strong>conserve and store energy</strong>, which resulted in weight gain and poor mood, energy and immune functions. By anyone's standards, 1100 calories is not enough for an active teenager. Even so, many diets, while perhaps not quite as restrictive, cause the same metabolic damage.<br />
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According to Walling and Stone, healing a metabolism isn't as difficult as I had originally supposed, either. All a person has to do is eat, exercise when she feels like it, rest and relax. <br />
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As I am at the beginning of this journey, I haven't much advice to bestow. At this point, I am just relieved to learn that <strong>the progression towards health is such a forgiving process</strong>.<br />
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This post is linked to <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-5-29-13/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 5/30/13</a> at Holistic Squid and <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-60213/" target="_blank">Sunday School 6/2/13</a> at Butter BelieverAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-90102042656036706192013-05-20T18:39:00.003-05:002014-01-25T22:19:51.891-06:00Alternative Medicine: Naturopathy<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lRKHY1zrf9zv58ImzrQICkb6O19ksV3pWVbbKyDboAiGrX3ZBebO9qjzChyphenhyphenKIPFVChBsyYDYMUXNa-huXDpvBt5XXe0TbdZ98eUBs9wqfHkX_CD6CvECgq5jmTZDH7xGYHXTYG5ZK_V3/s1600/stethoscope.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lRKHY1zrf9zv58ImzrQICkb6O19ksV3pWVbbKyDboAiGrX3ZBebO9qjzChyphenhyphenKIPFVChBsyYDYMUXNa-huXDpvBt5XXe0TbdZ98eUBs9wqfHkX_CD6CvECgq5jmTZDH7xGYHXTYG5ZK_V3/s320/stethoscope.png" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="222" /></a></div>
With all of the seemingly obscure, alternative medicine-related terms floating around the blogosphere, I thought it might be useful to write a series of blog posts, each focusing on one facet of alternative medicine. Some of the practices that I intend to spotlight are osteopathy, ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and chiropractic medicine, but today's topic is naturopathy. <br />
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Naturopathy is holistic [<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/holistic?s=t" target="_blank">1</a>], meaning that it considers a patient as a whole, and not just as a sum of parts. In addition, the patient's physical, psychological and social health are all taken into consideration [<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/holism" target="_blank">2</a>]. <br />
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Naturopathy is governed by six primary principles, which are as follows:<br />
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<ul>
<li><strong>First do no harm. </strong>Naturopaths do not administer treatments to suppress symptoms. They avoid unnecessary intervention, and work to minimize any negative side-effects of treatments.</li>
<li><strong>Identify and treat the causes. </strong>Symptoms are caused by diseases or by the body's attempts to heal itself. Thus, the symptoms of a disease can best be removed by treating the cause of the disease.</li>
<li><strong>Treat the whole person. </strong>Health is not just a physical state, and diseases can be caused by a combination of mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and other factors.</li>
<li><strong>Healing power of nature. </strong>Given the proper tools, the body has the capacity to heal itself.</li>
<li><strong>Prevention. </strong>Naturopathy focuses on maintaining health, not just on treating disease. Heredity and risk factors for particular diseases are counter-acted by the adoption of habits for healthy living.</li>
<li><strong>Doctor as teacher. </strong>A naturopathic doctor also focuses on teaching his or her patients, thereby promoting a sense of self-responsibility. [<a href="http://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?pl=16&sl=59&contentid=59" target="_blank">3</a>]</li>
</ul>
So, what does a naturopath actually do? <br />
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Naturopaths treat both chronic and acute diseases. Some of the treatments prescribed or administered by naturopaths include nutritional counseling, herbal remedies, homeopathy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy. Naturopaths typically counsel each patient for an about an hour per visit, although an initial consultation could take as long as an hour and a half. During the initial visit, the additional time is spent discussing the patient's family history, lifestyle, diet and environment. The naturopath may also administer or order a laboratory test for the patient to take [<a href="http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/naturopathy-000356.htm" target="_blank">4</a>].<br />
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"Real" naturopathic doctors have earned a doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine, from an accredited school of naturopathy. In the U.S., naturopathic doctors are only legally recognized and certified in fifteen states, plus the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands [<a href="http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/naturopathy-000356.htm" target="_blank">4</a>]. Depending on the state, naturopaths may not be allowed to treat patients with drugs, minor surgery or acupuncture. In states that do not recognize naturopathic physicians, the term "naturopath" is not reserved for doctors who have completed naturopathic training. For this reason, it is best to check a naturopath's qualifications before making an appointment [<a href="http://nccam.nih.gov/health/naturopathy/naturopathyintro.htm" target="_blank">5</a>].<br />
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For those interested in learning more about naturopathy, Oregon's Board of Naturopathic Medicine has published an in-depth description of the principles and practices of naturopathy <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/obnm/Pages/Aboutnaturopathy.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. You can also read about my own experience with a naturopathic doctor <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-story.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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Did I miss something? Do you have a personal experience to share? Tell me in the comments below!<br />
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This post is linked to <a href="http://mamarosemary.com/2013/05/20/natural-living-monday-22/" target="_blank">Natural Living Monday 5/20/13</a> at Mama Rosemary, <a href="http://www.thepolivkafamily.com/2013/05/family-table-tuesday-29/" target="_blank">Family Table Tuesday 5/21/13</a> at The Polivka Family, <a href="http://www.greenideareviews.com/2013/05/21/living-green-tuesdays-link-up-05212013/" target="_blank">Living Green Tuesday 5/21/13</a> at Green Idea Reviews and Like a Mustard Seed, and <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-5-22-13/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=party-wave-wednesday-5-22-13" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 5/22/13</a> at Holistic Squid<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-22534719330926129882013-05-10T15:17:00.001-05:002014-01-25T17:48:50.784-06:00How to eat your veggies, and like it too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's one piece of advice that you'll hear from health gurus of all philosophies, whether they espouse Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or traditional food diets: Eat your veggies. So, if it's so universally known that vegetables are the ultimate health food, then why isn't everyone loading up on the greens? <br />
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Vegetables are difficult to make friends with, but is it any wonder why? We lovingly craft the perfect pie crusts to frame fruits, vegetables' sticky-sweet cousins; we celebrate proteins with customized spice rubs; and we fry grains and other starches for optimal crunch. These foods are easy to love, so we focus on loving them. Steamed broccoli just isn't going to cut it. In order to compete for room on our plates, vegetables just need a little more love.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>How to love on veggies</strong></span><br />
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<strong>1</strong>. <strong>Dress up your salads</strong><br />
Once equipped with a variety of simple and delicious salad dressing recipes, you might find yourself making--and enjoying--salads more often. I know I do! Here are a few ideas:<br />
<ul>
<li>My brother loves a simple vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar and olive oil, but I prefer a <a href="http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1353982" target="_blank">dijon mustard vinaigrette</a>.</li>
<li>Play around with different vinegars: lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar, balsamic vinegar (have you ever heard of blueberry balsamic? AMAZING)</li>
<li>Play around with different oils: olive oil, toasted sesame seed oil, pure orange oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil, and nut oils are all flavorful options.</li>
<li>Add other "goodies," like nuts, seeds or spices; Chef Amber Shea's <a href="http://chefambershea.com/2013/02/21/practically-raw-recipe-kale-tahini-salad/" target="_blank">spiced tahini vinaigrette</a> is next on my list of things to try.</li>
</ul>
<strong>2. Dip them in something good</strong><br />
As I write this, I am munching on carrot sticks and a split-pea hummus modeled after the <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2013/03/21/sunshine-spread/" target="_blank">Sunshine Spread</a> recipe from Oh She Glows. I basically lived off of this recipe during Easter Break! In order to make it SCD-compliant, I soak the split peas for about 12 hours in water and apple cider vinegar, then rinse and cook them for about an hour. In my new favorite variation, I add a couple of roasted red bell peppers, a few cracks of black pepper, and about twice as much tahini as called for in the original recipe.<br />
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<strong>3. Sautee with other "goodies"</strong><br />
Here are some of my favorite examples:<br />
<ul>
<li>Chop up half a cabbage into long, skinny strips, and wilt it in a pan with onion, garlic and fresh or dried thyme.</li>
<li>Pan-fry green beans with chopped baby portabella mushrooms and pre-cooked chestnuts (which you can buy at Trader Joe's), until the beans are al dente. The chestnuts add a pleasant, nutty sweetness.</li>
<li>I haven't tried it yet, but once I am done with the SCD diet, I will be making the Detoxinista's recipe for <a href="http://detoxinista.com/2012/01/sweet-potato-noodles-with-roasted-red-pepper-cream-sauce/" target="_blank">sweet potato noodles</a>.</li>
</ul>
<strong>4. Roast it</strong><br />
This is my family's favorite way to eat carrots and sweet potatoes: sprinkled with Italian herbs and roasted until the edges turn dark and candied. I have also had pretty good luck with roasting other vegetables, such as <a href="http://www.spacelingcafe.com/archives/2007/10/roasted_eggplan.html" target="_blank">eggplant and zucchini.</a><br />
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<strong>5. Give it a sauce</strong><br />
Nothing says "comfort food" quite like a rich sauce.<br />
<ul>
<li>In the warmer seasons, I roast a spaghetti squash at least once a week. We eat it with marinara sauce. (Eden Foods sells jars of <a href="http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=104870" target="_blank">organic crushed tomatoes</a> that make a pretty good sauce when properly seasoned.)</li>
<li>A good curry, too, warms me from the inside out. If you find a good recipe or a jarred curry sauce that you're pleased with, it's great served over <a href="http://www.elanaspantry.com/cauliflower-rice/" target="_blank">cauliflower "rice".</a></li>
</ul>
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Got more ideas? I'd love to hear them! Comment below with your Pinterest name or email, and I will add you to my brand new <a href="http://pinterest.com/glutenfreeling/veggie-love/" target="_blank">Veggie Love</a> board.<br />
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This post is linked to <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-5-08-13/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 5/8/13</a> at Holistic Squid, <a href="http://www.allergyfreealaska.com/2013/05/09/whole-food-fridays-5-10-13/" target="_blank">Whole Food Fridays 5/10/13</a> at Allergy Free Alaska, <a href="http://www.realfoodwholehealth.com/2013/05/fresh-bites-friday-may-1-2013-2/" target="_blank">Fresh Bites Friday 5/10/13</a> at Real Food Whole Health, <a href="http://thankyourbody.com/thank-your-body-thursday-27/" target="_blank">Thank Your Body Thursday 5/9/13</a> at Thank Your Body, <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-51213/" target="_blank">Sunday School 5/12/13</a> at Butter Believer, <a href="http://www.thepolivkafamily.com/2013/05/family-table-tuesday-28/" target="_blank">Family Table Tuesday 5/14/13</a> at The Polivka Family, <a href="http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-051413/" target="_blank">Slightly Indulgent Tuesday 5/14/13</a> at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/05/15/tasty-traditions-27/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions 5/15/13</a> at My Cultured Palate and <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2013/05/real-food-wednesday-5152013.html" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesday 5/15/13</a> at Kelly the Kitchen KopAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-55345386733567495592013-03-15T21:05:00.000-05:002014-01-25T17:48:50.790-06:00Super easy SCD ideasI recently began following the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) to heal a bacterial imbalance, and was dismayed to find that the diet seems to disallow many of my former staples--canned coconut milk, gluten-free tortillas, sweet potatoes and others. To further complicate matters, I have also been advised to limit my fruit consumption to one fruit per day, and to avoid even the natural sugars that are SCD legal, like honey and dried fruit. <br />
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So, what does somebody eat when nearly all carbohydrates are off-limits? Protein and fat, of course.<br />
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Today I'd like to share with you some of the easier, SCD-legal, dairy- and egg-free snacks and meals that have worked well for me. Hopefully I can provide someone with ideas that will help their day run a little more smoothly.<br />
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<strong>Fruit and nut-based</strong><br />
If you're going to consume only one fruit per day, you'd better make it count! I like to use fruit as a vehicle for protein and healthy fats, especially at breakfast. Often, I also sneak in some extra veggies in my attempts to round it out. Here are a few of my favorite combinations:<br />
<ul>
<li>Scoop up sunflower seed butter with apple slices. Melted dark chocolate is also delicious, although not SCD legal.</li>
<li>Top frozen strawberries with a liberal amount of tahini (ground sesame seeds) and coconut flakes</li>
<li>Blend up an orange, half of an avocado and a handfull of baby spinach. I like to top this with nuts or seeds; the crunch masks any orange-bits that a regular blender might be unable to fully integrate. The nuts also provide more protein.</li>
<li>Smash a banana with a few tablespoons of tahini and a splash of coconut water or milk of your choice. Sometimes I also blend this mixture with baby spinach. Top with coconut flakes and eat like pudding.</li>
<li>Dice a ripe, juicy peach or mango and pour full-fat coconut milk (not canned, if you follow SCD) over it.</li>
</ul>
I've also been told that cantaloupe is delicous with thinly sliced prosciutto, if you can find a "clean" brand. <br />
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<strong>Legume-based</strong><br />
Since I have begun following a specific-carbohydrate diet, I have not done much legume-eating. Lentils, peas and some beans are SCD-legal, although many SCD followers choose to eat a more paleolithic-inspired diet. The following are legume-based recipe ideas that I have yet to try:<br />
<ul>
<li>Veggies dipped in homemade hummus, made with soaked navy beans instead of chickpeas.</li>
<li>A lentil-based "oatmeal," like the recipe on <a href="http://siftstirandsavour.com/2013/03/07/grain-free-cinnamon-raisin-oatmeal-vegan-gluten-free-refined-sugar-free/" target="_blank">Stir, Sift & Savour,</a> but cooked with a apples or a sweet squash rather than raisins. </li>
</ul>
<strong>Meat or fish-based</strong><br />
If one does not consume eggs or dairy products on the specific carbohydrate diet, meats and fish become an especially important part of the diet. Some of the ideas and tips that I use are as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>Mix some wild-caught, canned salmon with sliced pickles, celery and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Scoop into half of a pepper, and top with your nut/seed of choice.</li>
<li>Roast two chickens or a large turkey at the beginning of the week and use the leftover meat for salads.</li>
<li>For especially busy days, seek out some "clean" sausages or pre-cooked shellfish and store them in the freezer. </li>
<li>Find new, minimally processed condiments to make luch more interesting: olive oil-packed sundried tomatoes, calamata olives, guacamole, fresh salsa and jarred curry sauces are just a few examples.</li>
</ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-34547648373930409282013-03-08T21:24:00.004-06:002014-01-25T17:46:51.667-06:00Gluten, dairy and egg-free sourdough recipeGot a sourdough starter? No? You might want to check out my previous post for instructions on <a href="http://glutenfreeling.blogspot.com/2013/02/cellular-respiration-or-if-you-prefer.html" target="_blank">attracting wild yeast</a> and rejoin the rest of us when you're ready to roll.<br />
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Are we all caught up? Ok, great! Now here comes the part of the recipe that most heavily draws upon the ratios and instructions established in its parent recipe, which belongs to the author of the <a href="http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/2010/10/sourdough-bread-boule-gluten-free/" target="_blank">Art of Gluten-Free Baking</a>. The differences between the original recipe and my version of the recipe are a result of my experimentation and preferences.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qk9YWrCxZxeHP6Dr5ur-u36AMcXlY1GWDlveakQ6mboAxF71ffBE6iEMlTDqLxLQCAykcZNKbXWpMm0E1DzHQA2vIBbQogHX4wdwsWZuWddv6x9o38fXgmlLP74A9fuCOxonjqBpLz1S/s1600/DSC07728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qk9YWrCxZxeHP6Dr5ur-u36AMcXlY1GWDlveakQ6mboAxF71ffBE6iEMlTDqLxLQCAykcZNKbXWpMm0E1DzHQA2vIBbQogHX4wdwsWZuWddv6x9o38fXgmlLP74A9fuCOxonjqBpLz1S/s320/DSC07728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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To make the bread, you'll need the following <strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
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15 ounces of your favorite gluten-free flour<br />
1 can (14 oz) of full-fat coconut milk plus up to 1/4 cup water as needed<br />
30 ounces of your starter<br />
2 tsp xanthan gum<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp baking soda (optional)<br />
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As with the sourdough starter, you can use any type of flour you please as long as it doesn't already contain xanthan or guar gum. I often use <a href="http://nourishingfoodways.com/2011/03/29/gluten-free-whole-flour-mix-recipe-2/" target="_blank">Nourishing Foodways'</a> flour blend, or mix together about 7 parts wholegrain and 3 parts starch, as per the <a href="http://glutenfreegirl.com/how-to-make-a-gluten-free-whole-grain-flour-mix/" target="_blank">Gluten Free Girl's</a> mix. The same flours that attract the most yeast--the flours that contain the most protein and fat--will also make your bread taste more sour. <br />
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While coconut milk may seem like an odd ingredient, I find that it adds flavor and helps keep the bread soft and airy--qualities infrequently ascribed to gluten and egg-free baked goods. I imagine the additional fat is what boosts the fluffiness factor, but I don't really know. I like to use Aroy-D brand coconut milk, which you might find in the ethnic food aisle of your grocery store or at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aroy-D-Coconut-Milk-14oz/dp/B000JMFCR0" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, because it contains no additional additives. Coconut milk containing guar gum, such as Thai Kitchen brand, will also work in this recipe.<br />
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The baking soda is entirely optional in this recipe. Add it if you wish to reduce the sourness of the bread; it will neutralize some of the lactic acid created by the yeast. I wrote the recipe with a conservative 1 teaspoon of baking soda. If you choose to add more, be aware that excess baking soda will also change the taste of the bread (and probably darken the color).<br />
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<strong>Method: </strong><br />
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First measure your flour, by weight, into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the salt, xanthan gum and baking soda, if you are using it, and add the sourdough starter and combine with an electric mixer. While a hand mixer will work in this recipe, it is far more cumbersome than a stand mixer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTX737AWFUHrkhpL71vlkxb1sx_Kau1sLHvoCkyh8MlPLllrEYOpvcjAy3f0cNoQ3mhjWZCjyWqanLLJckQuVeDD5iHYsIrST9inEJ9gCIPaxkZf4uOmO2vBwUXY4e6ey2RAZNqhM2yiu/s1600/DSC07733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTX737AWFUHrkhpL71vlkxb1sx_Kau1sLHvoCkyh8MlPLllrEYOpvcjAy3f0cNoQ3mhjWZCjyWqanLLJckQuVeDD5iHYsIrST9inEJ9gCIPaxkZf4uOmO2vBwUXY4e6ey2RAZNqhM2yiu/s320/DSC07733.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, slowly pour in the coconut milk while the mixer continues to beat the dough. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUR4zS4D0dk3viahqoLQuHQRaqWWhwJQ-KiffjXrLmjlmmOeLXS8vWG066oFYeghhXjudDkhwRom2iqXnc-28a6EKTPJ4ChvrusbQtjjLsnOuJkUvvnA0LXRh2dXFgBi6833g54QQcOoU/s1600/DSC07736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUR4zS4D0dk3viahqoLQuHQRaqWWhwJQ-KiffjXrLmjlmmOeLXS8vWG066oFYeghhXjudDkhwRom2iqXnc-28a6EKTPJ4ChvrusbQtjjLsnOuJkUvvnA0LXRh2dXFgBi6833g54QQcOoU/s320/DSC07736.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You'll want to keep adding liquid until it looks like the above picture. It'll be super sticky and will cling to an upside-down spoon, but it will not hold its form. I generally end up adding a whole can of coconut milk and a bit of water, but the amount of liquid needed may vary with the air humidity in your area. If you think you've made the dough too thin, don't stress out! Just add more flour until the dough feels right. This recipe is extremely forgiving. (Seriously. Once I started out with about half as much sourdough starter as I needed and then added liquid until I had the right consistency. The bread came out perfectly.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezQbMFsIZ6HfJR8vtjNQ0YsrzdfH7g49x6QjFUlUtBVBFxXwsOxw0WOQd1gpdAQjAb21Bf0RVOKtNUzDTgaoTIox2biWSvOoj0FcoAxDY3Lclz0OO1iYCMG4-zRGiR6Lw1tHsSuR9EbgX/s1600/DSC07738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezQbMFsIZ6HfJR8vtjNQ0YsrzdfH7g49x6QjFUlUtBVBFxXwsOxw0WOQd1gpdAQjAb21Bf0RVOKtNUzDTgaoTIox2biWSvOoj0FcoAxDY3Lclz0OO1iYCMG4-zRGiR6Lw1tHsSuR9EbgX/s320/DSC07738.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then, beat the dough on medium-high for three minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. As you can see in the picture directly above, the dough will loosen a little, slapping the side of the bowl while it beats, and it will look a bit like thick cake batter. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy25xFP01yaIK_mzy3AqrTBLUVOOZCc1mklbZBxjJ-nGixqtBOwxVIGza5YXHG_mTTG615XQX4GU8HcHNMM12u__RQMpwHDvF1BSbaEZfaaLsiLPPux2I_jCcfxj2mM8TY9kioCZ7JA7A1/s1600/DSC07740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy25xFP01yaIK_mzy3AqrTBLUVOOZCc1mklbZBxjJ-nGixqtBOwxVIGza5YXHG_mTTG615XQX4GU8HcHNMM12u__RQMpwHDvF1BSbaEZfaaLsiLPPux2I_jCcfxj2mM8TY9kioCZ7JA7A1/s320/DSC07740.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pour or spoon the dough into either two greased loaf pans or two greased 12-muffin tins. Cover and let the dough raise for four to twelve hours, as is most convenient for you. The dough will continue to raise a bit even as it bakes. Loaves will require about an hour at 425, and rolls will require forty minutes to an hour at 375. Before you remove the bread from the oven, carefully extract one loaf or roll from its pan and tap its underside with your fingernail. If the loaf is ready to be removed from the oven, it will sound hollow.<br />
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Allow the bread to cool completely before you slice into it. After the first day, you may wish to store the bread in a plastic bag to keep it from becoming dry and crumbly. Generally, the bread freezes well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdO5j0kjVKlleYW6p4xS_oA0hgJEy7TCb0yoz7xDYkgWgHXAlsKoCmgW6uolQo2Qrmvvuw9VgnE1NyqoQJa3vAKaZ5lJKCDfWlnjqLi63kuQYkz6hqxrxzXQQDgZYgtSThE9JlDux-Yfa/s1600/DSC07681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdO5j0kjVKlleYW6p4xS_oA0hgJEy7TCb0yoz7xDYkgWgHXAlsKoCmgW6uolQo2Qrmvvuw9VgnE1NyqoQJa3vAKaZ5lJKCDfWlnjqLi63kuQYkz6hqxrxzXQQDgZYgtSThE9JlDux-Yfa/s320/DSC07681.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Don't be afraid to experiment, and be sure to comment with your results. Most of all, though, enjoy your bread!<br />
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Linked to <a href="http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/07/wellness-weekend-march-7-11-2013" target="_blank">Wellness Weekend 3/7/13</a> at Diet, Dessert and Dogs, <a href="http://www.allergyfreealaska.com/2013/03/07/whole-food-fridays-03-08-2013/" target="_blank">Whole Food Fridays 3/8/13</a> at Allergy Free Alaska, <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-31013/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed: ButterBeliever (Butter Believer)&utm_content=Google Feedfetcher" target="_blank">Sunday School 3/10/13</a> at Butter Believer, <a href="http://www.thedailydietribe.com/2013/03/5-ingredient-mondays-sugar-free.html" target="_blank">5 Ingredient Monday 3/11/13</a> at the Daily Dietribe, <a href="http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-031213/" target="_blank">Slightly Indulgent Tuesday 3/12/13</a> at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, and <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-3-13-13/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 3/13/13</a> at Holistic SquidAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-80267000145729776122013-02-28T11:28:00.002-06:002014-01-25T17:46:51.669-06:00Cellular Respiration-or, if you prefer, The Makings of Really Good Bread.<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This post comes a little later than I had expected, but I wanted to be sure that I got it right. This being my first recipe post, and me being a bread lover, it seemed most appropriate to share a bread recipe. A gluten, dairy and egg-free sourdough bread recipe, to be precise. </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ain't she a beaut?</span></div>
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What's there left for it to be made of, you might ask? (Or, at least, that's what one of my friends asked me via Facebook as I documented my work.) Well, not much, and therein lies the magic of this recipe; it can be as simple or as complex as you please.</div>
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Before I get into the details, though, it is important to note that I did not develop this recipe entirely on my own. Rather, I offer a variation of the sourdough bread recipe from the <a href="http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/2010/10/sourdough-bread-boule-gluten-free/" target="_blank">Art of Gluten-Free Baking</a>, along with additional tips and tricks that I have discovered along the way. Now, on to the recipe sharing!</div>
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The first thing to do is grow a sourdough starter. Sourdough bread, like most other breads, is leavened by yeast. Unlike most other breads, however, sourdough utilizes wild yeasts. A sourdough starter is, figuratively speaking, the net with which one may catch wild yeasts from the air.</div>
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Now, here's where the simple part comes in: a sourdough starter can be made with just flour and water--about <strong>one cup of each</strong> should do. It is important to use filtered water, since tap water often contains chemicals like chlorine, added to keep out micro-flora like our yeast friends. As far as the flour goes, yeast seem to like fattier, more protein-filled flours the best, but any type will work as long as it contains starch. I like to mix a big bag of 2 parts navy bean flour, 1 part teff flour and 1 part brown rice flour, as per <a href="http://nourishingfoodways.com/2011/03/29/gluten-free-whole-flour-mix-recipe-2/" target="_blank">Nourishing Foodways'</a> flour blend, and use that to feed my yeast.</div>
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Mix your flour and water together in a wide-mouthed jar or a pot, and let it sit on your counter. You'll want to cover it with a loose-fitting lid or a clean dishtowel; the idea is to attract wild yeast while keeping any bugs out. I also added a fourth cup or so of honey into mine, to further entice the little yeasties, but it isn't necessary.</div>
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Continue to feed the starter with a one cup each of water and flour, once or twice a day as you think of it. Within a few days, you'll notice bubbles pucker and pop when you stir the starter. It will begin to smell rather like sour cream, and the air in the jar/pot will feel warm. Congradulations! This evidence of cellular respiration signifies the maturity of your sourdough starter! In other words, you are ready to begin baking.</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">You can't really see the bubbles in this picture, but you'll notice them when you stir your starter.</span></div>
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When you use your sourdough starter, you'll want to make sure there is always a little bit left so that you won't have to go through all the trouble of attracting yeast every time you want bread. At this stage, don't feel too bad if you forget to feed the starter for a day or two at a time. It should be pretty stable, especially if you feed it whole grain or otherwise oily and protein-y flours. If you know that you won't be able to feed it for a length of time, or if you do not wish to bake with it for a length of time, you can store it in the refridgerator and feed it a minimum of once a week.</div>
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Seeing as how this post has already become quite lengthy, I will walk through the rest of this recipe in my next post, which I will publish posthaste! Until then, by all means, waste no time in starting your own sourdough starter.</div>
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Linked to: <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-3313/" target="_blank">Sunday School 3/3/13</a> at Butter Believer, <a href="http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-030513/" target="_blank">Slightly Indulgent Tuesday 3/5/13</a> at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, and <a href="http://holisticsquid.com/party-wave-wednesday-3-06-13/" target="_blank">Party Wave Wednesday 3/6/13</a> at Holistic Squid</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-50672770740274826102013-02-15T18:19:00.004-06:002014-01-25T17:48:50.788-06:00The Learning CurvePrior to any dietary restrictions, my mom did most of my family's grocery shopping. She could run in and out of the grocery store in about 35 minutes, zipping through the aisles in record time. <br />
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Now, I always accompany my mom on trips to the grocery store. Expert label-reader that I am, it still takes a good deal of time to comb through a store--actually, several stores--to find allergen-free foods. And then, as complicated as grocery shopping can be, it's only half the battle. Sometimes, the real struggle takes place in the kitchen.<br />
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There's a learning curve, but after a period of transition, the process of shopping for and preparing food becomes streamlined. Here are a few of the lessons that have helped me in the past few months:<br />
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<strong>1.</strong> <strong>Focus on fresh, whole foods</strong>. When it comes to finding allergen-free food, the outer ring of the grocery store is your best bet. In a conventional grocery store, you're much more likely to find peanut, soy, or whatever else-free meats and produce than cookies and crackers. In this way, food allergies are a blessing in disguise: they give you an extra kick to eat healthily.<br />
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<strong>2. Find new favorites. </strong>Rather than try to replace old favorites with an exact allergen-free equivalent, which can be disappointing, sometimes it's best to find new favorites entirely. You might be amazed what variety of fruits and vegetables your local grocery store offers. You also might be amazed to realize which ones you haven't yet tried. <br />
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Another good place to search for new favorites is the ethnic food aisle. My favorite things from the ethnic food aisle are canned coconut milk, red and green curry paste, puppodums, rice paper wraps, dried legumes and grains. <br />
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You could also purchase more exotic ingredients, such as blueberry balsamic vinegar or flavored extracts, online.<br />
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<strong>3. Keep snacks around. </strong>It's a good idea to keep some quick-preparing pantry staples on hand. Gluten free crackers aren't always very tasty, but you'll sure be glad you thought to purchase some when the fridge is empty.<br />
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<strong>4. Don't be afraid to mess up. </strong>This one is key. Especially with baking, mistakes happen. Not everything that you make is going to taste good, but that's okay. It's part of the journey. You won't learn anything if you never try anything new. <br />
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<strong>5. Figure out what works for you. </strong>Some people like foods that others might not, and some people are willing to put more time into their food than others. Every body is different, so take all advice with a grain of salt.<br />
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Well, that's it for today! I'll be back next week, possibly with a recipe for gluten free sourdough. See you then!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363637595412275026.post-43880942111030548552013-02-08T22:02:00.002-06:002014-01-25T22:19:51.889-06:00My Story<br />
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As a kid, my favorite food was always bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I loved nothing more than to stuff myself with a thick, yeasty pizza
crust every Saturday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did I
know, my favorite food didn’t love me back.<br />
<br />
When I was in fifth grade, I developed a hereditary skin disease called
psoriasis. I wore long-sleeved polo shirts and long pants, rain or shine, to
cover the angry red splotches that peppered my arms, legs and torso. A flaky
crust of dried skin blanketed my scalp, choking out some of my hair. After
trying a dozen different creams and lotions to no avail, I visited a
dermatologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor was
specifically a children’s dermatologist, but as a fifth grade student, I found
his brusque approach intimidating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
thoroughly overwhelmed when the visit closed with a blood draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the medications prescribed by the
dermatologist were effective in temporarily easing my symptoms of psoriasis,
the rash always returned.<br />
<br />
In middle school, the clues continued to emerge:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>breakfast left me feeling unsettled, and all
too often, my stomach ached terribly, inexplicably, in the middle of the afternoon.
When I moved on to high school, the discomfort came with me. By my sophomore
year of high school, digestive discomfort plagued me more often than not. <br />
<br />
I was determined to get to the bottom of the issue. Every night before I went
to sleep, I scoured the internet for individuals with experiences similar to my
own. I was shocked to find that many of the symptoms of Celiac disease exactly
matched my own. Here was an explanation for not only my digestive discomfort,
but also my psoriasis, migraines and moodiness. Repeated searches supported my
hypothesis. I was going to have to give up bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
At first, the idea of going gluten free terrified me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more I thought about it, though, the surer
I became that it was the thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Rather than repeat my experience with conventional medicine, I decided to
visit a naturopathic doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
doctor, barefoot and wearing a colorful sundress, personally greeted my mother
and me at the door of the clinic. We visited with her whilst filling out
paperwork, and then she sat down with us for nearly two hours, asking me
questions and explaining the inner-workings of the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor prescribed only dietary changes
and supplements, but a short while after visiting the naturopath, miscellaneous
and seemingly unrelated aches and pains disappeared. Within two weeks, the
after-dinner stomachaches ceased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
psoriasis, though not yet completely gone, was as minimal as it had been since
before fifth grade. <br />
<br />
As the naturopath explained it, the main principle of naturopathy is that the
body has the capacity to heal itself, and that all systems of the body work
together. The skin, for instance, might expel unwanted toxins that could not
otherwise be expelled from the body. This is why, in the long run, the topical
medications prescribed by the dermatologist were ineffective in combating my
psoriasis. However, when the pressure is removed from one system of the body, a
healthy balance is restored to the body as a whole. In my case, this was accomplished
by changing my diet. As it turned out, a blood test revealed that I was allergic
to not only wheat but also eggs, dairy, pineapple and halibut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Others often react with pity when they hear of my dietary restrictions, but
I don’t feel sorry for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead,
I feel sorry for those who eat whatever they please and later suffer the
consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot recommend a food allergy test highly enough.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<o:p> </o:p>Over time, I imagine that the contents of this blog will come to reflect my
interests in food and health, perhaps coupled with a bit of scientific
research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
As for now, thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll join me in my quest for
health.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<o:p> </o:p>Madeline<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03936717512113033538noreply@blogger.com0