What I’ve been eating (when I’m not eating crap)

Despite my best efforts at sticking to strict paleo, my emotional wounds have called for emotional eating. As these wounds slowly begin healing, I find it easier to take better care of my health. But it’s a process and I have to go easy on myself. So I’m not going to post the photos of the crap I’ve eaten lately (delicious and sometimes very well made, high quality crap- just not good for my body and physical healing process). This “crap” has included KFC, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell; cupcakes and snack food at parties; midnight PB&J’s (though I often use sunflower butter and organic jam); Keebler cookies and Quaker granola bars; and whatever I feel like eating at social functions and when out at restaurants with friends.

I quickly destroy all evidence of “bad” food- receipts, wrappers, etc. But here is some evidence of good, healing foods I’ve been eating.

Grass-fed beef burger on a bed of Bubbie’s sauerkraut, topped with all the usual suspects (organic mustard and ketchup, homemade paleo mayo- recipe below). A big slice of tomato and a blob of guacamole. All on a butter lettuce “bun”.

Tomato slices topped with mustard, Applegate ham, and chopped fresh basil, broiled until warm, juicy, and delicious.

Homemade dried fruit. (Thanks, Mom, for the dehydrator!) Apples, strawberries, bananas, and peaches. This stuff is seriously like candy.

Grassfed meatballs with ketchup, sauerkraut, guac, and a boiled egg. With a side of Brussels sprouts and olives. This was one of those random “pull things out of the fridge and make a meal out of it” dinners.

Lunch with my munchkin. Applegate, uncured, grass-fed beef hot dog with ketchup, sauerkraut, and the only pickle I could find without yellow #4. The carrots are also pickled. And a cup of unsweetened applesauce to balance all that saltiness.

Tuna-avocado boats with carrots. The tuna salad has sauerkraut and homemade paleo mayo, which is super easy to make and tastes soooo much better than store bought. Just make sure you’re using high quality eggs. Bring all ingredients to room temp, then blend 2 eggs, juice of a lemon, and a tablespoon of mustard in a blender. While blending, drizzle in avocado (or olive, or coconut, or whatever’s healthy) oil until it “sets up”. You’ll know when that happens. So yummy.

And homemade veal jerky. I got the recipe from Eat Like a Dinosaur by the Paleo Parents. Fantastic cookbook with an illustrated story for kids to help explain the whys behind eating paleo, and each recipe is kid-friendly with lots of tips on how they can help in the kitchen. Munchkin loves helping cook (and eat) dinosaur food.

What I’ve Been Eatin’

Today has been a long day. Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been getting to sleep early enough the past few days, and it’s caught up to me. I have several oral lesions and I’m exhausted. I’d call it a mini flare. I’m still able to eat normal foods, it just takes a bit more time and effort. Planning on knocking out early tonight. Hoping that’ll jumpstart the healing process.

Here’s what I’ve been eating lately:

Coconut butter is a new discovery for me. The Artisana brand is super delicious and way smoother than what I can make in my own food processor. Spread it on some pear slices- fantastic AIP snack.

This was breakfast, but it would work any time of day. Sautéed sweet potatoes with garlic and spinach, and my very own AIP meatloaf patties. I always make a double batch and freeze extras for quick meals when I’m tired or rushed (or sick). Love ’em!

This was my plate of food from a recent party. I brought a salmon salad for me and a dish of roasted garlicky broccoli to share so I’d be sure to have something to eat. But it turned out that there was more food that was AIP compliant at the party. My husband’s grandfather made a delicious baked yuca dish, and my mother-in-law smoked a brisket (she only used a tenderizer on it, which wasn’t ideal for my diet, but not a huge deviation from it). It was soooo delicious. And really fun to enjoy eating with a large group (without having my own “special” food). There was a lot at the party that I couldn’t eat, but I was full on this stuff. So it didn’t matter.

I’ve been having this for breakfast most mornings. AIP meatloaf patties made into an actual meatloaf, alongside mashed cauliflower or fermented cabbage (pictured here). And a big ol’ mug of bone broth.

This works as a snack or light lunch alongside a smoothie. Smoked salmon and olive rolls. The brand of smoked salmon that I use (Echo Falls) has only wild caught salmon, salt, and natural hardwood smoke as ingredients.

Off to bed! Hope the little one cooperates!

Double Chocolate Pudding (with hidden pumpkin and avocado)

My kid loves chocolate, and she loves a good pudding (as long as it’s smooth, not “bumpy,” such as the tapioca-like chia pudding I often made before eliminating seeds on AIP). She loved a chocolate pudding I made a while back using avocado. I’ve long since lost the recipe, but thought I’d try a variation on it today. I also love sneaking veggies and super-nutrition into baby girl’s “treats”.

I’ve been looking for an excuse to make that chocolate sauce again, anyway. Turned out awesome.

Double Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

The pudding-
2 avocados
1 can of organic, BPA free pumpkin
1 tablespoon coconut butter
2 tablespoons raw, local honey
2 tablespoons cocoa (or carob powder for AIP compliance)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Pinch of salt

The sauce-
Equal parts pure maple syrup and cocoa (or carob) powder, mixed together until smooth. (May need to sift the powder to avoid lumps- mine was still kinda lumpy).

Blend all pudding ingredients together until smooth. Top with the chocolate sauce.

Going strong on Autoimmune Paleo Protocol

It finally feels like autumn around here. My daughter got to wear her winter boots and a hoodie to school this morning. Though I’m sure she’ll be sweating in those boots by this afternoon, this little taste of what’s to come is nice. (Baby Girl (3 years old) is convinced all the leaves on the trees will fall off by tonight. That doesn’t happen around here until, oh, maybe January?) At any rate, I am happily blogging from our hammock on the back porch- with a blanket! Lovely!

I have been feeling really, really good. Not amazing. But really good. I have been nearly 100% compliant on the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol. I accidentally ingested nightshade extracts in the ham I was eating. And there are flax and chia seeds in one of the detox supplements I’m taking this week. But I’m ok with that for now. I intend to follow AIP until I stop getting lesions, or for 3 months (which would be until January- right through the holiday season- eeek!) whichever comes first.

My recent focus has been on getting better sleep- higher quality and more of it. I’ve come to realize that, as I continue to heal, I really need closer to 12 hours of sleep per night. That may not always be possible, but I need a bare minimum of 10, and need to get as close to 12 as often as possible. Considering that I have historically slept about 7-8 hours a night, I’m looking at potentially 5 fewer hours of consciousness each day. That seems nuts! But I’m hoping my increased energy and more vibrant health will help me be more productive during the 12 hours I’m awake, so no one will notice that I sleep all the time.

Last night was the first night I accomplished this goal. I’ve been working toward it for weeks, but with a co-sleeping 3 year old who vehemently dislikes being unconscious, it’s been tricky. What I’ve done to make this happen: eliminate her afternoon naps, start dinner earlier (5:30/6), and start our bedtime routine earlier so that we are in bed, reading a book before 8pm. Lights are out at 8, and we listen to e-audiobooks that I download free from the library. We are currently listening to the first Harry Potter book. Baby Girl also loves the Fancy Nancy series, which is fantastic (“which is a fancy word for great”) for building her vocabulary. I’ve also eliminated all nightlights, so we are sleeping in near-total darkness. (I’m basically still afraid of the dark, so this was a big step for me. It was no problem for the toddler. Lol). We have been working backwards from our previous typical bedtime of 11pm/12am. So this is kinda huge. Last night, we were in bed and read 3 books before 8pm. Lights were out by 8 and we were asleep by 8:30. I did wake up a few times during the night, but was able to go back to sleep rather quickly. We didn’t wake up until 7:30 this morning, so that’s 11 full hours of glorious sleep. And I feel great! Over the past couple of days, I’ve been dealing with a few lurking lesions and thrush- all of which were significantly diminished overnight. I need more of this amazingly effective disease treatment! And it’s free!

A few other things I’m doing that I believe are helping in the sleep arena… I’ve been taking a calcium/magnesium supplement forever, but I recently started using topical magnesium oil. This stuff burns when I spray it on my body, so I’m only using it on my feet and covering with socks a few nights per week, but I think that, along with a few Epsom salt baths per week, is really boosting my magnesium levels. And magnesium is extremely important for relaxing muscles and inducing healthy sleep patterns.

I stopped taking all my regular supplements this week except pregnenolone, and added in a 7-day detox formula from Garden of Life. I haven’t changed anything else about how I’m eating because AIP is restrictive enough and I can’t risk losing any weight. I’m just trying to stay really well hydrated and doing more Epsom/baking soda baths to assist with toxin elimination.

And this is some of what I’ve been eating this week:

Bananas, pears, and kiwi topped with the most delicious homemade coconut yogurt. (Coconut cream from 2 refrigerated bpa free cans of coconut milk, mixed with 2-3 good probiotic capsules and cultured in an “off” oven with the light on for 24 hours). Super easy and so rich and tangy!

What I thought was a great AIP breakfast. (Darn those sneaky nightshade extracts that contaminated my ham!) Applegate Naturals ham, roasted asparagus, and avocado with a salty mug of chicken bone broth (very healing for the gut).

One of my new favorite snacks: smoked salmon (beware of ingredients!) with coconut yogurt and capers. There was some sugar listed on the salmon ingredients, but from what I understand, the sugar is mostly eliminated during the curing process. And that was the only questionable ingredient in this brand. I checked several other brands and they all had funky stuff in them. I’ve thrown out the package now, but I’ll post more info on this next time I get more smoked salmon.

Nice AIP lunch… Applegate turkey (boo- carrageenan!) wrapped around homemade fermented carrots (yay- probiotics!) and avocado, with pear slices.

Pan-fried tilapia (seasoned with only salt) on a mound of mashed cauliflower with a side of sweet, ripe plantains. Yum yum yum yum yum!

Ingredients for delicious and seasonally appropriate pumpkin pudding. Super easy and AIP friendly. The only potentially tricky part is the gelatin. (This is not conventional store-bought gelatin by the way.  You will NOT find this stuff next to the jell-o at Publix.  Don’t eat that!  This is grass fed and has no added nastiness.) Put all other ingredients in a blender. Put 1/2 tablespoon gelatin in 2 ounces of water and let it “bloom” for 5 minutes. Then add that to the blender as well. Blend everything until smooth, then pour into individual serving cups and refrigerate until “set” (a few hours or overnight). As you can see, it was a hit with my little one. I put these in her lunch for school as a treat, and I feel good about all the vitamins she’s getting from the pumpkin, the amino acids and protein from the gelatin, and the healthy fat from the coconut. And there’s nothing in this “treat” that would be likely to irritate her gut or compromise her immune system in any way (as is the case with most treats!). Totally win/win.

I have been eating a LOT of canned tuna lately. It’s just so convenient. Good thing it’s wild, sustainably sourced, and BPA free. For this tuna salad, I was out of coconut yogurt, so I added some olive juice for flavor and moisture, along with some olives, chopped celery, and homemade fermented carrots. Turned out quite good. I put some on whole wheat bread for my husband and just ate mine plain with a fork.

Something else I’ve been eating a LOT of lately- these AIP meatloaf patties. I’ll post more about these later, because this is my first notable, original recipe. Super exciting! It may be the only one I ever have, but it deserves it’s own post. Here I had them on a bed of greens with a side of rutabaga fries.

And, finally, a recipe that was truly a revelation for me this week. I have scoured grocery and health food store shelves for a wholesome chocolate sauce. It may be out there, but I haven’t found it. During my flirtations with raw veganism, I found a recipe for chocolate sauce that was delicious, but a bit complicated and time consuming for something that I would only enjoy on occasion, and even then, only a small bit at a time. I saw this combination as part of a larger recipe and the lightbulb that went off in my head was blinding. I can’t believe I never thought of this!

It’s so incredibly simple! I can’t have chocolate on AIP, so I had to use carob powder. But the potential variations are mouth-watering! I can’t wait to do a Mexican chocolate sauce: a little raw cacao, vanilla, and cinnamon mixed into that maple syrup. Wow! This sauce can be used as a topping or as a mix for hot chocolate or chocolate milk. This has opened up a whole new world for me. Still gotta be careful, because nobody wants the sugar rush that would follow too much maple syrup, but this will add an easy, decadent layer to lots of dishes.

Such as this one. Plantain pancakes topped with coconut cream and chocolate sauce. (Husband and kid went NUTS for these!) Two ripe (mostly black) plantains mashed up with cinnamon and fried (1/4 cup scoops) in coconut oil. Topped with unsweetened coconut cream and super sweet chocolate sauce. We had this for breakfast, but it really should be a dessert. It’s THAT decadent.

Sorry for the crazy-long post! Now that I’m getting my energy back, I have a lot to say. Probably need to be posting daily to get it out in a more manageable format. I’ll work on that! 🙂

Taking on Full Autoimmune Paleo Protocol and dealing with a possible Herxheimer reaction

Feeling pretty good on this fourth day without prednisone. I have a few lesions, nothing major. But I do have quite a bit of thrush, which is odd. It’s nearly covering my entire tongue. This usually doesn’t happen unless I’m having a bad flare. The thrush on its own isn’t painful, just annoying. And I’m thinking it may be a reaction to detox, since I’ve been really strict on AIP the last few days. The last time I experienced thrush like this (without a bad flare) was when I did a 3 day juice cleanse. “Fuzzy tongue” is a pretty common side effect of detoxing. I think it has something to do with toxins released as bad bacteria and yeasts in the body die off. I’m surprised that this would happen to me, since AIP isn’t a huge jump from what I was already eating. But I guess it’s possible that nuts, seeds, eggs, and nightshades really were wrecking havoc in my system. I hope that’s the case, because it would mean I’ve found another big piece of the puzzle. Nuts, seeds, and eggs were also the mediums through which I ingested quite a bit of sugar (dates/honey) in the form of grain-free baked goods and (my favorite treat ever) date/nut “cookie dough” balls. Those changes may be starving the baddies in my gut of the sugar they thrive on. That would elicit some die-off, and might help explain the thrush.

I’ve gone full-AIP now. So in addition to the typical Paleo restrictions (no grains, legumes, or dairy) I’ve also eliminated nuts, seeds, eggs, and nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers). So what I DO eat is lots of fruit and vegetables, grass-fed beef, organic chicken (I don’t have access to pastured chicken right now), humanely raised pork, all with no nitrates/nitrites or preservatives, and now I CAN’T eat any pre-seasoned sausages, hot dogs, jerky, or deli meats since they almost always use spices derived from nightshades (like paprika). I am also eating lots of fish. I found some great BPA free and wild caught canned tuna and salmon. Plus, to avoid losing weight on this diet, I’m including lots of healthy fats: extra virgin coconut oil, ghee, extra virgin olive oil (not for cooking, though- olive oil deteriorates quickly at high temps and becomes inflammatory and toxic). I’m hoping to work in some healthy animal fats from good sources (like lard) for cooking, but I haven’t tracked down those sources yet. And I’m not about to use conventional lard from the grocery store. Yuk!

PUMPKIN SOUP with COCONUT SOUR CREAM
I blended a can of organic, BPA free pumpkin purée with some homemade bone broth (chicken stock) and a clove of garlic, in the vita-mix for about 7 minutes until it got hot. Super easy. The coconut sour cream is actually homemade coconut yogurt, but the taste works perfectly for this. I mixed the coconut cream from 3 refrigerated cans of organic coconut milk with a powdered kefir starter and left it in my oven with the light on for 24 hours. The oven is off during this process, but the light creates enough heat to facilitate the culturing activity of the probiotics. Once it’s refrigerated again, it’s thick, creamy, and tangy, and LOADED with probiotics. Blended with something sweet, it tastes like yogurt. On something savory, it tastes like sour cream. Either way, it’s delicious.

That same coconut sour cream/yogurt worked beautifully in this tuna salad. I also mixed in some raw sauerkraut, making this dish a probiotic powerhouse. I would’ve loved to add some olives, but my daughter has decided that she doesn’t like them and we were sharing.

These are allergy-free breakfast cookies from the Against All Grain cookbook. Bananas, applesauce, dates, coconut flour, plus dried fruits and spices. Good stuff.

Applegate beef slices wrapped around my homemade fermented carrot sticks. Yum! And more probiotics! Now that I’m thinking about all the probiotics I’ve been eating, that could be another explanation for the Herxheimer (die-off) symptoms. Hopefully the good guys are crowding out the bad guys in my belly.

Smoothie time! A banana, coconut milk (leftover from all that coconut cream), frozen blueberries, and 2 huge handfuls of spinach. Alongside some Applegate turkey slices, it makes for a satisfying AIP breakfast.

The turkey slices do contain carrageenan, which weirds me out. But it’s certainly healthier than most other super-convenient protein options, and it doesn’t contain any nightshade spices, so I’m not going to worry about it for now.

Tapering Success!!! And setting new goals.

Well, yesterday was (potentially) my last day on prednisone. I say potentially because I am leaving the option open to take a mg or a half anytime this week if I feel like I need it. But, honestly, after what I’ve been through the past 3 months with the taper, I can’t imagine it getting bad enough that I can’t push through. Now it’s time to dig into some REAL healing.

My plan is to give myself a couple of weeks to adjust to life without prednisone. My adrenals are screwed up and I know my hormones are out of whack. I’m focusing on getting better quality sleep (and getting to sleep by 10pm). And working in some light exercise. We went kayaking (3 miles) yesterday, and though I passed out in the car on the way home, I didn’t feel particularly fatigued during the trip. And had enough energy later in the day to host a backyard movie night. Well, I didn’t do anything besides make some popcorn (which I didn’t eat), but just having the energy left to socialize after such a busy day is an improvement over the recent past.

We’ll see how the next couple of weeks go, but once I feel like my body is getting itself together again, I want to detox. Probably a modified AIP (autoimmune paleo) solid foods plus juice cleanse, with a 7 day detox supplement from Garden of Life. We’re on a super-tight grocery budget, so it might get tricky, but it should be doable. I’ll re-evaluate and determine new goals after that.

My goals have been so centered around getting off the medication. Now that I’m pretty much there, I already feel like I’m floundering a bit. (The pitfalls of being extremely goal-oriented.) My ultimate goal is complete, medication-free remission. But there will be a few more mini-goals between here and there. I’m just not sure what they should be. I need to make an appointment with my integrative doc. He’d probably be extremely helpful with this process.

At any rate, I’m EXTREMELY grateful and happy to be OFF OF PREDNISONE!!! And I feel like I dodged a bullet by avoiding the methotrexate all my conventional docs were pushing on me. Physically, I feel pretty good. Having a minor flare that’s been going on since last week, but it’s nothing compared to what has been the “norm” over the past 3 months. It’s barely worth mentioning.

Here’s some examples of what I’ve been eating lately.

A quick, one-pan, AIP dinner: tilapia and Brussels sprouts with red onion, lots of garlic and lemon juice.

Organic chicken sausage (non-AIP), yummy kale chips, and sautéed sweet potatoes. (This was breakfast. Yeah- since eliminating eggs, grains, nuts, and seeds, breakfast looks a little different. Takes some getting used to.)

Strawberry smoothie with coconut cream. (Totally fills in for the strawberry frappuccinos with whipped cream that I used to consume in a former life.) The smoothie has frozen strawberries, homemade coconut milk and coconut kefir (awesome probiotics!), and dates. The coconut cream is the cream from the top of a refrigerated can of organic coconut milk mixed with a scant tablespoon of agave nectar. It’s denser than whipped cream, so a lot of it sinks into the smoothie. But I bet if I made the smoothie thicker (with more strawberries or by adding ice) more of the cream would sit on top.

And this has become one of our favorite salty crunchy snacks. My daughter loves these. She’d always get a little package of seaweed snacks when we’d go to the health food store. But they often have questionable added oils and some spices I may need to avoid on AIP. Plus they’re expensive! So I just get regular old nori sheets and fold them into smaller, snackable size squares.

Now I’m off to get myself and my little one ready for bed. We have a strict bedtime! 😉

AIP Breakfast and “Ham with Jam”

Feeling soooo much better today! Yayyyyyyy!!!!! Mouth still has lots of healing to do, and I have to be careful if someone makes me smile or laugh, because this lesion on my lip is no joke and has cracked painfully and bled on several occasions. I have an extremely funny husband and daughter, so while I am still delighted by their humor, it comes with what feels like a punch in the mouth. But it’s worth it. Laughter is healing.

I’m eating lots of solid foods today!!! Yum! And dipping my toes into the AIP (Autoimmune Paleo Protocol). Made beef breakfast patties and kale chips today.

Served ’em with avocado, clementines, and a pickle spear (at my daughter’s request). The pickle was marinated with carrots and red peppers, so technically is not compliant with AIP (because of the nightshades- peppers) but I’m moving into this protocol slowly.

Here’s what went into the breakfast patties. The herbs are from the garden. Parsley, rosemary, and sage.

I over cooked them a bit, but they still came out good. This meal took me FOREVER to eat, since every bite feels like a mini-marathon. But it was delicious, and the lesions have healed enough at this point that it is possible, if laborious, to eat, so I’m taking full advantage.

My daughter and I have been reading a book called “Ham with Jam” most nights before bed. It’s a free app from ABCmouse, and is so nice to have (along with all their other book-apps) when I’m sick and can barely talk, much less read a bedtime story. Each book has a “read to me” option, so a narrator reads the book for us. We still get our nighttime reading ritual, even when I’m too sick to do it myself. Anyway, this “Ham with Jam” book is about a little girl who likes jam, but detests ham, and a little boy who enjoys ham, but doesn’t like jam. They come up with the genius idea of putting the two together and it’s so delicious that both kids change their minds and end up liking both foods. It sounded pretty good, so I decided to try a healthier version of it.

Rinsed and diced the strawberries, then mixed them with a teaspoon of honey and rolled them up in a slice of Applegate ham. The sweet/salty combination is delish!

And I’ll have to double check the ingredients in the ham, but I’m pretty sure it’s AIP friendly.

My sweet husband picked up some coconut water for me yesterday, so I drank a lot of that and felt really hydrated. Continuing with that today, and I’ve been focusing on getting to bed by 10pm. I’m rarely (never) asleep by 10, but getting to bed earlier is becoming easier. Hopefully I can soon adjust my internal clock enough to not only be in bed by 10, but be fully asleep by 10. I think this will be easier to do as the days continue to get shorter and shorter. This timing of sleep-hours is vital to adrenal function, so as I taper off the last few mg of this steroid, giving my adrenals every fighting chance will be really important. And it makes a big difference in how I feel throughout the day (and how quickly I heal from flares).

Entertaining (mostly) Grain Free

Had a wonderful time catching up with our old friends (and watching our toddlers get to know each other- so cute!) We ate every meal here at the house during their visit, and the only time I spent in the kitchen (about 20 minutes) involved making this AMAZING grain free bread. (Click here for the recipe from Against All Grain). I misread the recipe and used tablespoons instead of teaspoons for the vinegar. I actually think it turned out even better. Gave it almost a sourdough flavor. We (four adults and two toddlers) ate the entire loaf in one sitting. I served it smothered in grass-fed butter alongside a roasted beet salad with citrus vinaigrette and organic chicken soup- all of which had been made ahead of time and just had to be warmed up and plated. I had a frosty glass of pomegranate kombucha with mine.

Our friends supplied the steaks for dinner, which the boys grilled while I warmed up the pre-baked sweet potatoes and sautéed the sprouts mixture I’d put together ahead of time. Dinner was on the table in 15 minutes. I love being prepared.

Dessert was not grain free. I made and froze this dish before I made the switch. Though I’m pretty sure it would be easily converted to grain free. I’ll have to try it soon. Anyway, it was a pear/peach cobbler made with brown rice flour (so it IS gluten free at least) and sweetened with honey. I adjusted my Granny’s old peach cobbler recipe to eliminate the refined sugars and wheat flour. Topped it off with coconut whip cream (the delicious white stuff from the top of a refrigerated can of coconut milk, then mixed with vanilla extract and agave). Mmmmmmm. So good.

Solid Food!!! Woo-hoo!!!

Today would’ve been my seventh full day on liquids. This flare, triggered when I hit the 10 mg mark of my prednisone taper, has been one of the most severe flares I’ve ever had. It has not been the most painful or the scariest by any means. But it has been long and hard and my mouth has been an absolute mess. I’ve never had this many lesions at once. And they’re everywhere. I posted some really disgusting photos on a separate page titled “An Ugly Flare” if you’re interested in seeing what’s been happening in my mouth.

Thankfully, I haven’t had any problems with my throat or swallowing, and very little pain associated with drinking. So I’ve been able to stay nourished and hydrated using some good meal replacements and supplements from Garden of Life, along with lots of bone broth and kombucha. If not for the hydrocodone/acetaminophen pill I’ve had to take twice a day most days to function somewhat normally, it could’ve been a decent detox.

Today, the lesions are beginning to scab over and some of the scabs are falling off. (Gross, I know, but that’s what happens, and that’s how I can tell when the flare is wrapping up and I’ll be feeling better soon, so I always get really excited when this process starts!) My tongue isn’t as swollen and the thrush is beginning to recede a bit. So, without the danger of chewing off a chunk of my swollen tongue, I decided today might be a good day to attempt to eat something a little more solid.

Coming off of this forced detox also puts me in a unique position to change my diet, possibly start an elimination diet. I’ve been researching and thinking about some different options the last few days. I decided to just stick with something simple for now, but something new that I haven’t tried yet. Eliminating ALL grains. That’s right. No rice, no quinoa, no oats, no gluten free bread, wraps, or crackers- unless they are also grain free, which is rare.

I’ll still be able to make baked goods from coconut and almond flours, and I’ve found some great cookbooks and online resources for recipes, so I’m not too worried about feeling deprived. This will just be another small adjustment.

I’m also going to strictly eliminate dairy (again). I may incorporate some raw goat milk products further down the line, but not anytime soon. My body has let me know that dairy is not good for me right now (congestion, headaches, acne) so I need to honor that, regardless of my love for cheese. And I considered following something close to the autoimmune paleo protocol, which eliminates eggs and nightshades (potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, etc.) but I’ll save that for later if eliminating grains doesn’t work on its own.

So, I’m basically paleo now, I guess.

And here’s what I had for my first solid meal in a week. Applegate Farms Smoked Turkey and avocado wraps dipped on homemade mayo and organic spicy mustard.

The first bite was pretty rough. I realized I should’ve trimmed off the harder edges of the turkey as they stabbed various sensitive spots inside my mouth, and my tongue moved quickly to try to alleviate that pain, causing more pain to the tender underside of my tongue… ending up with me virtually swallowing the first bite whole, without chewing at all. I took a pain pill, waited 5 minutes, and tried again. Tearing off smaller pieces of turkey and eating the avocado by itself. Slowly, bite by bite, I eat the first roll-up. It is delicious, but I am exhausted. I think, “That’s it. I can’t eat the other two. I’m still so hungry, but I just can’t do it.” By now, it’s been about 20 minutes since I took the pain pill (yes, it took that long to eat one little roll-up.) And I am so hungry I decide to just take one bite of the second roll-up. Chew, swallow, no problem. Yay! I didn’t think I could do it, but I end up eating all three. So satisfying!

Dinner was served up by my sweet husband. Salmon and spinach. Perfect paleo meal. Thanks, babe.

I was able to eat most of it.

Food Sensitivities and Girlie Problems

The consequences of my week of rebellion extended further than I originally expected. As the yeast infection cleared, it left in its wake a pretty severe autoimmune flare “down there”. I’m assuming the infection triggered my immune system, which went overboard and didn’t know when to quit. This was a new experience for me, as my issues have always been oral flares, which are exponentially more painful and debilitating in comparison. At least with this one, I could still eat.

And recovery was pretty quick, thanks in part to helichrysum essential oil. That stuff is crazy expensive, but works wonders when it comes to general healing and pain relief. And a little goes a very long way. I’ve been using (topically) a 95/5 blend of olive oil/helichrysum oil- and it’s been very effective.

I’m still playing with my nutrition plan. Based on recent and past experiences, there are a few things I’ve learned about my body. One, I have a hard time processing sugar- whether it’s white sugar, agave nectar, or honey- I can feel it almost immediately when I’ve had too much and I know this negatively affects my metabolic processes. Two, caffeine exacerbates this issue with sugar and makes it even more difficult to keep it balanced- leaving me with lots of cravings and panicky moments of low blood sugar. Three, dairy (whether raw or pasteurized, organic or not, cultured (like yogurt and kefir) or not) makes me slightly congested. Ghee (clarified butter) does not have this effect, but I’m not sure about regular butter. This congestion lets me know that my body is having some sort of immune-reaction to dairy, so I really should avoid it. At least until I give my gut more time to heal. I may have to experiment more with goat milk and the products made from it, since I’m not sure if it affects me the same way, but for the time being, I’m going to avoid cow milk and anything made from it.

Then there’s soy, corn, and gluten. None of which I’ve noticed a reaction to, but read enough about that they all make me nervous. So, to avoid that crazy, insect-stomach exploding BT toxin in GMO corn, I will not eat any corn, or anything made from corn, that is not organic. When it comes to soy, I will only eat organic, fermented versions (tempeh, miso) or completely unprocessed organic soybeans (edamame). And, until this disease is in remission, I’ll still be avoiding gluten. Once I’m well, I may incorporate some sprouted/soaked organic wheat or sourdough.

So that’s my basic plan. Plus I’ll be sticking to organic meats and eggs. And avoiding pork, shellfish, and fish that don’t have fins/scales (like catfish) in an attempt to implement (sort of) the Maker’s Diet (book by Jordan Rubin).

This week, I’m down to 14 mg on my prednisone taper. Dealing with a few uncomfortable oral lesions, but not a big deal.

Here’s some of what I’ve been eating.

Breakfast: 2 organic eggs, Applegate farms turkey breast (no nitrites/nitrates, humanely raised), spring mix greens and fermented veggies.

My new favorite treat- dried figs with goat cheese and cinnamon. Sooo good.

Chicken salad for dinner, dressed with homemade mayo watered down with fermented veggie juice.

And a chocolate milkshake: frozen banana, cup of ice, dates, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla extract, sprinkle of cinnamon, carob powder, maca powder, 2 cups of spinach, and a few drops of stevia. I swear it tastes like a Frosty from Wendy’s.

Thursday

Feeling fantastic today. Got a great night’s sleep (9 1/2 hours!) and woke up energized and refreshed. This energy lasted ALL. DAY. LONG. I did not experience a single slump (which is unheard of!) When baby girl went down for her nap, I deep cleaned the bathrooms. I also mowed the front lawn as a surprise for my husband (he never looks at the blog, so it’ll still be a surprise). I’ve NEVER mowed our lawn before. EVER. Raked the leaves once last year… Anyway, I’d love to know where all this energy is coming from and how I can hold onto it.

What I ate today:

An alkalizing green juice to start the day right.

That’s a half gallon jar, so I was drinking on this all day.

After spending so much time juicing, ran out of time for breakfast before our play date. Scarfed down these crackers and pear goat cheese. And juice.

Lunch salad to counteract all the cheese and chocolate I’ve been eating today: mixed greens, chicken breast, fermented veggies, all drizzled with orange vinaigrette.

My friend served these cupcakes at our play date. Gluten free, egg free, soy free, corn free, dairy free, and sweetened with agave nectar. The texture was fantastic. Sooooo good. I ate 3.

Dinner was “cookie dough” and watermelon. The cookie dough is made from pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, medjool dates, and cinnamon. Once you blend them up enough in a food processor, they start to stick together and you can form yummy raw cookies or truffle balls. But lately I’ve just been skipping that step and eating the “dough” by the handful. (You can do this with almost any nut and dried fruit, by the way.)

And a little more cheese. I’m really making up for lost time with these goat cheeses. Should probably lay off and stick with 1 ounce a day. I read somewhere that goat’s milk (and it’s products) are actually alkalizing to the body (whereas cow’s milk makes you acidic), but I don’t understand the science behind that and I’m not sure I believe it.

Tuesday

Had a little bit of a lesion outbreak that I started noticing late in the day yesterday. Two on my lip, two inside my cheeks, one on my tongue… all minor, but irritating, and seemed to be ready to grow into a major problem. I started using the dexamethasone mouthwash more regularly (I’ve been avoiding it, not wanting to disable my immune system even more than the prednisone is already, given the respiratory bug that’s been plaguing our house). But they (the lesions) seem to have calmed down today. I was a little nervous, but I think they’re going to head out before they become an issue. Whew!

Breakfast was homemade granola (from the Immune System Recovery Plan) with apples and almond milk.

Dug some stuff out of the fridge to juice with lunch.

And had the juice with leftover rosemary potatoes and a jarred, organic white cabbage and baby beet salad.

My daughter’s favorite treat when we go shopping at the health food store. She loves her some seaweed snacks. But she let me eat a few.

And MY favorite treat when we go to the health food store: kombucha.

Snacked on these and some trail mix during nap time.

And juiced this stuff. That’s a lot of ginger. Very spicy. But I want to fire up my gut and get to the next level of health before I go in to see the integrative doc at the end of this month and discuss tapering off prednisone. I’ve got to be strong and ready.

Dinner was a microwaved burrito. I topped it with fermented carrots and cauliflower. That sounds weird, but it was actually really good. So far, fermented veggies seem to work well with any savory dish that could use a little extra salty flavor. And they improve digestion of whatever you’re eating.

Sunday

Feeling really good today. Lip is healing well. Energy level is great.

Frozen waffles leftover from a previous meal. Just threw them in the toaster, just like store bought. But way healthier and cheaper! With ghee and maple syrup, plus apples, kiwi, and cherries.

We have a busy day today, so lunch had to be quick. I spiralized a cucumber, soaked it in apple cider vinegar for a few minutes, and layered it on small slices of rosemary garlic farmhouse seed bread with sun dried tomato hummus, a dollop of soy free vegenaise, and paprika. This would also be a great appetizer or hors d’oeuvre.

Went to a Zumba class today. So fun, great workout. Had this smoothie when I got home. Strawberries, maca powder, 5 dates, hempseed oil, almond milk, vanilla extract, and a splash of agave. I made it a bit sweeter than usual, and the maca powder gives it a rich, malty flavor. Totally tasted like a strawberry milkshake.

We went out to eat with family for dinner. Buca di Beppa. I looked at their gluten free menu online, and knew the only thing I’d be able to eat on this elimination diet was the green salad. So I brought my own food to supplement. Roasted beets in citrus vinaigrette, sandwich bread and black bean hummus, and granola for dessert.

I dipped my gluten free/egg free/soy free/corn free/dairy free bread in olive oil and balsamic vinegar while everyone else did the same with the restaurant’s bread. When the appetizers came out (calamari and caprese salad) I broke out the black bean hummus and kept working on my bread. I intended to order the green salad with the restaurant’s signature vinaigrette, but found out from our server that the dressing has both soy and eggs in it. No biggie, just bring me oil and vinegar.

When my salad came, it was a huge bowl of mostly iceberg lettuce, sprinkled with chopped tomatoes, four (FOUR!) olives- 2 black and 2 green, and 2 pepperoncini peppers (that were just too spicy for me, so I couldn’t eat them). If I hadn’t brought my own food, at this point I would have been extremely hungry, disappointed, and irritable. I would’ve been drooling over everyone’s cheesy pastas and ginormous meatballs (which I did a little bit anyway, but more in a “How can I make something similar at home that will fit my diet?” kind of way, rather than a “OMG, that looks so good! Why am I struck with this stupid sickness while everyone else get to eat whatever they want and they don’t even have to think twice about it?” kind of way). But if I had been hungry and irritable, I’m sure my thoughts would’ve led to the more whiny, self-pitying type.

As it was, I was disappointed that I only had four olives (they were the only ingredient I was really looking forward to in the salad) but I was plenty full on bread, hummus, and beets. The salad was really just another side dish, not what I was depending on for nourishment. So I was happy and satisfied with my meal. And munched on granola while we sat around and laughed at my daughter’s antics (I think she was a little high on gluten since she rarely gets it, and she was acting nuts!)

Lesson confirmed that one cannot eat well at a conventional restaurant on a healthy, but restrictive diet. The measly offerings they do have are often not that good anyway (limp lettuce, grainy tomatoes, FOUR olives). It’s certainly not worth the money.

But, time spent with family is priceless, so it’s important to have solutions available that will allow you to stick with your diet, but still participate in a world that does not always make healthy choices easy. Bringing your own food isn’t always an option, but it worked for me in this case, and I’ll do it again anytime I doubt that I can find something suitable on the menu. It may sound melodramatic, but my life depends on it.

Wednesday

Breakfast was a yummy avocado fruit bowl with pears, grapes, and hemp seeds.

I’d been reading my Clean Eating magazine and they had an article on homemade jellies and jams. They showed these jams on cheese and crackers. It looked delicious, so I satisfied the resulting craving with gf crackers (they do contain some milk fat as part of a butter flavoring, so it’ll be interesting to see if this causes any reactions), dairy free/soy free cheese, and grapes. Perfect!

I did a P90X workout today. Shoulders and arms, and ab ripper. Still slightly sore from Monday’s workout, so it felt good to get loosened up. And, for once, I was able to do the ab exercises without the extra 30 pounds of wiggling resistance that is usually climbing all over me as soon as I lay down on the yoga mat. She was preoccupied watching a fairy movie on my phone and didn’t even notice I was on the floor.

Post-workout treat was a glass of almond milk with stevia and 2 squares of dark chocolate with orange flavor. The chocolate contained some milk fat, but since there’s no milk protein, I don’t think that’ll be a problem with my elimination diet, but I’m going to keep an eye out for reactions. The chocolate also has artificial flavors. Don’t know how this slipped by me at the grocery store. I almost spit it out when I read that, but decided to consider it a treat and let it go. Hopefully my other healthy behaviors will balance it out.

And dinner was classic Italian. Spaghetti with meat sauce. Used pastured ground beef, canned tomatoes, frozen carrot and greens juicing pulp, herbs from the garden, and Himalayan sea salt.

And for the salad, plucked some leaves off of our Swiss chard plants from the garden. Plus chives and chopped basil, and a handful of store bought spinach. Can’t wait to get to the point where I can make a whole meal just from what’s growing in our back yard. Maybe next year…

Soooo, I was a little premature in declaring my husband naturally healed from his sickness. He took a turn for the worse tonight and ended up going to urgent care and being diagnosed with pneumonia. He’s now on strong antibiotics. I’m going to do what I can to support his immune system (probiotics) and minimize the negative impact of the medication. But pneumonia is way beyond my healing capabilities at this point. Praying for lots of healing rest and quick recovery.

Friday

Woke up feeling great again today. Until I started to pay attention to what’s going on in my mouth. Tongue is swollen, and upper lip is visibly swollen because of a lesion near the gum line. Thrush is still going strong, and there are lots of smaller lesions with the potential to become more problematic.

I’m obviously in the midst of a mild flare. But remember, I said I woke up feeling great today. Typically, when I’m flaring, it’s accompanied by extreme exhaustion and general discomfort/sensitivity that makes regular activities tiring and painful. I don’t have any of that today. I feel fantastic- as long as I’m not trying to eat or talk. So, though I’m flaring, I still see this as progress.

Breakfast was very difficult to eat and took foreverrrrr. GF cinnamon raisin toast with earth balance spread, orange/carrot juice, and dandelion root tea.

I don’t have much in the fridge for juicing, so I’m subbing in some wheatgrass for my usual green alkalizer today.

Walked 3.6 miles with baby girl in the stroller today. I was considering doing a body pump class at the gym, or doing the next P90X workout, but I figured today wasn’t a day to push myself, even though I feel good. It’s clear that something is “off” since my mouth is out of control. But being as consistent as possible with exercise is an important part of my treatment plan, so I felt like I had to do something.

Came home and had this leftover almost vegan Alfredo lasagna for lunch. It wasn’t too hard to eat.

Was still hungry, so supplemented lunch with this pouch of baby food. Along with juicing, this is the easiest way I know to get nutrients in my body when my mouth is all jacked up.

And snacked on these banana chips. Slightly painful to eat, but the sweetness of them motivated me to keep going. Enjoyed them with a cup of herbal orange tea.

Dinner is puréed roasted carrots with organic vegetable stock. Topped with sage from the garden. Dressing it up this way makes it seem less like baby food, and more like a gourmet soup. Though its basically just baby food.

My daughter has had a bit of a cough today. Seems like she picks something up every time I leave her in daycare at the gym or the nursery at church. She’s been to both this week. I gave her Similisan (a homeopathic remedy for kids) and made an essential oils concoction to rub on her chest and back: eucalyptus, myrrh, clove, and lavender oils in a carrier of coconut oil. I would’ve added peppermint and rosemary if she’d had a fever. And rubbed Young Living’s Theives oil blend on her feet. Haven’t heard a single cough all day. Will repeat this process tonight (coughs always rear their ugly heads when the sun goes down) and see how she does. Also, I’ve been sneaking a bit of probiotics in her bottle at night. (Breaking the capsules apart and giving her a little less than half.) That should help with boosting her immune function.

Thursday

Woke up feeling great, despite not getting much sleep. My body didn’t cooperate with my attempt at getting to sleep early last night. But I think I may have gotten my toddler on an earlier schedule now, so that was the first step anyway. I’ll try again tonight.

Had the breakfast bowl filled with brown rice, roasted carrots, kimchi, avocado, and an egg.

And this immune boosting carrot-orange juice.

Went to a yoga class at the gym today. It was very relaxing, which I needed, since my arms, shoulders, and back are slightly sore from yesterday. Felt great while I was there.

But almost immediately started feeling tired when we got home. My tongue started to feel too big for my mouth and I can see thrush (fungus) all over it. I have one problematic lesion on my tongue. Also have that general all over discomfort/sensitivity that makes everything hurt more than it should (like when my daughter bumped my smoothie glass and it hit my lip- not hard, but it was excruciating for a moment, when it really should NOT have been that painful).

Made these melon ball skewers as a snack before lunch.

Had trouble eating them (because of all the inflammation and pain in my mouth) so settled for this smoothie. It’s a repeat from yesterday. Neapolitan.

Laid down and napped with my daughter for a bit and woke up feeling marginally better. Definitely less tired and less overall pain. Not sure what’s happening in my mouth. It’s crazy how things can change so quickly. I felt fine this morning, if only a bit sore from yesterday’s workout.

Feeling significantly better by dinnertime. Bit of a roller coaster today, I guess.

Here’s dinner. I don’t think I’ve ever had sardines before, but I’ve been reading how healthy they are. Read about them here- http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=147

Topped them with a bit of oregano from the garden, since it has lots of health benefits, too. Read about them here-

Oregano: 10 Natural Health Benefits & Healing Uses

Thursday

Woke up feeling great today, despite not sleeping well last night. Determined to take full advantage of it!

Quick breakfast before a play date. This is now one of my favorites. Brown rice and diced pepper, two fried eggs, avocado, and raw sauerkraut (getting in those fermented veggies with lots of good probiotics!)

Felt a slight slump when we got home around noon and didn’t feel like putting together a real lunch, so we had brownie balls (they’re healthy!) and almond milk. My daughter loves these, and I love that she has no idea she’s eating walnuts, prunes, chia seeds, and maca powder.

Snacked on blueberries.

Then my energy slump ended and we got out in the garden. My amazing husband built these beds and installed a sprinkler system so we can expand our gardening efforts this year and have more homegrown, organic produce.

We moved our compost bin and found this guy growing out of a hole in the back of the bin. My husband says it’s a papaya tree. To get it out, we had to rip some of the roots, so we’re hoping it survives the transplant. But that was pretty exciting.

The pepper and tomatillo (I think) bed. The three baby plants in front were started from seed. I had a mishap with my labeling system, so I’m not 100% sure what they are. Either tomatoes or tomatillos. I’m going with tomatillos. We shall see.

The tomato and Swiss chard bed. Several tomato varieties and both red and yellow chard.

The herbs. And a few spaghetti squash and honeydew melon sprouts that need to be transplanted later.

We also planted a couple of lavender plants today. Looking forward to making nighttime tea with that.

Almost forgot to take a pic of my red beet elixir. Just beets and apples. Super sweet and refreshing after an afternoon sweating in the garden.

Dinner is a variation on fettuccine Alfredo from Nourishing Meals. Seriously, everyone needs this book. It’s amazing.

Here’s the recipe.

Loving my spiralizer. Turned 2 zucchini and a yellow squash into fettuccine noodles.

Rosemary, sage, and basil from the garden.

Everything on the stove. I made a double batch of the Alfredo sauce so we’ll have more for later. I’m thinking gluten free white lasagna…

And the finished product. Served with leftover roasted carrots and “carsnips” as my daughter says.

So excited to have had such a good day. I haven’t felt this good in a while. Not only did I have energy, but I felt clear in the head. Sharp. Like I could think straight- which has been a struggle most days lately. Feeling very grateful.

Monday

Mini quiches with sweet potato crust from nourishing meals. Used a yellow and zucchini squash and spinach for the veggies. And several herbs from my garden: sage, chives, oregano, thyme, and basil.

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They were taking too long in the oven, so I ate this while waiting. That’s earth balance spread on gf toast and a glass of iced chamomile tea. And the veggies, of course. Tongue is weirdly swollen today, so eating is a slow process, and tiring. I only ate half the veggies on this plate and saved the rest for later (see dinner).

I decided yesterday that exercise has been a major component missing from my healing regimen lately. I’ve been so tired and weak some days, and other days I’ve been so focused on researching nutrition and figuring out what plans to follow. Exercise really took a back seat. I’m going to try to change that in the near future, starting today. Walked 3.6 miles with baby girl in the stroller. Not sure if it was my weakness, or her increased weight, but it was slow going. Kept a 20 min/mile pace. It was a gorgeous sunny day, so I put some lemon essential oil in my hair and let the sun do its work while we walked… free highlighting beauty treatment. Sweet! 😉

After that mileage, the balls of my feet were burning and my leg muscles were already a bit sore. Crazy! I can’t believe I regularly ran close to 10 miles less than a year ago, and now walking such a short distance is so hard. I put peppermint oil neat (not diluted) on the bottoms of my feet- worked just as well as biofreeze, by the way. Instant cooling relief.

And drank this smoothie to refuel. Macadamia nuts, kale, sexy chocolate mix (cacao, carob, maca), pumpkin seeds, almond milk, stevia, frozen banana, plus extra maca for more adrenal support.

And made these raw brownie balls to snack on, but they were so filling, they ended up being lunch. I just started throwing stuff in the food processor based on ultimate nutrition and paying little attention to taste. As a result, the brownies are edible, but not super delicious. I really should stick to other people’s recipes.

Anyway, they are mostly walnuts, with chia seeds, hemp protein, prunes, cinnamon, sexy chocolate mix, and a smidge of molasses. Baby girl likes ’em. But she likes anything chocolate.

And dinner was a twist on Kris Carr’s Buddah Bowl. Brown rice topped with leftover veggies and an avocado. And drizzled with Bragg’s liquid aminos. After I took this picture, I added kimchi on top to aid with digestion. Naturally fermented vegetables and all their probiotic benefits are going to be a staple in our diet soon, but I’ve got to figure out how to make them first. Till then, it’s store bought kimchi. I was worried that the hodge podge of flavors would be less than yummy. But it was really, really, really good.

Saturday

Woke up with a headache this morning. Thinking it’s partially due to dehydration and partially due to blood sugar imbalance because of my sweet, high carb dinner last night. I drank lots of water and had this for breakfast (brown rice with sautéed beet greens and an organic egg)… and the headache immediately started to improve. I rubbed some essential oils (clove, lavender, chamomile) around my shoulders and neck, an inhaled them from my hands for a bit. The headache was gone in a couple of hours. Yay for avoiding Advil!

Carrot/ginger/orange juice. Great immune booster with all the vitamin A from the carrots and vitamin C from the orange juice. And the ginger revs up your digestive system. I’m building up my tolerance to the flavor and heat of ginger in my juices, and am using more and more every day. It has so many medicinal properties. I ended up drinking more than 48 ounces of this juice throughout the day, this was just my first glass.

Lots of snacking going on today. Gluten free toast with natural peanut butter, cinnamon, and xylitol.

Hummus and gf crackers.

Sweet treat: banana chips. (These do have some added sugar. I don’t know WHY they do that. I’m sure they’d be sweet enough on their own.)

Mouth is feeling irritated, so I’m reverting to comfort food. Good thing my new comfort food is super healthy. Mashed roasted cauliflower with garlic and onions. It doesn’t look too pretty, but it’s soooo good. This would make a good dip, too. But I just ate it straight, like mashed potatoes.

Blackberries.

Really dragging and feeling tired tonight. The in-laws took baby girl for the night, and I didn’t even realize the extent of my exhaustion until she was gone. Needing something nourishing and healing. Enter my new favorite cookbook, Nourishing Meals. I made some adjustments. Used nori seaweed. Omitted the carrots (since I’ve already consumed so much carrot juice today). Omitted the chili flakes (since I’m a wuss when it comes to spicy heat). Replaced the cabbage, onions, and cilantro with chunks from my frozen nutritional boost greens (kale, celery, and parsley) leftover from juicing. And I added a container of cubed tofu. Since miso soup at restaurants always have tofu cubes and I figured I could use some protein.

The actual recipe.

My version. Very hearty.

Thursday

I’ve been totally preoccupied and forgot to take pictures today. Breakfast was quinoa muffins from the freezer and a big mug of green tea. Had watermelon as a snack. Lunch was leftover pasta with tofu and broccoli. And 34 ounces of coconut water (that stuff makes me feel soooo hydrated!)

Snacked on berries and bee pollen, and I finally remembered to take a picture.

Dinner was cinnamon sunflower truffles. Don’t judge. They’re healthier than they look.

I swapped out coconut oil for the olive oil and did not use any maple syrup. No need. The dates were plenty sweet. Super yum!

This recipe is from my new favorite cookbook: Nourishing Meals. It’s full of gluten/dairy/soy free recipes and offers lots of tips for raising healthy kids. So far, every recipe I’ve made from this book has been a hit. Loving it!

Post-dinner snack. (Since “dinner” was really just a snack anyway.) Real cheese and crackers.

I felt really good all day today. Tonight, I’m noticing lots of teeny lesions in my mouth. I can barely feel them, but they’re everywhere. I don’t feel tired or achy- which would signal a flare, so I’m not really worried. The thrush from the last flare is almost completely gone. My lip continues to heal, though it still looks really gross. I’m using the dexamethasone mouthwash diligently to control all these minis. Hopefully, that’ll do it.