If there is one thing I should be used to by now it is change. Especially my own self-directed change, not so randomly burning bridges while in survival mode. Now as things change, it is coming from a deeper desire to be a better, healthier human so I can live to be 100 years old. My PIC and I have future goals and plans. Our home life has now calmed down to a harmonious and healthy peace from which we can better move forward.
For the past decade or so I have endeavored to eat healthy and maintain a primarily gluten-free diet. I am an undiagnosed celiac who suffers from dermatitis herpetiformis. Before taking issue with the 'undiagnosed' part, research first.
I will say this though; at the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic I had the absolute worst breakout of the celiac rash I have ever had. It was 3 months of absolute torment to get it under some form of management. I could have had it diagnosed at that time, however it would not be considered urgent enough as the health system was dealing with the pandemic. Fortunately, I was primarily working from home and could manage the extreme discomfort. It took 6 months of absolute wheat, rye and barley free and clean eating, including the complete absence of grain alcohol before my skin quit blistering, itching and peeling. Minor contaminations became a week long ordeal of new blisters. My entire body other than the soles of my feet, my face and the palms of my hands have had blisters. At one point, for about the longest 3 weeks of my life, I had tiny erupting and insanely itchy blisters all over my body neck to ankles. 18 months of totally clean eating and I am rash free without a breakout for about 2 months now. I will never intentionally consume wheat, rye or barley and their many derivatives again. Which, by the way, now makes a diagnosis impossible. One must have an active rash and/or have an intestinal biopsy after 6 weeks of eating wheat and gluten. NOT. FUCKING. HAPPENING. Besides, my lower intestine has surely begun healing along with my skin.
So I have to be that person at the restaurant who makes sure that what I am ordering is totally gluten-free, wheat-free and free of any other possible exacerbating ingredients. For the most part my PIC actually harasses restaurant staff to ensure I don't get contaminated. He is well aware of the consequences of my eating even minute amounts of any wheat or gluten and all derivatives thereof. Mostly I don't do take out or restaurants and have to get creative in my own kitchen. For my own wellbeing and survival. Blah, blah, blah. Anyway...
I am now endeavoring to complete the wholefood 30 process again and it is a bit tough going. I do enjoy my after work ritual cigarillo and cocktail after all. The food isn't a problem, my nicotine addiction is, but only moderately. You know, 'all things in moderation, even moderation'. Life is too short to completely drop all the so called 'bad' stuff but self-control is necessary. So I am working on it. Thank the universe for nicotine inhalers.
To be frank, the psychological rules on the whole30 program are the most difficult for me to abide by. I despise them and thus rebel. If I want something 'breaded' and all ingredients are whole30 compliant, I will make it 'breaded' dammit! - such as in the recipe below, 'breaded' with ground almonds. Same with the banana & egg pancakes with fresh berries and coconut milk. (Recipe: 1 banana- mashed and blended with 1 or 2 eggs... that's it. Fry in a cast iron pan like pancakes, top with berries and canned coconut milk. Yummy sweetish treat and healthy breakfast.)
As part of working on it I made the absolute yummiest chicken strips! Because I have been cooking all of my life and like the old-fashioned methods of few ingredients and simple instructions, and rarely follow a recipe anyway, my recipes will be tailored for the seasoned cook, (who else despises recipe blog preambles?). Feast your eyes upon the following example:
Almond Crusted Chicken Strips
dried rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, basil, ground hot chili pepper, pink Himalayan salt. ground pepper
*grind together to taste (see photo)
finely chopped garlic and shallots, 2 eggs well-beaten
- add - raw chicken strips, and ground almonds - stir until well-coated
Fry in cast iron skillet at medium heat in ghee.
I do realize that most folks do not work the way I do. So here is a picture of my ground spices:
Please note: as much as possible I use my own dried herbs.In my view, the rest should be self-explanatory. Should it not be please comment with any questions and I will answer them.
This weekend I have worked on a number of food items to help transition to this new way of eating. Backyard berry picking, dried rosemary storing, mixed nuts and dried fruits preparing (see photo), and mentally preparing for the fruit crops soon to be ready and needing to be prepared for storage and eventual consumption, to name a few. My to-do list is long but full of small projects that my ADHD/PTSD addled mind can complete. (Fucking labels...more on that at a later time...maybe.) Cheers to actually being able to checkmark things as done on my to-do list. Baby steps...
Mixed fruit and nuts:
walnuts, cashews, almonds - 1/2 pan roasted with ghee and pink Himalayan salt. Half not.
chopped pitted dates, dried cranberries and chopped dried apricot. Shake in jar to mix.
Voila!! Whole30 approved snack!I usually complete a post with an intention to write more and maintain a consistent ritual of blog posting to get me motivated to put together my book. It is one of my goals. However as part of my healthy transition I am determined that my extra-curricular activities be primarily those I wish to do, so no promises ...and the road to hell is paved with good intentions, as it is said.
Rock on, peace, love, rainbows and unicorns (imagine emoticons). And as my PIC would say "Good health to you!"
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