What's for dinner: Jan 19-25

Monday: Paleo Bruschetta Chicken (link)

Tuesday: Thai Sweet Potato Curry

Wednesday: Turkey Sandwich wraps

Thursday: Meatballs and squash noodles (link)

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: "Mac and Cheese" (Link)

Sunday: Slow Cooker Kalua Pork (link)

What's For Dinner? Jan 5-11

Things happen during the week, and especially since Mr. Wonderful has been home on vacation. So you might notice a couple of returning recipes.

Monday: Thai Spaghetti Squash with Thai vegetables

Tuesday: Thai Chicken Soup

Wednesday: Cajun Burgers (From A Girl Worth Saving)  with Paleo Buns (From Against All Grain)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Date night in the City

Sunday: Thai Beef Stew Also from Against All Grain

Bone Broth and Pressure Canning

For New Year's Dinner I made Two Roasted Chickens with Thyme Gravy from Danielle Walker's new book, Meals Made Simple.

I am always itmintanted by cooking large animals, like turkeys and chickens. But this recipe was simple. We really enjoyed it.

The recipe calls for two 4 pound roasting chickens, so it is a great recipe for feeding the masses or for stocking up on shredded chicken.

I made some bone broth from the chicken carcasses. There are lots of different recipes out there, this time I used the one from Meals Made Simple.

Basically, you through everything into the crockpot let it cook ALL NIGHT (12-14 hours). then you strain out all the bones, and other matter to leave behind a nice amber broth.

Because we still have a box of broth from Costco, and NO room for 6 pints of broth in the freezer, we decided to try canning it.

Because chicken broth is a made from meat, it MUST be canned using a pressure canner. And a few months ago I told Mr. Wonderful, that I thought, canning our own broth could and would save us money. So he got me a pressure cooker/canner.

Today, I finally used it. I have never used one before, and they scare the bejeezus out of me. I guess I have heard too many stories of the weight flying off and killing people. (Ok not really, they just make a ton of noise and, there is steam and noise. It is just scary!)

I was able to get about 6 and a half pints of broth, (I only canned 6, and put the half in the freezer). All the jars sealed and are cooling, waiting to be given a home in the basement.

For my first experience with the pressure canner, it was easy. Nerve wrecking, and completely uneventful. I think I will be pressure canning more.

Welcome 2015!

Since this is a new blog, and I don't want to be another one of those "mommy food bloggers" I am just going to tell you about the happening of a stay at home home in a little town, which includes crappy cell phone pictures.

Today is the start of a new year, and many people have many resolutions. I have just a few, read more, pray more, and heal my gut!

To do that we started today with some Macadamia Waffles from Against All Grain. With some Mixed berry maple syrup.

The syrup is super easy to make!

Take 2 Cups of mixed berries (fresh or frozen, we usually use frozen as it is cheaper.) and 1/2 Cup of Pure Maple Syrup, and heat over medium heat until the berries pop. I like to start the syrup first, and then gather up everything for waffles or pancakes. That way the syrup has time to cook down a little (reduce). The frozen berries can make it a little more watery. Let cool before use.

As for the waffles from Danielle's blog, they were also very easy to make, it is a blender recipe. I love recipes you just throw everything into your blender and then bake. They were soft, but very yummy. I think if we let him, Mr. Z would have ate his weight in these waffles.

With today being the beginning of a New Year, I have made the resolution to be more organized. Today, I have committed myself to following FlyLady this year. I have started a couple of times but this year, I am going to get my house organized!

Today I shined my sink. Look how pretty it is! By the way, I HATE that we have a white sink, it stains so easily!

For dinner we roasted some chickens and now am making bone broth! So excited to have some of this healing soup. I am even planning to can some in my pressure cooker Mr. Wonderful got me a few months ago.

The Pain of Food

In 2000, I had my first knee surgery. Before graduating high school I would have 3 more. Eventually, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

In 2005, I graduated, and left for college. Later that year, I started have severe intestinal problems. in 2006, I was told it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and that there wasn't much I could do other than to avoid trigger foods.

November 2011, I was having horrible pains again. I had an allergy blood test done, that came back negative. I was then sent to a gastroenterologist. After going over my history, he told me that 90% of his IBS patients are lactose intolerant, and to go off all dairy for a month and see if that helps.

It seemed like I was cured. After the month we tried lactose free cheese. Only to have an immediate reaction.  At my follow-up I was told, that I had a milk protein allergy. Later, I was talking to my doctor about this new diagnoses. Her response was, to watch for more symptoms, this could be Celiac disease. But she did not want to subject me to an endoscopy that at this point, she felt would be negative.

Things were fine until after Mr. Z was born, and I started to have more problems. I was diagnosed with postpartum depression and was seeing a Naturopath, per recommendation of my primary care doctor.

Naturopaths are great, because they look at the whole body and mind, not just what is the current aliment. The Naturopath recommended an elimination diet to see if there were more food allergies. After 8 weeks, we found that I react badly to gluten, corn, and dairy.

Now, almost a year later, and never being perfect on avoiding trigger foods, I am having extreme discomfort. After counseling with my doctor, we have chosen to do a combination of the FODMAP diet and Paleo. And it see if that helps. If after 6 MONTHS on a strict Paleo diet, we will see if my symptoms have resolved or get tested for Celiac Disease, Crohn's Disease, and Hashimoto's Disease.

I hope to share my experience with others to help them find gut health, and enjoyable flavorful meals.

Whats for dinner?

Here is our Menu for this week, Dec 29 to Jan 4.

Monday: Bangkok Curry from Happy Herbivore Light and Lean

Tuesday: Tacos!

Wednesday: Homemade pizza

Thursday: Roasted Chicken with Thyme Gravy and Roasted Root Vegetables from Against All Grain Meals Made Simple

Friday: Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (recipe to come)

Saturday: Thai Spaghetti Squash with vegetables

Sunday: Beef Stroganoff also from Meals Made Simple

I never thought I would get married, let alone marry a red head.

Life is interesting that way. One plans an entire lifetime, only to have, well, life happen.

In December of 2008, I met Mr. Wonderful. I was studying at Washington State University, he and just returned from his mission in the Macon Georgia Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Life is interesting, and after my gingered Mr. Wonderful entered my life, life has has been full of surprise. Starting with a whirlwind courtship. We married in May of 2009 in the Portland Oregon Temple.

In 2011, I graduated from WSU with my degree in Material Science and Engineering. Mr. Wonderful started school in 2010, and is still (will we ever leave Pullman?!) studying, Organic Ag Systems. But, don’t let the degree title fool you, he really just plays in the dirt.

In 2013, our life as 2, changed to a family of 3. Mr. Z, has only increased fun we have. It also helps that now, I am outnumbered, two gingered boys!

The purpose of this blog is just to share the craziness that is now my life. There will be a little about our family adventures, a little about my personal journeys, and a sprinkling of science (it is what happens when you let two engineers get married).

Things we Love to do:

Hiking

Camping

Dancing

Gardening

Farmer’s Markets