Spicy Asian Sesame/Tahini Soup and Bad Allergy Days

I should consider it a good sign that my allergies are bothering me more than my stomach. That means that the antibiotics I took for my stomach may have actually helped. With the trees blooming, my allergies are a different story. I've been spending a lot of time in the reclining mode, kind of like my cat, Oreo, pictured right. My nasal passages and sinuses are so inflamed I'm only hungry for hot, spicy soup. I can't taste much of anything which explains why this soup is extra spicy.

Spicy Asian Sesame/Tahini Soup

(makes 2 large servings)

This soup is delicious even when you can't hardly taste anything.

Ingredients:

2-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced

Optional: 2 cloves garlic minced and 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

2 tsps. olive oil

2 cups chopped red cabbage

1 1/2 cups chopped kale

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2-3 tsp. red curry paste (I actually used 1 T. The amount used depends on the brand purchased. I had Kitchen 88 red curry paste, and it wasn't as hot as some I've used before. My advice: add a little and taste. Then add more if you want it spicier.)

1 T. tahini butter

1 tsp. sesame oil

salt and pepper

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup plain rice milk (Coconut milk can be used if your stomach can tolerate it.)

1 T. fish oil

1 tsp. agave nectar

1 T. lime juice

quinoa or rice noodles to make 2 servings

2 cups cooked, tail-on medium shrimp

2 T. each chopped fresh basil and cilantro

Directions:

Prepare the noodles first, following package instructions. Reserve the noodles and get busy on the soup.Use a large pot. Saute minced ginger and garlic in 1-2 tsp. olive oil or other oil. Add chopped cabbage and kale and continue to stir fry until veggies become tender. Add a little chicken broth if needed. Slide veggies to side of pan and add red curry paste, tahini, sesame oil, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Mix and heat, then stir with veggies. Add remaining broth, fish oil, agave nectar, lime juice, water chestnuts and shrimp. Add more red curry paste at any time if the soup is too wimpy. Stir and heat the soup enough to warm the shrimp. To serve, put some noodles in a bowl, top with soup, and garnish with basil and cilantro.

Sorghum waffle celebration

If you're a daffodil and tulip lover, you need to visit the Skagit Valley in Washington some April for the annual Tulip Festival. My husband and I combined a trip to visit my daughter in Seattle with a side trip to bike through the tulip and daffodil fields near Mount Vernon and LaConnor. There was a sea of yellow daffodils everywhere, while the tulips were just getting started.

During the trip, I finished up 10 days of antibiotics for a bacterial infection that may have been causing my increase in digestive issues. It's been four days since I completed the antibiotics and my improvement is still holding. And because this took place while I was on a trip makes it an even bigger success. After all, being away from home and eating with special dietary issues is a challenge in itself. I ate Tom Yum soup (hot and sour Thai soup) at a lot of Seattle Thai restaurants but most of the time I had access to a kitchen to cook in. The down side was everyone expected me to do the cooking because they were afraid of cooking something that's wasn't "safe."

Usually, when I go on a trip, my stomach is a disaster for at least a week after I return. But this time, it's completely different. I actually felt good enough to cook up some sorghum waffles. This was a first for me as I had never cooked any gluten-free waffles but they were delicious!

Sorghum Waffles with Strawberries

(Makes 3 big waffles)

Ingredients:

1 cup sorghum flour (buckwheat flour can be substituted)
2 T. ground flax (or substitute 1 T. natural fiber supplement such as Acacia Tummy Fiber)
1 cup tapioca starch
4 T. arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 T. organic brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
Optional: 2 scoops rice protein
1-1 1/2 cups rice milk
2-3 T. olive oil
3 T. applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla
Lots of strawberries (fresh or frozen)

Start heating your waffle maker. Spray with olive or canola oil. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine liquids in a separate bowl (start with 1 cup rice mik and add more if needed). Add liquids to dry ingredients and mix with a whisk. Add remaining milk as needed to obtain desired consistency. Follow your waffle maker instructions for making waffles. That means don't peak too soon. When waffles are ready, top with strawberries or other fruit.

Lemon-Thyme Chicken with Cranberry Salsa, Roasted Veggies and Lemon Spinach

I met a great doc today who seems to be able to bridge the gap between western medicine and natural medicine. She put me on antibiotics for my bacterial infection even though in western medicine the pathogen that I have would be considered to be normal. But she was willing to agree that it might be causing me a problem and was worth a shot to see what would happen with the antibiotics. I guess I'll know if there is any improvement in 10 days. But I feel better just knowing that I now have a doctor who will at least listen.

I cooked up a great healthy dinner tonight that was loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, just to make sure my body has the best chance possible to heal. The vegetables and fruit, high in fiber, should be tolerated because they are cooked or roasted. If you are concerned about the crystallized ginger, leave it out of the salsa. You could substitute salmon for the chicken in this meal and make it even healthier. Also, consider serving it with brown rice, instead of roasted potatoes.

Lemon-Thyme Chicken with Cranberry Salsa (serves 2)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup fresh or frozen bing cherries, pits removed

2 T. apple juice concentrate

2 T. minced crystallized ginger

1 chicken breast, halved

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 T. lemon juice

2-4 T. olive oil

salt and pepper

cauliflower, broccoli, red or purple potatoes, red onion (enough for 2 people)

1 10-ounce bag of spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and chop veggies, potatoes for roasting in oven. Toss with 2-3 T. olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a sprayed roasting pan and slide in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Prepare chicken for grilling in the oven. Place 1 T. lemon juice, salt, pepper, thyme and smidge of olive oil in a bowl. Coat the chicken with the mixture. Place the chicken pieces in a grill pan with a bit more olive oil. Brown for a few minutes and then slide in the oven to finish cooking.

Prepare the cranberry/cherry salsa. Simmer cranberries, cherries, apple juice concentrate, ginger in a saucepan over medium heat until the cranberries and cherries are soft. Remove from heat. Saute the spinach in a large, heavy pan or skillet with 1 T. olive oil. Cook over medium high heat until the spinach is wilted. Add salt, pepper and 1 T. lemon juice. Toss to coat.

Serve chicken on a bed of lemon spinach with a dab of cranberry salsa on top and a serving of roasted veggies and potatoes on the side. And thank yourself for cooking something that's this healthy and delicious.

Lemony asparagus noodles with roasted veggies

I just received the results of a comprehensive parasitology test that I had and found out I have a bacterial infection. It could be a major player in many of the digestive problems I've had. I'm not sure if I should be happy or not that I have citrobacter braakii. But if it means getting rid of it will improve the quality of my life, I guess I'm happy. I have to reserve a bit of skepticism because I have been down this path many times where something seems to be the remedy for my problems. I'll post updates on my progress after I start my antibiotics.



In the meantime, I'm thinking it's time to make something with some of that great fresh asparagus that available this time of year. I just had a flashback remembering when my kids and I used to hunt along the ditch banks and country roads near our home for wild asparagus. It was incredible while it lasted. These days, most of it is gone because of housing developments and road improvements. I'll always cherish the memory of the three of us swinging out bags of asparagus as we headed to the kitchen to trim and wash it for dinner.



Lemony Asparagus Noodles with Roasted Veggies and Lemon-Pepper Chicken or Fish


Ingredients for 4 servings:



1 pound fresh, trimmed asparagus

1/2 large caulifower, trimmed and cut into pieces

1 large broccoli head, trimmed and cut into pieces

lemon juice

4 T. olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup sorghum flour or other gluten-free flour such as brown rice or amaranth

1 pkg. quinoa pasta noodles

Optional: fresh basil or mint

Optional: rice or soy parmessan cheese



Directions:



Wash and trim all veggies. Cut cauliflower and broccoli into small pieces. Cut off tips of asparagus leaving with 4-5 inches of stem. Cut rest of stems into one-inch pieces. Place cauliflower, broccoli and long asparagus tips into large bowl. Toss with 2 T. of olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour out onto a shallow roasting pan or baking sheet, sprayed with pan spray. Set the oven on 400 degrees and roast the veggies until tender (about 30 minutes but keep an eye on them).



Boil chopped asparagus stems in a medium pot of boiling water with salt. Cook for about 9 minutes or until tender. Save the asparagus water and transfer asparagus stem pieces to a food processor. Puree the asparagus stems with lemon juice, 2 T. olive oil , 3/4 cup asparagus cooking water, and salt and pepper to taste, until smooth. Remove to a pan to keep warm on the stove.

Try adding some fresh herbs, such as basil or mint, to the asparagus sauce.



Cook the pasta according to directions. Cook the lemon-pepper chicken or fish filets. I used sole filets and chicken to please the variety of preferences in my household. Season the meat with salt and pepper and roll in seasoned flour in a pie plate. Brown both sides of the meat in an oven-safe skillet with a little olive oil. Leave the meat in the pan and place in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, place some noodles on plates, top with some roasted veggies, then some sauce and garnish with additional veggies. Sprinkle on the optional soy parmessan cheese. Place a piece of lemon-pepper fish or chicken on each plate. Enjoy this delicious taste of spring.

Asian turkey meatballs with soba noodles

I just came back from a chilly bike ride. The first day of April has arrived and you'd never know it by the temperatures in southern Idaho. We're at least 10 degrees below normal. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself if you have stomach issues, like IBS. Admittedly, sometimes when you don't feel well, it can be difficult to do. I find that it takes my mind away from my chronic issues and most of the time, makes me feel better. Exercise doesn't cure everything but it definitely helps.

A bowl of soba (buckwheat) noodles with spicy veggies and Asian meatballs sounds like just the ticket for a cold spring day. Here's the recipe:

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Soba Noodles
(serves 3-4)
Ingredients:

For the Meatballs
4 green onions, chopped
One-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. low-sodium, wheat-free soy sauce
2-4 tablespoons fresh finely chopped mint or cilantro
1 T. lime juice
1 pound lean ground turkey


For the Soba Noodles and Veggies
8 ounces buckwheat soba noodles (make sure you get the ones that are 100 percent buckwheat)
1/3 cup low-sodium, wheat-free soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
one-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T. lime juice
1 T. agave nectar
1/2 cup or more chicken broth
2-4 T. minced fresh mint or cilantro or both
2 medium yellow squash, peeled, halved and cut into moons
2 medium zucchini, peeled, halved and cut into moons
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
6 cups bok choy, sliced (Try baby bok choy if you can find it.)
1 T. vegetable oil
water
Note: If you want more veggies, go ahead. They're good for you. Try some broccoli, kale or Chinese cabbage.

Directions:

For the meatballs
Place in the food processor: green onions, ginger, garlic and 3 T. of soy sauce, cilantro/mint and lime juice. Pulse until finely ground. Add the meat and continue to process to combine. Roll the meat into meatballs. Brown the meatballs in a skillet with some oil. Place the meatballs in the oven on low to keep them warm while preparing the other ingredients.

For the noodles and veggies
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Prepare the vegetables. Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add the squash and onions, and stir fry until the vegetables are just beginning to get tender. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, and 2-4 T. of water or chicken broth, cover with a lid. Cook until the bok choy and mushrooms are tender.

To a measuring cup, add chicken broth, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, mint/cilantro and agave nectar. If you want your soba noodles more soup-like, add more chicken broth. Add to the vegetables and stir well. Cook until heated through.

To serve, place some soba noodles in a bowl, top with a generous helping of veggies in sauce, and a 3-4 meatballs. Enjoy your delicious meal!

Quinoa Pizza with Roasted Veggies

My stomach has been going back and forth between feeling semi-tolerable to being intolerable. It sounds like I'm whining which I don't like to do but I thought it would help if others knew they are not alone in what they are experiencing. It's been three days sort of okay, three days bad. Actually, it's not always three days good. Sometimes it's less good and more bad.

Sound familiar? I guess it's pretty common among people with IBS and other stomach disorders. In some individuals, their symptoms may disappear for months. Often, the individuals can't identify anything they've done differently. There are, in some cases, explanations, such as unidentified food allergies, a stressful situation or poor eating habits.


I have dealt with all of those issues and still have the on-going problem. But I keep searching for answers. Along the way I have discovered some great foods to replace ones I am no longer eating. Quinoa is one of those foods. It's another great grain for individuals with stomach issues, like IBS, because it's so digestible but yet high in fiber and protein. It has more protein than any other grain (16.2 percent) which means it rivals the protein content of meat.

I decided to use quinoa to whip up a roasted veggie pizza with an herbed quinoa crust. I didn't use any cheese, although you could use soy cheese, but it was still delicious.

Quinoa Pizza with Roasted Veggies Recipe
(Makes two servings)
Ingredients for the Crust:

1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 tsp. gluten/free baking powder
2 T. olive oil
1/2 zucchini, peeled and grated (It's important to remove the skin if you have IBS.)
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 tsp. each dried rosemary and thyme (Other fresh or dried herbs may be used.)
Salt and pepper to taste
Approximately 1/4 cup water

Ingredients for the Toppings:

2 zucchinis, peeled and cut into half-moons
1 yellow squash, peeled and cut into half moons
10 grape tomatoes, halved
10 mushrooms, sliced
Fresh spinach
2 T. olive oil
1-2 T. tomato sauce
Additional herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil (Fresh would be best but I only had dried on hand.)
Salt and pepper
Optional: Shelton's Italian Turkey Sausage (I used three links and picked this brand because it's gluten-free)

Directions:

Prepare the topping veggies for roasting in the oven. Wash all the veggies. Then, peel and slice the zucchini and yellow squash into half moons. Halve the grape tomatoes. Slice the mushrooms. Reserve the grape tomatoes. Put all the other veggies in a bowl and toss with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Place the veggies on a baking sheet. sprayed with pan spray. Roast the veggies in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. You want the veggies to be somewhat soft but not mushy so watch them carefully. During the last 8-10 minutes, add the grape tomatoes to the mix. Remove from the veggies from the oven to cool slightly.

If you are using the sausage, prepare it according to package instructions. Cut the sausages into bite-size pieces.

In the meantime, prepare the crust. Put the quinoa flour, baking powder, herbs and salt in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil and mix. Prepare the veggies. Fine chop the zucchini in a food processor or with a hand grater. Chop the spinach up with a knife and then put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Steam the spinach with a little water in the microwave until slightly wilted. Drain the spinach. Add the veggies to the dry ingredients and mix. Then begin adding water to make a soft dough. If the dough gets too wet, add more flour. Wet your hands with cold water and shape the dough into two balls to make two crusts. I reserved half the dough for another meal. It freezes well.

Spray a baking sheet with pan spray. Shape the dough into a pizza crust right on the baking sheet. Keep your hands moistened with cold water to make the dough easy to handle. Bake the crust for 5-8 minutes before adding the toppings. Remove the crust from the oven when it starts to crisp up.

To finish the pizza, first spread some tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle the tomato sauce with herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a layer of fresh spinach leaves and herbs if you have them. Follow with some of the roasted veggies and sausage. Place the pizza back in the oven for approximately 5 minutes to heat through. Remove from the oven and enjoy with some additional roasted veggies on the side. I promise you won't even miss the cheese but if you must have cheese, use soy cheese.

Quick Amaranth Flatbread Recipe

One of the things I miss most about having stomach issues and gluten sensitivity is not being able to eat rustic breads with whole grains and fiber. Whole wheat can cause digestive problems for individuals with IBS or similar stomach problems.

I think I have solved the problem at least for my taste with several quick flatbread recipes I came up with. Both of the flatbreads pictured here are made with amaranth flour, an excellent source of fiber and protein.

I save time making these flatbreads by simply pressing the dough out onto a greased baking sheet with my hands into one large flatbread. After the bread is baked, I can cut the bread into large or small pieces depending on my intended use. For snacks, I cut the bread into small triangles or squares. I can cut larger squares if I want an open-face flatbread sandwich or salad.

The flatbread works well with an allergy rotation diet too. You can use the same recipe I'm providing below and substitute other whole grain flours, such as buckwheat for one day, quinoa for another, and sorghum or brown rice flour for the last day. It all works for me because it's easy and the result is delicious.


Amaranth Spinach Flatbread Recipe

I modified an Indian parathas recipe for this bread.

2 cups finely chopped spinach
2 cups amaranth flour
1-1 1/2 tsps. salt
1- 1 1/2 tsp. each dried dill and basil
1 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
2-3 T. olive oil
Water, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray or line with parchment paper.

Put the chopped spinach with water to cover in a microwave-safe bowl and nuke until the spinach is wilted. Drain off the water. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, flour, salt, herbs, olive oil and baking powder. Slowly add small amounts of water (about 1/2 cup) as needed to get the dough to stick together. Shape the dough into a ball. Moisten your hands frequently with cold water to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Grab the dough in your hands and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Keep your hands moistened and press the dough out into a large flatbread about 1/8-inch thick. Spray the top lightly with olive oil and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and then cut into large or small pieces. But if you can't wait, grab off a piece, spread with safe margarine and enjoy!

Pumpkin Amaranth Flatbread Recipe
This flatbread is sweet and almost like a cookie.

Follow the same basic recipe as used for the Amaranth Spinach Flatbread but omit the spinach and herbs. Instead, add in 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1-1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 2-4 T. of maple syrup, agave nectar or brown sugar. You might want to experiment with sweetness. I used just 2 T. of agave nectar and it was sweet enough for my taste. Follow all the other directions. I like cutting this bread into small pieces and spreading it with apple butter or sunbutter. Yum! It's also great plain.

Easter gluten-free blueberry-raspberry streusel bars

You don't have give up high-quality grains with fiber and protein just because you have stomach issues like IBS. For a number of years, I was afraid to try anything except rice because I feared what higher fiber would do to my system. Then I discovered Quinoa (pronounced Keen wa). This ancient grain is one of the best grains for someone with stomach issues like IBS because it's easily digestible and gluten-free but yet high in protein and soluble fiber.




I decided to incorporate quinoa into an Easter dessert which also has antioxidant-rich blueberries and raspberries. The bars are made with quinoa flakes but you also can use gluten-free rolled oats. I've never been able to tolerate oats that are added to a recipe raw but I can handle quinoa. The gluten-free blueberry-raspberry streusel bars were so delicious that they even got rave reviews from my gluten-eating, non-stomach issue family and friends.




Easter Gluten-free Blueberry-Raspberry Streusel Bars
(Makes 2 dozen bars)
Adapted from a recipe used by the Cooqi, a bakery in St. Paul, Minn.

Gluten-free flour mix: 2 cups rice flour, 1 cup tapioca starch, 1 1/2 tsp. xanthum gum


For the bars:

1 2/3 cup quinoa flakes (or 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats and 2/3 cup quinoa flakes)


1 - 1 1/4 cups organic sugar, divided (I'd like to try these next time with brown rice syrup or agave nectar. I would use less than the sugar.)


3/4 tsp. cinnamon, divided


1/4 tsp. salt


3/4 cup olive oil or safflower oil (or butter if you can handle dairy)


2 T. tapioca starch


3 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen blueberries, defrosted)


1 1/2 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen, defrosted)


1 T. orange juice concentrate


1-2 tsp. orange zest


Pan spray


egg replacer for 1 egg or 1 organic egg


Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with pan spray. In a medium bowl, combine 1 2/3 cups gluten-free flour mix, quinoa flakes (or quinoa/oats mixture), 3/4-1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and salt.

Mix the vegetable oil into the mixture using a pastry blender or spoon. Divide the mixture in half. Reserve half and evenly press other half into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Bake 13-15 minutes, until mixture has solidified but not started to turn brown. Remove from the oven to cool.

In a heavy pan, combine 1/4 cup sugar, tapioca starch and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Add the berries, orange juice and zest. Gently stir to coat berries with other ingredients. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until blueberries are soft and raspberries become saucelike.

Remove from the heat and pour over baked crust. Add egg replacer to remaining unbaked crumb mixture, mix until well blended and dough holds together.

Pick up the dough in your hands and crumble it all over the top of the fruit in the pan. Spead the streusel topping around evening with your hands or a fork.

Return pan to oven and bake 30-40 minutes, until fruit appears bubbly and streusel topping is slightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Place the pan in the refrigerator to continue the cooling process. The bars can be a bit crumbly so, if possible, allow the pan of streusel bars to stay in the refrigerator overnight before cutting.

Make the bars a real treat by serving on a plate with vanilla Rice Dream frozen dessert, topped with a spoon of raspberries and a smidge of Wax Orchards raspberry syrup, fruit-juice sweetened.

Chocolate/Raspberry Rice Cereal

Many people with stomach issues/IBS have their symptoms come and go, sometimes disappearing for months at a time. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. I have nicknamed myself "the stomach" because that part of me influences almost everything in my daily life. I am one of those people who changes in lifestyle, eating, lowering of stress, etc. has made some, but not significant, impact on improving their condition. Where do I go from here? Well, I don't give up. Without hope, I am sunk for sure. This condition can be depressing enough as it is. (Sometimes I feel as disheartened as my friend Kona, above, appears while getting a bath.) But my belief is there has to be something that's screwing with me that no one has discovered yet.


Recently, I read about a British medical study where they took a group of 120 individuals who had been suffering with IBS for years, in some cases decades. Everything these individuals had done to improve their situation had done little. These individuals were tested for intestinal parasites and yeast, something else as well, but I don't remember. Most of these individuals had traveled or lived in other countries but a few had not. All of their tests came back positive for one or more of the three. When these conditions were addressed, their symptoms were reduced markedly.


After reading about the study, I decided to have the test done. I lived overseas and worked around livestock for quite awhile so it was a possibility. Also, my doctor had mentioned it a few months earlier, but wanted me to try other things first. Well, I am waiting for the results. Hopefully, I will be on to something that will improve my condition. In the meantime, I am enjoying my favorite breakfast for when I'm feeling a little down. You guessed it. It has chocolate in it.


Chocolate/Raspberry Rice Cereal

This cereal is so simple to prepare. It tastes like a dessert for breakfast but yet no sugar is added.

Ingredients for one serving:
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Rice Hot Cereal
1 cup water
1-2 T. good quality baking and drinking cocoa (I use Droste Holland Cocoa)
1 T. vanilla rice protein powder
1 T. ground flax seed
1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Put all ingredients, except raspberries, in a saucepan. Cover with a lid and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes. Scoop cereal into a bowl and top with raspberries. Enjoy!

Chocolate (Veggie) Brownies and eating your veggies

Early in my journey to unravel how to deal with IBS/food allergies I avoided foods, such as vegetables, that were difficult to digest. That was hard because I love vegetables but the foods that had previously been my friends seemed to create digestive issues for me. I ended up sick in bed, sort of like Pumpkin in photo above. Now I've learned how to make veggies my friends again. In fact, veggies cover at least half or more of my plate at meal times.

It's all in careful selection of veggies and how you prepare them. Vegetables, improperly prepared, can trigger IBS attacks. You can slice, dice, chop or eat them whole but peel them and cook them. They don't have to be mushy but they should be cooked beyond tender crisp. Don't eat them raw. That's asking for trouble.

Certain veggies that are higher in insoluble fiber than others can't be tamed for the IBS tummy no matter how you prepare them. Most can be made tender and delicious by roasting but I haven't had much success with fennel and celery root to name a few.

Since eating enough veggies often is of concern for IBS sufferers, why not kill two birds with one stone. Get your sweet fix and your veggies with Chocolate (Veggie) Brownies. Many IBS sufferers can tolerate chocolate in small doses as long as they eat it with a hearty dose of soluble fiber. Use dark chocolate or allergen-free chocolate to avoid dairy which can trigger IBS attacks. Remember to exercise self-control and limit yourself to just one (moderately sized, of course) because over-indulgence is the source of many an IBS attack.

Chocolate (Veggie) Brownies

2 ounces of fresh spinach

1/4 cup plain or vanilla rice milk (or soy)

1 cup raw zucchini, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup sunflower oil

1 T. ground flax seed
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso crystals

1 cup buckwheat flour (or unbleached white flour if can be tolerated)

1/2 cup brown rice flour (or oat flour)

1/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Ener-G egg replacer or 2 egg whites (Whole eggs can be an IBS trigger.)

1 10-oz. bag Enjoy Life allergen-free chocolate chips or other dairy-free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan. In a blend or food processor, blend together the spinach and zucchini to a smooth puree. Add the agave, maple syrup, oil, flax, coffee, apple cider vinegar, milk, egg replacer or egg whites, and vanilla, and blend to combine. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk together to combine. If this batter is too stiff, add a tablespoon or two more of rice or soy milk. Add in 2/3's or all of the chocolate chips. I reserved about a third to melt and spread on the top of the finished brownies.

Pour or scoop the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the brownies are firm to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Sprinkle the the top with extra chocolate chips. Allow to melt and then spread over the top with a knife. An alternative topping would be a dusting of extra cocoa powder and cinnamon.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. You should get about 12 brownies. After cutting the brownies, wrap them individually for freezing. That way you won't be tempted to over-indulge.

Quinoa Sunflower Seed Clusters

There are some people who have to learn lessons the hard way. Then there's a second category of people who have to repeat learning the same lesson more than once the hard way. I think I fall into the second category when it comes to food.

The problem is whenever I get to feeling pretty good I get more cocky about what I eat. That would be the case this week. I made a fat-free fruit compote with a topping made up of ground rolled oats and buckwheat flour. Even ground, uncooked oatmeal is too hard to digest for someone with gastroparesis/IBS. Bottom line, don't eat uncooked oatmeal in any form. That is unless you enjoy being miserable for two to three days.

Well, fortunately that has passed. And Pumpkin, the cat, and I are celebrating leap year with some beautiful tulips, sent from a friend who was our house guest last week. Also, to prove that I've learned my lesson about uncooked oatmeal, I decided to alter a recipe which uses that dreaded ingredient. I changed the original recipe, called Quinoa, Apricot and Nut Clusters, by leaving out the nuts, dried apricots, eggs and rolled oats, and renamed it Quinoa Sunflower Seed Clusters. I left out the dried fruit because that is another ingredient that is "lethal" for someone with my problem. Here is the recipe with my modifications and optional ingredients for those who can handle eggs, rolled oats, dried fruit and nuts. Individuals with IBS-type symptoms should use egg whites only, rather than whole eggs. Finely ground nuts may be tolerated in some cases.

Quinoa Sunflower Seed Clusters

(Makes approximately 20 clusters)

These clusters are a healthy alternative to cookies. Two clusters have approximately 320 calories, 11 g. fat, 49 g. carbs, 10 g. protein and 5 g. fiber.

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups quinoa flakes (or old-fashioned oatmeal) Note: The quinoa flakes are much more digestible than the oats. Just eat the clusters in moderation.

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (I grind them but you may leave them whole.)

1 cup peeled, drained canned apricots (finely chopped) or replace this with 1 cup chopped dried apricots or whole dried cherries

Optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts (Walnuts, pistachios, almonds, cashews work well.)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup or honey (Avoid honey if you have IBS.)

2 T. safflower, sunflower or other vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Egg replacer for two eggs plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten (or use equivalent egg whites)

Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the quinoa, return to a boil, cover and reduce the heat. Cook at low heat until the quinoa is cooked or about 15 minutes. For those with normal stomachs, the quinoa should be slightly undercooked or about 12 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large, rimmed cookie sheet. Bake, fluffing with a fork occasionally, until the quinoa is pale golden, about 30-35 minutes. Let cook in a large bowl.

Spread the quinoa flakes or oats on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add the flakes or oats to the cooked quinoa. Spread the sunflower seeds on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes. If grinding the seeds, allow to cook before placing in a coffee grinder. Add the seeds to quinoa mixture and allow to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Toss the apricots (dried or not dried), optional nuts, sugar and salt with the quinoa mixture. Beat the agave nectar, maple syrup or honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla with egg replacer or eggs. Stir into the quinoa mixture.

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, lightly spray with pan spray. Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto sheet for each cluster or use an ice cream scoop. Space the clusters about 3 inches apart. Flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crisp, about 25 minutes. Note: If you are using egg replacer, you may need to leave the clusters in the oven slightly longer. When done, remove from the oven and let cool. The clusters store well for several days in the refrigerator. Freeze extras.

Hot amaranth cereal with toasted pumpkin seeds and IBS tips

My belly is a lot more peaceful now, just like Pumpkin at the right. I have gastroparesis, akin to severe IBS, and food intolerances. I have tried eliminating certain foods and that has helped but not enough to make my stomach anything close to tolerable. It wasn't until the past two weeks that I discovered how to have a fairly peaceful belly.

My secret is every morning I split my breakfast in half and eat just half. I save the other half for a late morning snack. How does this help? Like others with slow digestive systems, I can never overload my stomach or I'm looking for trouble. Basically, my digestive system is so slow that by morning the next day, dinner from the previous night has still not left the building so to speak. If I try to shove a full breakfast in my stomach too, I'm going to have symptoms of bloating, nausea, digestive distress all day. Just a little breakfast doesn't produce those symptoms. I put a little in the tank to give myself a bit to go on and give dinner a chance to be fully digested. Then I put a little more in late morning and I'm set.
It really seems to be working. I haven't felt this well in months. Of course, there are lots of other things I do as well to manage my stomach situation but this trick is the frosting on the cake. It changed a barely tolerable situation into a totally tolerable one.

Other standard strategies individuals with IBS or other digestive disorders should put into practice every day include:

• No processed foods


• No dairy


• Cook all veggies or fruits (with the exception of ripe, soft fruits e.g. peaches)


• Avoid red meat


• No caffeine


• No carbonated drinks


• No artificial sweeteners


• No high fiber grains or vegetables


• No fried foods or artificial fats


• No popcorn


• No high fat foods


• No egg yolks (I can't eggs at all. I'm allergic.)


• Approach legumes, such as beans, cautiously.


• No coconut milk (too high in fat)


• No alcohol


• No whole nuts. Make sure they are ground up. (I can't eat nuts at all because I'm allergic.)

There are many other rules that I live by in order to keep my stomach "functioning." I'll share them through my blog.

Here is one of my favorite breakfast foods that I do the half now/half later strategy with.

Hot Amaranth Cereal with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Cranberries

Amaranth is a wonderful grain with a sweet, nutty taste. It seems like I'm eating a dessert when I have it because it's so yummy. It's also a super grain, high in protein and even calcium. It's very digestible, and I never have any problem with it if I do the half now/half later strategy. The pumpkin seeds are well tolerated if toasted. You also can grind them to make them more tolerable. Note: I add 1 T. of ground golden flax seed but I had to work up to this amount over several months.

1/4 cup whole amaranth grains (available at health food stores)

2 T. toasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup cranberries, cooked until soft in 2 T. grape juice concentrate

1 T. ground flax (optional)

1 T. vegan rice protein powder (optional)

1 tsp. olive oil or other oil

In a medium saucepan, toast the amaranth grains in olive oil for a few minutes. In the meantime, heat 1 cup of water to boiling in the microwave. Add the boiling water to the grains. Toss in the ground flax and protein powder. Cook the grains uncovered for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Serve with 1-2 T. of cranberry sauce and 1-2 T. of toasted pumpkin seeds. But don't forget to split it in half first. Of course, this is not necessary if you don't have my problem.

IBS symptoms continue to plague me

This blog is continuing to evolve over time just as has my journey to try to find a solution to my stomach/IBS-like issues. I have suffered for years with daily discomfort and sometimes disabling stomach and digestive problems that doctors have labeled as gastroparesis (paralysis of the stomach) which is a fancy way of saying severe IBS. At the time I received my diagnosis, I was happy because at least I had a name to put with my symptoms. But then there came the shrugs of doctors' shoulders when asked what could be done to help me. There was no cure, no medication, nothing they could hold out to offer me hope for relief.

That left me with only one solution. Begin my own search for answers and remedies. I have been pointed in many directions by naturopaths, other "experts" and well-meaning friends who believed they would be able to solve or at least lessen my symptoms. Some of these side journeys have been beneficial, such as uncovering food allergies through elimination or rotation diets.

It was on one of these side journeys that I began this blog as a chronicle of my experiences on a rotation diet. Now I realize that despite my hopes, the rotation diet won't be a solution but rather another piece in the puzzle to improving my condition. That's not to say that I won't continue to follow a diet free of the food allergens that aggravate my condition.

In future blog entries, I will address my ongoing experiences in looking for ways to improve/reduce my gastroparesis, IBS symptoms, maintain good health and eat well. I believe, by way of experience, I have become something of an expert and want to share whatever I can that will help others. In the meantime, I am keeping the faith that this journey will lead me to improved well-being. And my animal companions always keep me smiling.

Gluten-free chocolate (or carob) peppermint ice cream sandwiches for Valentine's Day

We still have snow on the ground but Valentine's Day is coming. But today is cold and blustery again. I'm sure hoping spring is almost here especially after the long winter we've had in Idaho with nearly double our normal snowfall. I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day more than usual this year as a great way to celebrate friends and loved ones, and the coming of spring.

Here's what pumpkin does on a cold winter day.

Today I'm craving chocolate and mint. Give me anything with chocolate and mint, and I'll be your valentine. Actually give me mint chocolate any day of the week. Carob will do the trick too. I modified a recipe from a cookbook, called Eating for IBS, by Heather Von Vorous, for peppermint ice cream sandwiches to make them gluten-free and egg-free. They are absolutely delicious, easy to make, and safe if you have digestive issues. I have to hide them from the non-allergic folks in my household because they would disappear faster than you can say, "Yummy!"





Gluten-free Chocolate (or Carob)Peppermint Ice Cream Sandwiches

(makes about 4-6 sandwiches, depending on how large you make them)

For the "ice cream:"

1/2 cup granulated organic sugar
1 T. tapioca starch (or corn starch)
2 1/3 cups vanilla or plain rice milk (or soy milk)
egg replacer for 2 eggs (or egg whites from two eggs)
1 tsp. peppermint extract


Prepare the egg replacer, whisking until foamy. Set aside. In a large saucepan, whisk together sugar and tapioca starch. Then whisk in the rice milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently, and boil whisking constantly for one minute. Remove from heat. Whisk several spoonfuls of hot rice milk mixture into the egg replacer. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan of hot rice milk. Return the pan to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture returns to a boil. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Place in the refrigerator to chill until freezing in an ice cream maker. Or as an alternative, freeze the mixture in the freezer and remove to let it thaw slightly just before assembling the sandwiches. Either procedure yields a tasty treat. Note: You also can mix in some "safe " chocolate shavings or mini-carob or chocolate chips to the ice cream mixture just before it freezes.

For the chocolate (or carob) mint sandwiches:

1 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or use carob powder)
1 tsp. g/f baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil (your choice)
1 tsp. mint (I really love mint but if you don't use slightly less)
egg replacer for 4 eggs (or egg whites from 4 eggs), nice and foamy


Sift first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and whisk together until thoroughly combined. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and egg replacer. Then add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and stir until well combined. The original recipe recommended covering and refrigerating the mixture until firm. I skipped this step and it works fine.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with cooking spray. Drop the dough by tablespoons, evenly spaced on the cookie sheets. Dampen your hands with cold water and flatten the balls into nice round cookies about 1/4-inch thick. You can make them bigger if you want "large" sandwiches. Bake 8-9 minutes until set but not hard. If cookies are large, they may take longer to bake. Keep an eye on them as they are baking. Remove the cookies from the pan to cool.

To assemble the ice cream sandwiches:

Soften the peppermint ice cream slightly. Spread some between two cookies. The filling should be at least twice as thick as the cookies. But I won't tell if you make it thicker. Press the cookies together gently. Put the sandwiches in a container and freeze until firm. When hard, wrap them individually in plastic wrap for storage. To serve, remove from the freezer a few minutes early to allow them to soften a bit.

I've been tagged

Lea has tagged me. Now that I have been tagged, I am supposed to list seven random things about myself, post the rules, then link back to the person who tagged me and tag seven more unsuspecting bloggers.
Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share seven random and weird things about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Random, weird things about myself:

1. My husband has this old dilapidated car that he says he loves but he always makes me drive it. The car is so bad it has a rock for an emergency brake. That's right. When you park, you have to get the rock out and put it behind the rear wheel so the car won't roll away. Several times, I've driven away without the rock and then my husband accuses me of losing his emergency brake.

2. I was called Susie Creamcheese in college because I was too nice and didn't do any wild stuff. But then I went on one of those college tours to Europe and got nicknamed Vino. I don't know why because I didn't drink.

3. I'm afraid of heights. Even a ladder is too high up for me.

4. But I'm not afraid of spiders. I've always felt sorry for them during the winter so I let them live in my house. But now my cat, Pumpkin, has ruined their winter hideaway because he hunts them down and gobbles them up.

5. I rode an elephant when I lived in Thailand. I wanted to buy one and bring it home but they eat too much, 100 pounds of hay a day.

6. My husband and I got rid of our TV when our kids were young but now we have seven TVs. We collected them all because our son was working at a place that went out of business and he adopted all of their leftover television sets for free. We've actually given several away but still have seven.

7. I used to build tree houses when I was a kid. I had five treehouses at one time. I wanted a different one for every day of the week but ran out of suitable trees.

New "taggies:"

Terilynn at http://www.thedailyrawcafe.com/

http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/

http://iamglutenfree.blogspot.com/


http://www.fatfreevegan.com/

http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/


http://myglutenfreecookbook.blogspot.com/


http://culinaryobsession.blogspot.com/

Snacks

This blog entry is for individuals, like myself, who want some healthy snacks that are low-carb and free of food allergens, including gluten, dairy, nuts, peanuts and eggs. Actually, they are quite yummy even if you don't have those food issues.

I have hypothyroidism, along with food sensitivities. To help manage my weight, I try to eat only two small servings of whole grains and one to two servings of fruit each day. Another words, it's kind of a low-carb diet, but a healthy one because I eat lots of veggies instead of tons of protein. As you can see, my cat, Oreo, prefers the low-carb diet as well. She wasn't supposed to be checking out the sole filets that were defrosting on a plate but you know cats. They beat to their own drum.

Avocado and Ground Seed Gluten-Free Snack

Gluten-free whole-grain tortilla (small or half a 10-inch one) such as quinoa, rice flour or amaranth

Avocado

Lemon juice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Ground pepper and salt

Veggies for the top (cucumber, baby greens, watercress, lettuce)

Ground seed mixture

How to make ground seeds: Get a jar, fill it half way with ground flax seeds, one-fourth with ground sunflower seeds and the remainder with ground pumpkin seeds. You can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder. Shake the mixture to evenly distribute all three seeds. Now you have a tasty, healthy seed blend that provides lots of omega fatty acids. And so does the avocado. Store the jar of seeds in the refrigerator.

To assemble your snack: Mash up one-fourth of the avocado with the onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in about one tablespoon of the ground seeds. Spread on your tortilla of choice and top with your chosen veggies.

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is totally vegetarian and a delicious source of healthy protein, fats and fiber. It's so easy to make, and the extra stores well in the refrigerator. With this recipe, you'll never be tempted to buy hummus in the store again. You can make it for a fraction of the cost, and it's healthier.

One 16-oz. can of garbanzo beans (low sodium preferred), drained and rinsed

1/4-1/3 cup of tahini butter (made from sesame seeds) Note: You'll find it in the peanut butter section.

4 T of olive oil

2-3 T of lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and ground pepper, to taste

Optional: You can jazz it up by adding chopped parsley or spices such as cumin and cayenne pepper

Note: You can make the hummus lower in fat by using less olive oil and more lemon juice. or substituting some white wine vinegar for 1 T of olive oil.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and puree into a thick paste. Scoop out the hummus into a food storage container. For one snack, use 2 T of hummus. Serve it with rice crackers, rice cakes. Another tasty idea is to make meat roll-ups. Spread some hummus on a slice of meat and roll it up. If using deli meat, select products that are free of gluten and other allergens as well as preservatives.

Blueberry-glazed chicken for Day 1

I think I've hit a milestone on the rotation diet. I no longer have to look at my rotation foods guide when I'm deciding what to eat on a particular day. This way of eating is definitely coming naturally to me now. It also has been beneficial to me. It's helped me uncover some foods that were the cause of some of my symptoms. It's forced me to eat some foods and try some recipes that are actually quite tasty and healthy.

I've also discovered that you don't have to be completely rigid about this plan. After all, we live in a real world and sometimes your family or friends want to go out to eat. Sometimes you screw up and forget to buy a particular ingredient(s). Sometimes you're just craving something that's not on the rotation plan for that day.

It's really all right to bend the rules a bit. Don't get stressed out about this. Use the Oreo philosophy: just curl up in a red pillow and chill. With Oreo's philosophy in mind, I've decided to alter my rotation of proteins to make it easier for me to remember and manage. Now, I rotate chicken, fish, turkey, fish in that order. Keep it as simple as possible. Same thing with nuts, seeds and oils. I can't eat nuts or peanuts (allergic) so I do sunflower and pumpkin seeds/oil one day, then olive oil, safflower oil, and finally sesame/tahini and avocado in that order.It's not perfect and not quite what the plan lays out but at least I'm getting those healthy mono unsaturated fatty acids.

Keep that in mind if you're considering using a rotation plan. The idea is to vary what you're eating, not to make yourself a prisoner to what you're eating. Your ultimate goal is to keep your body from deciding to launch its defenses against a food that it perceives as the enemy.

Here's a great recipe I discovered for Day 1. It uses blueberries and chicken as the main ingredients. I served potatoes (purple, yellow, white or red) and steamed zucchini on the side. My family loved it even though they're not on a rotation diet.

Blueberry-glazed chicken

1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup red cooking wine
3 T. maple syrup
1 tsp. dijon mustard
3 T. pomegranite juice
optional for seasoning the chicken: garlic powder, paprika, parsley (1 tsp. each)
1/2 tsp. salt and black pepper


Preheat over to 400 degrees. Bring the first five ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for up to 30 minutes. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Combine desired seasonings from list above and sprinkle on the chicken. Place on a roasting pan.

Wash and quarter potatoes. Toss with cooking oil and salt and pepper. Spread on a baking pan. Roast both chicken and potatoes at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Pull the chicken out and baste with blueberry glaze. Return to oven and roast an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve chicken with additional blueberry glaze plus roasted potatoes and steamed zucchini on the side.

Buckwheat recipes for Day 4

Buckwheat is another one of those gluten-free "supergrains." Actually, buckwheat is a fruit seed. So does that make it a "super flower seed"? Whatever it is, buckwheat is a nutritious food. The protein found in buckwheat contains the eight essential amino acids. It's rich in B vitamins as well as phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Buckwheat also gets credit for being high in fiber and flavenoids, and a good oil source of Alpha-Linolenic Acid (an essential fatty acid). If that isn't enough, it helps lower blood pressure and glucose levels, and reduces cholesterol. Sounds like everyone should be eating it instead of wheat. Some places where it is widely cultivated and consumed are China, Russia, Poland, Canada and France.



Get acquainted with buckwheat and its health benefits by giving some of my Day 4 recipes a try.



Shopping List: buckwheat groats (Kasha), buckwheat flour, buckwheat soba noodles, cherries, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, bok choy, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, shrimp, pollock.


Hot Apple Kasha or Bengali Buckwheat: see picture posted December 28
(for one serving)

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup kasha
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. cardamon seeds or coriander seeds
1/2 peeled, diced apple
1 cup water
1 T. apple juice concentrate
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon


Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add kasha (buckwheat groats) and seeds. Toast for a few minutes, stirring the kasha and seeds. Add the water with apple juice concentrate and other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until moisture is absorbed. Serve with milk, additional cooked apples, walnuts or almonds.





Shrimp and Broccoli over Soba Noodles

Note: Soba noodles are a delicious way to get your buckwheat.
Recipe serves 2

2 cups cooked soba noodles
1 T. dry sherry
3/4 cup paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 T. Chinese chili sauce (less if you don't like the heat)
3/4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 T. water
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups chopped bok choy
salt and black pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until tender. Drain.
Place the shrimp in a bowl with the sherry, paprika, garlic and chili sauce. Stir to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or longer. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the water, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the broccoli and bok choy. Stir fry for several minutes until veggies are tender crisp. Add the shrimp mixture; stir fry to another 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Cook for one minute or until the sauce thickens. Add the soba noodles, stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve.

Amaranth flour tortilla recipe for Day 3

Amaranth, another gluten-free super grain, is the staple of Day 3 recipes. Amaranth packs a wallop when it comes to nutrition but the whole grains can be a bit tricky to work with. It took me three tries before I realized you have to toast the whole grains first before you cook them. No wonder some folks and cats, like Oreo, prefer convenience when it comes to food as you can see from the picture. Oreo investigates a display of pre-packaged energy foods set up by my husband for a newspaper article he was writing.

Amaranth has an interesting history just like quinoa. Amaranth was a staple food to the Aztecs who believed the grain had supernatural powers. Human sacrifices to the grain lead Spanish conquerors in the 1500s to ban its use. As a result, the grain virtually disappeared except for in a few remote places where it was cultivated in Mexico and the Andes.

You don't have to be on a rotation diet or eating gluten-free to enjoy Amaranth. This alternative grain is both nutritious and tasty for anyone. Keep both Amaranth flour and the whole grains on hand.

Amaranth is amazingly versatile as I am discovering. You can cook it as a cereal, grind it into flour, pop it like popcorn, sprout or toast it. Before I discovered grains like amaranth, I thought that brown rice was the only whole grain alternative to wheat. Amaranth is far superior nutritionally with 15-18 percent protein as well lysine and methionine, two essential amino acids that are usually not in grains. It contains calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, and Vitamins A and C. Compared to wheat, it has three times the fiber and five times the iron. It also is credited with having two times more calcium than an equivalent serving of milk.

Main ingredients list for Day 3 with amaranth, and menus and recipes follow.

Shopping List: whole amaranth grains, amaranth flour, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, gluten/free baking powder, taro veggie burgers (Hawaii Taro Co.), fresh spinach, 1 red onion, frozen green beans with baby carrots, sunflower and olive oils, cornish game hens, olive tapenade, soy milk, toasted carob powder, frozen mango chunks.

Breakfast: Cooked amaranth whole grains topped with toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Lunch: Amaranth flour tortilla served with a taro veggie burger (Hawaii Taro Co.) spread with olive tapenade. A spinach, red onion ring and green bean salad tossed with sunflower oil on the side.

Snack: Smoothie made with 1 cup soy milk, 2 T. carob powder, 2/3 cup mango chunks.

Dinner: Roasted cornish game hen served with steamed green beans and baby carrots.

Amaranth Flour Tortillas

1 1/3 cup Amaranth flour

1/3 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sunflower or olive oil

2/3 tsp. baking powder

1/3 cup warm water

Mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix in the vegetable oil. Add the water, working the liquid into the dough. Add additional flour if needed. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 6-8 balls. Lightly dust a pastry board and roll out each ball into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Heat a heavy skillet. Cook the tortillas about 30 seconds on each side. Keep them wrapped in aluminum foil or a damp towel until ready to eat. Extras store nicely in the freezer.

Grilled lime salmon with avocado sauce for Day 2

On Day 2 I can eat corn or rice for grains so it's easier to utilize some already prepared foods. If pressed for time, I reach for Nature Path corn flakes or Bob's Red Mill rice cereal for breakfast. Food for Life brand brown rice tortillas make great wraps for lunch. Other foods on the menu for Day 2 include wild Alaskan salmon, fresh avocado and avocado oil, mustard greens, red or green cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, jicama, tahini or sesame seeds, and peaches. Below is the menu plan and recipes for avocado dressing, tahini dressing and grilled lime salmon. Pumpkin, at right, will do whatever it takes to get some salmon.





Breakfast: Nature Path cornflakes served with frozen peaches (thawed) and rice milk, and sprinkled with 1 T. toasted black sesame seeds.





Lunch: Brown rice tortilla wrap with grilled salmon, 1 sliver of avocado diced, and 2 cups chopped veggies, including mustard greens, purple cabbage and water chestnuts. Drizzle the wrap ingredients with tahini dressing, roll up and enjoy. Save some of the tahini dressing for dipping.





Dinner: Grilled lime salmon served on a bed of sauted chopped jicama, water chestnuts, mustard greens, and green and purple cabbage, and drizzled with avocado dressing.








Avocado Dressing Recipe
2 ripe avocados
1 lime or lime juice
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 tsp. sea salt
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4-1/3 cup avocado oil (or olive oil if not on rotation diet)

Scoop the flesh from avocados into food processor. Add chopped garlic and other ingredients and pulse until blended. Stop and taste. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Lime Tahini Dressing

1/2 cup tahini

1/3 cup lime juice

2 garlic cloves, chopped (optional)

2 T. low sodim soy sauce (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

water

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water to desired consistency. Store extra in a container in refrigerator.

Grilled Lime Salmon

1 fresh lime or lime juice

2 salmon steaks

1 tsp. avocado oil or olive oil

Dash of salt

Dash of black pepper

Brush the fish with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place on a grill pan and grill either in over or barbecue. When done, squeeze on some lime juice. Serve on a bed of greens with extra avocado slices and drizzled with avocado dressing,