"A" for effort

I know you don't want to hear all about my digestion issues. I don't even want to hear about my digestion issues :)

But - this is a really big part of me and something I struggle with every single day. And I'm going to share a bit.

This is not what mine feels like

You see, something makes my body rebel when I eat. Every time I eat. While food tastes really great going down, I end up sick, often for hours, feeling awful and sometimes in pain. It's something I've dealt with for as long as I can remember, and it seems to be worsening as the years pass. And as an added bonus, there is no obvious rhyme or reason. WOOHOO!

About 5 years ago I finally decided to do something about it. I assumed there was some sort of explanation and solution.

I've been poked and prodded, scoped and tested. I've had blood drawn, tried prescriptions, eaten things, cut out things. I've done acupuncture and Chinese medicine. I've tried more herbal and alternative remedies than I can count. I've seen doctors and specialists. They've examined my colon, my upper GI tract, my blood, my poop, my exhalation.

For the past 12 weeks, I've been completely, 100 percent dairy free. And for the past five weeks, I've also completely cut soy from my diet. (That's much harder than one would think - especially for a vegetarian). That was the suggestion from my naturopath after a food intolerance test. He seemed sure that would do it.

I diligently read labels, learned new recipes, tried new products, studied menus, taught my family. I was committed, even thinking that I might have to live that way for the rest of my life. It would all be worth it - if I could eat without getting sick.

Unfortunately, dairy and soy are not the culprits after all. Shoot. I'm no better today than 12 weeks ago.

But, I give myself a huge "A" for effort. And an  "A+" goes to my husband and my family and friends who have helped me, listened to me, comforted me and adapted with me.

I don't know what options I have left. My doctor seemed positive that this would alleviate my symptoms. I'll make another appointment and see if he has any other suggestions.

On the plus side, I've had fun and discovered a whole bunch of great new recipes and ingredients. I also learned that I really can live without dairy and soy if I want - it's not horrible.

For now, I'm going back to eating the things I want to eat. If I'm going to feel awful anyway, I might as well enjoy it going down :)

Seriously - a special thanks to those who journeyed with me on this. I know it wasn't always easy, and I truly appreciate your support and understanding!

 :)

Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes

I know a recipe totally sucks without a picture. However, this was too good not to share.

I made these last week and enjoyed them for several days. (I was just too lazy to snap a picture) They were very simple and quick... And oh, so tasty!!

On the recommendation of friend Brandon, Brad bought me Veganomicon, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Christmas. Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes was the first recipe I tried, and it was YUMMY!

1 c soy or rice milk (I used rice)
1 t apple cider vinegar
2 T cornstarch
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/3 c canola oil
3/4 c plus 2 T sugar
2 t vanilla
~ 1/3 c raspberry jam (I used strawberry because that's what I had)
2 T powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the soy milk, vinegar and cornstarch into a measuring cup and set aside. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center.

Stir the soy-milk mixture with a fork to dissolve the cornstarch, then pour into the dry ingredients. Add the oil, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full with batter. Place a heaping teaspoonful of jam on the center of each cup. No need to push it down - it will magically sink during baking.

Bake 21-23 minutes or until the tops are firm. Let cool completely. If you can wait, store uncovered overnight or longer before eating so the tops dry out a bit (supposed to make them more doughnut-like)

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quick, easy, normal ingredients. We ate on these for a couple days :)

Raw Chocolate Mousse

Another yummy recipe from TheSweetLifeOnline: Raw Chocolate Mousse!

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I'm learning to make fun vegan foods with soaks nuts. Very cool!

I wanted to give this recipe a try because it looked easy, required just a couple ingredients and looked amazing in her pictures.

It uses just soaked cashews, water, agave, cocoa powder and salt. Easy.

This mousse is intense! Our taste buds sort of freaked on the first sample. It's very dark and very rich and very sweet. But I put it in the fridge, and I think it mellowed a bit. I was later able to eat more without puckering  :)

I'd like to try this again with perhaps a bit less cocoa and agave - to lighten it up a bit.

Click HERE for the recipe.

:)

Raw Taco Salad

Thanks to a recommendation from Marcille, I have discovered a blog filled with yummy vegan recipes! TheSweetLifeOnline is now one of my favorites.

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The latest recipe we tried was Raw Taco Salad, using walnuts as the taco "meat". These were SO good! And even after wolfing down a whole plate full, Brad had no idea that it was walnuts :)

Since my doctor has added soy to the current no-no list, the walnuts were a great alternative. We will definitely make this again.

The author asks that her recipes not be reprinted, so here's the link.

Go make this :)

Banana bread

Last week, I was all set to bake banana bread for my students. I'd been collecting bananas, and they were perfectly overripe and waiting for me on the counter in CE2. But the night before I was set to bake, someone threw them away!  :(

Fortunately, my very thoughtful father brought me a bunch he had that were on their way out. I finally had time to bake again, so I whipped up a batch this morning in the CE2 kitchen.


I've used this recipe for years, and I love it. It's very quick and simple - and tastes amazing. AND... it's naturally cow-free - no modifications needed!

3 c flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
cinnamon to taste (I use just a dash)
2 eggs
mashed bananas (I think I used 5 - whatever I had)
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c veggie oil
1 c nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Pour into two prepared loaf pans. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. For nice, clean slices, cool before cutting. (Modified from Better Homes and Gardens)


Enjoy :)

More nog and chocolatey goodness

Last month, after starting my no-dairy diet, I was thrilled to find several dairy-free options to satisfy my craving for seasonal beverages.

I tried the So Delicious Coconut Nog - and it was AMAZING!

Then I tried the Silk Seasonal Nog, which was also AMAZING!

I had to force myself to stop drinking... straight from the carton... every time I opened the fridge :)

I saw Rice Dream Rice Nog on sale and grabbed it, too. I was searching for the best option out there. This was not it.

First off, the spices weren't right. Instead of tasting nutmeg-y, as eggnog should, it was sort of chai-like. And the rice milk was just too watery. I actually prefer a thin eggnog, but it should creamy - not watery.

Well, you can't win them all :)

Eryn brought me Silk Chocolate Mint soy milk, which was good but not awesome. I also grabbed this Westsoy Chocolate Peppermint Stick:

It was much thicker and creamier than the Silk version - and had way more calories. It stood up a bit better to heating. (The Silk became really thin when heated) While I think I liked the taste a little better, the Silk would be my first choice because of the calorie savings. (Unless it was just one mug as a wintery treat) :)

:)

Mac and No Cheese

Because my No-TV Tuesday plans changed at the last minute, I didn't have time to prepare the meal I'd planned.

Good thing there was this quick, easy, allergen-free entree in the freezer!

 

We stopped last week at the Newberg Grocery Outlet and spotted Ian's Mac and No Cheese in the frozen section. It's free of dairy and soy (yes, now my doctor has added soy to my list of no-nos), and for just $1.50ish, I thought it was worth a try.

Brad made up a box of regular mac and cheese on the stove while I popped Ian's in the microwave. I had very low expectations. 

We both thought it smelled like chicken soup, which isn't a bad thing.

I gave it a stir and took a bite. It was good! Mind you, it didn't really taste like macaroni and cheese, but it tasted good. It was salty and nicely seasoned - nothing strange in there.

If you or someone you know has food allergies, check out Ian's foods. In Oregon, Ian's products are sold at Albertsons, Fred Meyer, QFC, Whole Foods and Food 4 Less, according to the Web site.

:)

Chewy Molasses Cookies

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In my quest to make a ton of different treats for students, parties, families, etc., I decided to try Chewy Molasses Cookies from The Sweet Life Online.

It was easy and simple and tasty, but they did not turn out chewy. In fact, they are kinda brick-like. 

Hmm. 

The recipe called for 2 T of canola oil, and I fear that I might have put in just one. That could be the difference.

Before I give up, I will try again and make sure the oil is right. Hopefully they will be chewy and perfect.

:)

Peppermint Bark Chex Mix

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I really, really like chocolate peppermint. That combo and chocolate peanut butter are probably my absolute favs.

I made Chex Mix and then Muddy Buddies (I literally can't stop eating Muddy Buddies!). I had a bunch of Chex left over, so I whipped up Peppermint Bark Chex Mix from Healthy Tipping Point.

It was so easy and so good! If you have leftover cereal, make this :)

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

YUM!

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I made these vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies from The Sweet Life Online, and they did not disappoint!

These cookies are very dark, fudgey and minty - just what I wanted.

:)

Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions

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I'd been eying this recipe for Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions on Oh She Glows and decided to give it a try last night.

The ingredients were simple, but apparently I forgot that risotto is a very time-consuming process. Oops.

It said to stir it every few minutes while waiting for the barley to absorb and the onions to caramelize. SO... I set my oven timer over and over and over and ran around the house doing mini chores between beeps - for an hour!

Fortunately, the recipe turned out well. I did think it was a bit salty. The part about the onions said to "sprinkle liberally with salt" - and because I didn't know her definition of "liberally", I think I over salted.

Honestly, I don't think I'd make this again just because it took so long. But it was really tasty :)

Butta

Before I gave up the dairy, butter was my baking-fat of choice. I believe natural, whole foods are best, and butter makes baked goods taste amazing!

Now I've begun baking with Earth Balance, the dairy-free butter alternative most talked about online (at least on the blogs I read). And it's really great.

True confession time: I am just now realizing that this Earth Balance is the "natural shortening" version - not the "buttery" version. Oops. I used this on a cake, cookies and various Chex Mix recipes with total success. Had I not seen the package in this picture, I probably would have never known :)

I use the tub version on toast and such and for small cooking tasks, and I think it tastes very good. It's really salty - yum! And it melts well on toast.

I also use Smart Balance Light (light is dairy free - regular is not) because it's cheaper and is sold at Winco. Earth Balance is quite expensive and requires a special trip to the store.

Smart Balance is good but not great, and it doesn't melt well. But it's an adequate alternative, especially in cooking when the flavor is less prominent.

:)

Trader Joe's Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Fortunately, Trader Joe's has many products to sample during my three-month dairy-free experiment.

I was picking up veggie burgers yesterday when I saw this Roasted Vegetable Pizza in the frozen section for $4.99 (I think). Let's try it!

It's small, but it's three servings of just 250 calories - so that's not too bad overall.

I really liked this pizza! It had lots of good flavors, especially the caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar. And the crust was very good - crusty and flavorful. I didn't even miss the cheese.

Brad tried a bite and said it was good enough but offered to save it for me since he had other things he could eat. Fine by me :)

I will buy more of these! :)

NOW I'm in the Christmas spirit!

Update: I wrote this before the tragedies of the past week. Like many others, I'm now struggling with being cheery while so many are suffering.

I mentioned to Brad that I didn't feel I'd done much Christmasy stuff. But after last weekend's packed schedule, I can say that's no longer true!

We started Saturday by getting our tree and then going downtown for Tuba Christmas. Sunday, we went to Mike and Aj's house for Christmas dinner with the Wood/Goins side of the family.

Everything was decorated so beautifully, as always!

 

I had to explain the fancy double plates to Brad. Obviously, we've never used chargers in our house :)

Aj knew I was on a no-dairy restriction, so she made a couple special dishes just for me - SO NICE! (and yummy!). The main dish was briam, Greek mixed veggies in tomato sauce.

Pork for Brad's plate:

Cutest Christmas mice!

Sharing one chair:

Mike and Aj, always the best hosts, gave us our first gifts of the season: a Runner's World calendar for Brad and a vegan cookbook for me. Perfect!

Donna brought homemade, personalized pillowcases for everyone. Ours were outdoor/camping themed - of course!

Then it was time for dessert. Aj tried her hand at this super-buttery Christmas cake from Southern Living magazine. Looks fabulous!

My dairy-free contribution was the Fruit and Date Lumberjack cake I made last month for Mom's birthday.

I used Earth Balance instead of butter, and it was very good! I think I'll be baking this one a lo.

Everyone else tried a little of both. I took a very deep breath of Brad's buttery cake :)

It was such a nice afternoon with Steve, Donna, Grandma Wood, Aunt Louise, Uncle Dick and cousins Deborah, Mike and Aj! And such a treat to have Dick and Lou here now :)

Silk Chocolate Mint

Eryn brought me this yummy dairy-free treat to try! What a good sister :)

I was saving the Silk Chocolate Mint soymilk for Christmas, but when I found more yesterday at Grocery Outlet for just $1.50, I bought a second carton and decided to break into it.

I was excellent chilled and good heated up. It became less thick when hot, and I wished it was thicker and creamier. Bonus: It's only 45 calories per half-cup serving.

I enjoyed this treat a lot but wouldn't say it was amazing (like the Coconut Nog I had last week!). Eryn said Fred Meyer also had a So Delicious coconut version. Perhaps I'll give that one a try :)

Theo Peppermint Stick Dark Chocolate

Finding cow-free chocolate treats is harder than you'd think!

I stopped by REI yesterday and found these Theo Peppermint Stick Dark Chocolate bars on clearance for just $1.93 - usually $4!

I grabbed one and ripped into it as soon as I got to my car. Yum! It was quite dark with subtle peppermint. It hit the spot. I might have to go back for more :)

Orange chick'n

During a recent trip to Winco, I spotted this Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n in the frozen-food section - no dairy, no eggs (or sesame e!

I needed a fast meal before last night's handbell rehearsal, so I sauteed up the little protein pieces and tossed in sauce. I already had brown rice cooked up in the fridge.

I added just a sprinkle of salt and thought it was very good!

Brad took a couple bites and passed, thinking it was bland and needed sauce. The sauce that came with it was just a coating, not a liquidy bath for them to float around in. I think that's what Brad would have preferred :)

He said he would have eaten it if we had sweet-and-sour sauce in the fridge.

I will get this again and keep it in the freezer for dinner emergencies. I'll also get some sweet-and-sour sauce for Brad :)

No-TV Tuesday: tempo and lentils

No-TV Tuesday was hectic and lazy all in one.

I pedaled home quickly and jumped on the treadmill for a tempo run. It was short but sweaty!

Warmed up, built up to 10K pace, then came back down - all while finishing One Night at McCool's and starting Heist.

2.91 miles in all:

Then I jumped in the shower and back on my bike for a return trip to THS for my monthly union meeting. By then it was dark and very wet!

When I got home, I made a double batch of Lentil Spinach Soup. Leftovers for the freezer:

Then I got lazy. I straightened up the house and cleaned the kitchen, but my grand plan of finishing the outside Christmas decorations didn't happen. Instead, I finished my book and started the next one. Perhaps the lights will come tonight :)

Tacos sin carne

My first week of cow-free eating included a new veggie taco recipe from one of my new favorite food blogs, The Sweet Life, recommended by my friend Marcile.

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Tacos sin carne used TVP (textured vegetable protein), which Winco carries in the bulk section. (I LOVE Winco's bulk foods!)

The blog's author asks that her recipes not be republished, so I'll just include the link.

These tacos were quick and easy - and really tasty! This recipe will go into the rotation :)

Nog

I'm a couple days into my no-dairy experiment, ordered by my doctor to hopefully correct tummy troubles. 

I'm trying all kinds of new products and recipes, and I thought I should document for my own future use and also for anyone out there who may also be doing some cow-free eating.

I was wandering through Tualatin Haggen when I spotted So Delicious Nog Coconut Milk. It was $.50 off, and I'm a sucker for all things holiday, so I bought a quart. It is the holidays, you know!

Oh, mamma! This stuff is good - better than regular. In fact, even if this no-dairy thing doesn't pan out, I think I'll keep buying this stuff for the holidays.

It's creamy and a bit coconuty and spiced just perfectly.

:)