Healthy soda alternative

I've never been a big soda drinker but every once in a while I'll get a strong craving for a cold Root Beer. While shopping at our local health food store, I saw a bunch of flavored Stevia drops and then I saw Root Beer and wondered if this would actually taste like the real thing. It was almost $12 a bottle (they are even more expensive online) so I was hesitant to spend the money if it was going to taste horrible. Using a 20% off coupon, I justified the purchase. I had some Trader Joe's Sparkling water and plopped in about 8 drops of the liquid Root Beer for 8 ounces of water, stirred it up then added a bunch of cubes and took a sip. It tasted just like the real thing, except it doesn't turn color - it's a clear beverage, really light and crisp, not thick and syrupy like traditional root beer but ohhhhh so refreshing. If you are trying to wean yourself away from soda, this may be a great alternative. They have Cola flavor too! And I think the Cinnamon and English Toffee would be delicious in coffee. Bottom's up!

Perfect Skin

Wow, 7 months to the day since I posted on here. Not surprising since during these last 7 months I've had some set backs with my health and well being (THANK YOU HOLIDAY SPLURGE EATING AND A COLD, DARK, WET WINTER AND SPRING!) Why do we always crave what's bad for us when it's so gloomy and cold? I tried really hard to be good about what I was eating/drinking the past 6 months but after a while it was my only comfort and I got a little carried away. That being said, I had some not so pleasant side effects, some more visible than others. Starting around November/December when I would eat something sugary, I would get a horrible face rash in a matter of moments. It started on the lower right side of my face, near the bottom of my mouth and spread down my chin. At first it was mainly on the right side, and I thought, Ok, as long as it doesn't spread anywhere else...and then a few weeks later, it was on the left side. It was like some sort of bizarro goatee. I went to our Natural Pharmacy, concerned that soon it would takeover my entire face. I was told that since it was related to my body not digesting the foods and allergens, which was the cause for inflammation in and outside of my body, it would mainly contain itself in the lower quadrant of my face. Here is more info on Chinese Face Mapping in case you are interested. I was relieved to hear that but also frustrated since aside from a monthly breakout on my chin every once in a while I have never had issues with blemishes before.

I left with a topical gel, that I used for about two months, with no change. After that, I got some high end skin cream that was supposed to produce miraculous results, and again, after about 2 months, still no difference. At this point I was pretty discouraged, not only was the rash unattractive, but it was also horribly itchy and uncomfortable. Wearing make up made it even worse so needless to say I was in a bit of a face funk. And then one day at the pharmacy a skin specialist recommended I try the Perfect Skin Vitamins. She said the feedback on these vitamins has been very positive, but she wasn't sure if they would work on skin issues related to allergies. I figured it can't hurt to try them so I bought a bottle. After about two weeks, my rash was gone. I've been taking them for almost 2 months and continue to be blemish free (even after indulging in the "bad foods" - which I am really going to try to stay away from now!) The bottle recommends two pills a day, morning and night, but I've only been taking one in the morning with food and am extremely pleased with the results.

One thing I wonder about is when you give up certain foods completely for an extended period of time, like sugars and sweets, and then re-introduce them, your body views them as toxic and becomes inflamed (both internally and externally). So what's best? Do you give up whatever it is completely, never eating it again, or do you just have it in controlled moderation? This is the part of the puzzle I'm still trying to figure out. 

It's amazing how just looking at a picture of bread causes little pangs of discomfort in my stomach. I searched for a bread picture online so I could write about my experience of simply smelling fresh bread at the grocery store (which caused immediate pains in my gut) and now as I sit here just looking at this image I'm starting to feel those same pains surface. Our mind is a powerful thing.

I haven't been great about keeping up on here, I can assure you it's not for lack of things to say, it's just that I've had some setbacks in my healing which have been frustrating. I've been so good about sticking to a Candida diet for the majority of the last 8 months but I thought with the holidays coming, I might just sneak in a few treats here and there. Well that was a big mistake. Since Thanksgiving I've had some not so pleasant side effects one of which is something I read about early on when I was researching candida and that is a skin rash. Some people have it all the time or there are others (like me) who develop this when they eat something that their body feels is toxic and within a matter of minutes produces surface inflammation on some part of their body. Well lucky for me this happens across the right side of my face. The good news is that it will go away within a day when I detox my body from all sugars (I only eat natural sugars) and carbs. But the downside is that I can't even eat brown rice or any type of carbohydrate, even if they contain 0 grams of sugar, unless I want to look like a before pic on a Pro Activ informercial. Needless to say this makes for a very dull holiday season.

I'm back on a very strict regimen of Candida fighting supplements and they come with their own slew of side effects but if I don't do this now it will only get worse. I long for the days when I used to indulge in holiday sweets, cakes, wine, nog, stuffing, peppermint tini's, you name it. Perhaps those days will return and when they do, eating will be such a privilege - one which I will never, ever take for granted.

Blessings to you and your loved ones this season.

Party Mix Fail

While on the east coast, my husband stumbled across this product in a hotel gift shop. When he saw that it was "vegan" and "gluten free" he decided to bring it home as a little snack for me. I was in disbelief when I saw it. A gluten free party mix? This is too good to be true!

And of course, it was. Check out the ingredients:

I contacted the company via phone and expressed my concern over the misrepresentation of a gluten free product. The gentleman I spoke with was understandably upset and explained that this was a printing error. I gave him the details of the product info so it could quickly be pulled off shelves nationwide. 

When you're in a hurry or if your eyesight is not the strongest for fine print, it's easy to overlook ingredients. Allow yourself extra time when shopping (especially for new products)and carry a magnifying glass if it helps to read the tiny print. While it doesn't sound like the most efficient way of shopping, if it saves you from tummy problems down the line, then you know it's totally worth it. 

Sweet Nostalgia

While shopping at this teeny tiny vegan grocery store, Side Car for Pig's Peace, a friendly saleswoman recommended these Rice Bran Crackers claiming they make a great substitute for graham crackers and are safe for my limited diet. 

Excited to try them, I popped one in my mouth as soon as I got in the car. They didn't exactly taste like a traditional graham cracker but had a familiar taste I couldn't quite recognize. After a few more bites, it hit me...

They tasted like those Salerno butter cookies from back in the day. Remember how you could stack them on your finger? Such a yummy after school treat with a cold glass of milk or lemonade. Even though they're not stackable, the rice bran crackers are a healthy trade off -  they're free of saturated and trans fats and they make a great snack paired with a cup of Huckleberry tea. (This is a black tea, so probably not a night time snack.)

So on my continual quest to find delicious and somewhat healthy desserts, I unintentionally re-created the ice-cream cake roll experience. How many of you remember these old fashioned cakes while growing up? Depending on your generation the cakes might have looked like this:

Or this:

 This was the closest image I could find to the kind we had when I was a kid, but I think it was called Rainbow cake, or it had a 70's looking rainbow on the box:

And if you lived across the pond, you might be more familiar with the Arctic Roll:

Here's what I used to make the modern day (somewhat healthy) version of the ice-cream cake roll: 

Amy's GF/DF Organic Chocolate Cake

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Vanilla Maple Arctic Zero

Just cut a small slice of the Chocolate cake and spread some Vanilla Maple ice cream on top. (Let the ice cream soften a bit before attempting to spread it, otherwise it will mash up the cake.) Depending on your appetite (and tolerance for sugar) you could slice another small piece of cake and make an ice-cream sandwich. Either way this chocolaty, creamy treat will satisfy your sweet tooth and may bring back some pleasant memories.

While on the subject of sweet past times, here's something else that might tickle your memory bone. Remember Pine Brothers Cough Drops?

These were soooo good, it was hard not to eat them like candy. After a few moments in your mouth, they would turn soft and gooey and the flavors would come alive. These are back on the market and I just picked some up at Bartell's drug store. They are also available at CVS stores. The honey tasted slightly different, not as honey like as I remember, but the cherry flavor was spot on. Of course, there's a BIG downside here...they are made with corn syrup. Probably shouldn't even post something like this on here but when you're battling a sore throat/cough a drop or two won't send you over the edge...

...as long as you don't end up shoving them into your mouth by the fistfuls. Did I mention black licorice flavor is coming soon??? Dangerous.

All we need now is a healthy version of the Carnation Breakfast Bar and all will be right in this world.

Chicken sausage pepperoni

The other day I had an intense craving for pepperoni. Instead of caving, I decided to do a litte experiment with some chicken sausage. 

I sliced the sausage into small slivers...

And then baked them on a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes at 400. (Apologies for the nasty looking baking sheet. It was brand spanking new but due to a small oven fire, got charred in the process.)

These "pepperoni chips" were just what I had a taste for. They are delicious for snacking or tossing on top of a home made pizza. 

Look for Gluten and Nitrate free chicken or turkey sausage. There are many brands to choose from, Trader Joe's makes quite a few different varieties (I opt for the dairy free versions) as well as most grocery store chains. 

Enjoy!

Banana Spice Waffles

This is a quick, easy breakfast or snack that kids and adults will LOVE! Van's makes an entire line of GF waffles (they also have a wheat free french toast) and when I saw them at the grocery store, I was skeptical at first. I purchased a box of their mini waffles, popped some in the toaster oven (using the oven setting, not the toaster) and they came out crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, just like a regular waffle. DELICIOUS.

They are great with just a little Earth Balance spread smeared on top but this past weekend I thought I'd try a little something more to "spice" 'em up. And again, here's where that Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie spice mix comes in so handy!

Mash about 1/3 to 1/2 of a banana in a small bowl with a fork. Microwave for about 10 seconds and then mix in about 1/4 teaspoon of the Pumpkin Pie Spice mix, stirring it in well.

Spread on top of the mini waffles and what you have is a delicious and filling anytime snack!

Mashed bananas are a great alternative for frosting or icing cakes/cupcakes (provided you like the taste of them) but since they do have a high sugar content, indulge in moderation. Pair the waffles with a cup of decaf brewed with pumpkin pie spice or a cold glass of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk. A quick and easy combo that doesn't disappoint!

*side note - when it comes to purchasing non dairy milks, opt for the "unsweetened"versions because the sweetened milks are loaded with sugar (stating the obvious here!) Read the nutritional labels before you buy. Here's a look at Blue Diamond's unsweetened vs. sweetened milks just to compare:

(click images to enlarge)