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)

Clean Eating, Non Processed Foods, Weight Loss



This is one of my favorite meals.  I love planning colorful, fresh, non processed meals.  I generally eat six to nine vegetable servings per day.  I know that sounds like a lot, but it isn't hard once you get started, there are five vegetables on the plate, plus I had a strawberry spinach salad.  The photo is not very clear, but the squash is stuffed with caramelized onions, a cup of minced spinach, black olives and ground beef.  That flavor combination always reminds me of pizza but since I cant eat pizza crust, sauce or mozzarella cheese, this is the next best thing.

Strawberry dressing for spinach, strawberry and lettuce salad (not shown)
Stuffed Squash  (without nomato sauce like in recipe)
Green Beans
Baked Carrots

Homemade Dark Chocolate

Homemade Dark Chocolate (not SCD legal)

1/2 cup Organic Cacao Powder
1/4 cup Organic Coconut Oil
2-4 TBSP Organic Honey or Pure Maple Syrup

Melt coconut oil in small saucepan. Remove from heat.
While coconut oil is still hot, add Cacao Powder and Honey or Maple Syrup.
Stir well until smooth.  The longer you stir, the creamier the chocolate.  You will see it thicken.
*Pour into a parchment paper lined 8x8 freezer dish, smooth out even across paper.
Place in freezer 30 minutes, then break into pieces.  Store sealed in a container in refrigerator.

EDITED: * Pour into candy molds.  Place in freezer 30 minutes then remove from molds and store in a mason jar in refrigerator.

This will taste sweeter once it cools.

This is my favorite brand Cacao Power HERE

NOTES:  I have seen several recipes on line to make dark chocolate.  Some add vanilla extract but mine got lumpy when I tried that. I usually use 3 TBSP of honey, and that tastes about like 70% dark chocolate to me.

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".

ALMOND FLOUR ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

ALMOND FLOUR ZUCCHINI MUFFINS     makes 12 muffins
2 cups Blanched Almond Flour (Honeyville is by far the best that I have used)
1 TSP Baking Soda
1/2 TSP Sea Salt
1 TSP Organic Ground Cinnamon
2 TBSP Organic Coconut Oil, melted
3 Organic Eggs
1 TSP White Vinegar
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Organic Applesauce
3 TBSP Organic Honey or local honey
1 1/2 Cups Organic peeled, shredded Zucchini (about 1 medium)

 Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

• Lay peeled, shredded zucchini on paper towels and mash moisture from zucchini, zucchini needs to be as dry as possible.
• Mix Almond Flour, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside. 
• Crack eggs into another bowl.  Whisk eggs by hand with a fork.  Add Vanilla Extract, White Vinegar, Honey and Applesauce.
• Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir.
• Add zucchini and stir in.
• Add coconut oil and continue to mix by hand until all the dry ingredients are mixed well.
• Prepare muffin tins with brushed on coconut oil.  Divide mixture into 12 muffins.  About 1/3 full.
• Bake 25 minutes.  Loosen edges and remove from pan while still hot.  Place on wire rack to cool.

I freeze these muffins in freezer safe mason jars.  I am not sure how long they will stay good in the freezer, they don't last long enough in this house to know.  LOL