Well grandpa is still not doing well and we have had to face some unpleasant facts about that. Some of the days at the hospital visiting him I didn't plan ahead enough for food. So I had to kinda move onto just the Gluten Free part of the new diet. I discovered these delightful Arrowroot Cookies by Mi-Del. They are super yummy. Their Pecan flavored cookies, not as much. I have been enjoying breaking a bit more into gluten free items. It’s been a nice change. Overall, I am still feeling pretty good. Tried Domino's gluten free pizza and it was good. I can get used to it. The only downfall to the gluten free pizzas is, so far, most of them order premade crusts so they are all thin and crispy. Oh well, once in a while I will have to bust out the Gluten Flam and try one of my old favorite pizza's. A nice side effect about all this is being told I am looking good. Granted, the more people point out that I lost some weight, I have to wonder how tubby I look that it's getting this much notice.
I did buy a sampler pack of Better Batter products and look forward to giving those a try. At this point with everything that is going on, some brownie's are in order!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Vacation time
So this is my vacation week and I have taken a detour or two off the diet. When I first talked to the dr about my vacation week he said that would be one and to take the Gluten Flam for anything with gluten. Last night we found out that the Grotto makes a gluten free pizza so I was totally stoked! Even though it has dairy and tomatoes that I am not to have for a few more weeks it was delightful!!!! Then we had the Dough Company's Gluten Free pizza, and I have to say, it was better than the Grotto's. Pizza, how I have missed you, let me count the ways....
On a down note found out that they had to take my grandpa back to the hospital late Wednesday/early Thursday morning. We had hoped he was going to make it a bit longer, but my heart breaks as I write that he is on end of life care now. He's feeling a bit better today, but we know it's temporary. As we got back to town Thursday we went to the hospital to see him, along with the rest of the family. If you cuold have seen the waiting room to the SICU, you would see how much that man is loved. We almost took up the entire room. I know he's 90, and congestive heart failure is what it is, but my heart is still breaking knowing what will come. Somehow 90, seems too short. But from this and having a court date next week for a car accidents a few years back, I may be ending the Leaky Gut part of the diet and going straight to the Gluten Free, as I feel a glass of wine is in my future. On our way out of the hospital last night dad tripped and fell and we had to take him over to the ER to get checked out. We really do deserve a wing at that hospital.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? I am getting to be one damn strong lady.
Hopefully I will have something better to write in the coming days.
On a down note found out that they had to take my grandpa back to the hospital late Wednesday/early Thursday morning. We had hoped he was going to make it a bit longer, but my heart breaks as I write that he is on end of life care now. He's feeling a bit better today, but we know it's temporary. As we got back to town Thursday we went to the hospital to see him, along with the rest of the family. If you cuold have seen the waiting room to the SICU, you would see how much that man is loved. We almost took up the entire room. I know he's 90, and congestive heart failure is what it is, but my heart is still breaking knowing what will come. Somehow 90, seems too short. But from this and having a court date next week for a car accidents a few years back, I may be ending the Leaky Gut part of the diet and going straight to the Gluten Free, as I feel a glass of wine is in my future. On our way out of the hospital last night dad tripped and fell and we had to take him over to the ER to get checked out. We really do deserve a wing at that hospital.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? I am getting to be one damn strong lady.
Hopefully I will have something better to write in the coming days.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Slight change in plans
So I started having some pain in my lower abdominal wall this past weekend, I decided to see my family physician about it. While I don’t' have any bladder infections, I still have some odd aches/pains. My dr and I discussed all the changes in my life recently, with the diet and everything. We both agreed I need to skip a week and move to the next phase of the diet to try and get some more fiber and food in me. Although, huge score, down 14 lbs since January's visit, woot woot! That wasn't the goal, but a nice side effect of this all. I do have some weakening in my upper fascia of my abdomen (above my belly button) causing me some pain. I asked the dr what to do to fix that, he said the best thing is to continue to lose weight like I am doing and to strengthen my core.
Generally I am feeling better, but moving onto the 2nd phase is already helping. I ate rice last night. Yummy, warm, brown rice. It was soooo good. And I feel great. So happy to have moved onto this part. I plan on making some homemade peanut butter this week and getting some edamame! I am excited for more variety. Both my dr and one of my cousins told me of how good roasted cauliflower is, so I am excited to give that a try too!
Grandpa is doing better and we hope he gets out of the hospital this week. They have gotten most of the edema down, still some residual , but marked improvement. Now they just need to get his Afib stabilized.
Generally I am feeling better, but moving onto the 2nd phase is already helping. I ate rice last night. Yummy, warm, brown rice. It was soooo good. And I feel great. So happy to have moved onto this part. I plan on making some homemade peanut butter this week and getting some edamame! I am excited for more variety. Both my dr and one of my cousins told me of how good roasted cauliflower is, so I am excited to give that a try too!
Grandpa is doing better and we hope he gets out of the hospital this week. They have gotten most of the edema down, still some residual , but marked improvement. Now they just need to get his Afib stabilized.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Cauliflower
I can't believe that it's true…mashed up/puréed cauliflower really is like mashed potatoes. This is a thing of beauty, while I cope with not having taters for another 5 weeks. This was a nice change from my zucchini, which while I love, I needed something different. I hope to do some spaghetti squash soon. In a week I can have olive oil again (score!) and I am thinking that with the olive oil and salt and pepper would be a nice thing to try. At this point, variations are appreciated. If nothing else, this diet has severely forced me outside of my comfort zone.
One of the things that the fake squishies (my word for mashed potatoes, it's a family thing.) go well with, is one of grill master K's expertly grilled steaks. Was the closest to a standard meal I have had in a while. Ken really has perfected steak grilling, and burgers, etc. I love the warmer months as I get Grill Master K's cuisine! And even though I have had to modify some of the seasonings I can have for right now, that was still one awesome steak!
As I am starting week 4 this week, I can't help but be thankful to incorporate rice and peas and soy back into my life. And Nuts!!! I am making some homemade peanut butter next week and you better believe I will be eating spoonful's of that! This makes me just that much closer to being able to try all the gluten free recipe's I have acquired and back to dairy!! Oh the end is in sight….just long distance yet, but I will make it!
One of the things that the fake squishies (my word for mashed potatoes, it's a family thing.) go well with, is one of grill master K's expertly grilled steaks. Was the closest to a standard meal I have had in a while. Ken really has perfected steak grilling, and burgers, etc. I love the warmer months as I get Grill Master K's cuisine! And even though I have had to modify some of the seasonings I can have for right now, that was still one awesome steak!
As I am starting week 4 this week, I can't help but be thankful to incorporate rice and peas and soy back into my life. And Nuts!!! I am making some homemade peanut butter next week and you better believe I will be eating spoonful's of that! This makes me just that much closer to being able to try all the gluten free recipe's I have acquired and back to dairy!! Oh the end is in sight….just long distance yet, but I will make it!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Sushi, hospitals and fruit
Admittedly, I have been having a problem the last few days getting myself to eat , as I am tired of plain chicken and fruit. I really have had to force myself to eat. Yesterday was a treat, I went off the diet for my birthday dinner, but still tried to be good. The Dr. said it was ok and I took the accidental gluten pills to be safe, but enjoyed my birthday Sushi!!!! Only downside, I have never eaten it without the soy sauce before and it was a bit dryer than I am used to. But I was trying not to tempt fate too much. With there being gluten in that I figured better safe than sorry. I was surprised when the waitress brought out a fried ice cream ball for my birthday! HOW I HAVE MISSED DAIRY! It was sooo good. I didn’t eat the crust though. But still, the whipped cream, the chocolate ice cream….sooooo good. I feel fine except for being the fullest I have been in two weeks! I am still full this morning. It's insane. My belly is poofed out and it was sooooo worth it. This morning I am staring at my buffet of fruit and telling myself less than two weeks till I can eat rice regularly and edamame! I may just make it without cracking…..
On a downside, my grandfather is in the hospital, and if there was ever a time I wanted to eat some nasty, crappy, comfort food it was this week. The best birthday gift yesterday was he was looking better and seemed to be feeling better. Only 3-4 more days he should be in. Then he will be trying to adjust to a new normal with congestive heart failure, A-Fib, and hopefully the UTI will be cleared up. Nice thing is, he can go with mom and dad to get his Coumadin levels tested. We like to share illnesses in this family, lol. I had an aunt who lived 10 years or more with congestive heart failure and mom and dad manage their A-Fib just fine, so I have hope that he will make it to his next big birthday with no problem!
On a downside, my grandfather is in the hospital, and if there was ever a time I wanted to eat some nasty, crappy, comfort food it was this week. The best birthday gift yesterday was he was looking better and seemed to be feeling better. Only 3-4 more days he should be in. Then he will be trying to adjust to a new normal with congestive heart failure, A-Fib, and hopefully the UTI will be cleared up. Nice thing is, he can go with mom and dad to get his Coumadin levels tested. We like to share illnesses in this family, lol. I had an aunt who lived 10 years or more with congestive heart failure and mom and dad manage their A-Fib just fine, so I have hope that he will make it to his next big birthday with no problem!
Monday, May 28, 2012
1/4 of the way done
I am almost done with week two, which means only two more weeks till rice and legumes and nuts! woot woot! Granted, this Thursday is my birthday and I will be having sushi, as, after all the dr. did say when I asked, "It is your birthday after all." So glad he was on board with that, as I was gonna do it anyhow :-)
With being two weeks in, I do feel better. Granted some days it's really hard to muster the excitement to eat yet another round of fruit, or even my beloved zucchini. These first four weeks are horribly limiting and sitting here today, watching everyone be able to eat Ken's wonderful cheese burgers, made with onion soup mix (on the no-no list for the whole eight weeks, and after that I need to buy a brand other than Lipton's, as theirs added gluten in 4 years ago. Bastards.) Then there were the baked potatoes (on the no-no list all eight weeks) Corn on the cob (again, eight weeks) and Mrs. Dash!!! but my baked chicken, cooked carrots and zucchini chips did just fine.
I found out that Domino's came out with a gluten free crust. I am totally stoked to be able to give this a try when I done with this leaky gut diet. With that said, if I had Celiac's or a full fledged gluten allergy I would not want to try it. They make it clear that it's prepared right next to their regular pizza's and therefore there is a cross contamination possibility. It is designed more for people with a sensitivity (Me) and I am happy with that. I am fond of their pizza and I get a kick out of their online tracker. What can I say, I am easily amused.
As I have been hoarding more and more gluten free recipe's off of Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/ajl3177/gluten-free/) I have been finding some wonderful blogs that offer so much wonderful information and guidance, I can see some light at the end of the tunnel with all this.
This week I will be starting the probiotic. Curious to see how this one works for me.
Well, time to go enjoy what is left of my holiday weekend!
With being two weeks in, I do feel better. Granted some days it's really hard to muster the excitement to eat yet another round of fruit, or even my beloved zucchini. These first four weeks are horribly limiting and sitting here today, watching everyone be able to eat Ken's wonderful cheese burgers, made with onion soup mix (on the no-no list for the whole eight weeks, and after that I need to buy a brand other than Lipton's, as theirs added gluten in 4 years ago. Bastards.) Then there were the baked potatoes (on the no-no list all eight weeks) Corn on the cob (again, eight weeks) and Mrs. Dash!!! but my baked chicken, cooked carrots and zucchini chips did just fine.
I found out that Domino's came out with a gluten free crust. I am totally stoked to be able to give this a try when I done with this leaky gut diet. With that said, if I had Celiac's or a full fledged gluten allergy I would not want to try it. They make it clear that it's prepared right next to their regular pizza's and therefore there is a cross contamination possibility. It is designed more for people with a sensitivity (Me) and I am happy with that. I am fond of their pizza and I get a kick out of their online tracker. What can I say, I am easily amused.
As I have been hoarding more and more gluten free recipe's off of Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/ajl3177/gluten-free/) I have been finding some wonderful blogs that offer so much wonderful information and guidance, I can see some light at the end of the tunnel with all this.
This week I will be starting the probiotic. Curious to see how this one works for me.
Well, time to go enjoy what is left of my holiday weekend!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Coconut, coconut, coconut
Being as Coconut is the only cooking fat and flour I am allowed to use during this first four weeks, I am embracing it. And you know, what? It's pretty darn tasty. I was worried the first day that the coconut oil would make my chicken taste like coconut, which, while not a bad, thing, would have limited it's uses. However it's a mild flavor and my chicken didn’t' overcook like it can sometimes with butter. My sear on the outside was beautiful and brown and the chicken inside stayed juicy. This was great! When I heard that the coconut flour and unsweetened flakes were ok too, well I rolled some cut up chicken in it, tossed them in the pan with some coconut oil and coconut Olivio (a new love!) and it was delightful.
Then I decided to research this stuff, curious as to why it was the only one approved for the beginning of this diet (repair on my system really). I found that it's actually quite healthy and has so many benefits. I am totally excited to give this stuff a try and once out of the all the severe restrictions, really start cooking/baking to see what I can do with it.
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
Then I decided to research this stuff, curious as to why it was the only one approved for the beginning of this diet (repair on my system really). I found that it's actually quite healthy and has so many benefits. I am totally excited to give this stuff a try and once out of the all the severe restrictions, really start cooking/baking to see what I can do with it.
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
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