Christmas Soup and some stress-free Christmas dinner tips

This Christmas the headcount for dinner is 20. That includes two vegetarians, three big guys who love meat, kids who want leftovers, and me with my food allergies. By Friday night my fridge will be holding two turkeys, a ham, and 14 dozen tamales.

I get smoked turkeys from Honeybaked Ham, and I get two because they are about 11 pounds each. Another reason I get those specific turkeys - stress-reducing tip #1 - is that they are already seasoned to perfection and completely cooked. They are frozen, so you do have to let them thaw in the refrigerator for a few days, but instead of worrying about how my turkeys are going to taste (either concocting a brine or rubbing excessive seasonings all over them and crossing my fingers), all I have to do is get them warm. I don't have to worry about serving undercooked turkeys to my guests, and I know they will be delicious.

I only get one ham because much of the family doesn't eat ham, but I love it and so do those meat-loving guys I mentioned before. Save the bone for soup!

Why so many tamales? One dozen each of the corn and beef tamales goes home with the grandparents, and another dozen of each goes home with one of the uncles, leaving 5 dozen beef and 5 dozen corn tamales to serve and possibly have some left over for ourselves.

Wondering where I cook two turkeys, a ham and tamales at the same time? One kind of meat (usually the ham) goes on the grill in a disposable roasting pan and is covered with foil for a makeshift aluminum oven. The other meat goes into the oven, and tamales get steamed on the stove top a few minutes before dinnertime. Disposable roasting pans are my stress-reducing tip #2. The meat gets transferred to a serving platter anyway, so who cares about the roasting pan! As we eat I start consolidating meats into one dish and just crumple up the used pans and toss them in the trash.

Several days before Christmas I have to make room for all of this Holiday food, but I still need to provide dinner for the family. The answer to all of this is what I call "Christmas Soup," and stress-reducing tip #3.  The days just before Christmas are crazy-busy for me. I do an extreme amount of baking to create gift sets of baked goods for each family member instead of purchased gifts, and I also operate a daycare in my home so I don't particularly have the freedom to cook and bake all day. About 15 minutes of chopping creates this soup that will feed everyone for at least two days, freeing up valuable prep-time for me.

Everyone has heard of refrigerator soup or something similar. Christmas Soup is basically that, but if I were to say "cook all of the vegetables you have in your fridge," who knows what would happen. So, here is what I put in my soup today to clear out the crisper drawers. I highly recommend this combination.. it is quite tasty! I pureed some of it for an 8 month old baby who gobbled it up until she just couldn't eat anymore.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb	kale
1/2	onion
2	cloves garlic
3	bell peppers
5	ribs celery
5	carrots
3	potatoes
1	bunch parsley
1/2 lb	cabbage
	broth or water
	salt and pepper to taste

This is what I had on hand today. I buy the big 1 lb bags of washed kale pieces to make kale chips, and I buy 1 lb ready-made coleslaw shreds (shredded cabbage and carrots) for my fruit and vegetable (shredded apple, cabbage and lettuce tossed with seasoned rice vinegar) nori rolls.

Peel and/or clean everything, and chop into small pieces. Warm a small amount of butter in the bottom of a soup pot so that the vegetable don't stick while you saute them.

Put everything into the pot and cook on low heat. My stove works in 1/2 increments between "low" and 9, with 5 being medium. I cooked the vegetables on 2. Put the lid on the pot and let the vegetables cook until they have all softened, stirring periodically to help achieve even heating. When everything is tender, add broth and/or water to cover, and then more depending on how much soup you want. I used two 14-oz cans of vegetable broth and 4 cans of water (56 oz).

Simmer the soup for a couple of hours to let the flavors develop. When you think it's almost done, add salt and pepper to taste. I had this without any added seasonings and it was delicious.

I intentionally left out tomatoes. Tomatoes are acidic, and in combination with the effects of cabbage on some our guts, I thought it best to keep the soup mild.

The finished soup is easy to adapt to my family's individual flavor preferences with garnishes. My husband likes hot sauce, cheese and bacon on his, and one of the boys

*For a comfort-food texture, use an immersion blender on its lowest speed (after the soup has cooled!!!) to puree the mixture just a bit.
*Instead of potatoes, add 1/4-1/2 cup lentils as a thickener and a protein contribution.
*Milk, condensed milk, or coconut milk added toward the end of the cooking time will add extra richness.
*Diced green onions or cooked and crumbled bacon made gorgeous and tasty garnishes, and shredded cheese on top of a serving adds another layer of heartiness.

Turkey Chili

I came up with this recipe this afternoon based on what I had on hand. It got a thumbs up from everyone, including my 4 year-old who normally won't eat meat! This is a lighter chili, and not thick like most. My husband complains that the thick chilis are heavy in his stomach so he really enjoyed this version.

Ingredients:

1 lb	ground turkey
1	onion, chopped
3	cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp	ground cumin
32 oz	chicken broth
15 oz can	pinto beans, drained
15 oz can	ranch style beans, drained
28 oz can	diced tomatoes with liquid
3	ancho chiles in adobe sauce, chopped
1 tsp 1 tsp	cinnamon oregano
1 tsp	chili powder
1 tsp	salt

Over medium heat, in enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pot, cook the onions until translucent and tender. Add garlic and cook another minute or two. Stir in the meat and cook thoroughly. The meat does not need to brown but it cannot be pink anywhere. When the meat is cooked, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer (you should see 1 - 2 bubbles popping at the surface) for an hour or more.

Read the labels on the beans, tomatoes, chiles, and the chicken broth carefully!

Dangerous Food Decorations

     One of our greatest challenges here in Tucson, is to teach young children about seasons. It is also extremely difficult to convince ourselves that winter is on its way. I operate a family childcare center, meaning I provide childcare to a small group of children in my home. My 2, 3 and 4 year old children take life day by day, not really grasping the concept of seasons, weather, and seasonal holidays. Last month, the best I could do was let them stain paper leaf shapes in Autumn colors to mimic Fall in our playroom. Local xeriscaping doesn't offer any hints to the time of year.
  
     Now that Thanksgiving has been accomplished, and Christmas is on its way, I am feeling inspired to enrich the children with all of the holiday clichés, beginning with gingerbread men. I whipped up a simple (not GF) recipe from Betty Crocker for the kids, and then we scrubbed our hands and got to cutting out and decorating a village of spicy people. I cannot eat wheat, so there was no tasting on my part, but I figured I could enjoy a few of the toppings. To my surprise, my two favorite decorations were off limits, one being dangerous for everyone.

     First, I found soy listed in two kinds of sprinkles: CakeMate Decors Snowflakes and Chocolate Accents by Xcell International.

     Second, those little silver balls, "Silver French Dragees" have actual silver in them and state "For Decoration Only, Do Not Eat." One website said "Silver French Dragees (pronounced Dra-jeys) are those little metallic balls that we all remember on holiday cookies.They are safe to eat, but should be removed before serving because of the real metal coating. (That means they won't hurt you if you eat them, they do have a sugar center, it's just that the FDA has recommended that they are for decorative use only, and they are technically not a food item). They do add a beautiful and elegant look to wedding cakes, birthday cakes and holiday items..."

     Please be careful this holiday season. Do not assume that sprinkles and other treat decorations are safe to ingest. Sprinkles make treats look so festive and delicious, but they can be a real danger to someone with food allergies.

Get Custom Cereal

Make your own gluten-free cereal! Head over to customchoicecereal.com and get started!

First, choose your base: Cinnamon granola, organic corn flakes or my choice, "Good Morning Flakes" with a blend of corn, flax, buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth.

Next, add fruit, nuts and extras. I can't resist Goji berry!

The best part: a custom nutriton label as you go. It may not be cheap cereal, but I don't mind the cost when I consider that this cereal doesn't have any unidentifiable ingredients, and it has a reasonable amount of calories and a low fat content. The nutritional value is entirely up to you! 

Wondering how much you get? Compare the servings and grams per serving to a box of cereal in your pantry. My big box of Corn Chex has 12 servings per box and 31g per serving. The kids' Cheerios has 14 servings per box and 28g per serving. 

Potpourri

I recently posted a link to a Raw Food protein powder that I use. I was having  a hard time finding digestive balance, and even though I am on a very restricted diet, I was finding it difficult to shed the last of my pregnancy weight. In fact, I had bouts of gaining weight! In short, my body thought I was starving and it went into storage mode.  I love the protein powder, I feel the benefits and I will keep using it, but although I felt better internally, I still didn't lose weight.

In desperation, I went on the hCG diet. It sounds like an insane diet, but after some investigating I found the science and the logic behind it. I weighed about 116 lbs before my pregnancy and I walked out of the hospital in the 140s. Four years later I was hovering around 130lbs. I am 5'4" and narrow-shouldered. I was a plump, juicy pear until about a month ago. I could easily lose 4 or 5 pounds with a strict diet and an insane amount of exercise, but then I would gain it back again and start over. Nothing worked.  On hCG however, I am down to 120 lbs and no longer pear-shaped. The substance releases the stored "old" fat in your body to use as energy rather than keep in case of starvation or pregnancy. The 500 calorie intake sounds insane until you realize that your body is using stored calories too, so you actually have access to a normal amount of calories. I love this diet. Usually when I diet, I feel like death; I'm tired, I get sick easily, I don't have the energy to exercise, and I'm constantly craving forbidden foods. On this diet, I feel normal and I'm not starving. I have been able to get all of my tasks accomplished every day, I have not had any mood swings, and I have had a constant level of focus.

Why the talk about hCG, completely off topic of food allergies? I'm getting there.  The HCG diet recommends drinking green tea to facilitate the cleanse. Green tea is known for its antioxidant properties, but I would rather drink something that is naturally caffeine free. I fix myself about six cups of tea a day, which would be way too much caffeine if that was all green tea.

Today, I switched to Rooibos tea. If you feel that you need some antioxidant support, Rooibos is has it without caffeine.  It may help with skin problems, respiratory conditions, heart trouble, liver disease, diabetes, and immune support. It may be a good thing to add to your diet, to help balance your body's internal conflict. Take a look at this informative source, "The Many Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea."

I buy bulk loose-leaf tea from Davidson's on Amazon.com and one bag lasts a very, very long time. Because of my allergies to gluten, soy and peanuts, I gave up most processed foods and alcohol. My tastes have changed over the past few months and my understanding of what I should be putting into my body has grown. Natural is best. The closer you can get to the actual source of a food, the better. Food bars with 17 ingredients are not "natural" in my book. Larabars are natural. Sodas, chips, prepackaged meals and excessively flavored prepared foods dump chemicals and artificial additives into your system. You don't need and won't use those extra things, so why literally waste your energy processing that junk? We wouldn't use chicken soup to water our plants, even though the soup has water in it. Don't put unnecessary products into your body, and fight against the contaminants that do get in. Have a good antioxidant tea every day.

Soy in Kettle Korn, Street Vendor Popcorn

     It was time for another family day so we packed the family into the car and headed East. This weekend is the first in a while that we haven't had rain, perfect for a trip to a pick-your-own farm.

     Our first stop was Apple Annie's Orchard for 30 pounds of apples. We were greeted in the lot by man shaking caramel corn samples into everyone's hands from a container. I popped some into my mouth thinking only of how much I love caramel corn, and without asking what was in the caramel coating. I spit it out, gave the rest to my daughter, and moved on. I had a solid breakfast before we left and I had some snack bars in my bag. I wasn't worried about being hungry. Then we had lunch!

     The three boys had hot dog meals, my husband and my daughter had the apple-smoked hamburgers. That's all that was on the menu. I walked over to the handmade ice cream tent and asked if they had vanilla. No, they only had vanilla with apple pie chunks mixed in! They told me I could get vanilla inside the gift shop, but only on top of pie. In the gift shop they also sold fudge, a soy lecithin nightmare. Apple cider donughts were definitely not an option (gluten) and my husband had already asked the woman at the kettle korn stand about soy. All of the foods on the premises had obvious soy or gluten ingredients.

  I was shocked, really shocked, that kettle korn is a soy offender. They cooked their popcorn in soybean oil! I never considered the oil. Now I'm wondering what they use at the movie theater. I was puzzled recently when I had some of my son's plain popcorn at the theater, and I was still affected. It must have been the cooking oil. Always ask specifically if a prepared food has any ingredients you should avoid, never assume that you already know, or that vendors prepare their foods in the same manner.

     I didn't go without food completely during our outing. After lunch we went to Apple Annie's vegetable farm and I enjoyed some roasted sweet corn on the cob while we picked peppers, tomatoes and squash. I had a Trio bar in the car and we were home by 2:45. I had some protein when we got home and later had a delicious dinner of trout, asparagus and rice. In the end, it's OK if I have to pass on some treats.

     Many thanks to my husband who took it upon himself to ask about ingredients! Thanks to him I'm not feeling like a train wreck right now and tomorrow isn't ruined before it even starts.

Soy-Free Tuna Sandwich

I like Tuna. It's an easy protein mix-in with the added benefit of omegas. Yes, we have to consider mercury.  I eat Tuna once a month, on average. Even though I talk about it a lot, I'm not eating an alarming amount of tuna.

Believe it or not, most of the cans of tuna on the shelves contain soy. It seems silly. Why can't they just jam some fish into a can and sell it to me? Why muck it up with things they think will make it "better." It's like sprinkling sugar on strawberries, there's just no need for that. The reason canned tuna tastes so different than tuna steaks is because the tuna in cans has added broth (with soy) and/or other flavorings. I've kept my eyes peeled and have now found two varieties that do not have soy: Kirkland solid white albacore, and Starkist Selects. The Kirkland variety is a much better buy; the cans are 2.5 ounces larger and they cost much less than Starkist Selects.

Now we know which tuna is safe to eat. Next we have to do something with it. The most obvious is a sandwich. SURPRISE! Mayonnaise is made from soybean oil.  We've hit a snag again. Here's a tip:  A friend of mine mixes her tuna with sour cream instead of mayo. I've got to say, it works. When I first heard of it I laughed, because the topic of conversation at the time was how to make healthy substitutions. Sour cream does not fall under the "healthy" category in my book. However, if it means I can have a tuna sandwich, it gets a pass.

What else goes with tuna?

• Tuna on a green salad
• Tuna mixed into mashed potatoes (trust me)
• Tuna mixed with cooked and cooled ramen noodles, prepare as for soup but drained (or gluten free pasta), sour cream (instead of mayo), and a small can of corn. 
• Tuna on rice cakes
• Tuna with rice in seaweed wraps

Lifesaver

Organic Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder 

One of the major problems when dealing with food allergies is how to balance your nutrition to maintain optimal health. Addressing my allergies cured my stomach pains and my lethargy, or so I thought.  I haven't been shy about my state of denial. Since I don't have anaphylactic allergies, I wasn't really avoiding all of my forbidden foods as much as I should. Well, I avoided gluten because the pain is not worth a slip up. Finally, I'm proud to say that I've had it with the stomach trouble associated with eating soy and I am being more diligent about avoiding it. Unfortunately, this means that I'm hardly eating anything at all, and therefore I don't have any energy, I cannot exercise, and I have ironically not lost any weight. I would like to lose a little weight.  Really, how long can you call it baby fat? Not for four years!

My husband found a protein powder for me that is soy, gluten and dairy free, and it's vegan. It's not just protein either! It also boasts "live probiotics and enzymes" and a slew of vitamins. At only 80 calories per serving, each serving provides 17 grams of protein. I mixed mine with plain almond milk today, and it was not bad. I mean that in the literal sense, it did not taste bad. It seems to me that it doesn't really have its own flavor, so you have to give it some flavor in the mixing process. I added 1/2 banana and then it was delicious. I'm going to try it with vanilla flavored almond milk to see if I can omit the banana (one of my oral allergy foods).

Today is "day one" of supplementing my diet. I hope to have more energy and feel generally healthy, and I would LOVE to balance my system so that I can drop a few pounds. Check out Raw Protein by Garden of Life.  Read the reviews, look at the ingredients. It may be something that you could add to your diet too.

Eggplant Fries from Bon Appetit Magazine

Eggplant Fries

These flavorful frites are not only a clever riff on a fried standard, they're also lamb's best friend. The Middle Eastern accents in the za'atar spice blend pair well with the gamey meat and intensify the eggplant's flavor. After many experiments, Terzo Piano chef Meg Colleran Sahs discovered that a rice-flour coating resulted in the highest crunch factor.

6 servings

Recipe by Terzo Piano, Chicago, Illinois

August 2011

Ingredients

Dipping Sauce

• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped kosher pickle or pickle relish
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

Fries

• 1 1-pound eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 rounds, then into 1/2 -thick strips
• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons za'atar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more for seasoning

• 
  

  Ingredient info

  Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that includes sumac, herbs, and sesame seeds. It's available at specialty foods stores, Middle Eastern markets, and igourmet.com.

Preparation

Dipping Sauce

• Whisk yogurt, chopped pickle, lemon zest, and oregano in a small bowl to blend. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Fries

• Place eggplant in a large bowl. Add 2 cups ice and enough water to cover. Place a plate on top of eggplant to weigh it down. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Pour oil into a large deep pot to a depth of 2". Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of pot and heat oil over medium heat to 325°.
• Meanwhile, whisk rice flour, lemon zest, za'atar, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a medium bowl to blend. Drain eggplain. Working in batches, toss damp eggplant in flour mixture to coat.
• Working in batches, fry eggplant, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per batch. (Reheat oil to 325° between batches.) Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with lemon juice and sea salt. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/eggplant-fries#ixzz1SgfQ7AMd

Soy Free Tuna

Soy Free Tuna

Tuna is a big deal to me.  I work from home and I tend to work through lunch time until I'm starving.  Then the challenge becomes what to throw together really fast that has reasonable nutritional value.   Unless we have leftovers I have a hard time finding lunch.  StarKist Selects Solid Light Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the only tuna without soy.  Switch to mayo made from Olive Oil as well; regular mayonnaise is made from soybean oil.  I like my tuna sandwiches with a dill slice and some Fritos. That's a working lunch!

Shaking my fist!

I'm going to vent for just a moment.  Grr, I'm frustrated! I had a horrible stomach ache all day yesterday, and I am sure it was from a combination of too much soy and sneaky gluten.  I came to this conclusion because I am aware that I was being careless yesterday. I intentionally skipped over "caramel color" on one label, and rather than spit it out I enjoyed two pieces of Trident Tropical Twist gum with soy lecithin and "natural flavoring." I don't need to go into everything else I ate, just know it wasn't my best lineup.  Today, when I was craving a pizza for lunch I remembered yesterday's stomach ache.  I had some eggs with blueberries and strawberries in cream instead.

I am irritated with the food industry for creating food-like products out of fillers, "flavorings,"and chemicals. Canned tuna packed in water has soy via chicken broth added for flavoring.  Why isn't it just tuna?  Country Crock spread, Pam cooking spray, and mayonnaise are all made from soybean oil.  I'm starting to think soy is in everything prepared or pre-packaged.

Gluten Free Crunchy Snack

Cashew Clusters from Costco

Another great GF find! Kirkland Signature Cashew Clusters is my substitute for Fiddle Faddle and Cracker Jacks.   This crunchy, sweet treat is made of cashews, almonds, cane sugar, pumpkin seed kernels, rice syrup, sea salt and honey.

I am feeling unnecessarily guilty about snacking on these all day.  They taste so good I'm surprised (and thrilled) that they're low-cal.

---

Warning:  This product is packaged in a facility that packages products that contain milk, soy, peanuts and tree nuts.

How to eat to stay healthy.

When you have food allergies, being healthy is less about health and more about not being sick.  So much care is taken to prevent accidental intake, that we focus more on what we can't have than what we can.  Everyone in my household has different dietary needs and we all react badly when we go off course.  I recently brought us back to basics with simple tables of what to eat at each meal.  These tables are posted on the refrigerator to remind us to incorporate all of the food groups in our meal choices.

I don't drink milk.  I just don't like it. The USDA says to have a fluid milk with major meals and if you can you should.  If you're looking for calcium, vitamin D and protein, almond milk is a good alternative for your fluid milk intake. Do a side-by-side comparison of cow milk, almond milk and rice milk the next time you're at the grocery store.  

My husband likes to start his day with a bowl of oatmeal and a V8.  My favorite is breakfast tacos:  two fried eggs to divide among three corn tortillas (heated in a pan), garnish with some homemade salsa and a sprinkling of cheese. During the summer I take advantage of the abundance of fresh fruit, adding a small bowl of yogurt (1/2 cup or less) topped with a handful of fresh blueberries.   If you can't have yogurt, at least have the fruit. Berries are especially good for you.  If we have leftover rice, I simmer some with enough milk (dairy or non-dairy) to cover until heated through and the mixture thickens.  I add a mashed banana, cinnamon, vanilla (use real vanilla) and a bit of sugar.  I like it better than oatmeal.  If you can have gluten, don't feel guilty about just having two pieces of toast with fruit spread and a glass of milk.  Just do your best. 

Snacks are necessary.  We equate snacking with junk-food and weight gain, but when you're on a restricted diet, snacks are vital. If you don't eat between meals, you'll feel like you're starving around mealtime and either make a poor food choice or overeat.  Also, you have to eat a lot of food to get all of your nutrients.  That's just what it takes. You should be eating all day long. You also have to make good choices.  Avoid prepackaged foods, they'll not only frustrate you with their long list of offensive ingredients, but they're overpriced empty calories.  Try an apple with peanut butter, cottage cheese or hummus with veggie sticks, crackers and cheese, a cluster of grapes with a muffin.  When I make my quinoa salad I make a large bowl of it, so that I have plenty available for between meal snacking.  Plan ahead!

Arrange your grocery shopping around the food groups and do some meal planning.  Try making three columns on a page and then listing all of the fruits/vegetables, grains, and meat/meat alternatives that you can eat.  When you shop, choose the food that is closes to its original form, such as steel-cut oats instead of instant oatmeal, apples instead of apple juice, fresh chicken instead of breaded patties.  This is good habit to acquire.  Before you know it, making substitutions will come naturally to you.

If you're unintentionally losing weight because of your limited food choices, if you're tired, lethargic, even depressed, you have to make sure that when you eat, you eat the right foods.  Most people eat based on quantity not quality.  A steak, mashed potatoes and a cob of corn looks like a complete dinner, but it's not even close.  A drive through "meal" is a burger, fries and a drink.  That's nearly 2000 calories and you haven't had a complete meal.  

Health is more than avoiding sickness.  Be truly healthy.  Get creative, everything has a substitution.  Stay basic, avoid prepackaged or flavored foods. Eat more often.  Plan ahead. 

If you need help, visit the Eating Well website for ideas.  Use the 1800 calorie 28 day diet plan as a well-rounded meal and snack example, adapting it to your own caloric needs and dietary restrictions. 

USDA website: Meal Patterns

* I am not a nutritionist, my advice is based on personal research and decisions that fit my needs.  This information is meant to inform, please check with your doctor about your dietary needs and how to meet them.

Green Chile Soup

I picked up some roasted green chiles at the supermarket a while ago without a plan for how to use them.  My mother was German, my father grew up with Italians. I don't know Mexican food.  But, my housekeeper does! When she comes around, Lupe whips up a batch of her magical salsa for us, and a dinner made from whatever she finds when she cleans out the fridge. Yesterday she gave me the choice of a green chile soup or something else that I honestly just didn't understand.  I gave the Spanish 101 answer, "sopa."  I had two bowls of it yesterday and one today because YAY it is soy-free and gluten-free and everything but dairy free.  I'm sure it can be modified though, to be dairy free as well.

I was not allowed to watch her (es secreto) but she combined green chiles, one diced onion, some amount of diced tomato, 1 can of evaporated milk (try a non-dairy milk) and crumbled cheese (cooked chicken breast pieces or ground turkey would work too).  I deduced that she cooked the chiles and the onion together until the onion became tender, and then added the other ingredients.  It was all prepared rather quickly.

All natural allergy-free laundry detergent

I do a lot of laundry.  I have a husband and 4 kids, (17, 14, 12, and 4 years old) and I operate a small in-home daycare with 2 - 6 kids per day.  My washer is going every day.  Luckily the three older kids do their own laundry per their chore chart!

Many years ago I bought brand name laundry detergent.  At some point we realized were spending too much on detergent and buying it too often, so we switched to the enormous container of Kirkland brand liquid detergent.  We were buying those about every two weeks.  Then, when I became an Etsy seller, I made a find that changed the way we do laundry.

I found Chase Street Soap Co. in April 2010.  Since then, I have only bought detergent five times in 15 months, for $10 or $12 per purchase.  Not only have I saved a lot of money, I haven't had to constantly buy laundry soap.

This is 100% natural laundry detergent.  No surprise ingredients, no allergies, no chemical sensitivities to worry about.  This is a must have for the allergic community.

"I grind my own olive oil soap and combine with washing soda (sodium carbonate) which helps remove stains (make-up, blood, grass and sweat) and borax (sodium borate) to remove stains, soften water, deodorize and brighten. Safe, gentle, and environmentally friendly."

It is available unscented if you like, but you can also choose from any scent that she's offering in her line of soaps. Rather than waste the shavings from her scented olive oil soaps, she incorporates them into the laundry detergent for olfactory bliss. I've bought the sample packs and mason jars for friends and family whenever I bought my refills so I've been lucky enough able to sample many of her luscious scents.

Because I have an H.E. washer I literally only use 1/2 TBSP of detergent per load. When I first made the switch, it was hard to believe that was all it took!  Once I got in the habit of using that little, I couldn't see the point of using a giant scoop of store-bought stuff.  I no longer pre-treat and I don't use fabric softener anymore either.  My clothes aren't necessarily "scented" by the time they go through the dryer, but they are very clean and fresh.  This detergent has stood up to potty-training and bloody noses, and it has never faded any of our clothes.  My husband was leery of using it on his work shirts, but after several loads of the rest of the laundry, I had no doubt they'd be fine.  I'm not afraid to spend a lot of money on clothes for us now; I know they will keep looking new as long as we have them and they won't get worn out in the wash either.  If you don't have an H.E. you will be using more and buying more often (assuming you do laundry every day like I do), but it's still much less than store-bought detergent and it's natural.  "Use just 1 tablespoon for 64 small loads or 1/2 tablespoon for 128 loads in a HE or front load washer! Thats .22/.11/.05 per wash!" 

I gave a mason jar of this to my father-in-law recently, and he messaged me later that day to tell me the sangria and the ketchup from our barbecue came out of his white tablecloth without pre-treating.  Another convert! I can't rave enough about this detergent.  It's just silly to buy anything else, especially if you're dealing with allergies.

Beyond the laundry detergent, I can't live without the dog shampoo bars.  I keep giving them away, so I'm not sure how long they really last.  I cut them in half to gift to people I know who have dogs because I think if you have a dog you should be using this.

Olive oil-great for coat and skin conditioning
Lemongrass- repels fleas, ticks and lice
Lavender- anti-bacterial, anti-itch and calming
Rosemary-soothes aches and pains
Eucalyptus- anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and repels fleas
Citronella- repels fleas and biting insects
Peppermint-insect repellant, good for circulation and nausea

My dogs are itchy.  My Labrador sheds more than she should because she has dry skin.  We all  have dry, sensitive skin in Tucson, actually.  Before Filthy Mutt, I used my son's tear-free "gentle" shampoo on the dogs.  I was squirting half the bottle on them, they still smelled like wet dogs when I was done and they were still itchy.  Chase Street Soap Co. has a magical shampoo bar that cleans my dogs like nothing I've tried before; the dogs smell great, they're easier to towel off and they seem to have fewer problems with dry skin.  As a matter of fact, about once a month I see them scratching again so I give them a bath and they're soothed for another month or so.  The dogs also seem to release their loose fur easily in the tub, which I prefer over them dropping it all of the house.

Chase Street Soap Co. has a variety of products.  She'll work up custom orders for you in your choice of scents and sizes.  Get some bars for the dog, the hubby and yourself, and don't forget the laundry detergent!

*Do let her know if you have allergies to be sure your products are protected from cross-contamination.

Bushi Japanese and Asian Restaurant, Tucson

My Celiac test results came back negative, and I want to celebrate.  Another reason to celebrate:  My husband and I had our 9th anniversary yesterday!  But, we postponed our date night because it was also my son's 17th birthday.  We were originally going to go to the theater, but the Saturday shows are sold out.  Plan "B":  Dinner date. 

My allergy status has been reduced from "always avoid" to "eat what you can handle."  If that sounds strange, I'll briefly explain:  If you are not severely allergic and you can manage a reasonable level of ingestion of your food allergens, your doctor might (check first) recommend that you continue to eat these foods to maintain your current tolerance level.  If I completely stop eating peanuts, I may have an anaphylactic reaction the next time I eat them.  For now I snack on peanuts in the shell (shelling them slows me down), and when I feel the first hint of an itch, I stop.  You can build up tolerance with allergy shots, but even better is to maintain your tolerance if you can.  What this means for me is that eating at restaurants is much easier now!

Many locales are having summer specials. "This summer Bushi is featuring two specials: Any roll and a bottle of TyKu Sake for $20.11 and any appetizer, any Teriyaki dish and a bottle of Bokbunjajoo for $20.11."  Bushi was also recently featured on the news.  Advertising works really well on me. We're going to give them a try this weekend.

I know that soy, peanuts and gluten (my top three allergens) are common ingredients in Asian food, so why did I choose a Japanese restaurant out of all of my options in Tucson?  With a forecast over 100° I'm also not in the mood for a heavy meal.  Light, cold food sounds pretty good to me. 

I downloaded the menu (which I always do if I know I'm eating out) and I quickly found some delicious choices.  I doubt they can guarantee anything gluten-free, but the rest of the menu seems to have plenty of options to work around other allergens.  I will try to talk to the staff about their stance on food allergies and report back after the weekend.

My preliminary choices:

Appetizer:
Sashimi Salad
Your Choice of Yellowtail, Tuna or Salmon (8 pc) resting upon bed of Spring Mix Greens

~or~

California Roll
Cucumber, crab, avocado, rice, seaweed


Dinner:
Curry Grilled Shrimp
Grilled Shrimp w/ Red Thai Curry sauce and Cilantro
Served with edamame, miso soup, rice and salad
(I can pass on the edamame and miso)

~with~

Sake Martini
Sake, Vodka, garnished w/ Cucumber and Ginger

Dessert:
Fruit Kurimu
Assorted Fruit w/ Coconut Honey White Chocolate Cream sauce topped w/ Almond Granola
(hold the granola for mine)

Official allergy test results

I finally got my blood test results.  I'm thrilled to say that the Celiac test came back negative, and other results indicate that we're no longer worried about eosinophilic esophagitis.  I will remain gluten-free however, with the controversial diagnosis of gluten sensitive/intolerant.  I am also confirmed now to have an allergy to peanuts, soy, and papaya.  The other fruits are just oral allergies and not something my bloodstream is going address.

I can manage a gluten-free diet, but it would be very difficult to prevent cross-contamination in my house.  I still shouldn't share food, but I'm thrilled that I don't have to worry to the extent of banning Playdoh from the house.  My levels for the peanut allergy are in a range that I don't have to worry when making peanut butter sandwiches for my son, and for both peanuts and soy I don't have to exclude it all, but I should avoid them when I can.  Papaya, by my experience, is not very common ingredient.  I have only come across it in the form of facial peels and digestive enzyme supplements.

Hidden Gluten in Health and Beauty Products

My Facebook feed had a great post from Ryza this morning.  Read the full article from Glutino here:  "Hidden Gluten in Health and Beauty Products."

Visit this site for a list of Gluten-containing ingredients commonly used in body products:

naturallydahling.com

Making Larabars at home or, "The Death of Two Blenders."

Everyone loves Larabars.   They're so "clean" and straightforward, they are good snacks for people with allergies.  There aren't any sneaky ingredients, only 2 - 9 real foods miraculously mashed in to a dense bar. I usually get a box of the bite sized bars - just the right size to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Because I can't have gluten or soy, my treat options are limited and expensive.  I prefer to make my own foods when I can.  I scoured the web (a phrase you'll hear a lot from me) and found an array of recipes for home-made Larabars. I also found that no matter what you do, you can't duplicate whatever it is they do to give them shelf-life without preservatives.  The secret, apparently, is in the packaging and the packaging process.

Now, other blogs and websites give you a list of ingredients and tell you to mix them up.  What most don't tell you:  Dates are really, really sticky and if you don't pay attention to the blending process they will muck up your blade, pull it to a halt, and wreck your machine!  I wrecked two.  I'm not upset, in the end I still learned how to make Larabars at home.  I'm happy to be able to share my lesson and save your machine from the same fate.  Admittedly, my machine choices weren't ideal, but we don't all have top of the line food processors in our kitchens, and I assumed anything with a spinning blade would work.

I first tried the food processor attachment for my KitchenAid submersible blender.  The spinning gear in the lid portion stripped and that was that.  Next, I tossed some dates into my KitchenAid blender.  The rubber feet between the top of the blender (pitcher) and the base were completely obliterated under the strain, and now my blender is useless.  I didn't stop there though!  I had just bought two pounds of dates, which are apparently really hard to find at a Safeway this time of year, and I had one more machine under the cabinet.  I tried an actual food processor.  I have a Black and Decker Mini-Pro Plus from my days of blending baby food for my youngest.  It handled the dates just fine.  By the time I got to this third attempt, I also learned this important tip:  stop the machine before the mass looks like paste.  It's pasty long before it looks like it.  When you're approaching a really sticky consistency, carefully use the pulse button to pulse the dates around so you don't stress the machine.  Be patient, it take a while but it's worth it. You'll get the hang of it soon enough.

The basis for any recipe will be about 10 pitted dates.  I tore my dates into a few pieces after pulling the pit out, the smaller bits being easier on the machine. The process:  Just make your basic date paste in a sturdy food processor as described above, and then stir in or mash in with your hands some fruits or nuts.

For the cashew bar recipe, mix in 1/4 cup or so, as desired, of cashews (hand chopped or put through the food processor).
For the cherry bar, add 1/4 cup dried tart cherries to the dates and process together, or fresh pitted cherries if you prefer.
Try dried tropical fruits, shredded coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa powder, anything you might try in a dessert cookie.
Some recipes also begin with a paste of a fig and date mixture.  Try what you like best.

Shape the mixture into a bar about 1/2" thick and 1 1/2" wide, and however long that stretches. Then, cut it into pieces roughly 1 1/2".  You will end up with 1 1/2" square bites that are 1/2" thick.  The perfect nibble.  I tapped the sides and ends against the cutting board to square them off.

Store these in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, depending on the mix-ins.  Fresh fruits will not store as long.

Fish Tacos

Food Network:  Fish Tacos - Bobby Flay

I found a great recipe for fish tacos on the Food Network last night.  It's a really easy, healthy dinner that can be adapted to any diet.  The only substitution I had to make was to use corn tortillas instead of flour.  Because I had it on hand, for garnish I used a shredded broccoli, carrots and cabbage mixture available in the bagged salad section at the grocery store.  This was one of the quickest dinners I've made, and I will definitely make it again.

I whipped up the marinade and poured it over fish steaks to marinade for 15 minutes.   At the same time, I started a pot of water (and later added rice to simmer as I finished the tacos).  Out of propane, I turned to the broiler.  I popped the fish in the oven to broil for 10 minutes while I warmed the tortillas in a pan.  Tortillas went from the pan straight to the dinner plates for easy serving.  I smeared a bit of sour cream along the center of each tortilla, topped with a few flaked bits of fish, a handfull of shredded garnish.  Done!  Serve with rice and black beans.

7 stages

I admit, I am having a difficult time accepting my allergies.  Discovering at age 37 that you are allergic to peanuts, soybeans and all the other legumes, that you can't tolerate gluten, that your mouth is going to feel like it's being tortured if you eat fruit, and that stepping outside is going to wreak havoc on your body, is not easy to accept.  When did I go from "normal" to allergic?  How did this happen, and why now?  It didn't seem real.

Step 1: Denial.  If I was fine a couple of months ago, then why can't I just have one bowl of cereal today? I'll be fine, the doctor said I should keep eating the things I'm allergic to, to keep up my tolerance. That must mean I'm not "that bad." 

What I've put together from my doctor's advice and articles online is that the body craves the things we are so allergic to in an effort to maintain some level of tolerance.  This would explain why I literally ate soybeans and peanuts all the time in the six months or more prior to my allergy testing.  My favorite meal had become Huevos Rancheros, I loved the beans we used. I could always eat spaghetti or pizza even when I was full. I had recently added lentil soups to my recipe lineup even though nobody in the house ever liked lentils.

Step 2:  Guilt.  I have a hard time justifying the effort I put into choosing foods.  I feel like I'm just being dramatic when I say, "I can't eat that."  My long-time friend came to visit last week, and brought with him a 6-pack of a nice IPA.  I had to say, "Beer has wheat." I didn't want to say it, I was going to just politely decline for some other reason, but it had been so long since we all had a beer together that I had to explain why.  I felt like as coming off as  pretentious.  I check every label and I say out loud if I can or cannot have something and why, so that everyone can be aware.  I feel sometimes that I'm making an unnecessarily big deal out of ingredients.  I feel like I'm harassing everyone with my food restrictions. More-so, I struggle with the choice of either buying gluten-free and/or soy-free substitutes for foods I like or just skipping them all together.  Should I get gluten-free brownie mix, or just pass on brownies? I feel guilty buying GF foods just because they're labeled GF. I don't need brownies.  When I have to decide,  I just skip the food.  The new problem becomes nutrition.  We do need grains. We need fruits and vegetables.  We need a well rounded diet, even some fat.   It's tough to rationalize buying specialty foods though, when we have so many other options.   I have an especially hard time when I'm out for the day, or when I'm hungry between meals.  I'm tempted to nibble on one of my son's cookies or a granola bar from the checkout lane at the store.  Then, I preemptively feel guilty for the damage one little bite could do and I drop the craving all together.

Step 3:  Bargaining, depression.  I need a treat!  I'd settle for a bit of chocolate, it doesn't have to be gluten product (but the soy lecithin bothers my stomach).  When I'm hungry, I rationalize that one bite won't hurt because it didn't hurt before.  In reality it did hurt before, I just didn't realize it was caused by food.  Every time I ate something my stomach bloated and I had stomach pains, I was always lethargic, my face was covered in acne.  My husband had been pushing me to figure out why I was always tired. I wasn't just tired, I was exhausted, drained, beat.  My answer to him was that I've always been tired, as long as I can remember.  I tried everything for my skin and assumed it would never get better.  Now I am irritated with the hassle I have to put other people through if we want to eat out or have some drinks and my anger at the gluten eating world drove me to start this blog.   I wouldn't say I was depressed, but I did feel some "woe-is-me."  I felt left out.  Everyone else is going about their day with donuts, waffles, birthday cakes, hamburgers, pasta, instead of really hearing me when I explain my problem.   People don't understand.  It's tough to get through.

Step 4:  Reflection.  Millions of people have or will have medical problems.  While I'm grateful that my only big problem is food, for which I can actively make safe choices, I realize that this is my new lifestyle. Forever.  I have to be aware of what I'm touching, drinking and eating, my utensils, how foods were prepared, what's meant by "natural flavors" in an ingredient list.  I'm not sure yet how careful I really have to be;  can we still keep bags of flour in the pantry and can I hand breaded chicken nuggets to my son?  I have to embarrass myself and tactfully ask people specific questions about the food they offer me.  Do I have to bring my own food to Thanksgiving dinner?  I can't chance gluten contamination.  I'm going to carefully grow old on a very specific diet, or risk dying of anaphylactic shock or some Celiac related complication.  It's just food, but it's a very dangerous problem.  I don't just sneeze around cats, I have a life-threatening illness.  Worse, my children are at risk too (I'm still back at denial on this topic).

Steps 5 and 6:  The upward turn, reconstruction and working through.  I can do this.  With the internet and a wealth of books, I can figure out how to eat well without having to make a lot of substitutions.  I love to cook.  I can create my own recipes and share them with other people in my situation.  I will continue to scour the web for resources and share what I find.  My dreadful, life altering test results have sparked a new hobby and hopefully it will help others too.  I am grateful that I have the resources, the time, the money, the ability to move forward in a positive way.

Step 7:  Acceptance and hope.  I am relatively healthy.  If I make good choices, I will stay healthy.  If I take my antihistamine every day, the pollens won't bother me.  If I read labels and prepare my own food when possible, I will get proper nutrition.  Even better, my family will learn good eating habits from me.

I feel better now than I've ever felt before. I have consistent energy, I am happy, I have great skin and a new sense of self-confidence.  I can use my learning process to do good for others.  My family supports me and I know this journey will be enlightening.  It's not the proverbial end but the beginning of a new chapter of my life.

Christine Trice - Entrepreneur Extraordinaire

I have a day off today, what a treat.  Unfortunately it's already pretty hot outside and my kids are not cooperating in my effort to get out the door before the temperature peaks.

I multi-tasked in an extreme way this morning (in a fruitless effort to get out early), like any good super-mom would:  I updated my Etsy shop, replied to some emails, uploaded a photo album on Facebook, tweeted some product info and chatted with my husband via Google chat, all over a plate of corn tortillas topped with fried eggs, cheese and salsa.  My 4 year-old son, in the mean time, would not take his pajamas off and was impressively attempting to negotiate his way out of breakfast.  He got away with a whole grain cereal bar, fruit and a cup of milk.   He thought he won.  Speaking of being a super-mom and multitasking, I'm featuring two businesses today from a great woman I've known since high school.

Christine's daughter suffered from terrible eczema, and nothing prescribed or purchased was helping, so she created her own body butter.  On the product website she says, "I became an avid label reader. I learned how to decipher ingredient labels, how to pick out toxic ingredients & irritants that were disguised even in natural & organic products. I learned how manufacturing processes affect the integrity of products & how harmful parabens really are. And finally, I learned that I was beyond disappointed with the lack products that were truly natural & consistently results oriented."  She goes on, "When all else failed, I resorted to using my personal arsenal of lotions & potions to remedy my baby girl’s skin condition. Within only a few days after the first application, her skin began to heal. The eczema that covered most of her body for over six months was finally at bay."   From there, she created a line of natural body products, Brown Bag Botanicals.  Visit her site and friend her on Facebook for updates on products and specials.

Recognizing that many moms have to go above and beyond on a regular basis, Christine jokingly created the Facebook page OMG I So Need A Glass Of Wine Or I'm Gonna Sell My Kids!  Today she has 112,333 fans, not counting non-Facebook followers. She holds events in California, samples and shares wines from all over, and shares hilarious mom-moments via status updates. Grab some of her OMG logo wine glasses and join the rest of us in admitting that it does get hard sometimes to balance real life...


...especially when you're allergic.