Fibro Haus Food

Fresh Fruit Dip

2007-06-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1/3 c orange marmalade
1 T rice milk

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, marmalade and milk. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with fruit. Especially good with fresh strawberries and green grapes. Yield: 1-1/3 cups.

Oven Omelet

2007-06-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

1/4 c butter
1 1/2 dozen eggs
1 c sour cream
1/2 of a 10 oz package of frozen spinach
1 c rice milk
2 t salt
1/4 c chopped green onions
1 c shredded Colby Jack Cheese

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat margarine in 13x9x2 baking dish in oven until melted, and swirl around to coat dish. Thaw spinach and wring dry in a clean towel. Beat eggs,sour cream, milk and salt until blended. Add onions and spinach.

Pour into baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with the cheese,
then return to oven for 10 minutes or until eggs are set and the cheese is melted.
Garnish with chopped chives.
Serves 8-10

Mint Nut Bread

2007-06-24T14:05:00.001-07:00

2 1/2 c rice flour
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
3 1/2 t baking powder
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3/4 c apple juice
3/4 c rice milk
1 egg
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c chopped fresh mint

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the oil, milk, and egg. Blend the mixtures together.
Add the walnuts and mint.

Bake in greased bread pans in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool and slice. Ages and freezes well. Serves 8

Sage Cream Cheese

2007-06-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

2-8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
1 T lemon juice
3-4 t minced fresh sage
1 clove garlic, minced

Blend all ingredients well. Serve at room temperature. Serves: 8-10

Rosemary Fruit Punch

2007-06-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

46-oz. can pineapple juice
1/2 c Splenda or 1/4 c stevia
5 t fresh rosemary
1 1/2 c lemon juice
1 liter bottle pale-dry ginger ale
2 c water
Fresh lemon slices and fresh sprigs of rosemary

Make a concentrate by bringing to a boil 1 c of the pineapple juice, the Splenda or stevia, and rosemary. Decrease heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and cool.

To serve, add the concentrate to the remaining pineapple juice, the lemon juice, and water. Pour into a punch bowl over ice and add the ginger ale. Float fresh lemon slices and rosemary sprigs on top. Serves 16

Raspberry Iced Tea

2007-06-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

4 qts. water
1 pkg (12 oz) frozen unsweetened raspberries
1-1/2 c Splenda or 3/4 c stevia
10 individual tea bags
1/4 c lemon juice
Raspberry Ice cubes (see below)

In a Dutch oven, bring waster to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in the sugar
until dissolved. Add the raspberries, tea bags and lemon juice. Cover and steep for 3 minutes. Strain; discard berries and tea bags. Cool. Serve over ice. Yield: 4 qts.

Raspberry Ice Cubes: Gently rinse the fresh berries. Then place three berries in each section of an ice cube tray. Fill each section of the tray with the Raspberry Tea. Freeze the trays several hours or overnight.

Serves 16

Simple Breakfast Ideas for One

2007-06-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

Pancakes, waffles or French Toast are simple to fix, and serve. Even if you make the pre-made varieties they can be spruced up with these toppings:

Fruit Sauce: Place 2 T of water in a small pan. Add a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries to the pan. Cook, partially covered, until the juice is released. Add a little stevia or Splenda and lemon juice to taste. Serve as a topping!

Apple Banana Topping: Slice 1 small apple and 1 banana. Melt 2 T
of butter in a skillet. Cook the fruit until it's soft. Serve it over the pancakes or waffles and top with maple syrup or confectioners' sugar if desired.

Very Simple Toppings: Heat any flavor of pie filling in a microwave safe bowl until warm and serve. Sprinkle the pancakes, waffles or French Toast with chopped nuts and berries, then top with syrup.

Switchel

2007-06-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

1 c boiling water
1 T honey
1 T herb vinegar (made with apple-cider vinegar)

Fill a cup with boiling water to dissolve the honey. Serve hot or iced for a low-calorie, winelike drink. In days of yore, this energy refresher was drunk as a thirst quencher. It also acts as a diuretic, and its potassium gives added energy. Serves: 1

Just in Case Fruit Salad

2007-06-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

a can of fruit cocktail drained -- save a little juice for after
a container of cool whip
bananas sliced
a small bag of mini marshmallows -- I like the pastel colored ones

mix all together
if it looks a little dry add some fruit cocktail juice --
a little bit at a time to your own liking (you don't want it watery!)
you can add coconut flakes too if desired
Serves 8-10

Ginger Limeade

2007-06-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

6 c cold water, divided
1/2 c Splenda or 1/4 c stevia
3 T chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 T grated lime rind
1 1/4 c fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)
10 mint leaves

Combine 1/4 c water, Splenda or stevia, ginger, rind, and mint leaves in a blender, and process until well blended. Cover; chill for 2 hours.

Add remaining 5 3/4 c water and juice; stir to combine. Yield: 4-2 cup servings

Diabetic Roasted Florets

2007-06-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

8 c bite-size cauliflower or broccoli florets (about 1 head), sliced
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t salt, or to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
lemon wedges (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place florets in a large bowl with oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out on a baking sheet. Roast the vegetables, stirring once, until tender-crisp and browned in spots, 15 to 25 minutes. Serve
hot or warm with lemon wedges, if desired. Yield: 4 servings

Sugar Free Pecan Pie

2007-06-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

1 (9-inch) unbaked crust
1 c maple syrup
4 eggs
1/8 t salt
1 t vanilla extract
1 c Splenda or 1/2 stevia
2 T butter
1 c pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs slightly; add syrup and vanilla extract.
Melt butter and mix into egg mixture. Add salt and Splenda or stevia. Beat well, then add pecans; stir and pour into pie shell. Bake for about 60 minutes or until center is firm.

Barbecue Beans

2007-06-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

1 pound pinto beans
1 gallon water
3 T chili powder
1 t garlic powder
2 t salt
4 T Splenda or 2 T stevia

Wash beans, discarding any bad or half beans. Fill large pot with beans and water. Add chili and garlic powders. Bring to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 2 1/2 hours, adding 1-2 quarts additional boiling water as needed to keep beans from sticking to bottom of pot. Reduce heat to low and add salt and Splenda or stevia. Simmer 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Makes 8-10 servings.

Double Layer Birthday Cake w/Cocoa Frosting

2007-06-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

3 c rice flour
1 3/4 c Splenda or 1 c stevia
1 1/4 c water
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 1/2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two cake pans. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat until well mixed, approximately 4 minutes. Pour batter into cake pans. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks. Frost when completely cooled.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Cocoa Frosting

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c Hershey's® unsweetened cocoa powder
2 2/3 c unsifted confectioners sugar
1/4 c water
1 t vanilla extract

Beat butter on medium speed in large mixer bowl until softened, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients. Beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened. Beat on medium speed until creamy.

Fruit Sauce

2007-06-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Cook 1 bag of frozen unsweetened blueberries + 3/4 c water + 1/4 c honey or maple syrup. In about 10 minutes when fruit is tender, stir in 1 T + 1 t tapioca starch dissolved in 1/4 c cool water. Stir for about two minutes until it bubbles, thickens, and the liquid becomes clear. [May cut peach slices into bite-size pieces while fruit is cooking, if you wish.]

Spoon warm blueberry sauce over the warm Maple Cake or Sweet A-B-Q "Corn Bread" for a delicious - and memorable - breakfast

Simple Simon Maple Cake

2007-06-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

1/2 c + 1 T amaranth flour
1/2 c + 1 T unroasted buckwheat flour
1/2 c + 1 T quinoa flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1/2 t salt
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
2/3 c maple syrup
1/4 c chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Non-stick spray a pie plate. Combine dry ingredients and whisk well, or sift. Combine oil and syrup in measuring cup and pour over dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir until flour disappears. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Scatter the chopped pecans over the top, if using. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before cutting. Full recipe yields 6-8 wedges, half recipe yields 3-4 wedges.

Serve plain as you would a coffee cake, with a cup of tea, or use as dessert. Second-day egg-free baked goods can seem dry, so here's a delicious tip: Use leftovers (that were wrapped tightly overnight) the next morning for breakfast. Split each wedge horizontally and top it with a fresh or cooked fruit sauce, shortcake-style.

Amaranth, Buckwheat & Quinoa CORN BREAD

2007-06-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

While not a sandwich bread, this corn-bread-type-bread is wonderful with salad, soup or stew, or for breakfast (topped with a fruit sauce or a little all-fruit jam).

1/2 c + 1 T amaranth flour
1/2 c + 1 T unroasted buckwheat flour
1/2 c + 1 T quinoa flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1/2 t salt
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c maple syrup
1 c rice milk or water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick spray, or oil and dust with flour. Combine flours, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend. Measure the oil, maple syrup, and rice milk or water in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, and stir. Make a "well" in the center of the flour and pour in the liquids. Use a rubber spatula to stir a few swift strokes - only until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Transfer at once to prepared pan. Batter will be quite stiff, yet when you scrape it into the pan, it still pours. (In other words - although stiff, it's still a heavy batter rather than a dough.) Bake about 20 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched, and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes before cutting. Best served warm, or at least the same day. Yields 1 pie plate of cornbread-type bread (6-8 pieces)

VARIATIONS: SWEET A-B-Q "CORN BREAD"
Substitute pineapple, apple, orange, pear or white grape juice for the water, and add an additional 1/4 t baking soda to dry ingredients. Or if you prefer, add 1/2 t white stevia powder to the dry ingredients (with no extra soda). This sweet version resembles coffeecake.

SPICED A-B-Q "CORN BREAD"
Following the recipe for SWEET A-B-Q "CORN BREAD", add ONE of the following to the dry ingredients, whisking well to mix:
1 t powdered ginger
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice (gives bread a very nice flavor!)
1/2 t freshly-ground nutmeg

INDIVIDUALIZED "CORN BREAD"
If you don't have all three flours on hand, or if you don't tolerate one of them, use 3/4 c of each of the two remaining flours, plus 3 T either ONE of the flours. Texture and flavor will still be better than with any one flour alone.

Apple Sandwiches

2007-06-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

1/4 c almond, cashew, peanut sunflower butter
2 T unsweetened applesauce or applebutter
8 slices of rice flatbread
Sprinkling of sunflower, sesame, or pumpkins seeds, raw or toasted (optional)
Raw apple slices, thinly sliced (see Variations)

Mix the nut butter and applesauce in a small bowl. Spread each flatbread thinly with the nut butter mixture. Sprinkle four of them with a few seeds for "crunch", if you want them, and top with apple slices. Put the remaining four thinly-spread flatbreads on top of the apple slices, spread side down. Wrap snuggly in plastic wrap for the lunch box. Makes 4 small sandwiches

VARIATIONS
Try with other fresh fruits such as pear, apricots, nectarines, or banana, each sliced to fit the small sandwich.

Rice Flour Pancakes/Flatbread

2007-06-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

1 c brown rice flour
1/4 t salt
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t cream of tartar
2/3 c cooked brown rice, leftover is fine
1 c rice milk, or lukewarm water
2 T extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the griddle or 2 non-stick skillets. Combine ingredients, making a medium batter. Spoon tablespoonfuls of batter onto hot griddle. When edges brown and just begin to seem dry, turn to cook the other side. Repeat with remaining batter. If batter thickens, add a little more liquid. Serves 2-3

VARIATIONS
Replace up to 1/3 of the flour with ground nuts or seeds. Add 1/4 t of cinnamon or 1/2 t of ginger to the batter. Use up to 3 T of oil in the batter if your griddle tends to stick, and oil the griddle if you need to.

Berries a la mode

2007-06-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Place 2 c berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, in a baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/8 t cinnamon and 1/3 c low-fat granola. Bake at 350 F until fruit is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Top each serving with 1/2 c fat-free vanilla ice cream.

Plum Salsa

2007-06-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Mix together 1 c chopped plum, 1 t dried cilantro, 2 T chopped onion, 2 t cider vinegar, dash of salt. Serve with roasted or grilled chicken breasts.

Romaine and Fresh Strawberry Salad

2007-06-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

Combine 2 c romaine lettuce and 1/2 c sliced strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 1/2 T raspberry vinaigrette dressing and toss well. Sprinkle with 1 T cashews.

Frozen Fruit Pops

2007-06-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

In a blender, add sliced strawberries and bananas, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 3/4 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2- to 3-ounce molds or paper cups with sticks placed in the centers. Freeze for 3 hours or until completely frozen.

Grilled Fruit Slices

2007-06-18T12:46:00.001-07:00

Cut apples and pears into chunks, brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place on skewers or wrap in foil. Grill on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

Fresh Vegetable Soup

2007-06-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

In a large pot, add 1 T olive oil and chopped vegetables, such as onions, carrots, green beans and celery. Saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, 3 cups water, a few sliced potatoes (peeled) and season with salt, pepper and parsley. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Honey-glazed Sweet Potatoes

2007-06-18T12:33:00.001-07:00

4 large sweet potatoes
1/4 c water
2 T brown sugar
2 T honey
1 T extra virgin olive oil

Peel and chop sweet potatoes. Toss with a mixture of water, brown sugar, honey and olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake at 375 F for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the glaze is thick and the potatoes are tender.

Hot Apple Oatmeal

2007-06-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

1 c quick cooking oats
1 c unsweetened apple juice
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/4 t cinnamon

Mix oats and juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add applesauce and cinnamon and stir well. For more fiber, add 1 T. dried fruits, nuts or bran.

Salad Herbal Vinegar

2007-06-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Use this tart vinegar alone as a light, fat-free salad dressing, or combine it with some olive oil,salt and pepper to make a mellower dressing.

1/4 c thyme
1/4 c Greek oregano
1/4 c marjoram
1/4 c chives
1/2 c white wine vinegar
1/2 c red wine vinegar

Combine and store in a dark container.

Provençal Vinegar

2007-06-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

The flavors of Herbes de Provence are excellent for marinating pork.

1/4 c thyme
1/4 c basil
1/4 c summer savory
1/4 c sage
2 T rosemary
2 T lavender blooms
6 fresh bay leaves

Combine and store in a dark container.

Lemon Herbal Vinegar

2007-06-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Use this tart vinegar to give a zip to vegetables, in a refreshing salad dressing, or in a chicken marinade.

1/4 c lemon thyme
1/4 c lemon grass
1/4 c lemon balm
1/4 c lemon verbena
1 T lemon peel
2 c white wine vinegar

Combine and store in a dark container.

Fines Herbes Herbal Vinegar

2007-06-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

This light vinegar gets its flavor from the four fine herbs of classic French cooking. It gives a nice flavor to sautéed or steamed vegetables, and makes a nice salad dressing.

1/4 c parsley
1/4 c French tarragon
1/4 c chives
1/4 c chervil
2 c champagne vinegar

Combine and store in a dark container.

Bouquet Garni Herbal Vinegar

2007-06-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Use this vinegar to deglaze a pan after sautéing meats, in a salad dressing, or in a marinade for any type of meat.

1/4 c rosemary
1/4 c thyme
1/4 c parsley
6-8 fresh bay leaves
2 c white wine vinegar

Combine and store in dark container.

Marinated Fruit Salad

2007-06-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Marinade: 1/2 c honey
1/4 c water
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c orange juice

Fruit for salad:
2 c raspberries
2 c black berries
2 nectarines, sliced
2 c halved strawberries
1 c blueberries

Combine honey and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon and orange juices and cool completely.

Place all the fruit in large bowl and pour the cooled marinade over all. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 8

Baked Chicken

2007-06-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T butter
1/2 c rice flour
2 t poultry seasoning
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oil and butter in a Dutch oven. Mix together flour, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and brown evenly in Dutch oven.

Cover and place in a 350 degree oven for 60 minutes. Serve.

Apple Bread

2007-06-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

3 c grated apples

Cream these ingredients together.

2 c Splenda or 1 c stevia
1 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
2 t vanilla

Sift together:

3 c rice flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 t cinnamon

Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with grated apples. Place in well-greased and floured pans 2/3 full. Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes.

One recipe makes slightly more than 3 small loaves. Double the recipe makes 7 loaves.

Gingerbread

2007-06-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 c rice flour
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
3 eggs
1 c butter
1/2 c stevia or 1 c Splenda
3/4 c hot water
1 c light molasses

Preheat oven to 375° and grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch pan. Sift flour, baking soda and spices in a bowl on high speed. In separate bowl, beat butter, stevia or Spenda and eggs until smooth and fluffy. On low speed, beat in molasses and hot water. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes. Cool on wire rack, while warm cut into as many pieces as you like.

Pumpkin Bread

2007-06-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

3 1/2 c rice flour
1 1/2 c stevia
1 1/2 t salt
2 c pumpkin (or substitutes)*
4 eggs
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cloves
2/3 c salad oil
2/3 c water
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

*Pumpkin can be substituted with 2 cups of unsweetened applesauce or 2 cups
ground cranberries.

Mix all ingredients except nuts until well blended. Add nuts. Bake in
greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until done.

Low Carb Almond Bread

2007-06-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

You can make this bread in about 5 minutes. The recipe is a bit crumbly for sandwiches, but great as a side to a meal.

1 1/4 c almond flour (A little expensive, but don't substitute. It just isn't the same without the almond flour)
1/4 t cream of tartar
1/8 t baking soda
2 eggs
1 oz butter

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish, then mix in all other ingredients. Get a new microwave safe bowl and coat it with oil. Then pour in the batter.

Microwave for about 2 minutes - you want the top to become firm. The top and the edges (against the bowl) become the "crust" - it's only a little thicker and a little darker in color, but you can control how much crust you have by choosing your shape to have more or less "edge". You can use a large saucer to create a "flat" bread with a lot of crust surface, or a regular soup bowl to have more "insides" that are soft.

Green Beans With Onion and Garlic

2007-06-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 lb, green beans, fresh
2 medium onions, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 c water
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 T fresh oregano or 1/4 t. dried

Cut the stems (but not the tails) off the beans, and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, and stir-fry the garlic for 30 seconds, or so. Fling in the onions, and stir-fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, being sure not to burn the garlic or color the onions. Dump in the beans, salt, pepper, oregano and water, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes (depending on how done you like the beans), then uncover, boost the heat, and reduce the liquid until it's thick. Correct seasonings. Served over rice, this makes a healthy and satisfying meal.

Raspberry Vinegar

2007-06-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

4 qts raspberries
2 qts cider vinegar
stevia

Crush 2 qts of raspberries, pour vinegar over them. Let stand 2 days. Strain, and pour the juice over the other 2 qts berries. Let stand for another 2 days. Strain and measure. Add 1 cup of stevia for each pint. Boil five minutes; skim, bottle and seal. Use two T to a tumbler of water. Refreshing drink or use on salads.

Plum Butter

2007-06-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

red/purple wild or tame plums, size of a small egg
brown sugar, to taste
cinnamon &/or nutmeg, optional

Wash the plums, then cut in 1/2, remove pit, and finely chop the rest, skin and all. Measure pulp, and use 1/2 cup of sugar to 1 cup of plum pulp. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, stir frequently to prevent scorching. Simmer and stir 'til desired consistency, then ladle into hot jars, put on lids/rings, Boil in Water Bath for 10 minutes. Serve with hot buttered biscuits/toast/English muffins, or waffles/pancakes.

Roasted Sweet Potato Cider Salad

2007-06-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise
1 T plus 1 t extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 T scallions, finely diced
3 T apple cider vinegar
1/8 t salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes in large baking dish, drizzle with 1 T oil, and toss potatoes until evenly coated. Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover pan, turn potatoes and bake uncovered until tender and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Cool potatoes and chop into bite-size pieces. Transfer to serving bowl.

Whisk vinegar with remaining teaspoon of oil and salt. Pour over potatoes, add scallions, and stir gently until well combined.

Basic Brown Rice

2007-06-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

2 c brown rice
4 c water

Put rice in a large saucepan and rinse in several changes of water. Drain. Add the 4 cups water and bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Drain in additional water off of rice and reserve as rice milk.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

2007-06-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 slices
1 c water
1/2 c backed brown sugar or brown Splenda
Dash salt

Heat the oil in a well-seasoned large cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add the sweet potatoes. Stir totether the water, sugar, and salt, and pour over potatoes. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes without stirring. Turn the potatoes over, cover and cook for about 15 minutes more, turning occasionally to coat each piece with syrup and taking care that the potatoes caramelize evenly. Continue to cook and turn potatoes in this manner until they are fork tender. Transfer to serving platter immediately.

Blueberry-Brown Sugar Scottish Oatmeal

2007-06-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

1/2 c rolled oatmeal (not instant)
1 scant cup rice milk
1 t brown sugar or brown Splenda
1/4 c fresh or unthawed frozen whole blueberries

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl large enough to prevent boil-over, and stir well. Microwave on high for 2 minutes and stir. Microwave another 1-2 minutes until berries pop and oatmeal is thickened.

Makes 1 serving.

Homemade Applesauce

2007-06-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

Put the apples in a small saucepan and add just enough water to cover the bottom. Cover and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until apples disintegrate, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Honey Glazed Snack Mix

2007-06-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

3 T canola oil
1/4 c honey
2 c Corn Chex cereal
2 c Rice Chex cereal
1 c mini pretzels

In a small bowl stir together oil and honey until well blended. In a large microwave-safe bowl stir together cereals and pretzels, top with honey mixtue, and stir until well cookedthrough. Cool thoroughly before serving.

White Bean and Almond Dip

2007-06-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

1/3 c roasted almonds
1 1/2 c white beans, soaked - rinsed and drained
2 t freah lemon juice
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c rice milk
4 T fresh parsley
1/4 t paprika
1 small garlic clove, mashed to a paste

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve dip with toasted Bruschetta or toasted Italian bread.

Indian Chai Milk Tea

2007-06-10T13:31:00.001-07:00

Chai Mix:
1 T whole cloves
1 T whole fennel seeds
1 T whole cardamon seeds (not in pods)
2 small cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces

1 c rice milk
1 t vanilla
1 t honey

Stir together all chai mix ingredients. Add 1 T chai mix to rice milk and bring to as boil. Remove from heat and steep for 3 minutes. Strain and stir in honey and vanilla. Store extra chai mix in an airtight container.

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

2007-06-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 c frozen strawberries
2/3 c rice milk
1 t vanilla extract
1 T honey
1 large firm-ripe banana

Puree all lingredients in blender until smooth. Serve immediately.

Grated Carrot and Apple Salad

2007-06-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 apple, peeled and shredded
1 t extra virgin olive oil

Mix carrots and apple. Add oil and toss.

Blueberry Syrup

2007-06-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

1 1/4 c fresh blueberries
3/4 c water
2 T Splenda or 1 T stevia

Rinse the berries and simmer with water and sugar in a small saucepan until soft (about 5 minutes), then puree in a blender. Makes 1 1/3 c

Cobbler in the Crockpot

2007-05-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

5 c fruit pie filling

Topping:
1 c rice or spelt flour
1/4 c Splenda or 3 T stevia
1/4 c butter, melted
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 c rice milk
1/2 t almond or vanilla extract
1/4 t salt

Spray inside of 2 to 3 1/2 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour pie filling into cooker. Beat remaining ingredients with spoon until smooth. Spread batter over pie filling. Cover and cook on high heat setting 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Pie Filling

2007-05-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

5 c fruit of your choice
2 1/2 T lemon juice
1/3 c sugar or Splenda or 3 T stevia
1/3 c packed brown sugar
2 1/2 T cornstarch
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 c water

Finely chop or mash fruit. Combine fruit and lemon juice; set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir in water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; boil 2 minutes. Add fruit.

Crustless Greens Pie

2007-05-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 lbs. Swiss chard
1/2 lb arugula
3/4 lb dandelion greens
3 T unsalted butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small banana pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 small zucchini, grated
1/3 c chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c fresh bread crumbs

Trim the chard, arugula and dandelion greens. Discard the stems and chop the leaves. Preheat the oven to 375F. Heat 1 T of the butter with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook one minute. Add the garlic and cook one minute longer. Stir in the pepper, chard, arugula, dandelions, zucchini, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook covered, over medium heat, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Beat the eggs into the greens and pour the mixture into a buttered 9-inch glass or ceramic quiche pan. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Melt the remaining 2 T butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and sauté until golden. Spoon them over the pie. Bake 25 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves six.

Note: Greens can be substituted using your favorites.

Brunch Casserole for crockpot

2007-05-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 large onion; finely chopped
2 T olive oil or butter
2 garlic cloves; minced
1-4 oz. mushrooms -- sliced, drained
2 t salt
1/2 T oregano -- leaf
1/2 T nutmeg
3 T cornstarch
6 eggs -- beaten
1/2 pk chopped frozen spinach, drained
1/4 c rice milk -- scalded
1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese; grated

In skillet, lightly brown ground beef and onion in olive oil; drain well. Place in well-greased crock-pot. Stir in remaining ingredients except eggs, milk and cheese until well blended. Beat eggs and milk together. Pour over other ingredients; stir well. Dust with additional nutmeg. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 10 hours or until firm. Just before serving, sprinkle with grated cheese. 6 to 8 servings

Zucchini - Browns (substitute for hash browns)

2007-05-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

1 T extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 c chopped red onion
1 t thyme
1 T basil
4 medium zucchinis, grated
salt and pepper
1/4 c chopped parsley
1/2 c pastry flour
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs, separated

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions until the onions begin to look translucent. Add the herbs and cook for another few minutes. Add the zucchini and lower the heat. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove this from the heat, taste, and add salt and pepper, as you like. When you've gotten the flavor you like, add the parsley. Taste again to see what the parsley have done to your flavoring and adjust if necessary. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and Parmesan. Stir this into the zucchini mixture. Whisk the egg yolks and add them to the mixture. Then, beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture. Heat a skillet and add some oil for cooking. When the oil begins to sizzle, add the batter to the skillet (a la pancakes). From here, you can work the fritters much like pancakes. Carefully flip them over when they begin to brown. Don't allow them to burn. Between each fritter set, inspect the pan to make sure there is enough oil so that you do not burn the next set.

Apricot Chicken Serves One

2007-05-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

1 T apricot preserves 1 T Russian or French salad dressing
Pinch ginger, optional 1 bone-in chicken breast half
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine preserves, salad dressing and ginger if desired; set aside. Place chicken in a greased 8-inch square baking pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with apricot mixture. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Yield: 1 serving

Note: Make up several ahead of time and freeze them individually to defrost later for a quick fix meal.

Rice-Flour Pie Crust

2007-05-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

Makes 1 Crust
A no-role, press-in-place crust for your favorite filling. Fill it before or after baking.

1/3 c raw Brazil nuts or cashews
3/4 c brown rice flour
1/4 t ground cinnamon (optional)
3 T water
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T honey

Grind the nuts to a fine powder in a blender. Transfer them to a 9-inch pie plate. Add the flour, cinnamon or nutmeg. Mix well with a fork.

Combine the water, oil and honey in a small saucepan. Heat gently only until honey liquefies. Pour over the flour in the pie plate. Stir with a fork until well blended. Let stand a few minutes for rice flour to absorb liquid.

Shape the crust by pressing mixture firmly into place with your fingers, covering bottom and sides of plate evenly. Pat top edge of crust into a straight edge.
Fill and bake as directed in pie recipe.

No Sugar Apple Pie

2007-05-28T16:03:00.001-07:00

3 T cornstarch
1 T ground cinnamon
12 oz. unsweetened apple juice concentrate
6 c thinly sliced apples
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the cornstarch, cinnamon and 1/4 of the apple juice.

In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer the apples in the remaining apple juice until tender. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened.

Pour into bottom crust and cover with top crust. Bake for 45 minutes.

Double Apple Pie

2007-05-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Use baking apples that will hold their shape such as Yellow Delicious, Greening, Granny Smith, Jonathon, Gala, Fuji, etc, or a mixture of these. Don't use McIntosh they disintegrate into sauce).

1-9 inch pie shell, unbaked
Rice-Flour Streusel Crumbs, recipe follows
5-6 c sliced unsprayed apples
6-oz can unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
3 T quick cooking small granule tapioca (such as Minute Tapioca)
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 T honey, if needed

Prepare crust and set aside.
Prepare Streusel Crumbs, set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix juice concentrate, tapioca and spice. Mix and let stand for 15 minutes, while you peel and slice the apples into it. Taste the juice and add a little honey if you need it.
Pre-bake crust for 5 minutes.
Transfer the apple mixture to the crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the Streusel Crumbs over the pie, pressing lightly. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until fruit is tender (but not mushy), the juice is bubbly, and the crumbs are nicely brown.
VARIATIONS -
If desired add 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries or currants to the apple mixture.
Serves 6 to 8

Rice-Flour Streusel Crumbs
Scatter these crumbs evenly over Double Apple Pie - or use them to top coffee cakes, fruit crisps or other pies. About 15-20 minutes before your goody will finish baking, distribute the crumbs evenly over the top, press gently, and finish baking.

1/2 c plus 1 T brown rice flour
1/3-1/2 c ground nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, or cashews)
1/8-1/4 t ground cinnamon, optional
1-1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 T honey
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, ground nuts, and cinnamon. Drizzle with the oil and honey. Toss until evenly distributed.

NOTES:
This quantity of crumbs will nicely top an 8- or 9-inch coffee cake or 1 pie. Double the recipe to top a 9x13 pan. If you're making a pie with a filling that needs to be cooked, like a fruit pie, prebake the empty crust for 5 minutes before filling and baking. Add the filling and bake as your recipe directs. Sprinkle on unbaked Struesel Crumbs for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.

Quick Strawberry Jello Dessert

2007-05-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

1-(3-1/4 ounce) jello prepared strawberry gelatin
3 large strawberries, top removes and quartered
5 pretzels, crushed
2 T whipped topping

Remove Jello from cup and put in a large custard cup or medium bowl will work. Mash up Jell-O with a fork. Mix in cut up strawberries. Sprinkle with crushed pretzel and then add a dollop of whipped cream.

Nutty Creme Topping

2007-05-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

This mock whipped cream is free of both dairy and soy.

Be sure to make it ahead of time so it can thicken and chill in the refrigerator.

1/2 c raw Brazil nuts
1/3 c boiling water
pinch of salt
1 T honey
1/2 t lemon juice

Grind the nuts to a fine powder in a blender. Add boiling water and salt, and blend for 90 seconds or until smooth. Add honey and lemon juice and blend again for 3-5 minutes until very smooth. Pour into a small bowl, cover, and chill 2 hours or more. Use like whipped cream to top desserts. Will keep a few days, refrigerated.
Makes 1 cup

NOTE: Brazil nuts with their brown outer coating produce a topping that is speckled in appearance. Not to worry - the creamy texture is delightful!

Modenese Pork Chops

2007-05-28T15:56:00.001-07:00

4 T butter
4 pork chops (1 inch thick)
1/2 c dry white wine
1 t salt
1/8 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2 t crushed dried rosemary
2 cloves minced garlic

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook chops in butter, turning once to brown evenly. Pour in wine, and season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the chops are tender. Transfer pork chops to serving plates, and spoon sauce over the meat.

Grilled Steaks With Peach Salsa

2007-05-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

4 well-trimmed boneless beef top loin steaks; cut 1 inch thick, about 2 pounds
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Peach Salsa:
1/2 c peach preserves
1/4 c sliced green onions
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t freshly grated lemon peel
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/4 t grated fresh ginger
1/8 t salt

Sprinkle both sides of beef steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks on grid over medium ash-covered coals. Grill steaks, uncovered, 15 to 18 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once.

In small saucepan, combine salsa ingredients. Place on grid near edge of grill to heat until warm. About 5 minutes before steaks are done, remove 2 tablespoons salsa from saucepan and brush on both sides of steaks. Serve remaining salsa on top of steaks. Makes 4 servings.

Banana Cream Pie in a pie iron

2007-05-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

bread
bananas
mini, or regular marshmallows
butter

Butter outside of bread. Place one slice butter side down in pie iron. Place sliced bananas and marshmallows (cut into quarters) or mini marshmallows evenly on bread, place other slice of bread butter side up and close iron. Cook over fire until marshmallow is melted, and bread is golden brown. These are wonderful!

Elvis Sandwich Pie Iron

2007-05-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

2 pieces of bread
1 banana
peanut butter
butter
1 t brown sugar

Spread peanut butter to desired depth on bread. Slice bananas enough to cover peanut butter and then stick them in the peanut butter. Sprinkle bananas with brown sugar. Place together and butter outside of bread. Place in the pie iron and cook until golden brown, but not too long - the peanut butter will be runny.

Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast

2007-05-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

2 slices of bread
peanut butter
jelly
1/4 c rice milk
2 eggs, beaten

Beat eggs, add milk. Spread peanut butter and jelly on 2 slices of bread. Put together like sandwich. Dip into egg mixture. Place in buttered hobo pie maker and place in hot coals for around 4-6 minutes. Toast to your liking, just check. Serve with maple syrup or cinnamon.

Pie Iron Candied Apples

2007-05-27T16:06:00.001-07:00

1 apple (diced into 1/4 inch pieces)
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c dried breadcrumbs
1/4 c butter (not melted)

In a plastic bag, mix all ingredients together, using fingers to make the mixture uniform. Spoon mixture into pie iron cavity and cook over fire till hot and gooey.

This is a double pie iron recipe. If using a single pie iron, it makes two.

Apple Melt

2007-05-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

1 apple
1 slice Muenster or cheddar cheese
1 t butter
pinch of stevia
pinch of cinnamon
1 T granola

Core apple and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch rings. Place two or three rings into your pie iron and cook for about three minutes.

Open cooker and place cheese, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and granola between the apple slices.

Close cooker, latch handle and cook another two minutes or until cheese melts.

Camp Apple Dessert

2007-05-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

1 apple, sliced, cored, keep skins on
2 T coconut
2 to 3 dates, chopped
2 T chopped walnuts
2 T brown sugar
2 T butter
A few mini marshmallows

Combine all in foil packages, set around coals of camp fire and cook 30 to 40
minutes turning every so often, let cool 15 minutes before eating.

Grilled Mushroom Salad

2007-05-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

1 lb large white mushrooms, such as shiitake or portabello
5 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley

Light the grill.

Remove and discard a slice from the bottom of each mushroom stem.
If the caps are sandy, wipe them with a clean cloth.
Brush the mushrooms with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.

When the coals turn gray, set the mushrooms, rounded sides down, on the
grill and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them often.

The mushrooms are done when they start to release some of their liquid and
collapse a little. Remove them from the grill and cut some of the largest mushrooms in half. If the mushrooms are very large, you can slice them. Let the mushrooms cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, whisking constantly until it is all
combined.

Pour the dressing over the mushrooms, then cover them tightly with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate them for 1 hour.

Sprinkle the mushrooms with Parmesan, parsley, more salt and pepper if you like,
and serve with grilled bread.

Serves 4.

Easy Camp Granola

2007-05-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

2 c quick oatmeal
2 c walnuts
2/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 t almond extract

Heat olive oil, butter and brown sugar together in large skillet on the grill. Add vanilla, almond extract, walnuts and oatmeal. Mix until oatmeal is well coated with the sugar and oil mixture. Cool. Store in tight can.

Broccoli and Carrot Meatloaf

2007-05-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

3 lbs. ground beef, or ground turkey or a mixture of the two
1 egg
1/2 c rice milk
1 onion, chopped
2 T steak sauce
1 lb. baby carrots, chopped or shredded
1/2 lb. fresh broccoli crowns, chopped
1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs

Place all your ingredients in a bowl. Stir or knead until everything is incorporated well. Put in a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F 50-60 minutes.

Brown Rice Flour Banana-Walnut Cookies

2007-05-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

They're dairy, wheat and sugar free.

1 c mashed banana
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c brown rice flour
1 T ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 c raisins (optional)

Mix the banana, walnuts, and raisins. Add the dry ingredients and stir until well
mixed. Leave for 15 minutes then spoon onto greased baking trays. Flatten with a fork and sprinkle with some more cinnamon.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Salmon Cauliflower Casserole

2007-05-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

1 -1O oz. pkg. frozen cauliflower or use fresh
1/4 c grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1 T lemon juice
1 T butter
1/2 t dillweed
1 -7-3/4 oz. can pink salmon, drained and broken into chunks
1 -4 oz. can chopped mushrooms, drained or use fresh
parsley

In a saucepan cook cauliflower, covered in a small amount of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Set aside.

In saucepan cook onion in butter till tender but not brown. Stir in drained mushrooms, parmesan, lemon juice and dillweed. Fold in the salmon and cauliflower.

Turn mixture into an ungreased 1 qt. casserole dish. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or till heated through. Garnish with parsley.

Note: Try substituting tuna for salmon.
Makes 4 servings

Blood Pressure Smoothie/Shake

2007-05-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

2 bananas
2 c rice milk
2 c buttermilk
1/2 c pineapple juice
1 T honey
2 t vanilla
2 c blueberries

In a blender, process above ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.

Coleslaw

2007-05-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

This is a nice dish to take somewhere (picnic, pot luck supper) since it keeps well. It is good in summer, but also in winter because cabbage and carrots are apt to be among the few cheap fresh vegetables then.

In a food processor, shred cabbage and carrots. Mix.

Add a drained can of crushed pineapple in its own juice,reserving the juice.

You want the cabbage to be about 60% of the mix, with the other ingredients being the remaining 40% of the mix.

Dressing for cole slaw:

* 1 part extra virgin olive oil
* 1 part lemon juice
* a little of the pineapple juice

Mix the dressing very well to emulsify it. I use my stick blender or a whisk for this.

Dress the cole slaw, and toss it lightly to mix. Let it sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before serving. This keeps well for several days.

Ways To Use Strawberries

2007-05-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

*Churned into sorbet
*Baked into a crisp or cobbler
*Layered in parfait glasses as a fool, paired with stewed rhubarb
*Sandwiched between shortcake, of the sponge or cream biscuit variety
*Pureed and strained for juice a good smoothie starter
*Tossed into a salad of spinach, thinly sliced red onion and fennel
*Stewed and jarred for breakfast jam
*Mixed with other berries or other acidic fruits (passion fruit, guava, oranges, pineapple) to make a compote of sorts, and poured into a baked meringue shell
*Smeared with goat cheese or cream cheese, atop a cracker, a bagel, a hunk of a baguette

Meringue Shells

2007-05-27T14:48:00.001-07:00

3/4 c granulated light brown sugar
2 t cornstarch
4 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch salt
1 t lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven to 300. On a piece of foil, draw six 4-inch circles. Mix a tablespoon of the sugar with the cornstarch and set aside.

Beat egg whites and salt until stiff, then add sugar gradually and beat until thick and glossy. Add sugar-cornstarch mixture, then fold in lemon juice and vanilla.

Divide mixture among the 6 circles. Carefully shape meringue so that it resembles a nest, with high sides.

Bake for 1 hour, then turn off oven and let sit until cool. Gently pry off lining and set on serving plates.

Fibromyalgia and Low Thyroid Living It Plan

2007-05-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

Many people have overcome their symptoms due to Fibromyalgia just by changing their lifestyle and diet. I know that everyone is different. So, this is the plan I follow to maintain good health due to my Fibromyalgia and Low Thyroid problem.

I will add along with changes in nutrition I encourage stretching, exercising like walking or yoga and drinking your body weight in ounces of water every day. For example, if you weigh 200 lbs. you should drink 200 oz. of water a day.

Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat, I am focusing on what you can eat. However, I will mention foods I have eliminated completely and foods that I only eat rarely.

Foods eliminated entirely:
1. All Chocolates except dark chocolate on occasion
2. All carbonated beverages except for bubbly flavored spring waters and seltzer water
3. Alcohol, all my medicines say stay away from alcohol
4. High fat dairy foods
5. White sugar and white flour
6. Fried foods
7. Preservatives and salt
8. Red meat that is salt cured, cured bacon, smoked, or nitrate cured
9. Artificial sweeteners, especially Nutrasweet and saccharine, Splenda I use on occasion.

Foods eatened only occasionally as all have been proven to trigger more muscle pain:
1. Caffeinated beverages, limited to 6 oz. a day
2. Citric foods such as grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange, tangerine
3. Foods in the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, green or red bell peppers, banana peppers, chili peppers, sweet peppers, cayenne, paprika, pimento, Tabasco
4. Red meat, limited to once a week
5. Low fat cow milk products - They give me bloating, flatulence, and abdominal pain (cow’s milk products include chocolate, cocoa, Ovaltine, guar gum, margarine, cream substitutes with whey, lactose or casein, ghee, whey, creamy salad dressings and sauces, mashed potatoes, some cola drinks, most bakery products, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, butter, many breadings)
6. Brown and white wheat flour products
7. Soy products (soybean products include hot dogs, mayonnaise, miso, processed foods, tamari or teriyaki sauce, tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein- TVP, most vegetarian meat substitutes, soy milk, coffee substitutes, bakery products or salad dressings containing soy oil, many commercially prepared meats, many canned soups, margarine and butter substitutes, Crisco, and Wesson oil)
8. Corn
9. Foods containing yeast

Note: to see if you are one that should avoid the above foods, keep a diary and document how you feel for at least four days after you have eatened one of these foods. If you find you have more pain, then avoid.

Now to the foods I eat. Since I am constantly watching my weight I eat with this ratio in mind: 30% carbohydrates; 30% fat; 40% protein
* I prepare most everything from scratch.
* Spices and herbs are my best friend
* I eat a piece of raw fruit for breakfast.
* I have a green leafy salad for lunch.
* Raw foods are full of antioxidants and photochemical that help boost the immune system.
* Omega 3 fish oil contains anti-inflammatory properties.
* Note regarding baked goods: If a baked good doesn’t include whole wheat flour, I won't buy it. Enriched unbleached wheat flour, does not contain the whole grain and lacks the fiber and protein that the whole grain does. Better yet - buy wheat free. Stick with oat and rice flour products.
* Any product I buy must have more protein and fiber than sugars, fats, and salt. If it doesn’t, I don’t buy it.
* If there are ingredients in the list that I can’t pronounce, then I don’t buy it.

**When baking I use whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour. Substitute wheat germ, wheat bran, or oat bran (has been proven to reduce cholesterol) for a portion of the flour; add nuts to increase the protein; substitute milk and eggs for a portion of the fat; substitute dried fruit and/or dark chocolate chunks for some of the sugar. If I use sugar, I stick with the more natural sugars such as honey, brown sugar, and molasses -- all help curb the strong taste of the whole wheat flour; as well as, containing nutritional value or other healthy elements. Also whole wheat flour must be cooked longer so I bake my recipes to a dark brown, instead of golden brown. Note: Better yet the best combination for baking is a 50-50 mixture of Oat flour with Rice flour

**For beverages, I drink tea or coffee. Tea and coffee have both been proven to contain antioxidants. Stick with the decaf brands.

* The bulk of my plan consists of the following:

Alfalfa sprouts
Cinnamon
Flavoring Extracts
Garlic - Potassium, Selenium, Sulphur
Ginger - at least 1-2 grams daily
Herbal Tea, caffeine free
Horseradish
Lettuce - Chlorine, Silicon
Mint
Mustard
Nutmeg
Onion, cooked only - Chlorine, Potassium, Selenium, Sulphur, Zinc
Parsley
Spinach - Almost perfect food - Folic Acid (B Complex), Vit A Vit B1, Vit B2, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit E, Chlorine, Fluorine, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Silicon, Sodium, Zinc

Dairy
Rice Milk without additives
Limited, but on occasion Swiss cheese and cream cheese

Fat
Extra Virgin Olive oil , Canola oil, Butter 1 t counts as one serving Note on butter: It has all sorts of good nutrition in it, and no chemical additives. I have found that you use less butter for flavoring than any of the butter substitutes - most of which have trans fats.

Fruits
Apple - 1 medium counts as one serving - Vit E, Chromium, Manganese,Silicon
Apricots, peeled - 7 counts as one serving - Bioflavinoids, Vit A, Manganese
Blueberries - 1/2 c counts as one serving
Papaya - 1 counts as one serving - Bioflavinoids, Vit A, Vit C, Potassium
Pear - 1 medium counts as one serving
Plum - 1 medium counts as one serving (good source of fiber, iron and the antioxidant beta-carotene)

Protein
Bluefish, Haddock, Herring, Lake Trout, White fish - 1 oz. Counts as one serving
Mackerel, Salmon, Sardines Tuna, not in oil - (great source of omega-3 fatty acids and niacin) 1 oz. Counts as one serving
Almonds, not smoked - a high fat protein
Brazil nuts - a high fat protein
Cashews - a high fat protein

Starch
Kidney Beans/Chickpeas - 1/3 cup counts as one serving (low-fat, high in soluble fiber and low on the glycemic index)
Brown Rice - 1/3 cup counts as one serving
Oatmeal - 1/3 cup counts as one serving (low on glycemic index and an instant boost of fiber)
Barley (combats constipation, good source of iron and other minerals)
Flax Seed - 3 T counts as one serving
Walnuts - 3 T counts as one serving - (good source of good fats) Biotin (B Complex), Vit E, Copper
Whole grain pasta - ½ cup counts as one serving
Noodles w/o eggs - ½ cup counts as one serving
Sweet potatoes or yams - 3 oz. Counts as one serving
Winter Squash - 3 oz. Counts as one serving - Vit A, Iron, Potassium
Starch-hg Rice Cakes - 2 counts as one serving - hg stand for high glycemic

Vegetable
Broccoli - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving - another almost perfect food - Vit A, Vit B2, Vit B3, Vit C, Vit E, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium
Cauliflower - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving - Vit C, Copper, Fluorine, Magnesium
Cabbage - 1 c counts as one serving - Folic Acid (B Complex), Vit B6, Vit C, Fluorine, Iodine, Selenium
Carrots - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving - Vit A, Chlorine, Manganese
Celery - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving - Chlorine, Manganese, Silicon, Sodium
Green beans - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving
Pumpkin - ½ c cooked counts as one serving
Summer Squash - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving
Zucchini - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one serving
Vegetable-hg Beets - 1 c raw or ½ c cooked counts as one high glycemic vegetable serving -Folic Acid (B Complex), Chlorine, Fluorine, Magnesium, Silicon

Some store bought foods that I have found that seem to be fibro friendly for me:
Cheerios
Life cereal
Chex rice cereal
Vanilla wafers
Chips Ahoy cookies
Saltines
Ritz crackers
Animal crackers
Graham crackers, not more than once a week
Doritos
Breads that contain 15 or 12 grains with whole wheat flour
Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses
Chow mein noodles
Clear gelatin
Arby's Chicken Salad Wrap
Arizona Southern Sweet Tea

I have studied food combining for years. The following are my findings:
Raw fruit is considered a predigested food in its own right. It contains its own digestive enzymes and passes thru to the intestines more quickly than most other foods. The best time to eat fruit is in the morning on an empty stomach.

Melons are the most easily digested of all foods and are best eaten alone or mixed only with other melons.

Complex carbohydrates, concentrated animal proteins and refined oils do not combine well with fruits because these foods take a longer time to digest and slow down the passage of the fruit causing it fermentation.

Lemons and papayas combine well with all plant foods which means they can be used as ingredients in dressings, soups, sauces and any other recipes. Lemons easily replace all types of vinegar.

Apples, unlike most other fruits, combine well with vegetables when they are all in juice form.

Nuts and seeds do not combine well with starchy foods or refined oils.

High water content vegetables combine well with just about everything except fruits.

All meats, fish, dairy or eggs combine well only with high water content vegetables and especially leafy greens.

When adjusting to a new way of eating, make small gradual changes and focus on the foods you enjoy. Eating well may help reduce the fatigue and maximize energy. Incorporate variety, balance and moderation. Improve your health by reevaluating your overall eating habits and try making your diet more nutritious.