CRACKING Cauliflower Tortillas

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Cauliflower, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Linga Longa, Paleo, Slow Cooked Pork, Tortilla

I wrote an edible cookbook. The pages are made out of tortillas. It’s also the Book of Love. (Batteries and hot sauce sold separately.) -Jarod Kintz, ‘Love quotes for the ages. Specifically ages 18-81′

I’m a wee bit addicted to the Linga Longa pork neck I pick up from the Eveleigh farmers markets. It’s a fantastic cut of meat, tastes out of this world and is so easy to prepare.

It’s actually a toss-up whether my slow cooked pork neck or four-hour lamb recipe is LM’s absolute favourite. Either way, we seem to rotate them week-about here at Casa TSL.

And, Greg (the Mr Linga Longa farmer, himself) knows just how much I love his pork. His is the first stall I head to every week at the markets. And, Bella loves him, too (possibly because he’s always generous with a bone or three for her).

This week, we picked up 2.6 kilos of lovely pork neck. And, the best thing is that when I make that much slow cooked pork over the weekend, I know I’ve got enough protein for several meals.

2.6 kilos of porky goodness ready to go into the oven!
(Image by TSL)

If I’m feeling lazy, we’ll just have the shredded pork over a big jumble of roasted vegetables with some apple sauce and fermented veggies. For a low effort meal, it’s pretty fine…!

But sometimes, a girl feels like experimenting. And, with LM out and about for much of this weekend past, I thought I’d try something new this week.

Enter the Cauliflower Tortilla!

Shredded pork lends itself to being rolled or sandwiched into your carbohydrate of choice. Think pulled pork sliders or Mexican tortillas…

Only, when you are on a restricted diet – grain-free, even – that just ain’t going to happen.

Until now…

Cauliflower Tortillas TSL-Sty;e…
(Image by LM for TSL)

Inspired by the likes of Joshua Weissman of Slim Palate fame, and Lauren Geertsen over at the very informative Empowered Sustenance, I had my first attempt at making cauliflower tortillas. And, let me tell you, it definitely won’t be the last time I make them. O for Oarsome!

People ask me all the time, ‘What keeps you up at night?’ And I say, ‘Spicy Mexican food, weapons of mass destruction, and cyber attacks. – Dutch Ruppersberger

I filled our tortillas with my slow-cooked pork neck, some red onion and some smashed avocado with just a squeeze of fresh lime juice. But, I reckon I could have done a slightly more anglo-style tortilla with slow cooked lamb and a little sheeps-milk yoghurt (and perhaps some fresh mint instead of the coriander), too…

• Servings: 3-4
• Time: ? hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x cauliflower
3 eggs
A handful of fresh, chopped coriander (cilantro)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 190°C/ 375°F.  Line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Wash, core and chop up your cauliflower into small florets. Throw it into your food processor and pulse until super-fine. Think smaller than rice kernels. It will take a little stopping and starting…

3. Bring a cup of water to boil in a medium-sized pot. Add your super-fine cauliflower, pop on the lid and simmer for 6 minutes (until cooked)

4. Drain your cooked cauliflower in a sieve. Allow to cool for ten minutes. Once cool enough to handle, pop it into a clean tea towel. Squeeze out as much of the excess water as you can.

5. Whisk your eggs in a clean bowl. Add your drained cauliflower, chopped coriander and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

6. Take your mixture and spread as evenly as possible into 8 circles onto your baking trays – four on each.

7. Pop into the oven for 10 minutes. Carefully flip your tortillas, rotate the trays and  pop them back into the oven for a further 8 – 10 minutes.

8. Cool on a wire rack.

9. When you’re ready to load your tortillas, heat a frying sized pan over medium heat. One or two at a time, pop the tortillas into the pan. Brown each side and serve.

E N J O Y !

 

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World FAMOUS Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Sultanas, Capers and Hazelnuts

Tags

AIP Reintroduction, Al Brown, Cauliflower, Dairy Free, Healthy Salad, Paleo, Roasted Cauliflower, Salad, vegetarian

(Image by TSL)

I’ve promised you this salad for a while now. Ever since it became my ‘go-to’ dish over the Christmas break. It’s so easy to make. And, if you’ve never tried roasted cauliflower florets before, you’re in for a treat!

Trust me when I say, “It’s a winner!”

I was going to post it last week, but I got a little side tracked by the gorgeous wee baby cauli’s at the markets. And, instead I gave you my Whole Roasted Cauliflower. (I know! Two cauli’ recipes in the same month. What is the world coming to?)

This week I picked up the ‘Mama Cauliflower’ at the markets. A lovely big one. And so, today I am pleased to give you my take on an Al Brown recipe my Mum cut out of the paper…

Cauliflower is available year-round here in Sydney, but it seems to be absolutely everywhere I look at the moment. Which doesn’t upset me one bit. I L O V E cauliflower.

To be fair, it’s a recent love affair that has sprung up over the past couple of years as I discover the incredible versatility this benign-looking vegetable brings to my cooking repertoire…

SO good!
(Image by TSL)

I used to be into ‘forbidden fruit’, but I’ve moved on to ‘verboten vegetables’
― Josh Stern

You can eat it raw – as part of a crudités selection (GREAT with homemade aioli!). You can add it to salads.  And, of course, you can use it in your cooking – whole, cut into steaks, mashed, roasted, steamed. It’s a particularly good base for herbs and spices, too.

Cauliflower has lots of vitamin C and B6. And it offers useful quantities of folate, protein and fibre, too. It is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables. And, in the past, here at Casa TSL it may have been overshadowed by its green cousin broccoli…

But no more! Broccoli-shmoccoli!

Well. Not really. Just for today’s post…

Just one observation – cauliflower seems to shrink when it is roasted. Do make sure you get a large one for this recipe, or even consider two.

And here it is. Your Roasted Cauliflower Salad. As promised. I hope you like it.

Oh! – and if you omit the nuts, this baby is AIP compliant, too!

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Sultanas, Capers and Hazelnuts

• Servings: 2 - 4
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Adapted from a recipe by Al Brown

Ingredients:

1 x large cauliflower
6 x Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 x Tablespoons capers, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 x cup hazelnuts (omit if in the elimination phase of AIP)
1/2 x cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Salt

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180°C/350°F.

2. Wash and cut your cauliflower into small florets. Pop into a roasting dish with 4 tablespoons of the EVOO. Salt generously and mix well. Roast for 30 – 45 minutes until a little brown and crunchy.

3. While the cauliflower is roasting, dry fry your hazelnuts until toasted to your liking. Pop the nuts aside. Using the same pan and a drizzle of EVOO, fry your capers off in a little olive oil.

4. When the hazelnuts are cool, roughly chop.

5. Mix the roasted cauliflower, capers, raisins, almonds and parsley in a bowl. Finish with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and a generous serve of salt.

E N J O Y !

Tom Tom’s Take on Aussie Burgers With Sweet Potato Fries

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Barbecue, Burger, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Healthy Burger, Main Course, Paleo

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. This recipe contains eggs, mustard and black pepper – all ingredients that are part of the reintroduction phase of the protocol.

The teenager is practically an adult.

A few weeks back, he indicated that it might be time that he expanded his cooking repertoire. As someone who loves to cook AND eat good food, I couldn’t have been happier.

I’ve been telling him for years that I don’t know a woman who isn’t impressed with a man who knows his way around a kitchen. And, I’m sure his girlfriend won’t mind me mentioning that I suspect she was a big motivator in this recent desire to cook.

Credit where it is due!

“If you knew how to cook, maybe I would eat,” Jace muttered.

Isabelle froze, her spoon poised dangerously. “What did you say?”

Jace edged toward the fridge. “I said I’m going to look for a snack to eat.”

That’s what I thought you said.” Isabelle turned her attention to the soup.”  (Cassandra Clare, ‘City of Bones’)

So, we locked in a night for a cooking session. That was Wednesday night. And, the girlfriend came, too. It was a lot of fun.

I figured that one of my staple slow cooked numbers wasn’t going to cut it this time. Easy to make – yes. Fast – nope. And, in my experience, most teenagers don’t have the longest of attention spans.

So, for this cooking lesson, I decided on burgers. What teenager doesn’t love a burger?

Mince (or ground beef) is an inexpensive and versatile choice of meat. Great for students. Burgers are quick to make and allow for lots of experimentation – classic beef burgers (a little like these babies); or perhaps – lamb mince with mint and a cucumber/yogurt topping for more of a Greek flavour; or even some chicken mince with coriander and a sweet chilli sauce for an Asian inspired burger.

The possibilities are almost endless!

Tom Tom (the teenager) is a big fan of my sweet potato fries. They are a much healthier choice than the traditional deep-fried version. They’re also a doddle to make.

And, what’s a burger without fries, really?

 I’m normally a burger and chips girl – such a cheap date. (Sheridan Smith)

So these burgers are made by Tom Tom. He did all the slicing and dicing. He made the burger patties and mashed the avocado. And, LM manned the barbecue. It was a male-dominated cooking affair at Casa TSL on Wednesday night. And, it was fantastic!

And, if you’re reading this Tom Tom, you’re welcome to cook for me anytime!

There is one small matter that I feel needs to be tabled before I give you Tom Tom’s burger recipe. Traditionally, an ‘Aussie burger’ will include sliced beetroot. Possibly a fried egg.

But, here’s the thing: I’m a Kiwi. And, in New Zealand, we reckon that’s called a ‘Kiwi burger’. So this burger is our version of an Aussie burger. The Tom Tom burger. We think it tastes great!

Tom Tom's Aussie Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

• Servings: 6
• Time: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: a teenager can make it!
• Print

Ingredients:

For the burgers:

500g happy beef mince
500g happy pork or veal mince
1 x egg yolk
1 x large handful parsley, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 x small tin pineapple rounds
2 x ripe avocados
1 x lime, juiced
6 x rashers happy bacon

For the sweet potato fries:

6 large sweet potatoes
3 – 4 Tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon TSL House Sweet Potato Fries Seasoning (recipe follows)

TSL’s House Sweet Potato Fries Seasoning:

4 x Tablespoons salt
1 x Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 x Tablespoon garlic powder
1 x Tablespoon dried herbs (I used half basil, half oregano)

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 230°C (that’s 450°F). Line a couple of baking trays with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine your mince, egg yolk, parsley, red onion, garlic, and optional mustard. Get your hands in there and give it a good massage. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Form six patties out of the beef mixture. Pop into the fridge for while you prepare your fries. You can turn the barbecue on now to heat.

4. Peel and slice your sweet potatoes into 1/2 cm slices. Now, take the slices and cut into 1/2 cm wide fries. Throw your raw sweet potato fries into a large bowl. Toss with just enough coconut oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and give the bowl a good jiggle to coat.

5. Spread your sweet potatoes in single layer on the lined baking trays. It’s important that you don’t overcrowd (soggy fries – no bueno!).

6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until your fries are tender and golden brown, turning and rotating the trays occasionally.

7. While the fries are baking, pop the patties onto your barbecue for 5 to 6 minutes per side over a medium-high heat. Now’s the time to cook the bacon, too.

8. If you’re having pineapple, grill slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side.

9. peel and mash your avocado. Add a squeeze of lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

10. To assemble the burgers, top each patty with the smashed avocado, grilled pineapple, fried eggs, and any other toppings you may choose.

For the House Seasoning:

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Will keep for up to 6 months.

E N J O Y !

 

 

AWESOME Almond Milk

Tags

Activated Almonds, AIP Reintroduction, Almond Milk, Almonds, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Homemade Almond Milk, Nuts, Paleo, Sugar free

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

The reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure has finally arrived. That means I have started reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. Honestly? – it’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

I love nuts. I’m for nuts. I am nuts. (Penn Jillette, ‘God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales’)

The very first official thing I reintroduced, after adding a little fruit back into my food regime, were seeds. I had some of my Nut-Free Granola Crunch. When this didn’t appear to cause any reaction, seeds were pretty swiftly followed by almonds. Activated ones, no less.  And then, I added activated cashews and macadamias. Then activated pistachios and hazelnuts. I have yet to get to brazils or pecans – activated or otherwise. But, given the results of my early experiments with nuts, I’m not anticipating any issues. [insert smiley face here]

Don’t know about activated nuts?

Activated Nuts TSL-Style
(Image by TSL)

All nuts contain pesky things called enzyme inhibitors. Enzyme inhibitors act by binding to enzymes and decreasing or blocking them. In nature, enzyme inhibitors are of benefit to the humble nut – they prevent the nuts from prematurely sprouting. But, they can also act on our digestive enzymes, stopping their proper digestion and absorption. Especially important to consider when you have been working to fix your gut health!

Nuts and seeds also contain small amounts of phytic acid, which our digestive system can’t break down. Eating large amounts of raw nuts puts a huge strain on our digestive system. Phytic acid also reacts with many essential minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc, and stops their absorption in your intestines.

Soaking – or activating – your nuts (and seeds) before you eat them neutralises the enzyme inhibitors that are present, and starts the production of many beneficial enzymes. As they soak, the enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms break down and neutralise the phytic acid.

If you’d like to know more, Sally Fallon talks extensively about activating nuts in her book Nourishing Traditions. An invaluable resource.

So, why am I making almond milk?

Almond milk is a great alternative to dairy milk.

The main reason I’m experimenting with almond milk is that I suspect I may have an issue with dairy (although I’m hoping that I’m mistaken), so I’m not reintroducing that back into my diet just yet. Call me ‘chicken’…

Also, my homemade almond milk has 3 ingredients – almonds, vanilla essence and water. That’s it.

And, it’s ridiculously easy to make.

Soaked almonds waiting to be made into almond milk…
(Image by TSL)

Aside from the cost, commercial almond milks are full of other additives.

Here’s an example:

Sanitarium list the following ingredients in their So Good almond milk: Filtered water, cane sugar, almonds (2.5%), mineral salts (tricalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), natural flavours, emulsifier (lecithin), salt, vegetable gum (carrageenan).

Did you notice it has more cane sugar than actual almonds? And that’s before you add in the lecithin and carrageenan.

“What in god’s name happened to your nuts?”
“They met a jet-powered water hose.”
He grimaced.
“They’re already healing.”
A rare glint of amusement lit Lawrence’s eyes. “You have balls of steel.”
“You have inappropriate humour.”
(Dianna Hardy, ‘Releasing The Wolf‘)

And, if you’d like to learn more about different types of nut milk, The Raw Food Kitchen conveniently has a great post on this very subject. Saves me writing one!

• Servings: depends on your appetite! (makes about 2 1/2 cups)
• Time: 30 minutes + overnight soaking
• Difficulty: ridiculously easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x cup almonds
1 x teaspoon vanilla extract
2 x cups filtered water + water for soaking

You will also need a nut bag or cheesecloth for straining.

Method:

1. Pop your almonds in a small bowl and cover with filtered water. Leave to soak overnight.

2. Pour your soaked almonds into a sieve or colander and rinse thoroughly.

3. Pop your almonds into your blender (the higher powered your blender, the creamier your almond milk will be). Add your vanilla essence and 2 cups of filtered water. Blend on high for at least 90 seconds.

4. Strain your almond milk through your nut bag or cheesecloth. Take your time. You’ll get a good arm work out and the more patient you are, the creamier the milk will be. Set aside almond meal for adding to smoothies, thickening sauces or even drying into meal if you’re feeling adventurous, otherwise discard. 

5. Your almond milk is now ready to serve. It will last about 5 days in the fridge.

Serving suggestions: – can be substituted for any recipe you would use with dairy milk.

E N J O Y !

In my next post, I’ll tell you about the REAL reason I was so keen to experiment with almond milk…

AWESOME Nut-Free Granola Crunch

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Breakfast, Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Granola, Nut Free, Paleo, Scroggin, Trail Mix

(Image by TSL)

I tell you, I’m really not what you’d call into your basic kink, even though we do live in Hollywood, which is a little bit like living in a box of granola. (McLean Stevenson)

Small brag – not sure if you know this but I’m sort of world-famous for my Christmas granola. And, by world-famous, I mean I have two friends who have come to expect a H U G E jar come the silly season every single year. These two generally start dropping hints about their granola expectations in November. And, while the super-secret base recipe remains the same, each year I change it up. One year it might be cranberry and white chocolate. Another, it may be dark chocolate and macadamia. I haven’t decided on this year’s flavour combo’…

But, here’s the thing. It’s fortunate that I’m really fond of these two because my home-made granola is a bit of a labour of love. Wanna’ know why?

Because I can’t eat it!

It has oats in it. And oats do not agree with me. All part of that autoimmune thing. Bah humbug.

So instead, pre-autoimmune protocol, I had been known to indulge in the very yummy ‘Nutola’ – a grain-free granola recipe. Expensive, but v e r y good. And, it’s become a staple for my health conscious brother-in-law. I’m looking forward to indulging in my Nutola – activated nuts and all – in the not too distant future.

But now that I’ve been on this restricted way of eating for so long, I started thinking about all those peeps who can’t eat granola because of the nut-factor. And, even worse if they have complications with oats and nuts.

And then, because I have one of my favourite people visiting me from New Zealand later in the week, and she doesn’t have any of my dietary challenges, I started thinking about what I was going to feed her for breakfast in my house that has no eggs and no toast and no cereal and very little fruit…

I’ve been making LM raw milk yoghurt and I reckon the granola crunch will work beautifully with that!
(Image by TSL)

And I came up with the idea of a nut free granola crunch… 

You know me. I like recipes that work and that are not too complicated. And, that taste good! This one is so easy, I reckon’ I could almost do it in my sleep.

It’s also a goodie for those who are starting to reintroduce foods on the autoimmune protocol. Seeds are usually near the top of the list for being least likely to cause an inflammatory response. Especially if they are activated!

• Servings: depends on your appetite!
• Time: 30 minutes + activating
• Difficulty: ridiculously easy
• Print

Ingredients:

200g sunflower seeds preferably activated/soaked
200g sesame seeds
250g Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) preferably activated/soaked
50g organic coconut oil, melted
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C/3600°F.  Line a rimmed baking tray with baking paper (makes cleaning up a lot easier!)

2. Mix all your ingredients thoroughly together in a large bowl. Spread evenly over the baking paper lined tray.

3. Bake until golden – about 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and keeping an eye on the mixture so it doesn’t burn (nuts and seeds can burn easily and will turn bitter)

4. Remove from oven and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container. I keep mine in the fridge.

Serving suggestions: – serve over fresh or stewed fruit, yoghurt or ice cream, mix into homemade ice cream for ‘crunch factor’, would also make a great topping for cheesecake and can be eaten as trail mix (better still with some dark chocolate added!)

E N J O Y !

I’m at the reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure. That means I can start reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. It’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

The GREAT RAW CHOCOLATE Ice Cream Experiment…

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Chocolate Ice Cream, Dairy Free Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Paleo

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. 

Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos. (Don Kardong)

Today is LM’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, LM!

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you just how difficult it is to find just the right birthday present for that special man in your life. Well, any male over the age of 15, really. And LM is considerably older than 15. So, because I was having zero joy finding just the right gift for my beloved, I bought myself an ice cream maker for his birthday. More specifically, I bought myself the ice cream maker attachment to my gorgeous tangerine Kitchen Aid mixer, which I had been eye-ing off for a g e s , and needed a good excuse to acquire…

Photographic evidence…
(Image by TSL)

Here’s my self-talk logic behind that decision: “I can’t find ANYTHING for LM’s birthday… I can’t even take him out to dinner because of this $?@# restrictive AIP caper that I’m on…  Bugger… I know! I’ll make him an extra special meal… He’d really love a special treat and he hasn’t been able to enjoy ice cream since we discovered his allergy to dairy… What if I made him some dairy-free ice cream..? I guess I’ll need to buy that Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment-thingy, then. It’s for LM, after all… “

See, it was LM’s birthday present – sort of!

So, I bought the ice cream maker on Tuesday. And then, just like magic, I seemed to come across all these helpful instructions for how to make dairy free ice cream. First, there was the fabulous Beth from Tasty Yummies with her tutorial on ‘How to Make Dairy-Free Ice Cream‘. She was the first one to suggest the addition of gelatin as a binder. Inspired. But, her bestest-looking vanilla ice cream contains nut milks. A no go for me at this stage.

(Image from Beth at Tasty Yummies)

…and then, the über talented Jen’ from Predominantly Paleo posted about her latest collaboration with Vivian from The Real Food Guide. An e-book on ice cream for followers of the Autoimmune Protocol. That is – free of all the potentially inflammatory ingredients that traditionally make up ice cream that we ‘AIP-ers’ have to steer clear of – think eggs and cream! Of course I had to get me a copy of that book!

Ice Cream for AIP Peeps!

Armed with my trusty tutorial from Beth AND helpful e-book care of Jen’ and Vivian, of course it would only be sensible to make a practice ice cream before we actually get to the special birthday dinner, yes?

Also, if I’m being honest, I couldn’t decide which ice cream to make. Mint Choc-Chip sounds like heaven to me, but I know it’s not really LM’s bag. Neapolitan Stacks sound a m a z i n g, but perhaps a tad fiddly for a practice round. I was leaning towards a tried-and-true chocolate ice cream…

…and, since I’ve now been on the second round of the AIP for over a month and am free of my symptoms AND I seem to have a reaction to carob (which means no Carob Ice Cream) AND chocolate is one of LM’s favourite flavours (also mine!), I decided to amalgamate the tutorial base recipe for vanilla ice cream and the carob ice cream recipe from the e-book to make my own version of raw chocolate ice cream.

If it worked, LM would be happy AND I could count cacao as my first reintroduction test*…

And, you know what?

It only 1/2 worked…

I subbed in raw cacao for carob and it tasted pretty good in its pre-churned state. Once the ice cream machine had worked its magic, I was excited. The taste was good – perhaps not Italian chocolate gelato amazing – but a solid ‘good’. The texture was impressive, too.

And, I think, if we had eaten it right then and there, I would have been happy. Instead – since it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon – I popped it into the freezer so we could have it as dessert.

After dinner, I removed it from the freezer and it was OBSIDIAN rock hard! No leaving it on the bench for 15 minutes to come to temperature for this baby. It took a solid 45 minutes AND even then we were chipping away at it. So – not entirely successful.

BUT! I am not giving up! Tonight I will follow an actual recipe to the letter and make trusty vanilla ice cream. I think we’ll make dairy-free ice cream sundaes – with whipped coconut cream and raspberry sauce. Watch this space for an update!

…stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot oftener, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. (Robert J. Hastings, Tinyburg Tales)

*On the upside – no reaction to last night’s chocolate indulgence (yet). YAHOOO!

The Autoimmune Protocol – an Update

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Clean Eating, Dairy allergy, Elimination Diet, Gluten Free, Paleo, Phoenix Helix, Weight Loss, Woody Harrelson

…except I don’t live in Hawaii and I’m am not vegan. Also, I eat animal protein, cook my food and can’t remember the last time I smoked pot…! But, otherwise – we’re almost like twins, really.
(Image from here)

Here in TSL-land, we’ve now been on the Autoimmune Protocol for ten weeks. I know – ten whole weeks! I can hardly believe it. And during that time, while LM has fallen off the wagon every now and then, I’ve been pretty religious about following the protocol.

In case you need a wee reminder, that means:

• No eggs 
• No nuts
• No seeds (including cocoa, coffee – yes, coffee! – and seed-based spices)
• No nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums, chillies, cayenne, and all spices derived from peppers, including paprika)
• No fructose consumption in excess of 20g per day (that’s a couple of pieces of fruit)
• No alcohol
• No NSAIDS (like aspirin or ibuprofen)
• No non-nutritive sweeteners (yes, all of them)
• Cutting out all other food additives

The pros:

All in all, I have to say, it has been much easier than I expected. The food is fresh, clean and tasty. I’m never left hungry – thanks to the fat content. It’s not complicated to prepare. And, as long as I have a fridge stocked with a variety of fresh veggies and happy protein, I don’t struggle with what to eat at all.

I have become the master (mistress?) of both slow braises and of the veggie hash for breakfast. Homemade lacto-fermented vegetables are eaten daily. Bone broth is always in my fridge. I’ve discovered the magic that is frozen banana ice cream. Even though I ate a reasonable amount of vegetables before AIP, I reckon I’ve about tripled it. In fact, I now actively look for opportunities to eat more vegetables. I’m eating a greater variety, too. And that can only be a good thing.

Surprisingly, because people tend to associate a ‘Paleo’ style diet with high quantities of animal protein, my protein consumption has actually gone down. All those vegetables!

In addition, my sleep is much better. I wake feeling refreshed. I’m not waking during the night. And, while I didn’t realise it before, I think I’m a nicer person to be around. Less anxious, maybe? I don’t seem to sweat the small stuff as much.

As for my autoimmune issues? Or, at least the one I knew about – completely in remission on the Autoimmune Protocol. Gone. After 23 years. Pretty powerful stuff.

Oh – and, I’ve lost 6 kilos. Slow and steady wins the race, they say!

The cons:

Although the regime has been easier than I expected, it does have some drawbacks. I think the biggest one is that you really do have to spend time in the kitchen. For me, this isn’t a hardship. I love to cook. And, it is possible to spend a few hours over the weekend preparing food for the week ahead. My sister does this every Sunday – so, I know its do-able. Batch cooking truly is your friend.

Its hard on your social life. I think we’ve been to a restaurant twice in the last ten weeks. Dining out with all these dietary restrictions is almost impossible. For me, the way around this is to entertain at home. But, when I consider that LM and I were, until recently, known amongst our friends as the foodies who dined out all the time, life is very different now.

Re-introduction takes time and must be controlled. When I started this protocol, I already ate pretty clean. I knew I had an issue with gluten, so that wasn’t a big deal for me. This past weekend, my Mum has been visiting from New Zealand. I decided, after over 9 weeks of this caper, that I would indulge in some red wine, some coffee (with cream) and some homemade chicken liver pâté made with cultured ghee… BAD IDEA! Something in that medley of yumminess did not agree with me. Within 12 hours, my autoimmune symptoms were back. I’m pretty confident it was the dairy (and – please, please, PLEASE – not the red wine or the coffee), but I just don’t know for sure. So, its back on the strict protocol for two more weeks before I start reintroducing foods one at a time and in a controlled fashion.

And, just like magic…

As if she read my mind, the very talented Eileen over at Phoenix Helix has literally just this week launched an e-book on Reintroducing Foods on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. I think she must be psychic. Are you psychic, Eileen? The book provides a step-by-step guide to reintroducing foods in a structured and controlled way. And, she provides recipes. I suspect it may become my bible over the coming weeks.

I’ll keep you posted…