Vegan Gluten Free Ginger Bread Cookies for People with Gluten, Egg and Dairy Sensitivities

I spent Sunday making these cookies with my two daughters. Three hours. Three blissful hours in the kitchen with my girls. They really enjoyed this activity. And if the kids are happy, then Mom is happy.

I let them help me mix the dough, cut out the shapes and then decorate the cookies. Completed cookies not shown - sorry - we most definitely didn't use "clean" toppings so I was too embarrassed to show the final project.  We only decorated a few so most of them will be eating in a clean and low sugar way. Excuses, excuses - I know.

I love when my first time experiments with gluten, egg and dairy free ingredients turn out. And this one was a success. Not only were these fun to make but the kids liked eating them.

Should you be eating these if you are on the Candida diet. No. These are for the kids. But its a fun activity to start getting you into the Christmas spirit. So pull out that rolling pin, borrow some cookie cutters from your Play-dough set and get baking!

Vegan Gluten Free Ginger Bread People or Cookies

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert gluten-free vegan almond flour coconut flour gluten-free flour

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Ingredients (18 - 24 cookies)

• 1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup organic coconut flour
• 2 Tbsp Almond flour or Almond meal (I just grind blanch slivered almonds in my coffee grinder)
• 1/2 cup All purpose Gluten Free Flour (I used Cloud 9 brand from Costco)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch fine sea salt
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp molasses (I used Blackstrap)
• 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine Chia seeds with water and let stand for 5 minutes to gel.

Combine all dry ingredients.

In a seperate mixing bowl combine all wet ingredients including Chia gel.

Mix wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. It should form a ball (like dough).

Let stand for 5 minutes. If it seems sticky add some additional coconut flour.

Roll out dough until about 1/8 inch thickness on a piece of parchment paper. Cut shapes out of dough and transfer to lined baking sheet. I just kept reusing the scraps (forming into a new ball and re-rolling out) until there was no dough left. I let my kids choose and cut the shapes. They loved this job.

Bake for about 12 minutes.

Let cool and decorate.

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Sunday Reflections - Food Sensitivity Testing in Children - Round Two

If you have been here before you know that I STRONGLY believe that the food we put in our bodies plays an huge role in how we feel, how we act, how often we get sick, etc, etc, etc. I believe its the root cause of many diseases. And we often "treat" symptoms we are feeling with pharmaceuticals when really its just our body telling us that we are eating something that it doesn't like. I also believe that we incorrectly assume that just because someone doesn't have "digestive" problems that other problems they might be having (for instance headaches, moodiness, shoulder pain) are not a result of a digestive lining issue. A food sensitivity.

I believe it to the extreme because I have seen the difference a change in diet can make on a person's overall health.

I have seen it make someone transform into a different person. My first daughter ("T") went from a sickly, sad and moody baby and toddler to a thriving and healthy little girl. Read her story here.

I have seen it eliminate a lifetime of stomach aches and insomnia. I've seen it transform someone who is just getting through the day, someone completely and utterly exhausted, into someone who is energetic and happy (most of the time). Me.

My second daughter ("A") wasn't a colicky baby. She wasn't a sick, sad and moody baby and toddler. But she is getting to be a pretty moody Pre-school-er. She has more temper tantrums as a 4 year old then she ever did as a 2 year old. She is kind of on edge. Highly emotional.

And she always had a rumble in her chest as a baby. And she had a runny nose, pretty much consistently from when she was a baby, until this past spring. When it suddenly cleared up.

What happened in the Spring?

We changed T's diet. And when T's diet changed all of our diets changed. And we decided that if T was going to drink almond milk then A was too.

So all of my kids stopped drinking cow's milk. All of my baking is dairy free.

But A was still getting her dairy fix in little ways. We would let her sprinkle "SPRINKLE" cheese (code for Parmesan) all over her gluten-free noodles. We let her eat butter straight up (her favorite food). She ate pizza and cheese and yogurt. And perogies.  Not all the time but here and there. We weren't as strict with her as we were with her sister. We didn't think we needed to be.

Needless to say her dairy consumption was dramatically reduced but by no means eliminated.

But just like her sister, I started to suspect that something about her behavior was just not right. She is not acting like my little girl.

Yes, it could very well be middle child syndrome or the transition of me going back to work or several other things. Maybe its just normal 4 year old behavior and I'm looking for excuses.

But like I said at the beginning, I strongly believe that behavior can be directly linked to food. When my Candida was flaring I was so very moody. I was walking around in a constant state of severe pissed-off-ed-ness. I was mad. And then I cut sugar out of my diet. I went on the Candida diet. I took anti-fungals. And what happened? I found myself again. My happy self. My more patient self. My "I get pissed off for a reason" self........not the "I'm pissed off because I'm awake" self.

And I suspected that my little spit fire shouldn't be eating dairy. I just had a hunch.

So we paid the $300 to get her IGG food panels/food sensitivity tests run.

And they came back this week. So low and behold what did they say?

DAIRY, DAIRY, DAIRY = MODERATE TO HIGH IMMUNE RESPONSE

The IGG panels we had run test 9 categories of food. 90 different foods.

A's came back pretty much clean except for the entire DAIRY category. See above.

Which totally makes sense. She doesn't seem to have general leaky gut symptoms like T did. She doesn't seem to have a compromised immune system. She wasn't colicky. She didn't get sick lots. She hasn't had ear infections.

But something is throwing her off kilter.

And now maybe we know why?

Only time will tell.

But in the meantime, we are going to tighten up on her dairy consumption. No more Sprinkle cheese. No more butter (although that was so cute because it was just like my Dad and it reminded me of him every time she requested some butter off the knife). No more perogies. No more milk chocolate.

I'll let you know how it goes.................

If you have kids, if you have moods, if you have unexplained symptoms................I urge you to look at your diet(s). Could it be something lurking in your fridge that's the cause? Put down that sandwich and pay attention, maybe your body is trying to send you a message? Maybe?

BTW - Baby toddler brother "L" had yogurt on Thanksgiving weekend and had a piece of pizza (real pizza) last night. Rare and unusual occurrences. Both times he broke out in a rash.  Huh - I wonder why that happened?

Chocolate Hazelnut Chickpea Cookies - Vegan and Grain Free - And Good for Both of us!

I love when I make recipes that my whole family can eat. The combination of my Candida diet and food sensitivities and my daughter's long list of food sensitivities makes the overlap of our diets sometimes rare. Oh yeah, plus shes a kid. She doesn't necessarily love all my "adult" cooking.

But this is one of those things that we can both eat. For breakfast if we want. Gotta love a cookies that are so packed full of super-foods you can eat them for breakfast.

Chickpea cookies.

Yep. 

This is one of those times the "old" me would have scoffed and said why bother? Well, for many reasons. One of which they actually taste good. And I feel good. That's why.

So. There. Old (tired, exhausted, depleted) me. 

I was actually eating a blow your mind black bean brownie yesterday topped with home-made chickpea ice cream. It is kind of ridiculous. Even to the new me. But my hubby actually said the words "this is delicious". So why not. 

Revise your expectations and then prepare to be impressed.

Oh yeah. And some big news. I'm changing my blogging days again. I'm going down to one recipe a week (Wednesday) and one Sunday reflection.

Christmas. Three kids. Severely teething baby  toddler (how did that happen?). Seventeen month old that has only slept through the night 5 times since birth. New job. History of severe adrenal fatigue. Working on mind/body connection.

Enough said. Time to pull back. Sorry if you are disappointed in me. But go here and find out why that can't change my mind. This is just something I need to do. 

Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Hazelnut Cookies - Candida Diet Friendly

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb vegan chickpeas chocolate hazelnut

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Ingredients (12 - 16 cookies)

• 1 can chickpeas (~500 ml) – rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp raw almond butter
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut oil
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 3 tbsp 100% cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp maple extract (or more vanilla)
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp Truvia
• 6 drops flavoured Stevia (I used liquid hazelnut cream flavoured)
• 12 mega chunk enjoy life dairy free cc (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients (except nuts and chocolate chunks) in food processor. If you don't have one you can use a blender but it will require lots of manual stopping and scraping down the sides.

Pulse until fully blended and chickpeas are fully pureed. It should have a smooth texture.

Add nuts.

Drop onto parchment paper in about 2 Tbsp portions. I formed mine into balls and then slightly flattened the top with the back of a fork. I also stuck one chocolate chunk on top of each one. A bit of a cheat and not completely Candida diet friendly. I did it for the kids. Really.

Bake for 18 - 22 minutes.

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Sunday Reflections - Knowing When to Take a Break

Sorry Folks but Mama is taking a bit of a break.................I've promised myself to put my health before my commitments. So this morning I am choosing me.  And a nice day with my family. Over my self imposed commitment to blogging 3 times a week.

Have a good Sunday! We'll catch up next week.

Simple Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew

Today is the first day of my new career.................

A chance to SLOW down. 

Well, not really. Just redirect my energy to things that are important to me. A balance between work and life.

But a chance to use my SLOW cooker anyway.

This time for some beef stew. This was really good. And simple. 

The grass fed, hormone free beef (thanks Baba C) was super tender. And the "gravy" was nice and thick. 

The whole family enjoyed this. Well, almost. I'm sure yours will too!

Paleo Beef Stew - Slow Cooked to Perfection

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 - 7 hours on low

Keywords: slow-cooker entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo beef sweet potato

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 medium yellow cooking onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 3 cups chopped sweet potato or yams
• 1 cup peas, frozen
• 1 1/4 lb grass fed organic stewing feef
• 1 tsp Herbamare or fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp minced garlic (1 large clove)
• 2 tsp GF Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp thyme (dried)
• 1/2 tbsp parsley (dried)
• 1 1/2 tbsp organic coconut flour
• 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup water

Instructions

In a bowl combine cubed stewing beef with salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire, paprika, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle with coconut flour and toss until flour is distributed evenly over beef.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Brown coated beef in oil. Should take about 7 minutes.

Layer vegetables in slow cooker. Top with browned beef mixture. Add 1/3 cup of water. Cook on low for about 7 hours.

About 1/2 hour before stew is cooked, add peas, stir and let it continue to cook with lid on.

Serve and enjoy!

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Sunday Reflections - Change, Discomfort, Resentment & Renewal - A Big Week for Mama

Well Folks. I had A HUGE WEEK. A big step in my quest to work on my mind/body connection.

I made a dramatic change in my life. HUGE. Its the reason I have been so stressed out over the past couple months.............and why I missed a post on Friday!

I left a job I have been doing for 14 years.

A job I was comfortable doing. A job I was good at. A job where I didn't have to prove myself. A job where I was established.

A job where I was an auditor (not the worlds favorite person). A job that was extremely challenging and deadline driven. A job where I was chronically stressed out. A job that spilled over into every aspect of my life. A job that often meant very LONG hours and feeling on-call a lot of the time (that darn Blackberry is a curse and a blessing).

A job that didn't fit with the new me. A me that is trying to find balance. A me that is trying to stay true to her values. A me that is exercising. A me that is eating clean. A me that is trying to have a calmer mind. A me that is determined to get off the adrenaline roller coaster.

A me that is trying to thrive not just survive.

So I put my name in for a job that is challenging and interesting. Where I can still grow as a professional. But in a way that will give me balance. A job that is 50%. 17.5 hours a week. No overtime.

And I GOT IT.

But it was hard to make this leap. To take this big step.

I had to go through some major discomfort to get to this result.  I had to get a resume ready when I really didn't have time. I had to go to interviews which are always stressful and I was way out of practice. I had to wait. And wait. And wait to find out what was happening at each step in the process.

It was an uncomfortable process.

And then I had to leave my current job. And that was REALLY hard. I move mountains to try and not disappoint people. But there was no way to get to this point without disappointing people.

And then I had to say Goodbye to co-workers and friends. I had to say Goodbye to what I know and what I am comfortable with. To the potential for advancement and $$$$ that could have eventually come on my old career path.

A wise woman (you know who you are) shared something with me recently. This is the same person that first made me realize I needed to deal with the mind (stress) part of the mind/body connection if I was really ever going to find balance and long-term health.

She shared with me a theory that you have to go through discomfort to avoid resentment.

Certain personalities push themselves to do things that cause us to "overdo it". And over time this can lead us into the burn out zone. Whether its feeling like our houses need to be showroom clean. Or we have to say "yes" every time we are asked to do something. Or we always throw our hands up to lead projects.

We feel an overwhelming need to not disappoint others. Its our greatest fear. And a great motivator for us to do things.

The problem is that it often motivates us to do things that we don't have time for. That don't necessarily bring us joy or balance or health. That we frankly don't want to do. And probably shouldn't do. But we feel so compelled to not disappoint.

Are you one of those people?  Are you doing things that you resent. Do you feel resentment to certain tasks or people because you are doing something that you don't want to do. But you are driven to do it anyway.

You don't have to. You have a choice. You can go through some discomfort (quitting a job, finding a job, saying no to someone). Yes - you might have to disappoint someone along the way.

But you can either disappoint them and then end up being happy with what you are doing (or not doing) or keep doing things you don't want to do and end up resenting them or it.

That's where I was with my job. I resented the overtime. I resented my Blackberry.  I struggled with not letting that overshadow all my feelings towards my job but I couldn't do it anymore. There were many positives about my job - I worked with some great people, I learned something new every day, I was challenged, I had great flexibility.  But all I could see anymore was how it was taking my time, and probably just as importantly, my mental energy away from my kids.  Away from all the things I NEED to keep doing to keep myself on the right path to health.

And I was becoming a person I didn't want to be. I couldn't stand to be around my own negative thoughts anymore. I'm a positive person but it was consuming me and dragging me down.

So I went through some BIG TIME DISCOMFORT to get away from the resentment.  To make the change I needed to make.

And I'm so happy I did. I'm sorry that I had to disappoint people. I really am. But I just had to do it. And they will get over it.

So I'm proud of myself. It was hard. There were many moments where I just wanted to stay with what was comfortable to me. But I did it.

So here's to a new chapter of my career. And here's to going through discomfort to getting yourself closer to the best version of you!

Chocolate Zucchini Almond Protein Smoothie with Chia and Hemp - Yummy in my Tummy! And Candida diet Friendly!

Okay people. I sending out my smoothie recipe. I have received several requests that I share a recipe that is Candida diet friendly.

It gets tricky when you give up fruit to make a tasty smoothie.

But I think I have nailed it. A chocolate zucchini smoothie that tastes almost like ice cream.

I make a batch before bed each night. I put one in the freezer (in a thermos) and another one in a to-go mug in the fridge. Then I have a quick breakfast ready to go. I take the thermos out and by 3:00 (my afternoon snack time) it is perfectly frosty and ready to drink.

Since I have often mentioned that I use Vega One Sport Chocolate I thought I should let everyone know that Health Canada has recommended a recall on it (Chai and Chocolate flavours). I have attached a link to a couple sites discussing the issue. Vega One has not issued a recall or pulled the item from the shelves. They are standing by their product.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vega-one-nutritional-shakes-completely-safe-say-firm-1.2350596

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2013/36585a-eng.php

Sigh. I just bought a new container on Friday. But my supplier actually left me a phone message and said they would exchange it. I will be taking them up on the offer. Now that is customer service. You can decide for yourself if you want to risk it, wait it out or try and get a refund.

Or feel free to leave out the protein powder entirely. In that case you might want to add some extra Stevia, cocoa and maybe a shot of vanilla...................

Chocolate Almond Zucchini Protein Smoothie - Low Carb

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: None

Keywords: freeze blender breakfast snack candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo vegan chia seeds canned coconut milk chocolate zucchini

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Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 2 cups chopped frozen zucchini (yellow or green, skin on)
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (about 25 grams of protein)
• 1/2 Tbsp organic cacao nibs
• 1 Tbsp hemp hearts
• 1 Tbsp ground Chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp raw almond butter
• 2 cups unsweetened milk (I use almond milk)
• 1/4 cup water (adjust to get the thickness you like)
• 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
• 2 drops liquid Stevia (I use hazelnut cream)
• 1/2 Tbsp 100% cocoa

Instructions

Throw everything in a the blender. I use a Ninja.

Pulse until fully blended. Should come out icey but smooth.

I make mine in the evening. I put one in a to-go mug in the fridge for my breakfast. I put the other half in a thermos and in the freezer. I take it out in the morning and by my afternoon snack it is perfectly frosty. Yummy!

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Sunday Reflections - REASONS Why I EAT Clean

Some days I can feel frustrated that even though I'm eating SO very clean I still have my ups and downs.

I still get tummy aches. This week I had a "stomach flu". I'm actually not sure if it was an actual flu, I had a pretty severe reaction to some new anti-fungals I started or I had some pretty severe Candida die off.  For the meantime, I quit taking the herbs and will try again in a couple weeks. On a day that I can stay close to home.

Over the summer I had severe bloating and discomfort which I finally (in August) realized was due to the Chicory root I was drinking. Sigh. Way to poison yourself girl.

My system is so sensitive that even "clean" foods can throw me out of whack. And I tend to overeat. I'm always hungry. But overeating clean foods is still overeating. And its still not great on a sensitive system.

So once in a while I do feel like throwing in the towel. Why bother with all this. Its so inconvenient. I spend sooooo much time shopping and in the kitchen (which I love but even I can get tired of). Why move mountains to eat this clean if I still don't feel great?

Pity party. Yep.

Luckily that mentality doesn't usually last long. Because I have lots of reminders of why I am doing this. And lots of memories of how bad I felt when I was abusing my body with caffiene, chocolate and that good ol' Standard American diet.

So if you feel like having a pity party and stuffing some Halloween chocolates in your belly, here are some of my top reasons for eating clean. Even if it is a pain in the ass:

10) Weight Control - I've have spent a good portion of the last 6 months trying not to lose any more weight. The fact that some people shuttered when they saw me and said "Dear, is everything okay?" was a pretty good sign that I wasn't at my ideal weight. There is apparently a fine line between looking fit and healthy and looking skinny and sickly. So I have now gained 10 pounds (and climbing) and am back to looking healthy. Now I'm worrying that the scale is going up pretty quick (3 pounds in one week?) and might not stop. I'm weaning baby and that means 500 calories a day that won't be freebies. But eating clean helped me lose the baby weight in the first place (fast) so I feel like, in the long run, if I keep eating clean I will stay at a healthy weight. It might be 10 pounds (hopefully not 20) heavier than I am today. It might mean I need to buy some new (bigger) clothes. But I feel pretty confident that it will be manageable weight. And that I will feel good at that weight. And I won't have to starve myself to stay there. But I will have to keep eating clean.

9) Cancer - I've had it. Melanoma. And I don't want it again. My Dad died, three years ago yesturday, from an unexplicable cancerous brain tumor. Random. I'm not so sure. I now think that he suffered from severe Candida for YEARS. Crazy cravings for sugar (like out of this world, eating multiple chocolate bars during the middle of the night, urges). Wild mood swings. Anger. This from a guy that was so cute the majority of the time that you just wanted to squish him and give him hugs. He was a great hugger. I would like to hug him now. Although he might not be visiting much now that I don't have any sugar in the house.

Anyway, I think it is too much of a coincidence that his tumor settled in the exact part of the brain where anger resides. Hmmm, interesting.  And my Candida triggers the same mood swings he used to get. Moods I had never experienced in my life until my Candida got out of control.

So I think theres a connection. Maybe I'm coo-coo but that's what I think.

And I also think a constantly out of balance body, and specifically for me a struggling digestive system, is a breeding ground for cancer. So I want to nip this thing in the bud. Long-term. And that means eating clean. Long term.

I could be wrong. But what if I'm right?

8) Labels - Sorry, but once you start reading lables there is just no turning back. I read food lables now. And I can't just pretend they are not there. And I can't just pretend a "food-like product" that lists a bizillion ingredients, half of which are chemicals, are good for me. Even if they taste good. Even if they kinda taste like food. There is no turning back. There is just the turning of can to read the label before stuffing things in my mouth.

7) Pride - I'm not too proud to say this - ha, ha. Now that I've put it out there that I'm eating clean. Now that I've challenged others to do the same. I kind of have to stay with it. It would be kind of embarrassing at this point to go back to the Standard American Diet. And no one would feel very sorry for me when I started feeling terrible again. I know better now. I can't plead ignorance when I stuff my face full of cheesecake and then feel sick. So yeah - I'm too proud to go back! Accountability can be a great thing. I guess blogging can be a great thing.

6) Creativity and Challenge - there is actually a really great sense of satisfaction you get from creating tasty and satisfying foods from only clean foods. From making dishes that your guests or kids can't get enough of.................especially when they are packed with super foods. It challenges your ability to get creative in the kitchen. To think outside the box.  And I love cooking. I love creating. I love a challenge. And I can't wait for my next experiment to turn out amazing..........and to convert someone else into eating clean, at least some of the time.

5) Immune System Strength - I used to get sick ALL THE TIME. Like my whole life I have been sickly. Colds, flus, ear infections, strep throat, eye infections, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da. You didn't need to sneeze on me to give me your cold. I just had to be in the same building as someone sick, just had to breathe the same air, and I got taken down.  No more. Nuh, uh. Knock wood. But I'm not sickly anymore. I don't catch everything that goes around. Well, maybe the occasional stomach flu.

Did you know that 70% of your immune system resides in your digestive system? So if you feed it garbage how do you think its going to work?

4) Autoimmune Disease - I am genetically predisposed to autoimmune diseases. That sucks. I don't want any part of that life. This one kind of goes with #5. But in my case, I'm not only worried about your common cold. I don't want fibromyagia, arthritis, chronic pain, chroic fatigue, diabetes, etc, etc. No thank-you. And as I get older, I can feel some of the inflamation wanting to set in. I felt it in my shoulder. I feel it in my knee when my Candida is flaring up - when I start eating sugar again.

I've watched some of my family members SUFFER. For years. Frustrated. Tired. In pain.

It can be brutal.

I believe I can prevent autoimmune disease, or at least give it a pretty darn good fight, by eating clean. By trying to once and for all heal my gut.

3) Sleep - I have suffered from insomnia my whole life. CORRECTION: I used to suffer from insomnia. I don't anymore. I am cured. Praise the lord. Halleleuia. This is a life changer. A game changer. I am a different person because of it.

But I don't sleep when I don't eat clean. I get a belly ache. And then I don't sleep well. And a tired and sleep deprived Mama is just not the person I want to be. She is dull. She is impatient. Or she runs on adrenaline until she crashes. And then she is useless.

2) Energy - Again, this goes hand in hand with the sleep thing. But for the first time in years I have lots of energy. I have a bounce in my step. And its not an artificial bounce. Its not a caffiene or adrenaline rush that is keeping me going. I just feel energetic. I wake up rested. I don't feel like napping after lunch. I'm not tired.  I crave exercise. I can keep up with my kids. Do I feel like this every hour of every day. No. Do I feel like this more now that I have for the past 10 years. Yes. And its wonderful. I have three kids and I have more energy now that I did when I had none. Woo hoo! That's cool.

1) My kids, my husband, my family, my friends, me. I want to be the best version of myself. For all of us. And I have seen glimpes of that person this year. The sparkle is coming back into my eyes. Not from doing one individual thing. But from doing many things to change my health. To change my lifestyle. To heal my adrenals and my gut. And to calm my mind. But if I could pick the ONE thing I have done from many, it is eating clean that has had the most impact. And it is the one thing that I can't take a break from. I could go off supplements for a few days. I could stay up late for a couple nights. I could get stressed out over a situation. I would bounce back.

But if I went back to my old diet, the sugar would get hold of me. It would mess up my system. And when my system gets messed up it doesn't just "bounce back" in a day. It could take weeks.  And althougth I could start over from scratch it would be hard. And I don't want to.

So those are some of the reasons I'm eating clean. A good reminder because I cheated this week (GF pancakes and some GF scones - several times). And I don't want to head down that path. So this should keep me honest. And on track. Because there are just as many REASONS to stay the course as there are EXCUSES not to.

CHOOSE REASONS INSTEAD OF FINDIING EXCUSES!
 

Mexican Beef Stew - Low Carb and Candida Diet friendly

Hope everyone had a happy Halloween. And didn't dip into the candies too much. If you did then here is a nice clean and low carb recipe you can make to redeem yourself.

I, myself, haven't been cooking much this week. Too busy with Halloween baking, etc, etc.

Problem is that when I don't eat tasty, clean meals I start looking for treats to keep me satisfied.

So I gotta get organized and back in the kitchen this weekend. And make myself some hearty and healthy main dishes that will keep my hands out of the cookie jar!


Low Carb Mexican Beef Slow Cooker Stew

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: slow-cooker entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo wheat belly beef avocado black beans tomato

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Ingredients

• 1 - 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb Stewing beef, cubed (organic/grass fed if possible)
• 2 Tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• dash pepper
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 can diced green chili's
• 1/2 cup diced tomato
• 1 can (15 oz) organic black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/8 tsp chipolte powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp arrowroot

Instructions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan.

Combine coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a shallow pan.

Dredge beef cubes through coconut flour.

Fry beef in olive oil until browned on all side. About 5 minutes.

Place all other ingredients, except coconut milk and arrowroot, in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.

Place browned beef on top.

Cook on low heat for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Approximately 1/2 hour before serving, combine coconut milk and arrowroot, and then mix it into beef stew. Slow cook for an additional 1/2 hour on high.

Serve topped with fresh avocado, green onions and/or diced tomato.

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