Q and A

Apparently I've deleted my Questions and Answers blog post. It was full of what, why, and how information. I'll be sure to rewrite something along the same lines and have it posted in the next day or so.

Apple Muffins (mini cakes)

Tonight I made SCD Apple Muffins.  I'm not sure how, but we don't own a muffin pan (we've outgrown our kitchen x3, but no muffin pan)..... so I had the choice of super-mini muffins and mini square "cakes".  I chose the cakes.

Square "muffin" pan

((Okay, I have to admit that I was just making a recipe card AND I realized I didn't add any vanilla.  OOPS!))

The recipe says 25 minutes, but I pulled mine at about 35 minutes.  They weren't done and I think it may be due to the size of my cakes or maybe our oven.  I would say to keep an eye on them starting at around 20 minutes.

The verdict:  YUM!
Time: prep 10 minutes / cook time 35 minutes
Revisions: 
used square mini cake pan instead of muffin tin 
forgot vanilla
Meal: great for breakfast

Even after 35 minutes they were still soft and fell apart.  They tasted good even w/o the vanilla.  I might cut back on the butter next time. 

"cake" form

 I actually ended up smooshing the cake and it tasted a lot like a breakfast-ish oatmeal-ish type thing. I would definitely make it and eat it for breakfast.  I'm hoping that they keep and I will be able to eat them over the next couple of days.

"oatmeal" form

Recipe storage

I began sorting and storing my SCD recipes with Google Drive.  I put them in a "sheets" (excel) doc, but just wasn't satisfied with the results.  After searching the google I came across a really great website.....

onetsp.com

You can store up to 150 recipes for free!!!  There is the option to upgrade to unlimited storage for $5.00 a year.  I hate paying for this sort of thing, but if I get to 150 I may consider it.  At the end of the day $5.00 is well worth it.  So far I have 47 recipes saved!  It's super easy to use.  There is even an option to add your ingredients to a Shopping List.

Here's the setup for adding a recipe-

Title

Description

Ingredients

One ingredient per line.

Instructions

One step per line. Do not use numbers, bullets, or dashes for each line.

Notes

Variations, optional ingredients, helpful tips, or any other useful notes.


Yield and times

Yield

 (e.g. "4 servings" or "3 dozen cookies")

Prep time

(in minutes, or HH:MM)

Cook time

(in minutes, or HH:MM)

Total time

(in minutes, or HH:MM)


Recipe source

Web address

If you got this recipe from another web site, enter the original URL here (e.g. http://example.com/recipe/cupcakes.html):

Source

Where did you get this recipe (e.g. "Mom," "Food and Wine Magazine," "Newspaper"

Tags

Tags

"Tags" are like keywords or folders that help to organize your recipes into groups or categories. Separate each tag by a space (e.g.: "chicken casserole onedish").

An example of a recipe-

BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs. chicken, cut up
• 2 cups club soda
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1/4 vinegar
• 2 teaspoons instant minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/4 dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Place chicken in lightly greased baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered at 350 F (175 C) for 1 hour or until done, basting frequently.

Here's what the Shopping List looks like- 

Shopping List

Apple Muffins

REMOVE 1/2 cup melted butter

REMOVE 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

REMOVE 1/4 cup honey (or to taste)

REMOVE 1 cup nut flour

REMOVE 2 eggs

REMOVE 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

REMOVE 1 teaspoon vanilla

REMOVE 1 large peeled apple, diced 

REMOVE cinnamon to taste

BBQ Chicken

REMOVE 2-3 lbs. chicken, cut up

REMOVE 2 cups club soda

REMOVE 6 oz. tomato paste

REMOVE 1/4 vinegar

REMOVE 2 teaspoons instant minced onion

REMOVE 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

REMOVE 1/4 dry mustard

REMOVE 1/4 teaspoon salt

REMOVE 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

REMOVE 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Other items

 

"tv dinners"

While doing research, I came across a blog called livinglavidamama.  This mom (Angela) is using SCD to improve her daughter's autistic-like symptoms.  You can imagine how difficult it must be to stay committed to a particular way of eating for only one person in your home.  So, Angela makes freezer meals.

             "When it gets too complicated to make so many different kinds of foods, or when we're                        
                   having company, or going to someone's house, I can just pop one of these in the oven for                  
                  about 20 minutes, and have a complete, SCD meal ready for her."

Although Angela uses these metal containers.... I prefer glass.  I've been looking and looking for a particular dish that I have in mind.  Apparently it doesn't exist.  With that said.... I LOVE PYREX.  Thankfully, I already own pretty much every shape and size of Pyrex dish!  They're not divided, but they may be my best bet.  I also came across these cute little CorningWare Pop-ins.  

       

They have the little cups at a huge discount on their website, but the flat dish is out-of-stock.  So, I may drive out to the outlet mall and check out the selection at the World Kitchen Outlet.  (World Kitchen is the parent company of CorningWare, pyrex, Corelle, Chicago Cutlery, snapware, and Baker's Secret)

I really think these "tv dinners" are going to be a tremendous help.  There's the fact that we will be planning meals a week in advance (not that Scott doesn't already do that) and that Scott won't be sticking as close to SCD as I am.  Sure, he'll still cook our dinners if we're having the same thing, but no need for him to overexert himself on multiple types of meals each night.  Plus I'm not going to  be able to just stop at Chipotle if I want.  HAHA.

Thank you Angela for your wonderful blog and incredible freezer meals idea!!!!

You can check out her blog here
http://www.livinglavidamama.com/2009/02/scd-freezer-cooking.html

more recipes

I'm adding more and more SCD recipes to my list!  They are going to be trial and error, but I'm really excited to get started.

tomato basil sauce	Dill/Sundried Tomato bread	coconut flour bread	sundried tomato basil chips
parm "flatbread"	Cranberry sauce	butternut squash (pumpkin) pie	Butternut squash latkes
zucchini lasagna	banana pancakes	soy sauce substitute	Basil Pesto
tomato basil sauce	onion cheddar rolls	shortbread	butternut spiced chips
Lemon, Garlic, Spinach pesto pasta	crispy slow cooked duck	Gingerbread Spice Cake	Apple pear almond crumble
High protein cookies	Apple pie cups	Banana nut muffins	Almond flour pizza crust

good and not so good

Tonight TScott took me to a restaurant called Cowfish.  They specialize in burgers and sushi.  I went there to say goodbye to french fries.  They have these super thin fries that you can eat wth a fork.  They are my favorite!  I was also able to order their jalapeño burger.  It was a turkey burger (of course).

**Side note- I think I am going back to eating beef and pork.  It will give a lot more variety to my SCD meals.**

So as excited as I was and as much as I stuffed myself...... I fear I'll be "paying" for it later.  Before we left the restaurant I needed to use the restroom.  YIKES! 

 Maybe I'm going about this all wrong.  Maybe this GIANT MIDDLE FINGER I've decided to give my disease for the remainder of the year isn't in my best interest.  The word "maybe" shouldn't even be used in this conversation.  This was a baaaaaad idea.  

I guess I will be taking it easy for the next few days.  I still have every intention of eating a traditional Christmas dinner with Scott.  

goodbye donuts

Yesterday I said goodbye to donuts.  Well, I think it was goodbye.  I still have 13 days to before I start this new SCD journey.  

Honestly, after this mornings bathroom experience, I was considering skipping the holidays (dinner) and bypassing my "goodbye" list.  Having UC means knowing which symptoms are "normal" and I have never had symptoms like this.  Don't worry though..... oddly..... it is a "normal" amount.  It's just shocking.  

On a side note: I have been looking at SCD recipes.  Here is the list I have compiled so far-

Lemonade
Cheesecake
Olive Oil Mayo
Artichoke Dip
Chopped Egg Salad
Tandoori Chicken
Banana Bread
Banana Raisin Bread
Apple Muffins
Apple Pancakes
Duck Soup



I am actually excited to start trying these and sharing the experience with you.  

What is SCD? UC?

What is SCD? 

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet
(via scdlifestyle.com)

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is a group of foods which are grain-free, sugar-free, starch-free, and unprocessed.  While removing many foods that are toxic and digestively harmful the diet remains natural, extremely nourishing and representative of what our ancestors ate.  

Eating SCD is a way to "re-boot" your digestion and give you an overall health boost.  The diet will probably have you feeling better than ever even if you don't have any intestinal damage.  But if you are one of the lucky few that needs a bit of digestive support this diet was created especially for you.  

What is UC?

Ulcerative Colitis
(via cffa.com)

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the large intestine, also known as the colon, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers, that produce pus and mucous. The combination of inflammation and ulceration can cause abdominal discomfort and frequent emptying of the colon.  

Ulcerative colitis is the result of an abnormal response by your body's immune system.  Normally, the cells and proteins that make up the immune system protect you from infection.  In people with IBD, however, the immune system mistakes food, bacteria, and other materials in the intestine for foreign or invading substances.  When this happens, the body sends white blood cells into the lining of the intestines, where they produce chronic inflammation and ulcerations.