Yeast Free Living

So I am finally feeling better today.  I guess that the corn syrup laden cough medicine helped a bit because I was able to get some sleep last night.  The Yeast Free Pot Pie from last night’s dinner came out pretty good and I will post details as soon as possible.  The crust was a little thicker than I like so I will adjust accordingly next time.  We had a lot of running around to do after school yesterday and so I did not feel like cooking when we got home.  I am really surprised that I was able to even get the pot pie done as we did not get in the house until after 7:00 PM.  This is probably why I just don’t feel like cooking today.  I usually fight this feeling but today I have decided to embrace it.  Does this mean that I am going to revert back to convenient non-candida diet food for the day?  Of course not.  A few things have happened over the last few months that makes this minimal cooking day possible.  I have read so many labels in the store that I now know what convenient foods we can get away with in a crunch.  Applegate Farms makes all kinds of hot dogs and lunch meats that have no preservatives that help me with quick meals.  Ian’s Alphatots were such a great find, as they are alphabet shaped french fries that contain no additives.  Puffed rice cereal has also been great for a quick breakfast or when the kids don’t want to eat what I made for dinner.  For the first time in a while I feel like there are a few things that I can throw together quickly when I just need a break.  I will not make this a habit because convenient candida diet friendly food is very expensive but it is nice to have this as an option today.   Have a great weekend!   

Tennille

Today’s Candida Diet Menu – March 5, 2010

Breakfast
Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Soy Milk (Kids used unsweetened rice milk due to soy allergy)

Mid-Morning Snack
Sage Valley Tortilla Chips

Lunch
Applegate Farm Turkey Breast Sandwich on Rice Cakes
Applegate Farm Uncured Turkey hot dogs and Ian’s Alphatots for kids lunch with organic ketchup

Afternoon Snack
2 cups of air popped popcorn
Kids have Cape Cod Potato Chips

Dinner
Rotini Pasta with Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce

Dessert
Herbal Tea with 1 pack of stevia
1 Piece of fruit for the kids

So I went to the doctor right after I dropped off the kids this morning.  I was so scared that I would have to take antibiotics but fortunately the strep test was negative and my chest was clear. They diagnosed me with a viral infection (common cold) and suggested I get some over the counter medicine to suppress my cough as all of my coughing is irritation my chest and throat.  I probably should have dragged myself to Whole Foods to try to find a candida friendly cough medicine but I just stopped at CVS and got the Tussin DM with all of the corn syrup.  I hope that you guys are not too disappointed, I just really want to stop coughing and finally get some sleep.  I was up late last night again and do not want another night of this.  I know this choice is contrary to the candida diet way but I promise to get back on task as soon as I can get some sleep. 

The Homemade Yeast Free Hamburger Helper came out great last night.  Everyone was thrilled with it so it will become a regular part of the candida diet menu.  Tonight I am going to try a Homemade Yeast Free Chicken Pot Pie.  Pot Pies are another favorite of mine so I hope that I can master a candida diet version.  Have a great day! 

Today’s Candida Diet Menu – March 4, 2010

Breakfast
Gluten free pancakes with no syrup (Kids ate it with pure maple syrup) 

Mid-Morning Snack
Sage Valley Tortilla Chips

Lunch
Applegate Farm Turkey Breast Sandwich on Rice Cakes
Kids Rotini Pasta with Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce

Afternoon Snack
2 cups of air popped popcorn
Kids have Cape Cod Potato Chips

Dinner
Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
Broccoli

Dessert
Herbal Tea with 1 pack of stevia
1 Piece of fruit for the kids

So I attempted to make homemade yeast free Hamburger Helper for my candida diet menu.  I am happy to report that it rocked.  My only regret is that I did not make enough for leftovers.  Having eaten Hamburger Helper for so many years and never really bothering to find out what I was eating I began to think about it frequently over the last few weeks.  Today I decided to take a look at the ingredients and I was appalled to find out what was actually in Hamburger Helper.  I do not want to re-live my disgust so I will just share that it is nowhere close to being candida diet friendly.  I really wanted to try to create a candida diet version of Hamburger Helper, so I bought one pound of ground turkey (we use ground turkey because my youngest has a beef allergy you may prefer lean ground beef if you do not have this issue) and crossed my fingers that I would be able to create one of my favorite processed foods.  I am sure that those of you who are recovering from eating out of box and/or cans will be happy to try this recipe.  It is one of my best yeast free recipes to date and was regarded very highly by the non-candida dieters in my house.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Homemade Yeast Free Hamburger Helper Ingredients – Candida Diet Recipe
1 Pound Ground Meat (I used turkey because of a beef allergy but ground beef or even ground chicken may be desired)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder (probably could use cornstarch, potato starch or gluten free flour to help thicken up the sauce a bit if you don’t have arrowroot powder)
1/2 cup unsweetened vegetable broth (I used a Trader Joe’s brand that is safe for the candida diet)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk ( I used unsweetened rice milk because of a soy allergy)
2 cups water  
16 ounces brown rice pasta fusilli (I use the Trader Joe’s brand)

Homemade Yeast Free Hamburger Helper Directions – Candida Diet Recipe
Spray Large Skillet with non-stick cooking spray

Brown ground meat until no longer pink
Drain to remove fat and excess oil

Mix together seasonings and arrowroot powder

Return meat to pan and add water, milk, vegetable broth
Add seasoning mix and stir thoroughly
Add pasta to the pot
Cook on covered on medium heat for about 20 – 30 minutes, or until noodles are cooked

I am still feeling pretty lousy today.  My cough kept me up all night and I just can’t shake it.  If I am still sick tomorrow I may have to go to the doctor.  I have been avoiding going to the doctor because I just don’t want to take an antibiotic.    Taking antibiotics almost always means that I will be battling a yeast infection in the the coming weeks.  I apologize if that is too much information but I am sure many of you get the same fear when you are prescribed antibiotics.  I guess if it comes to that, which I think it is going to because I can barely stop coughing while I am typing this and have a burning sensation in my chest , I will just have to take protective measures.  I will make sure to pick up a quality probiotic and some plain yogurt and pray that I can somehow restore friendly bacteria to my system while the antibiotic is killing all of the bacteria in my body.  Overuse of antibiotics is one of the main causes of candida overgrowth.  Antibiotics are extremely useful in killing the bad bacteria that causes illness but does not discriminate and also kills the good bacteria that helps to keep the candida in check.   I also just really dislike going to the doctor but I guess I have to stop whining and take care of myself. 

I am exited about the menu tonight.  I am going to try to make yeast free homemade Hamburger Helper.  Hamburger Helper is another one of those prepared foods that I could never get enough.  I loved when it was on sale so I could stock up.  All you need is a pound of ground meat and voila, you have dinner.  I checked out a box of the Beef Noodle one in the store this morning in order to see what the ingredients were in it so that I could make a yeast free version.  I am amazed that I had never done this before.  How could I have ate something for so many years and not even know what was in it.  Well I’ll tell you what is in it and it isn’t pretty:

Wheat Flour- Mentioned as a sub-ingredient of three of ingredients.  Definitely not a good idea for avoiding gluten.
Maltodextrin – Still not sure what this is but I would bet money that it can’t be good for us.
Salt – Usually contains dextrose, which contains sugar and is no good on the candida diet.
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein – I am not sure what this is either but it doesn’t sound good either.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – Oh No!!! 
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil – Didn’t they determine that partially hydrogenated anything was like eating plastic?
Yeast Extract – Was this really necessary after all of the other stuff?

I am shocked at how many bad ingredients are in this one box and even more shocked that I had been eating it and feeding it to my family.  I guess there is no use getting frustrated.  Nowadays I know more about the food that I am eating than I ever thought I would.  This new awareness is helping me make better choices for me and my family.  I am looking forward to making a healthy yeast free version of Hamburger Helper. 

 Today’s Candida Diet Menu – March 3, 2010

Breakfast
Gluten free pancakes with no syrup (Kids ate it with pure maple syrup) 

Mid-Morning Snack
Cucumber with Sea Salt

Lunch
Applegate Farm Turkey Breast Sandwich on Rice Cakes
Kids have Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

Afternoon Snack
2 cups of air popped popcorn
Kids have Cape Cod Potato Chips

Dinner
Homemade Yeast Free Hamburger Helper
French Cut String Beans

Dessert
Herbal Tea with 1 pack of stevia
1 Piece of fruit for the kids

I feel like crap today.  I am sick.  I am not sure what is wrong with me but I have come down with something.  My head, throat and stomach hurt.  I have tried to take it easy and get a little rest today.  I managed to sneak in a brief nap.  I think I just really over did it this past weekend and my body is not happy right now.  I tried to keep the menu simple for today in order to give myself a much needed break.  I wish I could learn to take a break before I crash.  Such is life I guess.  I am going to try to get to bed early tonight. 

Today’s Candida Diet Menu – March 2, 2010

Breakfast
2 boiled eggs with sea salt and pepper
Gluten free pancakes with no syrup (Kids ate it with pure maple syrup) 

Mid-Morning Snack
Cucumber with Sea Salt

Lunch
Brown Rice Pasta with Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce

Afternoon Snack
2 cups of air popped popcorn
Kids have Cape Cod Potato Chips

Dinner
Baked Salmon and Asparagus with Brown Rice Pasta

Dessert
Herbal Tea with 1 pack of stevia
1 Piece of fruit for the kids

I have such good news to share with you.  I have stumbled across a commercially available vinegar free salad dressing.  I am still in disbelief that this actually exists.  I had completely given up my search for such a product, as reading the labels on the salad dressings in the supermarket proved to be in vain.  Most of the commercially available brands have vinegar, citric acid and/or added sugars that make them off limits on the candida diet.  

I was very disappointed that I could not find a candida friendly salad dressing as salads are one of the first meals that you think of when dieting.  Salads are such a good way to enjoy a variety of raw vegetables which is encouraged on the candida diet.  Many resources suggest just using a little bit of lemon juice and olive oil but this did not really appeal to me and I pretty much gave up salad for a while.  When I found a recipe for several yeast free salad dressing recipes in the Candida Control Cookbook by Gail Burton I was thrilled.  I find that her Creamy Herb Salad Dressing is the best and goes well with most types of salads.  Although I was very thankful for these recipes there are times that I would still avoid salad because I just did not feel like taking the extra steps to prepare these dressings.  I actually became so frustrated last week at the thought of making yet another bottle of Creamy Herb Salad Dressing that I just omitted salad from the menu for the night. 

It seems like such good timing that I discovered this dressing.  I belong to a Yeast Free Recipes group on Facebook and in one of the comments someone mentioned this dressing.  My first thought was “This is too good to be true, there has to be at least one ingredient that is not allowed on the candida diet.”    I quickly Googled it and found the ingredient label.  The Ingredient in Annie’s Naturals Lemon & Chive Dressing are as follows: Expeller-pressed Canola Oil, Water, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Sea Salt, Shallots, Mustard Flour, Black Pepper
Chives and Xanthan Gum.  So I was wrong this dressing is okay for the candida diet.   I looked for it in the special dietary needs aisle at Stop & Shop and although they had other Annie’s Naturals dressings they did not have the Lemon & Chive one.  I did not have time to get to Whole Foods but I did call to see if they carried it and they informed me that they did.  I was finally able to pick up a bottle today and taste it.  I actually put a little bit on my cucumber for snack and it pretty good.  It is very lemony but has a good mix of flavors and it is very creamy.  It reminds me of ranch a bit.  I do prefer the Creamy Herb Salad Dressing that I make to this one but when I am time starved like so many people are I will make sure to have this around.  The only negative about this dressing is that it has xanthan gum.  It is okay for the candida diet but my oldest daughter cannot have it because of her corn allergy.  I still believe that this is worth having around even if I use it exclusively for my lunch salads.  It cost me $3.49 at Whole Foods.

I hope that everyone had a great weekend.  My weekend was really good but to be honest it was just plain offensive to the candida diet.  My friend celebrated her 30th birthday this weekend and as I had confessed last week I am having a little trouble sticking to the candida diet when I am social settings.  Needless to say after 4 Apple Martini’s, yes 4, on Saturday night I was not feeling so good on Sunday.  Besides for the fact that I had a hangover many of my candida symptoms returned.  I am sure eating pizza after we were done partying did not help either.  I am feeling a little better today physically but definitelyguilt ridden.  I was doing so well on the diet but as soon as I am thrust into a social setting I get all flustered and do not know how to maintain the yeast free lifestyle that is so crucial to my health and overall well being.  I guess there is no use crying over spilled milk.  I will try to regroup today and press on.  After  

Today’s Candida Diet Menu – March 1, 2010

Breakfast
Gluten free pancakes with no syrup (Kids ate it with pure maple syrup) 

Mid-Morning Snack
Cucumber with Sea Salt

Lunch
Turkey and Avocado salad with Lemon and Chive Salad Dressing

Afternoon Snack
2 cups of air popped popcorn
Kids have Cape Cod Potato Chips

Dinner
Yeast Free Taco Night

Dessert
Herbal Tea with 1 pack of stevia
1 Piece of fruit for the kids

The kids had a snow day yesterday after more than 24 hours of straight snow in New Jersey.  I was not been able to get much done.    That is why my daily Today’s Candida Diet Menu post has morphed into Yesterday’s Candida Diet Menu post.  Although I was not able to get much done I did build my first snowman with my children.   It is hard to believe that I have lived in the northeast my entire life and have endured so many snow storms and had never built a snowman before yesterday.  It was an awesome experience and the kids had so much fun.  

So crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Soup did not go so well on Thursday.  So this brought my record down to 3 – 1.  I thought I could redeem myself on Friday with a traditional family favorite that I had while growing up it is called Hoppin Johns but my children did not go for this one either.  So I finish the week 3 -2.  It is so hard to find recipes that everyone will eat in my family. Most children are such picky eaters really only liking a few foods and these foods were abruptly taken away from my children when diagnosed with food allergies.  Somedays I still don’t know where to begin with feeding them.  There are few things that I can prepare for the quick now and when I put my heart and soul into a meal and they barely taste it I feel so defeated.  I have learned to keep some bags of puffed rice cereal around just in case this happens.  Puffed rice is safe for both of my children to eat so if dinner does not go well I offer a bowl of this and only this to the children.  I have made it clear that I am not a diner and I will no longer make food to order.  I did that for a while.  Letting each child choose what they wanted and I was exhausted.  No more! My goal is to put tasty, healthy, allergy / candida diet friendly foods on the table and if they choose not to eat they do have alternative.  Well here is yesterday’s candida diet menu.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Yesterday ’s Candida Diet Menu – February 26, 2010

Breakfast
Leftover Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Kids ate puffed rice cereal with unsweetened rice milk

Mid-Morning Snack
Cucumber with Sea Salt

Lunch
Chicken Nuggets
Baked French Fries

Afternoon Snack
2 cups of Air Popped Popcorn
Kids have Cape Cod Potato Chips

Dinner
Crockpot Hoppins John with Brown Rice
Kids ate puffed rice cereal with unsweetened rice milk

Dessert
Herbal Tea with 1 pack of stevia
1 Piece of fruit for the kids

I do miss cheese from time to time on the candida diet so I really didn’t know how I would do with a cheeseless lasagna.  The only time I really craved cheese was when I was pregnant.  My favorite pregnancy food was pizza and I always needed extra cheese.  Prior to that I never really thought about it much, I could always just do without.  There are however some things that you just get used to having cheese on like baked ziti and lasagna.  When I start to adapt a recipe I always wonder if I am tampering with an ingredient that should not be tampered with.  “Will if even remotely resemble the original food,” I continuously think to myself.  It doesn’t always work out but I am happy to say that this cheeseless lasagna worked out well in my house.  I did buy slices of mozzarella cheese for my oldest daughter to melt on top a there is no reason that she cannot eat cheese.  With her many allergies I do not want to eliminate anything else from her diet.  I used vegetables and ground turkey meat between the the layers.  The lasagna noodles are made byTinkyadaand contain brown rice, rice bran and water.  I did have to brown the turkey meat before I put it in the crockpot so there is an extra step required. 

Crockpot Cheeseless Lasagna Ingredients
1 box brown rice lasagna noodles
1/2 pound ground turkey meat
1 zucchini chopped
5 oz of baby spinach leaves 
1/2 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 containers Pomi strained tomatoes
1 can (12 oz) tomato paste
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Oregano
4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley 
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Crockpot Cheeseless Lasagna Directions
In a large skillet brown turkey meat. 
Add onions and garlic.
Cook until meat is know longer pink and drain off grease.
In large bowl add mix tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, parsley, sea salt and pepper. 
Cover bottom of crockpot a thin layer of sauce.
Add a layer of lasagna noodles.  (About 1/3)
Add a layer of sauce. (About 1/5)
Add a layer of turkey meat. (About 1/2)
Add a layer of zucchini and spinach. (About 1/2)
Add a layer of sauce (About 1/5)
Add a layer of lasagna noodles. (About 1/3)  
Add a layer of sauce. (About 1/5)
Add a layer of turkey meat. (Remaining 1/2)
Add a layer of spinach and zucchini. (Remaining 1/2)
Add a layer of sauce. (About 1/5)
Add a layer of lasagna noodles. (Remaining 1/3)
Cover the last layer of noodles with the remaining sauce. (Remaining 1/5) 
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

 I am huge soup fan and indulge it whenever I can.  It is such a comfort food and always makes me feel warm and cozy.  This is especially the case today as it has been snowing here in New Jersey for atleast 10 hours.  I used to indulge in the the canned varieties but nowadays I know better.  Canned soups are filled with all kinds of additives which are not allowed on the candida diet.  Autolyzed yeast extract, monsodium glutamate (MSG) and citric acid are 3 of these additives that are extremely common. 

At first I was a little intimidated making my own soup but then I found some good chicken broths/stocks that were okay for the candida diet and have been experimenting ever since.  I have found that soup is something that is very easy to adapt to the candida diet.  Although I have made soup before and there are other soup recipes on this site this is my first time making it in the crockpot.  It was very easy and I plan on doing it more often.  I hope that you enjoy the recipe.    

Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Soup Ingredients
1/2 Pound of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast 
4 cups (32 oz) Unsweetened Chicken Broth/Stock
4 cups water  
3 stalks celery sliced 
3 carrots sliced
1 zucchini chopped
1 medium onion chopped  
2 cloves garlic chopped
Sea salt and pepper to Taste

Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Soup Directions
Combine all ingredients in Crockpot. 
Cook on low for 5 – 7 hours. 
When done use a fork to shred the chicken (Should fall apart very easily)