What I Eat: Barramundi Fish and Roasted Potatoes

Barramundi Fish, Veggies, and Roasted Potatoes with a Side Salad

This beautiful selection of food came from HelloFresh (a healthy and inexpensive meal kit that I get delivered weekly).

I just recently discovered this fish and I love it! It is a wonderfully light and flaky white fish that seems to go well with just about anything.

For this dish, I seasoned the barramundi with a mix of salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and paprika powder. Then I just seared it in a pan for around 10 minutes.

I took some green beans and broccoli and sautéed them in some similar spices.

I roasted some potatoes in the oven. Just add a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper.

As a healthy side salad, I had mixed greens with apple slices. Drizzled olive oil and lemon juice made a simple and tasty dressing.

My diet is restrictive but it doesn't have to be boring. These flavors comes from spices instead of pre-made sauces that may have questionable ingredients. There are no starches or breading on the fish.

This complete meal is free of wheat, gluten, corn and all wheat and corn derivatives.

What I Eat: Veggie Omelet and Grilled Pineapple

Made this beauty yesterday. First I sliced up some fresh pineapple and grilled it with a little olive oil and cinnamon. Then I made a super healthy omelet with lots and lots of dinosaur kale greens.

I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread which is a gluten and corn free butter substitute. I love this stuff because it tastes just like real butter.

What I Eat: Veggie Quinoa Bowl and Peach Cobbler

I went totally vegetarian tonight and it was absolutely delicious. It was a bowl of quinoa topped with roasted zucchini, roasted chic peas, and tomatoes. I seasoned the zucchini and chic peas with some paprika, salt and pepper. Then I topped the whole thing with some green onions, fresh thyme, and lemon juice. Originally, the recipe called for couscous, but that's full of gluten so that was a big no for be. Luckily, quinoa is my go-to substitute for couscous.

I also had a simple salad I made from some of the veggies I had lying around the house. I put in brussel sprouts, cubed turnip, and cubed apple. Then I topped it with some salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.

I made an absolutely delicious peach cobbler tonight as well. I started with two bags of frozen peaches which I mixed with 1/4 cup sugar. Then I just added them to a buttered casserole dish. I used a gluten free Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake and Baking Mix* for the crust on top. Simply make the crust according to the package directions and then pour the batter over the peaches. Bake until golden brown and serve warm. I love serving it with vanilla ice cream!

*The Bisquick mix that I use is not completely corn free. It does contain xanthan gum which I do try to avoid most of the time. However, I do have a slight tolerance for it in very small quantities.

What I Eat: Glazed Root Vegetables

I've been trying to find some good recipes for all the veggies I've been getting recently. There's this company called Misfits Market. There's a huge amount of fruits and vegetables that never make it to grocery stores due to being misshapen or being an odd size. Often times, all of these foods that are rejected end up going to waste. But what's great about Misfits, is that they rescue these fruits and veggies and sell them at a great discount. I get a subscription where I'm sent organic vegetables and fruits every two weeks. They are always just as good as the ones you could find at a store, but cheaper and helps prevent food waste.

Unfortunately, Misfits is still growing as a company and can't ship everywhere in the country yet. But, luckily there are other companies that are doing the same thing. Imperfect Produce and Hungry Harvest are two other companies that also sell discounted fruits and vegetables.

I've recently gotten a lot of root vegetables that I don't normally buy. So, here's a recipe for a tasty glazed root veggie mix that goes great as a side dish. The taste somewhat reminds me of Thanksgiving.

Glazed Root Vegetables:

Ingredients:

   -  1 yam
   -  1 beet
   -  1 turnip
   -  salt (to taste)
   -  1/2 cup brown sugar
   -  4 tbsp. butter (or corn free margarine*)
   -  dash cinnamon








Directions:

1. Slice all vegetables and add them to a pot.
2. Fill the pot with water until all the veggies are covered.
3. Bring the pot to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes (until vegetables are tender).
4. Drain the vegetables and return them to the pot.
5. Add brown sugar and margarine; simmer on low for a few minutes until a glaze forms.
6. Add a dash of salt and cinnamon.

* I like to use Earth Balance margarine. It tastes just like butter but with less fat. There is also a soy free version available.

Going Gluten Free Made a Difference

Found this on facebook about how one woman found relief for her Crohn's symptoms from changing her diet. She went gluten free and found amazing results. The link is below.

https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/lifestyle-change-saved-life/?fbclid=IwAR0VOtsIKMipAMemLofH-iaLbQmwBB5o31XM1xD4tcV13yC3V810RlnKAbU

What I Eat: Salmon, Green Beans, and Za'atar Spiced Quinoa

This dinner was really similar to what I ate the other day at the fish fry. I had salmon again, but you can never eat too much salmon! I seasoned it with just some salt and pepper.

I also made some quinoa to go with it. Once the quinoa was done cooking, I mixed in some za'atar spice. Za'atar is a delicious Middle Eastern spice blend usually made of thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, and salt. I love to use za'atar in my cooking! It's pretty much delicious on anything. Try seasoning fish or chicken with it. Or, mix it into some hummus for some extra flavor.

I made some green beans as well. I just steamed them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. After that, I mixed in some butter.

I topped my fish with a yummy sauce made of sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh dill, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Then I topped the whole thing off with some dill and lemon juice.

What I Eat: Fish Fry Friday

What can be more delicious than Fish Fry Friday? Not having to cook is another big bonus! Although I'm gluten and corn free, there are usually still options for me when I eat out. I just have to be a little more careful.

Unfortunately, I can't enjoy deliciously crunchy "fried" fish when I go out with my family to Fish Fries. Fried fish is always a huge "no" for me since it's full of gluten. Luckily, the Fish Fry I went to offered some simple baked salmon. I got it with green beans and some rice.

Even when eating out, something simple like baked salmon comes with risks for me. There have been times that I've ordered similar foods in restaurants, only to flare the next day because I find out they've dusted the whole thing in cornstarch before baking. So always ask before you order. You can never be too sure and waiters are always willing to go double check with the chef.

What I Eat: Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

I literally eat this all the time for breakfast! This is similar to my usual oatmeal bar recipe. But instead of using just regular oats, I like to use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Muesli*. In addition to oats, it contains lots of good stuff like dried fruit, seeds and nuts.

Ingredients:

     -  1 ripe banana (mashed)
     -  1/2 cup apple sauce
     -  1 egg
     -  1 1/4 cup milk (or milk substitute)
     -  2 1/2 cup Muesli
     -  1/3 cup brown sugar
     -  cinnamon (to taste)
     -  1/2 tsp salt
     -  butter (or margarine) (to coat baking dish)
     -  chocolate chips (to taste)

Directions:

     1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
     2.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
     3.  Add the mix to a greased baking dish and bake until golden brown (30-40 minutes).

*If you are gluten free, always make sure to get gluten free oats and gluten free oat products. Normal oats contain trace amounts of gluten left over from the manufacturing process and are no good for people with a gluten intolerance.

What I Eat: Tortillas with Chicken Stir-Fry

I had some leftovers from a chicken stir-fry I made last night, so I had the rest for lunch today with tortillas.

Ingredients:

     -  1 bunch of asparagus (cut into bite sized pieces)
     -  1 broccoli head (cut into bite sized pieces)
     -  3 chicken breasts (sliced or cut into chunks)
     -  3 garlic cloves (minced)
     -  1 tbs fresh ginger (minced)
     -  2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
     -  2 tbsp olive oil
     -  hot pepper flakes (to taste)
     -  gluten free tortillas (Siete Grain Free Tortillas*)


Directions:

     1.  Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
     2.  Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat; add the garlic and ginger; cook for about
          1 minute.
     3.  Add the chicken and soy sauce. Cook until browned.
     4.  Add the vegetables and cook until tender and the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
     5.  Add hot pepper flakes to taste.
     6.  Wrap it all up in a gluten and corn free tortilla and enjoy.

* I found these tortillas at my local Whole Foods and they are also available through Walmart. They hold together pretty well and have a very nice flavor. They are gluten and corn free and come in a variety of different flours. There's variations using cashew, garbanzo, almond flour and more.

Diet Alone Helps Children with Crohn's

Below is a link to an article from a Crohn's study done at the Seattle Children's Hospital. Treating children with Crohn's through diet only. In this case they used the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. This diet is similar to mine but more restrictive. They had remarkable results! Hopefully there will be more studies in the future.


https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/novel-diet-therapy-helps-children-with-crohns-disease-and-ulcerative-colitis-reach-remission/

A Possible Link Between Crohn's and Parkinson's Disease

I came upon an interesting article today. There seems to be new research out about the connection between Parkinson's and Crohn's disease. This was pretty interesting for me because I just so happen to have both. Below is a link to the original article.

Parkinson's disease is considered a nervous system disorder. It is a progressive disorder where certain nerves in the brain begin to break down. This disease is generally characterized by muscle tremors and rigidity. Pretty different than Crohn's disease, but scientists have discovered a genetic connection.

Gene mutations play a huge role in the development of many diseases. Scientists study these genetic mutations and the effects they have in order to better understand the diseases they cause and how to prevent and control them. Crohn's disease is a complex disorder and the presence of particular gene mutations are believed to play a role in the development of Crohn's. There are also gene mutations that are associated with Parkinson's disease.

The study found that among the Ashkenazi Jewish population, those with Crohn's were much more likely to carry specific LRRK2 gene mutation. There were two distinct mutations of the LRRK2 gene. A 'risk' mutation and a 'protective' mutation. The risk mutation was significantly more common in patients with Crohn's, while the protective mutation was more common in those without Crohn's. What's significant about this, is that having the risk mutation in the LRRK2 gene is a major risk factor for developing Parkinson's disease.

So, people who have Crohn's and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry are more likely to have the risk mutation that is considered to be a major risk factor in the development of Parkinson's disease. Two diseases that are, on the surface, unrelated were proven to be at least somewhat connected by genetics.

This was pretty interesting for me personally, because I just happen to have both diseases and am of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180111141608.htm

What I Eat: Tofu and Chex Cereal

I just had a delicious breakfast yesterday. I took some sliced extra firm tofu and wrapped it up in paper towels to get rid of as much moistures as I could. Then, I fried them in olive oil, gluten free soy sauce, and powdered turmeric.

With the tofu, I also had a bowl of Cinnamon Chex Gluten Free Cereal. 

This was a good meal since I got my protein as well as a gluten free carb.

I also had a grapefruit, which is not shown.

What I Eat: Spicy Shrimp with Veggies and Rice

For dinner tonight, I had pan seared shrimp with lemon butter and some hot pepper flakes. I also made some sautéed broccoli, zucchini, and kale. Then, I just made some rice mixed with green onions and butter. It was a really simple meal to make, but it was delicious!

Please note: The only flavorings in this dinner came from butter, lemon, hot pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. The best way to avoiding any allergens is to use simple ingredients. Just because a meal uses simple foods, it doesn't make it boring!