Back To Basics gluten-free Diet

[Ms Jan]

Hi Bea,

Thanks. Good idea to just stay with the flax seeds initially. Even though they aren't SCD-legal, I think I might try them and see how I react.

And thanks for the info on nattokinase. Will wait a bit with it since I'm wary of trying new supplements before I've stabilized a bit more. But I googled it and it does sound interesting and something to try at a later stage!

Have also upped my intake of leafy greens, as it was one of the recommendations from the dr who diagnosed me with leaky gut. In fact, he said to eat leafy clean raw greens for ten minutes prior to all meals as a way to help heal the intestinal lining. It had a good effect, but since I wasn't gluten free at the time, I still got sick and gave up on it. Perhaps, it's time I take it up full scale again ... And maybe it's an idea that can be useful for you or others as well.

Jan

[YoloGx]

Hi Bea,

Thanks. Good idea to just stay with the flax seeds initially. Even though they aren't SCD-legal, I think I might try them and see how I react.

And thanks for the info on nattokinase. Will wait a bit with it since I'm wary of trying new supplements before I've stabilized a bit more. But I googled it and it does sound interesting and something to try at a later stage!

Have also upped my intake of leafy greens, as it was one of the recommendations from the dr who diagnosed me with leaky gut. In fact, he said to eat leafy clean raw greens for ten minutes prior to all meals as a way to help heal the intestinal lining. It had a good effect, but since I wasn't gluten free at the time, I still got sick and gave up on it. Perhaps, it's time I take it up full scale again ... And maybe it's an idea that can be useful for you or others as well.

Jan

Thanks Jan for the suggestion.

The eating leafy greens before most meals sounds like a really good idea. Didn't realize it could be so healing in and of itself, however it makes sense. I know when I start the day with a salad I do better than not.

Bea

[missy'smom]

I'm interested in adding more dark, leafy green to my diet, provided they are not bitter. I tried a raw kale salad at WF a few weeks ago and liked it. Kale is something I haven't really eaten in the past. How do you all eat your leafy greens? I've tossed handfuls of arugula and spinach in pesto, soup and salads but haven't gotten into other greens. Do they store well? Any tips would be appreciated.

[YoloGx]

I'm interested in adding more dark, leafy green to my diet, provided they are not bitter. I tried a raw kale salad at WF a few weeks ago and liked it. Kale is something I haven't really eaten in the past. How do you all eat your leafy greens? I've tossed handfuls of arugula and spinach in pesto, soup and salads but haven't gotten into other greens. Do they store well? Any tips would be appreciated.

I often steam my green vegetables and then eat them with a little salt and olive oil or butter or coconut oil. They are also good as you say in soup -- especially kale (just remember kale takes longer to cook than most other greens except for brussel sprouts).

Stir fries are a delicious way to prepare greens. I like to use some chopped ginger and onion when I make them--though that is not absolutely necessary if you are sensitive to such condiments. Basil is a good alternative. Stir fries don't have to be elaborate. I often put just a tiny bit of oil in a big fry pan, then put in the greens etc. and stir, and then put in some water and cover. I check it out once in a while to stir til done.

One favorite of mine are beet greens. I buy the beets and also use the greens.--usually separately I used to always boil the beets, but now also just cut and chop part of a beet at a time to put into a salad. yum! Beets are also great in soup--both beet and greens. They are very detoxing.

Parsley is very good (plus detoxing) , both in salad as well as just chopped and put with soup or even with say some chopped raw onion greens with a little chopped garlic and then olive oil. Also yum! This can be nice along with a little steamed bok choy or steamed chinese peas too. They only take a very little while to steam. Ditto with spinach or cabbage or broccoli (though cabbage and broccoli take a little longer).

The above ingredients would also be good in a stir fry alternatively. I like to eat them with some cooked brown rice though they also would be good with squash or roots. I often also use some fresh squeezed lemon juice on them, though alternatively some Bragg's apple cider vinegar would also be excellent (assuming you aren't allergic to vinegar as I am).

Sometimes too I have artichokes. Now while they are not a classic leafy green, they are very detoxing (they are part of the thistle family) and delicious. I put mine into a pressure cooker with a little water since otherwise they take forever to cook. You want them soft enough to easily pierce with a fork. I eat mine with my hands, and use butter or olive oil with salt.

I sometimes also make a kind of green shake by putting greens (including kale--esp. since we have a big kale patch in the garden), cucumber and even some zucchini into the blender and blend. Its fast and a real pick me upper.

I store my greens in plastic bags and put them in or on top of the vegetable bin in the fridge. If I plan to keep them for a while I put several of them in an even bigger bag and twist the end or use a twisty to keep it closed. I especially do this with lettuce and salad supplies to keep them all together.

And its true, generally the more greens I eat the better I feel.

[Jestgar]

I'm interested in adding more dark, leafy green to my diet, provided they are not bitter. I tried a raw kale salad at WF a few weeks ago and liked it. Kale is something I haven't really eaten in the past. How do you all eat your leafy greens? I've tossed handfuls of arugula and spinach in pesto, soup and salads but haven't gotten into other greens. Do they store well? Any tips would be appreciated.

I have bags of different frozen greens (spinach, mustard, whatever they have) and mix them into eggs or stir fry.

I just made a couple crockpot meals with fresh mustard greens (I don't use frozen veggies in the crock, for no particular reason). I've also chopped lettuce that's on it's last legs and mixed into soup, stir fry, whatever, immediately after cooking. It kind of wilts the lettuce and another dimension to the food. I think this also works with spinach, but I never seem to have any of that left over.

I think I've done stir fry with beet greens but don't remember if I liked it or not. Nettles are also good, but a total pain to prepare.

[Ms Jan]

Whereas I make other vegetables sauteed or steamed, I tend to eat most leafy greens raw, and without any dressing, maybe max a bit of olive oil and lemon. Feel that I get the most benefits from them that way.

But like it has been suggested, a quick frying or raw in the blender with water, or in a juicer, works out very well too. (Just had a great pulpy juice today, made in the blender with water, a peeled grape fruit, a green pepper, half a cucumber, a carrot and a big portion of fresh spinach).

[YoloGx]

Whereas I make other vegetables sauteed or steamed, I tend to eat most leafy greens raw, and without any dressing, maybe max a bit of olive oil and lemon. Feel that I get the most benefits from them that way.

But like it has been suggested, a quick frying or raw in the blender with water, or in a juicer, works out very well too. (Just had a great pulpy juice today, made in the blender with water, a peeled grape fruit, a green pepper, half a cucumber, a carrot and a big portion of fresh spinach).

Uncooked veggies are good, if your digestive system can handle it--but not so if not (does that make sense??). At any rate, I find as the cold weather increases, I agree with the Chinese that cooked veggies are generally better.

[YoloGx]

Despite my above post, am doing blender veggies again and am loving it! Saw a special on Montel about it. Of course did not buy his $200 blender, however it reminded me how good it can be as well as how good for one. A real pick me upper!! Montel apparently has MS and it has helped him feel way better. I just cut up my harder, thicker veggies, add the other ones plain and add a bit of water. I put in some sliced and chopped raw beet too. Yum! Lots of fiber having raw veggies this way too by the way, rather than juicing which gets rid of the pulp. Definitely makes it so you can go through a whole lot of veggies (or fruit if that is what you want to blend, or the combination of fruit and veg.) quickly so it is very detoxing.

[Ms Jan]

Yes, I generally also use the blender rather than the juicer, partly because it's easier, and partly as you say, because of the pulp that I like to have in the juice. I've always managed with rather cheap blenders, and so far none broke down on me - I've changed them only due to moving place/country etc. The trick is to put sufficient water in with the vegetables; and if I do heavy duty stuff, such as carrots or beets, I blend the vegetables in rounds, adding small portions at a time to the already 'juiced' ones. If one can manage raw vegetables, I do believe such a blended juice's a real health booster!

[jerseyangel]

OH! speaking of brussels sprouts, try this! Cut them in half, fresh ones, toss with olive oil, freshly cracked salt and pepper, and some lemon juice. Then roast them on a baking sheet in the oven about 20 minutes. They are SO good this way!!

I tried 'em roasted last night and they were delicious! I washed them, cut off the end and left them whole. Tossed them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkled on a little sea salt and roasted until tender.

[YoloGx]

I tried 'em roasted last night and they were delicious! I washed them, cut off the end and left them whole. Tossed them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkled on a little sea salt and roasted until tender.

I need to try this. Seems they take the same amount of time whether roasted or steamed, eh? I have a whole bunch of brussel sprouts, so why not?

Meanwhile Graeme is making his crock pot chicken vegetable soup. He puts the chicken in with water the first day, then lets it sit in the fridge over night so he can remove the cake of chicken oil in the morning. Then he puts it back in the crock pot holder and adds vegetables, cut up squash or roots and some of our fresh herbs (esp. basil and sage). Delicious too! And great for lunch during the week--or a quick meal anytime.

Bea

[jerseyangel]

I need to try this. Seems they take the same amount of time whether roasted or steamed, eh? I have a whole bunch of brussel sprouts, so why not?

Meanwhile Graeme is making his crock pot chicken vegetable soup. He puts the chicken in with water the first day, then lets it sit in the fridge over night so he can remove the cake of chicken oil in the morning. Then he puts it back in the crock pot holder and adds vegetables, cut up squash or roots and some of our fresh herbs (esp. basil and sage). Delicious too! And great for lunch during the week--or a quick meal anytime.

Bea

Bea,

I like my veggies soft, so I roasted them at 400 for about 45 minutes. I did an acorn squash along side in a separate pan.

That soup sounds so good! I like the idea of doing the chicken first, and then removing all the excess fat. Does he do the first step in the crock pot or on the stove?

[Lisa]

Great minds! I roasted cut up egg plant, zucchini, yellow squash, onions and brussel sprouts, tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper. And served it over some quinoa.

It was a little too "earthy" for my husband though. I thought it was great.

[jerseyangel]

I roasted cut up egg plant, zucchini, yellow squash, onions and brussel sprouts, tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper.

I need to try that! Lisa, maybe he would have liked it better over white rice? A little less earthy?

[AliB]

Weird isn't it. Our youngest grandson Ashley who is six, who has always been really finicky with food - it has been a nightmare trying to get him to eat fruit and veg, has suddenly developed a liking for brussels sprouts!!!

I mean, he won't eat the things that most kids love, like sweetcorn or peas, yet he likes brussels sprouts???

It was a joy to see him scoffing down the 'little footballs' and asking for more!

Mind you, they were pretty sweet and delicious. I find that BS are a bit unreliable - sometimes they are lovely, and sometimes they are really bitter. It must depend what soil they are grown in.

I have bought some more today, and I am going to try the roasting method. Sounds delish.

[YoloGx]

Bea,

I like my veggies soft, so I roasted them at 400 for about 45 minutes. I did an acorn squash along side in a separate pan.

That soup sounds so good! I like the idea of doing the chicken first, and then removing all the excess fat. Does he do the first step in the crock pot or on the stove?

Graeme does both steps of the chicken soup in the crock pot, however it could be done either way, depending on how much time you have available etc.

Some people de-bone the chicken after its cooled off or not, depending on if you like bones. They are a good source of calcium so I usually keep them--however Graeme takes them out... Too "earthy" for many but I like them bones! Always have... I am pretty sure it has to do with the fact its always been hard for me to absorb minerals including calcium. (Am getting better on that score, however, which is great news! despite my age) Nevertheless just having the chicken slow cook like that adds all kinds of gelatin to the soup.

This time I also added a bunch of rosemary to Graeme's soup as well as the sage and basil.

We will be having the soup for dinner shortly...

Bea

[YoloGx]

Great minds! I roasted cut up egg plant, zucchini, yellow squash, onions and brussel sprouts, tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper. And served it over some quinoa.

It was a little too "earthy" for my husband though. I thought it was great.

Seems like this could also make a great "lasagna" if cut up and put in layers--esp. with some cheese or a little chicken or fish or??? or who knows maybe egg. Could use brown rice too, yes... or as you did with quinoa. Brown rice is way better than white since it is not bleached....

Bea

[YoloGx]

Yes, I generally also use the blender rather than the juicer, partly because it's easier, and partly as you say, because of the pulp that I like to have in the juice. I've always managed with rather cheap blenders, and so far none broke down on me - I've changed them only due to moving place/country etc. The trick is to put sufficient water in with the vegetables; and if I do heavy duty stuff, such as carrots or beets, I blend the vegetables in rounds, adding small portions at a time to the already 'juiced' ones. If one can manage raw vegetables, I do believe such a blended juice's a real health booster!

Hi Jan,

I way agree about the blender!

By the way, the blended vegetable blend I made this morning had too much "bite" to it due to the green onions and garlic I put in. I was amazed since I didn't put in much but the flavor seems to carry a lot more. So for lunch I used part of it as a sauce for my salad--very nice! (along with the oil and lemon juice--am too sensitive still for vinegar).

Meanwhile Montel gets around the "too much bite" problem by adding fruit--esp. apples and things like blueberries and bananas. Am not yet at that stage since am not sure I can even handle fruit except for lemons... Even tomatoes are suspect for me at this point...

Bea

[missy'smom]

OH! speaking of brussels sprouts, try this! Cut them in half, fresh ones, toss with olive oil, freshly cracked salt and pepper, and some lemon juice. Then roast them on a baking sheet in the oven about 20 minutes. They are SO good this way!!

I tried 'em roasted last night and they were delicious! I washed them, cut off the end and left them whole. Tossed them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkled on a little sea salt and roasted until tender.

DH declared my roasted brussel sprouts very tasty tonight! Yay! I fried some chopped bacon and slivered pecans in a cast iron skillet until almost done, removed them but left the bacon fat in, tossed in halved b. sprouts, salt and pepper and put the skillet in at preheated 375 for 20 min or so to roast. Last 5-10 min. put the pecans and bacon back in the pan in the oven. Bacon isn't exactly a whole food with it's preservatives is it? but I've become good friends with it. That, a roasted chicken and plain spaghetti squash was my dinner.

Simple dishes with/ways to use(dairy-free, sugar-free etc.) cabbage is one of my missions this winter. It's cheap, low-carb and stores well.

[jerseyangel]

DH declared my roasted brussel sprouts very tasty tonight! Yay! I fried some chopped bacon and slivered pecans in a cast iron skillet until almost done, removed them but left the bacon fat in, tossed in halved b. sprouts, salt and pepper and put the skillet in at preheated 375 for 20 min or so to roast. Last 5-10 min. put the pecans and bacon back in the pan in the oven. Bacon isn't exactly a whole food with it's preservatives is it? but I've become good friends with it. That, a roasted chicken and plain spaghetti squash was my dinner.

That sounds really good! Bacon is a good friend of mine, too

[Frances03]

You guys should try the splash of lemon juice on the roasted brussels! it just adds something to them and makes them even yummier!

When I was a child, brussels sprouts was the only veggie I would eat! So, I had them every night, put in a coffee cup with butter in the microwave until done. LOL

[Glamour]

I am a finicky eater on the vegetables front. I also don't eat a wide variety of fruit or enough variety. I will do an occasional fruit smoothie with protein, but I am watching the dairy for now.

I do like the fresh juices my friend makes. It is the only way I will eat beets, kale. She made a juice with bananas and cherries, which I would never eat. She almost always uses some granny smith apples (thinks they are lower in sugar than other apples).

I cook with lots ofonions, garlic, peppers, celery, carrots, potatoes.

But there is no way I am getting enough varied nutrition from what I eat, and I have not noticed any improvement from supplements and vitamins, which are expensive. Probably have leaky gut.

Maybe I will develop a taste for more veggies, since I like the juice.

[YoloGx]

I am a finicky eater on the vegetables front. I also don't eat a wide variety of fruit or enough variety. I will do an occasional fruit smoothie with protein, but I am watching the dairy for now.

I do like the fresh juices my friend makes. It is the only way I will eat beets, kale. She made a juice with bananas and cherries, which I would never eat. She almost always uses some granny smith apples (thinks they are lower in sugar than other apples).

I cook with lots ofonions, garlic, peppers, celery, carrots, potatoes.

But there is no way I am getting enough varied nutrition from what I eat, and I have not noticed any improvement from supplements and vitamins, which are expensive. Probably have leaky gut.

Maybe I will develop a taste for more veggies, since I like the juice.

Maybe if you cut up one or a few other vegetables to put with your onions, garlic, peppers etc. it could be very tasty! I suggest a bit of ginger to make it even more interesting since it seems you may like a little spice. One really easy one is baby bok choy. Takes hardly any time to cook--so add towards the end. Could easily make a stir fry. Heat pan, start with a little oil, add minced ginger and chopped veggies and stir, put in some water then put the cover on, add the more easily cooked veggies at the end. Stir in a little chopped parsley at the very end if you want and leave covered for a couple of minutes. Delicious! Really nice on brown rice by the way.

I love garlic an onions too-wish I tolerated the potatoes and peppers better however!

Out of curiosity, do you also eat chicken or fish? It makes the vegetables tastier to add a little meat or fish.

If you can handle eating pineapple and/or papaya, both are good for healing the intestines. Otherwise try taking some enzymes that have bromelain/papain in them with your meals. It should help against some of your leaky gut issues as well as help with basic digestion.

Marshmallow root powder or capsules helps heal the lining of the intestines too.

Bea

[lizard00]

Thanks for starting the thread, it's great!

[YoloGx]

Thanks for starting the thread, it's great!

Glad you like it Lizard! Don't be afraid to throw in your suggestions, questions, experiences. We are just beginning here.

Meanwhile, lately I have added some brown rice to my 24 hour home made yogurt and sunflower seeds (sweetened with stevia) for breakfast and am liking how it makes me feel--more grounded and solid in the morning--which has always been an issue for me (I start slow--have since I was 5). I am sleeping better too though that may be because of the olive leaf more than the rice. ??

I have noticed that taking the olive leaf extract capsules is getting easier--so now am taking more of them--2 at a time, thus 6 to 8 caps a day. If I don't take them I can't breathe through one of my nostrils (seems to alternate which is which interestingly). By taking the olive leaf I am also getting less itchy/puffy down under. Its interesting that eating the brown rice or not seems to make no difference in that arena for me--though of course am not overdoing the amount either. Its possible that the olive leaf is keeping things more in check of course...

Have noticed that the olive leaf in general is making my body feel a lot better. When I do my stretching exercises I have way less jerking going on (from an old injury to my l-5 vertebrae). My hip was out of joint and thus my neck too this weekend, but the yoga and sacro wedgy I use to put myself back in alignment really worked a lot better than it used to. I used to have to go see the chiropractor when I was that bad off (my sacrum actually popped back into joint this time with a loud crack!). This time everything went back in place within one day, achy neck included. Amazing!

Am also taking oregano oil and caprylic acid after meals plus eating onions and garlic every day to minimize/destroy the beasties--and enterically coated acidophilus to help build up my good flora (I take the acidophilus ideally before a meal thus its taken away from the olive leaf)--plus of course the home made yogurt.

Lunch and dinner is when I usually load up on greens.

Bea