FOOD JOURNAL

March 14
DAY 8

2 Hard Boiled Eggs & Kale Apple Juice

Broccoli Puree Soup

Blueberry Applesauce

Orange Glazed Salmon with Steamed Mashed Sweet Potatoes

March 13
DAY 7

Kefir Yogurt with Banana

Carrot Ginger Soup
Veggie Burgers & Blueberry Applesauce (all homemade)

March 12
DAY 6
 
Quinoa Porridge with Apple Compote

Vegetable Soup leftovers

Kiwi Dessert

Grilled Tofu & Roasted Mushrooms

March 11
The recipes have all been so tasty. I feel amazing. I am already craving fresh food and don't feel like I am missing out. I am also craving water and haven't wanted a Pepsi or a latte. So far, it's going very well.

DAY 5
 Strawberry Smoothie

Vegetable Soup with White Beans (no picture)

Veggie Burgers with Escarole

Leftover Choco Walnut Pudding (below)

March 10
DAY 4
Melon Compote

Tofu Vegetable Soup

Roasted Eggplant 
& leftover Tofu Vegetable Soup

Choco Walnut Pudding

The pudding is so amazing, it makes me want to cry. It's fresh, creamy, thick and filling. You only need a little bit to feel satisfied. Plus, it was so easy to make. I put it in the martini glass to fancy up the experience. DELICIOUS! I am in love.

March 9
DAY 3
Mushroom Omelet Roll-up

For lunch, I had leftover Roasted Eggplant Lasagna (pictured below). I am trying not to be wasteful.

Cucumber Mint Relish

I forgot to take a picture of dinner. Woops! I had Greek Salad with Strawberry Dressing and Grilled Tofu.

March 8

DAY 2
Citrus Salad

Puree of Broccoli Soup

Fresh Juiced Orange & Grapefruit

Roasted Eggplant Lasagna

My compost pile from the day!
March 7


I did not stick with my gluten-free plan. My husband and I went out for a Valentine's dinner and that's when I stumbled.

My bff recently tried a 30-day workout/nutrition plan that ended with amazing results. She bought me the book and DVD. It's a book I never would've chosen by its cover. After seeing her results and hearing how fabulous she felt, I decided to give it a try. 

I started in on March 7th. It is the most challenging workout I have ever attempted. I am excited about the food plan because it isn't a diet; it is a lifestyle change. The ingredients are nearly all fresh fruits and vegetables (I'm following the vegetarian plan). 
The plan is NOT specifically for endometriosis patients. Nor is it a gluten-free plan. However, with all the fresh ingredients, I haven't yet discovered any dishes that contain gluten or wheat. So far, the food has been delicious. A huge hurdle for me has always been sugary drinks. I'm addicted to Pepsi and lattes. I've been drinking unsweetened, homemade teas and they taste good. I've also been drinking more water. It is a very positive change for me and I hope to stick with it.

I hope the plan will empower me to make better nutritional choices and help me feel more present and strong in my body.

If you are familiar with my food journal page, then you know I like to take pictures of food. I'm going to share pictures of my meals along this month-long journey and update you on my progress.

Though she does not recommend any substitutions, I cannot bring myself to eat peppers or raw tomatoes. So I make substitutions for these ingredients.

DAY 1
 Mushroom, Onion Egg Wrap

Green Beans with Saute'ed Spinach

Tuscan Bean Salad

Roasted Mushrooms

February 10
For yesterday's dinner, I tried the "Caribbean-Style Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans" on pages 125-126. I really enjoyed them. I am a big fan of sweet potatoes & black beans. I had never tried them spiced up like this. The recipe called for jerk seasoning, which I have never bought, so I went online to figure out how to make my own. I discovered it typically includes: allspice, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. I had all of these spices, so I basically just threw them all together. It was an interesting, flavorful combination added to the cumin, fresh scallions and orange juice. My son doesn't like black beans or sweet potatoes, so he didn't try it. My husband said it was okay. So they scored a 1.5-out-of-2. I will make them again, but probably just for me.
 
I also attempted a random baked perch recipe that turned out well. It was very simple concoction of milk, melted butter, paprika, oregano and thyme. The whole fam approved with a score of 3-out-of-3.

February 9
As planned, I started my nutrition plan on Monday. I tried my first two recipes from the cookbook below.

For the main course, I made the "Basmati Rice Burgers with Pistachio Mayonnaise" from pages 85-86. Well, kind of. I forgot to buy the main ingredient, basmati rice. I decided it was too cold to venture back out, so I used the brown rice from my cupboard. I get the feeling basmati rice may be stickier than brown rice because they were a bit hard to keep together in patty form. Despite this, they were quite tasty. I was already trying to figure out what else I could make for my son and husband, but they liked them! They scored a 3-out-of-3 (I love when that happens with a new recipe). My son left off the pistachio mayonnaise and instead topped his burger with a piece of provolone cheese. I thought the mayo was quite yum, different than anything I'd ever tasted. I was scared to use the Light Canola Mayo but it tasted good.
I also made the Zucchini-Cheese Crisps from pages 153-154. I didn't have the gluten-free cornflake crumbs, so I omitted them. They turned out well too and scored a 3-out-of-3 from the fam. (I forgot to take a picture).

It was a good start to the new plan. I'm very excited about the cookbook.
That evening, I had a hunkering for something sweet so I made my first batch of gluten-free cookies. I used the Bob's Red Mills Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. I am so happy to report they were delish! Family agreed, giving them a 3-out-of-3. They are quite stiff but I didn't mind and they tasted good dipped in a glass of cold organic milk.

February 5
Wow. I can't believe it has almost been a month since I posted on my food journal. Tsk tsk, shame shame.

I used my trip as an excuse to abandon my nutrition plan. I have been dragging my fork (haha) for almost three weeks to get started again. I think it's because I know I need to maintain the gluten- and wheat-free plan long term this time. It's a bit overwhelming. However, it is clear to me that I have to really give the plan a chance to work. So it is time to get serious, for real.

I needed a push, so I turned to the bookstore for help. The cookbook "The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen" spoke to me. 


I am hoping it will be my inspiration to change my eating habits. This weekend will be my last gluten hurrah as I am starting the plan on Monday. I also plan to return to regular posts here on the food journal page. (I sure do wish this page allowed me to write separate posts, but alas it does not have such a feature. Oh well).

I'm going to drink a beer and eat some bread tonight. I'll indulge at a Superbowl party tomorrow. Then it's on. Wish me luck (and strength).

January 10
I'm crazy busy today & for the next few days.

Here's the delicious, simple, gluten-free breakfast I had this morning:
Chobani greek yogurt with a swirl of honey
Strawberries, blackberries, honey crisp apple
Have you tried greek yogurt?  It has a creamy, heavenly texture & tastes delicious with fruit.  I drool over it.

I have a hard time eating breakfast in the morning, for some reason.  Especially if I have a cup of coffee before I eat.  I'm just not hungry.  I'll sit down to write & forget to eat.  I'm working hard to improve my nutrition, so it's silly for me not to eat "the most important meal of the day."  This is so delicious & easy to prepare.  I'm actually enjoying eating breakfast!  Problem solved.

January 3, 2011
I completed a month of my gluten-free & wheat-free plan towards the end of December.  I again decided to take a break for the holidays, as I did for Thanksgiving.  I wanted to ascertain whether removing them from my diet was beneficial.  I also wanted to relax & enjoy all the treats that accompany the end of the year holidays.  For example, these are my all-time-favorite cookies:
Sorry Santa, these cookies are for me.
I enjoyed these & many other delicious treats.  It does seem I felt better while I was on the plan, so I am ready to try it again.  It is the new year, after all, a time to start new, healthier habits.  

Yesterday, my husband & I cooked the first meal of the new year.  With the Trader Joe's frozen cod from the freezer, we tried a tempura rice flour.  
 We dipped the fish in the prepared mix & baked them. 
They turned out tasty.  We all enjoyed them, giving them a family score of 3-out-of-3.  We completed the meal with steamed edamame & mashed potatoes.  Yum.
 
I'm happy to be back on the plan & look forward to trying some new recipes.

On a side note:  My sweet husband got me a fancy mixer for Christmas.  I am loving it!  It's fun to be able to walk away from the mixer as it spins.  I was excited to use it to beat the mashed potatoes.  My son, a loyal mashed potato fan, commended their smooth, fluffy texture & declared them the best he'd ever eaten.  That's really saying something!  The young potato connoisseur explained they were the perfect consistency for a butter topping; when gravy's involved, it's best if they're thicker.  It was an astute point & I agreed with his reasoning.  I'm already contemplating what I will mix up next.  Maybe a gluten-free bread?
My lovely Christmas present
December 13
My husband & I tried another new-to-us gluten-free product last night, again from the Asian market.  I've got an obsession brewing for the tamari sauce in the previous post below.  With winter threatening another big storm, we went to a nearby grocery store to stock up.  I checked for my tamari sauce in the Asian aisle, but it wasn't there.  I was positive it would be waiting for me in the organic section of the store, but it was nowhere to be found.  I seriously almost started to cry.  So we made an extra stop at the health food store & I bought two bottles.  Phewwww.  (Of course, I spent an extra $15 on other items by the time I walked out, but it was still worth it).

Then I made these vermicelli oriental style noodles.  They have two ingredients:  sweet potato powder & water.
 The bag is huge

They were super simple to make.  Boil them for five minutes & rinse in cold water.  They were a strange translucent, grayish color.  I didn't break the noodles before boiling them, so they were really, really long.
   strettttchy
Next, I returned them to the pot with some onion, cabbage, (that head of cabbage is lasting forever)  sesame oil, sesame seeds & tamari sauce.
  so far, so good
I thought the rubbery noodles were hilarious.  My husband wasn't equally amused, but he was nice enough to take this picture anyway.
Unfortunately, the noodles didn't taste so good.  The flavor was decent, but the consistency was bizarre.  They were elastic & gooey, making them hard to chew.  Not a fan.  We scored them 0-out-of-2.  They were entertaining to make, so that's something.  I can't be sure if it was the noodles, but my stomach was upset after eating them, so we won't be making them again.  Too bad the bag was so enormous.  Oh well, they can't all be winners right? 

December 10
We had a friends' dinner last night here at our abode.  I picked up a rotisserie chicken from the store.  They are so convenient & affordable, & people tell me they are quite tasty.  I love them because I don't have to touch them & you can always get a few meals out of them.  

I tried another Asian market purchase--rice noodles.  

Will I buy these noodles again? Pho sho!

They were delicious & easy to prepare.  You boil them for about eight minutes, rinse in cold water, return to the pan & briefly cook with the vegetables.  I used broccoli, cabbage & green onions.  Everyone tried them & liked them--giving them a 6-out-of-6 score.

ready to eat

We also had a scrumptious veggie salad with balsamic vinegar & olive oil dressing.
 my super salad spinner

Life doesn't get better--good food, great friends, lively conversation, full bellies.

December 9
I had a rare craving for french fries yesterday.  I never fry food at home & rarely order it when I'm out.  I read that fries are not always wheat-free, depending on the additives.  So I had given up on them.  As I obsessed about salty, crispy fries, I randomly remembered a potato-cutting device in my drawer--it had come with my apple slicer--that I had never used.  I thought...I can make my own fries!  (Silly, since I could just as easily cut the potatoes myself).  The device worked well, creating thick-cut potato slices.  



I fried them in sunflower oil & drained them on a paper bag.  

craving = satisfied

They were a delicious wheat-free treat! 

I definitely don't want to make eating fried foods a habit.  But I have given up many foods with this nutrition plan & sometimes you need to splurge.

Feeling adventurous, I also made my first batch of barbecue sauce.  I recently realized how easy it would be to make.  I did an online search & discovered this recipe.  I made a few changes:  I used less red wine vinegar, less ketchup, added tomato paste & honey & omitted the hot pepper sauce.



I used the bbq sauce to make baked tofu; my husband used it on pork chops.  I crossed my fingers, hoping my son would like my sauce.  I was so excited when he said it was good!  My husband & I both enjoyed it too, giving it a family rating of 3-out-of-3.  I am thrilled when I try something new & everyone likes it.  I printed the recipe & added it to my growing recipe binder.


I whipped up a honey mustard for fry dipping.  I just combined honey with a grainy dijon mustard.  It was the first time I tried this too & it was so easy & so good!

The green beans looked so good, I told my husband I was kind of suspicious (being that it's December).  We simply steamed them & they tasted as good as they looked.

I also tried a new ketchup--Hunt's Tomato Ketchup.  It is made without high fructose corn syrup, with ingredients I can pronounce: tomato concentrate made from vine ripened tomatoes, sugar, distilled vinegar, salt, less than 2% of: onion powder, garlic powder, natural flavors.  (I am unsure about the "natural flavors."  Companies should have to be more specific than that.  I know the word "natural" is an unregulated term).  It tasted good; I wouldn't have known it was different.  


It was a delicious meal of many firsts!

December 8
I love being in the kitchen with my husband.  He's an amazing cook!  We have different cooking personalities:  He easily combines ingredients to create his own masterpieces; I prefer following recipes.  Watching him cook, I am learning to trust my own food intuition & I am getting braver in the kitchen.  

Last night, we trudged out into the snow to shop at a local Asian market.  It was my first trip there, so I was thrilled to find some gluten-free options among their shelves.  Most of their sauces contained soy sauce, so there were many I could not use.  I can't tell you how ecstatic I am to have found a gluten-free tamari sauce; I never knew how much I loved soy sauce until I couldn't have it anymore.  It's a great alternative to soy sauce, but not all of them are gluten-free, so be sure to check the label.

We ended up making veggie rice wraps.  Delicious!  My husband threw them together, as is his style.  We did have to look them up online though (there were no directions on the package), because when we tried to just fold them around the veggies, they cracked.  We discovered you just need to drop them in water for a few seconds & they will soften up.  We fried some of them, but I preferred to eat them as is.  They reminded me of an appetizer at my fave Thai place.  We also made a few with veggies & clams.  Yum.  The package was huge, so I can't wait to try some other combinations.  Next time, I am definitely using shrimp & basil.
Our rice wraps with carrots, green onion & green cabbage

December 6
I tried another Bob's mix last night.  I've been craving pizza, so I was very excited to test the whole grain pizza crust mix.  I borrowed my neighbor's rolling pin, but it turned out I didn't even need it.  It was super simple to make.
 waiting for the dough to rise
 I was expecting the dough to puff up & rise more, so I was a little concerned.  But it turned out well, I'm happy to say.  The fam even liked it!
 the (delicious) finished product
Another win for Bob!  He's 2 for 2 in my book so far.

November 28
I had a beautiful Thanksgiving with my fam & I ate whatever I wanted to eat.  Now it's almost time to get back to business.  I'm returning to my wheat-free elimination plan tomorrow.  I guess that makes today zero.  Changing your diet can be tough.  That's why I decided to take a little break & enjoy myself before I try again.

I'm sipping my last beer, savoring the nutty taste.  I'm such a big fan of nutty brown ales, ice-cold in a chilled mug(Can't you just see me, eyes rolled back, head tilted in a Homer-style drool--Grrglhhhgrrrrgllhh. (I couldn't think of a good way to spell the sound, so I googled it.  And (of course!) there's a link to it.  If that amuses you as much as it does me, just google "how do I spell Homer Simpson's drooling" & enjoy).
Mmmmmm nut brown...

Anyway, I got a little off track there.  I'm ready to try this again.  Bye bye bread.  
I'm excited to try the few Bob's mixes sitting in my pantry.  I'm actually kind of looking forward to giving it another try.  It is beneficial in many ways to be more conscious about all of my food choices.  It can only help me. 
Cheers to that!

November 15
I bought a bag o' freakishly giant carrots this week.  I've never, ever seen a carrot this long.  I'm not sure if I should be scared or impressed.

weird

I used the crazy carrots for another impromptu cole slaw.  I wish I would've taken a picture of the purple (it's not red!) cabbage next to the carrot.  It was a tiny cabbage & would've looked hilarious next to the enormous carrot.

love the purple & orange

November 12 - Day 28
I completed four weeks of my wheat-elimination plan.  In celebration, I drank a Sierra Nevada Celebration.  (It was tasty!).  I also introduced a few other wheat products into my diet.  I honestly haven't noticed a significant difference.  I am still testing it out.  I'm going to resume the wheat-free plan after Thanksgiving.  This will give me more time to discover any changes. I will continue to try to eat healthy until then & gauge how I am feeling.  


celebrate good times
come on

November 8 - Day 24
Last night, my husband & I created an impromptu coleslaw number. It was fabulous. He is the King of Creating-a-delicious-meal with whatever-happens-to-be-in-the-kitchen.  Here's what we did:
~Our Apple Cider Slaw 
     green cabbage, shredded
     broccoli stem innards, shredded
     apple cider vinegar
     sesame oil
     garlic salt & celery salt
     honey
     brown & (pinch of) white sugar
Just combine all ingredients & enjoy.

Do you know about broccoli stem innards?? My husband taught me this gem years ago; his mom let him in on the secret when he was a child. If you cut off or peel the thick, tough skin of the broccoli, you reveal the delicious treasure of the vegetable. It's a crisp, crunchy, refreshing bite. I was shocked. All the innocent (tasty) broccoli stems I had haphazardly discarded flashed before my eyes. Who knew?

My husband also gets credit for vanquishing my childhood fear of coleslaw. There was a cafeteria incident in preschool involving being forced to eat (& subsequently gagging on) soggy, runny, smelly coleslaw. I hadn't given it a chance since, until my husband persuaded me to try his. Fresh shredded veggies in a vinegar based slaw is amazing & doesn't resemble the sloppy slaw in my memory. Thanks Husb, way to go!

 Lively, Lovely, Broccoli


 We transformed this glorious bouquet 
into our delightful slaw & steamed florets

November 6 - Day 22
I found a delicious recipe on Rachael Ray's website. I just love how easy it is to find recipes online. I had a can of kidney beans I wanted to use, so I simply searched for kidney beans. My search brought up her Tangy Three Bean Stoup.

Yum-O indeed!
It was perfect. First, I love a fun made-up word! Rachael uses stoup to describe the cross between a stew & a soup. Combining two words to make one, it just makes me happy. And her recipe delivered what her word promised. Not as thick as a stew, but not a brothy as a soup. (There's a word I just made up!) When my husband peeked into the pan, he said, "You better add some more water." Then I explained, no it's a stoup; it's supposed to be like that.

To accompany the stoup, I made my first batch of Bob's Red Mill cornbread mix. I desperately wanted bread & it exceeded all my expectations. Delicious! (here's my post about it).

 It went fast!

I hope you can enjoy the stoup & cornbread too. Let me know what you think if you try it. 

Thanks Rachael for providing so many delicious, easy recipes!

November 5 - Day 21
I apologize friendos, I have not been updating this new page. It is more difficult than I anticipated to update every meal. I got overwhelmed & then stopped all together. So I am going to change it up a bit. I'm worried it may be boring to just list every single thing I eat. My new plan is to update this page when I have a new recipe, substitute or exciting meal. As I learn new things, I will share them with you here. I think it will be more interesting & less time-consuming this way.

The good news is that I have been keeping up with wheat-free eating! Last night was one of the most challenging days I've had so far, regarding sticking to my wheat-free plan. I desperately need a trip to the grocery store. I have found being unprepared to be the biggest obstacle to maintaining my plan. My son wanted to order pizza & not being in the mood to cook, I happily obliged. Perusing the menu, I discovered there was nothing I could eat. I was so tempted to order a cheese calzone, but thankfully I resisted.

Scanning my pantry, I discovered the organic brown rice pasta fusilli I bought from Trader Joe's the day before I started my plan. I had forgotten it was there! It saved me. And it was delicious. I was thrilled to discover it actually tasted good & had the texture of pasta. I made a simple meal with it, adding evoo, parmessan cheese, parsley & garlic. This is going to be a staple in my diet & help me overcome those urges to cheat. Thank you Trader Joe's for making this wheat-free pasta tasty & affordable! 

October 20 - Day 5
Breakfast:
~steel cut oats with ground cinnamon, brown sugar, butter & organic 1% milk
~mocha cappuccino - Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein
~water
~all vitamins & supplements

Lunch:
~banana
~rice cake with crunchy almond butter
~fresh pineapple
~1 Tbsp flax oil

Dinner:
~carrots & celery
~hummus
~spicy chick peas leftovers pureed with sesame oil & paprika (random thing I tried, pretty good)
~herb goat cheese
~shrimp sauteed in garlic
~rice cakes

~vodka mojitos
     lime, mint, raspberries, agave nectar, Ciroc vodka, ice
I was very excited to find this wheat-free & sugar-free cocktail recipe & they were delicious! I even bought my first muddler for this recipe.

Snack:
~guacamole
      avocado, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, sugar
~corn chips
~cheddar cheese
~Trader Joe's mint water

October 19 - Day 4
Breakfast:
~fresh pineapple
~iced tea with sugar
~strawberry organic yogurt with fresh banana
~water
~all vitamins & supplements

Lunch:
Pretty Beets & Carrots leftovers on red leaf lettuce
Spicy Chick Peas
     garbanzo beans
     onion
     turmeric, curry powder, white pepper, fresh ground black pepper & pink sea salt
     lemon juice
MetroMint spearmint water

mocha cappuccino - Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein
1 Tbsp flax seed oil - lemonade flavor

Dinner:
red leaf lettuce salad with carrots & balsamic vinegar, evoo dressing
sauteed mushrooms with evoo, parsley, garlic, onion powder, salt & pepper
steamed green beans with pink sea salt
1 digestive enzyme

Snack:
corn chips & colby cheese
yellow pear
Sleepytime tea with tupelo honey

I forgot to mention that I do not eat red meat or poultry. I do eat seafood, fish & dairy. I haven't eaten red meat for sixteen years or poultry for twelve years. I was a vegetarian for a few years, but started eating fish & seafood about nine years ago, when I first discovered sushi. After that, I decided to add seafood to my diet.

October 18 - Day 3
Breakfast:
~steel cut oats with ground cinnamon, brown sugar & organic 1% milk
~water
~mocha cappuccino - Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein
~all vitamins & supplements

Lunch:
~raw almonds
~black grapes
~pineapple
~water with lime & ice
~1 Tbsp flax seed oil - lemonade flavored (first time I tried it, it's actually tasty!)

Snack:
~leftover brown rice with organic kidney beans & curry powder
~MetroMint spearmint water (Love this! It is so delicious & refreshing. Way better choice than Pepsi!)
~Mandarin orange spice tea with tupelo honey

Dinner:
~Pretty Beets & Carrots (recipe from my fave cookbook, Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)
     shredded raw beets
     shredded raw carrots
     ginger (fresh is best, but I forgot to get some, so I used ginger powder)
     garlic
     evoo
     cider vinegar
     scallions
     salt & pepper 

 
I adore this simple recipe. I always thought I hated beets, but I was adventurous & tried this recipe anyway a few years ago. The raw, shredded beats are delicious! All you do is combine the ingredients. Today was the first time I had a food processor to shred the veggies, which made it even easier & faster to make. Yum! If you want to be fancy, you can place the salad on a lettuce leaf, as recommended in the recipe.
~red leaf salad with carrots & balsamic vinegar, evoo dressing 
~fresh pineapple
~raw almonds

Snack:
rice cake with crunchy almond butter
grape soda - caffeine free

October 17 - Day 2
Breakfast:
~omelet with cheddar cheese, mushrooms & onions
~water
~hot chocolate
~all vitamins & supplements

Lunch:
~Avocado Pate (recipe from the book)
     avocado
     fresh lemon juice
     hard boiled egg
     salt, pepper, paprika
(I didn't love this recipe, but my avocado wasn't quite ripe so I'm going to try it again).
~rice cake
~raw almonds
~organic cherry hard candy
~mocha cappuccino - Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein (I love this drink! It has some coffee, so I feel like I am getting my coffee fix, but it never hurts my stomach & has good ingredients. I can definitely use the extra protein).

Dinner:
Tonight was my first party on my new nutritional plan, lucky for me they had some yummy options! I was prepared to eat when I got home, if necessary, so it was nice to be able to eat with everyone.

cheese
~fresh strawberries, pineapple & grapes
~green salad with balsalmic vinegar dressing
~ice water

This is all so new to me, I am feeling a little nervous. I know wheat is a very common, sometimes sneaky, ingredient. I know as do more research I will be able to start to relax.

I'm proud to say I resisted the delicious-looking bread, pizza, pastry dessert & birthday cake! Woo hoo!

Snack:
~honey crisp apple
~Sleepytime tea with tupelo honey (my fave tea!)
~organic cherry hard candy

October 16, 2010 - Day 1

I'm ready to get serious about changing my diet and using nutrition as a tool to help manage my endometriosis. Therefore, I am declaring my intention here, for all to see, to help hold myself accountable. I'm reading the book "Endometriosis: A Key to Healing and Fertility through Nutrition" by Dian Shepperson Mills & Michael Vernon as my main source of information.

Wish me luck friendos!

To get started, I am going to start a wheat-free diet today. Yesterday, I bought all of the recommended vitamins and supplements (on page 257) & started taking them all today.

I'm actually excited! I am going to focus on all of the amazing, healthy foods I can eat, instead of thinking about all the ones I can no longer eat.

Today's the first day of my healthier life.

Breakfast:
~water
~one (delicious!) Honey Crisp apple, peeled
~bowl of steel cut oats, splash of organic 1% milk
~one (cage-free vegetarian fed) egg scrambled, splash of organic 1% milk
~Tension Tamer tea
~all vitamins & supplements

Snack:
~one rice cake
~apple cider

~Pepsi (I'm going to give this up soon too, but I decided to have one today. I'm focusing on the wheat-free aspect of my plan & I needed to reward myself).

Dinner:
~Ahi tuna - pan seared with evoo, sesame seeds, salt & pepper
~steamed brown rice with organic red kidney beans
~raw almonds

~cranberry & Bacardi rum cocktail with lime