Cupcakes!

Downtown Columbia has a great cupcake shop:

http://www.freshcupcakes.com/index.html

It offers "Gluten-Free" Tuesdays. Every Tuesday the store has gluten-free cupcakes baked and ready to be eaten. Just beware that the cupcakes are cooked in a gluten environment and the icing is made with dairy.

I treat myself to one every now and then and savor the deliciousness over a few days.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Fig and Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Dressing

Rotisserie Chicken (Homemade or store bought), Dole Spring Mix Salad, Fresh Blueberries and Strawberries, Fig and Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Dressing 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tbl Alessi White Balsamic Fig Infused Vinegar, 1 Tsp Poppyseeds, 1/2 Tsp Garlic, 1/2 Lemon, juiced, 1/2 Tsp Honey, 1/2 Tsp Ground Mustard, Salt & Pepper, Mix and pour desired amount over salad. Yummmmmmm!

Cappuccino - Dairy-Free Style

Coffee! That dark substance that makes the world go round. That aroma that gives me a reason to get up every morning. And that kick that jump starts my brain. How I love coffee. And how I've missed it these past two years. You see, I'm not your die hard coffee drinker, like my husband who drinks it black. I'm more of the "foofoo" coffee drinker. I looked forward to November and December when Starbucks brought out their holiday latte's. Gingerbread Latte, Peppermint Mocha, Eggnog Latte and my all time, any time favorite, Cappuccino........Why am I torturing myself! All those beautifully manufactured slices of heaven topped with a mound of fresh whipped cream...all made with DAIRY. There is a option, though. Soy. Unfortunately, soy milk is highly processed and has had mixed reviews on whether it is a truly good option. But for me, it is not an option at all. My body reacts to it as if it is milk. So what is a coffee loving fool to do? 1. Accept that change is a good thing. (after a time of mourning, pouting and denial) 2. Order Americano, add a shake of nutmeg powder and keep packets of non-dairy creamer with you at all times. (most coffee shops don't keep non-dairy creamer in their stores- shame on them) 3. Make your own at home. To Espresso add: Frothed mixture of Rice Dream Vanilla Rice Milk and Nestle Coffee-Mate Non-Dairy Creamer. Add a squirt of honey for sweetness and a dollop of Cool Whip. It may not taste as sweet and smooth as the lovely Latte's but it satisfies my coffee desire and keeps my body on track.

I think everyone can remember a specific date or time when something in your life changed. There are those big moments and then those moments that seems big to only you. I had that moment in November 2010. That year had been a rough one for me. I was trying to eat healthy but the harder I tried, the sicker I seemed to get. I started out by adding more whole-grains to my diet, along with more fruits and vegetables. I had never liked the taste of milk so I alternated between Soy Milk and Almond Milk. What I thought was a positive change in my life ended up hurting me in the long run. At first the symptoms were tiredness and a touch of nausea. The bloating and heartburn came next. Then the bathroom visits became either a regular occurence or only a memory. And it's amazing what a physical illness can do to you emotionally. Irritation and depression began to reveal itself along with the ups and downs of weight. The breaking point came when two things starting happening: 1. I found myself up many nights, leaning over the toilet, needing to expel my stomach of its' contents but desperately wanting to keep it down. 2. Severe lower stomach cramps that left my stomach tender to the touch and me curled up in the fetal position. I had begun to research my symptoms as they grew more intense and went to a Nutritionist who confirmed what I already knew. Gluten! She advised me to take not only gluten, but soy, milk and yeast from my diet. That was almost two years ago. I am now gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free (with the exclusion of a small amount of butter and an egg every now and then), yeast free, avacado and peanut-free (these two items just don't jive well with my stomach) I decided to set up this blog because that first year of changing my eating habits was hard. I was looking for answers, help and any encouragement I could find. I found some help on blogs and spent a lot of time on Webmd.com. I read labels like crazy in the grocery store and experienced a lot of ups and downs with my symptoms. I went to a Doctor while experiencing the height of my symptoms but got little help, with the exception of a prescription for my stomach cramps. I had a colonoscopy which revealed Diverticulosis. I changed Doctors and found a fantastic Internist who listened to every symptom and detail of the last year. She ran a series of tests which included test for Lupus, Hepatitis C, Crohns Disease, Celiac (blood test only), Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcers and any sign of cancer. All were negative. She concluded that I had Severe, Chronic IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). In some ways it was harder NOT to have a concrete diagnosis. I wanted to be able to say, "I have _______", and then learn all I could about it and manage my life around the problem. But IBS is so vague. It's like a "catch all" diagnosis. All I know is that I can't eat gluten, yeast, soy, dairy, avacados and peanuts without feeling a strange pain in a certain spot under my ribs and then symptoms of bloating, nausea and heartburn occur. So even though I haven't tested positive for Celiac and have other food sensitivities, being Gluten-free is the biggest part of my regime. And the hardest! I hope this blog helps others on their way to becoming much healthier and happier. It will include recipes, articles, products that help me out and even tips on where to eat out. I look forward to this journey.