March is National Autoimmune Disease Awareness month, and even if you don’t suffer from the disease yourself you may know someone who does. Some of the more common and well-known Autoimmune disease are Lupus, Crohns disease, Hashimoto’s disease, Celiac disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Vitiligo. More than 50 million Americans suffer with an Autoimmune disease in a simple description is your immune system mistaken healthy cells as foreign and further attacking said cells. Although I have not been officially diagnosed with an Autoimmune disease my eczema/ atopic dermatitis, and food allergies. My skin is the organ my immune system is upset with. Who doesn’t want healthy glowing skin? I’m obsessed with anything skin related and what it takes to maintain a beautiful, even, and healthy complexion. Through testing, eliminating, and adding a plethora of foods to my diet, I know exactly what it takes for me to maintain a healthy complexion, without eczema. Sticking with the regimen %100 is another story. I find it difficult to completely eliminate sugar, but I know my eczema and body is better for it. It’s also pretty tough avoiding dairy products but when I do my skin thanks me for it every time.  Sugar and dairy are the little things, I can handle those, as for wheat I cannot be close to the stuff. If I even touch wheat I break out with hives all over my body with the exclusion of my face and legs. It is a sad sight to say the least. Even worst, when I do have wheat it makes all of my other food allergies exacerbated. So when normally I would enjoy a little egg scramble with a few nuts, that is not a possibility if I have wheat in my system.

Which is why I would then need to take an Autoimmune Paleo Approach (strict Paleo diet in addition to eliminating nightshade veggies, eggs, nuts, seeds, and limiting fruit intake) to get my body back to normal, whenever I made the mistake of trying even a little wheat. The last time I had wheat I was forced to go to the doctor and get a prescription for the dreaded Prednisone. Prednisone is a steroid that is used to treat many autoimmune diseases, my atopic dermatitis (eczema) being one. I try to avoid the meds at all cost because just like most conventional medicines with all it intends to cure there are an even bigger number of ailments that it will cause. One that affects me relatively quickly is the Moon face, which looks exactly like it sounds a rounded blowned up face.  Then there’s the weight gain, which is due to an insatiable appetite. I’ve never been able to maintain my weight on the Prednisone steroid. Even though I eat the healthiest of foods, the . I can eat a big breakfast and 30 minutes later I’m hungry again. The upset with those side effects can be chalked up to vanity and worth the trade-off as long as I’m not suffering with an itchy and often painful rash. The side effects that are of most concern are my moods which are usually funky on the steroid. The most difficult side effect are the headaches and sleepless nights. Eventually when I come off my moods are swayed, my appetite comes down, and my skin issues start to creep back. This last time I’ve been micro managing all the foods I eat including those Chic Fil-A fries I love so much. The best way to make certain I will stick to my plan is to always have healthy and allergy-free food available at my fingertips. Not just little snacks and fruit but food -food. Something I can get full- and satisfied off while still nourishing my body.

This recipe is just that, something you can pre-make and only gets better with time.

Breakfast is pretty difficult if you’re following an Autoimmune diet if you want an actual breakfast and not dinner leftovers. When following the autoimmune protocol eggs are off-limits, which are nearly essential when you cut grains.  This forces me to get a little more creative when it comes to breakfast. I want a filling and satisfying meal that packs a nutritional punch at the same time. I’ve come up with quite a few go-too egg free breakfasts’ and this right here is one of them. This recipe is pretty simple minus the cutting, and if you make enough you can eat it for breakfast for the entire week. For the hubby and I this exact recipe lasts us two mornings, but again I eat quite a bit and so does he. For one person this could certainly stretch for five mornings. My husband eats his sauté with eggs which I know is fantastic. This week, I’ve been enjoying my mix with either a side of bacon or sausage. I leave the house with a great portion of my nutrition consumed for the day, and I’m full and satisfied, well at least until I get to work.

Do you have any make ahead breakfasts that you live by?

I’m at home again today, with all this snow our city is shut down. That’s a four-day weekend as of today and last week with Martin Luther King Day I only “worked” three days. I will be tele-working today, making a few calls and checking the status of my clients, to prevent the inevitable build up of work that will accompany these days off.

As a homeless services professional I’m probably more conscious than the masses of the dangers present when this kind of weather hits. Thursday as we were expecting the bad weather, the outreach team in my city canceled our monthly meeting and instead went to the “camp sites”, and the streets to pass out some cold weather gear and inform about the impeding storm. Trying to convince a person who’s had negative experiences with shelters (or not) to go into a shelter is not an easy task, add to that, many of our chronically homeless have some form of or are suffering with a mental illness. Many of our chronically homeless have become accustomed to living in their makeshift “homes” outdoors. These “homes” are personalized with art work, collected treasures, make shift household items, family pets and even love. They  more than often share these spaces and it becomes a community. They look out for each other, and even in freezing temperatures to take them away from the “home” they’ve created is a tough task. As we passed out cold weather items at one “community” we were reminded by a resident of a gentlemen who died right out in front of our cities cold-weather overflow shelter when according to him “he was denied entry”. Word travels fast amongst those who live on the streets. Still while he recollects the story of the gentlemen who lost his life weathering the freezing temps, he also sounds as if he plans on weathering the winter storm himself, right there in his outdoor home. My fellow outreach colleague encourages the gentlemen to take advantage of the overflow shelter which will be open the entire weekend and through the cold weather conditions. I give him a look of concern while reiterating my colleagues previous offer. Encouraging him to take advantage of the overflow shelter, which  will be open during the days in addition to its normal overnight schedule. What I really wanted to say was “you better take your a$$ over to that shelter or this storm will kill you!” When life and death is of concern, many times I will get direct with clients and say it how I see it. Usually not in the presence of colleagues mainly due to the bureaucracy surrounding my actual title and agency.

 I know that regardless of how many street homeless we warn there will always be some who choose not take advantage of the shelter. I use the word “choose” very loosely as I know that for many it is not a choice, as some are not equipped to make any decisions, in addition to the more personal and convoluted reasons they may avoid shelters. Either way as I “suffer”through this storm my professional experience allows me to reflect in a way that makes it clear that I’m not suffering at all. There are real victims, and I am not one. Grace is all that keeps me safe and warm, and if not for a few altered seconds in any moment of my existence I could be faced with the decision to either abandon my “home” or live.

Can I share with you this awesomely delicious warm and chocolaty drink? If you are not a fan of “The Choc”, then this recipe is more than likely not for you. If you are a fan of “The Choc”and you also enjoy glowy and healthy skin then this is the recipe for you. I used maca, cacao, coconut milk and cream. This drink is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and yumminess. Don’t forget the marshmallows! I made homemade brown sugar marshmallows and when they meted on top I was transported into another world of deliciousness. Just imagine drinking a warm and melted together s’mores!

And it’s vegan.

Are you feelin’ me yet?

Now check out the pics.

To all the mamas who go to work full-time and still come home to cook a meal for your family, you all are the real MVP’s! 

Even as much as I love to cook, it’s not my favorite thing to come home from work and meal prep on top of the list of other things that comes along with a family. 

 My kids are pretty much spoiled by my home cooked meals so they will not have mama falling behind on kitchen duties. They want it and I want to give it to them, however I had to switch up my techniques a bit.

I plan out meals for the week, make sure I have everything I need, and have any thawing & marinating done before I leave for work.

This recipe is perfect for when you just don’t have time for a bunch of meddling in the kitchen, but you still want something good. It’s easy, healthy and budget friendly.  

When you use skin on dark meat you have less instance of drying out your meat. The skin helps keep juices in the chicken and the dark meat is naturally more tender and flavorful!

Of course I use Free range, no hormones, or antibiotics chicken. It’s much healthier than conventional hormone and antibiotic injected caged chickens.

The lemon herbs and spices adds bursting flavors for the chicken. 

Here’s all you do!

Wash chicken, and place in shallow baking dish.

Season with lemon juice, butter, herbs and spices. (Use whatever seasonings you like or check out the recipe below.)  Get generous with the salt. (If you have the time marinate this over night, or for at least 30 minutes for even more flavor)

Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place on middle oven rack, and bake in oven on 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

After 20 minutes turn on to broil 500. Take aluminum off of the chicken, and place on top rack.

Bake for 10-15 more minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180.

Pour cooked juices over the chicken when serving!

When it comes to food, I’m a girl who’ll try anything.

Since I was a kid food has been a major theme in my life. I enjoy all types of food and rarely anything edible makes me flinch. I grew up eating pig feet, chitterlings’, turkey necks, chicken feet, and a whole bunch more things you can only get from the international store these days.

I love foods and cuisine from all around the world, but my heart will always belong to soul food.

Soul food is a mix of flavors spices and cooking techniques that are derived from African cuisine across the diaspora. I find it amazing how although most cultural identities and habits of African-American slaves were strategically erased, banned ,or diminished, food is one that has stood the test of time. African-American Soul food is a combination of cooking techniques and recipes (or lack there of) that were developed out of a scarcity, and memory. 

I mean out of nothing comes these delicious flavorful and perfectly executed meals, without the availability of measuring cups, cooking books, or even a decent cut of meat. 

Then comes the lack of time. With demanding work schedules (understatement of the century I know) there was no time to cook 4 course meals for their own families so instead, they stewed pots of meats, wild grown greens, and herbs and spices from their own gardens. 

I can go to my grandmother’s house today and there will probably be a pot going with some slow cooked, beans, or greens, or even a pot of chicken feet and noodles. 

This slow one pot method of cooking ends up producing the most flavorful  and tender meats, vegetables, and beans. 

Everyone loves food and however dim your day may be you can bring a family together over a good meal. We can all rejoice in a pot of delicious flavors. That’s what soul food means to me. 

Today I’m bringing you one of those scrap meat meals. However if you make this dish you will be begin to see that when executed appropriately those scrap meats can be just as delicious as the “good” cuts. 

Neck bones are dirt cheap, they’re flavorful, but they don’t have a great amount of actual meat on the bone. So they are perfect for adding flavor to a pot of greens, or beans.

Today however I want to show you how to make them for your main course. The tenderness and flavor of the meat will certainly make you want more but for as cheap as they cost you can buy a few more packs and go to town.

I find this technique to produce the juiciest and most tender meat, that will render a fall off the bone delicious dinner. 

 Wash and Season generously with Salt and Pepper.

Add one chopped onion and 1 chopped celery stalk for two pounds of neck bones.

 Add other seasonings desired. I used dried parsley, rubbed sage, and garlic salt.

Pour in a 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar for 2 Lbs of neck bones. 

Tightly wrap in aluminum foil and bake on 325° for 2 1/2 hours.

Take aluminum foil off of baking dish.

Baste meat with juices from the dish.

Turn oven up to 375° and bake uncovered for 30 more minutes. 

This recipe goes great with this delicious southern style kale recipe and some soulful black-eyed peas.

 Our family usually sticks to the classics on Thanksgiving, but this is my first year eating grain free and it certainly requires more imagination.

I’ve been creating and testing different recipes in effort to create tastiest and healthiest Thanksgiving possible.

Of course I’lll splurge in some places but grains will stay off my plate. Dairy tho? Yep, I’m not cutting that out on the biggest food holiday of the year.

This one is good, and I like Acorn squash, I mean, I really like it.

Acorn squash is appropriately sweet.  I think I could use it for a dessert, maybe even a pie.

However done, I will be using a lot more of the sweet little gourd. 

This dish will more than likely replace my mac and cheese this year.

I haven’t had much luck finding delicious grain free pasta yet, if you know any good ones shout em’ out please. As of now no mac and cheese and I’m fine with that as long as this is on the menu. 

Smoked Gouda cheese, Parm, and cream cheese makes this dish a star. Then you add the bacon and it’s out of this world. 

Did you know coconut milk like breast milk contains Lauric acid?

Make sure you let the little ones in your life drink up.

Coconut is perfect for dairy free and vegan baking, and the homemade stuff is so much better. 

No Guar Gums, No preservatives, No binders, No BPA just all natural 100% coconut milk! 

Plus, its super simple! 

The equipment you’ll need includes a blender, 1 bowl, 1 strainer, some cheesecloth, a few jars for storage, and canning funnel. 

Ingredients: Meat of one coconut and 2 cups of water

The meat of 1 Mature coconut and 2 cups of hot water go into the blender.

 Blend for two minutes and let it sit for 1 more minute. 

 Pour contents of blender into cheesecloth over the strainer and bowl. Squeeze all milk out of the cheesecloth. 

Pour Milk into airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days and shake before using. 

Classic Collard Greens

Lately I’ve been posting a bunch of grain free/Paleo recipes.

Every time I try  explaining  why I’m not devouring cupcakes or traditional fried chicken at a party, and I respond with Paleolithic I get the oddest looks. 

It’s sounds more complicated than it is.

I’ts a lifestyle I found that allows me to enjoy good food, without counting calories, sugar contents, or points. I may not be able to enjoy those grocery store cupcakes but I can still enjoy a batch of delicious and healthy ones from my own kitchen.

I get to eat good food and maintain healthy skin and weight. I ended up losing more weight than I ever wanted, and my skin is cleared. 

I attribute the weight loss to getting rid of wheat. Wheat can actually stimulate your appetite. You can read more about that in the New York Times best-selling book Wheat Belly. Which I found very informative and a great look at the effects of wheat on the body and it answers the why.   

That’s where this whole Paleo diet comes in. Paleolithic diet is an adaption of what our Cro-Magnon ancestors. 

In simpler terms I have adapted in some forms a cave man diet. 

This diet is based on the fact that our agricultural system has evolved far faster than the actual genetic makeup of our bodies. We have cultivated crops and used laboratories to make these crops more available and cost-effective which in turn has expanded incident of diseases and waistlines. 

I say I’ve adapted some form of the diet because I don’t limit my foods to what was available in the Paleozoic time era completely,

and even if I did I can’t actually hunt and gather my own foods,

and if I did go and try to hunt and gather all my own foods I wouldn’t  be able to enjoy this delicious tropical Mango smoothie on a cold autumns day in central Virginia.

The only parts of the Paleo diet I am strict about are my consumption of pastured raised, free of antibiotics, and hormone meat. And no grains. No grains for me ever. I am allergic to all grains which makes that portion pretty easy and is the reason I discovered this way of eating in the first place.

I was searching for desserts that didn’t use wheat flour, rice flour or any type of corn product.

But what I discovered was loads of people who had already adopted this kind of diet for health reasons. Than I found the AIP or Autoimmune Protocol which I followed for over 90 days straight and had healing and relief of my eczema. Awesome! 

Plus I lost over 30 Lbs! That’s a whole other story, but let me just show you a chart of what you can and can’t eat on the Paleo and Autoimmune Paleo Protocol. Than I’ll tell you what I actually allow for myself. 

  Paleolithic Diet Dos and Don’ts……..

                                           Allowed  

Vegetables

Fruits

Nuts (Did you know peanuts are actually a legume? Therefore they are not allowed.)

Eggs

Seeds

Pastured Raised Animals

Wild Caught Seafood/Fish

Oils and Fats (Avocado, coconut, olive, macadamia, flaxseed, fish oils, leaf lard, ghee)

                                            Not Allowed

 Dairy

 Excessive Salt

 Carbonated Drinks 

 Processed Foods (including soy and soy derivatives)

 Refined Sugars

 Legumes

 Refined Vegetable Oils

 Grains (wheat, rice, corn, oats, bulgur, faro, sorghum, spelt, barley, amaranth)

 AIP Protocol goes on to be even more restrictive. This is a healing diet which in my short experience works! If you have an autoimmune disorder this might be the diet for you ( with physician supervision). I’ve read countless testimonies of how the AIP Paleo diet has healed or lessen symptoms of an onslaught of Autoimmune diseases, with the root cause an inflamed gut.

The current standard American diet is overall pro inflammatory. AIP Paleo lifestyle in anti-inflammatory so this can help anyone who suffers from a plethora of ailments to include general lethargy and eczema all the way to Multiple Sclerosis or Crohns disease.  This diet can be helpful for anyone who simply want to feel better.  

I would suggest reading the Paleo approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal your body by Sarah Ballantyne PhD if you suffer from.

This takes the Paleolithic diet further and includes a few more restrictions.

AIP Paleo

                              Continue to eat…..

Vegetables (Taste the veggie rainbow, and eat up!) (except nightshades)

Fruits (limited to about 1-2 a day)

Pastured Raised Meats (organ meats are the best)

Pasture raised Poultry

Wild Caught Seafood/Fish

Fermented Veggies, coconut milk kefir, coconut milk yogurt 

              In addition to Paleo eliminate……

Grains (including potential gluten cross reactive foods)

Seeds

Nuts

Eggs

Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, paprika L, peppers, tomatillos, eggplants)

Alcohol

NSAIDs (click link for a list of the drugs) 

Non–nutritive Sweeteners and Stevia

Any known food allergies or sensitivities

After playing around with my diet this last year I find that I feel much better without grains. My skin has improved eczema, hyper-pigmentation and dryness included. 

I consume a fair amount of fatty foods, such as avocados, bone broth, salmon, and coconut oil. I’m sure this has a lot to do with the overall suppleness and glow of my skin. 

Eliminating Dairy is not something I will continue to do! I’ve never had a dairy intolerance and it is one of the common allergies that I tested negative for. I do however limit my intake of dairy. I notice my skin complexion has improved and those “that time of the month” breakouts don’t happen anymore.  

I’m allergic to most nuts so those will stay on my no touch list.

No Soy or soy products ever!

No Processed Foods!

No refined vegetable oils. ( except for 100% pure canola oil) 

No refined sugars. 

Absolutely no inhumane massed produced, hormone & antibiotic injected meat or poultry!

I’m constantly evolving as a home chef, and learning new information on health and nutrition daily. 

I am obsessed with finding the perfect balance for enjoying good food and optimum health. 

Yummy Zoodles!

 Disclosure: There are Amazon affiliate links within this post. 

Recipe posts have become few and far between these days! Seems like life is keeping me away from my blog baby, I’ve been super busy enjoying some fun in the much-needed sun!

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!

I’m from the south and all the ladies in my family are from the south so cornbread will always be apart of my menu! If we need a side bread for dinner it will more often than not be a piece of cornbread! 

I grew up eating jiffy which was routinely fixed up with sour cream, tons of butter, and sugar. As an adult I started making cornbread from scratch which when done correctly, is divine! 

Cornbread doesn’t have to be boring you can prepare it many ways! I like my cornbread sweet but I like it salty too! You can make it in a skillet  , add onions and peppers, eat it super sweet, or as a muffin!

One of my all time favorite recipe is my sweet corn buttermilk pound cake, it’s like cornbread and buttermilk pound cake eloped!

This sweet potato cornbread recipe is sweet but not pound cake sweet, it’s still mellow enough to enjoy right next to some fried chicken and sautéed greens!

I added a sweet potato for even more depth and southern goodness.

Sweet potato+cornbread….it really can’t get any better than that.

*Quick Update…I accidentally put 3/4 cups sugar when it should be 2/3 cups of sugar. 

This easy recipe is something I make at least once a month for our family. We love Mexican food, and eat some variation of the more traditional dishes throughout the month.

There are so many kid friendly Mexican dishes, (most likely attributed to the cheeses) my minions even enjoy the spiciness of the food!  

This is a basic taco recipe I use on those time constrained weekday nights when I need to quickly throw something together.

The kids love it, the adults love it, it’s easy, and nutritious. Who doesn’t love tacos?!