On the Table

Now that my eating is extremely restricted, finding foods that I can eat and enjoy is a real challenge.

Sometimes a fun challenge, sometimes not...

I really love eating. Like a lot.

Although, I think that I sorta, finally, kinda, have it figured out.

Most days.

Some days I just throw my hands up and eat chips and salsa.

And a super shout out to Mister who is also being the biggest sport in all of this too.  He is ultra supportive and puts up with our crazy new meal plans. 

I had some questions about what I have been eating and some sugar free/gluten free recipes.

As I said, I'm still learning but here's a little run down about what is frequently gracing our table.

Eggs (so many eggs)

Fruits

Vegetables (thank goodness for our CSA)

Chicken (every day for lunch)

Corn chips/salsa

Clif/Lara/Bare Naked bars

Sweet potato chips

As far as recipes, here are a few winners I've discovered:

Chicken Salad with homemade mayo

Sweet Potato Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Turkey Burgers

Pad Thai with Zoodles and homemade chili sauce

Sweet Potato Corn Cakes 

Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

Pineapple, Basil, Cucumber and grilled Chicken Salad
Gluten Free/Sugar Free Brownies
Gluten Free/Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookies 

You can check out my Pinterest food board here to see a few more things that are on our menu!

As daunting as this whole ordeal seemed at first, it is becoming easier.

It just takes a lot more thinking and planning but it is not impossible!

Eating out is still a challenge but getting easier.  And actually, Nashville, was much easier than I thought it would be.  Everywhere we ate served very fresh food and not full of sauces, so that was a win!
I won't lie though, I am DYING for pizza.  And real ice cream.  

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or if you have some great recipes that you think we should try! 

Pin to Present : Sweet Potato Corn Cakes

Okay guys, it's time for me to share with you the goodness that is Sweet Potato Corn Cakes that I first discovered on Pinterest, via Anne's food board last weekend.

And today it just so happens to be 'Pin to Present' day over at Anne's blog so be sure to jump over there and check out all the other Pinterest successes!

I would be lying if I said Mister and haven't eaten at least one of these a day since last Saturday.

I'm always amazed at what great things you can make from sweet potatoes.

And considering they are on the safe list for me, I am even more enthusiastic about them.

I did not make the dipping sauce that they original recipe calls for but it sounds delicious.  They are also good with salsa and I bet an avocado cream sauce would be great too.

These are super simple to make and are best straight from the skillet.  We like ours a bit crispy :)

Sweet Potato Corn Cakes

adapted from Budget Bytes

3-5 medium sweet potatoes

2 ears corn (1 cup frozen)

1/4 cup green onions chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 egg
1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1/3 cup corn meal
1/2 cup vegetable oil

(not pictured egg or cayenne pepper)

1. Wrap sweet potatoes in plastic wrap, poke holes in plastic and potatoes and microwave
2. While the potatoes are cooking mix all of the other ingredients in a bowl, except the oil

3. Once potatoes are done, let cool and take off the skin.  While you are doing that, put the mixture into the fridge for about 30 minutes to cool.  This will make them easier to form into patties.
4.  After the mixture has cooled, warm the vegetable (or olive) oil in a skillet
5.  Form sweet potato mixture in small cakes and put in skillet once it's warm.  Be sure not to have the oil too hot or it will pop (and practically ruin your clothes...)
6.  Cook one side until light brown, turn over and cook other side

And here's where I hang my head...I didn't get a picture of the completed result.
Just picture round little packages of sweet potato, corn, a little spicy, crispy edged goodness.
Or just make them for yourself this weekend!

Enjoy! 

Not so sweet

There's been a break up in our house.

Between someone super sweet, yummy and hard to stay away from...

Sugar and I have parted ways.

And honestly, it's been for the best.

It's not fun, but for my insides and everyone's sanity, it was necessary.

Let me back up a bit.

A few months ago I started feeling really crummy.

Like really, really bad. Every single time I ate anything I felt so sick.

Bloated, yucky, stomach issues, the whole nine yards.

And for someone who loves to eat at much as I do, this was incredibly depressing.

This led to a lot of tears and frustrations.

So finally, after a few doctor visits and tests that I won't go into, a solution was finally found.

And that is, in short, that my body hates me.

Well, it hates sugar and is refusing to process it correctly.

(In official terms I was diagnosed with SIBO.)

This is as un-fun as it sounds.

The real kicker is that sugar is in EVERYTHING.

 Literally everything.
Just take a look at a few labels in your pantry.  Even the things you wouldn't think have sugar, do.

But I know things could always be way worse and we were all just glad it wasn't cancer or something scary like that. 

Unfortunately, there is no real, true solution for SIBO. 

There are a few antibiotics (those did 0 for me) and the most common other solution is a diet change. 

For now the latter is working for me (for the most part).

Again, it isn't fun and it takes a LOT of planning but since it's working, that's what we are going with for now.

Parties, going out to eat, grabbing a bite on the run are all really difficult but can be managed.

So what can't I eat?

Everything basically. Jk, sorta.

-No gluten, sugar, dairy
This includes no milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, soy milk, white/brown sugar, maple syrup, white potatoes (fries!), beer (!), sausage, sweet wine.

I can eat:
Eggs, veggies, fruit, chicken, beef, wine (thank GOODNESS), honey, nuts, beans, olive/coconut oil, sweet potatoes, corn tortilla chips
I can eat natural occurring sugars (fruit/wine) so that is a real life saver.
And I've found an 'ice cream' that I can eat made out of coconut and it's somewhat sufficing my need to eat ice cream every night of the summer. 

*lots of salads around these parts.  Thank goodness for our CSA!

Like I said, for now this diet is working; most of the time.
I've splurged a few times just to test the waters and it didn't go well.
So most likely I will be holding off on doing that for awhile.
Tiny, tiny doses of a few things seem to be okay but more than that isn't worth it.
The repercussions are totally debilitating but they aren't fun and they usually stick around for at least 3 days so I would rather just not deal with that.
Again, things could be a LOT worse and we are just adjusting to this as the new normal the best we can!

On the plus side, elminating sugar from my diet (and somewhat Mister's) has been really great for our health and bodies.  I can finally run well again (the stomach issues were really putting a damper on that that) and I've noticed physical changes as well.
The pouch of fat on my lower stomach that I've always fretted over is finally gone.
And those abs I've worked so hard for (and could always tell were in there) are finally actually visible.

As you guys know, we are pretty clean 90% of the time and work out quite a bit, so it blows my mind that doing something like eliminating sugar can have such a huge effect on our bodies.  (Kait recently cut out sugar too and is raving about it as well!)
You truly are what you eat.  I could not be more of a believer in that.

I'll be back next week with some recipes that fit this new diet and are also delicious.

I love discussing food, health and what we put into our bodies so please let me know if you have any questions or want more info! There isn't a ton about SIBO online but I'm happy to share what I know and have read!