A new blog

So, with the recent increase in pelvic pain and the possible new diagnosis of IC, I have decided to start a new blog. It will be raw and filled with personal emotions. It won't always be pretty, but life never is. I need a safe place to vent, no judgments or unwarranted opinions. Somewhere I can be me, and work through things. If you want to check it out, do, here's the link.

This week's gluten and dairy free menu

Monday: Grilled chicken with spinach pesto and rice penne. This was on last weeks menu, but we had leftovers that day, so we are having it today.

Tuesday: Fajitas. I am going to make both beef and chicken, so that we can have extras. Serve with corn tortillas, refried beans, rice and your favorite toppings.

Wednesday: Spaghetti with meatballs. I will make turkey meatballs. Mix ground turkey, an egg, some gf bread crumbs to bind and Italian seasoning. Brown them up in a pan, then transfer them to the oven to finish cooking through. I make a simple homemade sauce. Toss a couple of carrots, a clove or 2 of garlic and a half an onion in the food processor. Saute them in some olive oil. Add a can of Italian chopped tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, and a tbs of tomato paste. Season with basil, oregano, parsley, s&p. Let simmer for an hour or so. Serve over a bed of rice spaghetti. Serve with a green salad.

Thursday: Fajita soup. It is going to be stormy all week, so I thought it would be a good time for a soup. Mix your leftover beans in a large pot with a box of gluten free chicken stock. Add the leftover fajita meat. You can add just beef or just chicken or both. Add in the rice. Top with some sliced avocado and toasted corn tortillas.

Friday: Tuna salad. Mix it up however you like it. I like celery, apples, pecans, pickle relish and of course mayo. I will have mine with rice snaps.

Saturday: leftovers

Sunday: Roast and root veggies. Prep everything (potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, garlic) the night before. Go ahead and put it in the crock pot so that you can just put the pot in and turn it on in the morning. Season to you liking. Make a gf gravy by mixing the juices with corn starch. Yummy.

This week's gluten and dairy free menu

I am feeling so much better since I started my menus back up and am eating gluten and dairy free again. I have also realized that I am most certainly bothered by gluten and not just wheat. I ate wheat free rice crispies (not gluten free, thanks to Barley Malt), and they made me terribly sick to my stomach. I will be seeing a GI next week and hoping for some real answers. For now, it is gluten and dairy free for me!

Monday: Turkey breast steaks, baked sweet potatoes, green beans with mushrooms. I'm in the mood for a holiday inspired meal. Season the turkey with poultry seasoning ans s&p. Brown them up in a big skillet with a little olive oil. Once golden, transfer to the oven to cook through. Thinly slice some mushrooms and onions and sautee them in the pan big skillet the turkey was cooked in. Once they have browned, add some whole frozen green beans and cover with a lid. I'll bake the sweet potatoes in the microwave, then serve with some dairy free butter substitute and brown sugar and cinnamon.

Tuesday: Cooper has his post-op appointment in Ft. worth, so no meal this day. I will probably go to Pei Wei and eat off of their gluten free menu.

Wednesday: Cubed steak, with peppers and onions. Thinly slice a few bell peppers and onions. Place beef in the crock pot and cover with the peppers and onions, season with s&p. Pour a can of chopped stewed tomatoes over the meat. Cook on low all day until meat is falling apart. Serve over steamed brown rice.

Thursday: Grilled chicken with spinach pesto and penne rice pasta. Grill a few chicken breast on the indoor grill. Then thinly slice chicken breast and toss with spinach pesto and penne rice pasta.

Friday: Hobo dinners. Find the recipe here.

Saturday: Leftovers. I will be scrapbooking all day, so leftovers it is.

Sunday: Pork chops with apples and onions. Thinly slice apples and onions. Toss them and whatever cut of pork is onsale in the crockpot on high when you get up, it will be ready after church. I need a quick lunch, because Amy's baby shower is that afternoon.

This weeks healthy menu

Monday: Baked chicken legs, oven fries, and salad. Super simple. Season and bake the skin on drumsticks on about 400* until crispy and cooked through. The fries are easy too, here's the recipe.

Tuesday: Tostados. Cook up some ground beef seasoned with chili powder, cumin, onion and garlic powder, and s&p. I will probably dice an onion and cook it with the meat. You could use a packaged taco mix, just check that it is gf. Toast up some corn tortillas in the oven until crispy. It won't take long, so watch it close. Top with refried beans, meat, lettuce, cheese and sour cream if you can have it, salsa, guacamole, olives, whatever else you like. That easy!

Wednesday: BBQ chicken thighs. Church night, so I need a crock pot meal. Throw in the chicken thighs, bone in skin on, cover with gf bbq sauce and a little water. Cook on low for several hours until it is falling of the bone. Serve with brown rice and broccoli.

Thursday: Mom's goulash. Here's the recipe. I'll probably fix a green salad to go with it.

Friday: Grilled pork chops, green beans, and baked potatoes.

Saturday: Sesame chicken and fried rice. This is so good, but it takes some time, so that is why I am saving it for Saturday. Here's the recipe.

Sunday: Leftovers. It is going to be a busy week. We have 3 sessions already, so I will need my day of rest.

emb photography

My sister, Emily, and I are just getting started with our photography business. My incredible photographer cousin, Amy, taught us everything we know. We are working on building our portfolio right now and are running a portfolio building special for our first 10 sessions booked. If you are interested in taking part email us at embphotography@gmail.com

We are working on getting a website up, but until then, here is a little of our work.

Finally... a menu!

I have recently become a gluten glutton. And it is painfully clear that I can not tolerate gluten anymore. I don't know if this is a new development since going off wheat/gluten for Cooper, or if I am just aware of it now. Either way, I know I am intolerant of wheat and likely dairy, and I have got to get a grip and start eating right. I decided to have the blood panel for Celiac today and should know the results by the end of the week. This test is not 100% accurate, so even if it doesn't show positive for Celiac, I know I have to avoid wheat/gluten. I have NO energy, have terrible stomach aches, headaches, and feel all around crummy. You may be thinking, "your kid just had surgery, of course you feel like that," but that is just not me. I usually can jump out of bed and pull myself together even when I'm exhausted, but lately I can't even roll out of bed or lift my head off the pillow for that matter. I am not myself at all. So, I hope this bloodwork gives me answers, and the motivation to eat the way that makes me feel best, but even if it doesn't, something has to give. Starting tomorrow, I am going gluten free, again. With out further ado, this week's healthy menu...

Tuesday: Shepard's pie. I made this for the first time a few weeks back. It was so yummy. Here is the recipe:
1 package of ground meat (turkey, beef, pork, whatever you like)
1 onion, finely chopped or grated
2 carrots, finely chopped or grated
2 celery stalks, finely chopped or grated
1 tbsp of tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c of gf stalk (I use chicken, b/c it's what I have)
1 c frozen peas

Saute veggies (except peas) in a little olive oil until tender and starting to brown. In a separate pan, brown the meat, once it is brown, drain and rinse off the fat. Add the tomato paste to the veggies, then add the browned meat, stalk and Worcestershire sauce. Season to your liking with season salt and black pepper. Then add frozen peas. Let it simmer and let everything thicken and combine well. Transfer to a oiled baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes. I make my potatoes with gf chicken stalk, salt and pepper, and a little dairy free butter substitute. Put in a 400* oven for about 30mins until brown on top and bubbly.

Wednesday: Pork stir fry. I'll get whatever cut of pork is on sale this week. Cut it into thin slices and saute with a variety of veggies, carrots, onions, snow peas, broccoli. Serve over steamed rice with sweet and sour sauce.

Thursday: Salmon croquettes. Well have it with beans and oven fries. Here's the recipe.

Friday: Crock pot chicken. I'll get a whole cut up chicken and toss it in the crock pot first thing in the morning with carrots, potatoes and celery. Season it up with poultry seasoning, s&p.

Saturday: Date night at home. Steak, baked potatoes, and asparagus, and maybe some sort of fruit with dairy free chocolate sauce for dessert (made with enjoy life chocolate chips)

Sunday: Easter. We are having lunch at my parents. I'm sure I'll make some gluten free, dairy free options.

a quick update

Sorry I haven't updated on Cooper since we have been home. I have been so tired and super busy. He is drinking great now. He is not eating very good, but he is taking in fluids, which is most important. He isn't really drinking his formula either so he is loosing weight, but thankfully he had it to loose this time. He has lost his cute pot belly, but I'm sure he will get it back quickly once he starts eating again. Yesterday was a better day as far as pain goes, but today hasn't been so good. He woke up kicking and screaming in the night. We gave him his pain meds, and he was able to go back to sleep. Then he woke up around 6:30 and never really went back to sleep. He got another dose of meds this morning and went back to sleep for about 3 hours and seems happier now. The ENT told us that recovery can take 7-10 days. We are 5 days out now, so the end is near. That is all for now. Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers.