going gluten free forever

Last month I celebrated one year of eating completely gluten free and totally transforming my eating habits which has completely changed my life! Since my mid twenties, I've battled all kinds of mystery symptoms that often appeared to be related to food- crashing after I eat, heart palpitations, tons of inflammation, joint pain, frequent headaches, stomach issues, hair loss, exhaustion, mysterious rashes & the list goes on. I never thought these issues were anything more than normal ups and downs of just being me! But over the last couple of years, I had three miscarriages in a row, my body was rocked, exhausted from all the hormones, stress, grief and all of my "mystery symptoms" were even worse.

I started my journey with a Naturopathic doc and began getting my hormones and my body back on track. A big part of this was looking at my diet, I started tracking everything I was putting into my body and while we were eating healthy, what I noticed was that I felt 100% amazing when I removed gluten from my diet and then I would add it back in and have a terrible reaction- the only way I can explain the feeling is like having the flu-achy body, stomach issues, brain fog, dizzy, heart palpitations, rash and I would end up in bed for days. Up until this point, I am embarrassed to say that I thought gluten intolerance and celiac disease was not a real thing...BOY WAS I WRONG! When I removed the gluten, I would feel like a new person! Typically when it comes to Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance, a biopsy can give some more definitive answers but for me I didn't need any more answers, the writing was on the wall- me and gluten, we don't get along! 

So after a few months of back and forth removing and introducing gluten, in October of last year, I made the decision to go completely gluten free.  And let me tell you it was one of the hardest things I've done! I had no idea how much I loved foods with gluten and I had no idea how it would change everything! I also had no idea how much I love crappy food! But over time, I pushed through the cravings and kept eating a gluten free diet and slowly my body started feeling very different!

My cycle changed, my skin changed, my hair stopped falling out, my extreme back pain nearly disappeared, my brain fog was gone, my bouts of hitting a wall were gone. Now I am one year into this journey and I eat a primary paleo diet and I feel so very good- I've lost 10 pounds over the the year (which was not desired or in the plan) but my body is now free of bloating and inflammation. I honestly feel like something miraculous has happened and I can't believe how long it took me to listen to my body and make these big changes. I wanted to share a little bit about my journey just in case someone out there is experiencing mystery symptoms or feeling a little whisper about their health or diet. While it is never easy to change habits or diet and removing gluten is not the answer for everyone, I can say without a doubt it has changed my life!

sheet pan chicken, sausage and peppers

I have been eating gluten free for eight months now (I will be sharing more about this journey in later posts) but the change in my diet has changed my life. But I will admit at times it can be challenging because of all the meal prep we have to do. One our favorite tricks for eating good healthy food is incorporating lots of sheet pan meals into our weekly menu. Sheet pan cooking is quick and easy prep time and the outcome is really delicious!

INGREDIENTS: 

8-9 chicken thighs

8 pre-cooked organic chicken sausage 

4-5 potatoes cut into quarters

2 red bell peppers sliced

2 yellow bell peppers sliced

2 orange bell peppers sliced

1 green bell pepper sliced

10 garlic cloves

2-3 TSP ghee (or preferred oil)

1 med red onion

1-2 TSP Herbes de Provence

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees 

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with the avocado oil.

Make sure everything is coated with oil and seasoning.

Spread everything out on an oiled sheet pan.

Cook at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until the chicken skin is nice and brown.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook until the chicken is done. The time will depend on the amount of chicken. It typically takes around 45-60 minutes for 8-9 chicken thighs.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and enjoy!

purple potato salad

I fully believe that colorful food tastes waaaay better or maybe it's all in my head! And while I love potato salad, there is something so fabulous about PURPLE potato salad. Did you know that purple potatoes contain four times more antioxidants than white potatoes?!? I love incorporating purple potatoes into my meals and today I've got one of my favorite easy recipes vinaigrette purple potato salad.

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 lbs of boiled or roasted purple potatoes, cut into quarters

1/4 cup of olive oil

2-3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 or 3 garlic cloves chopped

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

pinch of salt and pepper

Boil or roast potatoes and remove from heat.

In a bowl mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, chopped garlic, salt and pepper.

While the potatoes are warm toss them with vinaigrette and then add the chopped parsley.

unicorn toast

My readers will know by now that I love simple, healthy and pretty food! My theory is that the more colorful and beautiful the food, the more you will enjoy it and be less tempted to eat Cheetos and Oreos for breakfast. Something we are loving around here (especially Lucy) is unicorn toast! This colorful trend was started by food stylist Adeline Waugh and basically it's pastel colored cream cheese slapped on some toast. And though it's simple, there is something that feels so special about eating colorful and whimsical food!

There are all kinds of ways that you can make colorful cream cheese but we like using natural ingredients like beet juice, pomegranate juice, blackberries, turmeric, spirulina powder, raspberry juice and more! You can also use natural food coloring if you don't have the time or patience to create your own.

Simply mix the natural coloring with cream cheese to get desired color.

Spread on your favorite bread.

I like taking it even further and add all kinds of toppings like fruit, granola, chia seeds, coconut, etc.

The result is colorful and delicious toast that is healthy (and a HUGE hit with the kiddos)!

watermelon slushee

I don't drink alcohol but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a fancy beverage! Once one of my  favorites is a watermelon and cucumber slushee. It is sweet, refreshing and perfect for a summer day.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups of frozen cubed watermelon

1/2 cucumber 

1 cup of coconut water

Mint leaves for garnish

Sugar for garnish

In a blender combine watermelon, cucumber and coconut water.

Add ice if you want to thicken it up.

Garnish with lime and mint leaves.

I added cane sugar to the rim of the glasses.

rainbow veggie bowl

Lately I've been making some small changes to my diet and for the last month, I've been trying to eat more of a plant based diet. And so far I am feeling amazing! While I still eat fish and chicken once in a while, I've found that loading up my meals with a crazy amount of vegetables and whole grains has really agreed with my body. 

One of my favorite things to do is to "eat the rainbow". I load up a big bowl and challenge myself to include veggies with all the colors of the rainbow. Here is one of my favorites-

INGREDIENTS:

Scoop of rice

Tomatoes

Carrots

Cucumbers

Yellow peppers

Pea shoots and mixed greens

Avocado

Roasted purple potatoes

Purples cabbage

Scoop of spicy green hummus

blackberry mojito mocktail

Summer is right around the corner and nothing says summer like an ice cold drink! I don't drink alcohol but I still love a tasty beverage. One of my favorites is a virgin mojito with blackberries.

INGREDIENTS:

A handful of mint (10-15 mint leaves)

1 teaspoon of honey

Juice of 2-3 limes

Sparking water

Coconut water

Blackberries

Ice (blackberry ice cubes- optional)

Begin by adding the mint leaves and honey to a cocktail shaker or mason jar.

Using a muddler, muddle the mint leaves and honey.

Add the lime juice, sparkling water, a dash of coconut water and a few blackberries.

Shake well.

Pour the mixture into two tall glasses and fill the glasses with ice. I used blackberry ice cubes for some extra flavor.

Garnish with lime, mint leaves and blackberries.

I added blackberry sugar (cane sugar with a few drops of blackberry puree) to the rim of the glasses.

kale berry salad

Kale is a big part of my diet and I am always looking for ways to make it exciting. One of my favorite salad combos is kale with berries. The sweet berries mixed with the earthy flavor of the kale is delicious way to get your daily greens!

INGREDIENTS:

Chopped kale

Raspberries

Blackberries

Cucumbers

Chia seeds

Crumbled feta

Pecans

Olive oil

TIP: Use a little bit of olive oil on your hands and massage it through the kale. This will take away the bitterness and turn that kale soft and sweet! You can also get the same result by tossing the kale in olive oil and letting it sit over night.

Dressing:

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons honey

squeeze of lemon

pinch of salt and pepper

sweet potato nachos

I've got a terrible love of junk food. One of my favorites is nachos and I crave them like crazy! And while there was a time when I would gobble up a pile of chips smothered in canned cheese sauce, these days it's really important for me to eat healthy. One of my favorite ways to "recreate" a healthier version of nachos is to substitute those chips with sweet potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

Thinly sliced sweet potatoes

Grated cheese

Black beans

Corn

Variety of peppers

Avocado

Green onions

Start by baking the sweet potato slices until crispy on the outside.

Add your favorites toppings and Enjoy!

healthy ramen

I have a love (and a weakness) for Ramen and while I may have lived off Ramen in college, these days I try to make better decisions with the food I eat. One of my favorite things to do is recreate my favorite meals and create a healthier option. 

One of the most important things for my body is try and stay away from gluten and processed foods and while sometimes this feels confining, I've figured out a lot of ways to recreate my favorite yummy recipes!

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten free Rice Noodles- I love the Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice Ramen noodles

Chicken broth

A variety of favorite vegetables

Cooked chicken breast

Homemade ramen seasoning- This is where you can create your own flavors for your broth!

Here is my favorite combo which you can mix up and use to flavor (according to your taste) the broth:

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon of ground cloves 

1 teaspoon ground fennel 

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion and parsley powder

Bring bone broth and seasoning to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for a few minutes.

Add vegetables, chicken breast and noodles and bring to a boil. Then let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft.

Transfer the soup into a bowl.

I like to add a big handful of chopped spinach, hot sauce and top with an egg! 

sushi bowls

I have a serious love of sushi but our budget can't always handle spending money on going out to for lots of sushi meals. Instead I really love making deconstructed (vegi) sushi bowls. The flavors totally satisfy my cravings and are a healthy salad alternative.

INGREDIENTS:

Brown rice

Spinach

Purple cabbage

Half avocado

Shredded carrots

Diced radish

Cucumber slices

Chopped nori sheet

Crispy tofu (could also replace with fish)

Pickled ginger

Sesame seeds

There are all kinds of things you can add for more flavor- soy sauce, sriracha, wasabi but I like to mix up a little batch of sesame ginger vinaigrette.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup sesame seed oil (or favorite oil)

2-3 tsp honey

1 tsp minced garlic

2-3 piece of pickled ginger

avocado toast

I pretty much live on avocado toast. It's a fast and healthy meal that I eat just about every day for lunch. Grab a slice of your favorite bread, mash up some avocado and then get creative with toppings. Here are some of my favorite ways that I prepare my avocado toast!

quinoa tacos

We are kind of obsessed with quinoa in our home. We've been eating it for years because it's what you call "a complete protein" which means it contains 9 essential amino acids and is packed with protein (like 8g per cooked cup). It's also super versatile because you can serve it hot or cold, sweet, savory or even spicy. Lucy (our picky eater) even loves it! So it really isn't any surprise that we like to use it all kinds of meals. One of our favorites is quinoa tacos.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cooked quinoa

Shredded cabbage or lettuce

Black beans

Shredded cheese

Chopped tomatoes or red peppers

Chopped cilantro

Corn tortillas

Your favorite hot sauce or salsa

Homemade taco seasoning:

1 tsp Chili powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Garlic powder

1/4 Onion powder

1/4 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Smoked paprika

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Remember you can always customize the heat of your seasoning by adding more or less chili powder, cumin and pepper.

Cook the quinoa according to directions.

Stir the taco seasoning into the quinoa while it's warm. 

If you want the quinoa crispy (or to resemble the consistency of taco meat), spread it on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees.

If you prefer your quinoa to be soft and fluffy, simply add it to you tacos once you've added the spice.

NOTE: This zesty quinoa is yummy on top or nachos, in a burrito or tossed into a scramble!

Warm up the tortillas, grab your favorite toppings and built yourself a taco!

romesco sauce

There are a lot of different foods and flavors that I crave but one of my favorites is romesco sauce. Romesco sauce is a nut and red pepper based sauce that originates from Northeastern Spain. It is often served with seafood but honestly this stuff is good as a dip, a spread, as a pesto sauce, as a marinade or even added to soups and sauces for flavor. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 red bell peppers

2 tomatos

1/2 red onion

5 cloves of garlic

1 cup almond slivers

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

Start by roasting the red bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic in the oven at 425 degrees until soft (about 20 minutes for garlic and about 30-40 minutes for onions, peppers and tomatoes). 

Peel the skin from the peppers and tomatoes.

Add the almonds to a food processor and pulse.

Next, add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

The result is a really rich, smokey sauce that is crazy delicious!! One of my favorite ways to use it is as dipping sauce for oven baked mozzarella sticks.

INGREDIENTS

1 package of mozarella string cheese sticks (12 cheese sticks)

1 egg

2-3 Tsp flour

1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs

pinch of salt and pepper

Unwrap all of the cheese sticks, cut them in half and place them in the freezer until frozen.

In a bowl, add the beaten egg.

In another bowl, add the flour.

In a third bowl, add the panko bread crumbs.

Remove cheese sticks from the freezer.

Dip each cheese stick in the flour, then in the egg and then in the bread crumbs.

Lay cheese sticks on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Bake the cheese sticks at 375 degree for about 5 minutes and then flip them over to the other side and bake for another 5  minutes.

Remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes then serve warm.

crafting for kids: very berry smoothie

Madolyn Oliver is back today with kid/teen friendly recipe!

I love to make things in the kitchen and one of the easiest things to make are smoothies.  I make different smoothies based upon what fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables we have on hand.  So don't worry if you don't have all of the ingredients that I will share today and just experiment with what is in YOUR kitchen!

Ingredients:
Coconut Milk, Almond Milk or Water (24 ounces)
Greens (1-2 handfuls)
Frozen Pineapple (1 cup)
Frozen Berries and Cherries (2 cups)
Frozen Mango (1 cup)
1" of fresh ginger
A few mint leaves

To make your smoothie even sweeter I recommend adding a little bit of Stevia, a banana or a few dates