Ayurvedic Oatmeal

Yum! This recipe is one I modified from a 7 day Spring Cleanse by Yoga International and The Himilayan Institute. It didn't contain any nightshades to begin and I tweaked it it the tiniest bit. I ate it every day for 7 days and didn't get tired of it.

1/2 c. steel cut oats
1/2 c. Whole rolled oats
2 c. Rice or almond milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 c. Currants
1 tbsp grade B maple syrup

Combine all except maple syrup & bring to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce to low & simmer 10 min. Cover& remove from heat for 5 min.

Stir in maple syrup & serve. Serves 3-4.

Kitchari

This is what I'm eating all week this week for lunch and dinner.  It is a traditional ayurvedic dish used for cleansing.  It's very nutritious, easy to digest and tasty!

Kitchari

I think it's important for those of us with food allergies to take extra measures to take care of our gut.  For me, this means occasional cleansing.  I am not a believer in extreme diets with severe calorie restriction or highly processed meal replacement shakes.  I couldn't make it a day on a juice cleanse and the Master Cleanse seems ridiculous to me.  If you want to do a cleanse (and your Doc says it OK) you could eat fruit for breakfast and Kitchari for lunch and dinner for anywhere from 1 - 14 days.  For more info on a complete cleanse protocol click here.

You can also follow the results of my personal 7 Day Cleanse here.

Every Time!

I am so conscious and cautious of foods in most circumstances. In a restaurant I always check, double check, triple check and take the first few bites slowly, noticing any signals of a reaction. I read labels at the grocery store and don't compromise on mystery ingredients like "spices" and "natural flavorings". I even double check labels of things I use all the time in case they change the ingredients.

Every once in a while I slip and something comes in under the radar. This afternoon I started feeling off: sniffly, watery eyes, stomach cramps. It came on too quickly to be a virus so I started backtracking my foods to see if I could have made a mistake somewhere. No time for breakfast this morning and lunch was leftovers from dinner last night, which was a simple recipe I use often and I knew was clean. The only other thing I'd had today was a cup of tea-a new tea I'd ordered online. I had read the label which said it was a blend of green & white teas but I didn't bother to check the complete ingredients list which shows "flavoring" as one of the ingredients. I don't know if it's the mystery "flavoring" or the rosebuds also listed (which I try to avoid because certain flowers including roses make me sneeze). I'm guessing it's the rosebud as a nightshade would likely have caused a more serious reaction but the lesson is the same. NEVER assume. Never take it for granted that something is safe.

So on this beautiful afternoon that I promised my son a trip to the park, I am instead trying to fight the Benadryl drowsiness while I sit sniffling and sneezing on the couch, the seat nearest the bathroom for when the stomach upset hits. And I'm thankful because at least I didn't have to call 911 this time.

Chicken with Morel Mushroom

Since discovering the joy of Morel mushrooms a few years ago while hiking at Camp St. Croix with an experienced camp employee, I have made a deal with myself.  Where I would previously have turned up my nose at the high price of the interesting looking mushrooms in the small basket that appears for a few short days at the local co-op I have agreed (with myself) that if I am lucky enough to be shopping on a day when these rare beauties are available I will buy them - no matter how tight the budget.

On Sunday I was planning on a quick trip to the market to grab a few items for dinner when I spotted them, the basket of Morels.   They are only available a few days out of the year and I usually find them after they are picked over, small and shriveled, if I get them at all.  This time they must have just been brought in this morning.  They are huge, soft, alive looking.  YUM!

The original recipe that I converted is from Robert Irvine at www.foodnetwork.com.  It was actually nightshade free to begin with but I made a few modifications anyway.   Not exactly a "healthy" or low cal, low fat recipe but was so yummy I wanted to lick the plate.  I have enough restrictions on my diet that I feel no guilt indulging in a luscious cream sauce occasionally.

Ingredients:

Morel Mushrooms (1/2 -1 cup sliced)

5-6 chicken thighs (on the bone with skin)

4 tbsp butter

1 cup red wine

1 cup Swanson's Chicken Broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 lemon

Tinkyada Rice Spaghetti or Fettuccini

-italian parsley & parmesan to taste

• preheat oven to 375
• slice the morels in half and rinse to remove any dirt or bugs, pat dry and slice crosswise, set aside
• sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides
• heat 2 tbsp butter in large sauté pan on med
• cook chicken skin side down for 8-10 min until browned
• turn over and cook another 5 minutes
• remove chicken and place in a baking dish - cook uncovered
• add the remaining butter to sauté pan
• add mushrooms and cook on low for 2-3 minutes
• add wine, turn up to med and reduce
• add chicken broth and cream, bring to gentle boil and cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens (5-10 min)
• pour the sauce and mushroom mixture over the chicken and bake 25-35 minutes until chicken is done

while chicken is baking prepare 16 oz. noodles according to directions, drain and set aside

Toss noodles in a bowl with a enough sauce from the chicken to coat.  Place noodles and chicken on plate, spoon on sauce and top with parmesan and parsley.