Spices and Herbs

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One of the things on my to-do list in 2013 (more on that later), clean out my spice cabinet. Why? It was filled with spices that have moved with us 4 times in the last 10 years (that haven’t been used in a looooooong time), and half of them, are crap spices (MSG, cornstarch, preservatives, anti-caking junk, HFCS, milk powder, soy, etc.).

Tossed:DSC_0162Reorganized:DSC_0164

Organized by:

  • Salts and peppers
  • Baking
  • Spicy
  • Pre-mixed seasonings
  • Herbs
  • Powders
  • Seeds

Now we know all the herbs and spices we have are healthy, and can easily find them without 10 falling out of the cabinet 🙂

 

So long, Nightshades Follow-up

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Here’s a follow-up post to my effort at being nightshade free for 15 days now, including the positive things I’ve noticed and one mishap.

I’ve remained nightshade free except for inadvertently going for Thai food the other night with my husband. He’d had a really long day, I was hungry, neither of us felt like cooking that night, so we ran out quick. Once we got there and sat down, I was quickly reminded that I wasn’t eating anything on the menu-grrrr. Just didn’t think about it.

I ended up getting a pumpkin curry, and didn’t eat the bell peppers (they were the obvious nightshades), however, I know there was chili pepper, and probably paprika included in the curry. I was bummed, and probably more so because within 10 minutes, I was literally crawling out of my skin and my stomach had inflated to the size of a big balloon :-/ I guess, for me, maybe there is something to them. Sigh. So now I’ve restarted the no nightshades, and I’m doing fine with it (was doing fine before too), although I’m bummed that I accidentally ingested them. I will say that my joints and inflammation is almost non-existent excluding nightshades from my diet; both my massage therapist and chiropractor noticed unsolicited that mobility and tissue feels completely different to them.

I had planned on starting the full AIP today, however I’ve delayed that for a couple of reasons: 1) I still have some non-AIP foods at home that I’m not willing to let spoil, or throw away (like Kale, other leafy greens, nuts), and 2) I still need to do a little research on what is and is not included so I have a better understanding and will be successful with it (like which spices are seed based, etc.).

I’ll keep you posted 🙂

Nightshade free Guac!

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Mmmm, who doesn’t love a good Guac? The options are endless! This recipe is so lime-y and fresh, you can pair it with anything 🙂

Nightshade Free Guac

  • 8 avocados
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • Juice of 4 limes (I used 3 small and 1 large)
  • 1/4 diced red onion
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • Drizzle olive oil
  • Kosher salt/pepp
  • Garlic powder

Mash everything together!

Last night we put it on burgers:DSC_0152This morning, I had it with my scrambled eggs:DSC_0161

 

1, 2, ready, SCOBY Start!

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I started growing my own SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) the other night so I can begin fermenting my own kombucha at home. I’m excited! For those unfamiliar with kombucha, it’s a fermented tea full of super duper healthy probiotics, and slightly fizzy. I plan on trying all sorts of flavors with mine to see what I can come up with. I followed the directions here: Mother May I Make a Kombucha Scoby. Also, her blog is fabulous!

Now let’s hope it grows 🙂

Supplies I used: Cheesecloth, organic cane sugar (1/3 cup), 2 black tea bags, 1 jar raw organic unflavored kombucha (GT’s Brand), 4 cup Pyrex dish and beverage jar.DSC_0127

Brewed the sweet tea, let it sit until it was room temperature, combined it with the kombucha, and covered with cheesecloth:DSC_0143

See the strand? I hope this is a good sign.DSC_0144