The average diet is largely based on wheat and carbohydrate foundations. Many people across the globe find their meals starch heavy and nutrition lacking and their correlating health in decline. In this blog, find ways to add diversity to your diet with delicious, healthy foods, low in sugars and carbs, completely without wheat and gluten, and high in protein and fun!
Enjoy a Happy Kitchen!
The day always seems to go by so fast after having been inundated with Christmas paraphernalia since Ocober 31st. So after a day of craziness, kids and wrapping paper, now I'm wrapping it up. I'll be on vacation for a bit. But I'm going to leave you with something sweet and simple. Maybe you'll think, "Hey, why didn't you post this sooner?? I could have used that at dinner!" But I assure you, with as easy as it is, you'll make it more often. Dip strawberries and melon, top ice creams, or just serve with your favorite warm fall custard, this recipe is sure to please.
If you already have this one, don't worry, I have a whole book of more to come, keep checking back!
Sweet Whipped Cream
1 pint heavy whipping cream
dash of cream of tartar
12-15 drops liquid stevia (any flavor you like!)
If not using flavored stevia: 1 tBsp vanilla extract (or your favorite flavoring)
You'll want to use the electric mixer for this one. Pour the whipping cream into a bowl with the cream of tartar. Whip until starting to get foamy but not peaking. Pour in stevia, whip a few seconds, pour in vanilla (or flavoring) and whip steadily until stiff peaks form (but do not break!)
There IS a bit of an art form to this. There is a fine line between thick, rich, sweet whipped cream - and vanilla flavored sweet butter... and there's NOTHING wrong with sweet butter! It tastes great on GF french toast, GF coconut pancakes and a bunch of other things... however, if you're going for whipped cream... keep an eye on it while you're whipping.
(Oh yes! That IS a gluten free, added-sugar free pumpkin pie in that picture!)
Just try to keep the kids fingers out of this one!
I assured you today's recipe would not only be edible but simple and if you've already been there, done that, well, maybe this can be some inspiration to add this to your holiday table this year? It's quick, warm, comfort food that is whole and packed with nutrients.
First of all, how many of you reach for a canned pumpkin every time you make a pumpkin custard or pie? What if I told you it is easy and delicious to actually make your own pumpkin puree, using just your oven, a knife and a food processor. Most people remember grandma's "grainy and difficult" from scratch pies. This is simple. It's easy to be intimidated but I assure you, one step at a time and you'll have it. If pumpkin isn't your thing, I'll show you a wonderful golden acorn squash substitute.
Heat it up! These cold winter months bring the chill and the snow (if you're up north) and sometimes, even in the south, it's nice to have the warmth and decadent smell of roasting something in the oven. First, we're almost out of fall, but if you look hard enough, you'll be able to find a sugar pumpkin or a golden acorn squash (regular squash work well too.) If you're going to make a big pan, even one or two sugar pumpkins will be more than enough. Both of these can be eaten right out of the oven, or they can be pureed to make a wonderful filling or custard.
First start with your oven at about 400 degrees F. I always place foil on my pan, and prick the gourd of choice and rub it with a little butter. You can skip that step if you like, I always prick them just in case though, so they don't get bubbles that can splatter. Place in the oven for approximately 25 minutes. Roast whole, until soft enough to run a fork through. Some pumpkins are a little larger and some acorn squash can be quite small. I would say in my experience, about a pound requires 20 minutes or so. When your pumpkin or squash is tender, pull it out of the oven. Cube it, and remove the seeds and skin. Here's where you have a choice. You can follow the recipe below, or you can toss it in a blender or food processor and make it smooth. If at this point you're opting for the food processor, you can use your pumpkin just like canned. Add it to anything you want! It's ready to go.
If you would like a warm snack or a warm comforting afternoon lunch, follow the recipe.
Roasted Spiced Acorn Squash
1 medium roasted acorn squash (or pumpkin) cubed
2 oz butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 oz walnuts - crushed
1 oz. sugar free maple syrup
1/8 tsp dried clove powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
OPTIONAL: 1 oz. dried cherries or cranberries (WARNING! These have added sugar unless from a natural store!)
If your oven is still on... GREAT! We're going to put it to good use. Place squash in oven proof dish. Melt the butter with the spices and pour over your acorn squash. Pour over the syrup, sprinkle the nuts, and cherries if you chose to have them. Place back in the oven for about 5-8 minutes. Just enough to get it all nice and hot and melty and blend those flavors. Pull it out... voila! Instant meal!
If your oven wasn't on, or you made the pumpkin/squash earlier and refrigerated or froze it, you can still use the oven if you choose. You could also use a toaster oven, or if you really were starving, the microwave (for about 2 minutes.)
This is a complete meal on its own or you can serve it as a side dish for a beautiful holiday meal.
Enjoy!
Note: In my photo below, I mixed them and it was amazing, but it works fine with just one or the other. Mine was piping hot and by the time the pictures were taken, the butter was melted into a puddle. Beautiful and delicious!!
I was going to create a post at 12:12 today, but I was at a doctor's appointment and sadly could not get to my blog at the moment. However, I did want to make a point to write at least a little something about a somewhat insignificant date - unless you were born, married or graduated Yale today. For those of us in my age group or older, it is the last time we will ever see a repetitive date. My son is three years old and he has a small chance to see 01-01-01. However, he would be almost 92 years old by then. That is somewhat of a heavy statement and sentiment. Luckily for us, we have the now and I'm working on something for Friday that will hopefully be helpful in the fall/winter seasons. It is another simple recipe like last weeks, but I'm hoping everyone can find use for it. And it's edible.
Happy 12-12-12! Enjoy your evening and see you Friday!
I didn't disappear! Simply had a long day yesterday, but I'm here and I have a great recipe for you today! You will love it! I wish I had more/ better pictures, so this coming week, that is what I'm up to: making sure I have improved pictures of this amazing recipe!
Yesterday happened to be very busy, and I was out running some errands. I took my 3 year old with me and we drove around town with the top down on my convertible. Sometimes he likes it and sometimes he doesn't. He wears a hat in the car and will wave to people, it's pretty darned adorable. He thinks he's such a big guy helping with the groceries or the errands, and it's nice to spend some one on one time after months of struggling with school and things. We're cruising along yesterday and "Winter Wonderland" came on the radio. We were singing along and grooving a bit, when the irony hit me.... Here I am, driving in beautiful 72 degree weather, warm, bright sunshine, top down, wind blowing, tee-shirt and sunhat during the Christmas season, and singing along/ imagining the "winter wonderland." It was so funny, I just started to laugh! Christmas for us former northerners is FILLED with memory of snow, cold weather, dreary days, dark afternoons, and Christmas lights kissed with icicles. It's a time of family and friends, heavy coats, warm boots and mittens, sitting by the fire and drinking hot cocoa. So, "Winter Wonderland" brought back a lot of those memories and I was sucked into the past for a few moments. Reality, however, has a different tune... it somewhat sounds like the Beach Boys "Kokomo"...
*(not my video, follow the link to visit that person's channel)
and many days, it is really like that! I've had warm sunny days with a drink in one hand and tanning lotion in another, while sitting in the warm sun. I've been to the beach in the middle of December when we had one of the coldest winters in decades and it was 30 degrees, and in the middle of August when it's pushing 100.
As we continued to drive, Mannheim Steamroller came on
*(not my video, follow the link to visit that person's channel)
and inspired my 3 year old into "magics." I started imitating him and asking what this was because it was so cool... When, he interrupted me and said, "No mom. I do the magics. You do the car driving." Oh. Got it. I'm not allowed to do the magics. That being said, with the warm weather and the mixed messages from Florida's nature of warmth and green everywhere, it can be more difficult to get that old "Christmas spirit." I see lights and trees and somehow, they seem out of place. I bought a fake tree one year and sprayed it with "pine scent" from an air freshener can. That didn't really do it. My children have rarely seen the cold or snow around this time of year. The few times they have, it's because we were visiting relatives up north.
So, if you have any ideas on how to bring Christmas spirit to "Kokomo," let me know! I'd love to hear your ideas on how to make a warm weather Christmas more festive!
In the mean time, here's your recipe, which, by the way, is NOT (it is but it's not) edible!!!!
Wait, wait, wait. A recipe on a food blog that is not edible? What am I doing? Well......
If you have a girl or guy in your life that has dry skin, or loves lotions, you are going to LOVE this recipe. I developed it years ago, but talking to my mom yesterday she gave me a great idea to spice up my old recipe.
If you have very curly hair, a little bit of this worked into the curls away from the scalp makes them shiny and bouncy! I know, I used it on my son's kinky curls for years and he never woke up in the morning with tangles!
Island Lotion
REAL cacao butter (link provided for reference, not advertisement) - this is NOT cocoa butter (ok it is... but sometimes people confuse it with a premade lotion or marketed product... you're looking for a RAW version, with this spelling you'll get much better results!) http://www.nuts.com/nuts/cacao/raw-butter.html
real, cold pressed, minimal processed coconut oil (refined if you do NOT want it to smell like coconut,
UNrefined if you like the smell of coconut) - The company I'm linking here, I really like a lot, however they do not pay me to advertise for them, so again, this is a reference, not an advertisement, but I do think their company has great products.
Food grade flavoring of your choice. (I have NEVER used this site, however, think I would love to try it. My local store has many of these in stock however, so this is reference for you!) Any flavor or scent you enjoy - if you like chocolate cheesecake, get that flavor. Find something that goes with chocolate or coconut, however, it doesn't have to be that way, many times the raw ingredients, their scent fades and you are left with the flavoring scent.
Here's the idea: You choose your favorite scent for your 'lotion'. You can buy a mold (for soap) if you want it to look pretty, or you can use an ice cube tray, miniature cups, or a mini muffin tin.
Take 2 parts cacao butter and one part coconut oil and SLOWLY, VERY SLOWLY, and VERY LOW TEMP, start to melt them together in a pan. Keep the temp VERY low. I cannot stress that enough. And DO NOT use the microwave. I understand it's quick, however the microwave will kill the natural properties of the oils.
Once the mixture is completely liquid, pour in a few drops of flavoring - or as much as you want or like! If you love a strong smelling lotion, add more, if you are not so keen on smelling like a bakery, or spice rack, then use less (or none at all). The product without the flavoring, has a sweet, light coconut chocolate scent that disappears shortly after you apply to your skin. After you add the flavoring, stir a few more times to incorporate the scent and then pour evenly into your molds of choice.
Allow to cool over night (if you're in warm sunny Florida, you might want to cool these in the refrigerator, otherwise, room temp is fine.
When they are solid, press down on one side and they should POP release out of the mold (or depending on your mold you may just be able to invert the mold and they will fall out.) If you are having trouble DO NOT IMMERSE THE BOTTOM IN WARM WATER! They will melt faster than you can get them out of the mold. Simply hold the mold in the palm of your hand for a few seconds and then try again to press on the top side and see if it will pop.
I suggest use right out of a warm shower. Roll in your hands a few minutes then rub ALL over, a little bit goes a long way. I like this best on freshly shaven skin, or on very curly hair. If you used an adorable mold, perhaps these can go into gifts or stockings this year (provided the fireplace isn't on....)
Do remember...
1. They will melt once the room gets warm. I store mine in the refrigerator to avoid warm days or accidents.
2. They do not taste as good as they smell, however ARE SAFE TO EAT! **
3. They are WONDERFUL for people with eczema (so long as they are not allergic to the ingredients)
4. Can be used by people who are sensitive to chemicals, additives, and coloring.
5. Can be used on curly hair to tame the cold weather frizzies.
6. Make great gifts
**Yes, they will smell great. Yes, you may be tempted to think, "Ok, just one bite." Go ahead. It tastes pretty gross. HOWEVER, it has no added chemicals, or unpronouncable additives. It is made out of ALL FOOD GRADE MATERIALS. If your two year old gets into this and takes a bite, you will not have to call poison control and ask what to do next. It IS made out of natural fats which people use in foods, and too much of this can cause stomach upset, just like eating too much of any food.
So, please, try to refrain from eating it, but definitely enjoy this without worry on your skin, your baby's skin and for the whole family during this cold weather season with lots of dry skin!
Wrap in wax paper or a pretty tin to give as gifts or store. Be particularly aware of the melting point of this lotion, it can quickly ruin pockets or purses if left there in warm temperatures.
The best part of all this? It's gluten free AND sugar free and you didn't have to write the company to make sure they didn't add gluten to the lotion your skin is absorbing. I made this mistake once and am very careful now. I used a lotion that had wheat added for a thickener (all natural and organic!) but gave me very itchy skin.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and today's dose of irony -- Snow songs and sunny days and a food blog recipe that you can't eat!
(pictures coming soon!)
Until then, enjoy a sight of the season! Yes this is MY humble abode (not that you can see a whole lot of it!)
WELCOME TO FRIDAY!!! First, I hope there's no copyright infringements in regards to today's post title. If you know what I'm talking about, isn't that fun?! My kids love it, we all sing along and everyone wants to dance. If you don't know what I'm talking about, well, there will be a link at the bottom for you to follow. As you probably know, around here, we're pretty much music enthusiasts. We all love, love, love music, almost more than we love good food. All of my kids have grown up listening to music. I used to be that mom who wanted every moment of the day filled with Bach, Mozart and the fullness of a grand piano so my children would be genius's. That ended about 10 minutes into the idea. Since then a stream of 90's bands have filled my house and my kids have picked their favorites. Sometimes they look at me like I'm crazy, and sometimes they beg for a song to be played again. My oldest got to hang out with Parachute AND the Goo Goo Dolls last year. His first concert ever, he won a back stage meet and greet, and while we were grabbing dinner, met John outside on the sidewalk (yes, I have pictures!) I cannot even begin to tell you how good Goo was to him. The whole band was genuinely excited to see him, and since it was his first concert I was trying not to be "too much." It was a great night and we had a lot of fun.
Now. For reality. Let's start at the beginning (the second part of today's post title.) Yesterday was pretty crazy. I woke up and got moving pretty quickly, drama after drama kept happening with the kids and before I know it, I'm running late. Rushing into class, I get there about 5 minutes after class starts and feverishly start working on my (impossible) test. Everyone is stressed, the tension in the room is palpable. We finish the test and the class erupts into the hallway with sighs of frustration and defeat. The common complaint was no matter how hard you studied, the test was just very complicated. No one felt very good about it. Onto lunch and the next test - the final. We had no class the week before so Thursday's class was about last week's material, then we would take the final right afterward. Here we are again, angst riddled and tense, studying the material and hoping for the best. Luckily, after that one, everyone's moods lifted. We ran out, excited and ready to get onto the weekend, however, I still had another test. I rushed home to let the babysitter go, and the next thing I know I'm pouring through my work. Took the test and finally cleared one more thing from my list. At this point, I'm exhausted and ready for the day to be done. I get the kids to bed, and beeline for the shower. And here, my good readers, is where it all goes down hill. I start up the shower, and get in, and all the days aches and cares and worries start to swirl right down the drain with the yummy warm milk soap suds. The water is steamy hot and melting away the stress and tensions. I start washing my hair when suddenly it hits me... the water isn't quite so hot anymore... hmm. Ok. Maybe one of the kids left the faucet on in the other bathroom. Ok, whatever. Keep washing, but notice, it's getting a bit cooler.... and a bit cooler... and OMG HURRY UP AND RINSE OFF BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE ICE IN ABOUT 3.2 MINUTES!!!! And now I'm RUSHING like a prize horse in the Kentucky Derby. As I rinse finally and slam off the water, it goes to ice temperature and I jump out of the shower. Grabbing a towel and shivering and thinking... this is NOT what I needed today, I proceed to go down the list of what's wrong. Perhaps the breaker tripped? Maybe the water IS on somewhere else? Maybe there's a coil out? I don't have time for this though, I have doctors appointments and another class tomorrow morning. I head to bed, get deep into sleep and then hear beeping.... beeping... beeping. We lost power. Fun.
Long story short... the power came back and after today's running, the wonderful appliance man showed up... and then I started singing 50 Ways To Say Goodbye... because for real, no lie... she's dead.
They're bringing my new water heater... on Wednesday. Yeah.........
I think this calls for something delicious!
We should call it, "No Hot Shower Salad"
Or just simply:
Cold Shrimp Salad
Ingredients:
4 Servings of your favorite gluten free pasta OR brown/long grain rice
12-14 medium shrimp cooked but tails removed - can be chopped
1 stalk of celery - diced
1 avocado, diced or mashed
1-2 cups homemade mayonnaise (or store bought whatever you like)
1/2 lime (squeezed - use the juice)
red pepper flakes (to taste... no more than about 1 tsp)
2 tsp dill seed
2 tsp paprika
2-3 oz of shredded parmesan romano
1/2 lb of cooked sweet peas (cold)
2 cold, chopped hard boiled eggs
OPTIONAL: 2 tbsp milk if needed if dressing is too thick
Place pasta, shrimp, eggs, and peas in a large serving dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl or salad dressing bottle until well combined. If you do not like mayonnaise (I don't blame you), you can use plain, unsweetened greek yogurt as a substitute. I start with a cup, and as I add things, I'll add more to make it thicker or to cover better. If you just like a hint, or 'dip', you can just use a cup, if you want the whole salad covered, then use 2 cups. Pour your 'dressing' over your pasta mixture and serve COLD. You can even place them all in the fridge (covered) for a while to chill. However, this salad needs to be kept cold, AND needs to be eaten immediately. The avocado, mayo, milk combo do not last for long and you'll have a brown mess the next day. Serve this up right as everyone is sitting down to dinner. It's delicious, flavorful, and healthy (mostly!)
Well, it's begun. The insanity everyone calls the "holiday season". We celebrate Christmas around here, and typically Christmas BEGINS on the 24th and goes until January 8. It's not unusual for our tree to go up around the 20th and just when the radio quits playing carols, that's when our festivities begin with big meals, presents, visitors and the festive mood of family and celebration. Unfortunately for us, the rest of the world goes back to reality on Jan. 2 (sometimes on Dec. 26) and then we look crazy still wearing our red and green and singing "Silent Night." This makes for a strenuous relationship with the outside world. So, more and more every year our little Christmas only lasts a few days. Some people really get into it and do gifts every day, some celebrate on the day then again on the 8th. I think a lot of people just wish it would go away by the time the 25th rolls around. We used to do the grandparents one night, other grand parents another night, our family another night, friends another night, you get the idea. Nowadays, it kinda fades into the past once we hit Dec. 25 at 1:00 p.m.
One big tradition that I've always had is Monkey Bread for Christmas morning breakfast. I've been making Monkey Bread for about 15 years. Imagine my absolute crushing disappointment to not be able to eat it. The first year I couldn't have it, I refused to cook anyway, because I was so emo about not being able to eat anything I loved. Well, that did NOT fly with the kids. They wanted their classic Christmas breakfast. The next year I broke down and made the whole thing (thinking, falsely that now I had things in my arsenal and I'd be fine with it.) Wrong. I ate quite a few bites of it. And then got sick. However, it was really good! While it lasted.....
Do I have a great gluten free alternative to Monkey Bread? Not yet. You just cannot replicate the chewy, gooey, smooth texture of wheat and sugar in a sugar free, wheat free dish. It just (mostly) doesn't happen.
However. I do have something that IS delicious, sweet, gluten and added sugar free that perhaps may become a NEW Christmas tradition breakfast! This dish does have fruit in it, and if you're avoiding that because of natural sugars then, I'll have more coming up that you can try. So, don't panic yet. But for now, we're going to be using pears.
I LOVE pears. I made pear everything one year, pear lemon, pear ginger, pear chocolate (YUM), pear orange, pear cinnamon, pear apple cranberry. You name it, I made it. This particular recipe I did come up with on my own however, if you find that your Aunt Martha made this in 1967, please don't call me and say I must have broken into her house and stole the family recipe. I wish I was that good. No, this came to me in a pear craving. That's it. Unless Aunt Martha answered my telepathic cravings with her recipe in my head... well then I got it from her. Ginger Pear Cobbler
5-6 ripe pears chopped (not brown though)
28g (1oz) grated fresh ginger **NOTE
pinch salt
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tsp cinnamon
4g (1/8 oz) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp NuNaturals Stevia or 10-14 drops liquid (or NONE at all if your pears are sweet!)
2 tBsp lemon juice
26g (1oz) chopped almonds
26g (1oz) craisins (optional - remember regular grocery store adds sugar, Wholefoods has a kind with no added sugar)
(yes I see the disparity of the 28g/1oz of ginger and 26g/1oz almonds - this kinda gets my argument of we need to go back to metric but what do I know. I like ginger, I eeked a bit more into the mix.) =)
Topping
56g (2oz) crushed almonds
1tsp salt
142g (5oz) GLUTEN FREE OATS ***NOTE
56g (2oz) sugar free maple syrup
56g (2oz) room temp or softened butter (or coconut oil)
**Note: something I learned the hard way. Fresh ginger is kinda solid feeling, like a carrot. Older... aging ginger can get soft. I have nothing G rated to compare that too... OH like a twizzler! For a bunch of people who are eating sugar free, I'll be really impressed if you remember what twizzlers feel like. LET'S just say, more like the texture of an aging tomato? I'm not doing any better huh? Either way... OLD ginger is HOT, and very juicy, it tastes great, however, fresh works better here. It's sweeter, easier to grate and has very good flavor without being overpowering.
***Note: Some people find they react to oats. If you make sure you are using gluten free oats, sometimes you will find you can tolerate them... sometimes not. Either way, if you are able to tolerate oats, make sure you get gluten free. They are farmed and processed differently as to avoid wheat cross contamination. I ALWAYS advocate for GMO free and organic.
Directions:
First, chop your pears into 1/2 to 1" cubes into a bowl and pour the lemon juice over them, fold gently. Add everything else (not topping,) fold that in as well.
Now. Here is where you have a VERY, VERY difficult choice. IF you are a raw foodie and you want to eat this cold....you can.... follow the directions for raw. If you want this warm and bubbly and crispy on top out of the oven... follow the regular directions. Really, it depends on if you can wait and let it set all night and risk waking up to find an empty pan in your fridge, or if you want to pull it out of the oven and turn around to get a plate and find the pan empty and still piping hot. Your call.
FOR BAKING:
Preheat your oven to 425f. Butter a glass 8x8 pan and pour in your pear mixture. In separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients for topping, then add in the wet ingredients, mixing with a fork until crumbly (I recommend using butter here.) Crumble the mixture over your pears. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Try to let it cool at least 5 minutes, serve with heavy cream poured over the top.
FOR RAW:
Pour your pear mixture into a glass 8x8 pan. In a separate bowl mix your dry ingredients for topping, then add wet ingredients (coconut oil works here but not quite as flavorful as butter.) Mix with a fork till crumbly. Pour over the pear mixture and PRESS together (not too much, don't squish the pears.) However, you do want to create kind of a cookie 'cover' for the pears. Place in refrigerator covered to let flavors meld! Chill overnight or until you can't stand it any longer. Eat from pan. I mean... serves about 8 - if you're super generous....
(you can still pour cream over it, it's delicious!)
Here's the real problem. Because the cobbler was hot out of the oven... I got pictures of it. The other one.. well, it didn't last long enough to get a picture. In fact... the topping never met the pears - or the refrigerator for that matter. We just ate it from the bowl with a spoon and then a spoonful of pears, spoonful of topping, spoonful of pears, spoonful of topping.... well, you get the idea. It didn't last.
So, here's hoping you can blow the kids out of the water with this healthy and delicious breakfast! Or just hide in your room with 2 bowls and a spoon and lock the door.
Whatever.
Here's all the stages! I was able to chase my kids away long enough to get decent pics! HAPPY HOLIDAYS and enjoy!
This blog has been live an entire year! I have so many recipes yet to share and so many things I'd like to post and am currently working on my own website, that may or may not merge into this. When you pick up one healthy lifestyle, it starts to bleed into everything else. Not that my diet was the starting point. Years ago, it started with something everyone would pretty much consider normal and simple and it branched from there. I started looking for healthier foods, healthier living, healthier mentalities and interactions. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "toxic relationship." It basically refers to someone who promotes instability, drama, unhealthy lifestyle or spirituality, or a general malaise in your life. As facets of this life became shining or bright for me, others dimmed a bit. That included some people to an extent. What used to be important is no longer, simple things became simpler, and important things became championed. I believe most of us go through this transition in life, and sometimes, sometimes, I feel like it may be easier for women who are very connected to life around them. For many, it's easy to make changes for her baby: the woman who quits smoking while pregnant, or starts watching what she eats. These things can ultimately lead you down a path you never thought you'd find yourself on. I have talked to men that had these type of awakenings, with their kids, or with situations that were eye opening. I'm not being exclusive, just noting that's where I see it often.
That being said, had someone asked me at 15 when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder if I would be blogging about food and going to conferences for women, I would have laughed at them and told them, "I just want a better job so I can get a nice car." It's easy to be a part of the system, it's even easier to fall victim to it. So, as we all navigate this rocky road of reality and dreams, we find our niche and do what we feel called to do.
In this case, I'm on my road, and since you're kinda following with me here, if you're interested in the recipes or you like what you see, subscribe for updates and make sure to check back once a week to see what's going on. I am working on an index of all the recipes arranged according to type, sweet, savory, snack, or meal. I may integrate into my website (which is built around natural and peaceful beginnings of life and family living) or I may keep my food separate from my kids - which is almost always a great idea, otherwise, we end up with banana pudding dripping from the ceiling.... across the room from the table.
Also, I made a cheesecake today! Yes, another one. And after my weekend with these mama-mazing women, I have realized I don't do quite as much with dairy free as some would like, I will attempt to focus some more on this. I'm a dairy addict, and it IS a cause of swelling sometimes. If you have arthritis, have tried gluten free the next step might be to go dairy free. At this point, you wonder, WHAT DO I EAT?? Well, that's what we're working on here! No, cheesecake does not fall into that category, unless... it's a dairy free cheesecake (yes, I have a recipe for that!) I've also found a gluten free, dairy free lemon curd recipe as well! We have great things coming, don't worry, there's something for everyone.
As for today's cheesecake? Well. It's ridiculously delicious. Check back and see if I can be convinced to part with this wonderful recipe in time for the upcoming winter holidays!
Perhaps you'd like to try these recipes this year as part of your Thanksgiving dinner:
