Small Victories - A Personal Update

     I had an appointment with my endocrinologist this morning. In the past, he has told me that what I eat and my daily living habits will not change my Hashimoto's or affect my thyroid function, so I haven't shared with him that I started AIP. I want to see if I get results purely based on what I'm doing on my own. I've already noted how much better I feel, but I also wanted to see if anything was changing "internally". 

     The first thing he noted on my chart when he walked in was that I had lost 10 lbs. since my last appointment with him in December. I told him that it had come off in the past 45 days or so (wink, wink). He reviewed my TSH and noted that I was doing well on my newly reduced dose! He had lowered my dose about 2.5 weeks ago when I called in to report some hyper symptoms. He felt my thyroid and liver, noting no changes in either. Heart sounded good. BP was excellent. 

     Then I asked if he could review the results of some standard blood work that my PCP had recently ordered for me. My PCP hadn't followed up with me since he ordered them, so I figured he had no concerns. Still, I wanted the chance to understand what the numbers meant for myself. He pulled them up on his laptop and started looking over the 3 pages of numbers. As he looked them over, he made a few utterances under his breath such as, "Huh... oh... hmm... Wow!" Trying not to be nervous, I waited until he was finished. He looked up from his laptop and said...

"Those are some of the best numbers I've ever seen!"

     Relief washed over me as he explained further that my cholesterol levels were "excellent", my blood sugar was "perfect", and everything else looked simply "fantastic"! He reviewed what some of the numbers meant and again exclaimed that he rarely sees blood work results like that. 

That's the most animated I've ever seen him. 

     Quite pleased with myself, I left the office with a little pep in my step, thanking God for creating food that is truly good for me to eat. I might not always love following AIP, but this is why I do it. I knew that I felt better and knew that it was good for me to eat like I have been, but hearing results like these in such a short amount of time (around 45 days) is really uplifting and motivating!

Bacon Olive Salad Dressing (AIP)

I can't believe that I used to buy bottles of salad dressing filled with processed junk. Even if I chose a "healthy" option, ingredients like canola oil and preservatives were often included. I've been making my own salad dressing for a little over a year. It's so easy and can be very simple! Since starting AIP, I've tried to be more creative in general with the foods that I'm eating. I threw this vinaigrette together the other day and I'm absolutely loving it! 

First, add 1/2 cup of olive oil to a blender or food processor.

Then add 2 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled.

Next, add 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar.

Then, toss in 1/2 cup of pitted Kalamata olives.

Finally, toss in one whole garlic clove. Put the lid on (yes, some people need that added instruction) and pulse until the bacon, olives, and garlic are broken down (but still in small pieces) and combined evenly in the olive oil. Pour it into your favorite salad dressing bottle (I prefer this one) and store it in the fridge. 

I'll be honest. It's not a visually appealing salad dressing. But it definitely makes up for it in taste. I promise.

I enjoyed mine on a salad of mixed greens, salmon that had been cooked in the bacon fat leftover from making the dressing, avocado, and an extra piece of crumbled bacon on top.

Note: The oils might solidify while stored in the fridge. To get it back to a liquid consistency, simply fill a bowl or small container with warm water and allow the dressing bottle to sit in the water for about 5-10 minutes. Shake before using!

Note #2: This was good the day I made it, but tasted even BETTER the second day. If you have time, try to make the dressing in advance to allow for the flavors to meld.

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 2 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 garlic clove

Add all ingredient to a blender or food processor. Pulse until broken down into small pieces and combined with oil and vinegar. Store in salad dressing shaker in the fridge. Enjoy!

Some Easy Meal and Snack Ideas!

    When people ask me about why I eat the way that I do (or why I can't have a certain food), I explain my diagnosis and that I follow AIP (The Autoimmune Protocol). The question that is usually the first to follow is:

So what DO you eat?!?!?

That's a great question! I eat a lot of fish, meat, and veggies. I incorporate some fruit, but try to limit it to 2-3 servings a day. I drink bone broth and add it to recipes. I add collagen (Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate Unflavored Beef Kosher Gelatin, 16 oz.) to smoothies and other liquids. I make my own gelatin gummies to snack on.

It's a learning process. I'm planning on making my own fermented saur kraut this weekend and am also looking into making water kefir. Occasionally I will buy a bottle of AIP kombucha, but that stuff can be expensive! 

There is a lot of food prep and cooking time involved if you're on AIP. But sometimes meals can be really simple! Since people have been asking this a lot lately, here are some examples of average meals that I eat:

(Pan seared Salmon with steamed broccoli and sliced avocado)

(Brussels sprouts, bacon, and shrimp sauteed together. A one-pan meal!)

(A pork chop, roasted Brussels sprouts, and half an avocado sprinkled with sea salt and lime juice)

(Salmon seared with Coconut Aminos and basil along with a pile of leafy greens and creamy citrus avocado dressing from Mickey Trescott's AIP Cookbook)

(Bacon wrapped chicken thighs with Brussels sprouts. Also a one-pan meal!)

(Barbecue chicken legs with sauteed squash and sweet potato hash. AIP barbecue sauce is also from Mickey Trescott's AIP Cookbook!)

(Chicken wrapped in prosciutto! I ate this with sauteed spinach and garlic.)

(Roasted spaghetti squash can be used for "Hashbrowns" or as a pasta substitute with some nomato sauce or garlic and olive oil!)

(This was my anniversary dinner! My husband and I went to Texas Roadhouse and I was easily able to order an AIP compliant meal. Grilled steak (no butter or seasoning), a sweet potato, and steamed broccoli!)

(These are the Strawberry Lemonade Gelatin Gummies that I make. Very easy and tasty! A great option for kids!)

My breakfasts usually consist of a smoothie with spinach or kale, baby carrots, avocado, and some type of frozen fruit along with small meat patties (that's usually where I stick the offal) and a mug of bone broth on the side. I also try to keep shredded beef on hand and I will often eat that with mixed greens. Snacks can be any vegetables or small servings of fruit. Some people even make their own jerky. There are lots of options!

I'm definitely still working on adding variety to what I eat so that my body gets the nutrients that it needs. I'm a work in progress, but so far I'm feeling really well! I hope some of these meal ideas will encourage you or someone you know to give AIP a try. It's not as complicated as it seems and once you start, you realize how simple it can be. Good luck! 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts (And an Update on the Side!)

Sooooo... This happened yesterday:

What you see there is a skillet full of deliciousness. Wait, let me rephrase that... What you see there is an AIP compliant skillet full of deliciousness!

I'm coming off of a really rough weekend. The good news is that my latest blood test that I took 2 weeks ago showed that I am slightly hyperthyroid. That's good news because it means that my thyroid is functioning more than it was previously. My endocrinologist called me and said that since it was just on the border, he wanted to keep me at my current medication dosage and have me redo my bloodwork about a week before my upcoming appointment with him later this month. 

I was good with that.

The bad news is that apparently I had become even more hyper since my bloodwork. I had trouble sleeping at night last Wednesday and Thursday, then did not sleep at all Friday and Saturday. My heart was racing. I felt like I had just finished running a mile as fast as I could all day on Saturday. 

ALL. DAY. 

My resting heart rate was 96. I was getting headaches anytime I stood up or started to do anything that brought my heart rate up. After some support from my favorite AIP Support group on Facebook, I called in to my doctor's office and left a message. They don't have on-call service so I decided to skip a dose on Sunday. By Sunday evening, I finally started to feel a little bit better and was able to get some sleep. I took my meds on Monday and my doctor called to tell me he had called in a lower dose (YAY!!!) and still wanted bloodwork done before my next appointment. 

I feel much better today (Tuesday) after getting sleep for two nights in a row. Unfortunately, I missed a weekend of food prep. Those on AIP know that prep is KEY! I work full-time, so being able to prep food on the weekends makes following AIP much easier throughout the week. 

I had Bible Study at my church yesterday evening after work, so by the time I got home and was thinking about dinner for hubby and me, it was almost 8pm. Our bedtime is 9pm... Not that you needed to know that.

 I opened my fridge and did the stare. You know the one... What little brainpower I had left started to work and I assembled a dish in my mind. And get this... It's a ONE-PAN meal!

First, I grabbed two bone-in chicken thighs and seasoned them with a little bit of sea salt. Then I schlepped some coconut oil into a cast iron skillet. Cast iron is WONDERFUL! I love that I can start something on the stove and then finish it in the oven! Lodge offers pre-seasoned cast iron cookware at a really affordable price. This is the skillet I used for this meal:

If you're looking to buy a small set, my husband got me this one for Christmas two years ago and I love it! 

Anyway, enough about heavy duty, long lasting, durable, indestructible cookware...

Heat the coconut oil on medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Be careful, you might get some hot oil spit at you. 

It's worth it. 

Let the chicken sear until the skin gets golden brown and crispy. This might take about 10 minutes, but varies depending on how hot your pan is, so check it every so often. While the chicken sizzles away, grab some Brussels sprouts. I used about 1/2 pound. Chop the nubby end off and either halve or quarter them, whichever you like. I did both.

Pay no attention to the shadows... I have very poor lighting in my kitchen. 

Don't forget to check your chicken now and then. The pan would have to be really hot to make the skin burn, but keep an eye on it just in case. In preparation, lay two slices of bacon down next to each other on a flat surface near the chicken. 

Note: This flat skillet just happened to be next to the skillet with the chicken, so I used it as a surface to wrap the chicken. The burner is not on. You can lay the bacon on a cutting board or a plate or whatever surface you'd like. I didn't want to dirty a cutting board. 

I'm lazy like that. 

When the chicken skin side is brown and crispy to your liking, turn the stove off, stab a piece of chicken with a fork and place it skin side UP in the middle of the bacon.

Stop and admire the beautiful, golden chicken skin... Then wrap it up like a baby in a blanket.

Snug as a bug in a rug.

Then return it back to the skillet with the skin side still up, just as you wrapped it. Do the same with the other chicken thigh. When both thighs are wrapped with love and returned to the skillet, then add the Brussels Sprouts to the pan around the chicken thighs. Toss them a little with a fork to get them coated in the oil from the bottom of the pan. 

Normally I would say to sprinkle a little sea salt on the sprouts, but.... there was only one piece of bacon left in the pack. 

One piece. 

Before I knew it, the extra piece was chopped up and tossed in with the Brussels... I had no control over my actions.

Then I put the whole skillet into the oven. 45 minutes later...

It was beautiful, it was salty, it was crispy, it was DELICIOUS! Sometimes not being prepared isn't so bad... :)

Here's your recipe in case you had trouble following my blathering: 

• 2 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 TBSP coconut oil
• 1/2 pound of Brussels Sprouts
• 4 pieces of bacon (5, if you have an evil streak like me and want to add it to the sprouts)
• Sea salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat coconut oil in a heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly salt chicken thighs. When oil is hot, lay thighs skin side down in the skillet to brown and crisp. While chicken is sizzling, chop ends off of Brussels Sprouts and halve or quarter them. Lay two pieces of bacon on a flat surface. When skin on thighs is browned to liking, turn off heat. Using a fork, lay one piece of chicken on the bacon skin side UP. Wrap the chicken in the bacon and return to skillet, still skin side UP. Lay two more pieces of bacon down and repeat with the second thigh. When both chicken thighs are wrapped up and returned to the skillet, add the Brussels Sprouts around the chicken. If using bacon, chop the extra piece and sprinkle around the sprouts. Toss to coat in the oil at the bottom of the skillet. Slide the skillet into the oven for roughly 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160 degrees. When the chicken is done, pull the skillet out and let rest for 5-10 minutes. I don't need to tell you what to do next. :)

This recipe has been shared on Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable!

Creativity - Spaghetti Squash "Hashbrowns"!

Sometimes eating AIP can get a little monotonous, but a little creativity can go a long way! Breakfast is probably the most challenging meal for those who start AIP, since the "usual" breakfast foods (eggs, potatoes, cheese, milk, peppery sausage, pancakes, oatmeal, waffles, french toast, etc.) are not allowed. My personal favorite breakfast overeasy eggs, crispy bacon, and golden, crispy hashbrowns. 

Love.

This is what I made for breakfast on Saturday. It's nothing special, so don't get too excited. I like to be honest. But it was a nice substitute for hashbrowns since white potatoes are a nightshade. It gave me something crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. A little sea salt on top and voila! (That's the extent of my French... don't worry)

First, I fried up a few pieces of bacon and leave the bacon grease in the skillet. This is pretty self-explanatory and doesn't need a picture, but bacon's just so darn purty... so here you go:

Isn't it beautiful! I found uncured bacon at Aldi! WIN!

Ok, now take about a 3/4 cup of spaghetti squash that's already been cooked and shredded with a fork. 

I really wanted to say "spaghettied" instead of "shredded" but I refrained. You're welcome. 

If you're not familiar with how to cook spaghetti squash, simply split it down the middle longways (use a sharp knife, those suckers are tough!), scoop out the seeds and "guts", lay split side down in a baking dish, add 1/4 cup water, cover with foil, and roast at 350 for 30-45 minutes. 

I had roasted one earlier in the week so I used leftovers. I strained the squash through a hand held mesh strainer. I used this one:

I use this thing for all kinds of jobs in the kitchen! I love that it's handheld and that it's fine enough to strain just about anything. Moving on...

I put the squash in the strainer and pushed and pushed and pushed until I got most of the liquid out of it. I even popped it out and flipped it over and pushed and pushed it some more. If you don't have a fine mesh strainer, then try pressing it between two paper towels. 

When you've squeezed as much water out as you can, then form the squash into "patties" with your hands. I had about 3/4 cup of spaghetti squash and made two patties. They were bigger patties, so you can make them as big or small as you like. Turn the stove back on to medium heat and let the bacon grease warm up. When the grease is hot, gently lay your "hashbrown" patties into the grease. 

Depending on how big your patties are, let them cook about 4-7 minutes each side. I like mine extra crispy, so I let them cook for a full 7 minutes each side. While they are cooking on the first side, sprinkle some sea salt on the uncooked side. When you flip them, add a little more to the other side. If they start to come apart while you're cooking them, just smash it back together with a spatula. If you're not following AIP, feel free to use some black pepper or paprika as well!

My breakfast plate. 

Yes, there is a bite taken out of the bottom piece of bacon. I have no patience. *sigh*

Don't be alarmed by how dark the "hashbrowns" are. I meant it when I said I like mine extra crispy. Keep an eye on yours and make them done to your liking. 

These were a great breakfast treat for me! I had them with my bacon and a big mug of bone broth. Delicious. 

Strawberry Lemonade Gelatin Gummies!

The average "fruit snack" product found on store shelves will most likely contain an ingredient list that looks something like this:

"Fruit Juice from Concentrate (Apple, Pear), Corn Syrup, Sugar, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Gelatin, Sorbitol, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Mineral Oil (Adds a Trivial Amount of Fat), Carnauba Wax (Adds a Trivial Amount of Fat), Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1."

Yeeeeeeesh... That's a lot of ingredients. And some of those ingredients require warning labels in other countries due to the known side effects and other health risks involved in consuming them. These are often a go-to snack for kids. What if we could find (or make) a better option?

After doing some of my own research on the health benefits of gelatin, I found that it can be helpful for reducing inflammation, boosting hair, skin, and nail growth, aiding in digestion, and boosting the immune system. That's a product we "autoimmuner's" are looking for in our diet!

I looked into some recipes to get a basic idea, then I experimented to make my own Strawberry Lemonade Gelatin Gummies. These are SO EASY to make, take less than 10 minutes, and only use 5 ingredients! I promise that you can pronounce them all and eat them with confidence! See how cute they are? 

Ok, here's the step by step with the full recipe at the bottom...

First, take some frozen strawberries and chop them into smaller chunks like this:

When you have one cup of chopped strawberries, dump them in a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the strawberries in the blender. If you juice your own lemons, that equals out to the juice of about 3 lemons.

Add 1/4 cup of filtered water to the strawberries and lemon juice in the blender. Blend until it comes together, all smooth and pretty...

Poor into a saucepan on the stove, but don't turn the heat on yet! Add 1 and 1/2 TBSP of honey to the fruit and stir it in to the cold mixture. 

Wire whisk's are wonderful, aren't they? 

While the mixture is still cold, add 1/4 cup of gelatin and stir to combine. If you're curious about what kind of gelatin to use, I prefer this brand:

Great Lakes uses Gelatin made from grass fed beef and is a brand I trust! Amazon sells it and you can check it out here:

Once you add the gelatin, turn the heat on LOW. Continue stirring the mixture for 5-10 minutes. As it begins to heat up, it will become very thin. When it is combined and warm, pour the mixture into a silicone mold that is supported by a baking sheet underneath.

If you don't have silicone molds, you can just pour the mixture into a baking dish and cut into squares after it cools. I used this silicone mold because I like all the cute little shapes.

Then slide the pan with the mold on it (or your baking dish) into the fridge and let set for 1 hour. After an hour, pop them out of the molds and store in a container in the fridge!

These make great little snacks!

Ok, in case you had trouble following, here's the recipe:

• 1 cup chopped, frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 1/2 TBSP honey
• 1/4 cup gelatin

     Add strawberries, lemon juice, and water to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a pan on the stove, but DO NOT turn the burner on yet! Stir in the honey. Add the gelatin and stir to combine. Turn the heat on LOW and continue to stir for 5-10 minutes until the mixture turns thin and is warm. Pour into silicone mold or baking dish. Refrigerate for one hour to allow the gelatin to set. Remove from molds and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!!

This recipe has been shared on Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Rountable!