Allergy-fibro connection; pumpkin flour buns

Nika and Bailey play hide and seek

Every fall I have suspected that my fibromyalgia is affected by allergies. My symptoms are probably a 9-10 (on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst). The rest of the year I’d rate my symptoms as 1-5.
These days, data backs up what I have long believed: there is a strong relationship between fibro and allergies. In fact, the majority of people with either fibromyalgia (FMS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have classic allergy symptoms, including runny nose, nasal congestion and difficulty sleeping.

Unfortunately, researchers don’t know why they go together. One theory is that the entire central nervous system becomes sensitized (central sensitization) which leads to things like the way the body amplifies pain with FMS, CFS. Others believe that allergies are a risk factor that make you more prone to developing these conditions, especially when combined with genetics and immune system problems.

Basically they are saying, I’ve been predestined to get FMS since the day I was born as I’ve had lifelong allergies. My belief is that allergies are Step 1 in a timeline to developing FMS. Step 2 toward FMS is the silent inflammation that allergies cause. This silent inflammation is caused by gut imbalances which may be traced back to allergy medications and antibiotics.

Step 3 is the damage to your gut caused by this silent inflammation which leads to leaky gut. Step 4 is the overload tothe immune system caused by leaky gut as it deals with an increase in bacteria, toxins and inflammation.

Step 4 is fibromyalgia.

Then what?

Researchers oversimplify the effects of the allergy season on FMS. They say it might disrupt your sleep or cause your muscles to tighten if you are sneezing or coughing a lot.

I don’t think they have a clue. This fall allergy season has been like a nightmare for me. There is not one part of me that hasn’t being affected as the pollen counts have climbed into the extremely high category. To add insult to injury, the fall allergy season is going on weeks beyond normal and the pollen-producing plants are behaving like they are on steroids.

The only “good” thing about all of this is that it has helped crystallize for me that “yes” allergies definitely impact FMS. Every time, pollen counts have dipped a bit I have gotten some relief from my FMS symptoms, along with allergies. Every time pollen counts have risen, the opposite has occurred.

What does this mean for FMS sufferers?

I’m not sure but I do know we should get on the bandwagon to stop climate change. Researchers say climate change is responsible for longer allergy seasons that continue to grow in length each year. I say “get politically active” on this issue.

In the meantime:

•Use your Neti Pot,
•Go outdoors when pollen counts are lower,
•Watch what you eat as anything but a clean diet may make your allergies worse,
•Take your allergy medication if it’s safe for you,
•Stick religiously to your symptom-relief protocol.

Pumpkin flour by Anti-Grain

Pumpkin flour buns

 During peak allergy times, I've found it best to stick to an organic, whole foods diet. Fortunately, I am still harvesting produce from my vegetable garden. (No surprise, given our warmer than normal temps.) Recently, I discovered Anti-Grain flours, which are all-organic flours made from pumpkin, butternut squash, apple and sweet potatoes. I decided to try the Pumpkin Flour as it seemed to be the lowest in carbs and fermentation potential.

Pumpkin flour buns, cut in half

 I ordered the Anti-Grain Pumpkin Flour from the company's website at http://www.anti-grain.com/products.html

 Here's what you need to make five Pumpkin Flour buns:

1/2 cup pumpkin flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup kefir or other milk beverage or water
olive oil
parchment paper


 

 Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.
Make five discs of batter on your baking sheet. Make sure the discs are evenly spaced.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken sandwich on pumpkin flour bun

Once the buns are cooled use a sharp knife to cut them in half  for sandwich buns or leave them whole, if desired. 

Poached egg on pumpkin flour bun toast

http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/10/allergy-free-wednesday-188.html

 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

My new found sleep and how it's eased my fibro pain; plus chocolate chip zucchini mini-loaf

Misha strikes another relaxation pose.

Can you believe I am finally sleeping like Misha (our husky pictured above who is known for being a relaxation specialist)? Misha also has penned a book, entitled Misha’s Ultimate Guide to Relaxation. P.S. If you would like a free copy of Misha’s book on relaxation, send me an e-mail and I’ll send you an electronic copy.

How did this phenomenon happen that I now can enjoy sleep like Misha? If you are a fibromyalgia sufferer, you already know that sleep is a precious commodity. For me, sleep grew even more elusive after I suffered a fractured wrist and subsequent surgery in late fall.

Pre-accident, my sleep was far from perfect. Post-accident, sleep was as elusive as searching for water in the Sahara Desert. Everything that helped before (e.g. my Sleep Number bed, Vitamin B supplements, exercise, relaxation techniques) did nothing. Read more in this post:
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/02/when-do-i-get-some-sleep.html

What has made the difference? My healthcare practitioner recommended a natural sleep aid, called Kavinace-Ultra-PM. As a fibro sufferer, I am always looking for safe and natural ways to get better sleep and ease my fibromyalgia pain.

What is Kavinace Ultra PM?

It is a fairly new sleep formula from NeuroScience, Inc. I was told it contained melatonin and trypotophan. I joked I was going to get the same effect as you have after eating a hearty portion of turkey as part of a Thanksgiving meal.


But it wasn’t a joke. I actually fell asleep within 5-10 minutes of taking one Kavinace Ultra PM capsule. I have been taking Kavinace every night for approximately six weeks with the same results each time even when I traveled away from home and slept in a different bed. 


 I was hoping for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep but I’m overjoyed waking up just once during the night.  I usually wake up after 2-3 hours of sleep but am able to fall fast asleep right away. 

When I wake up in the a.m., I am a little groggy but it quickly passes. To me, grogginess is a phenomenon I haven’t experienced in decades. Grogginess is the most common side-effect associated with Kavinace Ultra PM, and some individuals have reported dependency on Kavinace Ultra PM.
 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread, mini loaf

Being able to sleep soundly is the best gift I’ve ever received. The more consecutive days of sound sleep I get, the better I feel overall.

I’ve been feeling so much better I really felt like celebrating the arrival of the first day of spring with a special treat---chocolate chip zucchini bread, mini loaf.
 
Here is what you need:

¼ cup grated zucchini
2 T. almond butter
1 T. almond flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 organic egg
½ tsp. raw vanilla powder or vanilla extract (alcohol free)
Pinch of sea salt
½ tsp. powdered pure stevia powder
1 T. homemade chocolate chips (recipe here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/02/fifty-shades-of-carbohydrates.html)

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini-loaf pan with parchment paper.  Grate the zucchini in your food processor. Add all the other ingredients except for chocolate chips. Blend until it forms a dough.
Spoon the dough into the mini-loaf pan. Bake about 10-12 minutes (check halfway through). Remove from the oven. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Allow them to melt. 

Once the bread has cooled somewhat, slice off a piece and celebrate the arrival of spring, and in my case, my great sleep for a change.

http://www.realfoodallergyfree.com/
 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

Paleo krunch bars

Hiking into Box Lake, Payette National Forest

I'm getting ready to go backpacking and I just made some delicious and packable paleo granola bars.
These bars are versatile which makes them perfect for hiking, long-distance cycling and just plain-old snacking. They can be made vegan or vegetarian, depending on your personal preference. Add or leave out certain ingredients if you are following a particular diet. Eat them as they are, spread on some topping or crumble them up in your yogurt. Oh, did I mention they are easy to make?

Paleo Krunch Bars

 Here's what you need:

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
Note: Feel free to sub nuts for the seeds.
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup sunflower seed meal (Almond flour may be subbed.)
1 tsp. cinnamon
vanilla stevia, to taste
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup freeze-dried pears
Vegans: use 2 chia eggs: Vegetarians: 2 organic whole eggs or 1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil

Here's what you do:

Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Grind up sunflower seeds to make 3/4 cup sunflower seed meal. Grate your carrot. Put everything into a food processor and mix all the ingredients. Hint: Don't over process your ingredients. Keep the texture coarse like a granola bar.

Spread the mixture on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Pour and spread melted coconut oil on the parchment paper. Next, spread the krunch bar dough with dampened hands. Thickness should be about 1/4 inch. Score the spread-out dough with a pizza cutter or knife into the size bars you would like. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bars from the oven. Spread the bars out a bit and return them to oven for another 15-20 minutes.

Recipe contributed to: http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/09/wellness-weekend-september-12-16-2013/#more-20606

http://siftstirandsavour.com/

http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/grain-free-protein-monster-cookies-grain-free-chocolate-chip-cookie-cake-df-sf-fudgesicles-and-carrot-sandwich-bread/#more-22900

Luscious lemon avocado fruit pizza

Even a suitcase looks like a great place to explore for Bailey.

I love my pets but now there is even more reason to love them! Children who grow up with pets in the home have a lower risk of getting allergies, according to a study. Early pet exposure may reduce allergies even for children whose parents have allergies.

The explanation may be as simple as pets help strengthen the immune system by exposing children to more and different bacteria. A not-so-clean environment may force the immune system into developing a less allergic response pattern. The theory is let the kids play in the dirt.

The study’s finding also gave encouragement for having more than one pet. A child’s risk of developing allergies was reduced more if there were two or more pets in the home. Eight percent of kids with two or more pets were allergic to cats compared to 12 percent with one pet and 15.5 percent with no pets.

Cats are curious, loveable and help prevent allergies.

 

Bailey, the cat, and his other cat friends beat out dogs in another study. Researchers found that the preventative affect of cat ownership was stronger than dog ownership. High amounts of cat allergen had preventative effects against allergies.

Luscious lemon avocado fruit flatbread

 Doesn't that information just make you love your pets even more? Something else I know you will love is Luscious Lemon Avocado Fruit Pizza, ACD friendly.

Here's what you need for 1 serving:

For the topping:

1 avocado
1 T. coconut oil
vanilla stevia or other sweetener, to taste
Juice of one freshly squeezed lemon
1 T. lemon zest
Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries
Coconut flakes

For the pizza, flatbread:

 1/3 head of cauliflower, riced
2-3 chia eggs (mix 2-3 T. of chia with 3-4 T. of warm water and allow to gel) or 1 organic egg
1/4 cup raw or toasted sunflower seeds ground into flour using a coffee grinder
1/4 tsp. salt

Here's what you do:

For the topping:

Place avocado, lemon juice and zest, coconut oil (softened) and sweetener of choice in your food processor and blend until smooth. Place in fridge to chill.

For the pizza crust:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the raw cauliflower florets into a food processor and pulse until it resembles rice. Add the chia eggs or regular egg, salt and sunflower seed flour and pulse until blended.

Put the dough onto a pan-sprayed baking sheet. Cover the dough with a large piece of wax paper and smoosh it with your hands until it's about 9-12 inches in diameter (or make two rounds instead). Place the dough in the oven and bake for 30+ minutes (or 15 minutes with regular egg) or until dry but pliable.

To serve, spread chilled avocado mixture on flatbread. Top with berries and coconut flakes.

Recipe contributed to: http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/08/wellness-weekend-august-15-19-2013/#more-19617










Coconut pumpkin biscuits for ACD Christmas dinner

Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas from Misha, the husky

How about an ACD-phase 1, vegan biscuit to complement your Christmas dinner or even enjoy for breakfast?

Coconut Pumpkin Biscuits with Cilantro or Green Onions
(makes six or seven)
suitable for ACD-Phase 1

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
1-2 T. chopped fresh cilantro or chopped green onions
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 T. apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup hemp milk
3 T. tahini or other seed or nut butter
2 T. flax
2 T. chia seed
2 T. melted coconut oil
dash of salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
optional: 1/2 tsp. cumin

Coconut pumpkin biscuits with cilantro or green onions

Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray.
Put all the ingredients into your food processor and pulse to blend into a sticky dough. Scoop out 1/3 cup of dough per biscuit. Flatten and shape the biscuits as you place them on the baking sheet about two-three inches apart. Bake for 30-40 minutes until browned. Note: These can be made ahead and stored in the freezer.

Check out what else is planned for Christmas dinner (ACD-style) here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/12/anti-candida-christmas-dinner-plan.html

Lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread

Bailey: asleep or secretly watching TV?

Do you ever wonder what your cat does when you're away from home? They always act like they've been sleeping but what were they really up to? For instance, the picture above makes you wonder if Bailey, my cat, was napping or secretly watching TV.

Bailey with his mammoth buddies

Actually, he was napping. I think he was tired after all of his roughhousing with his canine pals, Misha and Nika. Now, seriously, I realize to some this picture makes it look like tiny Bailey is being attacked by two vicious, mammoth dogs.  But in reality, Bailey loves playing with the twosome, albeit usually one at a time, rather than the pair. He hides behind doors and springs out at them to encourage them to play. It does explain why he gets tired.

Napping buddies

But look who he likes to nap with. Just about every day, Bailey and Misha enjoy some napping time together. That wouldn't happen if Bailey were afraid of Misha.

Bailey enjoys some "me time" near a sunny window

Sometimes, it's nice to just have some "me time." For Bailey, a soft, red pillow bed next to a warm, sunny window is the perfect spot.

Lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread

I enjoy "me time" myself but lately my "me time" has had to include canines. I take lots of walks, make many trips to the dog park, and go on hikes with my over-zealous pair, Misha and Nika. Today, I hiked in the foothills for several hours and came home with a giant appetite for some lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread I had made earlier in the week and stored in the freezer. I thawed some out and enjoyed the flatbread with hummus and veggies.

Lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread
(makes 8-10 flatbread)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I use a mix of quinoa flour, garbanzo bean flour and arrowroot starch)
• 1/2 cup lentil flour made by grinding up lentil beans in a coffee mill
• 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup grated Daikon radish
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 T. ground flax
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• Optional: chopped garlic
• Spices: 1/2 tsp. each turmeric, ginger, garam masala
• oil for cooking the flatbread

Note: Other veggies, such as parsnips, beets, cabbage or zucchini, may be used in place of carrots and radish.

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together to form a somewhat sticky dough. You may or may not need any water because of the veggies used in the flatbread. However, if you do need some water, add a little warm water at a time until dough forms a big ball. Recipe-making is not a perfect science, so if the dough is too sticky, add more flour.
• Oil and warm a cast-iron skillet on the stove.
• Moisten your hands with water. Grab a fistful of dough for each flatbread. Keep your hands moist and flatten the dough ball into a flatbread which will be on the thicker side. Place it on the hot skillet and flatten a bit more with an oiled spatula.
• Cook at medium heat until you start seeing light brown spots on the bottom side. Flip the bread over and cook the other side until light brown spots are seen.
• Stack the flatbread and cover them tightly with foil to keep them warm and soft.
• Freeze any extras.

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/05/03/wellness-weekend-may-3-7-2012/

Quinoa tortillas

Bailey, my new sidekick, in watering can

Bailey, Kona and new pal, Misha.

Quinoa flour tortillas

I've added yet another new pet to my household, Misha, a two-month-old Husky-Malamute cross. He and Bailey, just three months, are great interactive toys for each other. They wrestle for what seems like hours and then cuddle up with their older, wiser pal, Kona.

Their favorite place to nap seems to be the doorway to the kitchen. This has always been Kona's favorite spot but now I have quite an obstacle to get across when the threesome are napping.

I still manage to get past the pile of dogs and kitten to get to the kitchen. Recently while the trio were napping, I experimented making quinoa flour tortillas. I enjoy eating these, smeared with a little tahini or sunbutter for breakfast. They also are great for fish  tacos.

These are super simple to make if you have a tortilla press and cast-iron tortilla pan. You can make them without but they may look like blobs from some other universe.

Quinoa Flour Tortillas
(makes 10-12 small tortillas)

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup quinoa flour plus more for shaping dough balls and pressing tortillas.
2. 1/2 cup ground whole quinoa
3. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4. 1/2 tsp. sea salt
5. 2 T. olive oil
6. 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Grind 1/2 cup whole quinoa in a coffee grinder.
2. Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.
3. Add olive oil and water and mix.
4. Now the fun begins. Add more quinoa flour and knead until the dough is dry to shape into balls.
5. Press dough into tortillas using the tortilla press or rolling pin on flour dusted cutting board.
6. Cook tortillas one at a time in cast-iron tortilla pan. Cook about 30 seconds each side.
7. Extra tortillas can be stored in the freeze for future use.

Amaranth-millet tortillas



Kona with our new friend, Bailey.

I have a new kitten friend in the kitchen. His name is Bailey. At 10 weeks old, he already is making his loving, curious personality known. He makes it more enjoyable for me to be in the kitchen or in any room in the house as he provides constant entertainment as he explores everything.

Tiny Bailey weighs in at less than two pounds.

We adopted Bailey from the local animal shelter. We've had him for just three days. In the photo above, he shows his diminutive size in comparison to the pillow he is perched on.

Amaranth-millet flour tortillas

 Bailey has succeeded in getting me back into the kitchen to experiment with new recipes, including the amaranth-millet flour tortillas,pictured above. The purchase of a tortilla press is a must for these unless you are more skilled than I am with a rolling pin. Another essential is a cast-iron tortilla pan. Before purchasing these two items, the tortillas I made were edible but looked like something from another planet.

Amaranth-millet flour tortillas
(makes approximately 10-12 tortillas)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup amaranth flour to start + ? more
2. 1/2 cup millet flour to start + ? more
3. 1 T. olive oil
4. 1/2 tsp. sea salt
5. 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup of each flour in a large bowl. Add sea salt and oil.
2. Add water to mixture and combine. Add more of one or both flours until dough is no longer sticky to the touch.
3. Shape 10-12 balls adding more flour to get the right consistency for pressing.
4. Heat the cast-iron skillet.
5. Press the balls of dough into tortillas using your tortilla press or rolling pin.
6. Cook one tortilla at a time once skillet is hot. These are done in a flash so be vigilent.

Keep your tortillas hot in a tortilla warmer or by wrapping in aluminum foil. I like spreading them with sunbutter. Yum! Extras can be frozen until you are ready for more. Next project: make quinoa flour tortillas.

Red quinoa flatbread

Quinoa (pronounced "Keen-wa") is not a true grain but rather the seed of the goosefoot plant. Its origins can be traced back to the Andes Mountains of South America where it was one of three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the ancient Inca civilization.

This versatile food contains more protein than any other grain, an average of 16.2 percent, which means it rivals the protein content of meat. It's also a complete protein with an essential amino acid balance close to ideal.

A super food, quinoa also is high in calcium and iron, and a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor, and can be used as a whole-grain side dish, in baked goods or in place of hot cereal.

There are many varieties of quinoa but one of my favorites is red quinoa. Here is a recipe for a flatbread I made with whole grain, red quinoa. The recipe was kind of an experiment but turned out delicious. I was trying to make a bread that would be sturdy enough for a sandwich. I failed at that but the bread makes a good breakfast bread, toasted in the oven, or on the side with soup.It has a texture somewhat like cornbread.




Red quinoa flatbread ready to store in freezer



Red quinoa flatbread

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup ground red quinoa
2. 1/2 cup ground white quinoa
3. 1/2 cup millet flour
4. 1/2 tsp. powdered stevia
5. 1/2 tsp. salt
6. 1/2 tsp. each baking powder and baking soda
7. 1 cup water
8. 2 flax eggs ( Usually made with 1 T. flax dissolved in 3 T. water. I used 2 T. Nutri-Flax ground flax seed powder dissolved in 4 T. hemp milk.)
9. 1 T. olive oil

Directions:

1. I used a coffee grinder to grind the whole grain quinoa into a coarse flour.
2. Mix all flours and other dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix flax eggs and blend with 1 cup of water and 1 T. oil.
4. Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix.
5. Pour mixture into two 8 X 8 square pans, sprayed with pan spray and drizzled with olive oil. Use slightly dampened hands to spread the dough evenly.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, cool slightly. Each pan yield four large pieces.
8. To make the bread sturdier, toast pieces in the oven on a baking sheet.

Untoasted red quinoa bread

No-egg cauliflower breadsticks

Kona keeping her feet mud free with her new Christmas booties.



First attempt cauliflower breadsticks with no egg.



This past year has brought me several health victories. I have candida and sinus issues under control, not that it's not an on-going battle to maintain the delicate equilibrium of good and bad bacteria. I know I still am susceptible. One of the most telltale signs is my winter problem with athlete's foot. I have to disinfect my yoga mat frequently, keep my shower clean as a whistle and put baby powder in my shocks daily to keep my tootsies free of this problem.

Even as New Year's approaches, I'm not planning to go whole hog and abandon my low-carb, low-glycemic diet. I guess it's something I will have to do for my lifetime. One health issue that I continue to tackle is chronic muscle pain that hasn't disappeared with the candida diet. My pain is somewhat arthritic-like but confined to only muscles, not joints.

I recently did some research on nightshade allergy/intolerance to help a friend who potentially has rheumatoid arthritis. As I read the symptoms, I began to see myself and decided to eliminate my lovely peppers and tomatoes from my diet. Nightshade vegetables can cause or contribute to arthritis symptoms in sensitive individuals. I have already eliminated potatoes and eggplants, also nightshade, so I thought what the heck. It's worth a try. In some studies, 70-80 percent of participants found relief from their pain by strictly eliminating nightshade foods. I've gone three days so far; too soon to tell.

New Year's Eve has me planning what to cook. But Kona, my 12-year-old pup, has been out frolicking in her new booties she got for Christmas. We decided to purchase some for her because she looks forlorn every time we have to leave her in the garage to let her muddy feet dry out before coming indoors. The booties solve the problem. She's so docile she doesn't care a bit when I put them on her or when she's running around in them.

I decided to try out some appetizer recipes for New Year's. The cauliflower breadsticks came out of seeing a post numerous places for cauliflower pizza. Unfortunately, the recipe uses egg and cheese. I am allergic to eggs and cheese is off limits for candida. My first attempt yielded tasty but somewhat flimsy breadsticks. That egg would be a great addition so if it's not a problem go for it.

Cauliflower Breadsticks
Ingredients:
1 cup riced cauliflower
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil
herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
Optional: one egg

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray and lightly oil a baking sheet.

To rice cauliflower, steam 1/2 head of cauliflower cut into florettes just until fork tender. Drain the cauliflower and place in your food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower becomes pearl-sized.

Mix 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour with 3/4-1 cup water. Stir to blend. Let set until it thickens. It should be the thickness of thin pudding. Add olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper, and cauliflower. Stir to blend.

Preheat the baking sheet slightly in the oven to distribute the oil evenly on the pan. Spoon and spread the batter on the pan. The batter should  be thick enough to shape into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.

Bake for 12 minutes or longer until batter is cooked and set. Remove the pan from the oven. Allow the cooked batter to cool slightly. Then, cut into breadsticks with a pizza cutter.

Turn the oven up to broil. Place the breadsticks back in the oven until they are crispy but watch them carefully to prevent burning.

Allow the breadsticks to cool slightly again. They will be somewhat fragile until fairly cool.

I thought they were pretty tasty but next time I will add more herbs and try adding some chia slurry or flax slurry to get them to bind together better. If anyone has success with this, let me know.

Flax flatbread

I've been eating gluten-free for about six years now. Trust me, it's very easy to gain weight when you go gluten-free. Many of the alternative flours and thickeners are simple carbs that are high in calories and lacking in fiber and protein. I probably put on five pounds in next to no time when I first went gluten-free. In my mind, I thought these foods were healthy for me since they were safe. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

After I was diagnosed with candida, I became more aware of what I was eating. Even if you don't need to follow a low-glycemic diet, you should be careful when purchasing gluten-free products. I know here we go again just when you thought you didn't need to read labels anymore.

Here some ingredients you should look for and avoid as much as possible:

• Tapioca starch has no nutritional value whatsoever and is high in carbs. For some individuals, it is difficult to digest.
• Potato starch is used as a thickener but again has no nutritional value.
• White rice flour is high in calories, carbs and devoid of nutrition.

Look for these better choices:

• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Garbanzo bean flour
• Buckwheat
• Coconut flour
• Amaranth
• Oat flour made from gluten-free oats

Even better choices are:

• Veggies
• Fruit
• Meat or soy
• Dairy or alternative dairy beverages

Here's a recipe for a low-carb bread you might want to try. It's high in fiber and protein. But remember it still has calories. Cut it into small squares to limit your potion size.

Flax Flatbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup golden flax meal
• 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• egg replacer for five eggs (Technically, this is a unhealthy ingredient as it contains potato starch. If you can eat eggs, that would be a better choice.)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup olive oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the flax meal, flours, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the eggs or egg replacer, water and olive oil.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry, mixing well. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken the batter.
4. Pour the batter into a 11-by-7-inch glass pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and cool.
7. After cooled, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.
8. If desired, sprinkle squares with sea salt, olive oil and herbs de provence. Toast squares on a baking sheet.
9. Serve

Gluten-free Chocolate-Carob Scones

I know I promised not to eat as much chocolate but I succumbed to the invisible force field of chocolate that grows stronger around Valentine's Day. At least, I used baking cocoa rather than hard chocolate, and I substituted carob for half the chocolate.

Have a great Valentine's Day!

Gluten-free Chocolate-Carob Scones

(makes 10 medium-sized scones)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups garbanzo bean flour

1 T. SweetLeaf powdered stevia

1/4 cup baking cocoa, 1/4 cup carob powder

2 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 T. olive oil

2 T. tahini

2/3 cup hemp milk

Optional: add almonds, mini-chocolate chips or dried cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Then add olive oil, tahini and hemp milk. Continue pulsing to mix.

Drop batter by generous spoonfuls onto a sprayed cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven.

Gluten-free Sweet Potato Biscuits

It's been almost a year since I ate biscuits because of the anti-candida diet. I couldn't resist trying these fairly ACD-friendly Gluten-free Sweet Potato Biscuits made with garbanzo bean flour. They would make a special breakfast treat for Valentine's Day for someone who must avoid gluten. Or you can eat them anytime. They also make a tasty topping for a veggie potpie, shown below.
Gluten-free Sweet Potato Biscuits

(makes 8 biscuits)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup mashed sweet potato

1 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 T. olive oil

1/3 cup hemp milk (or other dairy beverage)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake a sweet potato until tender, about 45 minutes. Peel and mash the sweet potato. Set aside 3/4 cup of mashed potato for the biscuits and let cool completely. Reserve the rest for another use. Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and olive oil. Add the hemp milk and sweet potato and continue blending.

Drop the dough by large spoonfuls onto a sprayed baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Eat them all right away or freeze the extras.

Gluten-free Tomato Tart

I love having a colorful array of red grape tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes and orange cherry tomatoes on my plate. It's visually appealing and delicious. The best part is I have an abundant supply of them right now in my garden. The only drawback I can think of is I have to pick them but it's worth the effort.

Finding ways to use up my baby tomato crop is no problem for me. I enjoy them on salads (now that I can eat salads again) and in stir-fries, kabobs, and with grilled veggies. I seldom eat pizza or anything like it because I am on the anti-candida diet (ACD) to remove excess fungus from my body, and restore the balance of good and bad bacteria.

But I couldn't resist trying my little tomatoes on a gluten-free tomato tart, just once during the tomato season. It was yummy and scrumptious but the crust had a light texture from the addition of baking powder and soda which was something different for me. I have been mainly eating, on occasion, garbanzo bean breads with no soda or baking powder added. Therefore, this tart was a real treat!


Gluten-free Tomato Tart

Crust Ingredients:
3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 T. olive oil
2 T. tahini butter
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

Topping Ingredients:

1/4 pkg. Silken tofu
1 T. olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
sea salt to taste
1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1-2 cups grape, pear and cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Optional: parmessan, feta or goat cheese (Not for me on the ACD diet.)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with pan spray.

In a large bowl, combine the garbanzo bean and rice flour. (Note: you can change the ratio of rice to bean flour. More rice flour will give the crust more of a light, airy texture.) Add the flax seeds, baking powder and soda, and salt. Blend and set aside.

In a food processor, blend the tahini, olive oil and soy milk. Pour into the larger bowl with the flours and stir to blend.

Using wet hands, press the dough into a rectangle or best approximation, about 12 X 7 inches. directly onto the cookie sheet. Wet the hands again if necessary. Ridge the edges of the dough with your fingers. Bake the dough for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, blend in your food processor, the Silken tofu, olive oil, garlic clove and salt. Remove the crust from the oven and spread the tofu sauce evenly over the crust. Arrange the basil leaves and tomatoes on top of the sauce. Put the tart back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or so. The time may be longer if you decide to play with the ratio of flours. Basically, the more rice flour you add, the longer the baking time. Remove from the oven when the tart is just getting slightly crispy.

Cut into about eight pieces. Serve alongside a nice garden veggie salad.

Garbanzo bean flour pancakes

Allergy season has arrived full throttle in my area, and my poor dog, Kona, started suffering as much as the humans. In the photo above, she was wearing a "halo" to keep her from biting at her itchy places. Good news though. She only had to wear it for a week and then her itching subsided.

Intense itching was how she was reacting to the pollens that were bothering her. The only way to stop her from biting herself constantly until she drew blood was to put her in this halo. She also continues to take six allergy pills a day which was doing little to deter her when she was wearing her special bonnet. She was looking pretty sad in the photo and was doing a good job of making us feel sorry for her.

Garbanzo bean flour continues to be a favorite of mine while I'm on my restricted carb diet to rid my body of too much yeast or candida. It's really no longer bothering me that I cannot eat sugar and must restrict my carbs. The bad news is I probably will have to follow this diet pretty closely for a year. I try not to dwell on that but rather on how good I am feeling.

Yesterday, we had friends over for a Memorial Day barbecue and they could not believe all the fresh veggies I could eat. These friends had watched me in the past eat only well-cooked veggies and deny myself things like salad and other hard-t0-digest foods. I could sense their disbelief but also their pleasure in seeing me so much better.

Candida is definitely a missing diagnosis for many individuals. But it is no cakewalk to get rid of and requires a high level of commitment to follow the eating protocol. A friend mentioned to me that she had an acquaintance who thought she would be rid of her candida problem after just six weeks of following a low carb diet. Unfortunately, after improving, she quit after six weeks. Within a short time, her symptoms returned.

Not me, I'm in this for the long haul. And garbanzo bean flour will continue to be part of my arsenal of foods. I found out that garbanzo bean flour breads, crepes and pancakes are a staple in certain parts of Italy. This week, I tried garbanzo bean flour pancakes. Actually, I was trying to make crepes or tortillas but I'm still perfecting those.

Garbanzo Bean Flour Pancakes
Ingredients:

2 cups garbanzo bean flour

2 T. vegan rice protein powder

salt and pepper to taste

fresh or dried herbs to taste

2 T. olive oil

1 1/2 cups water (possibly more to get a pancake batter consistency)

Pan spray and more olive oil

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then add olive oil and water. Add more water if needed to get a batter with the consistency of crepe or pancake batter. Allow the batter to set for a few minutes. The batter tends to thicken so you may need to add some more water.

Heat a large skillet or better yet a crepe pan until very hot. Add olive oil and heat until it smokes slightly. You want it very hot. Test with a bit of batter. Make one pancake at a time. Allow the dough to bubble up just like regular pancakes. Flip and cook on the other side. Add more oil before you start a new pancake.

These pancakes are best eaten while hot. They roll pretty easily so you could make some sort of breakfast wrap with them. I'm going to continue to experiment with them and will post more later.

Garbanzo Bean Flour Flatbread

I can't believe it! Someone yesterday told me I had a healthy glow. It truly made my day since I haven't looked healthy in months. She wondered what kind of face lotion I was using to give me such a healthy-looking complexion. I said it was the same one I'd been using for the past year. In other words, the healthy glow was all me.

I'd say the candida cleanse and positive thinking have made a world of difference. That's not to say I can just sit back and say, "All right, I'm cured." I'm still avoiding foods that cause symptoms and limiting carbohydrates and fermented foods (such as vinegar, cooking wines, things with added alcohol). A typical eating day for me still involves no dairy, no gluten, no eggs and no nuts. But before, I eliminated a whole slew of other foods as well (peppers, soy, chocolate, raw vegggies and fruits). Now, I can eat many raw veggies, including spring greens. Fruit is limited to one serving a day but I actually ate some cantaloupe the other day for the first time in years (no ill effects). I eat one serving of whole grains (usually quinoa) for breakfast.

I have been hitting the Garbanzo Bean Flour Flatbread, this week's recipe, a little too hard. I think the carbs add up if you have too many pieces even though garbanzo bean flour is low in carbs compared to other flours. The flatbread is hard to resist. Here's the recipe.

Garbanzo Bean Flour Flatbread
(makes about 24 small squares)

Ingredients:

2 cups garbanzo bean flour (It's gluten free because it's made from garbanzo beans.)

2 T. olive oil (plus 1 more)

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper

1-2 T. dried basil (or other dried herb of your choice or even a mixture.)

1 1/4 cup water

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix garbanzo bean flour with salt and pepper. Stir in olive oil and water. Allow mixture to set for 1 hour to thicken.

Heat oven to 480 degrees. Spray a large glass pan. Place one tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Pre-heat the pan in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Add the dried herbs to the flour mixture and pour the batter into your heated glass pan. Bake for about 8-12 miutes. Keep on eye on it as it cooks quickly. When slightly cool, cut into squares. It keeps well in the refrigerator for a week but you also can freeze it. Serve flatbread with hummus or my favorite, artichoke/spinach/tofu dip (shown in photo).