Plum, beet, chard salad

Plum, beet, chard salad

Blue skies, no wind and temps in the 70s---spring has finally arrived in my neck of the woods. As if the beautiful weather weren't enough, I have another reason for celebrating. My creaky, old fibromyalgia body feels a whole lot better.

If you follow this blog, you probably know I have been battling fibromyalgia that encompasses many symptoms, including:

• Chronic muscle pain, muscle spasms or tightness
• Moderate or severe fatigue and decreased energy
• Insomnia or waking up feeling just as tired as when you went to sleep
• Stiffness upon waking or after staying in one position for too long
• Difficulty remembering, concentrating, and performing simple mental tasks ("fibro fog")
• Abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and constipation alternating with diarrhea (irritable bowel syndrome).

There are many things that have contributed to my improvement but I'm going to give a lot of credit to an exercise program, called Classical Stretch, which is on PBS, early in the a.m. Also known as Essentrics, the low-impact program really revitalizes the body, increases energy, frees the joints and relieves chronic pain. I exercise all the time (yoga, strength training, biking, walking) but this program strengthens and stretches the entire body at the same time, unlike anything I've ever done before. I have reduced my hip and back pain since starting the program about one month ago.  Check it out at http://www.classicalstretch.com/

Chard salad with dark plums and golden beets

How about some good food to celebrate spring and less pain? I tossed together some rainbow chard, dark plums and golden beets in a delicious, healthy and ACD-friendly salad, good for phase 1 or 2.
I love dark plums and golden beets, and they pair perfectly with chard.

Here's what you need for one serving:

Half a bunch of rainbow or other chard
1 golden or red beet
1 carrot, shredded
1 dark plum, diced
Olive oil, lemon juice dressing
Optional: Add toasted sunflower seeds or almonds

Here's what you do:

Wash all your veggies. Peel your beet. Chop the beet into bite-sized pieces. Toss into a steamer basket and cook until tender. Chop the chard into bite-sized pieces.(Note: I decided to saute the chard lightly but raw will work just as well.) Shred a peeled carrot. Dice the plum into small pieces. For the dressing, combine the juice of a lemon with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, and herbs de provence, to taste. Toss everything together and enjoy!

"I'm guilty as charged. I ripped open the box but I was looking for chard."

Recipe contributed to: http://dietdessertndogs.com/2013/04/25/wellness-weekend-april-25-29-2013/
and
http://allergyfreecookery.blogspot.com/2013/04/allergy-friendly-lunchbox-love-42613.html