Southwest Baked Chicken

This dish has all the bright flavors of southwest foods that I crave....fresh cilantro....a little creaminess...a hint of spice.  For a gluten free option you could even serve it over rice.  

Southwest Baked Chicken

1 1/2 or 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
1 cup Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock
2 cups shredded cheese (your choice)
1 - 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies (mild or regular)
1/2 cup homemade yogurt
2 Tbsp taco spices (1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt)
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine


To keep the chicken juicy, quickly sear each side in 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, just to put a little golden color on each side.  Then place chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Mix all other ingredients together and pour over the chicken.  Bake at 400 until chicken is done (about 20 minutes).  Enjoy.

Fresh Pickled Cucumbers

This recipe stems from a Korean and German favorite of fresh pickled cucumbers....Yummy as a side dish or even on a sandwich, and they only have 5 ingredients. Enjoy.

Fresh Pickled Cucumbers

2 English cucumbers peeled
1 large white onion thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar of your choice
2 cups warm water

Mix vinegar, sugar, and warm water until sugar is dissolved.  Add the cucumbers and onions.  Refrigerate in a plastic container for 1 hour before serving.  They keep for about a week in the fridge.

Healthier Butter

One of my new favorite things...Land O Lakes butter with olive oil.  Now I can make recipes and feel better about the fat that's going in.  Another great tip for these SCD recipes is to use 2% cheddar cheese.  It is still all natural and healthier for you. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If there's one thing I can't resist...it's a warm chocolate chip cookie. Although chocolate chips aren't technically allowed, I used a small amount of mini chips to give a glimpse of that taste.  These are a family hit and won't be sitting on the counter for long. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
6 Tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 sticks butter cut into Tbsp sized chunks
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar (or just use 1/2 cup honey or agave and add 2 more Tbsp coconut flour)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine flours, soda, salt and palm sugar (if using) in the mixer.  Add the chunks of butter and mix until blended.  Add honey, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate chips.  Mix until blended.  Bake on parchment in 1 Tbsp sized dollops (small cookie scoop) at 350 for 10-11 minutes or until golden.  Let cool.

Scalloped Poatoes

Another great side dish to any meal, or you can add ground turkey sausage mixed in with the potatoes for a one pan meal. 

Scalloped Potatoes

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
5 medium peeled and thinly sliced russet potatoes (I used a mandoline)
1 cup Kitchen Basics chicken stock
1 cup homemade yogurt
2 bay leaves
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt the butter and  cook the onion until soft.  Add spices and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).  Add potatoes, stock, yogurt, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer until potatoes are almost tender (about 10 minutes).  Discard bay leaves.  Transfer to an 8 inch square or a round baking dish and press potatoes into an even layer.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. 

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

On these colder days, I love something I can slide into the oven.  Here is a juicy pork tenderloin recipe.  Feel free to add your own choice of vegetables or potatoes.  I chose to use Baby Belle mushrooms, onion, and potatoes.  

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

2-3lb pork tenderloin
1 white onion
8oz. whole baby belle mushrooms
5 organic russet potatoes
(or pick any root type veggies you like to roast)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
pepper


1. In a 9x13 baking dish, toss veggies in 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Pat dry the tenderloin and sprinkle with the spices. In a skillet on the stove, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium high.  Brown the roast on all sides.  Then place on top of veggies in the baking dish.
3.  Bake at 375 tented with foil for 50-60 minutes or until the thickest part of the roast reaches 135 degrees. 

Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Grilled Broccoli

Here is a nice twist for an easy side dish.  Slice the broccoli the long ways and toss in a little natural Italian dressing (I used Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing).  Then grill each side just enough to leave a little crunch.   This way you can cook your meat and your veggies at the same time.  Enjoy.

Italian Shredded Beef

I was mourning the loss of using handy spice packets to make easy-crock pot meals.  So I got my creativity flowing to try to recreate this great comfort food, and I got it!  No additives...no gums...no strange ingredients....Enjoy on your next cozy fall day! Serve over rice (for non SCD'rs)

Italian Shredded Beef

3lb chuck roast (trim off any large pieces of fat)
1 1/2 cup Kitchen Basics Beef Stock
1/8 cup dried onion flakes
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp dried pizza seasoning (I get mine at a local bulk food store that has lots of spices)

Mix stock with spices and honey.  Arrange roast in the crock-pot and pour over stock mixture.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Shred and enjoy!  It will melt in your mouth. :)

Creamy Chicken and Veggie Soup with Cheddar Biscuits

It's getting chilly which puts me in the mood for soup.  To make this more than the ordinary chicken soup, I made it creamy by adding some quick homemade chunky mashed potatoes. 

Creamy Chicken and Veggie Soup

2 carrots peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter
32 oz. box Kitchen Basics chicken stock
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes
4 medium sized red potatoes peeled and diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup homemade yogurt


In a sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter and saute the veggies until soft.  Add chicken stock and spices and chicken.  Let simmer.  Meanwhile cook potatoes in a casserole dish in the microwave until tender.  Add yogurt, salt, pepper, and mash into a smooth but slightly chunky consistency.  Add to the soup.  Enjoy. 


Cheddar Biscuits

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
4 Tbsp coconut flour
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 Tbsp homemade yogurt

You can do this by hand, but I used my food processor to pulse blend until just mixed together.  Put into muffin cups using a cookie scoop.  Bake at 350 until just golden (about 15 minute). 

Peach Pie

Fall is putting me in the mood for pie, but I wanted a nice crisp crust.  So I used the idea of a graham cracker crust to make a yummy crunchy almond cookie as the base.  Top with your favorite fruit filling that you cook on the stove.  Enjoy...

Peach Pie

Crust:
2 cups almond flour
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup your choice of sugar (regular, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup....)
dash of salt

Filling:
5 cups of your favorite fruit (peeled and sliced if necessary)
1/2 cup sugar
and I use a 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg for my peaches (cinnamon for apples)
1 pack of unflavored gelatin to thicken


For the crust, cut the butter into the flour, sugar, and salt.  Pat into the base of your pan.  Bake at 350 until just starting to golden (about 12-15 minutes). Let cool.

Meanwhile cook your fruit, sugar, and spices on the stove until fruit is softened.  Soften gelatin in warm water then mix into the hot fruit mixture.  Remove from heat, let cool to room temp then pour over crust and serve. 

Homemade Fruit Leather

Here is a tasty treat for grown-ups and kids.  Even without a dehydrator, you can use your oven on it's lowest heat setting to create this great snack.

Homemade Fruit Leather

4 cups of your favorite fruit (I like getting big bags of frozen fruit from Sam's Club)

4 Tbsp honey

Puree fruit and honey.  Have a jelly-roll sized cookie sheet with sides lined with parchment paper.  Pour in fruit mixture and spread slightly.  Cook on your oven's lowest heat setting until it is dry to the touch (5-8 hours...especially if you are doing 2 pans at once). 

Coconut Sugar

So I've tried to do some reading on coconut sugar.  There are not a lot of studies, and it is a very new product on the market.  My findings have found the following:

1. It is not as good for you as honey
2. The creation of coconut palm sugar has cut down the growth of regular coconuts driving up the price and limiting regular coconut products
3. It would be similar to maple syrup since it is a sap (which is not allowed on SCD)
4. It does contain a lot of prebiotic fiber called inulin which feeds good probiotics in the gut

I guess coconut sugar is out of the diet....Sad.....It was tasty....Back to honey. :)

Here is a response I found online:

http://paleohacks.com/questions/18798/i-am-on-the-specific-carbohydrate-diet-is-coconut-nectar-a-bad-sugar#axzz27L5cEfdc

I contacted the company Coconut Secrets directly to know more about the sugar composition of coconut nectar/sugar to see if it contained mostly sucrose (like the SCD illegal maple syrup and white sugar), or mostly free glucose and fructose (like the SCD legal honey).
Here are the answer they provided:The sugar breakdown of the fresh coconut sap directly out of the tree is 0.5% glucose, 1.5% fructose, and 16% sucrose. However, when the excess liquid is evaporated from the fresh sap to make our Coconut Nectar or Crystals, the naturally occurring sugars become more concentrated (more so in the Crystals than the Nectar), which causes the percentage of glucose to increase to approximately 8-10%, the fructose 10-12%, and the sucrose increases to nearly 74%. The good news is that the presence of inulin and FOS (soluble fiber) are the key factors that maintain the glycemic index at an average of 35 GI.
My opinion: Sucrose is the main type of sugar, which is not appropriate for either the SCD or GAPS diet. Coconut sugar/nectar would also be contained a high-fructose, or high-FODMAP sweetener. On top of that, the inulin and FOS (FODMAPs) found in this sugar can cause a lot of GI issues for people with IBS, SIBO or fructose malabsorption.
Bottom line: Stay away from it. In any case, sugar should be avoided with SIBO

Caramel Dip

I'm finding lots of good uses for coconut sugar as it will crystallize unlike honey.  It also has a nice brown sugar flavor if you are using the unrefined organic variety.  After buying some local apples, I quickly got the craving for a good caramel dip.  It's one of the best things I've made in a long time.  Enjoy.

Caramel Dip

2/3 cup coconut sugar
6 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp homemade yogurt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
a dash of salt
a dash of cinnamon (optional)

Simmer in a sauce pan on medium low heat, just enough to keep it bubbling.  Stir constantly until it just about reaches "soft ball" stage, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Enjoy over ice cream or as a great apple dip. Refrigerate leftover.  It might need to be warmed up a bit before using the next time.

Soft Ball Stage:
I just have a cup of water handy.  Drizzle in a little caramel periodically and see if it will stay together.  That's when it's done.  Also, it will start to separate from the bottom of the pan.

Cinnamon Caramel Apples

 

So I was ordering my bulk almond and coconut flour from amazon.com when I came across coconut sugar.  It is low glycemic and full of vitamins and minerals.  I don't know if it is technically in the SCD diet since I can't find much info on it.  If you know any more about this product, I'd love to hear from you.  I got the unrefined organic kind.  It is YUMMY!  You can use it in this recipe or use honey. 

Cinnamon Caramel Apples

4 Gala apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 in thick
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or honey)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp butter

Let all the ingredients simmer in a pot on the stove until the apples start to soften.  Serve plain or with a scoop of homemade ice cream or a dollop of sweetened vanilla homemade yogurt. 

Here is the link to the coconut sugar I bought on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Coconut-16-Ounce-Pouches/dp/B004KPFUCO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348260060&sr=8-2&keywords=coconut+sugar+organic

Italian Meatballs

I felt the urge to change up my regular spaghetti with some Italian meatballs while I still had some fresh herbs outside.  Dried herbs are still fine if you don't have a few left in your garden.

Italian Meatballs

1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic


Mix all ingredients together.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Using a cookie scoop, make balls, roll into shape, and put on the cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes or until done.  Add to your favorite spaghetti sauce and serve over zucchini pasta.

Crock Pot Southwest Chicken

I tweaked a great crock pot recipe to be SCD friendly.  It has a lot of fresh flavor and could be a great soup or served as a main dish.  For non-SDC'rs serve over brown rice and add black beans and corn.

Crock Pot Southwest Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 - 10oz can of tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 can black beans (non SCD - optional)
1 cup frozen corn (non SCD - optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (with extra for topping before serving)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Shredded Muenster or Provolone cheese for topping
Serve over rice (non scd) or as a soup

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and spices in the crock pot.  Lay the chicken breasts on top and cook on high for 2 hours.  Shred the chicken and mix in.  Serve topped with cheese and fresh cilantro. 

Korean Burgers and Onion Rings

I love Food Network's Great Food Truck Race...and the Seoul Sausage team has been making Korean burgers which have been selling like crazy.  Being part Korean myself, I thought, I can do this.  They turned out very yummy.  They do have soy sauce, but being fermented, it is better for your body than other soy products.  However, if you need absolutely no soy, then just leave it out. 

Korean Burgers (makes 4)

1lb. low fat hamburger
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil

3 scallions chopped
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger

Whisk the spices and wet ingredients together, then add them to the hamburger.  Mix well.  Divide into 4 patties and grill to get a nice crispy outside. 

Enjoy with Heidi's Onion Rings from http://scdrecipe.com/recipes-snack/heidis-onion-rings/

Peach Cobbler

I am not sure whether to call this a cobbler or a crisp...Either way it fits in the SCD diet. I was skeptical if it was going to turn out, but we've gobbled it up already. I do freeze my own peaches so they have great flavor. We enjoyed ours with a scoop of vanilla ice cream but I was sneaking it plain by the spoonful too. :)

Peach Cobbler

Filling:

7-9 peaches peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2 in wedges
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 package unflavored gelatin

Topping:

1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup honey
4 Tbsp softened butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Heat oven to 375. Start with the filling and place peaches in a large mixing bowl. Heat honey for 20 seconds in the microwave and whisk in the gelatin. Add honey and spices to the peaches and pour into a baking dish (I used a glass or stoneware pie pan). Mix all the topping ingredients together and put small dollops across the top. Bake for 40 minutes or until the filling is nice and bubbly. Broil the top for just a minute to brown it nicely if need be. Enjoy with a scoop of SCD ice cream from http://www.ccccibs.com/.

 

Lemon Garlic Chicken

This dish gives you that great crunchy skin while keeping the meat moist on the inside.  A twist of lemon gives plain old chicken new life...I served ours with homemade hash browns and green beans.

Lemon Garlic Chicken

2 chicken breast halves bone in and skin on
4 Tbsp butter sliced into 1 Tbsp chunks
2 lemons sliced into 8 slices
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400 (convection if you have it...makes the skin crispier).  In a glass or crockery dish, place 4 of the lemons.  Lay the chicken breasts bone down on the lemons.  Rub one tablespoon of butter under the skin of each chicken.  Then rub the outside of each with another tablespoon of butter.  Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the spices and lay 2 lemon slices on top of each one.  Cook uncovered until skin is crispy and inside is done, about 40 minutes. 

Chili and Cheese Chips

The great thing about chili is that you can do anything you want with it!  Make it spicy or mild...Stuff it full of things or keep it simple.  The possibilities are endless.  Here is our family's rendition of this classic dish.  Depending on where you are at digestively, feel free to make it less spicy or add more things such as black beans or shredded carrots. 

Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 -28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 green pepper finely chopped
1 yellow pepper finely chopped
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
fresh cilantro for topping

Heat oil on medium in the bottom of a pan.  Cook beef, peppers, and onions until veggies are soft.  Add all remaining ingredients.  Simmer for 20 minutes or let cook all day in a crock pot.  Serve topped with fresh cilantro and cheese chips.

Cheese Chips

Line a glass plate with parchment paper.  Sprinkle a light layer of your favorite cheese (we often use cheddar or 2% cheddar for lower fat chips).  Cook in the microwave for 3 minutes or until cheese is very bubble and hard.  Let cool and cut with a pizza cutter.  Enjoy!

Sloppy Joes

This Midwest favorite brings back many memories of visiting my grandparents Iowa farm.  Now with the fall weather and soccer season, this dish once again made it to our table.  Enjoy with baked fries, some fruit, and your favorite veggie. 

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. low fat ground beef (or use ground turkey if you prefer)
1/2 cup tomato puree or tomato juice that has been reduced
2 Tbsp mustard
1/8 cup honey
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes

Cook ground beef in a skillet until browned.  Add remaining ingredients and cook until sauce is thickened. 

Chicken Nuggets

It's hard not to resist something crunchy that you can dip in ketchup or BBQ sauce, and these chicken nuggets don't disappoint.  Plus, they are very fast and work great on a night when there are too many things to do and too little time.

Chicken Nuggets

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into thin long strips
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
3 Tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp olive oil

Place olive oil in a fry pan and heat on medium.  Mix dry ingredients in a shallow bowl.  Pat topping onto chicken strips, coating both sides.  Place immediately in hot fry pan.  Cook with the lid on flipping when one side is brown.  Remove when done (about 5 minutes).  Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.

Chicken and Crispy Dumpling Soup

My son came home from school today complaining he wasn't feeling well.  I was not ready for this already!  We just started last week.  So I had him take some zinc and quickly mixed up a good old pot of chicken soup.  Using ideas from www.comfybelly.com, I tweaked the dumpling idea by making them smaller and baking them in the oven so they would not fall apart in the soup.  My husband said it was the closest thing to a crouton he's had...Success!....Sometimes a little experimenting pays off. 

Chicken Soup

1 - 32oz box of natural chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 bone in / skin on chicken breasts
2 carrots peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery sliced
1/2 onion chopped
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Heat all ingredients together in a large pot until chicken is cooked.  Removed chicken and let cool.  Then remove the meat, cut into bite sized pieces, and add it back into the soup (saving 1/2 cup out for the dumplings).  

Crispy Dumplings

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup of the chopped chicken

Heat oven to 325.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Mix all ingredients together.  Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp), line the cookie sheet with the dumplings.  Bake until golden, about 10 minutes).  Place in bowl and top with the soup. 

How to make Yogurt

As a child, I remember walking into my great grandma's kitchen and thinking, what is that odd smell.  Mom said, "she's making yogurt."  At that time, I thought, "I'll never do that."  But here I am, using much improved technology to reap the benefits of lower cost and lactose free natural yogurt for my family. 

It's really very simple...Depending on your machine, mine makes 4 cups at a time.  There are some that are much larger that make up to 2 quarts. 

Homemade Yogurt and Creme Fraiche

4 cups of organic 2% milk (or whatever you choose) for regular yogurt
4 cups of organic half and half or heavy cream for creme fraiche
1/2 cup Dannon Plain yogurt (This is a natural starter.  I buy the larger size and store in the back of my fridge for multiple uses.  Make sure it is not the low fat version.)

1. Heat the milk on the stove until it is steaming and starting to froth (but not boiling).  Pull off the burner and cover.  Let cool.
2. Once cooled, whisk in the Dannon plain starter and pour into your yogurt maker.
3. The yogurt maker must be electric in order to keep it at 110 degrees for 24 hours to remove most of the lactose for the SCD diet. 
4.  After 24 hours of processing, let finish yogurt cool in fridge. 

Use the same process to make regular plain yogurt for smoothies or add fruit and honey for a snack or use the heavy cream to make creme fraiche as a substitute for sour cream, cream, and cream cheese in recipes or to make homemade ice cream. 

Basic Ingredients List

Here are the Basic Ingredients I keep on hand....

Tolerated Fruits: (such as those without small seeds like raspberries or blueberries) Pick a different variety each week to keep things interesting.
           - organic gala apples make great sauteed cinnamon apples for a quick side dish
           - bananas make a great snack and lunch item and are easily digestible
           - peaches
           - strawberries (if tolerated)
           - oranges
           - grapes (pick green grapes if the person has a problem with oscillate and kidney
             stones)
           - melons
           - 100% juice smoothies like Naked Juice (http://www.nakedjuice.com/) or
              Bolthouse Farms (http://bolthouse.com/)
           - 100% juice and sparkling water can make a great pop treat

Tolerated Vegetables:  Look for trends of veggies that make the person you are cooking for have too much gas, diarrhea, or discomfort after eating and avoid those for a while.  Also, start with cooked veggies and only start serving them raw when you feel that you can tolerate it.
           - carrots (a good veggie to start with)
           - fresh or frozen green beans
           - broccoli (if tolerated)
           - sweet potatoes (for oven fries, or whipped/mashed, even cook on the grill)
           - zucchini (cut into thin strips and use as spaghetti noodles or bake into a bread or
             casserole)
           - spaghetti squash (when tolerated as it can be fibrous)
           - onions
           - green or red peppers (great for fajitas or chili)
           - butternut squash (can also be cooked and mashed or whipped or just roasted and
             eaten with butter)

Prepared Foods: There won't be many things you can buy prepared but here are a few I've found to be additive/gums/sugar free....
           - Classico Tomato Basil or Roasted Garlic variety spaghetti sauce (read labels very
              carefully as many have added sugars)
           - LaraBars (some can contain more chunks or fruit or nuts so find the flavors that
              work for you http://www.larabar.com/)
            - No sugar added apple sauce like Motts Healthy Harvest flavors
            - Terra Chips in sweet potato or root veggies or beets varieties
               (http://www.terrachips.com/)
            - Stretch Island Fruit Leather Strips (watch out as dried fruit is hard to digest
               http://www.stretchislandfruit.com/)
            - unsweetened apple butter makes a great jam substitute as pectin is not allowed
            - brown rice pure protein poweder is great for morning smoothies.  I purchase
               mine on Amazon.com by Source Naturals
            - natural peanut butter
            - Kitchen Basics all natural chicken and beef stocks

Pantry Items: I have found a local bulk food store that has help cut down on the cost of some of these items.
             - honey (I buy at least a quart at a time...it never goes bad)
             - coconut flour (I buy it on amazon.com - Let's Do Organic brand in packs of 6 and
               freeze the extra)
             - blanched almond flour (don't use almond meal as the outer covering is hard to
                digest....I also buy this on amazon.com and freeze extra.)
              - sesame oil
              - olive oil and or coconut oil
              - lots of spices like garlic, thyme, basil, dried onion, smoked Spanish paprika,
                pepper to grind, garlic, liquid smoke....whatever else you enjoy

Dairy: I use lots of cheeses and milks to make my yogurts and pack lunches
            - organic milk for making yogurt
            - half and half (or heavy cream without carrageenan gum if you can find it) for
              making creme fraiche which is a great substitute for cream or sour cream
            - cheddar cheese blocks
            - colby or cheddar cheese sticks for lunches and snacks
            - yogurt cheese (I have found a local Amish yogurt cheese that is a great
               substitute for mozzarella...if not use provolone)

Meats: I use a local meat market to provide me with lower cost hormone free natural meats and lunch meats.
            - low fat hamburger
            - eggs will be used a lot in this diet from just eating them to any baked foods
            - turkey sausage
            - bacon (once a week and cooked well allowance)
            - chuck roast
            - natural turkey breasts
            - steaks or pork chops....we just don't eat that a whole lot
            - check for natural hot dogs or chicken sausages....I have found a couple brands
               Apple Gate Farms at Meijer (www.applegatefarms.com) and Aidells at Kroger
               (http://www.aidells.com/products)

Basics of the Diet

Before starting the diet....take the time to get yourself set up. 



1. Read through the Breaking the Vicious Cycle book by Elaine Gottschall

2. Do a kitchen cleanse and get the basic ingredients you will need to make the recipes (see basic ingredients post)

3. Make a batch of homemade yogurt and homemade creme fraiche (also called French Cream). First start by buying a reliable yogurt maker. I found mine on amazon.com and it is by Aroma.

4. When shopping read the labels very very carefully for hidden sugars and gums.


Getting yourself prepared will make the transition to this diet much easier.  Don't rush into it until you feel ready, because cooking will never be the same once you start.  Give it a couple weeks and you'll soon develop a rhythm of prepping and shopping at the store....