Snack: Green Smoothie

Green smoothies are coming into popularity now because you can stuff a ton of fruits and veggies and good nutrients into a delicious drink. I usually use mine to supplement a meal, like a breakfast of green smoothie and a Teff Muffin, for instance. I came up with this recipe for lunch after my dentist appointment this morning because I'm hungry, but the left side of my mouth is frozen, and I don't trust myself to chew.  The right side of my tongue says this is pretty tasty!

Green Smoothie

1 cup kale
1 carrot, scrubbed
1 apple, cored and sliced into quarters
1 orange, peeled and broken into quarters
1 banana, peeled
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
6 slices (approx.) ginger 

Put all the ingredients in the blender, and enjoy! Makes 2 servings.
**Note: I love to use my Magic Blender because it's small and easy to clean, and I can drink right out of it. If you use a Magic Blender, too, only about half these ingredients will fit in the blender. I just put the rest away for later use. 

Treat: Decision Cookies

I adapted this family-favourite to use almond butter instead of peanut butter.  They're called "Decision Cookies" because you can decide whether to cook them or not. I usually like them chilled rather than baked, but these ones didn't chill so well. I'm not sure if the almond butter was just that much different than the peanut butter or what. They were pretty tasty baked, though! 

Decision Cookies

½ cup almond butter
1 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla
½ cup raisins
2 cups wheat-free oatmeal
⅛ cup cocoa powder 

1. Stir together moist ingredients.  Add raisins, oatmeal, cocoa. Mix with clean hands. 

2. Make your decision:

a. Unbaked cookies: Form into balls. Put on plate and chill for 15 minutes.
b. Cooked cookies: Form into balls. Put on cookie sheet and press down with fork. Bake at 350oF for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

Lunch: Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad

3 cup mixed greens (I used romaine and iceberg lettuce and kale)

1 tomato, chopped

½ celery stalk, chopped

⅓ yellow (or other coloured) pepper

2" (or so) English cucumber, chopped

12 (or so) filberts/hazelnuts

2 Tbsp. dried cranberries*

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 can flaked tuna in water**

The more colour the better for this tasty salad, since different coloured veggies have different nutrients. The cranberries and balsamic vinegar add a nice sweetness, and the filberts gave it some good texture and an extra bit of protein. 

* Make sure your dried cranberries are not sweetened with sugar. I found some sweetened with apple juice at a health food store. 

**Check out Greenpeace's Canned Tuna Sustainability Chart to make an informed choice about the canned tuna you're buying. 

Breakfast: Fruit Salad

When I was growing up, my family used to make these "fruit bowls" for breakfast in the morning and top them with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and our favourite: shredded coconut. I paired this fruit salad with a Teff Muffin this morning for breakfast.

Fruit Salad

½ banana, sliced
½ apple, chopped
12 grapes, halved
½ orange, chopped
1 Tbsp. sunflower seeds
1-1½ Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut

Of course, you can use whatever fruit, nuts or seeds you have on hand. Sometimes I like to go tropical with kiwi, oranges, pineapple, and kiwi, and sometimes I stick to home-grown fruits like apples and peaches. I find a banana always gives it substance.

Dinner: Wild Sole and Pineapple, Fried Potatoes, and Steamed Veggies

DH put this delicious dinner together tonight:

Fried Potatoes

Approx. 6 thinly-sliced potatoes
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to flavour
2 Tbsp. avocado oil
Fry the potatoes on medium-high heat, turning every so often to cook evenly.

DH fried the wild-caught sole with some cut-up pineapples, and steamed some broccoli and mini carrots of the perfect meal! And yes, that's some freshly-made herbal iced tea on the side. 

Breakfast: Muesli

Both my mother and my mother-in-law made a muesli very similar to this. My father-in-law eats it nearly every morning, so my mother-in-law makes it by bulk. I made my own mini-version this morning. It was pretty tasty, so maybe I'll start making it in bulk, too!

Breakfast Muesli

¾ cup wheat-free oats
2 Tbsp. sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. raisins*
1 Tbsp. hemp hearts
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds**

When it comes time to serve, add:
2 tsp. maple syrup
½ - ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk)

* Ideally, your raisins should not be coated in any "bad" oils.
** Ground flax seeds will go bad very quickly so grind the seeds yourself in a coffee grinder and store them in the refrigerator. 

As you can imagine, you can add any variety of things to this muesli, to make it your own. Try pumpkin seeds, almonds, pecans, walnuts, shredded coconut, or other dried fruits like apricots or dates.

Breakfast: Gluten-Free Teff Muffins

My naturopath sent me to Nourishing Meals to get some meal ideas for an Elimination Diet. Apparently, the authors have even written a whole book about it! I found some muffins that I wanted to try for breakfast this week since my husband usually just grabs a muffin from his work's cafeteria for breakfast. This one is gluten-free, and is taken directly from their website. I've labelled it vegan because even though I used honey, there are alternate sources for sweetener that she mentions in the original recipe.

I also modified the recipe slightly in that I used 1½ tsp. of guar gum in place of 1 tsp. xanthan gum, and I discovered I only had ¼ c. left of pecans, so I topped it up with hemp hearts. I figured they taste kind of nutty and would add a big kick of protein. These little guys are certainly filling!

Dinner: Vegetarian Chili

Hubby really pulled through today when I was down and out and made this chili with some recommendation from me and some of his own modifications to my original chili recipe. So without further ado, here it is:

Vegetarian Chili

1 large onion
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
1 (698mL) can tomato sauce
1 (590mL) can kidney beans
1 (590mL) can chickpeas
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. basil
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground pepper

1. Combine first three ingredients in a large pot and sauté until onions are tender.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.

DH and I declared vegetarian chill a success! Both daughters didn't seem to overly care for it but ate their required spoonfuls when bribed with dessert.

Lunch: Quinoa Salad

This recipe has been a favourite of mine for some time, ever since a friend introduced me to it. When I asked for the recipe, she sent me over to AllRecipes.com. I modified the recipe slightly because I found it had a few too many veggies.

Quinoa Salad

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch salt


¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tomato, diced
½ cucumber, diced
½ bunch green onions, diced
1 carrot, grated
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped


1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature (or stick it in the freezer for a few minutes, like we usually do). Fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir in cooled quinoa.

I have to confess, I was feeling far too demotivated to make anything complicated for lunch today, but DH stepped up to the plate, which is pretty amazing since he doesn't particularly like this recipe. We both agreed that this was the best we'd made yet, though. It was super tasty. 

Breakfast: Rice Puffs and Fruit

⅓ c. mixed berries
2 tsp. honey (or to taste)
1 c. rice puffs
¾ c. unsweetened almond milk

I don't love how quickly the rice puffs got soggy, but it tasted good, and it was good in a pinch when I didn't have much energy for anything more elaborate. This breakfast could definitely use more protein though.

Dinner: Shrimp Stirfry

Shrimp Stirfry 

1 c. white basmati rice
1 c. brown basmati rice
3 c. water
1 tsp. avocado oil
¼ tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. chopped ginger
½ tsp. red curry paste
¼ c. avocado oil
1 carrot, julienned
1 purple onion, sliced
½ green pepper, sliced
½ yellow pepper, sliced
¼ pineapple, chopped
1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 lb. wild cooked shrimp
½ c. mung bean sprouts

1. Rinse basmati rice 1-2 times in a strainer.
2. Add rice to remaining ingredients in a medium pot on high heat. Bring to a boil.
3. Let water boil until the water level is just under the rice.
4. Cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 mins. Fluff with a fork.
5. Meanwhile, sauté chopped garlic and ginger in oil in a large wok on medium heat. (Avocado oil is great for high heat situations since it won't lose its nutrients like olive oil does in cooking.) 

5. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.
6. Add onions, peppers, and pineapple. Sauté for a few minutes until peppers are tender and onion is mostly cooked.
7. Add broccoli florets and cook for a couple of minutes until tender.
8. Add cooked shrimp just to heat it. (Do not overcook previously-cooked shrimp because they will become tough and taste weird.)
9. Turn off heat and add in bean sprouts.
10. Serve stirfry on bed of rice. 

I was pretty impressed that this tasted as good as it did considering there was no sauce! I also loved how colourful it is. Not only does it look nice, but different coloured vegetables provide different nutrients, so it's nice to get a variety. 

Lunch: Veggie Sticks & Rice Cakes

Veggie Sticks: cucumber, carrots, green peppers, yellow peppers, tomatoes, celery
Hummus (with no "bad" oils such as canola)

Brown Rice Cakes (no added ingredients, besides brown rice and sea salt)
Nut butters: almond & cashew

I let the kids indulge in Peanuts Only peanut butter, which is a step up considering they've only ever  had Kraft, complete with gorilla-killing palm oil and sugar. I've been delighted that YD is so willing to try new foods. She especially loved the hummus and asked for spoons of the peanut butter. OD is far more reluctant. We'll see if she manages to starve herself while we're on this diet since she only ate some carrot sticks and some rice cakes. She reneged on the cucumber and celery she promised to eat in exchange for the extra half of rice cake. 

Treat: Maple Floss

We went to a nearby school for a plant and craft sale. Normally, I like to grab a lunch of hot dogs or whatever good-looking food there is at such a fair, but I was determined not to give into my daughters, 2½ and almost 5, begging me for cupcakes. I knew treats while out and about on this diet would be nigh impossible. And then I saw Maple Floss. 

Photo from Maple Floss's Facebook page

Made entirely from pure maple sugar, this cotton-candy-like treat fit within the parameter of this diet. We bought one $4 bag to share with our four family members. It was probably a little much sugar for a snack, but I also know that cutting out all treats is a recipe for failure. 

Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Porridge

It's Saturday, and DH is home, so with him watching our only waking daughter, I was able to take the time to make a little something extra that I hoped would be yummy enough to encourage us at the start of this diet. I got this recipe from Canadian Living, and it was delicious! (Reports from various family members varied.) 

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Porridge

3 cups water
½ tsp. salt
1⅓ cups wheat-free oats*
½ cup apple, peeled and diced
⅓ cup raisins (optional)
½ tsp. cinnamon
Pure maple syrup (optional)

1. In saucepan, bring apple juice and salt to boil.
2. Stir in rolled oats, apple, raisins (if using) and cinnamon. 
3. Reduce heat and simmer, string constantly, until desired thickness, about 4 minutes. 
4. Top with maple syrup for sweetener, if desired.

* My gluten-sensitive friend let me know that oats are typically stored in the same silos that store wheat, and they are probably processed on the same equipment, too. Thus, it's important for those who are gluten-sensitive or celiac to buy oats that are specifically labelled as wheat-free.

Foods to Avoid

This is the list of foods that I am to avoid (underlined foods are okay):

Grains
Wheat (flour, bread, crackers, cereals, etc.)
Rye
"Multigrain"
Kamut
Spelt
Barley
(Basically, anything with gluten)

Vegetables
Corn (arguably a grain anyway)

Fruit
Canned fruit
Juice (except fresh squeezed, 1 cup/day)
**Limit dried fruit

Protein
Eggs
Pork
Beef
Non-organic meats
Soya
Farmed seafood

Dairy
All dairy from animal sources, including, but not limited to:
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Butter

Fats
Margarine
Peanuts & peanut butter
All oils besides:
olive
coconut
walnut
flaxseed
avocado

Sweeteners
Anything besides:
Stevia
Maple syrup
Honey
Coconut sugar
**Limit sugar intake to 5 tsp./day

Beverages
Anything besides: 
Water
Herbal or green tea
Almond, rice, or coconut milk (plain and unsweetened)
and including but not limited to:
Coffee
Black tea
Fruit juice
Alcohol
Pop/soda (regular and diet)
Milk

Condiments
Anything besides:
Fresh or dried herbs and spices
Sea salt
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Mustard

I am allowed to have the following common allergens because I haven't had any evident reactions to them, but if you are truly allergic to these foods, you'll want to avoid them, too:
Citrus fruits (other than lemon)
Banana
Strawberries
Nightshades: tomatoes, white potatoes, and sweet and hot peppers
Shellfish
Nuts

The fruits and vegetables would have given me chronic pain if I were allergic to them and the nuts and shellfish usually cause anaphylactic shock if there is a true allergy.

Time for a Change

It's Spring 2014, and I'm ready for a change. I'm done with feeling tired all the time and feeling bloated and gross every time I eat. I'm tired of gaining weight whenever I'm not trying to lose it. I'm not thinking that's the problem, but a symptom my general unhealthiness. I'm tired of overeating crap foods, but I don't know what to cut out first.

I started at my family doctor who sent me for blood work to make sure there were no medical issues. There weren't. On a whim, I decided to pop into Ottawa Integrative Health Centre nearby. I spoke with a naturopath, and it seemed she had the answers I was looking for. After an initial consultation, she asked me if I would be willing to do an "elimination" diet, where I took out most common allergens and then gradually put them back in my diet after a cleanse of three weeks. This blog is to  track my journey through this process, with photos, recipes, meal plans, and grocery lists, for those who may also want to follow this path.

My Darling Husband (hereafter referred to as DH) will be indulging me in joining me on this diet. Although he is perhaps slightly less than enthusiastic, he knows I'll do a lot better at sticking to it with him on board, and we both know it couldn't do him any harm either. I'm using the opportunity to purge our family's diet of many "junk" foods, but we won't be as strict with our two daughters--Older Daughter who is almost 5, and Younger Daughter, who is 2½--mostly so that they won't starve themselves as a protest, which we see as a distinct possibility with OD.