Almond Flour Applesauce Muffins, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, SCD

Almond Flour Applesauce Muffins    makes 12

3 Cups Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour
1 TSP Baking Soda
1/2 TSP Salt
1 TSP Organic Cinnamon
3 TBSP Organic or Local Honey
1/2 Cup homemade Yogurt
1/2 Cup Organic Eden brand Applesauce
1 TSP Vanilla
3 Organic Eggs, beaten

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
• Combine wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl with beaten eggs. 
• Add combined dry ingredients into wet ingredients mixing well by hand.
• Using naturally refined Organic Coconut Oil, grease muffin tin.
• Spoon mixture into muffin tins, makes 12 muffins.
• Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown (depending on the brand of almond flour, baking time may vary so start watching muffins at about 20 minutes so they don't over bake)

These muffins freeze well in freezer safe Mason Jars for one month.  Not all mason jars are freezer safe!!

Garlic Lemon Yogurt Marinated Baked Chicken for SCD

Garlic Lemon Yogurt Marinated Baked Chicken for SCD

4 Pasture Raised Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless cut into strips (cut each breast into 3 strips)
1 cup SCD homemade Yogurt
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 TSP Organic Basil
1/2 TSP Organic Oregano
1/2 TSP Organic Parsley
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2-3 TBSP lemon juice
lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

• Place all the ingredients except the chicken strips in a large bowl and whisk together.
• Add chicken strips and mix to coat all the pieces
• Pour into a gallon size baggy and squish the air from the baggy and seal.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or more. 
• Place marinated chicken strips in a glass baking dish. 
• Bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven 45-60 minutes until chicken is done.

Tzatziki Sauce SCD Legal

Tzatziki Sauce SCD Legal      Cooking for 2 Recipe

Prepare 24 hours ahead of time to allow time for cucumber and yogurt to drain

1/2 to 2/3 cup  SCD 24 Hour Yogurt (homemade)
1 Organic Cucumber
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 TSP fresh squeezed Lemon juice
1 TSP Olive Oil
1/4 TSP dill or to taste

• Drain Yogurt overnight, refrigerated.  Drain using any method you like.  I like to put a coffee filter in a wire mesh strainer over a bowl.  Place the yogurt on the filter then cover with plastic wrap or a cloth so it doesn't dry out too much on the top.
• Cut the cucumber in half and deseed using a spoon.  Peel cucumber (or leave peel on if you like more crunch).  Chop into small chunks (about 1/4 inch square.  Drain using any method you like.  I like to put the pieces in cheesecloth and suspend over a bowl to drain.  Drain overnight, refrigerated
• Several hours before serving combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and dill.
• Cover and chill several hours before serving.

 This is a recipe that you can make to your taste.  I like mine with very little dill and on the dry side.  You can also add salt to taste. 

10 Foods That Help Fight Depression

I came across this story on Facebook today, 10 Foods That Help Fight Depression.  Most of the time I skip over this type of feed on Facebook, but today I decided to read this one.  I am really glad I did because it is a gentle reminder of why I am feeling so much better than I did just 2 short years ago! 

I have told quite a few friends and family members what I am doing to fight the pain I had in my feet, hips, knees, shoulders and back that kept me from walking more than a few minutes without having to sit down or kept me home entirely.  But I don't think they are listening to me.  Change is hard for all of us but sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns...or in my case, start with little changes and build upon them until you can "feel" the difference.  Take a look at my grocery list, even if you can't afford organic groceries, at least eat non processed foods. 

I have also stopped having inflammatory bowel issues that I have had since I was 16 years old.  I love being able to know I can get up in the morning and not have to allow for 3 hours of diarrhea and stomach pain before I can leave my house or be afraid to leave my house on bad days!

My food journey to better health started 2 years ago. It all began with my new doctor asking me to read the book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live.  I have since modified that diet to include foods that help my particular health needs (in my opinion, Specific Carbohydrate Diet) and exclude foods that I feel are inflammatory to my gut and body (ie. processed foods, gluten, nightshade vegetables, most raw vegetables and processed sugar).  I know I am doing something right because I am off all medications except a B/P pill, my labs are normal and two months ago I started walking and can now walk 2 miles without pain (my new walking/running shoes might be helping also)!

After reading the article, 10 Foods That Help Fight Depression, I decided to make a one day menu based on those foods and a few more of my favorites to show how easy it is to eat healthy.  Try this menu several days a week.  It is just this simple to eat foods that are good for you! (time saver tip: wash 3-4 cups of spinach using white vinegar with water rinses, just the amount you will need for the day, spin or pat dry then store in a mason jar (it only keeps one day like this).

BREAKFAST: 
EGGS, ONION, GARLIC, SPINACH SAUTE

• 1 onion sliced and sautéed with 1 clove of minced garlic in olive oil
• 1 cup organic spinach or kale washed, chopped really fine like herbs,  added to onion and garlic mixture cooking it just until it wilts
• 1-2 organic eggs scrambled and mixed into onions, garlic and spinach/kale (or if you can't eat eggs, add cooked beans to the mixture, it is delicious for breakfast or lunch)
• if you tolerate tomatoes and mushrooms, chop some up and add to the cooked ingredients

MID MORNING SNACK:

• 1 ounce walnuts (or sunflower seed butter spread on apple)
• 1 apple

LUNCH:
CHICKEN SPINACH SALAD

• 1 cup organic washed spinach
• 1 cup chopped strawberries (blackberries or blueberries or a combination of them fresh or frozen)
• 3 TBSP sunflower seeds (or walnuts)
• a few sliced mushrooms
• dressing of your choice or use my strawberry dressing recipe
• 2-3 ounces chicken breast from my freezer meal starter recipes (or cooked shrimp or any kind of leftover meat)

MID AFTERNOON SNACK:

• an entire avocado sliced, sprinkle with lime juice and salt of your choice)
• chopped tomato (if you can tolerate them)

DINNER:
HOMEMADE BLACK BEAN SOUP/VEGETABLES AND CHICKEN

• 1 to 2 cups black beans cooked with sauted onions, shredded carrots and celery, chopped spinach and garlic
• a side of mushrooms sautéed or cooked however you like them or leave them raw if you like
• a vegetable side of your choice
• 2-3 ounces chicken breast from my freezer meal starter recipes (or any other meat from my freezer meal starter recipes)

AFTER DINNER SNACK:

•  Chia seed and blueberry smoothie made with your recipe of choice (I use homemade yogurt and frozen blueberries (or a combination of berries) with a little local honey if needed to sweeten)

Yellow Squash Casserole, AIP legal

Yellow Squash Casserole SCD legal            1-2 servings

2 medium organic Yellow Squash, sliced NOTE TO HUBBY...please peel my squash and take seeds out
1 medium Vidalia Onion or organic sweet onion, sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 organic eggs
1/4 cup homemade 24 hour yogurt
1/4 tsp sea salt

Cook onions in olive oil until caramalized about 7-10 minutes.  Beat eggs and yogurt together, then add squash and onion mixture, stir well.  Grease or spray square 9 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour mixture into dish.

Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until it looks done, the egg and milk will be "set".

Shredded Chicken Salad Specific Carbohydrate Diet Clean Eating

Having chicken in the freezer that is already cooked and shredded is such a time and money saver.  I love freezer meat meal starters.  The hardest part is remembering to put them in the refrigerator the night before to thaw. Tonight's chicken salad dinner was done in 30 minutes. All I had to do was wash the apples, celery, grapes and lettuce, do a little chopping,  mix in some dripped yogurt cream cheese and it was ready to eat!

FREEZER MEAT MEAL STARTER CHICKEN SALAD SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET
makes 2 servings

6-8 ounces cooked, shredded chicken, or use one container shredded chicken meat meal starter, thawed in refrigerator
1 organic Granny Smith Apple, washed, peeled and chopped
1 cup organic seedless grapes, washed, cut in half
1 large organic celery rib (piece), washed, chopped very tiny
4 ounces dripped yogurt cream cheese
4 organic Romaine leaves
sea salt to taste
(optional) 1 cup organic spinach, chop very fine like one would chop herbs for a recipe

Wash, peel and chop Apple.  Wash grapes, cut in half.  Wash celery, chop tiny. Wash lettuce. Add container of shredded chicken meat meal starter.  Mix in cream cheese.  Add salt to taste.  Chill for 30 minutes before serving. Serve on lettuce.

Homemade Dripped Yogurt Cream Cheese Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Specific Carbohydrate Diet dripped yogurt cream cheese is delicious!  I was really surprised how thick it is and how good it tastes without any additives or sugar!  It is so nice making a new recipe knowing it won't hurt my gut.  In fact, since I started eating homemade yogurt last week, my weight loss has increased so the yogurt must be doing something right in my gut.  Adding homemade, 24 hour fermented, Specific Carbohydrate Diet yogurt to my diet is the only thing I changed.   This recipe is adapted from the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, by Elaine Gottschall.  I simplified it by using a coffee filter draped over a small mason jar.  I might get some cheese cloth to make a larger amount but I may as well use up all my coffee filters first, since I don't drink coffee any more.  I can't wait to start using dripped yogurt cream cheese in some of my old recipes.

DRIPPED YOGURT CREAM CHEESE

4-5 ounces 24 hour fermented yogurt per these instructions
coffee filter
mason jar

Place yogurt in coffee filter.  Drape filter over the edge of the mason jar and push the paper down around the outside edge of jar, hold while screwing the jar cap on over the coffee filter.  Let it drip for about 8-12 hours in the refrigerator.  The liquid will collect in the bottom of the jar and the coffee filter holds the cream cheese up and out of the liquid.

I am not sure how long this will last in the refrigerator.  I am guessing about 4-7 days storing it in the mason jar with the lid on it.

Yogurt for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet Good Gut Bacteria

 

This was my first attempt at making homemade yogurt, more specifically yogurt that is allowed on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) yogurt. When I first decided to transition from the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to the SCD, the biggest difference I saw was SCD uses yogurt for good bacteria and AIP doesn't.  My tummy has always been fine with plain, organic Greek Yogurt.  So I am hoping this homemade yogurt works for me.  I also hope my explanation of how to make it will help blog readers have the courage to make it also!  I am pretty convinced that this yogurt is healthier than store bought processed yogurt.  Although it is more tart than even Greek yogurt, it tastes good.  Add some fruit or honey, once it is cooked, and you have a delicious, healthy yogurt.  I can't wait to make cream cheese with it and start using yogurt in my recipes again.

In the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Elaine Gottschall suggests yogurt is a way to add good bacteria into the gut. I have tried several OTC pro-biotics over the last few years that didn't help me and they are pretty expensive.  And store bought yogurt has too many unknown additives, especially all the different kinds of sugar which I know from experience hurt my gut. 

I was terrified to make yogurt.  It was so confusing to me.  I have seen so many different ways to make yogurt but I wanted to try and stick with what was in the book.  I tried to find commercial yogurt for the starter that was described in the book but couldn't.  Then I read about Yogourmet freeze dried starter and decided to use it.  I didn't want to spend a fortune on a yogurt maker either so the one I purchased was only thirty dollars.  Only time will tell how much it is helping me.

I am using this yogurt maker, made by Euro-Cuisine.  This model yogurt maker doesn't have a timer on it so I can leave it on to ferment 24 hours per the instructions in the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle.  Most yogurt makers have timers that shut off at 4-15 hours, but then I would have to remember to turn it back on, so this one without a timer will be easier for me.  I also like the seven individual glass jars, not plastic jars.  And the yogurt maker was not very expensive, just in case I can't add dairy back and won't be making more yogurt.  The yogurt ends up being much less expensive than organic store bought.  Each 5gr yogurt starter is about $1 each and 32 ounces of organic milk was about $2.50, so roughly $3.50 for 32 ounces of yogurt, plus the cost of the yogurt maker.  That is about what I was paying for 16 ounces of organic plain Greek yogurt.

This is the yogurt starter I used, Yogourmet.  It is a freeze dried yogurt starter that doesn't contain Bifidus which Elaine Gottschall doesn't recommend eating and most commercial yogurt contains Bifidus. This starter contains Skim Milk Powder, Sucrose (Sugar), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Active Lactic Bacteria (L.bulgaricus, S.thermophilus, L.acidophi).   I ordered both the yogurt maker and a few packages of Yogourmet starter from Drugstore.com and got free shipping for ordering over $35.

This is how I made SCD 24 hour yogurt.  I used half of the half-gallon of milk so I can get two batches of yogurt out of it.  The jars are only about 2/3 full, about 4+ fluid ounces.

32 ounces organic milk
one package ( 5gr ) of Yogourmet freeze-dried yogurt starter

• Bring the milk to a boil, I used medium heat on my stove top setting.  The temperature will be over 180 degrees when it starts to boil, and it will quickly climb to 200 degrees so work fast to take it off the heat.
• Remove from stove to let cool to 108 to 112 degrees F, according to Yogourmet package directions.  I put the pan in the refrigerator and stirred a couple of times until it was 108 degrees.
• Remove about  2 TBSP of the 108 degree milk into measuring cup and stir yogurt starter mix into that, it makes sort of a paste, then add about 1/2 cup more of the warm milk, stir.  Then pour back that back into the pot of warm milk and stir gently to mix well.
• Pour into the 7 individual glass jars, without lids, place into the yogurt maker, turn on and leave for 24 hours.  A sticky note with the time to turn it off might be helpful.
• After 24 hours, gently remove the jars and place in the refrigerator for 8 hours before eating.  This stops the fermentation process. 
• I am not 100% sure how long this yogurt stays fresh.  I have read sources that say it stays fresh for 1 week, others say 3 weeks. 

Interesting research about yogurt and the gut!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219330/