tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696926830666129252024-02-20T16:35:35.498-08:00Cakeless but HappyA Blog devoted to healthy eating, an attempt at eating corn-free, virtually gluten free, and dairy-free as well as health-related news. Kaarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06003148644552552667noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269692683066612925.post-83675675635526830252012-10-30T20:27:00.001-07:002012-10-30T20:28:39.575-07:00Gluten-free Fall Cookies<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day as I was staring at the Chocolate Chips in my hand and weighing the options - whether to eat the bag itself or make something of it- I decided to try to adapt an existing recipe to a gluten-free one: the classic American treat- Chocolate Chip Cookies. Trying to be gluten-free and include items that somewhat resemble the food that the rest of the population is eating (like bread, pasta) is time consuming if you start from scratch. It's nice, once in a while to not have to reinvent the wheel- so where I can, I improvise and substitute ingredients of regular meals with gluten free ones. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a much better "adapter" than a "creator". While not perfect, it gets the job done!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't handle measurements very well- I avoid truthful, exact measurements where I can- including parts of my body that have enlarged over the years and.... ingredient quantities. I'd must rather add a "pinch" of something than have to measure it out. My dad has successfully cooked this way as long as I've known him and has been very successful at it. I haven't found this to be true of baking unfortunately. Many a time, I've "adjusted" the quantities of salt or sugar to the point that it's inedible. So I'm sorry to disappoint, but this recipe has measurements. Sometimes, you just can't mess with science.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And that's why I adapted this classic chocolate chip cookie recipe to something that us food-allergic/intollerant individuals can be excited to make. I'm sensitive to dairy, sugar and for sure corn. Where I can, I avoid gluten as I'm not sure what the culprit is of my dietary dilemma. And it helps that my picky husband enjoyed them, too, and can attest for choosy family members everywhere that it does not kill you to eat healthy once in a while.... <i><b>Even</b></i> if it's packaged in a cookie. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I find pictures are helpful. If you're off the mark, it can help you determine by how much. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's what the finished product looks like so you can see that it actually can turn out normal.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu_SAm7ieoCoSsE4Bmy2ckL_UJTbgySgDBMWHAwq6LijsAXG1rLQ6dqHtQ_-gPQh3kDq6ENd5bfMp20HpbgjMKnVZwTtvaBioTvfPlnQpdADLKa84yCvzaajl_6n-xMqTmuo57lDFA8jC/s1600/IMG_20120908_213148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu_SAm7ieoCoSsE4Bmy2ckL_UJTbgySgDBMWHAwq6LijsAXG1rLQ6dqHtQ_-gPQh3kDq6ENd5bfMp20HpbgjMKnVZwTtvaBioTvfPlnQpdADLKa84yCvzaajl_6n-xMqTmuo57lDFA8jC/s320/IMG_20120908_213148.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh sorry.... there's a puppy in that one. He's not for sale or edible. And guessing by his smell, he's probably not sweet anyways.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdCP1NYGl9z4nyhUdrl5rBrkR1sLk9LqaB7xRmygY8I0AeTw1rogOodzA9Jk6gpTl4E5i7O1NerpYhEVYPpG0E-syCt3C6Nc9yW7e6DjfdT_Ik4pm02qT7IKC-2B5T1KIxGvjCCFTbLAs/s1600/IMG_20120908_212953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdCP1NYGl9z4nyhUdrl5rBrkR1sLk9LqaB7xRmygY8I0AeTw1rogOodzA9Jk6gpTl4E5i7O1NerpYhEVYPpG0E-syCt3C6Nc9yW7e6DjfdT_Ik4pm02qT7IKC-2B5T1KIxGvjCCFTbLAs/s320/IMG_20120908_212953.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here it is! My gluten-free fall cookie recipe- complete with white chocolate, pumpkin seeds and canned pumpkin. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bon appetit! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~Kaaren </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>Kaaren's "Too Good to Be Gluten-Free" Cookies</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 2 1/4 cups various flours (below is my favorite combination, but really there are many combinations of flours you can do):</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - 1 cup Quinois Flour (I prefer Bob's Mill)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> -1/2 cup white rice flour (Bob's Mill)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> -1/2 cup: garbanzo/fava bean flour (Bob's Mill)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> -1/4 cup ground flax seed (Bob's Mill)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 1 teaspoon baking soda</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 1 teaspoon salt</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 1 cup Coconut Oil (solid at room temp)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 3/4 cup granulated sugar</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 3/4 cup packed brown sugar</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 2 1/2 large eggs (2 eggs and one yolk)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 1 cups (12-oz. pkg.) W</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">hite chocolate chips (or as many as you want, but this is less sugar than most cookie recipes include)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * 1 cup pumpkin seeds</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * Opt: add up to 1/4 cup canned pumpkin (if adding pumpkin, see how consistency is after 2 eggs instead of 2 1/2 and add egg if it seems dry)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> * Optional substitution: You could substitute some of the sugar for natural peanut butter- just keep same measurements.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few fun additions I thought of but have not yet attempted, but may in the near future:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add wet ingredients together and beat until combined - coconut oil, vanilla, eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, white sugar. </span><br />
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<br />Kaarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06003148644552552667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269692683066612925.post-62482606020876794352012-01-22T08:09:00.000-08:002012-01-22T17:39:20.440-08:00At Least the Dog is Eating Healthy!Well...<br />
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Embarrassingly enough, it has been WAY too long since I posted last and a lot has happened. I started a new job in Downtown Minneapolis, so in addition to putting a lot more effort into my outfits, I've also had to put more of a concerted effort in bringing food with me so I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it since I'm a lot further from home now! So sorry to say that blogging has been put on the back burner, too! But now I'm back! <br />
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I did, however, have an adventure in Organic Dog Biscuit making over Christmas! My family knows we put a lot of emphasis on eating nutritiously (with the occasional snack). We believe that what goes into Wally, our dog, is just as important as what goes into us, as long as it doesn't break the bank.<br />
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My sister bought me a book called appropriately "organic dog biscuit cookbook from the Bubba Rose Biscuit Company: Care For Your Dogs The Way They Care for You!" It's a great alternative to reading a lot of the ingredients on store bought, even specialty so- called "gluten and corn free" dog treats, which may have added junk in them, too! <br />
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I invited my husband to make them with me, and because we care about nutrition for our dog just as much as for us, he happily obliged.<br />
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We made the "it's a formal affair" and the "cheese fries" ones. The ingredients involved are super fresh, most have an oat or rice flour component, and some need refrigeration after cooking, others don't! A sampling of ingredients involved may include: molasses, honey, organic salt-free peanut butter, ground turkey, etc. It's a great mix of types and styles.<br />
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After you make the dough, you roll it out and use your favorite cookie cutter. Some recipes have a recommended shape, others are more open to interpretation. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzzJT6bJHcTig33JOGzN6Lwq2EKcS4wA_FSl-2_dvN3wVqs66TeeDcmrz1yy9e0Pnie4F7Dm5oaN8g2FK2D1rK7xHooJsjORW1V_qn9FHDR83nSL6EsXgyC75y_wGxHISFlUzrSU9Z_5x/s1600/IMG_20111231_194941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzzJT6bJHcTig33JOGzN6Lwq2EKcS4wA_FSl-2_dvN3wVqs66TeeDcmrz1yy9e0Pnie4F7Dm5oaN8g2FK2D1rK7xHooJsjORW1V_qn9FHDR83nSL6EsXgyC75y_wGxHISFlUzrSU9Z_5x/s320/IMG_20111231_194941.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
They don't rise too much (if they are made with oat flour), and I recommend following the baking instructions- you want them crunchy, not chewy. Our round cookies were a tad chewy just because I didn't really think about this logic before pulling them out early. Dogs don't have our same standards for cookies. :)<br />
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These ones were dipped in white chocolate (which is safe for dogs- regular chocolate, especially dark, is harmful to dogs). The recipe also called for carob, but most grocery stores I went to don't carry it in this economy, so we improvised.<br />
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The Cheese Fry Treat turned out like this:<br />
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And Wally, our Boston, helped with the clean-up so he made our efforts worthwhile since he helped. Just kidding, but he's cute and I wanted to include him in this post. This spoon was used for peanut butter!<br />
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Has anyone else attempted anything like this? Making treats for their dog?<br />
OR<br />
Any great cookbooks to share or links to gluten-free, dairy and corn-free baking?<br />
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<br />Kaarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06003148644552552667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269692683066612925.post-20917709926273923112011-09-20T21:02:00.000-07:002011-09-20T21:02:50.133-07:00A Glimpse of My Gluten Free Day<br />
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I thought it would be fitting to give a glimpse into my day
as a “gluten-corn-dairy-sugar-starch-free” consumer.<span> </span>It might shed some light on why it is so hard
to not eat forbidden foods.<span> </span>As a point
of reference, I can only eat the following things for the time being:
multi-vitamin, 96 oz. water, nuts, fiber, beans, veggies (no corn, potatoes or
tomatoes), lean protein, and all spices except for garlic and pepper.<span> </span><span> </span>I can’t
eat any starches because those turn to sugar, wherein lies my original
problem----body sugar regulation issues.</div>
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But I can eat any vegetable I want! </div>
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This gluten-free, etc. life isn’t quite automatic for me yet.<span> </span>I still work REALLY hard at it.<span> </span>I get a lot of admiration at work because
people think I’m “healthy” with my vegetable break mid-morning, my mug of hot
water and fiber and 5 water bottles full of water versus going to the soda
machine.<span> </span>It takes every muscle in my
body not to go to the vending machine during the day.<span> </span>I’m hoping those cravings get easier because sometimes a Starburst from the candy dish is too tempting!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Every morning, I make a variation of this breakfast.<span> </span>Since I can’t have any sort of starch for the
moment, gluten-free (GF) muffins, cakes, brownies and the like are not options,
so I have to plan ahead.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Today’s breakfast: <u><b>Zucchini Egg Odiferous Splenderosity</b></u><o:p></o:p></div>
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Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->2 eggs (I use one egg white so that it’s not too
much of a serving of protein-<span> </span>matter of
preference)<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Zucchini- however much you want (a cup diced)<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Seasoning blend: paprika, onion powder, oregano,
basil, salt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b>Directions:</b></i> Saute veggies until soft.<span>
</span>Add eggs and scramble (on medium-low heat).<span> </span>Add spices.<span>
</span>Serve warm. <span> </span>Eat with a side of
legumes.<span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPzGzEPwvp3j5bbp1yeFYXwDaBM2qfCKfQe7AKqBJlDM7-mR08UJr93LIdRdG8Jk-dIaK60AxAaJwSHl9ebX_NGPj42e6jh5bPl_W3nZFRzvkuzjlOx6bhsb69G-mM9t_PWu1hqSZPFeO/s1600/twoeggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPzGzEPwvp3j5bbp1yeFYXwDaBM2qfCKfQe7AKqBJlDM7-mR08UJr93LIdRdG8Jk-dIaK60AxAaJwSHl9ebX_NGPj42e6jh5bPl_W3nZFRzvkuzjlOx6bhsb69G-mM9t_PWu1hqSZPFeO/s320/twoeggs.jpg" width="320" /></a><i><b>Variation:</b></i> Saute frozen vegetable blends like bags of stir fry
vegetables or chopped broccoli and a frozen onion.<span> </span>This makes it seem different every
morning.<span> </span>I like to change-up my spices,
too.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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It sounds boring, but since I’ve eaten this for breakfast, I never hit
that “10:30 slump” everyone has at the office.<span>
</span>You know- the time everyone goes to refill their coffee cup at the
Thermos or raid the vending machine.<span> </span>I
never crave that in the morning. <span> </span>I have
steady energy throughout.<span> </span></div>
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At the same time I’m making breakfast, I’m also making my
lunch protein: two hardboiled eggs (of which I only eat the whites.<span> </span>The rest of lunch is simple- frozen or fresh
veggies and beans.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQL20YSkxZnp7-epIUu25EOi0EsILkzZ2oeLg1iEftieuaODakrozvHwUgjTXKw0YRzQ4VZQ0QAvaH_i9X__VgAHwyHWfJB9tjFyOwOYcogjUffj5dH3ibwq_pcg9Q3DvSaPJeMyYdSmZI/s1600/boiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQL20YSkxZnp7-epIUu25EOi0EsILkzZ2oeLg1iEftieuaODakrozvHwUgjTXKw0YRzQ4VZQ0QAvaH_i9X__VgAHwyHWfJB9tjFyOwOYcogjUffj5dH3ibwq_pcg9Q3DvSaPJeMyYdSmZI/s1600/boiling.jpg" /></a></div>
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People at work always ask, “Aren’t you getting too much
protein with all those beans?”<span>
</span>According to my nutritionist and sources I've found, beans are a main source
of fiber, not protein.<span> </span><span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Little Known Fiber
Facts:</b></div>
<ul>
<li> One cup of black beans has <a href="http://www.wehealny.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/fibercontentchart.html">19.4</a> grams of fiber! (I love black beans- there are lots of other options)</li>
<li> Beans have significantly <a href="http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php">more carbohydrates</a> than
protein (They’re in the wrong section on the Food Pyramid, too, with that
information.)</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Beans <a href="http://www.discovery.com/area/skinnyon/skinnyon970815/skinnyon.html">don’t give you gas</a>, but organisms that
break down their sugars do!</li>
</ul>
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Most beans have no more than 9% protein versus at least 22%
carbohydrate.<span> </span>That said, they’re really
a carb!<span> </span>From a nutrition class in
college, I learned that beans are an “incomplete protein” which means they have
to be combined with another substance to become a complete protein.<span> </span>Rice+beans= complete protein.<span> </span>It’s not as efficient as say a piece of meat,
but if you can’t eat meat, I imagine it works!<o:p></o:p></div>
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My lunch bag usually looks starts like this.<span> </span>I should pre-portion the nuts and beans, but
I don’t often plan ahead well enough to do this.<span> </span>This larger can of
beans is two days-worth really!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJr3bSdsuHinI7iLYbXHYnaYzIeWQt2QNFpEwtsS0IvlH4zDUsEsUbodWG1ujV-56Q6asZi107_uhxOzTvTKI5y1832yHOLHnNx_kBU8499s1tpoS6i2JMr91824RTmFi0hGTDYH_pP7K/s1600/lunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJr3bSdsuHinI7iLYbXHYnaYzIeWQt2QNFpEwtsS0IvlH4zDUsEsUbodWG1ujV-56Q6asZi107_uhxOzTvTKI5y1832yHOLHnNx_kBU8499s1tpoS6i2JMr91824RTmFi0hGTDYH_pP7K/s320/lunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p> 10:30, 1:30 and 3:30- black beans and/or fiber. Whatever I can fit in.</o:p></div>
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<o:p>Throughout the day- Lots and Lots of Water and snacks consist of vegetables.</o:p></div>
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Tonight for dinner, I made shepherd’s pie.<span> </span>This is a great gluten-free option to make in
a pinch.<span> </span>It’s dairy-free, too! I had so supplement vegetables as the peas weren't really enough of a portion.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yRLJ_E_0bL6A7JFQGvQku4ZFc3GYBSISYGhUl3qVs4UmqIPZ1r4ZZ3Hpe_oHxiasV1BRLJhKKQnivKP4vIk-YjxA7AFkKmqt0oeYqeCBkqRK0VyazC8nL4p4xHT1LFnjdIY702Stljpi/s1600/shepherdspie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yRLJ_E_0bL6A7JFQGvQku4ZFc3GYBSISYGhUl3qVs4UmqIPZ1r4ZZ3Hpe_oHxiasV1BRLJhKKQnivKP4vIk-YjxA7AFkKmqt0oeYqeCBkqRK0VyazC8nL4p4xHT1LFnjdIY702Stljpi/s320/shepherdspie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I even included a layered view!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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If I had
more foresight, I would have made my usual recipe with mock mashed potatoes
(made from yellow split-pea lentils) instead.<span>
</span>I guess that will be a post for another day.<span> </span>The link to the mock mashed potatoes is here:<a href="http://www.karenhurd.com/recipe_mock_mashed_potatoes.html">Mock Mashed Potatoes</a>. And I have to admit, this meal was a bad example of a "starch-free" food. I made it because my brother was eating over and I don't normally subject people to my diet. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So that's generally a pretty good example of what I eat! I’ve just started looking at
food less as enjoyment and more as “nourishment”.<span> </span>At least at this point in the diet, I have to
just focus on eating what I should be eating- no matter how bland it is or what it tastes like. <span> </span>And with all the effort so far, I’m feeling a
lot better and I’ve already lost 10 pounds…I just can't cheat...</div>
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Does this may mean I have to start eating beets?<span> </span>Only time will tell.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All I can say now is that I will still be tempted by dark chocolate and we'll see what comes of that. It's my "downfall" food. If I eat it, there's no telling what bad food I'll eat next!</div>
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<b>Have you tried going gluten-free? What was the hardest part for you? </b></div>
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<b>What's your downfall food? </b></div>
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Peas and love,<o:p></o:p></div>
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~Kaaren<o:p></o:p></div>
Kaarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06003148644552552667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269692683066612925.post-88140653824024110832011-09-18T20:48:00.000-07:002011-09-18T20:48:07.643-07:00The Beginning<br />
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Vegetarians are on the right track.<span> </span>They question their food sources and strive
for a healthy variety.<span> </span>Chiropractors
know that the body, if helped along naturally, can fight off most common
conditions with alignment and exercise.<span>
</span>Homeopaths know how to use natural substances to cure ailments and aid
in natural bodily processes.<span> </span>On the
other hand, the field of medicine is vast- with each kind of doctor
specializing in varying degrees and types of cures, wellness, and disease
including bacterial, viral and fungal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Where does a meat and vegetable-loving, chiropractic-supporting,
homeopathic-following nut belong on the spectrum of health and wellness?<span> </span>In my own category, that’s where! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I started a <a href="http://www.overqu.blogspot.com/">blog</a> about being unemployed, which was going
well, until the point I was employed again and then I didn’t have much to say
about it. <span> </span>However, with all that’s going
on in my life with food thus far, I thought it were only natural to write about
my journey on a possibly life-long gluten-free, corn-free, dairy-free, soy-free
diet that I started on- a few years into a stressful job and a few years after
a trip abroad.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I guess I’ve struggled with food as long as I could remember
including not being hungry and digestive issues, however, the last 5 years of
my life stand out as the roughest.<span> </span>I
started a stressful job in ’06 and despite my best efforts, I struggled with
mood disorders, extreme digestive symptoms (I’ll keep the details private),
inability to sleep more than 2-4 hours at a stretch, dry skin, hot earlobes,
dark- dark circles under my eyes, and the most disturbing of all – a largely
distended stomach that incited questions of pregnancy at EVERY family gathering
and at teaching functions. After a number of exams and a few tests, I was diagnosed with lactose and soy intolerance, but the problems didn't go away once those were eliminated...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span> </span>The numerous doctors I
sought out dismissed me.<span> </span>After I
explained my symptoms, a few medicated me.<span>
</span>Most probably saw me as a hypochondriac.<span>
</span>One day, the doctor I saw at a wellness clinic opened my eyes to new health
facts I hadn’t been aware of- the healing power and harming power of food.<span> </span>After seeking information out on my own and
reading a few books, I settled on seeing a nutritionist who turned my world (and
what I knew about food) upside-down for the better! <span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I am not a doctor and don’t claim to have the cure for any
illness, but I do believe in the power of being a critical reader and thinker-
and that my knowledge is limited to the information I seek out on my own. <span> </span>I question what I eat and also what I
read.<span> </span><span> </span>I’m excited to share new information with you-
information I struggle with about current food, new and alternative nutritional
beliefs and information, and how going virtually corn, gluten, dairy and soy
free is going. <span> </span>And sometimes, how it <i>isn’t</i> going. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In case you’re wondering about the cake in the background, I
<i>did</i> bake it myself when I started
going on my restrictive diet. There's a glue stick behind it because I was probably prepping something for my classroom. There is no glue-stick IN the cake. <span> </span>Why did I
make it if I can’t eat it, you ask? <span> </span>Because not everyone who has a birthday around
me deserves to eat cardboard while I’m learning to cook with alternative
ingredients.<span> </span>This was the real deal- a
genuine German Chocolate Cake with 5 separate sub-recipes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixbY3BeMOidNUCAFYgyxsiwdv7DTcOV2o_y_Rbuf2lllEbDS1xFjPi65xyj3Jrkt2D_YPyr0VzltMMC6F2jX5BgG2cE6FPX7SG5A_PPhWZfuCp2HBggyUpMczO56EMnxqttb6vdlcWD7v/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixbY3BeMOidNUCAFYgyxsiwdv7DTcOV2o_y_Rbuf2lllEbDS1xFjPi65xyj3Jrkt2D_YPyr0VzltMMC6F2jX5BgG2cE6FPX7SG5A_PPhWZfuCp2HBggyUpMczO56EMnxqttb6vdlcWD7v/s320/cake.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Thanks for reading! <span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j1ieSen4-OlDR7OB0C1NRQD7xvk44RoiWDsSqIhKB97V6mJAtZmdX0gDbfEtp4RrUu01-VPFoAR6o0VgattAtsEackRAxiZHZYxtg5cm_enM9EPP9-F6b_ZQTA7FA7-Wk_0yM94UOynx/s1600/gluten-free-cartoon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j1ieSen4-OlDR7OB0C1NRQD7xvk44RoiWDsSqIhKB97V6mJAtZmdX0gDbfEtp4RrUu01-VPFoAR6o0VgattAtsEackRAxiZHZYxtg5cm_enM9EPP9-F6b_ZQTA7FA7-Wk_0yM94UOynx/s320/gluten-free-cartoon1.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
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Kaarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06003148644552552667noreply@blogger.com1