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
  

Forks Over Knives...

Whether or not you believe documentaries, I think everyone should see the documentary "Forks Over Knives Documentary". (I have linked the product to make it easier for you to find). As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The documentary why dairy and meats are not good for human consumption. I personally consume both but I still was able to take away basic health information that makes me think more when going grocery shopping. Here is a favorite vegan recipe off of their website that I LOVE and the kids LOVE too!

6 ~ Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins*

Serves 6-12

• 1 medium banana, mashed 
• 1 (15-oz.) can sweet pumpkin puree 
• 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 2 cups whole oat flour 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 
• 1 cup grain-sweetened dairy-free chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine mashed banana, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

2. In a small bowl, combine oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Transfer mixture to large bowl and mix together gently until well combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent toughness in the final product. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spoon batter into silicon muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned. Remove muffins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Store muffins in an airtight container.

*Recipe derived from Julieanna Hever’s Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins in Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, edited by Gene Stone

Chicken with lemon-chipotle salad dressing and a few modifications! Substitute Cilantro for Basil

Chicken with lemon chipotle salad dressing  was...another winner by Williams-Sonoma...This was a great recipe that we tried tonight. I always enjoy putting a spin on recipes. I made a couple of minor adjustments. Feel free to try them, or just follow the #recipe. 

Modification 1: Instead of a rotisserie chicken I chose to grill chicken breasts sprinkled with Mrs. Dash's no salt southwest chipotle seasoning. (I have linked the product to make it easier for you to find). As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

"Modification" 2: Also, the entire theme or at least the ingredients were more "southwestern" but a strong flavor in the dressing was basil. I did not think about it until I was eating the salad but I really think with this theme, cilantro would have made this dish spectacular instead of Basil. Basil seems to be more of an Italian #seasoning in my opinion. 

Modification 3: I also added two more ripe avocados because they are our #favorite.  Overall, the kids loved the #chicken and the #avocados and we would definitely make this dish again! 

Thank you, #Williams-Sonoma!

Leave a comment to let me know your thoughts about the recipe.

A Healthier Version of a "Traditional" Comfort Food....Tator Tot Hot Dish

As you know, we have been trying to eat very healthy over the past year or so because our goal is to get, and to keep Kevin's cholesterol down at "normal" levels. The other day I was really craving a "comfort food" so I decided to investigate the ingredients for Tator Tot Hot Dish to see how I could make it healthier. Here is what I did....

I took very lean ground beef (93% or higher), skim milk, "Healthy Request" cream of mushroom soup (low in fat and cholesterol), tator tots (which don't have fat or cholesterol), low-fat cheddar cheese, and a packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix "Beefy Onion."

Now I know that this is, as a rule, not the healthiest casserole, but I took something a bit unhealthy and made is just a little bit better for us. I think that is the key. Trying to incorporate healthy habits into every meal eventually just becomes a part of you. It at one point seems "sinful" to not try and eat healthier!

Here is the recipe...