Just got back from the naturopath where he did a full testing of all my food sensitivities. I had been really praying that I would get chicken back, tomatoes, lettuce, peanuts and soy.
...and I got all that and more!
I am getting tired of fish or turkey every day and knew that if I could only get chicken it would make a huge difference in my meals... so got to celebrate that plus getting pork!
Then came the veggies and fruits - got tomatoes and lettuce back - plus blueberries, oranges and peppers! The only veggie I didn't get back was potatoes which I am totally fine with. I'm loving my sweet potatoes and yams anyhow and they're better for me.
Then came nuts and seeds - hemp hearts and peanuts are back in the diet baby! Oh, how I have missed you peanut butter!
I still have to stay away from a few things - alcohol, beef, bison, all dairy products, spicy foods and margarine. But for the amount that I got back I feel like I will be able to eat like a normal person!
I can't wait to start integrating these delicious foods back into my diet. Definitely having pasta with tomato sauce first!!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
September 21, 2011, a 9 year Happy Anniversary Treat
I awoke this morning early and was sweetly surprised to find roses and gerber daisies and a hand-made card on the table. It is our anniversary today. We already celebrated with dinner out in Vancouver on Sunday, but it's so nice to have a little something to show each other our love.
I, in turn, made him breakfast in bed....which I realize isn't the best choice for Michael. For those of you who know him know that he rarely eats breakfast and when he does it's not till he's wide awake. So waking him from a dead sleep to feast on pancakes with a peach glaze, though thoughtful, may not be the best gift.
We planned to spend a little time together in the afternoon as he had to head back to work for the evening. I decided to make a treat ...and not a sugar-free, gluten-free one that I would enjoy, but rather something full of sugar and preservatives and sugar-you know, something that he would love!
And so here's a quick and easy and special treat for the man you love.
Butterscotch Rum Pudding
Ingredients:
1 pkg. butterscotch pudding
14 oz. milk
2 oz. Rum or liquor
1 skor bar
Grab a package of butterscotch pudding. Add 14oz. milk with 2oz. Rum (or your favourite liquour). Rum is what I had on hand, but we have also done this with Kahlua or Bailey's and they are equally delicious. Mix as usual with a whisk or beat for 2 minutes with a mixer.
Pour into parfait glasses and let set in the fridge. I made three full glasses with this.
Then you smash up a skor bar and sprinkle on top. If you want to be really special, you can melt some chocolate and milk into a little ganache, pour over the set pudding and then add your skor pieces. This is divine but I didn't have too much time so I omitted this step.
Then I set two of the cups on the table with my hand-made card on the 9 reasons I love my husband.
He got home and we toasted to our marriage and delighted in our treat. Yes, I ate it, well half of it, and gave the rest to him. And the third one is for tonight when he gets home from work - Bonus Points!
Happy Anniversary to us! Lots of people don't make it this far especially with some of the hardships we have faced but GOD is faithful and He will continue to be. Marriage is worth fighting for, working on, living in!
I, in turn, made him breakfast in bed....which I realize isn't the best choice for Michael. For those of you who know him know that he rarely eats breakfast and when he does it's not till he's wide awake. So waking him from a dead sleep to feast on pancakes with a peach glaze, though thoughtful, may not be the best gift.
We planned to spend a little time together in the afternoon as he had to head back to work for the evening. I decided to make a treat ...and not a sugar-free, gluten-free one that I would enjoy, but rather something full of sugar and preservatives and sugar-you know, something that he would love!
And so here's a quick and easy and special treat for the man you love.
Butterscotch Rum Pudding
Ingredients:
1 pkg. butterscotch pudding
14 oz. milk
2 oz. Rum or liquor
1 skor bar
Grab a package of butterscotch pudding. Add 14oz. milk with 2oz. Rum (or your favourite liquour). Rum is what I had on hand, but we have also done this with Kahlua or Bailey's and they are equally delicious. Mix as usual with a whisk or beat for 2 minutes with a mixer.
Pour into parfait glasses and let set in the fridge. I made three full glasses with this.
Then you smash up a skor bar and sprinkle on top. If you want to be really special, you can melt some chocolate and milk into a little ganache, pour over the set pudding and then add your skor pieces. This is divine but I didn't have too much time so I omitted this step.
Then I set two of the cups on the table with my hand-made card on the 9 reasons I love my husband.
He got home and we toasted to our marriage and delighted in our treat. Yes, I ate it, well half of it, and gave the rest to him. And the third one is for tonight when he gets home from work - Bonus Points!
Happy Anniversary to us! Lots of people don't make it this far especially with some of the hardships we have faced but GOD is faithful and He will continue to be. Marriage is worth fighting for, working on, living in!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Alternative 'Peanut' Butter for those who have kids in a Peanut Free School!
So, last year was definitely devastating when I realized that I wasn't allowed to serve Peanut Butter and Jam sandwiches to Caleb for his lunch everday at school. It soon became a morning ritual instead but there were still days that I wanted the simplicity of making that kind of sandwich for him. And so I bought (for $6.50!) a small jar of sesame seed butter. I didn't enjoy the taste of toasted sesame seeds so much but Caleb loved it. So for a special treat I would make him that for school. This year, I decided that I didn't want to go that route but would try making some sort of alternative on my own.
I looked online and found a great recipe for Sunflower Seed Butter. Simple, can be done in your blender and is literally made in less than 3 minutes. I can't wait to have Caleb try it!
Check the actual recipe out here at Peas and Thank You. Props to you, Mama Pea!
I ended up using way more than 1 or 2 tbsp. of oil in order to make it smooth, more like 6! But I also have a blender that was making really scary noises and telling me he wasn't happy to be blending these seeds so I was generous with the oil to make him happy.
It tastes great! If you like sunflower seeds, you'll love this!
I am thrilled to have an alternative for Caleb and for me too! Because peanuts are one of those things that I can't have right now, it's nice to have an alternative to my almond butter as well.
This is so great to have an awesome, simple and quick recipe at my fingertips at the fraction of the cost of buying the only 'nut-free' spread advertised on the market. Try it out and let me know what you think!!
I looked online and found a great recipe for Sunflower Seed Butter. Simple, can be done in your blender and is literally made in less than 3 minutes. I can't wait to have Caleb try it!
Check the actual recipe out here at Peas and Thank You. Props to you, Mama Pea!
I ended up using way more than 1 or 2 tbsp. of oil in order to make it smooth, more like 6! But I also have a blender that was making really scary noises and telling me he wasn't happy to be blending these seeds so I was generous with the oil to make him happy.
It tastes great! If you like sunflower seeds, you'll love this!
I am thrilled to have an alternative for Caleb and for me too! Because peanuts are one of those things that I can't have right now, it's nice to have an alternative to my almond butter as well.
This is so great to have an awesome, simple and quick recipe at my fingertips at the fraction of the cost of buying the only 'nut-free' spread advertised on the market. Try it out and let me know what you think!!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
How to Marinate a Leg of Lamb
I haven't been blogging much these days because, honestly, I just haven't been inspired to. But this morning as I was setting to work marinating our boneless leg of lamb for dinner tonight, the inspiration hit....Maybe not everyone knows how to marinate such lovely morsels of meat! And so I present to you a 101 on marinating a lamb.
This is super easy and these ingredients can be used to marinate chunks of meat, a whole chicken, pork, potatoes, or tonight's deliciousness, lamb! So if you're not into lamb, don't stop reading, just use the ingredient mix on whatever meat you so desire.
First off, I throw the lamb into a good ol' ziploc bag, you might need an extra large one if you are marinating one with the leg in it. Or you might have one of those handy tupperware marinating thingamajiggys; those are great too, but I don't have one, so ziploc bags it is.
Drizzle a good amount of extra virgin olive oil over the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper throughout the bag. Then throw in a few teaspoons of oregano. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the contents in, then throw in the rind as well for good measure. Press 2 cloves of garlic, I am a garlic addict and so I used 4! Then my favourite part... Go into your garden and cut a nice long sprig of fresh rosemary (or 2). You can cut it into pieces and place in the bag or just use one or two sprigs whole to do the trick. (dried rosemary is alright too but I find it quite sharp and not so tasty to eat. You can buy fresh rosemary at most grocery stores)
Now if you have the organizational skills do this the night before your feast, you're ahead of me! The morning of is just fine and as long as it sits for 4-6 hours, it should taste delicious. The longer it marinates the better- of course. Now, just set it in your fridge and flip over every couple of hours.
If it's lamb your cooking, then simply bake at 400F for 20 minutes per pound. Anything else, cook as usual and enjoy!
This is super easy and these ingredients can be used to marinate chunks of meat, a whole chicken, pork, potatoes, or tonight's deliciousness, lamb! So if you're not into lamb, don't stop reading, just use the ingredient mix on whatever meat you so desire.
First off, I throw the lamb into a good ol' ziploc bag, you might need an extra large one if you are marinating one with the leg in it. Or you might have one of those handy tupperware marinating thingamajiggys; those are great too, but I don't have one, so ziploc bags it is.
Drizzle a good amount of extra virgin olive oil over the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper throughout the bag. Then throw in a few teaspoons of oregano. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the contents in, then throw in the rind as well for good measure. Press 2 cloves of garlic, I am a garlic addict and so I used 4! Then my favourite part... Go into your garden and cut a nice long sprig of fresh rosemary (or 2). You can cut it into pieces and place in the bag or just use one or two sprigs whole to do the trick. (dried rosemary is alright too but I find it quite sharp and not so tasty to eat. You can buy fresh rosemary at most grocery stores)
Now if you have the organizational skills do this the night before your feast, you're ahead of me! The morning of is just fine and as long as it sits for 4-6 hours, it should taste delicious. The longer it marinates the better- of course. Now, just set it in your fridge and flip over every couple of hours.
If it's lamb your cooking, then simply bake at 400F for 20 minutes per pound. Anything else, cook as usual and enjoy!
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