A Better Day

A "jimmy dean" (but a billion times healthier & tastier) kind of morning :)

SCD brilliant breakfast sandwich

• 1 organic egg, microwaved
• a handful of organic baby spinach leaves, microwaved
• 2 chicken pancakes (pre-cooked chicken & eggs, amount varies)

Good morning, foodies. I'm happy to report that I'm feeling a lot better today. Slowly but surely, my body is recovering from the set back & returning back to its healthy state. :) All I can say is... HOORAY for chicken soup!!!!!! It's truly a miraculous concoction every time! Anyway, I was leisurely going through my outrageously large collection of photos when I came across this scrumptious shot! Breakfast is my most significant meal of the day so I like to make it as enjoyable as possible. This sandwich is from earlier on towards the beginning of my SCD days & I experienced some difficulty digesting it; the chicken pancakes were too dense for me. I've come a long way since then so I'm hoping I can tolerate it now!! :) As mentioned above amongst my list of ingredients, this can be fixed in a jiffy!! Although, the pancakes may need to be made ahead of time if you run short on time in the mornings. Things can be added to kick it up a notch as well! Whatever your body can tolerate right now, feel free to incorporate into this breakfast sandwich! Let me know of your variations! Well, I'm off to get lost in the eccentric world of Stephen King literature. Toodles, foodies!! <3 Stay happy & healthy & REMEMBER SCD is the way to live. :)   

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Good afternoon, foodies. :) 

I apologize for the delay; this past week has been an enormous struggle. Lots of tears & emotions ran amuck. I came to a very vivid conclusion; fruit is not my friend. While living in Denver, staying hydrated was on the top of my to-do list so I decided to introduce grape juice. To be safe, I cut it down by about 50% with water to dilute the high sugar content. Then things began to drastically change. Normal bodily functions suddenly became difficult (going to the restroom). I missed my "time of the month". Weight was (still is today, actually) suddenly an issue again. Pain quickly arose in my legs due to extensive swelling. It felt as if I was wearing an unbearably tight body suit. Basically, I had forced my body to go to war. Signals were being sent but none of them succeeded in catching my attention. I thought it was the altitude change giving me problems. (Boy was I wrong...) To add insult to injury, I tried a new fruit just recently. Upon arriving back to DC last week, I was eager to expand my food repertoire. Peaches were next on my list. Full of excitement & ready to indulge, I cut into a sinfully sweet peach (cooked, of course). Three days later, the bottom fell out. Acne, inflammation, contact dermatitis on my feet, bloated stomach, irritability, absolute nastiness. Total rejection of the peaches. This major meltdown made me think twice about the grape juice & whether it was safe or not. NOPE!!!! The grape juice proved to be extremely detrimental to my health, along with the peaches. :( My poor body was put through hell for about 4 weeks while battling the grape juice, then again with the peaches. SUGAR OVERLOAD. Legal foods aren't necessarily acceptable for your body whenever you please. Although you might feel capable of welcoming another food into your diet, your gut might feel otherwise. 

Two steps forward & one step back. This giant setback has taken a toll on me but I know it will smooth over sooner than later. Chicken soup & bone broth shall do the job. Until then, I will do nothing but relax & wait for this storm to blow over. The "me" you see in public may appear to be alright but what you're actually seeing is a solider. A soldier putting on her best face to conquer the enemy & achieve great health once again. Difficult? Perhaps. Possible? Absolutely. I've also decided to never be ashamed of who I am today & what I've done in order to get well; more specifically, drop out of college. I ran into an old high school friend of mine yesterday & was without words when asked about school. I was embarrassed to admit I had to drop out because of my illness & take time off until things settled down. Never again will I hesitate to inform others of my plans to get well & lead a fulfilling life feeling fabulous. I want to thank him for waking me up & allowing me to see there's no harm in what I've done to heal my body: you know who you are. :)

Cheers to tackling speed bumps, growing stronger, & continuing to move forward!!!!!! A few tears might be shed but that's part of the healing process as well. I can get through this, I know it. Positivity is something I've always believed in so I'm going to stick to my beliefs!!! <3 My huge support group on facebook helps a lot, too. I would've gotten nowhere without them!!!! Stay happy, foodies. Cook like there's no tomorrow!!!!! :) p.s. check out my meal below!!! I apologize for lack of a better shot; I ate it quite quickly! & let me know how you cope when you've taken two steps forward and one step back. <3

AWESOME omelette! (2 eggs, spinach, zucchini pasta, pre-cooked chicken thigh chopped into bits, DCCC)

           

My "Phenomenal Frittatas"!!!!!

Good evening, foodies!!!!! :) I've got an irresistible recipe for you!!!! These "Phenomenal Frittatas" won't last more than 5 minutes in your kitchen. Prepare to be entirely & happily satisfied!! Here's the recipe. 

• 10 organic eggs
• 2 cups of organic baby spinach
• 1 cups of organic zucchini pasta (sauteed or microwaved, however you prefer) 
• .5 cup of DCCC 

*makes 12 frittatas using a cupcake pan* 

Before anything else, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To begin, toss your eggs, spinach, & DCCC into a blender. Run it on low until the spinach is chopped enough to your liking. We haven't figured out what to use to prevent them from sticking but olive oil was our oil of choice for tonight. Divvy up the zucchini pasta among the 12 cupcakes. Carefully pour your egg/spinach/DCCC mixture in on top of the zucchini. Bake between 25-30 minutes. :)  Once finished, you may want to use a dull knife to cut around the rim of the frittatas; they tend to stick to the pan. I then had to take a spoon & shimmy them out but it was completely worth it. VOILA!!!!!!!! Dig into one of your incredibly mouth-watering frittatas & forget all about any restrictions of the SCD diet!!! :) 

Enjoy, foodies!!!! And please let me know if you can prevent them from sticking & how!! :) I've tried butter & olive oil with no luck!! <3

3 Months Celebration!!!!! (YAY FOOD!)

Gooood morning, foodies!!!!! :) HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!! Today I'm presenting all the delicious foods I'll be indulging in to celebrate making it 3 successful & 100% legal months on the SCD diet. I must warn you that they might not be fabulous quality pictures; my camera has gone M.I.A. Anyway, WOOHOO!! I'm hoping it'll prove that you DO NOT (I repeat, DO NOT) have to resort to hunger on the SCD diet. I happily eat a decent amount of delicious food everyday; I never feel as if I'm living without. 

To begin, I posted several pictures of my divine banana ice cream with a subtle sprinkle of cinnamon mixed in. As you can see, I have enough ice cream to feed the entire SCD community; in actuality, it's just enough to share with my aunt & cousins without running out after two scoops!!!! :) But no really, this batch will last us quite a long time thank goodness. It's my cure for when I'm 'itching to nibble': great for those who have a desire to eat something they shouldn't!! The consistency was a lot more smoothie-like this time, but if I had had the patience to let the banana chunks freeze longer I probably would've gotten a more ice cream-like product in the end.  

This became more scoop-able like ice cream after I placed it in the freezer all day :) 

What you'll see below are the tasty foods I cooked up for the rest of the day. Local grass-fed Teton ground beef 93% lean, hard-boiled eggs, & certified organic chicken thighs. MMM!!!!! Positively delicious. Zucchinis would've been part of the list if I hadn't run out of them after last night's dinner!! And please do forgive me for not posting a shot of the actual meatballs I conjured up today; I ate them before I got the chance to catch a picture!! :) 

See? You can eat plenty of incredibly satisfying foods on the SCD diet. Patience is the key to your success. :) As time goes on, your food repertoire will grow & therefore your recipes will mature as well!! Just let your body heal & the rest will come with it. 

Today marks 3 months of being a SCDer & I am proud to say that I had an entirely magical day full of hope, satisfaction, happiness, encouragement, & love. Here's to another 3 months of delight!!!!!! :) Thanks for all your support, foodies. I'll talk to you again soon!! <3

p.s. look out for a post regarding the inconvenience of the SCD diet  

before & AFTER!!! 3 months tomorrow!!!!! :)

Good morning, foodies!!!! :) Tomorrow is my three-months day & I've decided to put together a little 'before & after' piece. It kills me to look at these photos. I can feel the pain rush through my entire body. YUCK. :( Not a single food under the sun has the power to turn me back to THAT way of living, no matter how tasty its additives, syrups, colors, & artificial flavorings may disguise it to be. It is SCD from now on. I like the new me a whole lot more: new brain, new heart, new mind, new body, new system. (I'm lucky I was able to find any photos from that ill part of my life; I absolutely resented a camera.)

Before :( My sickest year from '09 to '10

Swollen & unbearably uncomfortable :( 

Attempting to look happy in my skin-tight body suit  :'( 

Nearing my heaviest, hating myself - (late summer of '09) :( 

At my heaviest, 20 pounds overweight (142 lbs. at roughly 5'3") - (winter of '09)  :'(

At my worst March of '10. SO swollen, full-body fatigue, trouble breathing,
no self-esteem, complete misery :(

After (on the SCD) :) April '11 to present

15 days into the diet & already feeling like a new woman :)

About 1 month on the diet, continuing to feel better & better  :)

Nearing 2 months on the diet, feeling AWESOME!!! :)  All the 20 pounds are GONE!

Continuing to feel magical, unafraid to be photographed :) 

Approaching the 3 months point :D Very little swelling, hardly any fatigue, peaceful mind, loving heart, healthy SCD foods, NEW ME!!!!

Phew, wipin' away the tears of joy. This has been an incredible journey & I could not be more thankful for having stumbled upon the SCD diet. I'm truly touched that you all have chosen to join me on my path to wellness & I sincerely hope it will inspire you to take the leap & make a change for yourselves, too!!! :) I'll be celebrating tomorrow so look out for a post. <3 Perhaps a new delicious recipe? ;) Stay happy & be healthy, foodies!!!! 

~Allie  

Getting to Know You!

Hi there, foodies!!!!!  


How is everyone?  Feelin' energetic, happy, & healthy?  Indulge in any extremely scrumptious meals lately?  I truly hope you all answered YES to these questions!!! :) (pictured below is what I decided to enjoy earlier this evening. MMMMM!!!!!!)  

Zucchini pasta with a tbsp. of olive oil & a smidgen of DCCC 

I'm posting tonight with my foodies in mind.  I'd like to shine some light on my current poll; you can find it directly to the right of my "Blog Bits & Pieces".  Speaking as an SCDer myself, I know from personal experience that the SCD diet can be quite tough.  The food selection can seem a bit drab at times, people might accuse you of being crazy, the urge to cheat may be somewhat unbearable, all the cooking becomes very exhausting...  For some of you, the list continues.  In reality, the SCD diet is a job.  A full-time commitment & all the pressure falls on YOU.  If you want to be successful, YOU have to put aside the time to find the appropriate foods, YOU have to want it, YOU have to cook some meatballs if you're trying to kill off a craving for an illegal, YOU have to fight through a severe "die-off" if you ever want to reach the other side.  Having family support helps a lot, but it's still YOUR body.  The best thing for an SCDer is another SCDer who knows EXACTLY what you're going through: emotionally & physically.  As a blogger, I post in hopes of answering your questions, providing some emotional support, recommending certain foods/yummy recipes, introducing new aspects/thoughts regarding the SCD diet, & (most importantly) reminding people that you really can love life while tackling the SCD diet.  I posted this poll to see what you all struggle with the most.  By letting me know what your biggest problem is while on the SCD, I can properly gauge what I need to do/say to help you the most.  It'll allow me to become a more well-rounded SCD blogger & develop a closer relationship with you guys, my foodies.  So please, feel free to take the poll.  I'll keep it posted for about 3 weeks. :) 


<3 Lots of hugs & love to any of you SCDers going through a rough patch right now. I'm here for you!!!! And feel free to send me a personal email (listed on my profile) if you'd like! :)   

Mission Accomplished!!!!!! :)

Afternoon, foodies!!!! :) 


How is everyone? I've missed our chats!! I'm back from Wyoming!! It was truly the most magical vacation I've ever been on!! The SCD diet never even crossed my mind!! The little town of Jackson turned out to be full of hidden treasures & was bursting with personality. Susie & I felt right at home!!! I succeeded in booking us four nights at a cute motel right outside of town, which was extremely convenient!! Spending the 4th of July in Jackson was nothing short of outstanding, either!! Everything about our trip was perfect. :) 


Susie & I spent two full days driving through both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. :) The scenic views & endless sightings of wildlife were absolutely spectacular. Phenomenal weather, beautiful landscapes, animal encounters, infinite perfection. We could not have asked for a better adventure in Wyoming. Believe it or not, we were lucky enough to see a BLACK BEAR!!!!!!!!! I exploded with amazement & excitement. My dream finally came true!!!! On top of that, we also saw several large herds of elk, tons & tons of bison (most up close & personal!), bald eagles, ospreys, pronghorns, antelopes, & a GRIZZLY BEAR with a CUB!!!!!!! WOW! Completely unbelievable!! :) Seeing these graceful animals in their natural habitat really brightened my life. The geysers & hot springs were insanely incredible as well. The sulfur smell... Not too delightful though. On the other hand, Old Faithful was jaw-dropping!!!! I managed to catch her show on film. :) I can relive her performance whenever I please! Thank you Susie for this unforgettable vacation!!! <3 


**MOST IMPORTANTLY** I must say that none of this trip would have been possible had I not come prepared with the proper foods & storage containers. We packed: 

• 11 mason jars full of chicken soup
• about 12 hard-boiled eggs 
• frozen pre-cooked chicken thighs 
• frozen pre-cooked beef meatballs 
• a container of spinach
• a tub of DCCC
• several bunches of ripe bananas
• 10 zucchinis 
• 6 cans of sardines in olive oil
• 4 cans of salmon 
• 2 large bottles of Welch's 100% white grape juice 
• salt (optional) 

Traveling while on the SCD is possible. :) Other big pluses include a large cooler, a micro-fridge (standard in most hotel/motel rooms), & plenty of glass snap-ware containers to keep the food in. Once all those are accounted for, buckle up & take a road trip!!! Never let your dietary restrictions keep you back. Consider going to Wyoming next time you leave the house. ;) I hear it is quite gorgeous there. 


Stay healthy, foodies!!!! Eat plenty of tasty foods & continue on your path to wellness! <3 p.s. check out some photos from my trip, especially the one of our fridge! :)  

Geyser!!! :) 

Bison right across the road from us. WOW :) 

A glimpse of a grizzly bear!!!!! :D 

Yellowstone River, I believe :) 

Our micro-fridge! Isn't the soup gorgeous? :) The meatballs & eggs are in the drawer, along
with some local Wyoming beef on the top row.