Yummy Crock-Pot Enchilada Soup

So, here is a soup that I created by combining a few recipes. The cream-cheese is optional if you are wanting to go completely Paleo. Actually, that is not true. The Frontera has cream in it. I chose this enchilada sauce versus the others because the others had corn syrup in them. I would rather have all natural ingredients, including cream, versus corn syrup. I have been off dairy for about a month but when I saw the block of cream cheese in my fridge I just knew that I better use it up or it was going to go bad. Here is my soup creation. It is basically chicken, veggies, spices and optional cheese.

GMOs: What are they?

Here is a very interesting article about GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). The article talks about what GMOs are and the article also explains how pesticides that farmers are using are affecting our health, in particular our gut. It is a very interesting article. GMOs Article: What are They and How are They Affecting our Bodies?

Burpless Fish-Oil Trick

Part of my new diet is to take fish-oil. I am not a fan of it by any means because in the past I have always burped it up (how disgusting). My doctor told me that if you freeze your gel capsules and then take them you don't burp them up. It COMPLETELY works! I assume that by the time they thaw out they have passed the stomach and are too far in the digestive system to burp up. You gotta try it. Let me know your results!

Feeling Different

Today I am not talking about what I ate, it was nothing amazing. Instead, I would rather share with you how I have been feeling. First, I have noticed so far with my diet change is that I am less tired. I have not had the mid -afternoon crash that I normally feel. Usually by 2:00 in the afternoon I have all I can do to keep awake. I then usually drink a soda or have some sort of "boost" to get me through until dinner time. I was told that I can still have coffee but to limit my intake to one cup a day. I have never been a more than one cup of coffee gal. I have been drinking a cup of coffee in the morning but I don't really seem to need it. So, getting through the day without feeling like I need a nap is an amazing and exciting change.

The second change, is weird to me and again it is about how I feel. This evening I told my husband that he was going to think that I am crazy but I have been having this uncontrollable feeling as if I have forgotten something. Do you know the feeling that you get when you forget to put on your wedding band or another piece of jewelry like a watch? You feel "weird" until you put the item on again. I have been feeling that way but to me the feeling is in my arms. It is similar to the feeling you get when you carry something heavy and then you put it down. Your arms feel lighter and free. So, mentally I have the sensation that I have forgotten  something. Physically my arms feel lighter as if I have put down something heavy that I have been hauling around forever. I wonder if anyone else has had weird physical sensations when going on a dietary cleanse. I would love to know! Share your comments and thoughts if you like!

Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free and Dairy-Free

Ok, As some of you may know, I have struggled with many stomach problems. I have a lot of heart burn, I am constantly starving, and I have severe stomach pains often after I eat. I have battled with these stomach issues since I was in college. Now, about 17 years later I am still struggling and the symptoms are getting worse. After doing a lot of reading online and talking with friends, I decided to try and go gluten-free.

Going gluten free had been working for me. A lot of my symptoms improved greatly. However, they are starting to come back now.

A few months ago I went to a gastroenterology doctor and he told me that nothing is wrong with me with my stomach. He chalked it up as IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome).  He told me to continue going gluten free since it did help my "symptoms" and that not much else could be done for me.

I went to my OBGYN doctor a couple of weeks ago and she referred me to a doctor that specializes in allergies. I spoke with him and he explained that all of my symptoms are symptoms that are common with food sensitivities. He told me that the problem with "western" medicine is that if you cannot prove a problem with a test then the patient doesn't have a problem. He said that he cannot test me for food sensitivity. Allergy testing with food generally is used when someone is trying to figure out a life threatening allergy, otherwise the results won't show up. So, he decided that I continue to go gluten free. In addition to that, I should, for the next 30 days, go soy free, dairy free and corn free. After 30 days, I am suppose to go back to him and slowly start to put back the foods that were eliminated to see what makes me feel sick, fine etc...

Here is my outlined menu:

Breakfast A vegan protein powder (made with brown rice and pea protein), fresh or frozen berries, honey and coconut or almond milk. Mix it all together and make a smoothie. He said to add avocado to make it smooth.

A.M. snack and afternoon snack: a piece of fresh fruit (avoid bananas because they are high in sugar) and a handful of raw nuts, preferably walnuts.

Lunch: meat, eggs, or another smoothly along with two cups of frozen or fresh veggies cooked (just not canned).

Dinner is the same as lunch with the addition of a grain such as rice or Quinoa (see a previous post on Quinoa).

Things that I cannot have for one month:
dairy
alcohol
chocolate
corn
soy
juices
gluten

Let's see how I do!

Day 2 of my 30 day dairy-free, gluten-free, corn-free and soy-free meal plan

Today was a good day. For breakfast I had a protein shake with vegan (pea and rice) protein powder, almond milk, strawberries and a splash of honey.

For lunch I had a bean burrito by Amy's. Amazingly enough it was corn, soy and dairy free. I was in a hurry and did not plan ahead. Ugh.

Tonight for dinner I did not have as much protein nor vegetables as I would have liked but I am taking a night class and the only "all natural" healthy food I could find was veggie sushi. I chose this because I knew that my dinner meal should be some grain, lots of veggies and some protein. The protein was missing but I figured that this was going to be my healthiest option considering normally when I am in a hurry I stop for fast food. 

You would surprised at how difficult it is to find anything that is made without corn syrup or soy. The sad part is that the healthier our foods are in this country then the more expensive they cost. 

On my way home I stopped at Target and bought some chocolate almond milk and vanilla coconut milk for the shakes in the morning. I am not a fan of the vegan powder. I am not sure if it the taste or the texture that I dislike the most. I do however like the fact that the protein powder does not taste like artificial sweetener at all, whether it be Stevia or some other non-sugar product.

Ok, I got side tracked, while I was at Target I noticed that I could get the Sunshine fruit bars as a frozen treat and I also found "ice-cream" made from coconut milk that was dairy-free and soy-free. 

I cannot even imagine trying to find non-dairy ice cream even five years ago at Target. I think that the more healthy our society tries to become, the more retailers will begin to listen to our requests. I was happy with my coconut ice cream find. It for sure was nothing like the real deal but it did quench my thirst for a frozen creamy dessert. It was not amazing but it was good. I just needed a couple of bites and my appetite was satisfied.

I think the goal to being successful with this diet switch will be to plan ahead. It is not a diet that I can just open up the fridge and think about what I want to eat. No dairy is hard. No string cheese, no creamer in my coffee, no yogurt on the go. 

My ultimate desire is to finally figure out what is causing so many stomach issues and possibly lose a pound or two as well.

TTFN.

Fage Yogurt Another Great Discovery!

I am not a big fan of yogurt. However, I have always wanted to really like it, so when I had the opportunity to try the yogurt for free through the amazing company BzzAgent, I thought that I would be adventurous and try it, what did I have to lose? 

When I went to buy the 17.5 ounce package I was disappointed in the fact that there were no flavors to choose from other than plain. When I got home I tried the yogurt and to my surprise, Fage is seriously the creamiest and tastiest yogurt that I have ever had. It has a texture like sour cream and has a slight cream cheese taste. I chopped up a banana and put it in the yogurt with a sprinkle of sugar...Delicious.

My friend told me that she always uses Fage plain yogurt to make dips, she uses it as a mayonnaise substitute. What a great idea. I am sure there other great ways to use the yogurt. If you have an idea, please share with me and my blogg readers. I truly recommend this yogurt. I am now a Fage believer!

BzzAgent Link to get free products just for sharing your opinions! BzzAgent: Get Products for Free and Share Your Opinions

Qinoa Grain...pronounced "KEEN WAH"

Yesterday we tried Qinoa grain instead of white rice. I am not a brown rice fan so when I saw the Qinoa grain I was not too excited. I was pleasantly surprised at how good and soft the grain is. It is Gluten-free and does NOT have the texture of brown rice. To me it is very similar to couscous and is amazingly tasty. We had it with grilled salmon. We put some salt, olive oil and lemon on the qinoa and it was great. I would highly recommend this grain if you are trying to find a complex carbohydrates that contains protein!

Here are Some Qinoa Facts:

One of the latest superfoods to be touted by celebrity trainers and the like is quinoa.

What makes "keen-wah" so nutritious? We’ve got the scoop on quinoa nutrition facts.

Most people who have heard of quinoa think it’s a grain, and judging by how it’s pronounced, some assume it’s from the Orient.

But technically, quinoa is a seed, not a grain and it’s grown high in the Andes Mountains of South America.

Quinoa plants have been cultivated at altitudes of well over 10,000 feet and have been considered a superfood for at least a few millennia — in fact, the Incas cherished it as a superfood of their own.

Here in the U.S., quinoa has been discovered as a nutritious asset and enjoyed culinary popularity within only the last few years. Here’s why…

Eat one cup of quinoa (a single serving size), and you’ll consume:

• 220 calories (70 percent carbs, 15 percent fat, 15 percent protein)
• 40 grams of carbohydrates (13 percent daily value)
• 8 grams of protein (16 percent of daily value)
• 3.5 grams of fat (5 percent daily value with no saturated fat)
• A glycemic load (blood sugar spike) of only 18 out of 250
• 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of daily value)
• 20 percent of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
• 30 percent of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches); 28 percent daily value of phosphorous; iron (15 percent); copper (18 percent); and manganese (almost 60 percent) from the site: One of the latest superfoods to be touted by celebrity trainers and the like is quinoa. from the site: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/quinoa-nutrition-facts