I am still alive

Day one of cleansing after introducing eggs back into my diet and I don’t really notice any difference. I was definitely over stressed yesterday so was not emotionally normal but I physically felt fine. If I can react up to three days after so I have to be patient. I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting for everyone to get up so that we can open presents. Even when everyone finally established their seats around a decked out tree of kid ornaments and ornaments you have never seen before I had to wait my turn to open the next present. Let me tell you in a family of seven it felt like forever!

It is exactly how I feel about reintroducing 33 foods in their pure form back into my diet. Challenge on day one then wait three days to see how I feel and if all is good I can slowly bring that food back into my diet. No reason to completely shock my system by eating eggs non-stop once I know they are good to me. I wish I could say I see the light at the end of the tunnel but I don’t all I see at this point is wheat and milk in the next week. Game on….

Menu:

Breakfast – rice chex and almond milk

Snack – grapes

Lunch – butternut squash soup and turkey

Snack – apples and soy vanilla latte

Dinner – turkey wrap with teff tortilla, turkey, peppers, avocado and lettuce. Carrots.

Snack – Wasabi rice crackers

Dessert – vanilla soy milk vegan choc chips

Happy Thoughts: feeling good about eggs which was a plus 3 on the list

Special Stuff: http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2010/03/cooking-for-one-eggs-for-dinner/

Other Notables: http://www.bulkfoods.com/yeast.htm

Day one of the challenge.

Have you ever been nervous before a game, buying a house or before a presentation at work? That is how I felt about eating eggs this morning. Knowing that I was putting something into my body that I could potentially react to or that could have a negative affect on me is completely against my motivation to go through this process in the first place.

How do you change your mind set to be able to accept that in your quest to be more healthy and feel better you could be doing something that will make you feel terrible. The doctor told me that I will know if my body does not agree with the challenge. What is the challenge? Intro one serving of the allergic food three times in one day and the following three days do not eat that food. If I don’t react then that food is ok to bring back into my diet slowly. It is scary for two reasons: 1. I could react to something I totally love. 2. I don’t react to anything at all and then what was the purpose of this whole thing!

Menu:

Breakfast – 2 hard boiled eggs

Snack – apple

Lunch – salad with turkey radish, jicama, 2 eggs, carrots, edamame, lettuce and apple poppy seed dressing.

Snack – white macadamia protein bar

Dinner – chicken, black beans, rice and guacamole.

Dessert – vegan chocolate chips and rice crispy treats

Happy Thoughts: Brewers yeast!

Special Stuff: http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2010/03/cooking-for-one-eggs-for-dinner/

Other Notables: Interesting article and perspective. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-03-03/entertainment/bal-ae.fo.kasper03mar03_1_cook-dishes-jones-meal

Cooking for one!

Cooking for yourself completely takes away from the Joy of Cooking. I love to be around others and create an experience in the process of building a table full of food. I understand why Chefs decide to pay for an education in culinary. I could never take cooking or baking that seriously but I enjoy the outcome and sharing that accomplishment with others. There is a feeling that you get that is unexplainable.

Needless to say cooking a meal for yourself regardless of how beautiful and amazing it is does not feel the same. Today I learned that I am motivated by others energy and produce a product so to speak that is a result of that interaction.

My mother always tells me that her food is so good because she pours a lot of love into it. I believe that is truly part of it but so is chemistry and not measuring! Its true every great chef is happy to share their recipe or ingredients that they use but good luck on any sort of measurements included in that recipe. I can do that sometimes but a true chef can do that any time anywhere with the ingredients that happen to be in the vicinity.

Menu:

Breakfast – Granola

Lunch – quinoa with peppers, guacamole, salt and pepper

Snack – granola

Dinner – butternut squash soup and chicken (mango apricot seasoning) wraps with sheeps cheese and lettuce

Dessert – rice crispy treats

Happy Thoughts: Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of this diet!

Special Stuff: http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/articles/living/livingalonerecipes

Other Notables: Books on Google…are you kidding me! http://books.google.com/books?id=iASsAQ7gMjkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=cooking+for+one&source=bl&ots=hnkiBzG3vd&sig=uqTMWmi81Mle9z3LbybNdMfRE0M&hl=en&ei=IBu9S5ndBpTesgP_7LWSBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CDQQ6AEwBg#v=twopage&q&f=false

Happiness....

What makes you happy?

I am in the business of…………

I could get up every day and……..

I surround myself with people who are………

I feel good about………….

I am looking forward to………….

Finish these sentences and spend some time checking in with yourself to make sure you are doing what makes you feel good inside and out!

Menu:

Breakfast – rice chex

Lunch – chicken and wasabi crackers

Snack – nectarine

Dinner – turkey tacos with black beans lettuce and guacamole

Dessert – chocolate sorbet

Happy Thoughts: Time for me!

Special Stuff: Where do you want to be in 5 years and what steps will it take for you to get there?

Other Notables: Motivation at work: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/21-proven-motivation-tactics/

Pizza!!!

Finally made the pizza crust! It was a very dense thin crust that was better than I expected. I am constantly reminded that you cant expect what you use to know as pizza can be created in a gluten and yeast free form. Especially without garlic or tomatoes but I managed to make it happen as close as possible.

Yeast-free Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free)

½ cup cornstarch

½ cup rice flour

2/3 cup milk or milk substitution

2 eggs or egg substitute

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons Italian spices

Mix everything together and then add to a cake or pie pan. Grease the pan first with pam spray. Cook for 8 to 10 min.

Menu:

Breakfast – nectarine and granola

Lunch – turkey teff wrap with avocado lettuce and peppers

Snack – sweet potato chips

Dinner – walnut cranberry salad and pizza with artichoke hearts, peppers, and sheeps milk cheese

Happy Thoughts: wine

Special Stuff: http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/the-best-homemade-deep-dish-pizza-crust-343612?ref=p_title

Other Notables: http://www.lifeglutenfree.com/mama_baby_gluten_free/

Philly here I come!

I am getting a little nervous about my work trip to Philly. For two months I will make the trip across the country and be in the middle of reintroducing all of these food items. I will land and venture to a empty apartment. I basically have to start from scratch on all of my food which is very expensive.

The last three years when I have traveled to DC for a month I didn’t have all of these crazy limitations and restrictions. At the very least it will be a learning experience to figure out how to make this work from the beginning again.

Menu:

Breakfast – Banana flax muffin and an apple

Lunch – turkey teff wrap with avocado lettuce and peppers

Snack – sweet potato chips and guacamole

Dinner – chicken with apricot mango sauce and rice

Dessert – silk chocolate milkJ

Happy Thoughts: wine

Special Stuff: http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/the-best-homemade-deep-dish-pizza-crust-343612?ref=p_title

Other Notables: http://www.lifeglutenfree.com/mama_baby_gluten_free/

Where's the beef?

What's the difference between grass feed and grain feed cows? This is a very interesting topic to which I have provided a link for further research. Bottom line: Grain fed have more Omega 6 vs. Omega 3. They also have a lot more saturated fat (not the good fat).There is also a lot less CLA which is the stuff that contributes to weight loss. Buy grass fed in the future if you have a choice! http://www.askahealer.com/grain-fed-beef.htm

Menu:

Breakfast – Rice Chex and an apple

Lunch – rice crackers and baja fiesta veggie grill salad

Snack – grapes

Dinner – grain feed top sirloin, asparagus with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Salad with garbanzos and mini peppers.

Dessert – espresso dark chocolate J

Happy Thoughts: wine

Special Stuff: http://www.heartofcooking.com/2009/11/gluten-free-pizza-crust-also-grain-free-dairy-free-yeast-free-and-sugar-free/

Other Notables: http://products.mercola.com/grass-fed-beef/

Running

It has been very beneficial for my workouts to be on this diet. I have had a lot more energy and nothing has rubbed me the wrong way when I am an hour into my cardio. If you are a runner I am sure you understand that there are certain things you can eat before a run that will fuel you properly and not bother you later in the run. Marathoners know and understand that what you eat the day before the race and during the race can affect how you perform. For example I cant eat apples. I don’t know what it is but apples can completely ruin my run.

I plan on entering the lottery for the Nike Women’s Marathon in October. I am so excited to be back in the circuit again. My injuries over the last 8 years have prohibited my ability to run more than 7 miles. After visiting the chiropractor over the last 2 months I am finally aliened and structurally ok to train. Game on!

Menu:

Breakfast – oatmeal

Lunch – rice crackers and granola

Snack – grapes apple

Dinner – chips guacamole turkey tacos with lettuce and a margarita.

Dessert – vegan choc chips J

Happy Thoughts: Running!

Special Stuff: http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/

Other Notables: http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/09/hazelnut-pizza-crust.html

EGGS

It is decision time. I am so excited to start challenging the foods I have been without back into my diet. There is definitely a strategy to the process so that I can actually eat the foods I want the most. Eggs are in a lot of foods so I think they are going to be first. I have to eat eggs in their pure form for breakfast lunch and dinner. Whoa!

Menu:

Breakfast – apple

Lunch – rice crackers with turkey

Snack – grapes

Dinner – chicken tacos with chili pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Lettuce and black beans with sheeps milk cheese.

Dessert – vegan choc chips J

Happy Thoughts: tomato’s or eggs

Special Stuff: Such a great idea! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mango-Strawberry-Salsa/Detail.aspx

Other Notables: I can’t eat all of this stuff but it was still worth posting! http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Breakfast-and-Brunch/Egg-Dishes/Top.aspx

Bananas, bananas, bananas

I went to see the doctor today because I had a reaction to something. April 1 was my original date to talk about challenging foods into my diet. There was no conclusion to what the cause of the reaction which is frustrating. I knew that my first choice of yeast was out the door before it even left the doctors lips and I was so upset. She said I could choose anything else until I got the rash under control which should be about three weeks. It is like have someone say you will get to do something and after 60 plus days of anticipation they say…well never mind you need to wait 3 more weeks or 21 days. On top of that you know why but don’t know what caused your problem and have no guarantee that 3 weeks is enough.

Menu:

Breakfast – rice chex with banana

Lunch – banana smoothie homemade trail mix

Snack –fruit salad

Dinner – rice chex with banana

Dessert – none

Happy Thoughts: bananas!

Special Stuff: http://chronic-illness-treatments.suite101.com/article.cfm/benefits_of_a_glutenfree_diet

Other Notables: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/696

BE REAL!

Here we go again….what makes a story good is new and real experiences. I live in an environment that is very cookie cutter and lacks personality. There are more chains and people who have to be first and look perfect just to go to the grocery store. People avoid making eye contact because they are too busy or too cool or something.

Kindness is a choice but most people just don’t have time and don’t care. How many times a day do you say “How are you?” and truly mean it or is the response normally “fine”? I think it is important to find opportunities to actually connect with the people you care about.

Find those opportunities.

Menu:

Breakfast – apple

Lunch – turkey and rice crackers

Snack – almond milk with flax seed

Dinner – super spicy soup

Dessert – rice krispy treats

Happy Thoughts: Gluten Free restaurants and bakery’s!

Special Stuff: http://www.glutenfreeregistry.com/gluten-free-state-search.do?state=CA

Other Notables: http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/ List your fav!

REFRESH

At this point it may seem like my blog is completely redundant because I am eating the same things. Believe me I feel the same way! I am living this and am trying to maintain my work schedule, workout schedule, and personal life while keeping it all fresh. I am working to get back on track and as I start to re-intro stuff into my diet I look forward to making this worthwhile to whoever is following.

Margaritas

I never knew there were so many margarita recipes out there. What does it take to make an amazing margarita without lemon? What combination of alcohol is the best?

This is a work in progress but I have included a recipe I found below and changed it a little to be less expensive and allergy free.

Menu:

Breakfast – banana flax muffins

Lunch – Salad with avocado turkey and garbanzo beans

Snack – peaches

Dinner – Halibut tacos with avocado and lettuce.

Dessert – none

Happy Thoughts: Mexican Food

Special Stuff: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/organic-manifesto?cm_mmc=Newsletter-_-2010_Mar_24-_-Dose-_-9ReasonstoSwitchtoOrganic

Other Notables: http://www.drinksmixer.com/cat/244/

Margaritas

Ingredients (1 margaritas)

· 1 lime, halved

· Coarse salt

· ¼ cup lime

· ½ shot of Grand Marnier

· 1 shot Good tequila

· Ice

life change

March 18, 2010

What does it take to make a life change? Knowing that there is an end to this diet just makes it more and more difficult each day. I have a very strong will and when motivated to do something I will do it and there is not anything that will stop me.

I have to tell you that this is more difficult to maintain then anything I have ever set my mind to do. Typically I give up coffee and chocolate for lent but not this year because I feel like I have given up enough. I guess what I have learned is that I truly have a passion for food and enjoy each and every facet of cooking and sharing food.

Menu:

Breakfast - oatmeal with almond milk and flax seed meal

Lunch – turkey meat

Snack –apple and trail mix

Dinner – Coconut shrimp and coconut rice

Dessert – rice crispy treats

Happy Thoughts: March Madness

Special Stuff: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/running-tips-beginners-guide?cm_mmc=Newsletter-_-2010_Apr_07-_-Dose-_-readon

Other Notables: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUluIUPfxVo&feature=fvw