Wednesday, August 20, 2014

How to appeal to children with a restaurant palettle

Only one left to be photographed means success!
Start with onions and garlic

My not so secret ingredient
over ripe pineapple makes great marinade
everything in
I am cooking for a couple of kids who has a restaurant palette and I am really trying to stay AIP so I don't accidental bite into non-compliant food that will turn my stomach into a knot,  so tonight's dinner will be AIP Pineapple Kombucha chicken wings.

7 lbs whole chicken wings with tip and all


Marinade
2 c. over rip pineapple chunks
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp pink himalayan
2 c Kombucha
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed



Rinse chicken wings and drain

Put all marinade ingredients in blender and blend.

Add to chicken wings and marinade for 2 hours or longer.

Grill on BBQ  ( 30 min in direct heat ) or bake in reheated oven 375F  - 40mins until cooked


Monday, August 18, 2014

Faux Hot choc-car-ob

As I continue on my AIP journey, I stopped living in denial that I can happily eat dark chocolate and not feel the effects after. I am trying to stop the one step forward two steps back mentality so I can go full force forward towards healing. 

I do miss a hot cup of dark hot chocolate as a treat and it has been a long time since I've had one. Recently I learned that carob, besides being AIP compliant, has other healing properties that can support my gut healing routine. 

Here is my recipe of what I call faux hot choc-car-ob, I chuckled when I came up with the name because it sounds like a bad Chinese accent at play, something out of Seinfeld. 

Faux Hot choc-car-ob

It looks like dark chocolate

Ingredients
  • 2 tsp carob powder
  • 3 tbsp coconut cream ( I use the Savoy brand ) with 1 1/2 c. water or 1 1/2 c. Coconut milk ( just coconut milk and water, no other thickener please ) 
  • 1 tsp honey or Maple syrup (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp gluten free vanilla
  • Sprinkle cinnamon (optional) 


Instructions:
  1. Mix all the above ingredients with a hand blender to get rid of the lumps 
  2. Warmed it up on the stove in a pan. 
  3. Pour in mug and serve. 

but it tastes different in a good way
An empty cup is a sign of yumminess





Saturday, August 16, 2014

What do I eat in a day

One of my group AIP & Paleo Canada have come up with an idea of posting what a day in our AIP life looks like. Guidelines are state the health issue you are trying to address with the AIP approach and list what we ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with any supplements we take. This is a great way to support each other and let others have a glimpse of our one day menu.

Diagnosed mild to moderate Ulcerative Colitis June 1, 2013 confirmed by colonscopy.

Short term ASACOL and Salafolk, unable to control bleeding.
August 12 Went to hospital for pain management and fluid rehydration
Start 5 weeks prednisone

Bought Against All grains book and starting my Paleo journey week 2 of steroids

6 months later, went into another flare, stress and stomach bug triggered. Lost excessive weight, rebuilt with Absorb Plus pre- digested meal replacements for 3 - 4 months. Slowly reintroduce foods.

Explore other diet options, SCD, GAPS, Listen to your gut, AIP

Breakfast: Smoothie - homemade Milk kefir, Coconut milk kefir, frozen banana, baby romaine leaf from garden, grass fed gelatin,  Udo's 3.6.9. oil, stevia drops

Lunch: AIP meatballs - pork and beef, beets, carrots, onions, pink himalayan salt, steamed broccoli and carrots

Dinner: Kombucha, AIP pork ribs - beets, carrot, onions, garlic, ACV, pink himalayan salt, steamed carrots, fresh blueberries, cherries, spinach, melon, cantaloup

Dessert: Acorn Squash coconut milk Faux-nomeal.

Supplements: 5000-10000 UI Vit D, slippery elm and marshmallow root gruel to soothe digestion track. George's Always alive aloe juice to heal bleeding ulcers in colon. Include food source probiotics daily - homemade Kombucha, Water, Kefir, Milk Kefir, Coconut Milk Kefir, fermented vegetables.

Current progress: If my worst flare was a 1 like back in January, I feel I am at a 6. My fatigue, inflammation and digestive systems fluctuate day by day. Diet focus AIP. Find grazing helps digestion.  Starting working with a homeopath beginning of July and seeing progress with improving energy and decreasing gut symptoms.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Letter to restaurants management

I have been quite apprehensive about eating out at restaurants in fear that there will be something ( usually always something ) I cannot tolerate in the cooking. I have turned down many invites or sat and drank water while watching my friends or family eat, which is worst that staying home. There is a family birthday coming up and last year to the date I could not attend because  I was in the ER for fluids and pain management to calm a bad Colitis Flare. This year I could stay home, but it is a bit of a milestone and celebration for me too to join my family. So instead of hoping for the best, I am being proactive and wrote this letter to the restaurant ahead of time. I learned this from my network who aims to heal their bodies with food. Many of the people in my network are also battling some form of chronic autoimmune conditions.


Dear Management of ____________,


My family is considering having a dinner at your restaurant this coming _____________ for a party of __________people. However, I have severe food allergies and must inquiry to see if I am able to join my family for dinner. I reviewed your menu and see that the salmon or steak maybe the best possible choice for me as long as there are no ingredients I am allergic to used in their preparation. I cannot tolerate dairy, gluten, nightshades ( tomatoes, eggplant, peppers including spices like paprika, black pepper ok ), legumes, corn and soy. I would be happy with a plain steak or piece of cooked fish with steamed or boiled vegetables. Please let me know by __________  if your kitchen is willing to accommodate my dietary restrictions so I can celebrate the family event at your establishment.

Sincerely,

Friday, August 8, 2014

The best probiotic power shake without the powder

Being on a very restrictive diet often makes me miss foods I used to consume, a regular milkshake is one of them.

When I was battling really intense Ulcerative Colitis symptoms only months ago, I had to rely on an Elemental diet ( pre-digested food supplement ) I used to take 3-4 Absorb Plus shakes a day and that helped heal my gut and gave me energy to carry out my day to day activities. As my body slowly healed, I was able to decrease the number of Absorb plus and slowly introduce easy to digest foods. 

Now, I still start my day with a nutrient packed shake that is much tastier than powder. I use Milk kefir and coconut milk kefir to power up my shake with 50+ strains of probiotics. The kefirs also offer a good source of good fats and protein, then I add my grass fed gelatin for more protein and gut healing powers and joint support. I keep a supple of frozen fruit in the freezer and add to it as I buy fresh fruit. I have found the combination of these ingredient gives me the best thick milkshake like texture and amazing taste. 

This is my go to meal replacement, a treat or dessert. This shake is so good that it makes me forget all about any food restrictions. 

Powderless power probiotic shake


Excitement

Ingredients


  • 1/8 c Milk Kefir
  • 1/8 c Coconut milk Kefir
  • 1 tsp Grass Fed Gelatin
  • 1 tbsp Udo's oil
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1-2 frozen strawberries
  • handful of frozen fruit of your choice, sometimes I add baby greens from my garden
  • 3 drops stevia ( optional )
  • 2 tbsp water if your blender cannot handful all the frozen fruit
Instruction

  1. Put all ingredients in a blender, I use a Nutribullet and let everything sit for a couple minutes to defrost before blending, otherwise I sometimes get chunks of the frozen fruit in the smoothie. If you have Vitamix or Blendtec, you probably can go straight to blending.


Ingredients
Had to share with my son 
always keep frozen fruit on hand

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Back to the kitchen

Omnivore Tartine - pulled pork, tangy slaw, and picked red onion
Paleo Tartine summer melons dressed with balsamic, mint, arugala and topped with speck, shrimp tomato bisque


A quick visit to my favorite eatery in Bellingham - Twofiftyflore inspired me to get creative in the kitchen again. I have been tweaking my homeopathic doses with my homeopath and the last dose was not strong enough. This left me with more gut symptoms and less energy.  Yesterday, my homeopath suggested a stronger dose and after taking it, I am feeling better today. I took a nap after my inspiring lunch and felt recharged and ready to take on the kitchen again. 


 I found an open kobucha squash and a yam and decided to whip up a fluffy dish.


Squash and Yam mash

Ready to be broiled for a few minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 c of kobucha or delicata squash, cut into large pieces for easier cooking 
  • 1 larger yam, peeled and cut
  • 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions
  1. Bring enough water to boil in deep pot
  2. Boil squash and yam until soft ( about 10 mins ). 
  3. Transferred them to my standup mixer and with the wire attachment, 
  4. Whipped the warm starches with ghee and coconut oil. 
  5. Add more hot water if the consistency is too thick


like to use kobucha or delicata because you don't have to peel it. This alternative mash smelled as good as it tasted. My 4 yo asked for the wire attachment to lick like it was used on whipping cream. I seasoned it with himalayan pink salt and pepper.  This made a great side dish for my BBQ salmon as shown below. Lately, I have mainly been attending to all my ferments in the kitchen so it sure is good to be preparing fun dishes again. 
Whipping kobucha squash and yam with ghee and coconut oil
My dinner plate - BBQ salmon, cold summer squash noodle salad, whipped kobucha and yam, steamed broccoli