School House Rock

Well, I did it!!! 


I made the jump. I hopped the fence. I cleared the wall. I passed the ultimate test. I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TODAY!!!!! :) A constant flow of excitement was running through me from the moment I stepped onto campus to the second I leaped into my car at the end of the day. Hesitation didn't dare sweep over me today. I felt empowered to do the impossible. I was going back to school as the REAL me this time around: headstrong, dedicated, confident, healthy, well, proud, & enthusiastic about getting an education. My illnesses & struggles were invisible to the naked eye. I accepted every smile with pleasure. I even took it upon myself to sit in the front row of both my classes. Attending class today was my first test to see if the new & improved "me" was truly courageous enough to shine through. To wrap it up simply, it was a success. :) I can sit here & tell you with the utmost level of confidence that I will blossom this semester. There is no doubt in my mind!! I'm eager to learn & gain some general knowledge in the psychology & art appreciation fields. My brain is now being fed the proper nutrients it needs to keep me afloat these next couple of months! Thank you, SCD!!!! 


I must also tell you I brought my own lunch!! :) A juicy grass-fed hamburger, a hefty cauliflower floret, a chunk of cheddar cheese, & a dainty container of yellow mustard for dipping. Absolutely, positively, 100% DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! I took a seat on a solitary bench outside of the Humanities & Social Sciences building & dove right into my homemade meal. Awkward? Nope, not at all. I'm way past the "oh, don't mind me. I'm allergic to the SAD (Standard American Diet) so I bring my own healthy GMO-free, grass-fed, artificial flavor-free, SCD scrumptious food" stage. :D The eating begins naturally like it would for anyone else with their contaminated, super processed, artificially-colored 'food' (if that's still what you want to call it). I love every minute of it!! 


Okay, as much as I'd like to continue this post, I have to admit I'm dying to crack open my psych textbook. I had such a wonderful time with that class today that I want to start learning the material as soon as possible!! :) To end on a different note, I've decided to leave an inspirational quote for you all to take in & allow to float around in your heart & soul. This is one of my favorites, I think you'll enjoy it as well. Take care, foodies!!! I'll be talking with you all sometime very soon. <3 GO COOK SOMETHING!!!!!!! 
~Allie 


You control your destiny. Look into your heart, search your dreams, and be honest about what you really want; then do whatever it takes to get it. Live like you mean it. - Barbara Cage     

SCD the gourmet way!

Why hello there, darling foodies!!!!! :) 


It's been a few days since I last posted; I've been extremely preoccupied with feeling fabulous!!!!!!! Things are moving right along for me. I seem to have achieved the perfect balance of carbs & proteins, with a new hint of fats. In addition to that, my body has decided to run smoothly like a well-oiled machine! This past Friday I introduced swiss cheese with no problems!!!!!! YIPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! I know, I'm cheering about cheese??? It can't be! Alas, I must tell you it's true. I loved it. Me, the all-time cheese hater. :) Funny how the SCD changes your taste buds, isn't it? To continue with the magic, I introduced almond butter on Sunday & so far have experienced NO problems!!!! DELISH!!!! The particular legal brand we bought delivers an intensely decadent nutty flavor; it's safe to say I treat it as a dessert!! Goodbye peanut butter. Almond butter is here to stay. :) Last night I took a leap of faith & introduced SHRIMP! Let's just pretend that I ate it like a lady & didn't inhale it like a loose animal in the kitchen... I mean, come on. Would you expect any different from a hopeful & hungry SCDer?? I think not. ;)


Anyway, onto the tasty things in life!! I've somehow forgotten to post these pictures you see below & for that, I do apologize!! :) The first dish is what I like to call my "Mock Potatoes, Anyone?" mashed cauliflower mounds. To the naked tongue, you couldn't distinguish between mashed potatoes & my mashed cauliflower mounds!! A beautiful compilation of carbs, protein, & fat: cauliflower, DCCC, butter. I steamed the cauliflower until it reached the maximum level of mush, then mixed in the cheese & a little butter to kick it up a few notches. I then scooped out mounds of the mixture onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet to freeze as ready-to-cook snacks in the future!!! Thanks for the genius idea, mom! <3 Anything to eat on the go is a nice treat for a SCDer. The second dish is known as my "Too Delicious" chicken burgers with broccoli, DCCC, fresh lemon juice, & ground pepper. Another delightful combination of protein & carbs. I cooked these up & found them to be too good to stop at one. I think I ate 3 in one sitting! :) I simply emptied the ground chicken thighs into a baking bowl along with a hefty amount of DCCC, a boatload of lemon juice, several stalks of steamed broccoli, & a nice pinch of ground pepper. Then using a large spoon, I mixed it all together & dropped the burgers onto my greased skillet to be cooked. PERFECTO!!!!! :) Pop these in the fridge & save them for later OR inhale several of them right off the skillet. Whichever you prefer!!!! 


Well, I'm off to create a SCD bumper sticker!!! :) Look out for a sneak preview in the upcoming future. I sincerely hope you guys try out my goodies!! Their flavors come through in EVERY BITE!!!!! Love you all. <3 

Absolutely, positively, 100% delicious :) 

Addicting, irresistible, juicy burgers the RIGHT way :D

    


     

Celebrating my 4-month anniversary!!!

Evening, darling foodies!
Tonight I am celebrating my anniversary. No, not my wedding. Not my birthday. Not my high school graduation. Not my college graduation. My FOUR successful & 100% committed months on the SCD diet!!!!!! :) I'm giddy to report that I'm feeling souper douper. YAY ALLIE!! To those of you struggling, don't give up on the SCD! Keep up the good work! We're all in this together. <3 
Love, Allie 

Who says you need flour for a cupcake? 

Moving Forward!!

Howdy, foodies!!! :) It's been a while since I've posted but I'm back & full of excitement!!! 

My fruit setback & kidney stones (ouch!!) are things of the past!!! I've moved on & am currently feeling better than ever!! Next Monday will mark my 4 months as an SCDer & I couldn't be happier. The changes I've experienced since April 15th have been both scary & absolutely magical. My mind is back!! My brain is clear!! My body is what it should be!!! I feel like MYSELF!!!!! :) What a phenomenal concept! I may have some kinks here & there but I don't feel sick anymore. WOO!! And the best part is... I'm going BACK TO SCHOOL!!!!!! College is calling & I'm ready to respond! Slowly but surely, I will earn a college degree. Two classes to start next semester, another two the following semester. I feel comfortable with that. Then if everything goes smoothly & I continue to succeed on the SCD diet (I'm 100% positive I will), I shall return to the university I first attended as a freshman in '09. FROSTBURG STATE, LOOK OUT!!!!! :) Once a bobcat, always a bobcat. <3 

Along with those positive highlights, my cooking has escalated from tasty to GOURMET!!! :) I've kicked ground chicken up several notches! Not only do I make easy-peezy chicken nuggets, I also make delicious chicken burgers!!! The explosion of flavor is out of this world!!! Carrots have become somewhat of a dessert for me as well. I chop them into little bits, sprinkle some cinnamon, pop them in the microwave for about 45 seconds, then BAM! Microwaved cinnamony carrots! DELISH!! Not a bad substitute for any other standard dessert item. If you have a problem with carbs though, I recommend pairing this with a protein side dish like a hard-boiled egg. :) 

Here are the scrumptious chicken dishes I was referring to. The omelette has salmon but it was too tasty not to mention!! ;) I hope you give one of them or all of them a try, I'm sure you will absolutely love everything!!! :) Happy cooking, healthy living, constant SCDing!! <3 

B.O.C. (breakfast of champions) omelette with org. eggs, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, DCCC, & org. zucchini chunks cooked on the skillet with a dash of cold-pressed org. olive oil. DELISH! :)  

Chow-down chicken burgers with ground chicken, org. spinach, & DCCC cooked on the skillet greased with a little org. butter. YUM! :)   

Cooked & ready to enjoy!! :) 

A juicy sneak peek of the tasty burger.  :) MMMM!!!! 

Chicken nuggets!!! JUST ground chicken thighs! A little love, too. :)