Life With Food Allergies

Sweet Potato Fries| Baked Goodness

2012-01-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

Raise your hand if you are a french fry addict.

*Raises hand*

Unfortunately, all the junk, chemicals, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavorings, fillers, preservatives....

You get the idea.

Anyway, no one in their right mind would eat a french fry nowadays. That is, unless you were brave, and decided to make them yourself...in a deep fryer, which makes me scared just thinking about it. Because deep fryers are scary. The only remedy?

To bake, mon petite chou!

If you were really interested in the healthiest, tastiest and most decadent way possible, you'd go one step further, and make Baked Sweet Potato fries.

So, for all of those french-fry addicts who need their crunchy fix, here's my recipe for Sweet potato fries~

Start by peeling one large sweet potato:

Cut it in half:

Cut each half into thirds lengthwise:

Chop each sweet potato slice into thick, even fries. If they are too small they might burn. We wouldn't want that.

Pop the fries down onto a well greased cookie sheet:

And here's where it gets fun! Grab you're cooking spray and just mist it over your sweet potatoes! That is, unless the only cooking spray you have, is made with 30+ ingredients. I used our grape seed oil spray from Whole Foods, but if that's not available, you can just use melted butter, coconut oil, or olive oil. And you'll need to mix them all up together so they are well coated in the oil.

Sprinkle generously with sea salt:

Throw the pan into the oven, (not literally, please) and bake at 400˚ for 30 minutes, or until they are brown, caramelized, and almost crispy.

And that's it! An extremely easy recipe that pairs great with homemade hamburgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, and the list goes on!

Happy fry munching,

~~Lizzy♥

~Perspiration is the sign of a hasty cook~

2010-03-26T04:37:00.000-07:00

Hmmm....uhhh......yes, your's truly just came up with that! "Why"...you ask? Well its true more or less....You know, when you step into a restaurant and you see the chef through the big glass window and his forehead is beaded with sweat....you either think "It must be 100 degrees in there!" or..."He's not taking too much time to "smell the roses" (or meatballs) ...in his cooking....

Now, while perspiration isn't just running down my face when I'm cooking, I could take a little more time to perfect my dish! Many a time I adjust a dish to the cooking time, or the ingredient list....well, both could be solved one way or another! Creativity is a necessity in cooking, because if you don't have one thing, your bound to have the other!

I was in quite a fix the other afternoon....We live so far away from our grocery store that we try and space out our trips into town. Well, we spaced this one quite a bit, and to my horror we didn't have as much in the fridge as I thought.
We had carrots, peppers, and broccoli....Kaput. So, how to be creative with these? You do the sensible thing...like me.... and whimper and pace, and scratch your head, trying to drain out that last drop of knowledge to make a fantastic lunch.
We had brown rice, we had a bit of soy sauce, and some garlic......
BOOM!!!!!!!! I had it.... "I'll make a stir fry!" And that's what I made~

I have no recipe.......seriously! I followed one for guidelines, but it used hardly any veggies, and the sauce tasted horrific....so what did I do? I improvised! So, right below this is the non-recipe that has no measurements and requires none.

Now, back to my story.....This lunch took me forever to make, but I had fun! And it was perfect, oh so perfect....my guests went back for 3rds! And that my friends, is the greatest compliment a cook could have! :-)

4 Cups Brown Rice= cooked
3 Cups carrots-julienned
2 cups red, orange or yellow bell pepper-julienned
2 Cups broccoli florets

Now basically the above measurements mean: Dump in however much veggies and rice you want, and it will still turn out fine.

Splendid sauce~

Garlic-minced ----1-2 cloves
Serrano chili-minced------ 1- if it's spicy
Honey-----4-5 TB.
Sesame oil------ 3 TB.?
Grape-seed oil------4 TB.?
Soy sauce or tamari------I added enough to balance the honey
water------ Enough to thin

That's it!! I'm sorry I have no amounts for you, I just added till it tasted right. So look at my above guidelines and add to taste.

Heat your sesame and grape seed oil until warm. Add the chili and cook until hot. Add garlic and pan-fry for 1 minute or until tender. Add the honey, water, and soy sauce and stir slowly until it thickens slightly. Turn off heat and set aside.

Veggies:
Saute the carrots, pepper, and broccoli in a little sesame oil until tender. Add cooked brown rice, and mix together. Pour the sauce over, and fold into veggie/rice mixture. Enjoy!

Lizzy

~Mexican Tortilla Soup~

2010-03-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Today was a cold and dreary day, and what better to eat than a comforting bowl of soup?
Some of our friends came over today to have a "Planting Party" and so three of us girls got in the kitchen and made lunch for the elder sisters and moms......A day of delightful fellowship, and Delicious dining! ;-)

Mexican Tortilla Soup~

4 Cups Carrots-Chopped
2 Cups Celery-Chopped
2 TB. Crushed or minced Garlic
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
2 TB. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 28 oz. can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can of Adobo Seasoned Tomatoes
1 TB. Chili Powder
1 Tsp. Cumin Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
4 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
3 1/2 Cups Pinto Beans
8-10 Cups Pure Water
2 TB. Salt --or to taste
1-2 Cups Tortilla Chips
Cilantro for garnishing

Saute the crushed garlic and olive oil. Add Carrot, Celery, and Onion and saute till the veggies are tender. Stir in the Chili powder, Onion powder, Garlic powder, salt, and cumin. Pour in the Tomato sauce and water, and stir. Simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the cooked Pinto beans and cooked brown rice and cook until heated through. Garnish with cilantro and tortilla chips and serve!

Enjoy your soup!

Christ's Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

Country food just tastes a whole lot better......

2010-03-12T11:30:00.001-08:00

Care to know what our little hands have been making? ;-)
(sorry, no pictures yet!) :(

Our top favorite creation was the Double Chocolate Orange Torte From Elanas Pantry....let's just say...Divine, Melt in your mouth goodness that only took a few gobbles to finish! By far the best Gluten Free, homemade desert we've ever made. (We did substitute oat flour, and we used our homemade chocolate chips...)

If you'd like this recipe, click HERE and your on your way to decadence!

Another favorite was the country breakfast's we fixed! Or....more Brunchs....but so delicious!
We made potato hash browns sauteed with GF spinach and feta sausage, green peppers, and onions. YUM and served that with Laura's homemade biscuits with our home-canned raspberry jam and honey. (of course she made me a tasty batch of GF biscuits that I still argue were better than theirs...**grins**) I had mine with applesauce, and so finished a delightful meal.

Another favorite has been the Salads! :-) We made a spinach/red leaf lettuce salad with colorful peppers, salmon, brown rice, cucumbers and drizzled in a yummy garlic balsamic vinegar dressing. SO good!

And last but not least, Laura made a very creative mexican casserole which was layered with:
Corn tortillas
Mexican cheese
Spicy tomato sauce
Bell peppers
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Spinach

She baked that in the oven until the cheese was nice and melted, and it sure didn't last very long! :-)

Those were the highlight meals, and I hope more will follow!

Happy eating, and Christ's Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

Oops!

2010-02-24T13:05:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot one of my favorite blogs! Here it is~

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

This has super yummy recipes your sure to enjoy! :D :D : D

Christ's Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

Top 5 Gluten Free Blog Countdown~

2010-02-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

5. http://glutenfreemommy.com/

4. http://holdthegluten.net/

3. http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/

2. http://simplygluten-free.blogspot.com/

1. http://www.elanaspantry.com/

Hope you check out these wonderful Gluten Free Blogs!! :D :D :D

Christ's Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

Homemade Tea~~

2010-02-19T05:02:00.000-08:00

Many a time I peep into our tea drawer, and we are either out of our favorite kind, or I just want something different. So.....I began experimenting with herbs etc.... and happened upon these three recipes~

Have any of your heard about the Homestead Blessings dvd's? Well, we've bought every single one of them, and they are just wonderful! In their herbal dvd, they make a wonderful mint tea that is perfect either hot or cold! Go HERE to read more/buy it.

They have a little "promo" clip of it, and it just happens to be on the mint tea! So if you would like to watch that, go HERE.

Also, another favorite is the Lemon Honey Ginger tea! It almost tastes like a hot lemonade.

2 TB. Ginger (Just take of two knobs and peel.......do not shred/etc.... you want the pieces to be a good size.
5-6 Cups Water

Boil this mixture in a pot until the water starts to turn a yellowish color. When it comes to this stage~

Get about 5 mugs/teacups and spoon into each, a mixture of:

3 TB. Lemon Juice
2 TB. Honey

Then just mix, and pour your ginger water into your 5 mugs!

Note...This has a tendency to cool quickly! So drink fast! :D :D :D

And my 3rd recipe is--

My version of good tea: ;-)

Make yourself a nice mug of either earl grey or black tea, and add to it:

3 TB. Milk (Non dairy milks may be used instead)
1 TB. Honey
1/8 tsp. Vanilla extract (optional)

This is SO yummy!!

Have fun making teas!

Christ's Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

Sweet Smoothies~

2010-02-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

Valentines day is almost here! And with it brings lots of sweet stuff! :D :D :D And i'm not just talking about the candy...

Here's a pink and pretty smoothie that will look well in any glass, (well....if you omitted the cocoa....) and better yet, it will taste amazing~

I :heart: Smoothie

1 Frozen Banana
1 C. Frozen Strawberries
1 C. Almond or rice milk
1 TB. cocoa powder
1 soaked date-pitted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend until smooth, and garnish with either some fresh strawberries, or even yummier: Some good Green and Blacks Chocolate!

Enjoy!

Miss Lizzy

How many ways can you make a Smoothie?

2010-02-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

A LOT!

Smoothies are a GREAT way of incorporating distasteful items such as greens and vitamins, as well as being a wonderful "on the go" meal for when you need a quick and no mess meal in minutes.

Since Smoothies are such an incredible way to get maximum nutrition, I'll be featuring a wide selection of my favorite smoothie recipes on my blog!

For each recipe I'll tell you where I get the products, what to use, what to pair it with, how much time it took etc...

Green Thing~

2 C. Frozen Chopped Mango
1 Scoop Berry Vega Powder
1/4 tsp. Spirulina
Water to thin

That's it! Just 4 ingredients and your on your way!

What is Vega?

Vega powder is a tasty meal replacement/protein powder that makes smoothies really enjoyable! It's 100 % organic and perfectly matched nutrition that you can't beat. It's almost 100 % raw, but it does have some yummy pea protein and brown rice powder that isn't quite raw. It has your greens, probiotics, vitamins, fruits, veggies, proteins and minerals for a great balanced meal! It was created and designed by a man who used to do triathlons, and is great for a sports as well!

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a nutrient rich Blue Green Algae that has vitamins and minerals! It's one of the healthiest things you can put in your mouth, and it's very similar to Chlorella. It takes a little getting used to though, so start with a 1/4 tsp. and work your way up to a Tablespoon! It's almost addictive when you start eating it every day!

Where can I find these products?

Vega: www.myvega.com

It's the "Health Optimizer" type! It comes in Chocolate, Original, Berry, and Vanilla Chai! (We usually like to buy it through www.amazon.com because it is cheaper)

Spirulina: You can buy it HERE

Have a delicious day!

Christ's Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

Faire une pause de sucre et des grains~

2010-02-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

Need a translation? **wink wink** "Taking a Break From Sugar and Grains" (and yes, that was French.....isn't it lovely?)

Yes, I am officially taking a break from ALL sugar and grains!!! I have been on a starch and sugar overload, and it's just not working.....so what does this mean?

When I say I mean no sugar....I don't just mean the white stuff you find in the grocery store...nope, sugar can disguise itself in many deceiving little ways...like~

Dressings,
Gluten Free Baking mixes/regular breads, canned products, yogurt etc...
Sauces and dips
Desserts...hmmm..... that's pretty obvious
And practically ANYTHING you find in a grocery store.....
Just be aware, if some of the products you are using "don't" have corn syrup, then they will most likely have that awful white, refined sugar.

As to the sugars I'm avoiding?

Agave Nectar
Maple Syrup
Honey
Sugar
And any other sweet substance that is not a fruit! :D :D

Not that the above sweeteners are "bad" for you, by no means! Excluding sugar and maple syrup, the other two leftovers are a great way to sweeten anything without the use of sucre.(sugar)
But I just decided to get all my sugar intake from only fruits.....yum! :D :D :D
Oh, and as Stevia is an herb, and it won't spike your blood sugar, I'll be using that.......

Now, as to the grains....

I will be eliminating the following;

Wheat and Gluten (obviously)
Quinoa
Amaranth
Rice--that will be HARD
Spelt--I don't eat it anyway...
ANY Gluten Free Baking/bread mixes
Crackers
Pasta
Chips
Etc......

So, that about sums it up! I'll be doing this "starch cleanse" you might call it... for about 3 weeks...And I'll be focusing on the really good things, like veggies, fruits etc...!

Where Will I get my protein you ask? From Beans and Greens! :D :D

Have a delicious day!
Christ''s Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

The belated Thanksgiving~

2010-02-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

My family and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit some far away friends in TN that we had never met before! We were cyber friends, and couldn't wait to meet each other.....So it happened that we were up there during Thanksgiving week, and we were eager to have our Thanksgiving dinner with them, so here's the final product~

To get you in the mood first though, we will show you how This~

Turned into This~ (and no, we did not eat the above turkey.........)

It was a wonderful meal, the results of 5 young ladies socializing at an unbelievable rate whilst preparing course after course of traditions. It was fabulous, and a wonderful way to spend time with friends!

Eat and Enjoy!

Miss Lizzy

(And yes, thanks to Whole Foods practically EVERY course was gluten free and dairy free, including hot chocolate and desserts!)

Chili~ The delicious way!

2010-02-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

It's literally freezing outside right now, and nothing sounds better than some good, hot and spicy chili, and you just don't have to serve it with tamales! One of our favorite ways of serving our tasty organic vegetarian chili is over organic potatoes! Maybe it's just the Texas thing to do, but chili potatoes are definitely a winner! Here's the gist of the recipe~

Small new potatoes--Depending on how large they are, usually 2 is enough per person.

Chili:

I NEVER measure when it comes to chili, I always just add in ingredients till it tastes perfect~

Beans: pinto or black..or if your bold, both!
Organic Tomato sauce-- You can either use the chunky tomatoes, or the smooth sauce.
Mexican spices/seasonings: your traditional chili powder, cumin, onion and garlic powder, and roasted hatch chiles if you want to make things spicy!
Green or red pepper chopped
Salt, pepper

That's basically it! We bake our potatoes first so their nice and soft, pour the chili over, and then top with some Monterey Jack cheese!

Here are the pictures~

Picture #2, I grant you might not look very appetizing....but the picture was taken at dark **Ewww** so don't worry, your food will NOT look like this! :D :D :D

Enjoy, and Christ's Blessings!

Miss Lizzy

Asian Cabbage Coleslaw~

2010-01-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

(that's the old version.....it really doesn't look too good does it?.....then try the below recipe!)

I love the crunchy texture of coleslaw! Whether it be drenched in a cream sauce, or lightly flavored it's just a favorite.
Since I can no longer have that delicious creamy mayonnaise dressing anymore, I concocted a special asian slaw that really hit the spot.

(Now....you can either eat this whole batch like a salad-which I do, or it can be a side for any asian/normal meal!)

3 Cups fresh cabbage-shaved or chopped
3 TB. Gluten Free Tamari or soy sauce
3 TB. Agave Nectar or maple syrup
1 Cup Shredded Carrot
1/2 Cup. Purple Cabbage-Shaved or chopped
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3 TB. Toasted sesame oil
Lime juice to taste-optional
1 tsp. Sesame seeds-white or black

Mix the cabbage and carrots together. Add the wet ingredients and toss VERY well till everything is incorporated.

Banana Muffins....Are they fakers?

2010-01-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, these banana muffins are NOT gluten free, but I had to make them for my daddy for his breakfast in the mornings...so I did it! I made wheat muffins without taste testing, hard but necessary! But, to reconcile myself, I indulged and made myself some gluten free banana chocolate chip bread...which I knew would be even better. So....here's the picture~

Hope's Cancer Diary~

2010-01-06T12:04:00.001-08:00

There is a young 14 y.o. girl who is currently suffering from cancer.......Here name is Hope~~ What a beautiful name!

Her blog address is HOPE

Please look at her blog, leave her comments, and most importantly, keep her in your prayers!

God Bless,

Miss Lizzy

2009-11-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

Some gorgeous garden goodies!

Satsuma oranges, and Thai chiles.

Natural Springs in Manitou Springs CO

2009-10-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in Natural Soda springs at the Grand CO, I advise you to first be a lover of STRONG carbonated water, bring a "small" cup, and a willing heart!! Yes my friends, I tried the fizzy Natural spring water in Manitou Springs CO!!

Here's the story:

My family and I were on a vacation to Colorado, and while we were sight seeing around the town, I saw numerous fountains of beautiful water everywhere I went!! Supposedly you could drink it, and I was all for it!! I was so excited I decided to bring cups on our next outing. While passing one of these gorgeous fountains one day I saw a woman tasting the water......she spit it out and made a sour face....I was not discouraged! "Maybe she just doesn't like spring water" I hopefully said to myself.

The next day we were passing the main fountain that everyone was drinking out of. It was a cold day, I had forgotten the cups, but nothing would stop me. In plunged my hand, and the next minute a 14 year old girl was making a spectacle of herself in the middle of town spluttering and spattering water everywhere...........

Let's just lightly say that it was the worst water I had EVER tasted!! What happened to the "lemony" taste my friends had told me about.........was it just me?

The strong, carbonated taste was just not to my liking......I spit it out, I got myself wet, I never drank it again. But!!!!!!!!! Don't let that stop YOU from tasting the delightful little natural spring fountains placed all over Manitou springs!!

(Just make sure you LOVE San pelligrino first..................)

E. Marie.

P.S. Yes......There are pictures!!!!

GF Pasta, Veggie Tomato Sauce, and "Mock" Meatballs!

2009-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

The other night I was flipping through one of my favorite vegan cookbooks~ The Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann, wondering what I should fix for dinner. My eye was caught by a recipe I had long wanted to try: Pasta and "Sneakin Mama's Tomato sauce with Lentil Rice Balls" YUM!! So.....I made it, and it was even more amazing than I had imagined! The tomato sauce was SO flavorful and tasted like it popped out of a gourmet Italian restaurant, and the lentil rice balls were hearty, chewy, and "so" much like meatballs! You didn't miss the loads of meat, or parmesan cheese, or that bland and boring tomato sauce! And the recipes? I'm sorry my friends, but you MUST buy her book! It is very good......especially for transitioning to vegan foods! (even if you homeschool!! :-)

Here is my representation:

Happy Eating!

Miss Lizzy

~Lovin' the Limeade~

2009-09-13T18:21:00.001-07:00

It's the end of Summer, and we just LOVE our Limeade!! It's tangy, sugar free, fresh, and above all: Healthy! You'll never go back to Minute-Maid again!!

Limeade:

1 part limes

3 part water

1/2 part agave nectar

1 part ice cubes.

This is SO good and refreshing.....try it before winter comes!

Miss Lizzy

Salad- Is what you make it!

2009-09-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

This fantastic green salad I made was SO good! It was just greens, and one of my favorite salad dressings~ Here's the recipe:

I didn't really measure, so just add to taste~

Green Garlic Salad Dressing:

Garlic Cloves

Lemon Juice

Fresh Parsley

Fresh Basil

Sea Salt

That's it! Just blend slightly in your blender, till the garlic is nice and "shredded." If you want a creamier dressing.......blend longer.

Pour over a bed of your favorite leafy greens!

Here's My salad I took a picture of~

Miss Lizzy

A healthy day!

2009-09-11T15:13:00.000-07:00

Today has been a very healthy eating day!! Today I woke up and had a delicious smoothie, and for lunch I had a soup that my mother and I came up with that we later called: Scarborough Fair soup with herbs from the garden. With that we had Red Quinoa that was simply delish!!

What are Ya'lls favorite healthy day recipes? Give me a comment, and we can all share ideas!!

Blessings,

Miss Lizzy

~A word on Gluten Free Mixes~

2009-09-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone who is Gluten intolerant goes through the "All the GF baking mixes taste terrible!" That was me...until I found an all purpose baking mix called "Pamelas" (well....it's actually called something like pancake/baking mix) I didn't have duck eggs at the time, so I made a batch of pancakes without the eggs--it was really good!! So when I finally got more duck eggs, I began making ALL the recipes on the back of the bag!!! Banana bread, scones, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, muffins and too many others to list. Each recipe I made tasted so entirely amazing that I thought once or twice on checking the bag to "make sure it WAS gluten free!" It didn't taste like it at all! (And yes..it "was" GF!!)

So.....if your interested in an absolutely amazing baking/bread/cookie/biscotti mix, take a look at the website: Pamelas

I hope this helps ya'll!

Miss Lizzy

When Yer Sicky.....You Feel Icky!

2009-09-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Yes My Friends.....I have been sick!

My usual once every "couple of months" cold. Granted, they aren't fun, but must be endured! I don't know about ya'll....but my symptoms consist of the usual bad headaches, sore throat, runny nose, and aches. My solution? TREAT A COLD NATURALLY!! I couldn't stress this point enough!

Here's most peoples response: "AHH I've got a cold!!" as they grab a kleenex, and run to the nearest doctors office--who gives them a prescription to the nearest pharmacy--who gives them a drug that will eventually make them even more sick! Not to mention it costs an arm and a leg!

Here's my response: "AHH I've got a cold!!" as I run to grab a kleenex, and then run to the kitchen--which gives me hot herbal tea, vitamin c, broth, garlic, probiotics, coral calcium, and tons of water! (Which would you choose? A walk to the kitchen......or a drive to the doctor?)

So.....now that you're absolutely convicted on herbal remedies for colds, let me share with you some things that make it go by a WHOLE lot quicker!

1. Drink plenty of water and fluids--It will flush the bad stuff out of your system, hydrate you, and clean out your lymphnodes where lots of excess guck is hanging out.

2. Eat lots of raw garlic or take organic garlic pills. Garlic is unbelievable for fighting infections of ANY sort!!

3. If you have a bad runny nose or congestion: Drink LOTS of Echinacea and elderberry tea...www.bulkherbstore.com has an amazing Double E Immune Booster tea that is great for warding off colds! Or just buy some Sambucol syrup for those who aren't quite as brave.

4. Eat VERY spicy foods--Which will not only relieve congestion, it will cause you to sweat tremendously which is sweating out all the bad stuff from your body! (If you have a fever, sweating is VERY good for you! ---Just make sure to drink plenty of water! :-)

5. Do plenty of acidophilus, ginger, lemon, and dark leafy greens to keep your PH level at it's normal state. A lot of times when you are sick it makes your body extremely acidic!

6. Take a hot shower or bath every day to relieve congestion and achey muscles.

7. Take lots of vitamin C!

8. Prop your pillows up at night when you sleep to help you're breathing if you are congested. It also helps bad coughing!

9. Eat lightly! Your body needs to spend its time healing you, not digesting a heavy meal! Don't worry, there will be plenty of time for lasagna once your well! As a matter of fact, don't eat ANY sugary foods or dairy/sugar which will only aid your sickness, and made you feel like a boat full of sludge! (it's also awful for congestion!)

10. Clean out your nasal passages! Whether it's with an all natural nasal spray like Xlear, or whether it's a good old fashioned Netti Pot, do something to relieve your plugged up nosie!

And my last tip to you? REST!! Stay bundled up under that warm quilt with your pillows propped up, and you yourself relaxed!! A cup of chamomile tea will even put you to sleep!

Blessings!

Miss Lizzy

I've got the Anti-fungal blues!

2009-09-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

I have been trying to go on an "Anti-Fungal" Diet for about a month now...with little success! I can't pass up that Gluten Free Brownie mix that is just so divine. Ooo....Pancakes sound GREAT for breakfast!! Maybe I'll just get this "one" little carton of my favorite soy ice cream. That little bit can't hurt.....can it? Readers......I'm sure you can easily come up with the answer: YES!! :-)

As a result, I just haven't been feeling the best lately! Even though I am allergic to wheat, eggs, etc... when things like homemade strawberry turnovers, or chinese dumplings come down my way, I'm caught like a duck on a june bug! (to quote my family) There is no easy way to give up your favorite foods.....unless you replace it with something else!!

For those of you who are saying: "What on earth is Anti-Fungal??" Here ya go:

Anti-Fungal:

No wheat, yeast, gluten or corn

No Vinegar (which is in EVERYTHING!)

No Sugar, maple syrup, honey, evaporated cane juice or molasses

No Sugary fruits including bananas, grapes, apricots, dates, most apples, mango, kiwi, papaya, peaches, cherries all melons, and more.

No starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, mushrooms (which are a fungus) and peas

No Red Meats, and absolutely no pork

No Fermented Foods such as miso, soy sauce and tamari, sauerkraut, etc...

NO CHOCOLATE!!! Devastating

You can only have 1/2 cup grain per day. Less is best

You can only have 1 serving of non-sugary fruits which exist of berries....per day.

The result: Fungi Free!

So...I must now try again to customize my routine eating habits around these somewhat primitive perimeters! :-)

So to make a long story short....I am going anti-fungal again......and I'm going to try to stay like that before we go on a week long vacation....

Each Day until the advancing vacation date I will be eating and posting a healthy and "Fungi Frugal" diet!

Now you are asking....so what CAN I eat? Plenty of good leafy greens, a tad bit of chicken(if I want it) Eggs--Duck for me since I'm allergic to chicken eggs, Berries, Bean/legumes(which includes lentils) and my grains consist of a 1/2 c. of millet, quinoa, rice, or oats. Young Coconuts, some Citrus, green apples, a tad of raw carob powder, and an occasional bit of agave nectar--if I must. Oils are also on my "I can eat" list, so I LOVE pumpkin seed, olive, coconut, pecan, grapeseed, and sesame oils to make my food taste decadent! Hey! It's not so bad! Oh, and I can have tomatoes and all herbs.....could NOT live without those!! I can also have garlic...which is GREAT!!

Phew!!! Okay, well I think that's about it! Join me this month in eating the healthiest things you possibly can!!!

Christ's Blessings, and happy eating!

Miss Lizzy

Raw Orange Chocolate Cookies!

2009-08-19T10:55:00.001-07:00

I had been craving something sweet, and chocolatey! This delightful little raw cookie was better than I could have imagined!

Chocolate Orange Cookies:

(I didn't really measure, so add at your own risk!)

Cocoa powder

Orange Juice

Pecans

Medjool Dates

Cinnamon

I blended it in the food processor, and froze. Enjoy!

It Feels Like Fall!

2009-08-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

It was dark, rainy and cloudy today, so it really did feel like Fall! I was inspired to create something with a sweet, salty taste, that fit with my autumn theme. I came up with this!

It is totally raw, and supremely delicious!

Dried Cranberry sprout salad with Pumpkin seed oil and citrus dressing, Sweet sweet potatoes with tamari sauce, and orange slices.

Here's the picture:

E. Marie

Going all RAW

2009-07-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

I had been eating pretty poorly for the past 2-3 months and I knew I needed some change in diet! I had tried going all RAW for about 2 days before, but felt myself getting hungry and bored. I didn't feel like going into the kitchen and making a masterpiece of a meal, but those are usually the only raw foods that are filling. (or so I thought!)

I don't really know when it happened, but 3 days ago I decided to try and eat all raw for a week, and see where it took me. I have really enjoyed these past 3 days and thought that it was worth a post.

So here I am trying to eat all RAW for about as long as possible, I am not promising that I won't slip up, but to gain maximum health is always worth a try!

I hope you enjoy my posts and pictures, and that they are encouraging and helpful to you!

Christ's blessings,

~~Lizzy

Better than burrito "burrito"

2009-06-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

This Mexican burrito recipe is one of my favorite dinners! It's spicy, flavorful, and delectably delicious! (Not to mention very gourmet!)

1 Brown rice tortilla

1/4 chopped cilantro

1-2 C. Mexican tomato sauce (Muir glen fire roasted tomatoes, and an adobo chile)

3/4 C. Pinto Beans

1/2 C. Shredded raw goat cheese

1/2 Organic corn kernels

1/2 of a Red pepper--sauteed and cut in small strips

1/2 C. Sauteed swiss chard

Take your brown rice tortilla and stuff it with the cilantro, pinto beans, shredded goat cheese, corn, red pepper, and swiss chard. Roll up into burrito size and shape, and top with the mexican tomato sauce, and more goat cheese and cilantro. (so it's almost like an enchilada...but burrito style!)

Cook at 350º and cook for about 15-20 min. or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.

Enjoy!

~~ Elizabeth

Quick Lunch for a busy day!

2009-06-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

This was such an incredible lunch! I have been craving a carrot ginger sandwich I had gotten at the empress hotel for high tea. This was the "Elizabeth" proof version I concocted!

Carrot Ginger Salad Sandwich:

(salad)

3 Carrots shredded

1/2 to 3/4 C. Organic cream cheese

1/2 tsp. Fresh grated ginger

1/2 tsp. Sea salt

1 Organic brown rice tortilla

1 Organic romaine lettuce leaf

All I did was blend the salad in the food processor, and then stuffed it into my lettuce leaf which was inside the brown rice tortilla. I served it with a all natural goat milk yogurt cup, and some fresh organic grapes.

Perfect!

~~Elizabeth

My second time cinnamon rolls!

2009-06-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

This was my second try on Gluten free cinnamon rolls.......my first try which I won't go into to much detail, tasted like a cinnamon scone. My second try was a little bit better, I used duck eggs and yeast, though with little success. Though tasting decidedly better than my last ones, I just haven't been able to find a good recipe that stands up to the name! The picture below is my disastrous effort :-)

So.....this brings me to my question: Does anyone have that just perfect gluten free cinnamon roll recipe? Well...........If you do, then type up the recipe in a comment, so that the word can spread!

Happy searching!

~~Elizabeth

Green Meals

2009-05-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is hard to get more greens into your diet! So for those of you aren't crazy about those greeny greens, here are a couple tips and recipes:

1. Add a dark green into your favorite soups! Kale, chard and beet greens are scarcely noticeable in a large pot of soup! And, they add a good texture to almost any soup you make!

2.Green smoothies are a "great" way to get in your greens! You can't taste them at all, and while you are sipping away you are filling your body with healthy nutrients! So.......get your blender out and make your favorite smoothie recipe, but be sure to add in your greens! Romaine, spinach and lettuce are mild, protein rich greens that won't have a taste!

3.Tomato sauce is another way you can get your greens in! You can blend up a couple of your most mild greens like spinach or romaine, and add to the spaghetti sauce! You won't be able to taste it at all! Adding some fresh herbs like basil or thyme to your spaghetti sauce will give it added health benefit and flavor! (Just make sure not to add too many greens.......you don't want your spaghetti sauce to be brown!)

4.Okay, for those of you who aren't crazy about greens, but don't necessarily "not like" them, you might want to try a good hearty salad! Most of the time if you have a really good dressing, the taste of the greens is pretty slim! Here is one of my favorite salad dressings:

1 Avocado

2-3 TB. of Lemon juice

2 TB. of purified water

1 tsp. of sea salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Fresh herbs from the garden like basil, tarragon, or dill

Blend well in your blender and pour over a bowl full of tasty greens!

This is a simple healthy salad dressing recipe that will get you on your way to eating your greens!

Tempting Tacos!

2009-05-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

Tacos are a favorite meal in my house, and don't worry, there is a tasty vegetarian option for those of you who don't eat meat!

Since I am gluten intolerant I use a couple out of the ordinary products that might be hard to find in a regular grocery store. I buy most of these things like the rice tortilla's and vinegar free hot sauce at our favorite health food store.

Tacos:

Ingredients:

2 Brown rice tortillas--warmed

1/2 C. Vegetarian refried beans, or black beans

1/2 C. Shredded goat cheese

1 C. Shredded romaine lettuce

2-3 TB. Of Organic vinegar free hot sauce

1/4 C. shredded carrot

Heat up your rice tortillas, and then spread on the refried beans. Sprinkle on the goat cheese, lettuce, and shredded carrot and then roll up into taco form. I am not partial to tomatoes and guacamole, but if you desire them, add them onto your taco too! Heat in your oven at 350º

and cook until cheese is melted. Add on your hot sauce and enjoy!

Lemonade Slushies!

2009-05-22T11:20:00.001-07:00

Summer has begun, and in this Texas heat, you have to stay cool!

That is why I have concocted a delightful drink that is refreshing and satisfying! Lemonade has to be one of my most favorite summer drinks! This healthy recipe is all I need to stay cool!

5-6 TB. Fresh or frozen lemon juice (if you freeze your lemon juice into ice cube trays, it makes the drink extra slushy!)

5 TB. Agave Nectar

1 C. Purified water

6 Ice cubes

Blend well, and pour into small glasses. Serves 2

For Something fun, you could add a colorful straw, or a lemon slice at the rim of the glass!

Enjoy!

Long Time No See!

2009-05-22T11:19:00.003-07:00

Phew! What a busy month this has been!

Candle dipping, tomato canning, essays and a whole lot of other things have been taking place here at my home!

But........I'm back, and glad to be! I have made lots of fabulous recipes recently and I can't wait to share them with you!

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Beautiful Burgers!

2009-01-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

These burgers were some of the best I had ever eaten! (even though I eat usually vegetarian, I just had to try it! - the meat was from local grass fed beef that my Mom gets at the farmers market for my father) I used a gluten, yeast, sugar, and egg free bread of mine, made up some REALLY good avocado and herb mayo, slapped on the lettuce and topped with the burger! For the sides I made sweet potato fries and a vinegar free ketchup recipe which was okay...but I preferred dipping the fries in my leftover avocado mayo. I also had "Bubbies" vinegar and sugar free pickles that are absolutely wonderful! Some dairy free ice cream with vegan chocolate sauce on top finished off this spectacular meal. You really don't have to have a fancy burger bun or a million special sides! This was so easy to make, and I will "definitely" be making this incredible meal again! ~~Elizabeth

Gluten free Chinese food

2009-01-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

My sister and I LOVE Chinese food, and tonight for supper we adapted a recipe for two different sauces. One was an orange sauce, and the other a honey sauce.

Well, they turned out AMAZING! We made up a batch of veggie fried rice and poured the sauce over that. (my dad had it with chicken)

(sorry, no pictures at present...I'll try to get some up soon though!)

~~Elizabeth

P.S. My sister made some really yummy gluten and egg free chocolate chip cookies...what can I say? They were the best chocolate chip cookies I had ever eaten!

We used oat flour for the flour and some "vegan" chocolate chips. To sweeten it, we used honey, but you could use stevia drops, or agave nectar.

Gluten free wonders

2009-01-18T17:59:00.001-08:00

I am still amazed at all of the "amazing" gluten free foods that are in the stores today! I get so excited when I find pizza crusts, waffles, and other yummy products containing no egg or "anti Elizabeth" ingredients. Just recently I found the best breakfast bars that were free of all my allergens. Not to mention all of the amazing recipes I find that I can make on my own. I made gluten and egg free crepes today for breakfast--I used egg replacer...and they were awesome!

So if you are trying to satisfy those cravings for breads, cookies, pasta etc... then look around you and you will find some wonderful products!

~~Elizabeth

Unbelievable GF Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-01-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

I found a recipe for pumpkin pancakes that I thought I might try for breakfast this morning. I tweaked the recipe a little bit and they turned out awesome! There was a half can of organic pumpkin puree in our refrigerator, and I had been planning to make some Gluten free pancakes this morning anyway. Perfect! They turned out light and fluffy, and were just a little bit rich with the maple syrup, so you don't have to have too many!

Here's the recipe:

1 1/4 cups of GF all purpose baking mix

2 tsp. baking powder--(you have to make sure that your baking powder is Gluten free..some isn't, and most has cornstarch)

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I didn't have any pumpkin pie spice so I made my own using cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground allspice)

1/2 tsp. salt

6 TB. of pumpkin puree

2 TB. melted butter or coconut butter

1 cup milk (or you could use almond milk or any other nut milk)

1 egg (I used an egg replacer)

In a bowl just mix together all of the dry ingredients, melt your butter, and blend together the wet ingredients. Add the melted butter and then add the wet to the dry. These pancakes have a tendency to stick to the pan, so I just used a little more coconut oil on the pan to help keep them from sticking.

Serve with pure organic maple syrup, or you can make a yummy fruit topping by mixing together blueberries, orange juice, (or any other fruit juice) and cinnamon. Pour over your pancakes.

Meal Plan 09

2009-01-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a very interesting project--a meal plan for the year 2009!

It's very exciting, and I have already come up with tasty ideas for it.

I will hopefully be posting once a day..."hopefully" with a capital H, and will be writing down everything that I am eating. A few of my recipes come from my favorite vegan and vegetarian books. To make this more fun I have come up with the "day" system, a neat way of knowing what to eat on different days of the week. For instance- Monday is no fruit day, Tuesday is Pasta night, Wednesday is no grain day, Thursday is raw food day, Friday is pizza night, Saturday is green day, and Sunday is regular with no restrictions.

Here's the meal plan for Saturday (green day means that everything I put in my mouth that day has to be mostly or partly green)

Breakfast--Green smoothie with spirulina

Lunch--Taco salad( lettuce, hot sauce for the dressing, pinto or black beans, shredded veggies, and if you use it (I don't/ can't) you could put on some dairy free sour cream, or if you wanted to make your own, you could buy some plain goat's milk yogurt and sour it with some lemon juice and then add some herbs! Presto...you have sour cream!)

Snack--Homemade trail mix with green juice (a lot of times I will make a favorite fruit juice and add spinach, lettuce or celery stalks to make it more green and easier to drink)

Dinner- Salad with avocado dressing and veggie pockets--Wraps--Rice tortilla, raw goat cheese, veggies, lettuce and hot sauce or lemon dressing

Dessert--Homemade Rice crispy treats with spirulina and pumpkin seeds (the rice crispy treats are made with organic brown rice crisps, honey, cinnamon, and occasionally some vegan chocolate chips or raw organic cacao powder)

And that wraps up a day!

Supper!

2008-02-27T18:21:00.000-08:00

My supper was "really" good! (who says you can't eat awesome on a food allergy diet?)
I had mixed greens- kale and spinach that were sauteed in olive oil. (I prefer to use coconut oil when cooking, but we were seeing how it would affect me if I didn't use it.)
I also made a really yummy combination of steamed broccoli, brown rice and Alaskan salmon, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of natural sea salt was all it needed.

A few hours prior to dinner I had made coconut Popsicles- a great way to get your young coconut in if the taste is somewhat strange, or you can't manage a whole one by yourself.
All I did was pour my coconut water into small cups, pop some foil or plastic wrap on them, and just stick some toothpicks, or craft sticks in~~so easy!

They were completely frozen by supper time, and I just grabbed one of them after dinner for a cool, refreshing desert.

Questions?

2008-02-26T12:46:00.000-08:00

If anyone happens to have questions on a recipe or my diet,
I would be happy to answer them. When you start a whole new eating lifestyle,
a good support system is quite necessary, so feel free to ask.

FYI:
Since this is the first blog I have done totally by myself, (with the help of my sisters photo's)
I will try to post at least once a day.
I will also try to keep up this strict but incredible diet,
and we'll see how much health I can attain.

First Things First

2008-02-26T12:16:00.001-08:00

I thought that I would share my diet with everyone,
so I will be letting you know daily of what I am eating.
I eat two lunches, one early one late. (I find that eating mostly veggies can leave you rather hungrier than expected.)

Breakfast: 2 Wild Rice Cakes with Pumpkin seeds. (We do most of our shopping at Whole Foods, so we find great gluten and wheat free products.)

(Early)Lunch: Bowl of Raw Pea green soup.

(Later) Lunch: Bowl of brown rice with fresh chopped parsley, drizzle of olive oil, and salt.

Life With Food Allergies

2008-02-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

For ordinary people, eating is easy. They select anything from the refrigerator, pantry, or a menu from a restaurant. For those with food allergies, it's a different life.

I used to be your ordinary person, but now I have been placed in the latter category. A thirteen year old girl who has to watch what she eats, twenty-four seven!
When I first realized that I was gluten and wheat intolerant, and that I was also allergic to eggs, turmeric, and mustard, things became more difficult.

I had to start concocting new and "tasty" meal recipes. Some worked, some didn't, and what really made it difficult was that I am a vegetarian.
At first I was literally living on nothing but rice, goats milk yogurt and veggies. (not a good idea)
To make a long story short my "rice" diet had everything but the kitchen sink! Rice bread, Rice tortilla's, Rice pasta, and....of course plain brown rice. (I had even added rice ice cream!)

I was getting way too many grains and hardly enough veggies, so I decided to make a change. I began to start eating more and more greens, and less and less of the sugary fruits, sweeteners, and starches.
Over the past few months I have really enjoyed coming up with yummy ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Now I eat mostly raw foods, but at least once or twice a day I incorporate things like lentils, rice and salmon (the only meat I eat) and occasionally steamed or roasted veggies.

The whole purpose of this blog is to help others with their food allergies, and one of the most important things to remember is that you shouldn't dwell on the things you can't have, but the things you "can".

I hope you enjoy reading my recipes, looking at pictures, and taking this journey of health with me.
Elizabeth