Recipe Time

Sweet 'n' Sour Chili 

Ingredients:

1/2 pkg firm tofu (I usually leave it out all afternoon on paper towel to drain it)

1 can whole tomatoes (drained)

1 medium onion

Garlic (as much as you like)

small can of pineapple

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) - 1 swirl around the pan

Veggies (whatever you want)

splash of apple cider vinegar

Any spices you may like (I use Mrs. Dash and pepper but basil, oregano, chili's, curry - whatever you enjoy would work).

Instructions

1) Throw tofu in pot and smoosh it.  Crank it up on high until it sizzles than lower the heat.  

2) Add EVOO to large frying pan.  Add chopped onion and garlic.

3) When onions are soft, add a splash of vinegar and pineapple juice.  Taste it.  Do you like it? Balance out your flavours here - I usually go half and half.

4) Add whatever other spices you like.

5) Add veggies (I used spinach this time but I've thrown in carrots, mushroom, broccoli, green beans - most anything will work - I use some pineapple chunks as well). 

6) When this is hot, start adding tomatoes to the mix. Stir it up.  Keep watching the tofu that is simmering away.             

7) When tomatoes are hot, add to the tofu.  Stir it around and turn up the heat.  It shouldn't boil but it should be simmering.  When it's hot, serve it up.

Okay - so my recipes are definitely ad-lib.  Don't feel like you NEED to add garlic if you hate it - want more pineapple? Add more! Have fun with it and keep taste testing - for your flavour.  Usually I use hot peppers until my friend's eyes are watering...I'm perfectly fine.  This time, since it's for gramp, I left the hot stuff out. 

Cheers! 

My gluten/dairy free go-to, sanity-saving recipes

First thing you need to know: gluten free food from a package TASTES gluten-free (which is a mix of sweetened cardboard and sawdust).  It's hard to try new foods when a package of 6 donuts costs seven dollars - bread $6/loaf. I may as well start drinking again (but not beer or whiskey...probably not rye either). 

Here's a few of my simple recipes that help me get by on sugar fixes.  They're usually higher calorie and I personally think you should give yourself 3 weeks of just learning what you like/don't like/really hate before you start worrying about calories.

Here goes nothing:

1) Anything from BeHealthful.  This woman is AMAZING! Her name is Leanne Vogel and I live off her Key Lime Pie Spinach Smoothie Recipe.  She has great recipe ideas and she's wonderful with allergies! This is by far the simplest website I have found for recipes.  She's also not 'preachy' about going dairy-free.  It's like having a wise older sister that is always encouraging and sweet! Follow her on Twitter @Be_Healthful.

2) Coconut Macaroon Bites (Take as much coconut as you want, add honey until sticky.  You can add some ground almond to this if you'd like.  Press the mixture in a greased pan.  Take a square or two of chopped unsweetened chocolate - usually dairy free so double check - and put in a pot on very low heat.  Add a spoonful of coconut oil until the mixture is melted.  Add honey until its bittersweet or to your taste.  Pour over coconut.  Refrigerate if you can wait that long).  There is no set recipe for this (which I love) so you can make a tiny individual serving or a huge batch. 

Just remember, some people are allergic to coconut so be nice to them - write Allergy: Coconut if you're taking this to a potluck and use separate utensils when dishing this out.  We've got allergies and they suck so let's support our non-nut friends :)

3) Peanut Butter Smoothie - Almond milk, banana, peanut butter. Blend. I know, right? Bloody simple but it's a 'sandwich' taste without the bread!

4) Iced tea.  I'm now addicted but I hate the amount of sugar that's in the store-bought stuff.  So I read some recipes, ignored them, and came up with my own.  (Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in covered pot.  Take off heat.  Add 2 teabags - I love flavoured fruit teas that are decaf but mix it up.  Leave for 1 hour.  Add sugar by the tablespoon until it's sweet enough for you - I use about an 1/8 of a cup.  The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup.  Add a squirt of lemon juice for zing - I use about 2 ounces. Leave overnight).  I have fallen in love with green iced tea (only way I'll drink the stuff) and Raspberry Pomegranate.

5) Chocolate Avocado Pudding - God Bless Charlotte!!!! This is by far the best chocolate pudding I have ever had! http://www.forgivingmartha.com/2011/06/avocado-chocolate-pudding.html (I used honey instead of agave nectar because I'm cheap like that.  I also used normal cocoa because I can't find raw cocoa.  Seriously, this is the best way to eat an avocado!

So to all you folks who have been given the "No Dairy No Gluten" diagnosis, HELP! Let me know some cool recipes you use, talk about things that help you (or tell me the things that completely irritate you).  Any websites or online shops for gluten/dairy free that you like? This is new to me too so hopefully it helps you out. 

Honestly, my best advice is take a breath, remember the things you can eat, remember that being healthy is better than the bun, and if you get frustrated, take a break from grocery shopping! 

~Cheers~

Feeling Radioactive

Fellow Bloggers,

I`m sure you`ve all experienced the person who sucks your very soul out through a straw.  I`m taking about the person who makes you wish you had stayed in bed, didn`t answer the door, remained in a coma...etc. 

Now imagine being trapped on an island with them - there is no escape for an undetermined amount of time.  Do you feel your blood boiling yet...(apparently my question mark sign is doing this èÈ now).

Anyways, I am currently dealing with this.  A person for some reason drew a parrallel to the trip I am going on in December to help animals with her friends trip to a developing country to build shelters.  The rational beind this was...it seemed like volunteers were going down to help but the locals didnt really need the help or it was a different sort of help they needed.

Sure, that can be the case...some groups are bad for that - some people are bad for that.  But instead of leaving it as a question of how do we combat this or is there is issue with this - she draws attention to ME going to Guatemala.  Wow - thanks for being rude, arrogant and putting my dream down.  Seriously, you bloody well made my day.

1) This person does not know me at all...they may think they does (I sometimes wonder if he or she thinks they knows a lot more than they actually does) but that would be a mistake.  They doesnt know the name of the group Im with, the work Im doing or who runs it (and that would be a group of Guatemalian locals...not an American group).  So thank you for drawing negative attention (and is a boldface bunch of hooey) to my very personal to me, cause.  

2) The basis of the argument (if I can call it that) was that this is what they felt another person experienced. Right... look up some groups, do some research but dont throw out ideas abotu another persons experience (especially if you didnt bother saying what that person answered - and for the love of all that is good, do NOT make the assumption that my trip will be the same way). 

3) He or she proceeds to explain about someone going over alone to Africa and getting murdered in just a couple of days (right after that story).  I get it...it can be dangerous.  There are times I will probably miss home and not be entirely safe.  I could die.  Im okay with that.  I dont expect to die or get hurt but things happen.  You know what else happens...heart attacks, getting hit by a car, falling down stairs and breaking your neck...life is dangerous if you think too hard.  But thank you for that wondeful story...it was appreciated.

4) When I inform someone of what  I am doing, I would expect them to listen and perhaps apologize for being an insulting jackass.  Do not assume that you are right because you have used me as an example to make  connections to the problem of ethnocentricity.  Again you do NOT know me so stop making random assumptions. 

5) Do NOT use me as an example.  Just dont.  Its obviously too easy for that person to be taken as condesending and can easily be taken as being rude and ignorant (both of which, I will admit to having felt about that person).

Heres the thing: I want to make a difference...and if I help one animal down there, Ive made a difference.  I am working to help animals - not people.  Yes, people will benefit but this group that Im going with chose me to come down, work in Spanish under their guidance.  I have already accepted that things will be different and I will have problems with that sometimes - but I also understand its a developing country that needs some hands to get dirty and make a difference.  It also needs people to take the message back that they need supplies, money, etc. 

So the reason for my title...I feel rather radioactive after dealing with that person today. 

Thankfully, a true friend is my anti-radioactive spraydown.  She simply said that this woman must be jealous or have read a really stupid Cracked article.  She also said how people are quick to jump to negativity.  Im seriously guilty of this.  So to end my blog....Im going to list 5 things I am thankful for...

1) Laura - just because shes amazing and one of my heros in life! She fights every semister through pain and even when she seems totally down, she is the first person to have an encouraging word, a smile.  Shes got the most giving heart, is so nonjudmental and shes my guardian angel some days!

2) Dana - because she will rant with me, curse like a sailor, laugh until we are both in pain, talk about poop and give suggestions like hang a dead squirrel up to make the animals go away.

3) Being healthy again - Oh my gosh! I cannot be greatful enough for this one.  I have never felt better since...for a long time! Im not achy or sick anymore, no bloating or pain! I cannot believe how good i feel!

4) Coconut chocolate almond macaroon squares - its my new go-to chocolate fix.  Mix coconut and honey together until it sorta sticks. Press it in a greased pan.  Add bittersweet chocolate with honey overtop.  Eat sparingly or a spare tire will emerge.  Also, homemade iced tea and spaghetti squash - not together.  Anything gluten-free is awesome!

5) Warm weather.  Im from canada.  4C is a heatwave!

Cheers everyone!

What would you tell your child?

I am not a child person as many of you know - I don't like kids.  That being said, I started thinking how people criticize themselves.  I am guilty of it: My hair is in an awkward stage, I'm not pretty enough, thin enough, I'm grumpy, I'm not able to maintain a relationship, my feet are gross...I could go on and on...

The problem with this thinking is that it's completely destructive - so my new rule is "Would I say it to a child?" Although I'm not a 'kid person', I'm great with kids (I don't know why or how but my mom was an amazing role model).  I would never tell a kid they weren't attractive or they were awkward.  I wouldn't dream of telling a kid they were too fat.  So I'm putting the kid gloves on myself!

There's some harder things though: would you tell a child it's okay to go without sleep to finish a project? Would you tell a child it's okay to indulge for the third night in a row on pizza and (root) beer? Would you tell a child not to stand up for what's right?   We tell children ideas that are so pure and wholesome but as adults, we often forget to listen to what we are saying.  We forget that we need to parent ourselves and be responsible for our own well being.

So, if I'm going to have a happy 2013, being positive is a good start! Stop self-bullying - it's not healthy.  Instead, smile and remind yourself that your inner child needs some love! 

Health and Wellbeing

Unfortunately, it looks like I have an intolerance to not only dairy but gluten.  First and foremost, I want to assure all my blog readers that I am working with a doctor to a) diagnose me and b) help me help myself. 

To those who have questions about this, I'm going to give a very simple low-down on what I've done as far as research and how to go about changing one's diet.

1) I stuck with what I knew - Fruit, veggies and potato are safe as is 'real' meat (meaning chicken, beef, or pork - NOT lunchmeat, sausage or anything with a list of ingredients).  Since I know I can eat that and not be hurt, that's what I've been eating.  I've slowly branched out to gluten-free tortillas, homemade pudding and other foods.

2) I researched - I used websites from nutritionists that sounded valid.  Blogs of people who self-diagnose or think every single symptom is a sign of an illness without going to a doctor gets ignored.  Blogs that are confusing (ie: say they are dairy free but have a lot of cheese or milk in the recipes) get ignored.  I have been using healthfulpursuits.com as a staple lately because it's so simple and healthy.

3) I stay positive - I can look at this two ways: I can't have cake, cookies or cupcakes and that sucks OR I feel better by just modifying my diet.  I don't need surgery, I don't need medication for the rest of my life...I'm really lucky!  People have allergies and intolerance all the time - peanut butter would be hard for me as would citrus fruit, alcohol or spices...this just means a change, some modifications.  Staying positive is healthy in its own right.  If it gets frustrating, take a break - go back to a safe food and try again later!

4) Listen to your doctor...and your body.  I'm on pills for an ulcer - even if it isn't an ulcer, the pills won't hurt me.  I also cut out dairy in my first week and gluten in my second (after he suggested tests for an allergy).  So far, I feel amazing.  Now, admittedly this could be a placebo effect or even a coincidence - but if I feel good, I'll take it!

5) Make friends - seriously! Make friends with people who have the same allergies or illness.  You WILL appreciate the support and knowing that the feelings of being overwhelmed or even scared are normal! They will help you more than I can even express.

6) Ignore some comments - I've had people assume I'm on a diet, a cleanse, I'm just stressed, or every other possible excuse for what 'could' be wrong.  I have an intolerance.  Because some foods make me feel yucky, I will not be eating them anymore.  If I gain or lose weight from it, for now I'll accept it.  It's not a cleanse - I don't really buy into those.  Yes I'm stressed...I always have been.  I don't need a non-medical doctor to attempt to diagnose me (except for my friend Dana who has had this pegged for years!).

So blog world, if you're in the same boat I am - you're going to be okay! Promise...it's a little scary at times but calm down, do some research, and take your health into your own hands!

Here are some of my staples that have helped me along (All gluten and dairy free):

Earth Balance Buttery Spread 
Daiya cheese
Gluten free tortillas
Spinach
Bananas
Apples
Potatoes (they are cheap and a carb - BONUS)
Tomatoes
garlic and onion
Fruit (anything on sale!)
Almond milk
Peanut Butter
Chicken thighs
Watermelon
Chocolate Mint oolong tea (check for wheat)
Chai tea (check for wheat)

So that's what is stocked in my freezer! I hope it helps anyone that is dealing with allergies! Have a great night everyone :D