Have any of you started a diet, or made a New Years Resolution to eat healthily? It’s so difficult, isn’t it? I have found that, for me, eating healthy 100% is not possible. Both my husband and I love travelling and food way too much for that to happen. However, things changed when I decided to eat healthier at home and not worry so much when I go out. This does not give me permission to go out 5-times a week, but for those birthday parties, or date nights that happen once a week or every other week, it’s okay to splurge! When I allow myself to eat those meals every once in a while, my body does not crave junk as much as I used to.
I recently started an allergy diet. I had been feeling bloated and gross after most meals for over a year and I was sick of having a permanent bloated belly. So I decided to go to a naturopath. (By no means am I trying to promote naturopaths or claim to be a dietician of any sort – I am not. I am just telling you my story.) Long story short, turns out I’m sensitive to so many things. Wheat, dairy (sheep and cow), eggs, potato, peas, barley, rice, egg yolk and white, bean (red, white, black), peas, cashew, pistachio, almond, hazelnut and gliadin. How’s that for a list? What I am doing is for 5 weeks I’ve been off all of this to see how I feel and then I have a few options at the end. Either I can keep going or try and rotate some of the foods back in and see which ones affect me the most to find a good healthy balance.
Let me tell you. I feel really good. Do I want to never eat pizza again? Absolutely not. Do I want to never go out for food with my friends again? No way! However, let me tell you, it all comes back to the start of this article; portions and variety. When I’m at home, I can eat my quinoa pasta, coconut milk and egg free treats, but the goal is to be able to handle some of the foods I’m sensitive to when I go out. My encouragement to you is to try and discover new things about your body and remind yourself that everyone is different. Workout regimens and diets are not a one size fits all.
For those of you who want to try something different or have some sensitivities like me, here are two recipes that avoid all of my allergies. If you don’t prefer an ingredient or you can have something I can’t, feel free to swap out.
Rhubarb Cake
½ cup of coconut milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup butter (vegan and pea free!)
1 cup sugar (I used ½ cup)
2 cups of flour (I used 1 cup coconut and 1 cup buckwheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups of rhubarb
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir lemon juice into the milk. Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in vanilla. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine ingredients and fold in the rhubarb. Spread the cake into the pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
Lemon Cookies
½ cup butter (vegan and pea free)
¾ cup white sugar (I used ½ cup)
2 tsp lemon extract
2 cups of flour (I used 1 cup coconut and 1 cup buckwheat)
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp coconut milk
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar (I used ½ cup)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and sugar together, add lemon extract till creamy. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to a bowl and mix. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix and then add the milk. Roll into small balls and flatten with a fork. Bake for 12 minutes.
