Last edited on Sat Aug 9th, 2008 06:31 by Joyful

Diet Update

• Meats. I probably eat 1-2 ounces a day of protein from free-range, organic meats including chicken and grass-fed bison. Less common meats would be beef, turkey or lamb. I enjoy using the leftover bones, etc. to make homemade stocks for cooking sauces, soups, and as the liquid for making rice.
  

• Dairy. Most days I eat either some slices of organic provolone cheese or I make a grilled cheese sandwich using raw, organic, grass-fed cow’s milk cheese (I order this cheese in quantity from the farm and have many months worth in the freezer). I use a little less than a cup of raw organic milk from grass-fed cows almost daily (taking a week off here and there). I enjoy the milk mostly on sprouted grain cereal.
  

• Sauces/Soups. At least 2-3 times a month I will take a few cups of stock from the freezer and prepare enough sauce to last all week. It will usually have the basic all-purpose spices, a bit of cayenne powder, a cup of wine, some corn starch to thicken it, some chicken fat or olive oil for flavor, and a jar of spaghetti sauce for body (all organic, of course). In the winter I also make chicken or split pea soups.
  

• Vegetables. The freezer has a number of large packages of frozen organic items including broccoli, petite green peas, snap peas, green beans, cauliflower, and mixed vegetables. I add one or two cups of these to my main meal on the days I cook. Some weeks, when I am feeling more up to it, or can talk my husband into helping, we make a salad with red leaf lettuce, carrots, onions, cucumbers, red bell peppers, and zucchini.
  

• Nuts. I enjoy nibbling on handfuls of almonds, pistachio nuts, or cashews, pretty much every day.
  

• Bread/Grains. Our usual loaf bread or bagels are sprouted types from Alvarado Street Bakery. A couple of days most weeks I either have toast from these or a grilled cheese sandwich using this bread. Some days I have a one cup bowl of cereal (Ezekiel sprouted cinnamon & raisin) with milk.
  

• Pasta. A couple times a month I prepare a full package of organic whole wheat pasta (al dente) that I then toss in cold-pressed virgin olive oil and store in the refrigerator for use in salads and sauces during the week (usually a cup per serving). A least once a month, I make up two boxes of Annie’s organic white cheddar cheese and macaroni to use as a base for a vegetable & meat dish for dinner.
  

• Other Grains. Maybe twice a month I will have a bowl of organic oatmeal with SteviaPlus and coconut oil added in for flavor. Once or twice a month we make a large pot of organic jasmine rice, using stock for the liquid. Occasionally we make a crock-pot stew with barley or rice in it.
  

• Fruit. I eat an organic fuji apple with cheese slices 3-5 times per week. Maybe one or two organic bananas per week. A couple of handfuls of organic (no added oils) raisins or grapes some days. We do enjoy black olives in our salads from time to time. Very rarely I will use a fruit spread on my toast. Once or twice a week I will make a frozen fruit smoothie with organic frozen blueberries, strawberries, a banana, some cocoa powder, a tbsp of coconut oil (to keep the blood sugars even), and finely shredded coconut.
  

• Oils. Cold-pressed virgin olive oil for homemade salad dressings and with pasta. Virgin red palm oil for popcorn and browning onions. Coconut oil for low temperature cooking. Butter for grilled cheese sandwiches. Sesame oil for some pestos.
  

• Beverages. Once or twice a day I fill a two-quart pitcher with filtered water, adding a squeeze of SteviaClear for flavor. This is my primary beverage every day. A few times a week (for the past few months) I have made an iced sparkling water drink flavored with small amounts of beet kvass & lemon juice.
  

• Snacks. About once a week I make organic popcorn in a mixture of red palm and coconut oils topped with sea salt. This is my favorite snack. Maybe once a month I eat a couple of cups of garden of eatin' white corn chips with a homemade dip (see condiments).
  

• Condiments. Homemade dip made from plain Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt, Emerald Valley raw green & red salsas, and Rejuvenative Foods cultured sauerkraut. Also, I will turn this dip into a salad dressing by adding some olive oil before tossing into my salads. I also enjoy adding organic mustard and cultured sauerkraut to hot dishes just before serving.
  

• Sweets & Alcohol. I regularly indulge small amounts of organic low sugar dark chocolate (i.e., Dagoba: new moon). I enjoy homemade coconut macaroons made with organic shredded coconut, egg whites, vanilla, arrowroot, and maple syrup. My drinking is limited to ½ a glass of wine or beer a couple times a month over a shared meal.
  

• Meals Out. At least once a month, more often when I am feeling better, I enjoy dining out. The usual places are Baja Fresh, Soup Plantation, a local Japanese grill (watch the fish sauce!), or one of the wood-fired pizza spots. My favorite meals involve lamb or steak, mashed potatoes, chopped salads, and spicy dishes.