Q: WHY DID YOU GO GLUTEN & DAIRY FREE?
A: Many years back, I struggled with infertility. In a last ditch attempt to get pregnant, I went through multiple back to back fertility treatments. The treatments were unsuccessful, and the aftermath of fertility drugs left me feeling physically sick and tired all the time.
I was ultimately diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Hashimotos Thyroiditis. I didn’t get a lot of medical guidance back then – I was prescribed a synthetic thyroid and sent on my merry way. The prescription didn’t help me feel better, but I slogged along feeling shitty for a number of years.
Recently, I’ve learned to be my own health advocate, and I found the right relationships with doctors and health advocates to treat my disease and offer solutions beyond a pill. Aside from making a positive change in my medication, I learned that dietary and lifestyle changes would positively impact my progress. Part of the changes initially involved cutting out dairy and more recently gluten. I’m learning to embrace the dietary changes, and thus the birth of this blog.
Q: WHAT DO YOU EAT?
A: For the most part, I follow a gluten-free, dairy-free diet. The Paleo diets sit nicely in my wheelhouse, so you will see a lot of those recipes here. However, I’m not a strict follower of the Paleo diet. If my body craves grains and legumes, I will allow myself to enjoy them in moderation. I subscribe to the 80/20 rule and eating in moderation. I believe this philosophy will help me sustain these healthy habits for the long run, and this is reflected in the recipes that I publish on my blog.
Q: WHY THE ALTERNATIVES OPTIONS OFFERED WITH YOUR RECIPES? YOU DON’T SEEM TO FOLLOW A STRICT DIET.
A: If you are in a household that all adhere to the same diet and eating habits – LUCKY YOU (and I’m a little jealous). People aren’t shy about expressing their preferences at mealtime – nor should they hold back. Still, that shouldn’t mean that you should be cooking three different meals to satisfy different tastes. That makes cooking a chore, not a pleasure.
I’m lucky enough to have a husband who has been supportive of the changes going on our kitchen. He may not subscribe to all of my changes, nor should he have to – he still loves his pasta, bread and ice cream. I was pleasantly surprised when he was digging the Paleo recipes I prepared. The core recipes are satisfying to all family members (just don’t tell them as “paleo, whole 30, gluten free, etc”). I offer up tweaks in serving (i.e cauliflower rice vs brown rice, zoodles vs pasta), so minimal cooking effort is taken to satisfy all taste preferences at mealtime.
Q: DO YOU MEAL PREP?
A: The short answer – YES, it is a MUST! As we’re a household of two, often times the previous night’s dinner becomes the base for meal prep the following day. I will carve out a few hours on Sunday to stock up on produce at the farmers market and do some batch cooking. This investment of time is totally worth it – my health and well-being is worth it.
