**ETA: After writing this blog I realize it’s all ovah the place! What’s new. ;)

What is...
I’m participating in HAWMC, which stands for Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge, and I’m going to be attempting...
Day 15- “Nominate someone for a health activist award & write a post about why you nominated them”
Day 11- “Write about your favorite thing that is not health-related but likely improves your life”
Day 3- “A post about a conversation with your doctor”

It was early January after a long stay in...
Ninety
30/03/2012
Gluten & dairy free chocolate and coffee muffins - we had a bake sale at work to raise money for charity.
Today’s lunch: Shrimp over Cucumber Pesto ‘Pasta’
Just made up the recipe today and it turned out pretty good! I posted the recipe here.
Looks damn good. Going into my to try list.
Greens
I love this picture. I need to remember to eat more greens! -the gluten free artist
Yummy Greens. So many to choose from.
So these past couple of days haven’t been that great. As of last week, my tummy has had a weird feeling like it is getting ready to give me pain and be sick..but it doesn’t get worse. I have been going to the bathroom a little bit more than normal also.
I had been doing so well these past couple of months since going gluten free. My CD has not bothered me since early February. I was hoping that I was on my way into remission. Now, I am thinking I am about to get worse again….damn I hate this disease.
All I keep thinking is No Flare….Please. Spring is here and I want to enjoy the weather. I have my Take Steps walk in June and I want to be able to go to this. I have vacation in July that I really am looking forward to. Please Crohn’s do give me a flare now.
On top of all this, I can feel some depression seeping into my mind. I have been so upbeat and positive these past couple of months and I don’t want all my hard work to get better to just fade away.
I always feel a lot of love from my fellow Crohnies online and I could use some of that love and positivity more than ever now. I just have to remember that I love life and I won’t let this crappy disease (pun intended) get to me. And please…No Flare.
RED QUINOA, CHICKEN AND CHICK PEA STIR FRY. - CLEAN EATING.
Recently I’ve been cooking with two ingredients I never thought I would, and it’s safe to say I use them so much now it’s become an obsession.
- Red quinoa seeds.
- Purple cabbage.
The reputation and suppressed childhood anxieties about the word ‘cabbage’ aside, I decided to put my big girl shoes on and try a different type of vegetable for once. Red cabbage seemed the appealing choice as it contains Fiber, Potassium, vitamin C and Vitamin A, along with helping reduce cholesterol and promote heart health. Who can turn their nose up at that?And the amazingness this is red quinoa?! We’ll save that for the next post (don’t get too excited…)
This meal is enough for 2 people but you can just double it for more.x 1 chicken breast, diced.
x 1 whole long red chili, diced up. You can add the seeds as it’s not a spicy result.
1/2 of a fresh lime. (No bottled juice! It’s full of preservatives!!)
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic.
Cracked black pepper.
1/3 of a cup of pre-prepared red quinoa*
1/4 of a whole red cabbage, diced up.
2 large handfuls of baby spinach.
1/3 cup of chickpeas.
1/3 cup of red beans.
1/3 cup of broad beans.
In a deep pan or wok, heat up the garlic, chili and a few grinds of pepper until they start to brown slightly, add the chicken and the lime juice. Stir until the chicken is cooked. Add the quinoa, chick peas, red beans and broad beans and stir thoroughly for about 1 to 2 minuets making sure all the spices and quinoa are mixed evenly.
Add the cabbage and the spinach and stir until spinach is wilted. Then serve!
Note: If you leave to cook longer the cabbage will loose it’s nutrient quality.VEGETARIAN OPTION:
Obviously the option here is to remove the chicken. However you might think to replace this with tofu, but I suggest against it. Without the chicken the stir fry is still flavor packed and super filling.With chicken removed it also makes for an excellent side dish with Kangaroo steak!
A super easy baked chicken recipe. To defrost, pop your organic chicken in the fridge before leaving for work in the AM, and the prep work when you get home in the evening is almost ZERO.
Basic Baked Chicken Rub:
- Mix the following spices with extra virgin olive oil and coat defrosted chicken breast: Cumin, chili peppers, paprika, cinnamon, sea salt and minced garlic (I like buying the jar of Christopher Ranch Organic Chopped Garlic)
- Bake inside parchment paper preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until baked through.
Served mine tonight with a blend of millet + quinoa, sauteed swiss chard and roasted cauliflower. YUM.
Kitchen Goodies: Quinoa and Steamed Apples
Quinoa is pretty much food of the Gods. My Naturopath introduced it to me a year ago, and it’s really just so good. Not to mention it’s unbelievable healthy. It has 9 essential amino acids, magnesium and fibre, as well as many other great things. It’s become very well known in Australia, and you can now buy quinoa grains, flakes and flour in almost any supermarket.
For this simple recipe, I used red quinoa, which is slightly more bitter than the white grains. I used Agave nectar here, because I was cooking for a friend that is on a sugar free diet - you could use this or brown sugar. I used Jonathan apples, with roughly one one apple per person. Here’s what to do:
1) Put your quinoa grains and water into a saucepan, following the instructions on the packet. 2) In a frying pan, drizzle your agave nectar (or sugar), and place your cut up apples (I left the skin on for extra flavour). 3) Put a lid on the frying pan and let the apples simmer on a low heat to caramelise. 4) Cook your quinoa until it has turned clear, and the apples until they’re soft. 5) Serve out the grains with the apples on top, and drizzle the juices in the frying pan over the top.
So tasty! Enjoy xo caity
This looks so tasty. I love apples and quinoa. Have to make this one day.
Damn, that looks good.
(via glutenfreefatspo)
A couple of weeks ago I made a video on YouTube about CD which I think anyone with IBD should watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvaAUtm0KCk
I plan on making another video this weekend talking about nutrition with IBD and the Gluten Free Diet.
What I want to know is what are some issues you want to see talked about from a Guy’s point of view. I have a couple of ideas for videos but I want to do ones based on what viewers want to see.
So, let me know. No topic is to small to handle or too taboo for me.
I have been doing gluten free for 2 months now and feel amazing. I have made a 100% improvement in my health and have not felt this great in many years. This website has it all…reviews, recipes, list of restaurants, etc. Anyone that is going gluten free…enjoy this website.