Then suddenly during my second pregnancy, the Eczema had come back and with a vengeance. I switched to all natural and organic products, I stopped using perfume, I changed my sheets 4-5 times a week, I cleaned insistently, but nothing worked.
I was accustomed to Hydrocortizone creams, Benadryl, and some pretty intense prescription drugs courtesy of my Dermatologist becoming apart of my daily routine. Eventually I started evaluating internal changes I could make that may get rid of the Eczema as a whole instead of simply treating the symptoms. I tried everything including an awful apple cider vinegar mixed with baking soda concoction daily, yuck!
It had to be something I was eating. So I finally decided to go back to the allergists and low and behold I’m allergic to everything outside, inside, and worst inside my refrigerator. This was not an easy fix I was allergic to some of my favorite and most often prepared foods.
Let me just give you an idea, apples, watermelon,cantaloupe, strawberries, eggs, wheat, rice, corn,nuts, oats, barley, cottonseed, onions, garlic, green beans, and the list goes on. When I first learned I was in denial, I was upset, I was confused. I told myself “I have to enjoy life”, and if that meant enjoying these foods despite what the tests proved then so be it. I couldn’t even imagine having to get rid of these things.
Well, to make a long story short it’s taken some time but I am slowly but surely off all grains, and most of the other allergens.
Garlic is one I’ll probably never give up, and regardless of my garlic obsession I’m seeing marked improvements in my skin, energy and overall health. I feel amazing. My body feels great, I’m having increased stamina, and my”mommy brain” is no longer a thing. I’m sleeping better and less cranky. Plus I’m losing weight.
Well I think I’m losing weight, I don’t get on a scale but my clothes are fitting just a little looser and all without really putting much effort elsewhere. So grains are no more apart of my life, which is kind of like a paleo/primal diet, but I’m not off dairy, and refined sugars as of yet. I always thought I would eventually be vegan at some point in life, but with soy and legume allergies this is nearly impossible.
Meat is my main source of protein and I can eat it to my heart’s content without my immune system going into overdrive. However, I am a conscious meat-eater, we buy grass-fed organic beef, and my poultry is free range and organic as well.
I’m changing the way I buy, prepare, eat and ultimately see my food. Still every now and then I just need a sweet treat besides a piece fruit, and this recipe is it!
I’ve seen tons of grain free cookie recipes that look pretty promising, unfortunately many use almond flour which is just another food my immune system has determined is harmful and will trigger an immediate histamine response. With a few experimental batches of these grain-free/nut-free cookies I finally reached the consistency and flavor I was going for.
It’s made with coconut flour which provides great nutrition, but it also lends a great coconut flavor that you can imagine is incredible in a chocolate chip cookies. These things are pretty close to the real deal. My kids (who are not grin free) ate them as if it was a traditional chocolate chip cookie, no complaints. Someone with a more mature palette may find the texture a bit of putting but not a total deal breaker, I promise.
Overall these cookies are a great substitute for the real thing!eciphttp://asoulfultwist.com/wp-content/uploads/Cookies-texture.jpgard
]]>
It started with Spring cleaning, then a missing camera charger, next came Spring Break, and some minor health issues, all of which has captured my full attention.
I mean I have been completely ignoring my little food blog space.
It’s all good because I’ve been filling that space with joys, fun, and some important grown up stuff. I enjoyed our staycation with the little ones, and we were able to visit with some of our long distance friends and family which was nice.
We spent quality time enjoying each other and I cooked, cooked, baked and cooked some more.
I wanted to share with you one of my new and favorite breakfast meals that gives me an intense energy boost in the morning. It’s packed with nutrition and protein which is essential for maintaining energy, and my brain strength throughout the day.
Seriously I am in love with this flavor packed sandwich!
Whats on it you ask?
Egg white, cheddar cheese, apple wood smoked bacon you know the normal stuff you put on a breakfast sandwich, but then I like to take it a little further. So I add spinach, sweet grilled grape tomatoes, avocado, grilled chicken (seasoned with Herbs DE Provence, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt), all on toasted Ezekiel bread, with a slice of melted aged cheddar.
If you’ve never had Ezekiel bread get some. I started with Ezekiel bread when I first went home with my husband for the Easter holiday back in college. His mother ( my mother in-law now) had served some for breakfast and it looked nothing like any type of bread I was interested in devouring and I’m interested in devouring all types of BREAD. Of course I wouldn’t dare turn down anything being served to me on my first time meeting the mama of the boy I was madly in love with, so I begrudgingly tried it.
I have to say it was surprisingly delightful.
When you become accustomed to that super processed and less healthy white bread it can be difficult to switch to the more wholesome and textured Ezekiel bread, but this bread was an exception. I could taste the healthfulness and it was GOOD!
Seriously at this point it’s all I want, and frankly all anyone should eat. I absolutely love the taste of it, and all’s good in my world when I can enjoy a piece of toasted Ezekiel bread drizzled in honey, and melted butter.
This kind of sounds like a sponsored post..lol. It’s not, I just love this bread so much and wanted to share it with you! I think it can be a healthy and tasty swap out for the basic white bread.
Enjoy the pictures, let your imagination wonder and make your own ultimate breakfast sandwich, make this one adding and subtracting any ingredients that tickle your fancy.
Have a great, fun and SOUL Full weekend peeps!
]]>
This year the weather hasn’t been exactly what I expected or wanted for the first days in Spring but the show must go on.
I wanted to give you a little insight into what else is being cleaned over here at Casa De Christina.
I let some of my house work get behind, and now that spiders are coming out for the season I’m working on cleaning, behind under and on top of furniture, walls, and floors making sure no dust is left behind. No dust, no webs, no spiders!
I’m purging my tiny closet of old clothes, too small clothes, and things I will never wear again…ever. It’s getting ridiculous, I have given away so much stuff, jeans, favorite shoes, winter coats and the list goes on! I hold on to things if I know I spent too much on them just so I won”t feel guilty.
That’s not working and my husband is annoyed now that things are spilling into his closet! I had piles of clothes I was meaning to sale on EBAY( my side hustle years ago) but never did. Someone is going to hit the jackpot at our local goodwill store, cause I donated EVERYTHING!
Honestly I have not been shopping for clothes in a good while, and it’s because I already had useless clothes hogging all the space. This will give me some space to reassess what I already have and what I really need. Also preventing wasteful spending!
This one is pretty self explanatory. I’m being more cognizant of what and how I’m spending and stop spending on things I don’t need.
Our family has long term goals but I need to set and follow through on our short term goals. We set a three year goal to sell our house and buy a new one two years ago, but that’s it. I wish we would of set more short term goals to keep us accountable for the things that are important for a successful sale and purchase to happen. I need to set short term goals and hold myself accountable as I go along. This is important when it comes to blogging as well! It’s difficult with the little ones but I’ve made a commitment to set short term goals and follow through.
I went to my Doctors Appointment this past week and have one more appointment coming up. I am having an unbearable time losing these last 15 pounds and I really cant figure out why. It’s not like me to have this much trouble dropping a few pounds. I had some blood work done and I’m praying it’s just my diet and the low intensity of my current workout regimen that’s causing the stall in weight loss.
I’ve already started adding a LOT of cardio! .
I found a Bikram Yoga studio that’s less than five miles from my home and I can’t wait to take my first class! I’ll be sharing my experience with that soon!
This just means I’m staying positive in my thoughts and controlling where my mind wonders more often. I’ll have so much going on in my mind that I have to backtrack several thoughts just to find out how I got there.
It never makes any since and most the times I forget. I’ve been doing small meditation sessions and controlling and/or stopping all the thinking and personal conversations going on in my brain.
Sometimes I wonder does my head size have anything to do with all the thinking, I mean seriously before I started meditating it wouldn’t stop!
Prayer still works! Hallelujah I’m focusing on all my blessings and my relationship with the Lord. I started Lent a few weeks ago and it’ll be a wrap this week coming up! I’m excited to celebrate his Resurrection, and I’m pastel and church lady hat ready!
I’m in constant meditation and initiating positive thinking throughout the day! I’m excited to start this new yoga class, not just for fitness but also for the way it connects mind, body and relaxation!
Relationship with friends and (extended) family has taken a back burner in my life. I just want everyone to stay connected and enjoy each other. Sometimes it doesn’t work like that. Relationships take work and time and overall I’ve been neglecting my relationships with everyone outside of our home. It is taking a toll on me and my productivity as well. I need to spend more time with my friends and other relatives.
I blame the technology! It can be a great tool to stay connected to far away loved ones but for me anyways I am neglecting all of the people right here in my own community and environment! It’ easy getting updates and checking on family and friends by simply logging onto Facebook, but what about spending time together….maybe even in the same ROOM?! Wouldn’t that be something? I know I’m missing out on a lot by staying so intertwined into my own little world that I forget about old friends and miss opportunities to make new ones.
I plan on getting together with some old friends and being more active with local social groups I’ve joined but haven’t followed through with.
I’m completely cleaning out my schedule of space being filled with worthless activities that deserve no attention. For example, spending precious time getting caught up in NAY- NAY and the rest of the Drama on RHOA is not productive. It fills my mind with a bunch of BS that I can’t use and won’t help me reach my goals. Reality T.V is my most guilty pleasure I have developed when I started staying at home with the kids full-time. I record the episodes and watch it late at night when the rest of the family is sleep, which sounds harmless enough but in reality I could be doing something more productive. Even if it’s just reading a good book, I want to feed my brain with good and positive things instead of polluting it with the mundane!
It’s about time I find something more productive to do with this time!
I want a clean and easy to navigate site. I love the simplicity of what I have going on right now, but it’s not loading correctly across different internet engines, my pictures aren’t doing what I want, and it moves slow as snails. I need to find someone to help get this all together. My family and friends always call me for recipes they may have seen on my blog and I’m like,” just go to the blog”.
Well easier said than done. I’ve noticed it’s not only difficult to navigate it’s really boring and blah! If you have any suggestions for a good wed designer/developer that won’t take my arm and leg please shout them out!
Please follow me on Instagram and Twitter! I want to connect with every single one of my readers so if you find me I’ll follow back!
Next week I’ll be back posting some more mouth salivating recipes!
]]>Not really but I do like to wear my Bermuda shorts Just kidding again! I refuse to wear Bermuda shorts! For real-for real the only reason I cut back in the summer is because it’s too hot for walking around with a stomach full of crap.
I want to feel good and energized to enjoy all the nice weather. I focus on feeding my body things that will fuel it versus deprive it.
This dish will keep you satisfied while providing your body with all the good stuff and none of the bad stuff.
I have to say Salmon may be my least favorite fish. I enjoy it grilled, but when cooked in the oven or stove top it can come out either to dry or too raw.
It takes a special temperature along with a watchful eye to get that juicy and delicate desired texture.
I’ve found the best way to reach that perfect texture is cooking the Salmon at a high temperature really quick.
This recipe is simple and easy with a sweet and spicy glaze to top. The sweet potato hash is a perfect complement with fresh and colorful peppers and sweet and spicy notes.
The plate is beautiful and tastes as refreshing as the first days of Spring.
Who says eating healthy has to be bland and tasteless?! This meal proves other wise while providing essential nutrition, beautiful aesthetics, and flavors galore!
You don’t need a bunch of time, effort, or expensive ingredients to accomplish this simple dish.
It’s packed with a healthy veggie and you can totally make this vegan by replacing the bacon fat with some vegan butter/margarine, and swapping out the milk for coconut milk.
Use whole wheat pasta for even more nutrition. The fact that the sauce is made of butternut squash and I used 1/2 cup of cheese instead of my usual 1 cup makes it skinny enough for me!
The beautiful butternut squash adorn the sauce with sweet and earthy flavors. Plus I added some kick with Cajun seasoning and Parmesan cheese. The creaminess coming from both the milk and butternut squash.
These six ingredients all worked together to create a satisfying and delightful dish.
Use any pasta you like but the Rigatoni really holds onto the sauce.
If spicy is not your thing switch the Cajun seasoning out for some quality season-all.
The first time I used flax-seed was in my hair….
I would go to the local health food store, buy whole flax seeds and cook them on the stove to make an all natural hair gel.
One day, busy mixing my “hair potion”, I tried tasting them and they weren’t too bad so then I ate a handful, lets not get into details but they are helpful.
I had to get my family in on this healthy seed mainly my hubby due to his lifelong G.I issues, :( so I started “hiding” flax seed in their food. They add a nice nutty flavor so they’re perfect for your baked breakfast bites.
They come in different colors gold and brown, I’ve heard gold is healthier, but don’t hold me to that, I’m no nutritionist. They come in ground and whole, but best grounded when using as a substitute.
This is perfect for egg allergic or vegan bakers.
If you’ve ever eaten flax seeds or ground flax-seed by itself you know it has a real slimy texture when it gets wet, just like an egg. Well the slime lends for a perfect egg replacement in your baked treats. The flaxseed ends up mimicking an egg and helps to bind the baked goods together.
Mix 1 Tablespoon of ground Flax Seed and 2 Tablespoons of Hot water. Mix it up and let it cool to room temperature before adding to batter.
Did you know you can replace oil called for in everything from muffins to my favorite red velvet cake recipe with flax seeds?
Well ½ cup of cooking oil is equal to about 1 ½ cups of ground flax-seed. When mixed with your wet ingredients it acts as oil, and with all the health benefits makes you feel a little less guilty about enjoying one too many!
If you didn’t know there is an increase in corn allergies going around. Many experts suggest this is due to corn being in almost everything we eat!
I know a lot of us use corn starch when needing added body to our recipes, well flax seeds can handle those jobs too!
All you do is mix water and ground flaxseed to your desired thickness and add to sauce, casseroles, etc.
The consistency will have a softer and less structure building consistency but you have to figure the right mix for the texture you are trying to reach.
Flax seeds are such a powerful and healthy seed you can simply add it in your normal recipes for its health benefits, to the get full advantage use ground flax seeds. If using whole flax-seed simply add it at the end of mixing batter or, sprinkle the flax-seed onto treats when you’re ready to eat!
I’m not saying it’s just as tasty as an egg but when you consider all of the health benefits of the flax-seed you can certainly make room for some on your shelves and tummy.
If you have your own tips, techniques or questions about cooking with flax seeds please leave them in the comment section, maybe there’s a treat you want to make egg free. I’d love to hear from you!
Here’s a recipe I love using which comes with another super healthy food, the sweet potato.
The flax seeds give bake goods a soft and gooey texture!
I’m so excited to share this healthy and delicious sauce with you! This tomato meat sauce is packed with flavor, veggies, fresh herbs and is much more nutritious than my usual sausage, ground beef and red wine sauce. I used more carrots and substituted, the sausage and ground beef for turkey which is a leaner option.
You would think the changes would affect the taste in a not-so pleasant way, but on the contrary with the addition of fresh herbs and veggies a whole other dimension was added to this common sauce and I loved it! SO did the Fam, they said nothing about the carrots poking up out the sauce here and there, they enjoyed every bite of veggie, meat, tomatoes and fresh herbs.
This sauce is pretty simple so here we go!
3 small organic carrots
1 celery stalk
1 half onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic pressed
1 lb ground turkey
1 teaspoon ground sage
Bunch of fresh parsley chopped
4-5 basil leaves chopped
6 oz can tomato paste
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon chicken base
1 cup water
Finely chop, onion, celery, and carrots.
Heat olive oil in pan.
Add celery and carrot cook for about 3 minutes tossing in between.
When carrots start to brown add onion and garlic.
Break up ground turkey and add to hot pan.
Add herbs and spices.
Mix everything together and cook until turkey is no longer pink.
Make a well in the middle of meat and add can of tomato paste let the paste cook a bit and mix everything together.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes.
Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Now add chicken base and cup of water.
Put top on pan turn heat to low and let simmer for 10 more minutes.
Serve over top of spaghetti or baked potato for all my wheat –free peoples!
Simple and delicious!
This recipe is not the traditional sugary, to the point of almost syrupy candied yams that we’re all used to, but it still doesn’t disappoint!
It maintains some sweetness with the addition of Grade B maple syrup along with a small amount of brown sugar. With the addition of a tang from using a granny smith apple and a bit of lemon juice and some bite from crushed pecans, this recipe is still sure to be a hit at your holiday table.
The added texture and flavor notes make the absence of a ton of sugar seem irrelevant to the overall appeal and flavor of the dish!
Check out the #healthyholidays movement at www.soulfoodtherapy.com which has many more healthy holiday and soul food recipes to try out for a slimmer holiday!
2 sweet potatoes
2 small granny smith apples
1/8 cup extra olive oil
2 Tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
2 rounded Tablespoons dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Juice from ½ lemon
Handful of chopped pecans
Chop sweet potatoes up into about a ½ inch cubes.
Wash potatoes off and allow them to dry.
Peel and chop apples up into smaller cubes. Set aside for a few.
Heat olive oil in pan on medium high heat.
When oil is hot, add sweet potatoes to pan.
Brown the potatoes, tossing in between. About 10 minutes.
Add apples, cinnamon and ginger, and toss everything together. About 4 minutes.
Now add the maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon of the brown sugar and fresh lemon juice.
Turn heat down to low and place top on pan. Let simmer for 5 more minutes or until potatoes are tender and cooked through.
]]>Traditionally my aunt Judy (who was known for her amazing candied yams) would bake them in the oven, this way is more time consuming, because you would boil them first and then bake for an hour or longer.
This recipe right here is simple and quick, so you can enjoy those sweet candied yams even if you have little time to spare. These are my sautéed candied yam with only six ingredients. All you need is…….
*Side note Sometimes yams are hard to find outside a international market, but sweet potatoes will work well as a substitute.
4 sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter/Margarine
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cut yams into ½ inch cubes. Rinse off and let dry for a bit.
Melt butter in pan with heat on medium high.
Add yams and let sit for a minute or two, so they can get a nice brown color.
Start tossing add brown sugar and toss and mix everything until incorporated. Continue to let the yams brown. Mix in maple syrup and cinnamon. Place top on pan and turn heat to low. Let yams cook for about 20 minutes while tossing periodically.
So here it goes….
Cut yams into ½ inch cubes. Rinse off and let dry for a bit. Melt butter in pan with heat on medium high. Add yams and let sit for a minute or two, so they can get a nice brown color. Start tossing add brown sugar and toss and mix everything until incorporated. Continue to let the yams brown. Mix in maple syrup and cinnamon. Place top on pan and turn heat to low. Let yams cook for about 20 minutes while tossing periodically.
Serve this little sweet side to compliment any meal.
Any questions? Just ask in the comment section I always respond!
But in an effort to serve more healthy meals.
I started to substitute some of my ground beefy recipes with ground turkey instead.
At first it was not a switch made in heaven but I’m sure my lack of effort and enthusiasm had something to do with that.
I also realized that beef has so much of it’s own flavor, unlike poultry so when cooking the more bland meat you have to cook it a little different while adding more flavors.
So instead of switching the beef out for turkey I started developing recipes designed for the turkey, this turkey burger is one of those recipes.
When I first made it my husband ( who knows nothing at all about food, cooking, and hasn’t cooked anything since I was pregnant over a year ago) asked why is the meat so light!
Of course I told him to shut it, his mouth that is, but when he tasted the burger he was surprisingly pleased, well I wasn’t surprised the garlic and soy sauce edition really take this sandwich up a notch.
1 LB Ground Turkey
¾ cup plain bread crumbs
3 minced fresh garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Handful of dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Mix all ingredients up well and form patties. Because the turkey is so lean they can easily stick to your cast iron pan, so wipe down pan with a little veggie oil, add burger and cook on both sides for about 8-10 minutes.
Caramelized onions
Sliced onion
Olive oil
Pour a bit oil olive oil in hot pan add onions and let cook while tossing for about 3 minutes.
Add to the top of burger with some cooked bacon and tomato and you have a lean flavor packing burger.
]]>