MY HUSBAND'S FAVORITE MEXICAN CASSEROLE - THEN AND NOW

My husband loves casseroles and Mexican food and anything covered in cheese, probably even cheese covered in cheese. His favorite dish growing up his Mom called "Oklahoma casserole". My mother in law told me how to make it early in our marriage and it was a staple in our home for over 20 years. My boys loved it as well. Since we eat less processed food these days, I had to find a way to keep an old family favorite, but make it a little healthier.

ORIGINAL RECIPE

2 pounds ground beef 

1 can Spanish rice

1 can Ranch Style beans

Shredded cheddar cheese
FYI - I usually added a can of Rotel tomatoes

Brown the ground beef, add the rice & beans & mix well. Pour into casserole dish. Top with cheese and bake in 350 degree oven about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly. 

HEALTHIER VERSION

2 pounds lean ground beef
onion, diced

1 cup brown rice

1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 or 2 wedges of Laughing Cow garlic & herb cheese

1 can Ranch Style beans

Garlic, minced or garlic salt

Cumin

Chili powder

Place ground beef and onion in skillet (if it's too lean add a little coconut oil to the skillet) and cook until meat is brown and onions are tender. I season my ground beef with garlic salt or add minced garlic and salt, just whatever I have on hand. 

SPANISH RICE - While beef is cooking, cook rice according to directions. When rice is done, add tomatoes (juice & all), Laughing Cow cheese and mix together thoroughly. Then add garlic salt (or just salt and pepper, whatever your taste buds prefer), cumin and chili powder to taste. I don't measure much. I just put a few dashes of cumin and chili powder then mix it all together and taste. If it taste like it needs more, I add a little more. But be careful a little bit of cumin goes a long way. You could also add cilantro if your family likes it. We do not like cilantro.

NOTE: Adjust it to your taste. You don't have to add the Laughing Cow cheese to the rice if you don't want to. And I know that it is more processed than all natural cheese, but I love it and I love the flavor that it gives to the rice. My family LOVES garlic, but maybe your family doesn't. You can also add more beans or more tomatoes, just whatever you want.

Add spanish rice and beans to the skillet and mix together with the beef. Pour it all in a 13 x 9 casserole dish, cover with shredded cheese (our favorite is cheddar and monterey jack) and bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.

Grant likes this casserole with "hoe cakes" or "griddle cakes". My Dad loved "hoe cakes" as well. My Dad fried them in about 2 inches of vegetable oil so they were very greasy. Then he buttered them! LOL. I don't use vegetable oil anymore and we really don't like greasy food so I just spray my pancake griddle with coconut oil spray. For "hoe cakes", I use the recipe on the back of the Quaker yellow cornmeal box, but I make these changes:

1 use more cornmeal and less flour (I ALWAYS use ORGANIC UNBLEACHED flour). On the box - I use the measurement for flour for the cornmeal and the cornmeal measurement for the flour. And instead of vegetable oil, I use coconut oil. I just melt the coconut oil in a glass measuring cup in the microwave about 15-20 seconds. I also use organic raw honey instead of the refined white sugar.

Get your griddle hot, spray with cooking spray (I prefer coconut oil spray - it is a LOT healthier) and cook them like you would pancakes.

I know that these are not the healthiest dishes, but we do live in the South and these types of dishes are what Southern people like to eat. We don't eat this very often anymore. I used to make it at least every 2 weeks, now I only make it a couple of times a year. But at least it has a little more nutrition in it than the original version. I hope you try it. If you do, let me know what you think.

Blessings to you & yours,
Lori 

SAUSAGE CHEDDAR BALLS

WARNING - THIS RECIPE IS NOT HEALTHY! But, it is worth indulging in occasionally. This is one of my most requested recipes and I am expected to bring my sausage balls to certain get togethers. They are also my BCF, Larissa's, birthday treat every year. When my boys were little, I would make double batches about one weekend a month, put them in ziplock bags & on busy mornings I would pull them out of the freezer, take out a couple for each kid, wrap in a paper towel and microwave for a couple of minutes, throw the kids in the car and GO.  Isn't that the life of every busy working mom?

My family loves sausage. I know it is not healthy, but it is one of the foods that my family thinks is worth keeping in our diet. We try to eat clean 80-85% of the time. We are very diligent about refined sugars, food dyes, etc. but we love food too much to ever go completely organic and we are too busy to be obsessing about what to eat & what not to eat all the time.  So, we eat sausage once or twice a week and we enjoy it. We do limit our refined flours also. I have tried using gluten free baking mix and tried brown rice flour and whole wheat flour for the sausage balls and my guys said "NO! Do not mess with the sausage balls!" So here is how I make the sausage balls that my guys, my friends & my family love. I have eaten lots of dry sausage balls. My friend, Diane, told me to add a little milk to keep them from drying out and I have been doing that now for at least 15 years.  I hope you enjoy them.

And I have to add, since I take Plexus I can splurge more without having arthritis and neuropathy flareups. I've been splurging more than I should lately and even though I'm not hurting and I feel great, I'm not losing any weight, so I've got to get back to keeping my splurges to a minimum.

FYI - I am picky about the brand of sausage I use. I only use Blue & Gold sausage or Braum's sausage. We love Braum's Hot sausage & it gives the sausage balls a little kick. The only semi-healthy change I have gotten away with is sometimes I will make a batch with 1 stick of regular sausage and 1 stick of turkey sausage. When you use turkey sausage you have to be very careful about it drying out because it has no fat. You can add a tablespoon or 2 of plain Greek Yogurt to your mixture to help hold it together. Also, if using turkey sausage only use 2 cups of flour instead of 3.

SAUSAGE CHEDDAR BALLS

1 pound of Braum's Hot sausage or Blue & Gold sausage
3 cups Bisquick
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk

OPTION - instead of milk, you can add 1/4 cup of Ranch dressing. Grant loves Ranch dressing & loves it in his sausage balls, but my husband does not.

Place sausage, Bisquick and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Pour in milk. Using your hands, mix together thoroughly (if it is a little dry, add a little more milk). Roll into golf ball size balls. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees about 25-30 minutes.

TIP - I wear disposal gloves to mix it up, then when I'm done, I just throw the gloves away and my hands are clean. :)

I hope you get to go out and enjoy the sunshine this weekend.

Lori

SCALLOPED POTATOES

My husband's birthday was a couple of weeks ago. All he wanted for his birthday was scalloped potatoes, pork chops and red velvet cake (I make Non-Red Velvet Cake because I don't use red food coloring, but it doesn't change the taste of the cake). He LOVES potatoes and he loves cheese, so scalloped potatoes are his favorite. Through the years I have tried several different recipes and they were all okay, but a few years ago I used Pioneer Woman's recipe and now that is the ONLY recipe I use. I don't even like potatoes very much, but these are amazing! WARNING - THEY ARE NOT CALORIE FREE! But they are so worth splurging on for special occasions. I don't know what the difference is between scalloped and au gratin, but we just call them scalloped.

Here is a link to Pioneer Woman's recipe

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/perfect-potatoes-au-gratin/

Of course, I change it up a little to add the flavors that my family likes so here's how I do it:

SCALLOPED POTATOES

2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 large russet OR 8 red potatoes
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons McCormick Hot Shot or pepper
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded monterey jack
Option - cooked & chopped ham or bacon are great additions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice potatoes into circles or diced cubes. I use red potatoes because they are less starchy and have lots of iron, so since they are smaller, I just slice them in circles.

Combine milk and cream in bowl.

Add the flour, garlic, salt, pepper (Hot Shot), basil and onion.  Whisk together well so that the flour is incorporated into the mixture.

Grease square baking dish with the softened butter.  Pour potatoes into dish. Pour mixture over potatoes.

Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes more.  Sprinkle the cheese all over the top and bake 5-10 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly.

TIPS FOR A BUSY WEEKNIGHT - I got these all ready in the morning before I left for work, covered with foil and put in refrigerator.  Kevin gets home an hour before I do, so he took the dish and set it on the counter to get to room temperature and turned the oven on.  Then all I had to do when I got home from work was pop the dish in the oven and let them bake while I cooked the pork chops. I think these could be cooked in a rectangular slow cooker also. I haven't tried it yet.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Lori

WHOLE GRAIN PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH COCONUT SUGAR

My husband's appetite is back! The last 4 years he has not had much of an appetite. He said nothing tasted good to him and of course, being on dialysis, he didn't feel real good most of the time. Before he got sick, he had a huge appetite. And he has always had an enormous sweet tooth. One of his favorite cakes is Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I used to make it with Bisquick and lots of brown sugar. So, since we have cut back on processed foods and are trying to eat more nutritiously, I decided to try to make a more nutritious Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

First step was NO Bisquick. Then had to replace the brown sugar for a more nutritious option. I've posted several recipes using coconut palm sugar. My family loves it! And it is a good feeling to know that I am feeding them a sweet treat that is actually nutritious and not going to harm them. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index so it is safe for diabetics. It is high in several minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Here is a link to a couple of good articles on coconut sugar.  http://www.naturalnews.com/030120_coconut_sugar_sweetener.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/280219-healing-benefits-of-coconut-palm-sugar/

WHOLE GRAIN PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup organic coconut palm sugar
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
1 - 15 1/4 ounce can crushed or sliced pineapple, drained

BATTER
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup organic coconut palm sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pineapple juice (from the crushed pineapple)

1 cup organic oat flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk

1.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch round baking pan; heat in oven until melted.  Remove pan from oven and tilt pan to coat bottom and sides with butter.

2.   Mix coconut sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon together and sprinkle onto bottom of buttered pan.

3.    Spread pineapple over sugar mixture.

4.   For batter - in a large bowl, beat butter and coconut sugar until blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla and pineapple juice.

5.   In another bowl, whisk flours, baking powder and salt together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.  I do it in thirds.

6.   Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

7.   Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.

I put 4 maraschino cherries on the cake for Kevin. He loves them, but he doesn't get them very often anymore. Now that we know about HFCS and red dye! Scary!
I know I don't take good pictures. Sorry. You can tell it doesn't look like your traditional pineapple upside down cake which is yellow or white. We have to get past that idea that white food is pretty. Most white food is not healthy. Whole grains have color and texture.

Pineapple upside down cake

VARIATIONS:
You can replace one of the flours for white flour if you don't like the texture of whole grain flours. But, please, use organic unbleached white flour.  At least it isn't loaded with chemicals like regular flour.

I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband did!

Blessings to you all,

Lori 

MY NEW LUNCH OBSESSION AND KNOW YOUR CHICKEN

As you know I try to eat as clean as possible. Being a busy working Mom & living in a small town, it is nearly impossible to eat 100% clean. I eat at least 80-85% clean. The absolute biggest chemical I REFUSE to eat is high fructose corn syrup. I am ashamed of our government for allowing HFCS to be in so many "foods" in the U.S. It is banned from most countries. Cole & Tiffany are still in Venezuala. They said that they have read the labels on the foods there and can not find HFCS in ANYTHING! But, Americans like to think that they are so much smarter than people in other countries. Believing that the government, USDA and FDA have your best interest in mind is NOT smart. It is all about money. If they really wanted what was best for Americans, they would do like other countries have done and ban HFCS, aspartame and hormones & antibiotics in milk to name a few. 

I have told you before how much I love Braum's. I'm not even an ice cream lover, so that is not why I love it so much. Braum's takes pride in the fact that they do not add hormones and antibiotics to their cows therefore NONE of their dairy products contain those nasty things. I buy as much groceries as I can at Braum's. I realize it is not organic, but I believe it is much better quality than other brands and it is cheaper than most brands, probably because there is no middle man. It goes straight from the Braum's farm to Braum's stores. Braum's has a new Chicken Strawberry Salad that I am obsessed with. It has chicken (grilled or crispy), strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, almonds, carrots, spinach and romaine. I have been eating this for lunch at least twice a week. It is only $5 & is a delicious & nutritious lunch. I drink a large lime water with it. Braum's employees squeeze the lime juice into the water instead of just tossing a lime in it.    http://www.braums.com/about-us/

I get really freaked out over fast food chicken. Really I freak out over some restaurant chicken also. Chicken can be one of the most processed, chemically laiden foods their is. Educate yourself. Know what you are eating. Braum's uses REAL chicken. It's not processed chicken product like so many restaurants use. For instance Subway's chicken is very little chicken. It is mostly chemicals and most of their breads have either HFCS or corn syrup along with a long list of chemicals. And Subway has Americans believing that it is one of the healthiest places you can eat. That is false advertising in my book. They should have to disclose that their "meats" and breads are nothing but chemicals. Here's a link to their ingredient list which looks like a horror movie to me. 

http://www.subway.com/Nutrition/Files/usProdIngredients.pdf

We do not have a Chick-fil-A where I live. I wish we did. They only serve REAL chicken. I was appalled to learn that all of KFC's chicken has MSG! Really?! MSG causes migraines for many people and creates inflammation in the body. 

Here is a link to Chick-fil-A talking about the chicken they use. 

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Ingredients

Here is a picture of my yummy Braum's salad. 

This beautiful nutritious salad comes with Poppy Seed Dressing which I do not eat. The first ingredient in the dressing is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! Why do they have to do that?! I bring my own dressing from home to put on my salad.

Educate yourself, friends. Know what you are putting in your body and what you are feeding your children. God wants us to take good care of our bodies. He put food on the earth to nourish our bodies. Eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs (from free range chickens) and wild game and fish. If the ingredient list is a mile long and/or you can not pronounce most of the ingredients, don't buy it. There are better choices out there. If we stop buying the nasty stuff and buy more of the good stuff, food companies will get the message.

Blessings to all,
Lori

WHOLE GRAIN BANANA MUFFINS

 I made these banana muffins a couple of weeks ago and they were a huge hit in my house and my office. This recipe can be made into muffins or bread.

TIP - Whole grain flours are not as moist as overly processed bleached white flour, so adding Greek yogurt to the mixture helps make baked goods moist and delicious. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of oil or butter which I changed to 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt.

WHOLE GRAIN BANANA MUFFINS
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-6 bananas, mashed
1 cup coconut sugar (or 1/2 cup Truvia or 1 cup brown sugar)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin cups or use paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Make a well in center of flour mixture and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).  Spoon into muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes.

I hope your friends and family enjoy them as much as mine did.

I saw this on Facebook the other day and loved it -
"You are what you eat, so your food should not be fast, cheap, easy and fake."
Pretty much sums it up. Remember to try to eat more of the foods that God made and less of the junk that man made. Your body will thank you for it.

Blessings to you all,
Lori

EGGS - FACTS VS FICTION

I have never liked eating eggs. I didn't eat them at all until I was in my twenties, then only scrambled and well done. However, since I've been on this journey to get my health back, I have become a huge fan of eggs. I still will only eat them scrambled. I just don't like the texture of fried or boiled eggs. But, since I found out how many nutrients are in eggs and that they are very anti inflammatory, I eat a scrambled egg almost every morning. Eggs have gotten a bad rap just like fats have. There are bad fats, but there are so many good fats that your body and your brain, in particular, need. A large egg is only 70 calories, yolk and all. Stop being afraid of eggs, people! They are nutritional powerhouses that nourish your body and make you strong.

There are good eggs and bad eggs. Those eggs sitting on the grocery store shelf that are so much cheaper than all the others are BAD. They are not worth saving a few cents for. The average grocery store egg is 3-6 weeks old. Those eggs come from hens that are kept in cages, not allowed to move, covered in their own filth, given antibiotics and hormones and the poor hens are stressed out. They are fed a diet of GMO soy and corn feed. Please please please do not feed those nasty eggs to your family. If I run out of farm fresh eggs, the only ones I will buy is organic free range  or Land O Lakes with extra Omega 3's. The Land O Lakes with extra Omega 3's are from chickens that are fed flaxseed.

We are blessed to have friends that share their fresh eggs with us. There is no comparison in a store bought egg versus a farm fresh egg. First of all, the store bought eggs have no color, whereas the fresh eggs are a beautiful yellow. Remember the more NATURAL color your food has, the more vitamins and nutrients you are getting. Farm fresh eggs have 2/3 more Vitamin A, 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2 times more Omega 3's, 3 times more Vitamin E, 7 times more beta carotene and 4-6 times more Vitamin D. Plus everyone knows that eggs are great source of protein. And EAT THE YOLK! There are valuable nutrients in the yolk that your body needs.

I cook my eggs in coconut oil to add even more health benefits. If you don't know about the great benefits of coconut oil, go to www.coconutoil.com and see for yourself. Coconut oil is another food that God created for us to eat in order to get vital nutrients that our bodies need. Some idiot in the 80's decided that coconut oil was bad and everyone believed him. I believe that God is the creator of our bodies and He created food for us to eat that would give us the nourishment that we need. I know I feel so much better when I eat REAL food that God created than I do when I eat fake "food" that man made in a science lab.

A couple of more great foods that God created for us is honey and cinnamon. The more I read about the benefits of honey and cinnamon, the more amazed I am. I have been trying to eat honey and cinnamon everyday. Buy local honey to get the most nutrition. Read the label. Honey flavored syrup is nothing but junk. Please use real honey. Sometimes I spread it on whole grain toast and eat with my egg for breakfast. Another favorite is to dip apple slices in a mixture of peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. YUMMY! That has been my lunch several times the last couple of weeks. It is very filling and satisfying.
http://benefitsofhoneyblog.com/health-benefits-of-honey-and-cinnamon

One of my favorite ways to make my scrambled eggs is with a handful of baby spinach and a little shredded parmesan cheese. Eaten with a piece of whole grain toast with honey and cinnamon is a great way to start the day.

You are what you eat and you are what the animals that you are eating ate.

Blessings & good health to you all,
Lori

FISH TACOS & CABBAGE

I LOVE FISH!! I love to catch fish. I love to eat fish. I don't love to clean fish. And I love to eat just about any kind of fish. I could eat fish almost every day. My new obsession is fish tacos. They are delicious & healthy. What more could you ask for? Kevin does not share my love of fish tacos. He also does not share my love...well, obsession with fish. He LIKES to fish and he LIKES to eat fish, he just does not LOVE it the way that I do. The last few months, I have made fish tacos at least once a week.

I usually use tilapia. You can use any kind of fish you want. My family prefers the mild flavor of tilapia. Tilapia is known as "The Bible Fish" or "St. Peter's Fish". It is the main fish eaten in Biblical times. Tilapia feed on algae and plants. They are not scavengers. It is a very clean fish. Tilapia has very low levels of mercury. The only drawback is that it is low in Omega 3's.

We love spicy food, so for Kevin & I, I coat ours in cayenne pepper. When I cook fish for people that don't like spicy, I usually just use garlic & paprika and of course, always salt.

I try to eat cabbage at least 2-3 times a week. Cabbage is very anti inflammatory and my body feels good when I eat it. As a matter of fact, after I have had my weekly "splurge" meal, I almost always follow it up with a bowl of cabbage to help clean my body out. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable. It is high in fiber, manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium, chlorophyll and has small amounts of iron and zinc. It is also high in vitamins C, K, A, B6, B1 & B2. Some studies have shown that eating cabbage on a regular basis significantly lowers the risk of breast cancer. It is also proven to help fight anemia & colon cancer. It detoxes & heals the colon & boosts the immune system. Doesn't that make you want to eat more cabbage?

My favorite way to eat fish tacos is on corn tortillas heated in coconut oil with cabbage, sour cream & salsa. So here is how I make fish tacos. It is super easy and only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. As always, play around with it. Change the flavors to suit your own taste.

NOTE: I use frozen tilapia fillets. I live in Oklahoma. I don't live by an ocean or sea. And I'm pretty sure the tilapia in my grocery store was not caught the same day it was placed in the window and labeled "fresh". Frozen fish is frozen the same day it is caught. That "fresh" fish behind the glass around here has probably been frozen and thawed more than once. I put the package in a bowl of hot water & it thaws out very quickly. Usually by the time I get my cabbage slaw & everything else ready, the fish is thawed.

FISH TACOS

Tilapia fillets
olive oil or coconut oil (I bet grapeseed oil would be good also)
cayenne pepper
garlic salt or garlic powder & salt
paprika
tortillas - your favorite

Fish taco slaw
1 cup shredded cabbage
1-2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1-3 tablespoons salsa

1)  In a small bowl mix cabbage, sour cream & salsa together. Set aside.
2)  Heat oil in a skillet. FYI - cooking in cast iron adds more iron to the food you eat.
3)  Sprinkle or coat fish with garlic salt, cayenne & paprika. Or whatever other flavors you like. Just garlic and basil is yummy also. I very liberally coat ours in cayenne.
4)  Carefully place fish in HOT oil. (If your oil is not hot enough the fish will stick) Cook about 4-6 minutes on each side.
5) Heat a couple teaspoons of coconut oil in skillet. Cook tortillas in oil a couple of minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Adds such great flavor to tortillas plus tons of health benefits from the coconut oil.
6) Place fish in center of tortilla, spread slaw over fish & eat.

This is one of the fastest, easiest and healthiest meals you can make. I hope you enjoy. If you love fish as much as I do, give me a shout out.

EAT TO LIVE, DON'T LIVE TO EAT

Blessings to you all,
Lori

LOVIN' YOUR LIVER

I've learned the hard way how important it is to have a healthy liver. At the end of my last pregnancy (17 years ago) my liver was failing. I noticed the last few weeks that my stools were white but didn't think much about it because I was pregnant and when you're pregnant, your body just does weird things. After I had my son and was in my hospital room, my doctor along with other doctors came in and started asking how much Tylenol I take and had I been drinking alcohol, etc. That's all that conventional doctors know that causes liver failure. They also don't know how to rejuvenate your liver, they will just say you need a transplant. I know it's not their fault. All they teach them in medical school is to hand out medication and do surgeries. They don't learn how to use food and herbs to heal our bodies and keep our bodies healthy.

A friend introduced me to natural medicine. She helped me research natural cures for liver disease and we found that Milk Thistle can actually help the liver to regenerate and heal itself. After taking Milk Thistle for a month, I went to the doctor and had my liver enzymes checked. The doctor was shocked that my liver was improving. I told him what I was doing and he had never heard of it before but agreed that it seemed to be working. After 2 months of taking Milk Thistle my liver enzymes were NORMAL. I continued to take Milk Thistle off and on for a few years, but life got crazier and crazier and I actually forgot all about it for awhile. Then in 2011 after feeling so bad for so long I went to the doctor and had bloodwork done which showed, among other things, that my liver was in bad shape again. That's when I knew that I had to take charge of my health if I wanted to be here to see my future grandchildren.

Here's what I have learned after lots of research on our livers. The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. It has many functions including production of bile that is required to digest food properly; stores extra sugar & converts it into glucose for energy; produces blood clotting factors; processes & stores iron necessary for red blood cell production; converts waste products into urine; metabolizes medications into their active ingredient; and numerous other functions.

As you can see, a healthy liver is crucial to good health. The American diet of fast food, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, chemicals and the numerous medications handed out by American doctors damage our livers. America is the unhealthiest country and that is very sad. Americans outnumber all other countries in people with diabetes, obesity, heart disease, strokes, etc. Americans eat the least amount of vegetables and fruits of any other country. My daughter in law is from Colombia. She told me that when they moved to America, they were shocked by how "fake" our "food" is and how few vegetables and fruits Americans eat. In Colombia their diet is mainly vegetables, fruits, rice, chicken and seafood. They don't eat fast food or out of boxes or plastic bags.

In order to keep your liver healthy avoid processed foods, chemicals, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Eat more vegetables and fruits and drink plenty of good water. NOT TAP WATER! Tap water is loaded with toxins and chemicals. I won't even get into all of that now. The best foods for your liver are dark green veggies, garlic, grapefruit, lemons, beets, carrots, avocados, walnuts, cabbage, turmeric, olive oil & green tea. If you have been eating a diet full of processed foods and/or fast foods or if you feel like you just need to reboot your liver, try taking Milk Thistle. It's cheap, about $7-$15 a bottle and can be found at any health food store or online. The only warning I have ever found about Milk Thistle is that it is a member of the ragweed, marigold, daisy family, so if you are allergic to those, you might not be able to take Milk Thistle.

Final thought, God created our bodies and God provided us with the food that our bodies need to stay healthy. God did NOT make aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, splenda, artificial colors & dyes, preservatives, etc. When we set our minds to eat the way that God intended for us to eat, it is amazing how good we can feel. It took me over forty years and having to be so sick and in so much pain that I could barely walk or function, before I finally "got it". I am amazed at how good I feel now. I don't eat "perfect" all the time. I splurge once or twice a week, but never twice in one day or two days straight. I try to eat "clean" at least 85% of the time. I love sausage biscuits & hot dogs, so I allow myself one now & then, but I make sure that it the only "bad" thing I eat that day.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2013,


Lori

BAKED BEANS WITH COCONUT SUGAR

I fully intended to post this before Christmas, but failed to do so. I hope you all had a blessed Christmas. Ours was different this year. My oldest son didn't make it home due to ice and snow. He offered to brave the storm, but it is not worth the risk. So, hopefully we will see him next weekend. There a lot of pros and cons to having grown children. The worst thing for me is that I don't get to spend enough time with him. We have always been very close and so this is very hard on me.

When I was growing up, my Dad's family would all gather at my grandparents' house on Christmas Eve. Grandma always made ham, potato salad and baked beans. This is one of my favorite meals. At Thanksgiving, the only thing I would eat was sweet potatoes and a roll until I was in my twenties. I didn't like turkey or dressing or mashed potatoes or cranberry sauce or pecan pie or pumpkin pie, etc. Yes, I was a picky eater. But, I always looked forward to Christmas Eve dinner. My dad always liked ham, potato salad and baked beans as well. So, after Grandma passed away, we carried on the tradition. The last Christmas Eve that my Dad was with us, he ate 3 helpings of my baked beans. He said they got better every year and now they were perfect. I cherish that memory. He died 2 weeks later. So now every time I make baked beans, I think of my Dad and my Grandma and wish they were sitting there eating them with me. 

I always used pork and beans to make baked beans. However, pork and beans have high fructose corn syrup in them! I know, CRAZY! Isn't it! So, I've been trying to come up with a recipe for baked beans that is healthier and lower in sugar. 

Of course, everyone knows that beans are good for you. They are high in fiber and protein and also have significant amounts of folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc and Vitamin B6. 

I've been doing research on coconut sugar and using it in place of brown sugar in recipes with great results. I live in a small town of 25,000 and the only place in my town that carries it is our small health food store. However, all of the larger health food stores carry it and you can buy it online at Amazon or Vitacost. 

Coconut sugar is much better for you than refined sugar for many reasons. Here are a few: 

*   It does not spike your blood sugar and is safe for diabetics; 

*   It is unrefined so it retains all of its natural minerals and vitamins; 

*   Contains Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc.

Coconut sugar is a great substitute for white sugar or brown sugar. Because it is unrefined, it has a grainy texture. If you want it "finer" just pulse it in a food processor a few times. 

   

So, here is a recipe for healthier baked beans. No HFCS, low glycemic, high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. And since we've upped the nutrition factor in so many ways, a little bit of bacon isn't going to hurt you, but it sure does make these beans YUMMY. FYI - bacon doesn't scare me near as much as HFCS, aspartame, and all those other chemicals that are labeled as "food". 

BAKED BEANS

1 large onion, diced

5-7 strips of bacon, chopped

2 - 16 ounce cans pinto beans, navy beans or 1 of each 

3 tablespoons yellow mustard

1/4 cup ketchup (NO HFCS)

1 tsp Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire sauce (NO HFCS)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar, but coconut is healthier)

Saute bacon and onion in a skillet until onion is tender and bacon is crisp. 

Drain the liquid from one can of beans, but use the liquid in the other can. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together including bacon and onion. 

Place in square casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 

NOTE: Before putting in the casserole dish, taste to see if any of the ingredients need to be adjusted. If you like them sweeter add a little more sugar or honey. If you like them spicier, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a shot of hot sauce. The great thing about cooking is that you can adjust ingredients to your liking. In my opinion, recipes are only suggestions and ideas. I very rarely go by a recipe as it is written. 

I pray that 2013 brings you many blessings including love, good health and prosperity. 

Lori 

THANKSGIVING AND WASSAIL IN A CROCKPOT

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Ours was different this year, but wonderful. It was a day full of family, friends that are like family, food and laughter. My brother had go to work that evening. He is a truck driver so he is gone a few days at a time. His beautiful wife went to Louisiana to have Thanksgiving with her sister, so my brother came and ate with us before he left for work. I am 15 years older than him, so I have always treated him more like a son than a brother. I am so thankful that God has blessed him with such a sweet wife that takes such good care of him. And I am so proud of him for being such a hard worker and taking care of her.

My new daughter in love is from Colombia, South America, and of course, since Thanksgiving is an American holiday, her family does not celebrate Thanksgiving. We invited them over to teach them about Thanksgiving. They enjoyed the food and even though they do not speak much English and we speak no Spanish, we are learning to communicate well. I think their favorite foods were turkey, dressing and broccoli & rice casserole.

That afternoon Kevin's Mom and Grandma came by to visit. Grandma will be 90 years old this month! She is moving a lot slower, but she still gets around.

Later that evening my dear friend, Jaree and her sweet girls came by to eat and visit. My heart was overflowing with thankfulness for all the wonderful people that God has placed in my life.

I started cooking on Sunday in order for everything to be ready to eat by 2:00 on Thursday. So, here is how the week went down:

Sunday - baked pecan pie (without corn syrup) and placed in freezer.

Monday - Made cranberry chutney.

Tuesday - placed turkey in brine (apple juice, orange juice, garlic, salt, pepper & thyme); cooked cornbread for dressing; baked brownies for trifle & made Cole's favorite chocolate crackle cookies.

Wednesday - Made lemon meringue pie, key lime pie, chocolate pudding for trifle and pumpkin roll. Boiled eggs. Took pecan pie out of freezer to thaw.

Thursday - Up early to get turkey out of brine & wash off excess salt. Baked turkey (stuffed orange, apple, garlic in cavity, rubbed olive oil, salt & pepper all over before roasting - juiciest turkey ever!).  Made broccoli & rice casserole in crockpot. Prepared cornbread dressing with sausage & apples; candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows; deviled eggs; Rhodes frozen Texas rolls (my guys' favorite rolls); put Grant's butterfinger brownie trifle together and made Wassail in another crockpot.












My neck decided to get stuck again on Sunday. Great timing! I have herniated discs, damaged nerves & all kinds of nice & painful things in my neck & back. It hasn't hurt that bad in several months, but my neck locked up on me and had a pinched nerve that shot through my right shoulder & caused my right hand to go numb. I am EXTREMELY right handed and had a whole lot of cooking to get done, so this was not good! I would get as much done as I could while Kevin was on the machine and when he got off dialysis, he would stir and mix for me. I hate taking pain medicine, but didn't have time to slow down, so I was popping Aleve and Advil just to keep going. I was in so much pain. I absolutely could not have gotten it all done without Kevin's help.

I didn't try to "healthy" everything up too much. I had way too much to do and not a lot of time to do it in and I wanted Tiffany's family to have a traditional Oklahoma Thanksgiving.  I did, however, use Truvia baking blend in all my baked goods. It is a blend of Truvia & sugar, so it's not sugar free, but it's low sugar. Everything baked up beautifully, except the meringue. As far as taste goes, you can't tell a difference in the taste or texture at all. But the meringue didn't get big & fluffy like it does with real sugar.

Hot apple cider or Wassail is one of Cole's favorite things. It also makes your house smell sooooo good! I make it in a slow cooker.  Tiffany's family loved it and so did Jaree's girls. Here is how we do wassail:

WASSAIL IN A CROCKPOT

2 - 64 ounce bottles of apple cider
1 cup orange juice
1 can sliced pineapples
1 or 2 oranges, sliced
5-6 cinnamon sticks
handful of red hots (optional)

Place all ingredients (including the pineapple juice) in a crockpot on low setting, or you can put on high, then turn it down once it gets hot.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season full of love, peace, laughter and happiness.

Lori

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

I've been playing around with different cranberry recipes the last few years and the one I made last year was the biggest hit with my family. I was shocked that it became my teenage son's favorite Thanksgiving food, except for chocolate pie. Nothing will ever replace chocolate as his favorite food.

I'm not sure what to call it. It's not really a salad, maybe more of a chutney or relish. Adding a little jalapeno and serving it over a block of cream cheese really put it over the top. The tartness of the cranberries combined with the sweetness of the orange and pineapple plus the little kick from the jalapeno is delicious.

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

1 - 12 ounce pkg of fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar or 1/4 cup Stevia or Ideal
1/2 cup orange juice (or zest & juice of one orange)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

OPTIONAL - chopped pecans or walnuts

                       1 jalapeno (seeded & chopped)

Place cranberries, sugar and orange juice in medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken. The cranberries will burst open and will spit at you, so be careful and keep little ones away.

Once it thickens, stir in crushed pineapple, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts or jalapeno, if using. Stir for a few minutes until thoroughly combined.

It will be chunky. If you want to leave it chunky, that is fine. Or, ONCE IT HAS COOLED, you can take an immersion blender and blend it up a little. You could also put it in a blender. This does help break up the tiny seeds that you get from the fresh cranberries.

Let it chill for a few hours or overnight. Can serve alone or over a block of cream cheese with crackers. If you love cream cheese as much I do, you are definitely going to want to try this.

NOTE: If you want to thicken it up a little more, add a little Wondra or cornstarch mixed with water. I found a great thickener online at King Arthur Flour Company. It thickens without clumping.

P.S. I just looked up chutney in the dictionary and it says chutney is a mixture of sweet and sour flavors, such as fruits, combined with spices. So, Cranberry Chutney it is!

Wishing you all a very blessed Thanksgiving,

Lori

TIFFANY'S GRADUATION & SCRUMPTIOUS SPINACH DIP

I am an introvert. I really don't like parties or being around a lot of people. But, God has blessed me with an abundance of wonderful friends and the best church family that anyone could ever dream of. So, I go to lots of parties, dinners & fellowships. Party food is my favorite kind of food. Little bite size nibbles of deliciousness. One of my favorite go-to recipes for any get-together is Spinach Dip. I always keep the ingredients on hand in case something comes up at the last minute.

Last Saturday, my daughter in love graduated from college. She is not only beautiful, but she is incredibly smart. She made straight A's in college which is a great accomplishment, but an even greater accomplishment since English is not her native language & she has only lived in the United States for a few years. I am so proud of her and so blessed to have her in our lives & as part of our family.

Tiffany's brother, Kevin, is graduating from High School this year also. So, their parents threw a party for the both of them after Tiffany's graduation. I made my Spinach Dip, but instead of serving it with crackers decided to serve it in wonton cups. I took wonton wrappers, put them in mini muffin tins & baked at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. They made cute crunchy little bowls to put the spinach dip in. I did not put the spinach dip in the bowls until right before serving so the bowls would not get soggy.

The only "bad" ingredient in this recipe is the sour cream and you can use light sour cream to make it less fat. Spinach is loaded with good nutrition. Did you know that spinach has protein? I didn't until I was looking up the nutritional data for this post. It is really low in calories, high in fiber, iron and Vitamins A, C & K. Also has Vitamin E, B6, folate, beta carotene, calcium & magnesium. And is very beneficial for colon & liver health, as well as being anti inflammatory. No wonder Popeye got super powers when he ate spinach!

Most people make spinach dip with vegetable soup mix, which is good, but not quite flavorful enough for me. I LOVE garlic! Using the Savory Herb & Garlic Soup Mix makes this spinach dip so much tastier. 
 

SPINACH DIP

1 box frozen chopped spinach (thawed & drained)

1 – 16oz container of sour cream
1 small can of water chestnuts (chopped)

1 package Lipton Savory Herb & Garlic soup mix

 

When spinach has thawed, squeeze out excess water.  Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl and refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Letting it sit in the refrigerator for awhile allows all of the flavors to blend together better.

Serve with your favorite crackers. Delicious served in a bread bowl. The round Hawaiian bread is our favorite. Or you can skip the crackers & bread & just serve in wonton bowls.

For the wonton bowls - I used a package of 60 wonton wrappers and doubled the spinach dip recipe. It was exactly enough dip for 60 little bowls.

Eat your spinach. You will be glad you did.

Lori

Reuben sandwiches - health benefits of sauerkraut

I have always loved sandwiches. Good bread has always been my drug of choice. For some it is chocolate, ice cream or anything sugary. Not, me, I LOVE bread. Sadly, I have discovered that breads made with white flour & high fructose corn syrup were the main causes of inflammation in my body. I started noticing that every time I eat white flour or HFCS my hands, feet, legs, etc. began to swell within an hour. Eliminating those ingredients from my diet has greatly reduced the inflammation and pain in my body.

I still love bread. But, I have learned to be very careful about which breads I eat. It is getting easier as more companies are realizing that consumers want better quality ingredients in their food, so they are making healthier breads. On a recent trip to my local grocery store, I found a Jewish Rye bread that was calling out to me. It is made by Oroweat with unbleached wheat flour, malted barley flour & rye flour and NO HFCS. I thought this bread would be wonderful to make one of my all time favorite sandwiches, THE REUBEN. There are many variations of the reuben. Some people use roast beef, some pastrami, some corned beef. Some use rye bread, some pumpernickel. Some use thousand island or russian dressing. Some use swiss cheese or other white cheeses. But in order to be a reuben the sandwich must be grilled and have sauerkraut. YUM!

I always use either pastrami or corned beef. In my opinion, roast beef is not a reuben and roast beef does not go with sauerkraut. But, to each his own. Also, my family is partial to Provolone cheese and we do not like thousand island or russian dressing. I love pumpernickel bread with mine sometimes, but Kevin doesn't care for pumpernickel bread. We do like a good spicy brown mustard with our reubens. So, here is my version of one of my favorite sandwiches.

REUBEN SANDWICH

Oroweat Jewish Rye Bread
2-3 slices of pastrami
sauerkraut (drained)
provolone cheese
butter
spicy brown mustard

1) Pour saurkraut in colander to drain off excess liquid.
2) Place skillet or griddle on medium-medium high heat.
3) While griddle is getting hot, butter both sides of bread.
4) Place bread on hot griddle. When first side is toasted, flip over & place pastrami, provolone & sauerkraut on toasted side of bread.
5) Place toasted side of other piece of bread on top.
6) After a few minutes, carefully flip sandwich over to toast the other side.
7) When cheese is melted & bread is toasted, remove from griddle, add spicy brown mustard & ENJOY.

Of course, if you have a panini or sandwich maker, you can skip the flipping over step.

I served with grilled asparagus on the side.


FYI - The only BAD ingredient here is the pastrami. Pastrami is a cured meat. Some people believe that cured meats cause cancer. I do limit my intake of cured meats, but for my body, that doesn't seem to affect me as much as the white flour, sugar & HFCS. So, again, it is all about choices and knowing what works for you.

Sauerkraut is SUPER healthy! It is anti inflammatory, anti fungal, high in Vitamins A & C, probiotic & cleans your "gut". I try to eat sauerkraut at least twice a week. And again, I only use real butter. The spicy brown mustard I use has turmeric in it, which is also anti inflammatory as well as being good for your liver & heart.

Here's a link to just one article on the healthy benefits of sauerkraut.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/374784-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-sauerkraut/

TURKEY SAUSAGE VEGGIE SOUP

My son's wedding is just a little over a month away & I am still not happy with my belly. The rest of my body is looking better, but that belly just refuses to budge! I tried cutting out all breads & grains and all that did was make my blood sugar drop too low and make me dizzy and light headed. Years ago, I tried the Cabbage Soup Diet. I love cabbage, so I actually liked it, but got bored with it after a few days. I have learned that my body needs lots of protein. So, I made up my own version of Cabbage Soup with a little turkey sausage and beans thrown in for protein. I'm hoping that after eating this soup for lunch a few times a week, my belly will be gone... or at least noticeably smaller.

HEALTHY TURKEY SAUSAGE VEGGIE SOUP

1 head cabbage, chopped

1 bag frozen okra

2 cups frozen corn

1 onion, chopped

2 tsps Garlic salt

2 tsps McCormick Hot Shot

2 tsps minced garlic

1-2 jalapenos, chopped (optional)

½ pkg of Turkey Smoked Sausage, chopped

1-2 cans Ranch Style Beans or any beans

2 small or 1 large can All Natural low sodium chicken broth

1-2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1 small can Hunt’s tomato paste

2 – 8 oz cans Hunt’s tomato sauce

In crockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add chicken broth, tomato paste, Rotel tomatoes & tomato sauce. Add water using your cans if you want. It all depends on how much liquid you want.

Add remaining ingredients, place lid on pot & let cook about 30 minutes. Or can turn on low & simmer for a few hours.

NOTE:  This is the basic recipe. You can add to or take away according to your taste. I also like to add chopped zucchini when available. I had about 1 cup of taco meat leftover that needed to be used, so I tossed that in as well.

You can add a bag of whole grain pasta or serve over a bowl of brown rice.

Super healthy & loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, fiber & protein.

*** I SPECIFICALLY USE HUNT’S PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL NATURAL AND HAVE NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP OR ADDED SUGAR.

Check the labels on the other tomato products & you will see either corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and/or sugar. Del Monte does have “Organic Tomato sauce”, but it is more expensive than the ones with the corn syrup & sugar in them.

Sweet potatoes, turnips & Grandma

I LOVE SWEET POTATOES! I always have. As a young girl, it made me very sad that we only ate sweet potatoes twice a year, Thanksgiving & Christmas. I always thought they were so yummy they deserved to be eaten more than twice a year. Luckily, my Grandma Allison loved them, too. She was such a great cook. I would sit on her kitchen counter & watch her cook. That is where I ate my first sweet potatoes without brown sugar and marshmallows. Grandma sliced those sweet potatoes & fried them in a skillet! I sat there drooling. As she pulled them out of the hot oil to cool off, I could not wait, I was eating them & they were burning my mouth, but it was one the best things I had ever tasted.

For several years, I have baked sweet potatoes and put butter & cinnamon on them. But the last couple of years, I have seen all the chefs on Food Network roasting sweet potatoes (along with lots of other yummy veggies). So now my favorite way to eat them is to slice them in circles, place on foil lined cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper and roast in 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. After about 20 minutes, turn them over. Absolute YUMMINESS!!! I actually like to use the same technique for almost all veggies. Kevin's favorite combination is potatoes, zuchini, yellow squash & onions.

Last night I roasted turnips & sweet potatoes together. YUMMY!! If you have never roasted your veggies before, give it a try. It makes all veggies taste better. I just wish Grandma was here to eat my roasted turnips & sweet potatoes. I know that she would have loved them, too. She passed away my senior year of high school and I still miss her terribly. She lived down the street from us & I would walk to her house everyday after school. She raised 5 boys, I have 2. She loved her boys fiercely, just as I do mine. There are so many things I want to tell her & share with her.

Fall is here. The weather is fantastic. Roast yourself some sweet potatoes. Hug your loved ones. And make great memories.

Lori

Healthy spagetti & meatballs....AND 37 pds gone

Happy October 1st! We are getting into my favorite time of year. Cool, crisp mornings & evenings and comfortable afternoons. I wish it could be Fall all year long.

Drum roll..... I have now officially lost 37 pounds! Praise God! I could not be doing any of this without His help. My pain is decreasing. I am moving more freely than I have in years. And I am just feeling better & stronger than I have felt in years. My feet still hurt, but at least it is tolerable & I don't cry myself to sleep every night because I'm in so much pain. Now that I'm moving better & the weather is so beautiful, I am going to try to start walking on my lunch hour. My hiney & legs are shrinking rapidly, but my belly is still not shrinking like I want. Hopefully once I start walking on a regular basis the belly will shrink also & now I need to tone up my hiney & legs.

Tiffany LOVES pasta. Any kind of pasta. Last weekend I made healthy spagetti & meatballs. On Saturday, I made a batch of meatballs. I used organic 90% lean ground beef to which I added a thawed box of frozen spinach, bread crumbs (I had been taking left over bread & putting in ziploc bag in freezer. I took 3 pieces of whole grain bread & 2 croissants & soaked them in milk then tore them up into the beef mixture), garlic salt, paprika, basil, oregano, parsley, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup oats & a cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Mixed that up together real good with my hands, made into balls, placed on foil lined cookie sheet & baked at 375 for about 50 minutes. After meatballs cooled, I put in ziploc bag & placed in refrigerator.

Sunday morning I put the meatballs in a crockpot. Poured 2 jars of Ragu spagetti sauce over them, then added a small can of tomato paste, a few tablespoons of minced garlic, basil, parsley & oregano & a little water. Turned the crockpot on low & went to church. After church, all I had to do was cook the organic whole grain spagetti. Everyone ate it up! Tiffany loved it. I wasn't going to tell the guys that I put spinach in the meatballs, but Tiffany noticed. But by that time, the guys were already hooked. Kevin & Cole don't even care for spagetti that much, but they loved it & said they definitely want me to keep making it. Who ever said that healthy food doesn't taste good is WRONG.

I hope you all have a wonderful Fall day and always remember that God is good and faithful... ALL the time.

Lori

Pasta & pizza

Just had a nice lunch with a sweet friend that I don't get to talk to often enough. We had lunch at Luigi's which reminded me that I have not shared about what I found I can eat at an Italian restaurant. As I've said before, there is not a doubt in my mind that white flour & white sugar are my enemy. The last several times that I ate them, the inflammation & pain were almost unbearable. Now, I have learned that since I eat clean and white-free most of the time, that once a week if i want a white roll or biscuit, then I eat it without any side effects. I have been to lots of weddings and showers lately & allow myself to eat just a few bites of cake. I think I have detoxed my body sufficiently enough now that it doesn't throw it into shock when I stray just a tad bit.

Sorry, back to Luigi's.... they have the BEST pizza in Ardmore. Before, I would eat 1/2 of a large pizza from there easily. One day I was craving their pizza so bad & then remembered they have eggplant rollitini and it is GOOD. Eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese, smothered in marinara sauce & topped with gooey cheese. And I have them add mushrooms. No white pasta! I can eat the whole thing and it does not cause me any pain. Praise God!! I realize that this is not a low calorie dish, but it makes me very happy. :)

I have also found a frozen pizza that I can eat. Amy's Organic has a pizza with a whole grain crust, no preservatives & all organic ingredients. I had the veggie pizza last night and it was absolutely delicious. I am so thankful to be finding good tasting foods that are healthy and don't cause my body harm & most importantly for me, pain.

Earlier in the week, I made shrimp fettucini alfredo using organic whole grain fettucini & frozen shrimp. I made my own alfredo sauce using butter, garlic, basil, parsley, REAL parmesan cheese & low fat milk. It was really good, but it was a little too thin. Kevin actually really liked it. He just said to make twice as much sauce next time. Lol. I'm going to have to play with it & see if I can thicken it up a little then I will share my recipe with you.

FYI - have you read the ingredients on some of the packages of shredded cheese? Hint - it's not just cheese. Most of them have added oils & preservatives in them.

The triple digit temps are finally gone. Fall is in the air. And God is good...ALL the time.

Lori