Spinach Chips aren't the Answer

Today was an all-around hard day.  It was hard for the normal reasons (work, life, balancing it all) which made it hard for the dieting reasons. For those of you who don’t follow this blog, I’ve put myself on a sugar-free, yeast-free, gluten-free diet.  For two weeks I have to avoid a number of foods in what is called a”cleanse.”  I’ve been pretty good. I have managed to avoid potatoes for about 5 days, but it seems like so much more!  I’ve gone about 2 weeks without my favorite snack in the world – corn chips.  I’m craving the salt, the satisfying crunch, and the somewhat sweet taste.   I don’t know why I think that having chips would make the day any better, but craving them is making the day that much worse.

Spinach Chips paired with Coconut Fried Chicken

I don’t usually like to let negativity seep into this blog, but without those chips or any kind of sugar, I

thought venting might help a bit.  I did look for a solution to my craving and found a recipe for Spinach Chips.  I’m not a big fan of kale (yet) and these seemed like a viable replacement for kale chips.  I mixed 2 cups of spinach with salt, Italian seasoning, and olive oil and then spread them on a baking sheet.  Getting them off the baking sheet was a little challenging.  The “chips” were so thin that some of them broke off before I could transfer them to a plate.  You can imagine that eating them posed the same challenge.  I tried using a fork but that was awkward, so I managed to use a combination of a fork and my fingers – messy and oily!

The taste wasn’t what I was expecting.  It tasted like spinach, of course, but more like wilted spinach. Maybe I overcooked them or maybe the spinach leaves I had were too ripe.  I’m not sure.  They didn’t have the crunch that I was hoping for, but they did have a nice crispiness to them.  They might make a good salad topping. I’m willing to try the recipe again to see if I can make it better.  Unfortunately, I still want corn chips.

Quinoa as in whaaaaaat?

I’m having quinoa for breakfast.  What?  That’s what I first thought when I saw the word a few years

ago, which I suppose is appropriate since it is pronounced, "kinwa,” as if you were going to say the word “what” and hold out the aw sound.  Quinoa is a grain that is a part of the amaranth family.  It has become more popular recently because it’s high in protein and low in carbs.  I imagine if rice and pasta got married and had children this would be the outcome - a healthier and all around better version than they are alone.  Where rice and pasta are pretty bland without sauces and seasonings, quinoa has a nutty flavor to it – more savory, more interesting.  No matter how long it’s cooked, it seems to have a slight crunch to it.

Hot Breakfast Quinoa

I’m eating it as a breakfast cereal.  I followed the directions on the package, but boiled it in almond milk instead of water.  This seems to have enhanced the nutty flavor that I mentioned earlier.  Instead of focusing on the savory, I made it sweet by seasoning with cinnamon, coconut butter, and sprinkling a little bit of desiccated coconut on the top.  The coconut made the slight crunch a little less noticeable.

Quinoa isn’t a bad replacement for oatmeal in the morning.  I definitely recommend trying it.  However, it does take some time to cook quinoa, especially at higher elevations, so you might want to consider making it the night before if you are in hurry in the morning like I am.

The Yeast Free – Gluten Free – Sugar Free Cleanse (Candida Free Diet)

Yes, the “I’m Gonna Eat It” girl is dieting.  No, I’m not crazy.  I’m tired of feeling tired and I want to have a healthy 2015.  I am going on a yeast free, sugar free, gluten free, also known as candida free diet.  I’ using The Yeast Connection and the Candida Free Living books for guidance.

There is a long list of food to avoid including refined sugar, fruit, yeast, wheat, processed meats like lunch meat and sausage, vegetables that are high in starch content like potatoes and carrots, dairy products, beans and legumes, and caffeinated beverages. (I have decided that I can’t do without caffeine.  I tested it for one day and after a terrible headache and falling asleep on the couch at 7:30 pm, I decided that some sacrifices are not worth the outcome.  It’s bad enough that I have to give up my morning banana and peanut butter!)

Don’t worry! I’m still gonna eat!  While there is a long list of foods to avoid, there is an equally long list of food to enjoy. This includes most green leafy vegetables like lettuce and kale, some grains like quinoa, buckwheat, eggs, most meats except for pork, and coconut.  The challenge comes in preparing meals – it is going to take time as everything has to be made from scratch and carefully prepared.  There are no shortcuts and no pre-made dishes.  This will be especially hard for lunches when going to work.

I’ve done a variation of this diet before and I survived, so I’m confident I will again.  The cleanse is only for two weeks and then I can start reintroducing food.  This will help determine what foods bother me.

They say that if you tell people about the diet you're going on there is more a likely a chance that you will actually follow it.  with that said, I'm going to blog about the new foods that I'm trying.