Mango Walnut Salad

The great thing about changing your diet is that it forces you to be open to new culinary ideas. I don't usually think of putting fruit in my salads, but it is so worth a try. This is my new favorite salad! I may be making it once a week. I am not even kidding. This was a collaborative effort. My friend brought the salad part, I provided the grilled chicken and feta cheese. Here's what you need: 1 mango, about 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, grilled chicken, and feta cheese. Y-U-M!

If you live by a Dion's, it went perfectly with a drizzle of Dion's ranch dressing. Ok, I'm going to go wipe the drool off my chin now. Eat up!

Quinoa Tabouli

I guess tabouli is a traditional mid-eastern wheat based meal. It's a cold salad, so it works best if you cook your quinoa the day before and use the refrigerated leftovers. (Hint: quinoa has really good flavor if you cook it in gluten free vegetable broth instead of just water.) I found a recipe at allrecipes.com and then used what I had.

Ingredients:

2 cups chilled quinoa

1 can black olives

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1 sliced cucumber

2 chopped tomatoes

1 cup chopped spinach

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/8 tsp cumin

Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. It is on the sour side. So use less juice if you don't like sour flavors as much. This was a great dinner for a hot day!

Hootin' Annies with Homemade Salsa

My sister-in-law makes this amazing breakfast, also called German pancakes, when we all get together. I finally asked her for the recipe and we love it. I have to admit, this gluten free version is not quite as satisfying, but it certainly is enjoyable and still a hit with the kiddos. 99% of the family eats these with syrup. I'm the 1% who enjoys salsa with it. And in an effort to cut out as much sugar as possible, I think salsa is a great substitute. Anyways, you'll get a fun surprise when you pull these out of the oven. They puff up on the sides!

Ingredients:

Hootin' Annies

6 eggs

6 TBSP Butter

1 cup milk

1 cup gluten free flour mix 

1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if not included in mix)

Salsa

1 can whole tomatoes

1 onion, quartered

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp thyme leaves

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp cilantro

1/4 tsp cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450*. Place butter in large glass casserole dish and put in oven on middle rack. Make sure there aren't any racks above the dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl until there are no lumps.

2. When you pull out the melted butter in the casserole dish, just pour the batter in the dish. Don't mix. Just leave it and put back in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

3. While Hootin' Annies are baking, mix your salsa. Dump all ingredients in your blender and pulse for 1-2 seconds until all chopped and mixed. Add roasted green chile if you have it. Fresh is best!

Zippy Twist- if you wanted to do them sweet, with syrup, I recommend trying unsweetened almond milk instead of regular milk for these. My girls loved the added flavor with their maple syrup!

Bell Pepper Stuffers

It's summer, and it's hot.

I don't know about you, but the thought of using a stove when it is above 95 degrees out makes me start roasting just thinking about it. So baking a snack is really not an option in this heat.

Bell peppers are one of those veggies that I forget I like until I have it. 

I went to the Commissary last week and saw some beautiful peppers I had to have.

Slice them up and serve with this cream cheese spread.

Ingredients:

1 small container whipped cream cheese

1 tsp basil

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp freeze dried chives

1 tsp dill

1 tsp thyme leaves

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 dash oregano

Mix well. Spread generously. Enjoy!

Do You Eat to Live Or Live to Eat?

Since I started this experiment in changing my family's eating habits, I have had the expected ups and downs. The ups are fantastic. To date, I have maintained my clarity and energy. I have lost 14 pounds and 5 inches around my belly. I've lost 2 inches around my waist and hips and 1.5" around my thighs. And it doesn't show signs of stopping. I might finally have a fit and healthy body -soon! The implications of the weight loss and other benefits are what really astound me. My body is healing enough to function properly! I have shed tears of joy at the thought. 

My downs have luckily not been as drastic, but are still difficult. I admit that I am not 100% on the sugar yet. I'm doing my best, but I have figured small treats once a week could be ok. It's the binges that are dangerous. I've only had two since I started, but I felt so drained and sluggish afterwards that they served as good reminders of why I am doing this. I had a hot dog at Target the other day. The pain the next day was excruciating. And it's funny, because it was the same feeling I'd just lived with before, but having been free of it for two months, I was a lot less tolerant of it. 

I've also had a rough time with snacks. I was a snacking fiend before I had my epiphany. Like eat a whole pack of double stuft oreos in a few days snacking fiend. Snacking now without hardly any junk has got me thinking in a new way. Because I don't buy junk food anymore, I'm forced to consider veggies, nuts and fruits (basically everything it's not my natural impulse to reach for), a snack. I did find these awesome gluten free veggie dipping chips at Sam's Club. With my favorite french onion dip, they are incredible. By themselves, not so much. But as I look for an evening snack I'm always reminded of why I am eating. 

 

Our bodies are such precious gifts that God has given us. And they are hardy and delicate at the very same time. They require equilibrium. They require constant care. They house our spirits, who we really are with limitless potential. Is how I am eating helping me reach my potential or holding me back from achieving it?  Am I using and appreciating food as fuel for my body, or am I abusing it and giving in to selfish impulses? My relationship with food and my body is changing, and I have to count my blessings that it is happening now. My self-esteem used to be a lot more dependent on how my body looked. Eating right for my body, eating what it needs and removing what it can't tolerate, has shifted my focus. I feel good about myself because I know I am making good choices. I feel good about myself because I feel so good physically. The weight loss is now a byproduct of the main goal- health! And with three daughters, that is the image of self-esteem I want them to have. I want them to love their bodies and make good choices for their health. I want them to focus on being healthy, not thin. It's a happier way to live. And when you are attractive to yourself, you are attractive to others. 

Food can be a blessing or a curse. We have the power to choose which one it will be for us. Good food, and food that your body can tolerate is the key. Regular, not obsessive, exercise is important, too. If you're like me and snacking is the difficult part, I'm working on it. I'm working on finding good summer snacks and yummy popsicle recipes. So, keep your eyes peeled!

Turkey Spinach Stackers

It's a salad on a toothpick. Fun, right? Grab a handful of pistachios or pecans and go nuts. These were awesome for our family picnic. Since we were out of bread, this was our next option. And having the spinach wrapped inside the turkey kind of "hid" it from the little ones. And muenster cheese was perfect with the grapes.   

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Bread and pasta are hands down the hardest thing about going gluten free. Chocolate is easier to walk away  from as it carries a 3 point punch, gluten, soy, and sugar. I tried white rice angel hair pasta a few weeks ago and it was a gooey mess. So I thought I'd give brown rice pasta a try. It was a hit! Capital H. I. T. Perfect texture, and tasty! I even made my own homemade alfredo sauce. I found this recipe from www.allrecipes.com. I didn't have cream, so I was looking for something without it and found this cream cheese based recipe. 

Oh. 

My. 

Tastebuds. 

Rich and oh, so creamy. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 package brown rice fettuccine noodles

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) whipped cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2- 1 lb fresh shrimp
• 
  
• Directions:
• 1. Boil fettuccine noodles with 2 tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes, then cover and let sit for 25 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
• 
  
• 2. Melt butter and cream cheese in sauce pan. Whisk until smooth. Add in garlic powder and pepper. Slowly add in milk and keep whisking to prevent lumps. Add in Parmesan cheese. 
• 
  
• 3. Shell and devein shrimp. Boil with 2 tbsp of your favorite seafood herb mix. Drain and add to alfredo sauce. Top noodles with alfredo sauce.
• 
  
• To add a little zip, my husband loves to add red pepper flakes. And a tiny bit of red chile powder. 

Crab Cakes

I thought I'd try something I'd never cooked before with my new parameters. I found this Paula Deen crab cake recipe after googling several other crab-related recipes. Here are my modifications.

• Ingredients:
• 1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
• 1/3 cup brown rice bread crumbs
• 3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Dash red chile pepper
• Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour, for dusting
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Favorite dipping sauce, for serving

Paula's Directions: 

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.

My Additions:

Layer spinach, brown rice and crab cakes. So yummy!