Paleo Challenge - Day 30 - Report and Celebrate

Today is Day 30 of my Paleo diet challenge! How am I looking, feeling and performing?

Officially, I've lost 4 lbs as of last Tuesday (though I expect that number to have gone up since yesterday). I'm going to man up and make my husband take bikini pictures of me tonight, so I have something to compare to how I looked a month ago. I have had a few people comment that I'm looking healthier, or that something looks different about me, so I'm hoping to see good things in the pictures. I haven't really seen a marked difference in the mirror from day to day.

Verdict is still out on how I'm feeling. Some days are good, some are not so good. Not worse than usual, but I was expecting to have my GI issues clear up a bit more. However, I have been eating more red meat, bacon, butter and kale, all of which I have wondered about in the past. Now may be the time to start experimenting with which of those may be triggering my discomfort.

I have definitely been performing better. Yestereday was a testament to that! We did our annual trek up Mt Timpanogos. It was a blast! Finished in 12 hours exactly (w/ a lot of breaks in there). Pics and food log coming soon!

The best part of the day was that I felt like I owned that hike! We've done this hike several years in a row now, and every time, it's kicked my trash! This year, it was still hard, but at the end of the day, I wasn't dead. Which is insane, because last year, I had been working out and hiking quite frequently to prepare myself for this hike. And I did BETTER this year. The only thing I can think of to attribute it to is MY DIET! Paleo living helped me perform better than I ever have!

I also didn't eat as much as I was expecting to on the hike. I consumed about 1500 calories before and during the hike. I couldn't even finish my BLTA sandwich at the top of the mountain!

Then we got home, and after freshening up, headed to dinner. I didn't *feel* overly hungry, considering I'd just burned about 4000 calories! I did end up eating about another 1000 calories, but my deficiency was huge!

Overall this past month, I've been hitting about 1500 calories daily, and have been averaging around 20% carbs, 25% protein, and 55% fat. I'm feeling really good about it. The past 30 days have been quite an adventure, but so awesome!

So ready to jump into month number two!!

No Grain, No Pain - the 5 year anniversary - and changes

I started this blog 5 years ago, right after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. The world as I knew it had been transformed. I was starting out on a new adventure - to conquer gluten free eating!

It seems only natural that within a 5 year period, the average person would have developed and changed in many ways. I know that I have.

Physically - here's what I looked like in 2006:

And here's how I look today (well, okay...last week):

Most of the changes to my body I attribute to how I eat, as well as correcting a hormonal imbalance. More details on my body's (40-50 lb!) roller coaster ride here.

Where I am in my life has also changed. I've been working at the same place for longer than I was in high school. I love my job, but the past couple of years have been harder and filled with more challenges and responsibilities than anything I have undertaken, other than marriage ;)

It's been an incredible growing experience!

My marriage has definitely transformed, too! I'm pretty sure I can finally say I've grown up (mostly). It only took 8 years of being married to do so.

Five years ago, we were buying our first house. We were living paycheck to paycheck. Everything we did was looking forward to the future.

Today, we still live in that house (and pay less on our mortgage then when we were renting!). We've bought and paid off two new cars. We're working harder, but we're having more fun, and the rewards are better.

Other than this chronic pain in my lower back/tailbone, I'm feeling pretty well health-wise. So long as I avoid certain foods...obviously.

Since 2006, my reasons for keeping up this blog have also changed. I started the blog to help myself and others have a resource for good gluten free recipes. The name of my blog has been a source of much chuckling these days in my house. What was initially a play on words to describe my attitude towards gluten - No Grain, No Pain - has turned into something more in depth. I don't know if the universe has had a hand involved in the road my life has taken me since starting the blog, or if the path I am on is one that many people dealing with food intolerances visit.

I have gotten many emails over the years asking if I am grain free, due to the name of my blog, and I've had to apologize and explain that this was pretty much just a gluten free site (and then dairy free, and then coconut free, and so on and so on). But over the last year, a seed has been planted in my mind, and it has continued to grow. What is that persisting thought, you ask?

Going grain free.

No grain, no pain.

I've been searching for answers to my continual digestive issues for awhile now. I've always known my body has a hard time with sugars and sweets, so I already tend to avoid them.

In the midst of my studying, I stumbled across an amazing lifestyle. I'm talking about the primal/paleo way of living. No grain, no sugar, and fresh-from-the-earth kinda foods.

Photo courtesy of Mark's Daily Apple.

Check out this great link w/ tons of fantastic resources! And watch the video at the end - Paleo in a Nutshell. It's the perfect summary to what paleo eating is.

Paleo makes sense to me. And so I've dabbled. And read. And read even more! Yet...I haven't been able to take the plunge. Why?

*I'm scared of change/the cost involved/the work involved/cleaning out my pantry/having to give up a lot of my comfort foods.

*I'm lazy.

*I work full-time.

*I have a family and a home to take care of (well, a very overworked husband and spoiled cat).

*But mostly I think I'm lazy.

Here's the deal. It's going to happen. I am determined to at least try this thing for 30 days, and see how I feel. I even stocked up on 10 lbs of grass-fed hamburger that was on sale at the health food store last week!

Those of you who know me know that I am not a jump-in-with-both-feet-first kind of girl. I first test the waters, I work up my nerve, I prepare myself mentally before I make the plunge. That's what I am doing now.

But for those of you seeking grain free foods on my blog, yes, you will be seeing more recipes/advice here on eating and enjoying life, grain free.

Some of my favorite paleo/primal resources have been:

Mark's Daily Apple- The Primal Blueprint

Robb Wolf - The Paleo Solution

Sarah Fragoso - Everyday Paleo

Primal Toad

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

I know I've mentioned my interest in following a paleo/primal lifestyle on this blog before. It's still an idea that frequently visits my mind. And occasionally I'll pick up and peruse my copy of The Primal Blueprint, which resides in the magazine pile in our bathroom. Mostly I've been too busy to try and change things up lately.

The other day, however, I stumbled across this great blog, and it renewed my interest in paleo/primal eating. The following evening, as I was driving home from a long day at work, doing a mental inventory of edible food in my fridge/pantry, I remembered I had all the ingredients to whip up this quick and easy breakfast pizza. I may have driven a little bit faster in my desire to give this recipe a try.

My version turned out really well! I overcooked my "crust" a bit, I think, but it was still delicious. I would also suggest adding bacon or ham, to give the pizza another dimension of flavor. I think this meal was a bit confusing to my taste buds, as I couldn't decide if it was more "breakfast-y" or more "pizza-ish." In my opinion, bacon would have married the two nicely, as it is a flavor that compliments both dishes.

This is definitely going to be a repeat recipe in my book.

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

Adapted from this recipe

8 eggs, whisked

1/2 tsp (ish) garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp dried basil

A few shakes salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c marinara/pizza sauce

1/2 lb Italian ground sausage (I used basil chicken sausage)

add BACON here. Lots and lots of bacon!

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 c sliced black olives

2+ tbsp nutritional yeast or nooch-eez

Other toppings of your choice

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet (my pan is cheap and sucks, so I coated it with pan spray, and added a little less oil).

Combine eggs and seasonings, mixing well. Pour mixture into skillet, cover, and turn heat down to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes. Eggs will be firm on the bottom. Do not stir!

After 3 minutes, remove the lid, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Turn on the broiler, and let broil for about 3 minutes, until the top firms up.

Remove from the oven, and spread the pizza sauce over the surface. Pile on the rest of the toppings, and sprinkle on the nooch.

Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Slice and serve immediately.

Note: Be sure and use an oven-safe skillet. I don't think mine was. The handle swelled a bit, and it started to smell a little funny in the kitchen.

Also, I don't know how many servings this makes, but I managed to eat half of it in one sitting. Oops ;)

I've shared this recipe over at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, The Gluten Free Homemaker, and The WHOLE Gang. Check out some great carnivals, filled with amazing recipes!

Nooch-eez (Parmesan cheese sub)

Nooch-eez

Or as Gena calls it, Hemp-esan (but I couldn't remember what she termed it, when I was explaining it to a friend, so I came up with the name Nooch-eez). Whatever the name you call it, this high-protein, dairy free recipe totally rocks!

It's one of the easiest "recipes" I've ever made, and it's been one of the top 3 staples in my kitchen of late. I smother bread with it (pre-toasting) to enjoy with eggs for breakfast, I sprinkle it on my salads, soups and even pizza. I'm even considering shaking up my traditional kale chip recipe by adding some of this goodness before baking.

How do I make this, you ask? Well, I'll tell you...brace yourself. It's so simple!

Measure into your blender/food processor/coffee grinder (maybe?) equal amounts of nutritional yeast and shelled hemp seeds. I usually do 2-3 Tbsp at a time. I also like to add a splash of garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Then just blend away!

And there you have it.

To enjoy it on toast, simply spritz or drizzle your bread with some olive oil, then apply liberal pinches of the nooch-eez. Toast to desired crispiness in a toaster oven. It will sizzle and brown, but it is still very loose atop the bread, so handle with care.

Low FODMAPs Diet, Primal Thoughts, Etc.

Hi All,

So, I have been rather neglectful of my blog updating lately. This is what I've been up to.

I started on the Low FODMAPs diet this week, after a week where I was supposed to be tracking my baseline symptoms...but was actually REALLY sick (I think I somehow ingested some accidental gluten).

Here's some useful information on the diet:

Patsy Catsos' site. She wrote "IBS - Free At Last," which I ordered off amazon, and am using as a guide to my diet. Found the site to be a bit confusing to navigate through, but I appreciate the information she has given: http://www.ibsfree.net/

This is a great little summary of the diet/concept of eating low FODMAPs foods: http://fodmaps.yolasite.com/fodmap-diet.php

Another article explaining the diet: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/072710p30.shtml

Anyway, look into it if you're interested. It caught my attention, since I react to some really random things, such as beans (not so surprising I guess), wheat, dairy, some fruits, sweeteners...you get the gist. This makes a lot of sense.

So, other than making my meal plans, which I plan on posting eventually, I have been distracted by another way of eating.

I mean Primal.

I'm making my way through Mark Sisson's "Primal Blueprint," which is blowing my mind and getting me all sorts of excited! I'm also reading as much online stuff as I can, ie, blogs. Been frequenting Mark's blog, Mark's Daily Apple, and I just found The Primal Matriarch's awesome site over the weekend, which I've been immersed in.

So many great ideas, so many incredible recipes! What's a girl to do?

How about win a free book over here, to further distract herself? Lol. Just got my copy of "The Pirate Queen" today, and started reading it over dinner. This is why I am choosing to type excuses tonight, rather than type up my meal plan for the week.

Anyway, hope everyone else is having a great week!

Help me solve my health mystery!

I've been feeling frustrated lately with my gut. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm fighting two wars:

1 - The battle of Stephanie-feeling-like-crap-all-the-time, and

2 - The battle of "what's for dinner"/"there's nothing good to eat"/"WTF can I eat in the next 30 minutes because I just got home from working a 10-hour day and DON'T feel like cooking!?!"

When I pay attention to the first, I am more careful about eating foods that are considered "safe" (mostly, considered to be IBS-safe). But often, that is more boring, less exciting, and let's be honest, I love to cook/bake/explore the world of food! Eating chicken and rice all the time sucks.

When I devote more energy to the second, I make things that I enjoy eating. I may cheat a bit on my "IBS diet" and have a bit of dairy, more fatty foods, etc. But I feel satisfied in that I'm not eating the same ol' boring food, and my palate is pleased. Problem is, my gut sometimes isn't.

My main symptoms tend to be serious gas, bloating, cramping, and constipation/diarrhea (and associated pain).

Other, possibly, maybe related symptoms are frequent headaches, joint pain-including severe TMD (hello, I'm 26!!! Some days I can't even get out of bed and function without ibuprofen and heat), very intense PMS, irritability (so says my husband lol)...and I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of anything else at the moment.

That may be another possible symptom - memory/brain issues. I've noticed recently that my memory isn't what it used to be (and, like I said, I'm not that old), and I'm really having problems with mixing my words/letters up when writing/typing. I never had problems with dyslexia before, but it's kind of worrying me...

Anyway, I'm not sure what to pinpoint as far as the cause of my symptoms goes, b/c it varies so much, and feels so random.

So what's the problem/problems?

Stress? Yes, I do have a lot of stress in my life, and I cause the majority of it. But is it the source?

Specific intolerances that I am missing?

Lectin intolerance?

IBS (and not following the diet more directly)?

It's all in my head (lol!!)?

I DON'T KNOW!!

I don't eat a lot of sugar, processed foods, or fat. I only eat out 2-3 times a month. I eat mostly lean meats, GF grains, fruits/veggies, nuts, etc. I drink a lot of water. I take an IBS-friendly fiber supplement before each meal, I drink herbal teas, and not a lot of caffeine or alcohol. I take a probiotic daily. I try and take vitamins a few times a week.

Anyone have any advice/suggestions/good resources on where to look/how to figure this out?

I'm thinking about changing up my diet, either by doing an elimination diet or trying the paleo diet. Any opinions on either of those?

Thanks!

Gluten Free Anniversary! The journey so far.

June represents a milestone for me. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Sometimes it seems like it's been longer, and other times I think, holy cow, has it already been four years??

Reflecting on the last four years, I feel like I have grown so much in my life in general, as well as in my gluten-free adventure. And it's definitely been an adventure!

I've never really shared "my story" here, the reason being that I prefer to look toward the future rather than dwell on the past. I also feel like this is a somewhat frustrating story, and while the overall ending is VERY happy (gluten-free and feeling better! YAY!), it's not a completely finished story. There are still some mysteries in my health that need to be solved. But, I suppose that's life :)

However, I thought this might be a good opportunity to share it with the world. This is more than just a gluten-free story. It's the story of me discovering the joys of being healthy, and listening to what my body was telling me.

As far back as I can remember, I've always had a "sensitive stomach." I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia when I was 8 years old, and my mom made sure I ate enough complex carbs (LOTS of whole wheat bread), proteins, and limited my sugar intake. For the most part, I had no problem with this, other than the traumatic diagnostic visit to the pediatrician. I remember sobbing uncontrollably in the waiting room for an hour, while they were doing the test, which I think involved pumping me full of sugar to see how my body reacted. Anyway, as a teenager, I began to notice that my body reacted badly to stress. I was frequently gassy and bloated (and never made the connection to comfort foods, of which I overindulged when stressed). It was something I pretty much just suffered through.

I remember on my 18th birthday, my family took me to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. We got a big plate of the bloomin' onion (onion rings) as an appitizer, and I scarfed them! They were soooo good. But, boy did I pay for that later. I was so sick the rest of the night. I don't know if it was too much food and fun, too much grease, or gluten, but this was a pretty typical occurrence for me. Holidays usually meant extra time in the bathroom, emergency pepto bismol, and lots of cuddle time with my bean bag.

I headed off to college, scavenging for cafeteria food and vending machine junk between classes. I ate a lot of quesadillas, chicken pot pies, and breakfast bagels. Yum! But I was definitely not feeling my best.

I never had to worry about my weight growing up. I was always naturally pretty skinny, which I didn't truly appreciate until I got to college. I'm sure there were numerous things contributing to the changes my body went through. In college, I was dealing with some major emotional issues, depression, anxiety, and overall life stress. Plus, I was less active physically than I had ever been in my life (especially when I stopped going to class, and therefore was no longer trekking across campus daily). I got on antidepressants and birth control. And I started gaining weight. Not a lot, maybe 15 lbs. But, considering the last time my weight had fluctuated was my freshman year of high school, this was a big deal to me. However, everyone I talked with about it wrote it off as the "Freshman 15." Maybe that's all it was. But that wasn't the end of it.

I got married a year later. By then, my weight had increased another 5 lbs. My emotions were at an all-time low, and I was still feeling pretty crappy. A year and a half into my marriage, my husband told me he was worried about me. He said he was concerned about my health (ie, I was STILL gaining weight, very inactive, on 3 antidepressants/anti-anxiety medications, sleeping pills, etc), as well as the fact that more often than not, I was coming home from my part-time job completely drained, unable to do much because my body hurt too badly. The cramps were getting worse, and the gas was getting WAY worse :P

So I went to my doctor, with a couple of requests. Get me off of these meds, which I was worried were the cause of my weight problems, and help me feel better!! Doc put me on acid reflux medication. That didn't work. He told me to start taking Beano and Lactaid. That didn't work. He told me I had IBS, and to start following that diet (lots of whole grains, no red meat/fat/dairy). That REALLY didn't work.

I spent some time on an online IBS forum, discussing my situation with other people dealing with similar symptoms. It was then that I was first made aware of gluten intolerance. I did more research on the subject, and realized I might have found an answer. I went back to my doctor, and asked him to test me to for celiac.

The bloodwork came back positive, and he sent me to a GI to verify with a biopsy. The biopsy was also positive. The GI (who barely spoke English) told me I had "the sprue" and that I just needed to cut gluten out of my diet and I'd be fine. Easy enough, right? LOL! He also gave me the name of the nutritionist who worked for the hospital, and said she'd be able to help me. He also recommended I go get a bone scan done, to check my bone density. I set up appointments to see both of them a few days later, and in the meantime did all the reading I could on celiac disease.

The bone scan showed no real damage, just that I was on the verge of having bone problems. So I was told to load up on supplements and followup in the future.

I then went in to see the nutritionist, which was a total waste of my time. She handed me about 50 pages of printed paper, that had come from celiac.com, and told me this would have all the answers to my questions. The questions I tried to ask her, she couldn't answer...and, by the way, celiac.com was the FIRST place I went in my online researching the same day I was diagnosed! I was so mad. Especially b/c my insurance didn't cover the visit with her.

So I went home, feeling completely alone, depressed, but at the same time trying to stay positive. I finally had an answer! More frenzied online researching ensued, as I tried to wrap my mind around this new concept of eliminating gluten from my life. There were lots of failures, and a lot more moments of weakness, where I caved. I went through quite a phase at the beginning where, when I screwed up and accidentally ate gluten, I binged. My mentality was, well, if you're gonna be sick, might as well actually enjoy something...Yeah, that was BAD! Lol. I figured it out eventually. But it took way too long before I could give up my Wendy's JBCs and Kneader's paninis. I think I finally had a "last meal" ceremony, where I made one my favorite gluten-filled dishes, a pizza sandwich (pizza toppings, cheese, and sauce in a toasted sandwich).

I spent a lot of time on the GF forum on celiac.com, finding recipes, asking questions and getting to know other people dealing with this. It is such a great resource, and helped me through the initial transition into the diet.

The first gluten free cookbook I bought was called Life Tastes Good Again. It was written by two women out here in Utah, and they do a monthly GF cooking class. They pretty much saved my life. I began talking a lot with Betsy, online and at the classes, and spent some time with her at her house. She really helped teach me how to cook gluten free.

After a few months, this started feeling doable to me. I was having more baking successes, and less binging. Life gluten free wasn't perfect. I still remember that autumn, the birds flocked to our backyard, where I would throw out rock-hard or completely ruined loaves of bread. Eating out was still very emotionally challenging for me. I got sick at least half the time we went out. And watching other people eat the things that I REALLY wanted to eat sucked, especially when I had to consume another stupid salad. But for the most part, I was feeling better.

About a year into the diet, I started feeling sick again. I went to the GI, who told me I was probably lactose intolerant, and to start taking Lactaid pills. I did, and that helped...sometimes. I went to my general doctor, who told me he wanted to do an allergy test. We did the skin prick test, which showed up somewhere in the middle for dairy. He said to keep trying the Lactaid, avoid large amounts of dairy, and if I was still having problems, that I was probably facing an actual allergy or intolerance to dairy. The only solution for this was to cut it out of my diet. I fought this one more than gluten. I finally felt like I knew what I was doing in the kitchen again, and now the game had changed...It took me at least a year before I committed to giving up dairy for good. This definitely helped the way I felt. I still cheat very occasionally, usually when going out. But I try to avoid making anything with dairy at home.

At the same time, my doctor tested me for candida and a couple of other possible causes. Nothing turned up positive.

Like I said, cutting dairy out of my diet helped. But I was still having problems. I did a lot of reading about elimination diets, other food intolerances, etc. I decided to try somewhat of a reverse elimination diet with some of my suspect foods (just ate really bland foods for a couple days, then added in one of the suspect foods to see how I reacted). That worked...but not the way I was expecting. I spent 3 days eating plain GF french bread, potatoes, rice and bananas. But I was still getting sick. Suspect #1: POTATOES! Definitely reacted to them. Also figured out that I had problems with coconut, popcorn, onions, beans, broccoli, and cabbage. So, cut all those things out. That was not too big of a deal, except for the potatoes, which I have always LOVED, and used a lot in meals, as they were easy, and a very versatile side dish. Coconut was another tough one, since I'd found it to be the best dairy substitute (coconut ice cream!!!!!).
Anyway, got rid of all that stuff, and felt a bit better.

Eventually though, I realized something was still bothering me. So, back to the GI, after a 4 week period where I kept a food/symptom journal. He barely glanced at it, and insisted again that I had IBS. He also wanted to do a biopsy, but we didn't have money for it, so I just went with the IBS diagnosis. He did however give me a prescription for Align, which is a probiotic specifically for people with IBS symptoms. The Align has really helped. I still take it, you can get it over the counter, and I notice a difference when I don't take it.

I was very frustrated at this point. I felt like the IBS diagnosis was a cop-out, and was resentful to be put back on a diet that hadn't worked before.

I committed myself to trying it though, and it really did help. I made two great discoveries along the way. Two items recommended to me by fellow IBS-sufferers: acacia fiber and fennel tea. Both of these things are manufactured by a woman who has revolutionized the IBS community. I mostly follow the diet, straying here and there, but as long as I use these two things, my symptoms are usually kept at bay. I take the fiber religiously, about 10 grams a day, before each meal. I also drink the tea anytime I know I'm going to eat something that may trigger an attack, or when I'm already feeling bloated/gassy. I also use a heated bean bag often when I am feeling sick. That seems to help alleviate the pain.

One other thing I've tried to stick to with the IBS diet is to avoid trigger foods, like red meat, and high fat foods. This definitely makes a difference!

As of today, I still feel like something is bothering me. I just haven't got a clue as to what it could be. I've tried tracking it, and it's inconsistent, so I'm lost. It's not a big enough of a bother to cause me to pursue it. To be honest, the pain I feel these days is nothing compared to the pain I felt when I would eat gluten or dairy.

I feel like I'm a lot healthier. I don't get sick as often, and when I do, it's not enough to contain me to my bed.

Going back to my weight problems. In the midst of all my food adventures, I was still gaining weight. For a girl whose weight hadn't fluctuated more than 10 lbs in 10 years, this was baffling. In about 2 years, I gained 50 lbs. I spent so much money on diet foods/drinks, personal trainers, etc. Finally, through some miracle, I solved the mystery. My GP retired, which I was okay with, since he was the one who had sent me on a goose chase to figure out my GI problems.

I found a new doctor, and eventually brought up the subject of my weight/low energy and possible medication correlations. He immediately ordered a bloodtest. He also asked me about my thyroid. I told him it had been "borderline low" for years, and my old GP told me that as long as it didn't drop I should be okay. New doc told me this was NOT okay, and gave me a prescription for Synthroid.

Within the first month, I started losing weight! And this was 2 months after I had stopped working out with a personal trainer! I was so excited. It took about 6 months, but by the end of 2008 I had gone from 155 lbs to 110 lbs (with very minimal exercising and simply following my GF/DF/IBS diet). Everyone tells me it's unfair. But, boy did it feel good to feel like myself again! In the last year and a half, I have lost 5 lbs, and only gained weight during a 2 month period where my pharmacy switched me to a generic brand. Getting back on the name brand fixed that though!

So, that's me over the last 4 years. Whew. I still get people who ask me how I do it. Give up so much. It really isn't a choice for me anymore. I wouldn't trade how I feel today for how I felt back then for anything! Even for pizza sandwiches! The hassle and inconvenience I experience is nothing compared to the pain I remember living with daily.

I am so thankful to all the resources that helped me get to where I am. Thanks to my family and my in-laws for putting up with my annoying requests at get-togethers and for being the taste testers for all my experiments (especially Ali and DJ!

Thanks to my sister, aunts and cousins, who are all now joining me in being gluten free (it makes me feel so good to be able to help you gals out, to share my successes and failures with you, and for you to help me feel like this matters to more than just me).

Most importantly, I am grateful for my husband, who has always stood by me, helped me, encouraged me, scolded me when necessary, and loved me, no matter how bad things got. Thanks babe, for indulging my more expensive grocery habits, for trying all my new recipes, and for helping me see how much better life is when I'm taking care of my body.

Thank you to all my readers, for sharing your recipes and experiences with the world, and for being interested in mine! I'm excited to keep moving forward, and see where life takes me!

Here's to many more glorious, gluten-free days!

IBS Diet and Fat Free French Bread

So, I went to see my Gastro last week, and he told me that in addition to having Celiac Disease, he thinks I also have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I was on the IBS diet a few years ago, before being diagnosed w/ Celiac Disease. In a nutshell, the only changes I have to make are eating a lot more fiber, and a lot less fat. I also have to be aware of the order in which I am eating. I am continuing to avoid dairy, but I am going to try adding (slowly) some soy and potatoes back into my diet. The diet is all about fibers - soluble fiber is key.

My new fiber supplement:

And then the fun part. For the first few days, to calm my system down, I am supposed to detox my system by only eating plain soluble fibers. Which means, since Friday night, I have eaten bread, rice, and potatoes. It has been so boring! But I did find a great new recipe. I was craving bread with a little more "realness" to it. So I scanned my cookbooks, and came across this great recipe by Bette Hagman for Fat Free French Bread. It's awesome! I've gone through half a loaf today alone :)

Yummy French Bread:

Fat-Free French Bread
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour mix**
2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons quick rising yeast
1 teaspoon vineager or dough enhancer
2 egg whites (room temp)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Prepare pan by brushing a cookie sheet very lightly w/ some EVOO (or other oil/spray of your choice).
In the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour mix, xanthan gum, sugar, salt and yeast.
Whisk together to blend well.
Add the vineager, egg whites and water.
Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
Spoon the dough onto cookie sheet, keeping it in a loaf in the center of the sheet.
Wet your hands, and smooth the top and sides of the loaf.
Cover with a towel and let rise for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400.
Bake 1/2 hour, then turn the oven down to 375.
The recipe called for baking at 400 for an hour, but I was getting worried b/c it was browning so fast, so I turned it down.
Turn the oven down again to 350 and bake 15 minutes longer.
Let cool. Bread doesn't cut well, so tearing it is the best way to break apart. Can be cut (a little) more easlily when cool.
Reheat in toaster oven.
Tastes great plain (when you have no choice), but I bet dipping it in some oil and vinegar would be divine! Next I'm going to try the sourdough variation of this bread. Yum!

**Here is Bette's GF flour mix