‘He Won’t Know It’s Paleo’ – a Review

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Book Review, Cookbook, Cookbook Review, Elimination Diet, He Won't Know it's Paleo, Paleo

Bre’anna Emmitt, of He Won’t Know it’s Paleo fame, makes you feel like you’re in on a joke. Not a nasty joke, mind you. Rather, one with the very best of intentions. A joke with a small ‘j’…

You see, Bre’anna started to feed her husband a ‘Paleo-style’ diet – reducing sugar, cutting out processed frankenfoods, removing grains (gluten) and trans fats, and increasing vegetables – in an effort to encourage him (and their family) to be more health conscious.

Only – small omission –  she didn’t actually tell her husband about her grand plan.

But here’s the thing:

The food Bre’anna cooked was so good, he didn’t even notice!

Fast forward six months of Chris (Mr Bre’anna) unknowingly eating this way, and he is feeling so fit and fabulous, she feels it’s time to come clean on her sneaky healthy eating regime.

When she confides in him, he’s so impressed, he encourages her to start sharing her recipes. How cool is that?

The ‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ blog is born.

He Won’t Know it’s Paleo Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
LM calls this ‘Kumara Bake’. You say tomato…
(Image by LM for TSL)

Bre’anna starts to share her recipes with a fast-growing and appreciative audience. About this time, she also starts experimenting with the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) in an effort to mitigate some of her digestive issues.

And – fast forward to present day – we come to Bre’anna’s inaugural ‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ cookbook – over 100 AIP healthy and tasty recipes at your fingertips.

I love this growth in autoimmune protocol-friendly cookbooks as more and more of us experience significant health improvements through adopting the principles of AIP.

‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ is chock-full of great AIP-compliant recipes. But, it’s more than that. There’s a great section on stocking your pantry and a few of the basics – things like making gelatine eggs are well covered.

Do yourself a favour and check out Bre’anna’s book. It’s so very worth it!

The Scalloped Sweet Potatoes recipe is dinner-party worthy (especially, unlike me, if you cut your sweet potatoes with a mandolin!) and a fantastic alternative to regular potatoes…

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

• Servings: 8
• Time: 55 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

2 pounds/900g sweet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 medium potatoes)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I used fresh!)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

2. Layer the sweet potatoes and onion in an ungreased 3-quart (just under 3 litres metric!) pan.

3. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the sweet potatoes and onions.

4. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. If desired, finish by turning the broiler on for the last 3 to 5 minutes, until the top is browned.

E N J O Y !

Lip-Smackingly Good Lemon Ice Cream (AIP Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Dairy Free Ice Cream, Gluten Free, Healthy Dessert, Paleo

Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream. (Charles Baxter, ‘The Feast of Love’)

One of the very happy discoveries I have made on my Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) endeavour is that of coconut ice cream. That is, ice cream made from coconut milk. Not the store-bought coconut-flavoured ice cream full of trans fats, soy extracts, sweeteners and preservatives!

When you are in the strictest elimination phase of the protocol, finding special sweet treats can be something of a challenge. So, there is something quite liberating about having a little ice cream every now and then.

And, of course, I’m a bit of an ice cream tragic, so I’m REALLY in love with my homemade coconut ice cream. You won’t believe how easy it is to make, either.

Homemade Lemon Ice cream
Garnished with Honey Candied Citrus Peel from The Urban Poser
(Image by LM for TSL)

When I first started making my AIP-friendly ice cream, I tended towards an old fashioned sundae. You know the kind I mean – vanilla ice cream, whipped (coconut) cream and strawberry or raspberry coulis. I’d whip these up for casual dinner parties, with MUCH success. Ice cream sundaes seem to bring out the inner child in my dinner guests.

Who knew?

Of course, it must be said that while it is possible to make ice cream without an ice cream maker, it is so much easier if you have one.

I was lucky enough to have a gorgeous tangerine-coloured * KitchenAid bought for me a few years back (LM buys the best presents!). It was not too expensive to pick up the ice cream attachment. The frequency with which I now make ice cream has made it a very cheap addition to my kitchen gadget arsenal!

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

This particular recipe was inspired by my almost-eight year old nephew, Blue. Lemon is his favourite flavour.

During his recent visit, Blue requested a lemon ice cream.

To be honest, I was a little dubious as to how it would turn out. I was also a little afraid the citrus would curdle the coconut milk.

But, I needn’t have worried. The resulting ice cream tasted fabulous and reminded me of a frozen version of a lemon mousse my Mum used to make for special occasions when I was growing up.

It’s a winner!
(Image by LM for TSL)

So, it was not only a big hit with Blue, but my Dad loved it, too!

And here’s the recipe. Just don’t tell anyone how simple it is!

Lemon Ice Cream (AIP-Friendly)

• Servings: 3-4
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x 400 ml can full fat coconut milk
2 – 3 x Tablespoons Maple Syrup (according to taste)
Zest of one unwaxed, organic lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method:

1. Freeze the insulated bowl for your ice cream maker.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all your ingredients together. Taste for sweetness.

3. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the appropriate directions for your machine.

4. Serve immediately for a ‘soft serve’ consistency, or freeze for an hour or so for a firmer ice cream.

E N J O Y !

*colour no longer in production

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable

Could You Have Pyrrole Disorder?

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Hemepyrrole, kryptopyrroluria, Mauve Factor, MTHFR, Pyroluria, Pyrrole Disorder, Signs of Pyrrole Disorder

What is Pyrrole Disorder?

Pyrrole Disorder is a reasonably common metabolic condition that occurs when pyrrole, a key part of haemoglobin, is overproduced by the liver. It causes anxiety, depression and withdrawal. It is a genetic disorder.

Now, I’m no scientist, but from what I can get my head around, kryptopyrroles, are a by-product of the synthesis of haemoglobin in your blood and produced in your liver. Most people get rid of too many kryptopyrroles by flushing them out when they pee (technical term!). But, if they build up to an excessive level, they bind to zinc and vitamin B6, which in turn causes blockages in the receptors for these two important nutrients. This results in you ridding yourself of necessary zinc and B6 when you pee. And, this can be the cause of a major deficiency in Vitamin B6 and Zinc (and some other nutrients, too).

And, in case you’re wondering, zinc and B6 are seriously important nutrients for producing all your proteins including enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters required by your body’s organs, muscle and connective tissue. Deficiency affects the functioning of your entire body and mind, including immune system, digestion, cognitive functioning and your emotions.

The big issue is that the deficiency in zinc and B6 is so extreme that it can’t be fixed by just eating foods high in these two nutrients.

Just a few symptoms, then?

I was tested for Pyrrole Disorder a couple of years ago, primarily because of two seemingly unrelated symptoms – I’ve been going grey since I was about 19, and I didn’t remember my dreams. Ever. I was a bit of a stress-head and I suspected an intolerance to gluten, as well.

But, as you can see from the info-graphic (above) there are many other signs and symptoms associated with Pyrrole Disorder.

How does Pyrrole Disorder manifest?

It is widely believed that the catalyst for Pyrrole Disorder is usually a particularly stressful event or time in your life. It is strongly aggravated by prolonged stress and it occurs more frequently in women than in men. Oh, joy.

It’s important to recognise that stress can mean different things to different people. Chronic infection in infancy, childhood or adolescence is a cause of stress. Environmental toxins are a form of stress. For some, a poor diet and digestive problems that cause intestinal inflammation or leaky gut syndrome are a form of stress.

Sufferers may also often have frequent unexplained infections. They can also experience a variety of serious ailments and degenerative diseases for years despite being health conscious.

The effect of Pyrrole Disorder can be anything from mild to severe. It really depends on the level of the imbalance in zinc and B6. For most people, symptoms can include poor stress control, nervousness, anxiety, mood swings, severe inner tension, episodic anger (an explosive temper), poor short-term memory and depression. In my case, I was a  m a s s i v e  worrier. I worried about worrying. And, I was in denial about it!

In Pyrrole Disorder sufferers, the ability to create serotonin (a neurotransmitter that reduces anxiety and depression) is compromised, since vitamin B6 is an important factor in its synthesis.

So, I have Pyrrole Disorder. What now?

It is estimated that as many as 10-15% of the population suffers from Pyrrole Disorder. And, once you have it, it is a lifelong condition. If undiagnosed, symptoms tend to worsen with age and stress.

Zinc and vitamin B6 need to be supplemented, usually for the rest of one’s life.

It also seems that, unlike the average person, Pyrrole Disorder sufferers need more quality omega-6 fatty acids than other people. Think happy poultry and nuts.

And, inadvertently it looks like my Autoimmune Protocol approach is exactly the right thing to implement to manage my Pyrrole Disorder symptoms – completely grain free and anti-inflammatory – to improve digestion and gut health. The protocol also has me moving regularly, managing stress and ensuring I get enough sleep. All important if you have a positive diagnosis for Pyrrole Disorder. 

I can say – unequivocally – my general mood and attitude is significantly improved since commencing the AIP. Strange but true!

If you suspect you might have Pyrrole Disorder, it is very important to have an accurate diagnosis from a urine test before you begin any treatment. The test checks for elevated level of kryptopyrroles, which are unstable and will disappear rapidly at room temperature or if exposed to bright light. Many of the symptoms associated with the disorder can also be associated with other conditions. Self-prescribing high doses of any supplements can cause any number of other problems and it is also possible that you could mask something else by treating the symptoms but not identifying the underlying cause. Please talk to your doctor.

Easter Inspiration Recipe Round Up

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Chocolate Easter Treats, Easter, Easter Recipe Roundup, Easter Treats, Gluten Free EAster, Paleo Easter

Easter is just around the corner. How did that happen? So, this week I went looking for some Easter inspiration. And, it occurred to me that you might like to see just what wee gems I discovered…

I definitely lean more towards being a savoury cook than sweet (much to LM’s chagrin). And, that has only increased since I started this AIP caper. But, a bit like Christmas, Easter is a time of year when the treat or two seems fitting.

And, when you’ve been so restricted in what you can and can’t eat for so long, the opportunity to break free is pretty compelling!

My wee list is by no means the most comprehensive out there, but these are all recipes I’d like to try myself (and I slipped in one that I have already put my name to!)

While most of these are not strict AIP, they are all grain free, whole food numbers…

Do feel free to add any of your suggestions in the comments. I’d love to add to my repertoire!

No Nut Butter Easter Eggs
(Original Image from Canada Girl Eats Paleo)

No Nut Butter Easter Eggs – what can I say. These wee morsels look dangerously easy to over-indulge in! And so easy to make, too.

Raw Carrot Cake Balls
(Original image from The Urban Poser)

Raw Carrot Cake Balls – the only question I have is how am I only learning about the Urban Poser now? One of two recipes in my round-up to try from Jenni’s amazing site.

Healthy Hot Cross Buns!
(Original image from the Sydney Morning Herald)

Healthy Paleo Hot Cross Buns – This recipe is an extract from Lola Berry’s ‘The Happy Cookbook’. And, I will be making these. I have a MASSIVE hankering for hot cross buns this year!

Flourless Zucchini Brownies
(Original image from Delighted Momma)

Flourless Zucchini Brownies – OK, I know – brownies don’t really scream Easter. But 100% flourless. YUM!

Almond Flour Cinnamon Scroll
(Image from the Urban Poser)

The BEST Almond Flour Cinnamon Roll Biscuits (aka Cinnamon Scrolls) – The 2nd of my ‘wanna try’ recipes from Jenni. I am reasonably confident that the minute LM sees this post, he’s going to ask me when I’m going to make these. And, he’ll want them more than the hot cross buns.

Reece’s Peanut Buttercups (TSL Style)
No Peanut Butter!
(Image by TSL)

Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups (only without the peanut butter!) – these are my babies. Only, I haven’t made them in a while. May have to resurrect ’em!

Fudgy Chocolate Tarts
(Original image from Against All Grain)

Fudgy Chocolate Tarts – now before you tell me that this is the first of two recipes from Danielle over at Against All Grain, it’s a guest post! This baby is actually a recipe from Carrie of Deliciously Organic. And, they’re so gorgeous. Dinner-party worthy!

And, you could easily make these 100% AIP by subbing the cacao with carob.

Mandarin Chocolate Truffles
(Original image from Against All Grain)

Mandarin Chocolate Truffles – small confession, I’ve had this number of Danielle’s bookmarked to try for some time. I’m a fan of one-bite treats. And, if I don’t make these for Easter, they may make the table the following week (when my folks come to visit from New Zealand)

Coconut & Carob Truffles
(Original image from A Squirrel in the Kitchen)

Coconut & Carob Truffles – Sophie over at A Squirrel in the Kitchen always has such fabulous recipes. And, this one is no exception. And it’s 100% AIP compliant, too. I can’t actually eat carob, but I can always sub in cacao… Don’t they look gorgeous?

Chocolate Lava Cakes
(Original image from Grazed and Enthused)

Chocolate Lava Cakes – Alaena is another AIP blogging buddy who always has such fabulous recipes. And, if I was a betting woman, I’d say this one would be #2 on LM’s list in this selection. It’s another 100% AIP compliant number, too!

Well, what do you think? Are you inspired? Or, maybe you’ve got a recipe you think I should be trying…? If so, I’d love to know!

The GREAT Sydney AIP Resource Page

Tags

AIP, AIP Resources Sydney, Ancestral Diet, Autoimmune Protocol, Farmers Markets, Grass Fed Meat Sydney, Health, Nutrition, Paleo

(Image from here)

This week’s Autoimmune Connection is all about following the Autoimmune Protocol internationally.

Hosted by Rory over at The Paleo PI, it also features Astrid from Heal Me in the Kitchen, Catharina from Paleo Feest, and yours truly from TSL-central! We’re taking this global, baby!

You can check out the vid’ here:

And, if you enjoyed the video, please subscribe to the series and consider forwarding the link?

I gotta’ say, it’s so much fun getting to connect with other AIP bloggers from around the world.

And, it’s clear that this autoimmune protocol movement is growing, as more and more of us implement diet and lifestyle changes to manage our autoimmune symptoms. The very best thing about connecting with fellow AIPers is that I hear stories of success every week. So very inspiring.

 The best kind of happiness is a habit you’re passionate about. (Shannon L. Alder)

It must be said that starting out on the protocol can be a little daunting. Especially at the beginning. So, I thought I’d start a new page on the blog. A page dedicated to resources I use to help me stay the course while on the AIP.

Some of these, I mention in the Autoimmune Connection recording above. Some I thought of after the recording was made. And, some I’ll add as I think of them…

 Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it. (Albert Schweitzer)

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here goes:

G.R.U.B. (Vaucluse) (aka Grass Roots Urban Butcher) – Dominic and his team at G.R.U.B offer a full-service butchery (and then some). All of their meat is grass fed and finished. It’s always an experience to go in and chat to whoever is behind the counter.

These guys are passionate about their product AND they deliver to Sydney, Central Coast and Newcastle customers, and across a number of other NSW locations. They can even deliver to the ACT and Southern Highlands.

Feather and Bone (Marrickville) – Laura and Grant of Feather and Bone source their product directly from local farmers and producers in NSW who are committed to nurturing the health of the land and the plants and animals it sustains. They only buy whole bodies direct from the farmer. The bodies arrive whole at their factory where they cut and pack to order.

Available for home delivery or pick up from the Marrickville base camp, all produce is as free from chemicals and hormones as it was from cages and pens.

Linga Longa (country NSW) – I met Greg and Lauren at Eveleigh Markets. Honestly? – they are the main reason that the team at G.R.U.B. and Feather and Bone don’t get more of my business. Here at Casa TSL, we are addicted to their pork! They also make great 100% pure beef snags.

All Linga Longa beef is grass fed-certified with no artificial growth stimulants or antibiotics. Their pigs are free range and grain-free. You can get farm fresh beef and pasture raised pork delivered from the paddock to your door. All products delivered from Taree to Wollongong.

Greg & Lauren from Linga Longa Farm
(Image by TSL)

Eveleigh Market (Newtown)– If you’ve been following TSL for a while, you’ll know that Eveleigh’s weekly farmers market are where I go to shop. I love it. It’s on every Saturday from 8am – 1pm. It’s puppy friendly. And, it’s under cover. See you there!

Local NSW based farmers and artisan food producers bring fresh and seasonal produce they grow, rear or make direct to the Market for sale to the public. The Market is home to over 70 regular stallholders who sell a wide range of farm fresh products, from source to hub. You can find a variety of goods including seasonal fruit and vegetables; organic produce; beef; lamb; pork; poultry; smoked fish; and olive oil.

SMH Growers Market at Pyrmont – Held on the first Saturday of every month, the Sydney Morning Herald Growers’ Market turned 17 years old in 2015.

It features more than 70 producers’ stalls selling everything from fresh fruit and seasonal vegetables to venison, lamb, beef, rare-breed pork and seafood. It’s bigger than Eveleigh BUT only held monthly and is subject to the elements!

iHerb (online) – iHerb sells nutritional supplements and other health products. They reputedly carry one of the largest selections of high-quality nutritional products in the world. And, despite the fact that they are US-based, they offer extremely reasonable prices and cheap shipping.

I buy most of my supplements through iHerb.

GPA Wholefoods (Australia-based, online) – aims to provide Australia with the highest quality, nutrient-dense whole foods available world-wide.

The foods they sell are all derived from whole foods. They are free from additives, binders and fillers. There are no synthetic vitamins or minerals. Great resource.

Kitsa’s Kitchen (Crows Nest, Online) – at the time of writing, Kitsa’s website is still under construction. 

Kitsa Yanniotis is a qualified GAPS and BED Certified Practitioner, and she was an early adopter of using diet to improve digestive health. Kitsa well-known in Australia for her cultured foods (she has a range of organic raw cultured vegetables). She also produces an entire range of award-winning, allergy friendly foods.

Kitsa’s beautiful new store, “Emporio Organico” is opening very soon in Crows Nest.

Fiji Markets (Newtown) – where I source my plantains. ’nuff said!

About Life (Rozelle, Cammeray, Bondi Junction, Double Bay, Surry Hills) – your one stop shop in Sydney for natural products and whole food nutrition. In each store you will find a supermarket, wholefoods café and natural pharmacy.

About Life stores offer loads of natural food grocery lines and they are known for stocking those hard to find items catering to a range of dietary needs. All products are 100% natural, no artificial flavours, colours, sweeteners, preservatives or trans fats cross their doors

Pantry Innovations (Australia-based, Online) – I know I said I’d talk about resources I use. And, I have yet to use Otto’s Cassava Flour or Pantry Innovations. BUT – I’m excited about what they’re doing, and they need our support – so check ’em out!

Currently Otto’s Cassava flour is only available in the USA (having only just launched there in February 2015). Pantry Innovations is on a mission to bring it to Australia as soon as possible. This is not an easy process but they are determined to bring the next generation of grain free, nut free, gluten-free baking flour to your door. They are not a big company, just an average couple living in the Northern Rivers in NSW who think this product needs to be available to Aussie’s who are on a food journey like ourselves.  And, I agree!

So there’s the start of my Sydney AIP resources list. What do you think? Have I missed out a GREAT resource that you feel I should check out? I’d love to hear from you.

How to Prepare for and Recover from a Colonoscopy (While on The Autoimmune Protocol)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmine Protocol, Bone Broth, Bowel Cancer, Colonoscopy, Digestive Health, Disease Prevention, Paleo, Stewed peaches

So, if you’re of a delicate disposition, look away now.

Chicken!

No, seriously. Maybe you should read this one.

Because this one is about preparing for a colonoscopy, which is an important health procedure. While on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), no less. Although, this preparation could just as easily be for anyone having a colonoscopy who is concerned about what they eat. And, while it’s not for the squeamish, I promise I won’t get too down and dirty on you.

What is a colonoscopy, anyway?

Colonoscopy: A procedure allowing a Gastroenterologist to comprehensively examine your large intestine (colon). An endoscope equipped with a video camera is passed via the rectum through the full length of the colon. Biopsies (tissue samples) can be taken for pathology testing and polyps can also be removed during the procedure.

Many of us will experience the indignity of a colonoscopy at some point in our lives.

In Australia, bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer. It affects 1 in 12 Australians in their lifetime. And, New Zealand is no better. In fact, between them, New Zealand and Australia have the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. So chances are that you, or someone you know, will be affected in some way by the disease. In my family, it’s rampant. This is my third colonoscopy. And, I have yet to reach the standard screening age of 50.

And, if you have unidentified digestive complaints – common in many autoimmune diseases – a colonoscopy will often be scheduled to ‘check things out’.

See why a colonoscopy can be so important?

Frankly, the worst part of the colonoscopy isn’t the procedure. You’re sedated for that bit. No. The worst part is the 48 or so hours leading up to the procedure. The bit where you’re clearing out your colon so that it’s squeaky clean for the camera…

And this bit can be broken into 3 stages.

Stage 1: two days before your procedure. Otherwise known as the ‘You-know-it’s-coming-but-if-you’re-prepared-it-isn’t-so-bad-stage’

During this stage, you are limited to a low fibre diet. You know what has lots of fibre? Vegetables. So, this is almost the antithesis of what you normally eat on the Autoimmune Protocol. Forget about filling your plate with greens today.

In bright RED letters on your patient information form, you are instructed to avoid brown bread, high fibre cereals yellow cheese… all good so far. But then also – vegetables, fruit, any food containing seeds or nuts.

You are also instructed to drink at least 12 glasses of water or clear apple juice.

The following foods are some examples of recommended foods for stage I:

• corn flakes
• white bread or toast with margarine and Vegemite
• tinned fruit without the skin
• white bread sandwiches with chicken, beef, fish, eggs or white cheese
• Ginger ale
• White pasta
• Plain biscuits or sponge cake

Stage II: the day before your procedure Also known as ‘The-stage-where-you-are-housebound’. Really.

You are instructed to eat no solid foods and no dairy products. You may consume clear fluids only. Things like Bonox or Gatorade are encouraged. As is yellow or orange diet jelly. Oh goody!

And then the real fun begins. PicoPrep fun.

PicoPrep Fun…
(Image by TSL)

PicoPrep, also known as sodium picosulfate, is a powder dissolved into liquid and taken orally that produces a watery bowel motion that empties and cleanses your bowel prior to examination. It causes you to frequently and urgently make a mad dash to your bathroom. In my family, we call it ‘squirt juice’. I probably don’t need to say any more about it except that when I went to purchase my PicoPrep for this procedure, the pharmacist asked me if I needed any super-soft loo paper and Sorbolene…

This is the worst stage of the procedure. By far.

Stage III: the day of your procedure. ‘Sleepy-Time’.

Assuming your procedure is in the morning, and frankly – the earlier the better, after enjoying a hearty breakfast of… well, nothing. Not even any water. And, of course, having a slightly tender nether region from all those trips to the loo. Then, today is pretty painless, really.

Your nearest and dearest drives you to the surgery rooms where you check in. If you’re lucky, your health insurance will cover the procedure. You’re then directed to a cubicle where you strip off and pop yourself into a hospital gown and lie down on a gurney until it’s time for your procedure. You’ll be asked about your preparation process. The anaesthetist will come and have a wee chat. And then, you’ll be wheeled into the theatre. You’ll be asked to count backwards from 10…. and, before you realise it, you’ll be waking up in your cubicle again.

Simples!

Unfortunately, I can’t make the PicoPrep part of your procedure any easier. I wish I could. I REALLY wish I could.

What I can do, is help you a little with sticking as closely to the AIP while undergoing the process. Here’s what I do…

Low fibre food is the go in the lead up to your procedure. And, any seasoned AIPer knows that preparation is e v e r y t h i n g. So I plan ahead.

I poach a whole chook – I buy a pasture raised chook, cover it with water and throw in a few bay leaves, before bringing it to the boil. I reduce it to a simmer and walk away for 90 minutes. The cooked chook is removed from it’s broth and set aside to cool sufficiently to handle. Once cool, I’ll remove the meat from the bones, saving both separately.

That poached chicken is the foundation of my stage I eating plan.

I make bone broth from the leftover chook bones – If I’m sufficiently organised, I’ll have extra chook carcasses in the freezer. They’ll go into the pressure cooker with the leftover bones from my poached chook. I follow Simone from Zenbelly’s instructions on making pressure cooker bone broth, but if you’d like to make it conventionally, here’s a post on how to make bone broth.

That chicken bone broth is the foundation of my stage II eating plan. (If you can call consuming liquids eating.)

I also hard boil some happy eggs – I’ve successfully reintroduced eggs. They are not part of the initial elimination plan. If you tolerate eggs, hard-boiled are just about the easiest, most portable way to get a high protein snack. Pop a few room temperature eggs into a saucepan. Cover them with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Easy!

I stew some peaches – you’re ‘allowed’ tinned peaches as part of your low fibre diet day. I can’t remember eating tinned peaches as an adult. I remember we used to have them on summer holidays as a kid. They are definitely a comfort food for me.

Of course, so much better if, rather than commercially produced peaches in syrup with extra sugar, you stew your own. It’s easy and much better for you.

I made a LOT of stewed peaches…!
(Image by TSL)

Small segue – ever since reading Jo Robinson’s Eating on the Wild Side, I always opt for white peaches over yellow if I can.

White-fleshed peaches and nectarines have twice as many bionutrients as yellow-fleshed varieties. (Jo Robinson, ‘Eating on the Wild Side’)

To make my stewed peaches (admittedly not the prettiest dish I have ever made), I must first remove the skins. No skins allowed on a low fibre diet. I simply score a cross in the bottom of each of my peaches with a knife. I drop each peach into a pot of simmering water for about a minute. I pull them out with tongs and set aside until cool enough to handle. The skins will peel away easily. The peaches are then chopped, stones removed, before being popped back into the empty pot with a little water and brought to a simmer until soft. They taste remarkably good!

I also splash out and buy some organic, clear apple juice – and I drink it with water. Half and half. It’s my wee splurge to get over the boredom of straight water and broth, and reward to myself for going through this awfulness that is the PicoPrep.

And, that’s about it for the cooking preparation.

For me, the focus is on maintaining my whole-food diet, to the limited extent that I can, and at the same time not compromising on the preparation for the procedure. I don’t want to have to do it all again!

The REAL work comes after the procedure…

The nature of a colonoscopy is such that your colon is cleaned out good and proper. And, it seems we are learning more every day about just how important all that bacteria in your gut actually is.

So, I aim to repopulate my gut as quickly and efficiently as I can. Here’s what I’m doing this time around:

• continuing to up my bone broth consumption
• eating more nutrient dense offal
• ensuring fermented veggies  feature at every meal
• getting outside in direct sunlight every day
• walking barefoot in the grass
• sleeping
• taking a good broad-spectrum multi-strain probiotic

Have I left anything out? Are there any other steps you take to ensure your body bounces back from a colonoscopy? I’d love to hear…

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 !

 

The EASIEST Stew in the WORLD! (AIP Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Alcohol Free Stew, Autoimmune Protocol, Beef, Braised Beef, Easy Beef Stew, Hearty Meal, Stew, Winter Warmer

It’s officially autumn – or fall – in this corner of the world. And that means we can start thinking about warming food. Food like stews and casseroles! Slow cooked numbers that fill the house with comforting aromas as they work their magic over an afternoon in the oven. My favourite kinds of food…

This number is 100% AIP compliant.

Not even a drop of wine in this baby. Traditionally, a good hearty stew will have a healthy dose of red wine. And, technically that is allowed on the protocol – the alcohol will be cooked off.

But this recipe doesn’t even have that. Mainly, because LM isn’t all that fond of alcohol. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say, alcohol isn’t so fond of LM.

So, this is a tee-totalling stew, too!

TSL’s Tee-totalling Stew…!
(Image by LM for TSL)

Stew’s so comforting on a rainy day.
(Dodie Smith, ‘I Capture the Castle’)

The best thing about a good stew is that it really is a doddle to make. Simply brown your meat, sauté some veggies, throw in some good quality bone broth or stock and some aromatics, pop it into your oven and walk away. Its that simple.

So simple that even a non-cook can make a great stew!

And, I know I’m always banging on about doubling a recipe or cooking once to eat twice or thrice, but I’m going to say it again. Especially here, when making a stew. Because as with a good Ragu Bolognese, it’s just as easy to cook a large portion of stew and freeze leftovers for those days you just don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen. So, to make your life SUPER easy, this recipe is enough to comfortably feed 6 already…

Easy Stew with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Homemade Sauerkraut
(Image by LM for TSL)

This really is the easiest stew recipe. And, because it is so easy, it’s also a great one to experiment with. Feel like adding mushrooms? Or perhaps some parsnip? Maybe you don’t have rosemary handy and want to use a different herb? Or, you have some lamb in your meat locker instead of beef (in which case, can I suggest some mint?)… The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Go forth and make stew!

The Easiest Stew in the World

• Servings: 6 generously
• Time: 4 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1.5 kilos diced chuck steak/braising beef
1 1/2 x Tablespoons tapioca flour
fat of choice
3 x red onions. peeled and roughly chopped
4 x carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 x celery sticks, roughly chopped
5 x cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 x Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Zest of one orange
4 x sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt
800mls bone broth

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180° C/ 350°F.

2. Coat your diced beef in tapioca flour. I find the best way to do this is to take a large plastic bag. Pop your meat and flour into the bag. Seal and roll it all around until the meat is covered.

3. Pop a heavy bottomed casserole dish over a medium-high heat (I use my le Creuset) and add a little fat. Brown your meat in batches, setting aside in a bowl as each batch is nicely caramelised.

4. When your meat is all browned and set aside, add a little more fat to the pan. Gently sauté the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary and orange zest until softened. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan and give everything a good stir.

5. Add the bone broth and a good pinch of salt.

6. Bring to a gentle boil, pop on a lid and place into the oven for three hours.

7. The meat should now be meltingly tender! Check for seasoning before discarding the rosemary stalks.

8. Serve!

E N J O Y !

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable

Preoccupied With Parsley Oil…

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Easy Dinner-party Meal, Garnish, green sauce, Meat, Oil, Paleo, Parsley, Parsley Oil

(Image by LM for TSL)

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember that Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’. It was released in 1993. Yep – that’s 22 years ago! Which makes me officially old. At least, according to the teenager, it does.

Destiny is something we’ve invented because we can’t stand the fact that everything that happens is accidental. (Annie in ‘Sleepless in Seattle’)

Well, that particular movie has little to do with this recipe. Other than the fact that I was reminded of it when I was considering ‘Preoccupied with Parsley Oil’ as a title for this post!

This whole preoccupation with parsley oil came about thanks to one of the AIPers at our recent picnic. She made a comment about some of my recipes being ‘dinner party-worthy’. Which I was so chuffed about! I have always thought of myself as more a wholesome every-day kind of cook…

The GREAT Parsley Oil Experiment
(Image by TSL)

To be honest, somehow the synapses just started firing in weird ways (does that happen to you?) and I started wondering about how I could make one of my world-famous-in-New-Zealand Root Vegetable Soup recipes into a slightly more dinner-party worthy meal without too much effort… We are fast approaching rugby season after all.

Of course, adding meatballs of any description to vegetable soup is a good way to make it more ‘hearty’. So that was a bit of a no-brainer.

But! – what if I garnished it with parsley oil? – wouldn’t that be kind of cool? And – how do you make parsley oil, anyway?

TSL ‘Anything Goes’ Meatballs in Root Vegetable Soup with Parsley Oil
(Image by LM for TSL)

That started me down a rabbit hole of experimenting with making parsley oil. And, you know what I discovered?

Making parsley oil is easy!

Et voilà! A dinner-party dish (at least for in front of the rugby!) was born.

Step 1: Take one recipe for awesome root vegetable soup – you could use this one or this one!

Step 2: Take one recipe for ‘Anything Goes’ Meatballs

Step 3: When ready to serve, garnish with parsley oil (recipe below!)

Parsley Oil

• Time: you will need to start this the day before
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

2 x large bunches of fresh, organic flat leaf parsley
3/4 x cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

1. Bring a big pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath by emptying a tray of ice blocks into a large bowl of cold water.

2. Chop the stalks off your parsley. Don’t worry about being too precise. Throw the parsley into the boiling water for 15 seconds.

3. Drain into a colander and immediately plunge the parsley into the iced water bath (to stop the cooking process). When it is nice and cold, gently squeeze the parsley between a few sheets of paper towel to release as much of the moisture as possible.

4. Chop the parsley into approximate quarters. Pop two of the quarters into your high-speed blender. Add half the EVOO. Blend for two minutes. It will be the most amazing colour!

5. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender and then add another quarter of the parsley and half the remaining oil. Blend for two minutes. Repeat with the last of the parsley and oil.

6. Pour the parsley oil into a glass jar, screw on the lid and pop into the fridge.

7. The next day, secure a piece of cheesecloth firmly over a bowl. Pour the parsley oil onto the cheesecloth and allow it to work its magic for an hour.

8. Discard the cheesecloth. (Don’t be tempted to squeeze out the cloth – it will cloud your oil).

9. The oil will keep refrigerated for a few days. It freezes well.

E N J O Y !

Bella likes meatballs, too…
Ever hopeful
(Image by LM for TSL)

TSL’s ‘Anything Goes’ Meatballs (AIP Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Ground Meat, Meatballs, Mince, Nightshade Free, Paleo

(Image by LM for TSL)

One of the topics of conversation at the AIP picnic on Sunday was this: –

 What do you eat on the AIP when you can’t face cooking?

And, it’s a good question. It was mooted that perhaps there might be a ‘secret squirrel’  restaurant here in Sydney that could cater to one in the elimination phase of the AIP. Sadly, if there is, I have yet to find it.

My not-so-sexy answer for those nights you can’t face cooking is this: –

Have a secret stash in your freezer!

Anyone who is well versed in cooking for a special diet – autoimmune or otherwise – knows that the first step is preparation. In fact, preparation is likely the second and third step, as well. Preparation is e v e r y t h i n g !

Here at Casa TSL, I’m a massive (not just big, baby. MASSIVE!) believer in cooking once to eat twice, thrice or even more if I can get away with it. If you’re going to the trouble of preparing good, wholesome REAL food from scratch, do yourself a favour – double the recipe and freeze the extras.

And, one of the easiest, most economical staples to have in your secret freezer stash is meatballs.

Miracles are like meatballs, because nobody can exactly agree on what they are made of, where they come from, or how often they should appear. (Lemony Snicket, ‘The Carnivorous Carnival’)

Meatballs are a bit of a wonder food. They’re portable. Kids love them. They’re versatile. And, this particular recipe can be amended to suit whatever you happen to have in your larder…

If you have lamb mince instead of beef or pork, then go with that. Fancy mint or coriander (cilantro) over parsley? – no problem! Prefer grated carrot or zucchini to silver-beet. Done! Only have spring onions (scallions)? That’s fine, too.

Here’s my stand-by freezer stash number for you:

• Servings: approx. 38 balls
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

450g x grass-fed beef mince (ground beef)
450g x happy pork mince (ground pork)
1 x small onion, peeled and chopped
1 x garlic clove
1 x generous handful flat leaf parsley
1/2 x cup chopped silver-beet/chard
1/2 x teaspoon salt
1 x Tablespoon fat

Method:

1. Throw all the ingredients except the meat into your food processor and give a good whizz until thoroughly minced and mixed.

2. Add your minced meat and mix again.

3. Using a Tablespoon as a measure, roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls and pop onto a plate.

4. Heat a large fry pan over a medium heat with your fat. Fry the meatballs in batches – about 5 minutes before turning and repeating.

5. Serve!

E N J O Y !

We served our TSL ‘Anything Goes’ Meatballs in Root Vegetable Soup with Parsley Oil
Parsley Oil Recipe coming in the next post!
(Image by LM for TSL)

How do you like your meatballs?

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable.