Salmon

Although there is no recipe for this particular entree (right from the freezer). Just wanted to throw something easy and very healthy in here for the days that you just don't have time to cook. For those who are on the endo diet, or ones similar, fish high in omega fatty acids are very important for our diet, anyone's for that matter. Eating salmon and fresh tuna no more than once a week (due to mercury scare) will benefit us greatly. So easy to prepare and the whole family is excited (my kids rave when this is made)! And if you are lucky to have leftovers - perfect over a fresh bed of lettuce for lunch!
The Brand is Morey's Marinated Wild Alaskan Salmon, freezer section at Costco.
Just follow baking directions on back.
Serve over brown rice, mangoes (or any fruit) and a nice salad.

Banana Date Cookies

I honestly ate the WHOLE batch! I did 1/2 a cup of dates and 1/2 cup of carob chips (I have yet to find carob chips, or any for that matter, that are soy -free, so use at your own discretion!) just to help entice my kids... but they never even got to try them. I ate them for breakfast, snack and dessert! Another idea, add walnuts- or other nuts!

3 mashes bananas
2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of dates (the dates really add a nice flavor)
1/3 cup of sunflower or olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake @ 350* for 20min.

SO easy to make!

Chips!

Kale Chips
What makes these chips truly satisfying is the crunch! The sound they make as you are biting into them makes these a perfect snack.
Simple to make!

• 1 bunch of kale cut into bite size pieces washed and dried
  
• misto spray with olive oil
• sea salt

Has any of you seen the MISTO spray bottle. Ingenious! I found mine at TJ MAXX. Just fill the bottle 1/2 way and pump it with air, ready to spray on anything! Great replacement for those chemical "PAM" sprays.

preheat oven to 350*, spread kale onto baking pan. Spray with olive oil and add sea salt to taste. Bake for about 15 min or crisp.
Serve. Yum!

Hot Pink Smoothie

Thanks Kaila for this recipe!
I added a banana, flax seed, and about a 1/3 cup of oats - to sustain me a little longer.

1 ½ cups coconut liquid (best raw, or from a can, both can be found at Asian markets) - I didn't have this on hand so I used coconut dream

1 large carrot (or 5-6 baby carrots)

1/4 of a medium beet, raw, peeled

¼ cup cashews

4-5 dates

2 tsp. vanilla

12 frozen strawberries (I only had 7, so I added wild blueberries)

optional: 1-2 Tbsp. hemp protein or SunWarrior fermented brown-rice protein powder

optional: 2 Tbsp. kefir or yogurt

Puree all ingredients except strawberries and hemp protein in BlendTec for 90 seconds.

Add strawberries and puree on high until smooth. Add hemp protein for the last 5

seconds.

Notes:

Raw beets are an excellent blood purifier, coconut liquid is packed with minerals and

electrolytes. Makes one quart, a 450-calorie breakfast that has 4 servings of fruits

and vegetables, 15 percent plant protein, and good fats in the cashews.

Homemade Refried beans & Tacos

I want to thank my family for all their support in this crazy new life style. Christian requested Tacos tonight for dinner, so here it goes...

Refried Beans:

• 1 lb bag of pinto beans
• 1 small onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 tbls olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbls chili powder

Directions:
Cook beans according to directions on bag. Once they have boiled add chopped onions and garlic, replace lid until beans are soft. Drain beans reserving liquids. Place beans in a food blender and chop/smash till desired texture. In sauce pan heat olive oil and add seasonings and beans, add enough liquid to keep the beans moist. Add sea salt to taste.

Tacos & Toppings:

• Corn tacos (double check ingredients some may have soy or other unwanted ingredients)

Of course, add what ever toppings you like, here are some I like:

• Chopped tomatoes
• avocado/guacamole
• cilantro
• diced red onions
• chopped red lettuce
• plain Greek yogurt (I did cheat here, but a great sub for sour cream, and I feel it is better than the soy dairy replacements they have)
• Fresh squeezed lime over the top

Enjoy!

Snack Time!

Finding a trail mix of sorts that is gluten and/or soy free and with out the added sugar has been a challenge. So, I decided to throw one together. Really simple to make, can't mess this one up and change it around to fit your likings!

• 1 cup of raw coconut meat
• 1 cup of raw cashews
• 1 cup of raisins/cranberries (no added sugar)(I did 1/2 & 1/2)
• 1 cup of pumpkin/sunflower seeds (I did 1/2 & 1/2)
• 1/2 chopped dates

Stir-fry Bok Choy

This is a real fast and easy recipe! Would be great with any number of vegetables.

• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons peanut (we are a peanut-free house too!) I went with vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic (about 8 cloves) I doubled this, can't have to much garlic!
• 2 pounds baby or Shanghai bok choy, halved lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame

  Preparation

  Stir together broth, tamari, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until cornstarch has dissolved.

  Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat side. Add garlic and stir-fry until pale golden, 5 to 10 seconds. Add half of bok choy and stir-fry until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes, then add remaining bok choy and stir-fry until all leaves are bright green and limp, 2 to 3 minutes total. Stir broth mixture, then pour into wok and stir-fry 15 seconds. Cover with lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in sesame oil, then transfer to a serving dish.

Pizza Night!

It's the simple things that are the hardest to give up. I've played around with several gluten-free pizza recipes. Tonight's is an endodiet style adaptation from my cousins gluten-free crust.

Pizza dough:

1 ½ Tablespoon yeast

1 1/3 cup rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

3 teaspoon xanthum gum

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cup warm oatmeal, or unsweetened rice milk

2 teaspoon olive oil

2 teaspoon vinegar

Preheat oven to 425

Blend dry ingredients including yeast. Add warm milk oil and vinegar beat for 2 minutes on high.

Roll out onto greased pan, sprinkling rice flour when needed.

Make edges thicker,

Bake for ten minutes add toppings and bake for another 20-25 min.

For my toppings I sautéed red onions, garlic, and roasted peppers with olive oil, adding some arugula & basil to wilt at the end. I did use some goat cheese, one of my exceptions to the "dairy free" rule. Goat products are easier to digest and cause less inflammation than cows products.

For dessert, yes dessert!

Madeline made a perfect fruit salad, with strawberries, wild blue-berries, pineapple and banana.

Quinoa Salad

This is such a flavorful, yummy salad!

Quinoa Salad Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup peas
  
• 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 celery sliced thin
  
• 1/2 green or red pepper, sliced thin
• 1 medium ripe tomato
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  
• Options: Chopped scallions, dried unsweetened cranberries
• Dressing:
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • fresh minced garlic, minced fresh ginger

    Quinoa Salad Directions

    1. The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated if you like
    2. Soak the quinoa 15 minutes in cold water
    3. Rinse thoroughly, pour off most of the water and drain through a large fine mesh strainer
    4. Place in 2 qt pot with the water, salt and oil
    5. Bring to a full boil
    6. Cover the pot, let boil another minute, turn the heat down to very low, and cook for 15 minutes
    7. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on
    8. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool. Setting the pan in a sink full of cold water cools the quinoa quickly
    9. Steam the carrots and green veg for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, drain, rinse in cold water and drain again
    10. Chop the tomatoes, herb and cucumber
    11. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
    12. Gently combine veggies, seeds, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
    13. Cover and chill

What is endometrioisis?

I have had it explained to me several ways. One of the recent Dr.s described it as a cancer (but not fatal but life consuming) where the cells grow and take over its surrounding organs. Like cancer, there is NO cure. And they do not know the exact cause of this disease as well. Most common speculation is that when the endometrium that grows naturally inside the uterus, sheds like during menstruation , somehow the blood and tissue flows out of the fallopian tubes and attaches itself on to other organs inside the abdomen causing adhesion and scar tissue. Other ideas is that it simply travels through the blood or the lymph nodes. This is why a hysterectomy may not always solve the problem. Endometrioisis can cause a number of symptoms. Infertility being the most devastating. Chronic pain, digestive problems, acne, depression and mood changes. The list goes on.
The reason, at this point, that I ma choosing diet changes over hormones or a hysterectomy is simply because I feel that I would be changing one set of issues for another. If your body is producing way to much estrogen than why would you go to the other extreme and take away all of the estrogen? I know that there is a lot more to it and that they can chemically replace some of the missing estrogen, without even going into all the side effects, I am just interested in a more natural change. I LOVE being in control, and I hope that's what this diet will allow me to do. Take control!