Halloween is tomorrow.  Are you dressing up?  I used to love Halloween, but I have to admit, now that our daughter is older and doesn't really care to go trick-or-treating, I am just as happy to stay home and watch a movie!  Lame, I know, but true.  I do love a good horror flick though.  "The Shining", "American Werewolf in London", "Misery", "The Birds", "Psycho".  I don't really care for slasher-type movies like "Halloween" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" and the only one that really, really freaks me out is "The Exorcist", which I absolutely won't watch alone!

What I really wanted to talk about today is meal planning.  I've been planning our meals for quite some time now and find it makes getting a home-cooked dinner on the table at night so much easier!  It also really helps to reign-in my grocery shopping addiction.  I try to only buy what I need for the week ahead.  Even if that box of cookies on the shelf are calling my name.  Because they do that, you know.

This week's meal plan is working well so far, although it's only Tuesday!  I thought I was going to get a little thrown off by Hurricane Sandy, so I boiled eggs and potatoes, just in case the power went out, but it didn't happen.  My meal plans typically run from Thursday to Wednesday because I shop on Thursday.  I recently started having my groceries delivered (Yay!) from ShopRite.  It is awesome!  Saves me so much time and energy!  So for this week, my meal plan is from Sunday - Saturday.

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Sunday - P.F. Chang's for lunch, so just snick-snacky foods for dinner

Monday - Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with gravy and oven french fries

Tuesday - Gluten-Free Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Smoked Mozzarella (Elizabeth Barbone's recipe from "How to Cook Gluten-Free")

Wednesday - Halloween!  Ghoul-ash!  Made the way my mom made it, only with gluten-free elbows.  (Ground beef, onion, green pepper, can of chopped tomatoes, bit of tomato paste, elbows) Pumpkin pudding with whipped cream ghosts on top!

Thursday - Leftovers.  Ghoulash or Crockpot White Chicken Chili from last week.

Friday - Pizza night.  Take-out for family.  Homemade gluten-free for me.

Saturday - Kid's Party at  Chuck E. Cheese.  Wonder if they have gf pizza at this location?  Will have to investigate!

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Don't forget to enter the great giveaways we are doing on StephanieOdea.com!

Currently we are giving away a Mediflow Waterbase Pillow, a Crock-Pot Cook and Carry Slow Cooker,  "The Picky Palate" by Jenny Flake and the Spatula by GIR!


Have a safe and happy Halloween!

It's been about a year and a half since I posted last!  Boy!  Where does time go anyway?

Several readers have sent in comments wondering how I am doing.  Thank you so much and I really do appreciate it!  I guess the answer is that I am still here, still fighting some health issues, but all in all doing well.

As far as my diet is concerned, well, it needs work.  I find that I'm just not disciplined enough to stay on any kind of "plan" for very long.  I eat really healthy for a few weeks and then, before you know it, I'm right back to eating foods that I know are not good for me.  I know that I'm not the only one who goes through this.

I also know that I eat way too much sugar.  Sugar causes inflammation.  I have a lot of inflammation.  I know that when I eat a better diet, I feel better.  I know better!  But.  Those. Cravings. Keep. Coming. Back.  I wish they didn't, but they do!  I guess I'm just a work in progress.  Aren't we all?

As far as what I've been up to?  I've been busy with my family, keeping the household running and trying to take some "me time" out whenever possible!

The best news is that since the end of August, I have been working with Stephanie O'Dea, running daily reviews and giveaways on her website!  My official title is "Chief Giveaway Wrangler".  Isn't that great???  I'm so excited to be working with Steph!  She is awesome!  If you are looking for delicious, easy, gluten-free slow-cooker recipes or help organizing your life, she is the go-to gal!  You should definitely stop by her site and see the great products we are giving away!  Writing for Steph has definitely gotten my fingers back at typing and my brain busy thinking up posts for not only our giveaways, but for my blog as well.

In other news, we took our annual trip to Cape Cod in July and it was spectacular as usual!  We hung out at the beach, avoided getting eaten by sharks, shopped, played mini golf and ate in many great restaurants.

I shared some of these great celiac-friendly restaurants in this post from our trip in 2010.  We visited all of those restaurants again this summer and more.

Of course, we went back to The Chatham Fish And Lobster Company!  I can't live without my gluten-free fried clam strips and onion rings!

We also added The Hearth 'n Kettle to our list for dinner this year.  We have always gone there for breakfast in the past.  I've had good luck ordering eggs, bacon and hash browns without getting sick.  The great news is that this year, they added an actual  gluten-free menu!  There are great breakfast, lunch and dinner items!  My favorite is "Harvest Hash and Eggs" and I had it twice while we were there.  I didn't get a picture of my plate, but it was excellent!

I did get a picture of the wonderful sand sculpture outside of the restaurant!  There's a fish trying to get out of that pot!  ;-)

I hope that you will check back with me soon.  I have been cooking up some ideas in my head and plan on writing more often.  I promise!

Thanks for visiting and have a great, gluten-free day!

Gluten-Free, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Candida, Elimination Diet

Last week was basically the "week from Hell".  I hate to start out a post on such a sour note, but I have to tell you the truth.  I promise, it gets a little better.

I visited my neurologist for a follow-up appointment on Monday.  I saw the P.A. (I never get to actually see the doctor), prepared with information on Celiac Disease and Small Fiber Neuropathy and the connection between the two.  I handed the P.A. the folder, he scanned it and handed it back.  When I told him he could keep it, he said, "Well, I can look that stuff up on the computer later".  Then he politely told me to keep taking my meds and come back in three months.

On Wednesday, I met with the P.A. at my gastroenterologist's office (the person who diagnosed my celiac disease three years ago) for my annual check-up.  I filled her in on my issues and before I could even finish, she stopped me cold with "Nope, the problems you are having are in no way related to your celiac disease as long as you are following your gluten-free diet".  She told me to "stay off of the internet and stay on my gf diet".  At that point, I just gave up trying.  I felt totally defeated.

Obviously, it's all in my head.

On Friday, I had an appointment with an Integrative Nutritionist.  I figured that I had pretty much exhausted all other avenues, so I decided to take a more holistic approach.  Her office is located inside the Spa at the Roosevelt Baths in Saratoga Springs, NY.  As I walked into the lobby, I couldn't help but relax.  Calm music was playing, an indoor waterfall was trickling and a fireplace was welcoming.  People were sitting around in padded lounge chairs in white robes and flip flops, waiting for their massages and mineral baths.  I poured myself a cup of tea and waited.  I couldn't help but wonder why doctor's offices weren't like this.  Why do they have to be so cold and sterile?

Once in her office, we talked about the paperwork I had filled out and my symptoms and struggles.  We talked about the brain-gut connection and how our gut controls a great deal of our bodies.  I had been already researching about this before our meeting, so I was totally on board with what she was saying.  She gave me instructions for an anti-inflammatory, anti-candida, elimination diet (which is also gluten-free).  The idea behind the diet is to stop eating foods that contribute to inflammation in the intestine and replace it with foods that help the gut to heal.  I won't lie, it's pretty strict.  I've been on it for five days and I can tell you that it's not easy.   I've had to give up red meat, dairy, soy, corn, white potatoes, tomatoes, sugar, chocolate, soda and pretty much everything I love.  My diet has been consisting of chicken, turkey and fish, brown rice and quinoa, allowed vegetables and fruits, sweet potatoes, black beans and chic peas, nuts and nut butters (except peanuts), almond milk, flavored seltzer, 100% juices (no citrus), decaf coffee, green tea.  I can use molasses, pure maple syrup, agave and stevia for sweeteners.  There's also an added twist called "the egg challenge".  I have to go without eggs for two weeks.  At the end of the two weeks, I eat five yolks in one day to see if I have symptoms.  If I do, then I can write-off egg yolks permanently.  In a couple of days, I do the same with egg whites.  From what I gather, this will be the way it goes as I add restricted foods back into my diet.

All of my go-to snacks are gone.  No popcorn, no M&M's, no ice cream, no soda.  I admit, I'm going through some pretty severe sugar withdrawal.  I had to sprint through Target the other day in order to avoid the HUNDREDS of aisles of Easter candy.  It's been especially tough the last couple of days.  My daughter came down with the stomach flu and my stress level is making me crave sugar all the more. 

The other component to the plan is dietary supplements.  I have four big bottles on my kitchen counter which contain probiotics, digestive enzymes and omega 3's.   I have to work up to the recommended dosages slowly to give my system a chance to adjust.  The probiotics cause the most distress.  I've had some pretty bad cramps and "bathroom issues" after taking them.  I was told that this may happen.  Apparently, as the bad bacteria are taken over by the good bacteria, a little intestinal war can break out.  Completely normal, but more than a little uncomfortable.  Right now, I'm taking it slow with the probiotics, only taking the minimum amount and only using them every-other day or so.

I haven't felt much change in my pain level yet.  I know it's still early and I get really impatient.  I have lost a couple of pounds, I'm guessing because sometimes I don't really know what to eat.  The lack of sugar probably is helping as well.  I've had moments where I just stand in the middle of the kitchen and stare at the fridge.  I'm finding that I have to cook two meals at dinner, one for my family and one for me.  I haven't tried to eat in a restaurant yet, that will be interesting.  I thought going gluten-free was challenging!

How long I will need to stay on this plan is uncertain.  I guess it depends on my symptoms.  In the meantime, I'm still taking my nerve meds and trying to "stay off of the internet".  (Not!)

I will keep you posted!