Yeast Free Living

Posts Tagged ‘Candida Diet Menu’

 I have been feeling a little bit down lately.  I am still struggling to find a good routine and this week I will have to figure out how to add Jr. Cheerleading practices to the mix.  I feel like there is just not enough time in the day but I am trying to be patient with myself and just conquer one task at a time.   Last week went pretty well living yeast free.  That is once I was able to get all of our supplies from the grocery store that I needed to execute the weekly candida diet plan.  Preparing dinner in the morning whether fully or partially has been helping so much and I will continue to do this so that we continue to eat healthy.   

I am breaking out the Crockpot for the entire  week because our schedule is going to be extremely demanding.  In the past when my schedule has gotten crazy I have resorted to fast food and usually ended up abandoning my yeast free lifestyle and this is not what I want to happen this time around.   I am counting on the Crockpot to make things a bit easier for me this week.  I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Be well,
Tennille

This Week’s Candida Diet Menu – August 22, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Yeast Free Chicken Nuggets and Yeast Free Baked French Fries
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Ratatouille over Brown Rice

Monday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Lime Chicken over Brown Rice

Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Italian Style Tuna Salad over Romaine Lettuce 
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Sofrito Chicken over Brown Rice

Wednesday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Egg Salad on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Mexican Style Goulash over Brown Rice Pasta

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Greek Style Crockpot Stew

Friday
Breakfast: Bowl Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Chili and Baked Potatoes

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Salad
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore over Brown Rice

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

I had a great weekend but I feel entirely unprepared for the work week ahead.  Today seemed to go by so fast and  I just wasn’t in a meal prepping mood earlier today.  I didn’t get motivated to prepare food for the week until late afternoon.  Now I am rushing to get the kids to bed and prep for the week.  I hate when I am not prepared but I will stop beating myself up and just try to get as much done as I can.  I have to remember that it is not always going to go perfectly. 

I am still behind with posting recipes but I feel like I will have some time to catch up this week.  My oldest daughter finished theater camp last week so now the kids will both be at the baby sitter’s house for the remainder of the summer.  This means I will not have to coordinate people to pick her up from camp or rush out of work like a crazy person to go and get her.  It is so easy when you can drop off and pick up the kids from the same place, it really saves a lot of time.  The baby will actually be going to Pre-K 3 at the same school as my oldest daughter in September so pick up and drop off should continue to be easy even when school starts.  

I can’t believe that school is only a few weeks away.   The summer always goes by so quickly.  I really didn’t get the chance to take the kids on vacation this year and since I am classified as temporary right now at my job vacation  is not going to happen the way I originally planned.  Last year I had an entire week with the kids  in Orlando, Florida and was hoping to do something similar this year.  I knew my oldest daughter would be a bit dissapointed so I discussed with the children how important it is for me not to take any time off  of work right now.  Instead of a one week vacation we are going to go on local outings every other weekend until school starts.  The first of these mini trips will be happening next weekend.  We will be going to my BFF Michele’s family’s house in Pennsylvania.  The kids are going to be able to swim in the lake, play with the ponies and ride quads.  They are really excited about this as am I.  Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Ocean City, Maryland and Newark, Delaware are other possibilities in the coming weeks.       

I am a little intimidated by taking these  trips while trying to cater to both my kid’s allergies and the candida diet but I will just have to do the best that I can to plan.  I am going to enjoy the rest of the summer as yeast free as possible.  I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer.  Be well, Tennille.   

This Week’s Candida Diet Menu – August 8, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Cabbage Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Beef Goulash over Brown Rice with Green Beans

Monday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs with Green Beans

Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Italian Style Tuna Salad over Romaine Lettuce 
Dinner: Yeast Free Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes

Wednesday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Egg Salad on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Summer Vegetable Soup and Yeast Free Cabbage Salad

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Barbecue Chicken, Rice-A-Roni with Green Beans

Friday
Breakfast: Bowl Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Tikka Masala with Green Beans

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Ramen Noodles and Salad
Dinner: Yeast Free Italian Style Chicken Breast with Pasta and Green Beans

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

As you probably guessed things are extremely busy for me right now.   The new job is going really well but it is of course leaving me with little time for anything else.  I am really going to have to get used to juggling a full-time job and life again.  Although I am extremely happy and so grateful to be back to work I do miss being able to experiment with yeast free recipes in my kitchen all day long.  I also miss posting and sharing about my triumphs and struggles on a frequent basis.  I will come up with a schedule to follow in order to keep things fresh here on Yeast Free Living but I am just trying to adjust to my new 9 to 5 life.  Hopefully I will get the hang of this soon.      

I did great resisting temptation in the office last week.  Those of us that work in offices know that this is one of the toughest places for a dieter to stay on track.  The  cafeteria at my job has everything that you could imagine to eat and I almost got snagged by some oatmeal raisin cookies in the vending machine last week.  I have declined lunch with a few of my co-workers so that I would not end up being tempted.  I simply explain to them that I am on a diet that eliminates most processed foods and find it a struggle to eat in the cafeteria.  No further explanation is usually needed after that and I don’t feel like I am being so anti-social.  I have been bringing Candida diet friendly snacks to the office and eating yeast free sandwich fixings on rice cakes for lunch.  The beverages I enjoy at work are water and green tea. 

I am feeling pretty good about everything.  It is sometimes a struggle to prepare yeast free food every single day but I am determined to make this work.  I pulled out the Crockpot this morning to prepare dinner and now I will go home to a fully cooked, tasty yeast free meal.  I am trying to prepare the bulk of dinner in the morning before I go to work to make things easier in the evening.  Most of us do not want to cook after a long day of work so I am hoping that doing it in the morning will make things easier.  I am however a morning person so I understand that this may not feel easier to many non-morning people out there.  Well I hope that all of my fellow candida dieters are doing well.  If any of you have tips for preparing yeast free meals in a hurry we would love to hear from you.  Please leave your ideas in the comments section.   Be well, Tennille. 

This Week’s Candida Diet Menu – August 1, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Cabbage Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Baked Salmon, Brown Rice and Spinach

Monday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Lamb Stew

Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Italian Style Tuna Salad over Romaine Lettuce 
Dinner: Yeast Free Lemon Garlic Tilapia with Brown Rice and Asparagus

Wednesday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Egg Salad on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Soup and Yeast Free Cabbage Salad

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Baked Chicken and Cuban Style Rice and Beans 

Friday
Breakfast: Bowl Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Leftover Yeast Free Baked Chicken and Cuban Style Rice and Beans
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and Yeast Free Baked French Fries
Dinner: Yeast Free Cheeseless Crockpot Lasagna

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

So it’s back to work tomorrow for me.  I am really excited but I am a bit nervous, not really about the job but about work-life balance.  It has been quite a while since I have had to juggle working outside the home and the children.  This can be a daunting task as many of you probably know and that is why I am trying to get as prepared as possible for the week.  I spent the day getting organized.  I picked out all of our clothes for the week, ironed them and hung them all up so that getting dressed can be as easy as possible in the morning.  I went food shopping for all the ingredients for the meals and snacks on this week’s candida diet menu.  I prepared and froze yeast free gluten free pancakes to easily reheat for breakfast in the morning.  I filled up my car with gas and replenished my E-ZPass account.  I feel good about my preparation today but especially about getting all the food in order for the week.  The last thing I want is for this job to be an excuse for me to cheat on the candida diet.  I am committed to using my Sunday’s to prepare for the week ahead.  Well it is getting late and I should go to bed at a decent hour since I have to get up early now so good night and wish me luck! 

This Week’s Candida Diet Menu – July 25, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Cabbage Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Baked Salmon with steamed asparagus

Monday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs

Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Italian Style Tuna Salad over Romaine Lettuce 
Dinner: Yeast Free Hamburger Helper Lasagna 

Wednesday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Egg Salad on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Cream of Broccoli Soup and Yeast Free Cabbage Salad

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Cacciatore with Spinach

Friday
Breakfast: Bowl Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Leftover Yeast Free Chicken Cacciatore with Spinach
Dinner: Yeast Free Easy Chicken Noodle Soup and Salad

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with no syrup
Lunch: Yeast Free Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and French Fries
Dinner: Yeast Free Barbecue Chicken and Yeast Free Rice-A-Roni

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

I realize that it is extremely bad blogging etiquette to just stop posting, after posting quite regularly, for an entire week without even a heads up.  I do apologize for just abandoning ship last week but it was not at all intentional.   A nasty stomach virus rendered me completely useless from last Friday to Monday.   I tried to get up to write many times but was unable to sit up long enough to complete any one thought.  I really could not believe that I was sick for almost 4 whole days.  I tried to take it as a sign that my body needed rest but I was really just pissed off that all I could do was just lay around.  I was also angry because I felt like it was just completely bad timing, as I was supposed leave for my long awaited road trip.  My ex’s mother agreed back in January to watch my girls for 1 week during the summer so I could take a solo vacation.  My original plan to go to Aruba with my BFF Sandra got cancelled due to financial reasons but I figured I should still keep that week open to do something.  I decided that I was going to take a road trip although I had no idea where I wanted to go.  I eventually decided that I would venture up the East Coast to Massachusetts.  The plan was to leave really early on Monday morning, like 3:00 AM early, but I was still too sick.  I was beginning to think that there would be no trip at all but by Monday afternoon things were finally on the up-and-up.  I made the necessary adjustments and the revised plan was to leave on Tuesday at 3:00 AM.  Unfortunately, I woke up late and feared sitting in a lot of traffic so I waited until about 10:00  AM  to start my journey, thinking that the traffic would be a little lighter then.  The trip to Massachusetts is about 4 1/2 hours so I stopped at the library to borrow some CD’s before I got on highway to keep me entertained during the drive.  As I was leaving the library I got a call from a recruiter that I have been working with.  It was definitely good news and great timing, as one of the companies that they were targeting wanted to interview me today or tomorrow for an open position.  I explained that I was literrally on my way to Massachusetts and asked if they could please see me today so that I could then leave tomorrow.  So I got delayed again but for a very good reason.   I could not help but think that if I did not get sick I would have already left for my road trip and may have missed this job opportunity.  It never ceases to amaze me how things work out just perfectly sometimes.  I had an interview on Tuesday afternoon and found out Wednesday on my way to Massachusetts that I got the job.

I stayed in Danvers, Massachusetts which is about 6 miles from Salem.  My trip was short but sweet taking in the following attractions:

Peabody Essex Museum
John F. Kennedy Presedential Library and Museum
Salem Witch Museum
Necco Factory (Necco Wafers are my absolute favorite candy, but I swear I didn’t eat any.  I  just took a picture with the big Necco Wafer statue in front of the factory) 

I only stayed for two days but it was just the right balance of rest and fun.  Since this blog is about living yeast free the big question is was I able to take this trip and stay on the candida diet?  No, I didn’t stay on the diet during my trip.  I found it difficult being on the road so much and trying to find yeast free options.  I am sure that if I had made an effort I could have done it, but I didn’t so I won’t make excuses.  I have to say that after eating complete junk for two days I was very happy to get back home and return to eating yeast free.  Although short, I really did have great trip and it was exactly the change of scenery that I needed. 

This Week’s Candida Diet Menu – July 18, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Leftover Baked Chicken, Brown Rice and Beans
Dinner: Yeast Free Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie and Spinach

Monday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch:  Yeast Free Italian Style Tuna Salad Over Romaine Lettuce
Dinner: Yeast Free Spaghetti Squash and Yeast Free Cabbage Salad 

Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Turkey, Avocado and Tomato on Rice Cakes 
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Cacciatore and French Style String Beans

Wednesday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Yeast Free Taco Salad
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken with Vegetable Soup and Yeast Free Cabbage Salad 

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Hemp Milk
Lunch: Yeast Free Egg Salad on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Ratatouille

Friday
Breakfast: Bowl Oatmeal with One Packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Cucumber and Hummus on Yeast Free Gluten Free Tortilla
Dinner: Yeast Free Baked Salmon and Steamed Asparagus

Saturday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs and 2 Rice Cakes
Lunch: Yeast Free Cream of Broccoli Soup
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Lamb Stew

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

I hope that everyone had a great holiday weekend.  So I guess it is back to cooking today after using up all of the leftovers from our 4th of July barbecue yesterday.   Using leftovers is actually really important for the candida diet.  Since we have to cook nearly everything from scratch and convenient foods are few and far between, cooking large quantities of yeast free meals and freezing them helps you to stay on task.  I am glad that we had enough food left over so I didn’t have to cook anything yesterday because I was exhausted.  I started cooking on Saturday and then went to a barbecue Saturday afternoon with the girls.  We got home later than I would have liked to on Saturday night and then I started preparing for the beach.  Sunday morning we got up really early, not early enough as we still hit traffic and had trouble finding a park, and headed to the beach.  The beach was gorgeous and we had such a good time.  We headed home from the beach early afternoon because I had to get home and finish cooking.  We had our barbecue late Sunday afternoon and then it was off to our local fireworks display.   I basically passed out after putting the kids to sleep on Sunday night.  Yesterday was a blur mostly trying to clean the house and keep the kids entertained.  I was still really tired but I did take them to the park for a little while. 

It really was a terrific 4th of July weekend and it was honestly all yeast free.   I am entering my 3rd week of staying on task with the candida diet and I am feeling much better.  It of course has not been easy but each day I make it through it gives me more and more strength to say no to temptation.  The only thing that I really missed this weekend was alcohol.  I wanted a beer really bad at one point but I resisted and the craving eventually past.   So I guess I do have some willpower after all.  Have a great everyone! 

Candida Diet Menu for the week of July 4, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: Bowl of puffed rice cereal with unsweetened soy milk and a packet of stevia
Lunch: Turkey, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free 4th of July Barbecue

Monday
Breakfast: Yeast Free 4th of July Barbecue Leftovers 
Lunch: Yeast Free 4th of July Barbecue Leftovers
Dinner: Yeast Free 4th of July Barbecue Leftovers

Tuesday
Breakfast: Bowl of Oatmeal with packet of stevia
Lunch: Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Hamburger Helper and String Beans

Wednesday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with unsweetened soy milk and 1 packet of stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken and Vegetable Soup and Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing 

Thursday
Breakfast: Two boiled eggs with sea salt and ground black pepper and two rice cakes
Lunch: Turkey, avocado and tomato salad with creamy herb salad dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Ratatouille with Brown Rice

Friday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with unsweetened soy milk and 1 packet of stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Pot Pie and Steamed Broccoli

Saturday
Breakfast: Leftover Yeast Free Chicken Pot Pie
Lunch: Salad with Tuna and Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Easy Yeast Free Chicken Noodle Soup and Spinach

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

Going food shopping is the household chore that I dislike the most.  I try to get up really early on Saturday or Sunday morning every week to get this task accomplished but if I wake up after 8:00 AM I usually put off food shopping until another day.  The food store is packed on both Saturday and Sunday and I am easily frustrated when there are too many people around.  I need my space to move around freely and find what I need and this is very difficult to do at the supermarket on the weekends.  The downside is if I do not make it to the supermarket on the weekend my week often starts off on the wrong foot.  Executing my candida diet menu without all of the necessary ingredients makes living yeast free very difficult. 

So today I was faced with the dilemma of going to the supermarket with the masses, as I woke up at 9:30 AM, or risk being unprepared for the week.  I managed to get myself together and ventured out to the supermarket armed with a list for each store that I have to visit in hand.  Two hours and 4 stores later I am ready for the week and I am happy that I sucked it up and just went.  It was annoying but I got it done and that means one less thing to take care of during the week.  I am looking forward to this week’s menu because there are a few meals on it that I have not made in quite a while.  I hope that you all have a wonderful yeast free week. 

Candida Diet Menu for the week of June 27, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled eggs with sea salt and pepper, 2 rice cakes, green tea with lemon and 1 pack of stevia
Lunch: Turkey, Avocado, Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Beef Stir Fry and Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing

Monday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with No Syrup
Lunch: Tuna with Yeast Free Mayonnaise on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Tortilla Crusted Chicken with Green Beans

Tuesday
Breakfast: Two Boiled Eggs with sea salt and pepper and 2 rice cakes
Lunch: Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and a Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Tortilla Crusted Tilapia and Steamed Vegetables

Wednesday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with 1 packet stevia and unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Shrimp with Brown Rice and Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing  

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Yeast Free Egg Salad with Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Italian Chicken Breast and Green Beans

Friday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with 1 packet of stevia and unsweetened soy milk
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Yeast Free Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken with Rice and Spinach

Saturday
Breakfast: Bowl of Oatmeal with 1 packet of stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Chicken Noodle Soup
Dinner: Yeast Free Taco Night

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Yeast Free Salsa, Yeast Free Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

I hope that everyone had a great weekend.  My weekend was fun filled with lots of activities and unfortunately lots of temptation which I did succumb to more often than not.  A trip to Broadway to see the Lion King with my oldest daughter’s Girl Scout Brownie troop was the highlight of my weekend.  I really enjoyed the Lion King and had such a great time hanging out with the troop and their parents.  It was truly a great time but their was entirely too temptation around.  As we passed several hot dog stands on the way to the theater I thought to myself “What’s a trip to NYC without a dirty water dog?”   I resisted the hot dog but could not resist the pizza later in the day.  The cheating continued into Sunday for Father’s Day.  The girls wanted to take dad out to dinner and he chose Cubby’s.  Cubby’s is our local BBQ restaurant which I have only ever been to once before because I know setting foot in there will mean candida dieting disaster.  A pulled pork sandwich, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw were the highlights of my cheating.  It is no wonder I am feeling so sluggish today.  I feel like a candida dieter fraud as there was no yeast free living going on this weekend.  My brother commented on my failure and asked me what I was doing going to Cubby’s after joining the gym just last week.  Lol, I know its ridiculous and I feel like I am on a candida diet roller coaster.  I am hoping getting to the gym more this week will help me to exhibit a little more will power.  When I start to work out I realize how hard it is to burn off all of those useless calories that I consume when I cheat.  Well I am just going to put one foot in front of the other and do better this week.  Have a great week!

Candida Diet Menu for the week of June 21, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled eggs with sea salt and pepper, 2 rice cakes, green tea with lemon and 1 pack of stevia
Lunch: Salad with Tuna and Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Hamburgers, Yeast Free Baked French Fries and Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing

Monday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes without Syrup
Lunch: Turkey, Avocado and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Crockpot Lamb Stew and Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing

Tuesday
Breakfast: Two Boiled Eggs with sea salt and pepper and 2 rice cakes
Lunch: Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and a Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Baked Salmon, Brown Rice and Spinach

Wednesday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Avocado, Turkey and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Vegetable Soup and Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing  

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Tuna on Rice Cakes with homemade mayonnaise
Dinner: Yeast Free Taco Night

Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with 1 Packet Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Brinner

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes without syrup
Lunch: Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and a Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie and Spinach

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Homemade Salsa, Homemade Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

I am finally feeling better and ready to start the week prepared.  These last two weeks have been very difficult for many reasons but not having my usual candida diet menu to guide me only made things that much more stressful.  Without my candida diet menu the question what’s for dinner can become pretty overwhelming.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again preparation is the key ingredient to succeeding on the candida diet. 

Yesterday I actually tried my hand at making yeast free barbecue chicken.  It came out pretty good but I definetly need to tweak it a bit.  I will be attempting it again on Tuesday and hopefully it will be ready to share then.  Yeast free Rice-A-Roni has become a new favorite in my house and it will most likely have a permanent place on the weekly candida diet menu from now on.  I am so excited to be feeling better and I am really looking forward to starting the week.  I hope everyone is well.   

Candida Diet Menu for the week of June 14, 2010

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled eggs with sea salt and pepper, 2 rice cakes, green tea with lemon and 1 pack of stevia
Lunch: Salad with Tuna and Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Hamburger Helper Lasagna with Spinach

Monday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes with No Syrup
Lunch: Turkey, Avocado and Tomato on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Aloo Phujia with Green Beans

Tuesday
Breakfast: Two Boiled Eggs with sea salt and pepper and 2 rice cakes
Lunch: Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and a Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Barbecue Chicken with Brown Rice and Spinach

Wednesday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Yeast Free Chicken Salad with Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Chicken Noodle Soup and Salad

Thursday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Yeast Free Chicken Salad with Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Lemon Herb Chicken with Brown Rice and Broccoli

Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with 1 Packet Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Tilapia and Tomatoes with Brown Rice and String Beans

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes without syrup
Lunch: Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing and a Baked Potato
Dinner: Yeast Free Baked Chicken with Yeast Free Rice-A-Roni and Spinach

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Homemade Salsa, Homemade Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea

I have been dragging myself around for the last two weeks not quite sure why I was feeling so negative and completely unmotivated.  Every little thing from yeast free cooking, to cleaning, to working, to playing with my children has been a challenge.  I have also been watching a lot more television and have been unable to get to sleep at a decent hour.  I have been cheating on the candida diet frequently mostly at social outings.  This is usually because I have not taken the necessary time to prepare candida diet friendly food for these outings.  So yesterday I sat in deep thought for a while and finally admitted to myself what was going on.  I am depressed.  I am so very depressed and I am not sure how to shake it.  I know that sticking to the yeast free diet and exercising are key to getting through this but when I feel like this I do not want to do either. 

I do have both a personal and family history of depression so I am familiar with what is going on.  I do see a therapist every other weak but do not take antidepressants.  I actually used to take them but my insurance stopped covering the name brand Wellbutrin and the generic did not agree with me.  I was not willing to keep experimenting with different brands so I gave them up.  I have done pretty well without them considering everything going on but this last couple of weeks has been tough. 

I don’t want to get into all of my problems now.  I am sure many of my problems are real but I know that some are imagined.  I think my biggest anxiety and the driving force for this bout of depression is money.  I was laid off last year and although I have been trying to work here and there I have been unable to find anything steady.  This is what is keeping me up at night and makes me anxious and depressed all of the time.  I am not sure how to cope with this but I am really scared.  I have managed to keep things together on a  limited income but I am still scared.  I apologize for not having shared any of this in my earlier posts but I did not realize it was bothering me so much.  The first months of being laid off were exciting, as I was getting some much needed rest and I thought surely I would find something in a few months but now it has been a year and that excitement has turned into fear. 

I know that I just have to keep looking and the right thing will come up.  I also know that not sticking to the candida diet will only make my depression worse.  Maybe I am predisposed to depression  because of my genes but there is a link between candidiasis and depression and maybe my candida problems are making my depression worse.  Actually, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are all linked to candidiasis and yeast free diets have helped many with these problems.   Maybe if I get back on track I will feel better and then can really focus on finding a great job. 

Candida Diet Menu for the week of May 23, 2010
Sunday
Breakfast: 2 Boiled egg with sea salt and pepper, 2 rice cakes, green tea with lemon and 1 pack of stevia
Lunch: Turkey, avocado, tomato and lettuce on a yeast free gluten free tortilla
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Ratatouille

Monday
Breakfast: Leftover Yeast Free Ratatouille
Lunch: Two Eggs Fried and 1 Rice Cake
Dinner: Yeast Free Aloo Phujia

Tuesday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes
Lunch: Baked Potato and Salad
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Lamb Stew

Wednesday
Breakfast: Puffed Rice Cereal with Unsweetened Soy Milk
Lunch: Turkey, Avocado, Lettuce and Tomato on a Gluten Free Wrap
Dinner: Yeast Free Creamy Spinach Soup and Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing

Breakfast: Cream of Buckwheat Cereal with Stevia
Lunch: Tuna with Yeast Free Mayonnaise on Rice Cakes
Dinner: Yeast Free Beefaroni and Salad

Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal and 1 Packet Stevia
Lunch: Yeast Free Cabbage Salad with Creamy Herb Salad Dressing
Dinner: Yeast Free Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Saturday
Breakfast: Yeast Free Gluten Free Pancakes
Lunch: Yeast Free Chicken Nuggets and Yeast Free Baked French Fries
Dinner: Yeast Free Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie

Weekly Snacks and Beverages
Sage Valley Corn Tortillas Chips, Air Popped Popcorn, Cucumbers, Homemade Salsa, Homemade Hummus, Mineral Water, Green Tea