New Food and Being Grateful

    I am kind of at a standstill right now as far as introducing new foods. I joke with my doctor about this process and I am not sure he is very appreciative of some of my comments. Sometimes I have a tendency to be a little...sarcastic...(*gasp*). I know...it's hard to believe! When people ask me what I am doing to lose weight, my first response is, "I'm on the no food diet." Ha! I crack myself up!
     Last week, Dr. S asked me if there was anything else I could think of to introduce before the big gluten, corn, carb introduction. I responded, "Unless it is ice cream or chocolate, I am good for now." Again...not appreciative.
    In ALL seriousness...this diet has worked wonders for me and I am feeling better than I have in years! I am grateful I found this program. I am grateful for my family and friends and their support. I am grateful I can actually make it through the day without a nap...that one is a stretch as far as being grateful since I love naps. But, I don't actually have to nap to function. YAY! I still have some rough days...I probably will for awhile...but overall, I am feeling great!

New recipe to try this weekend:

Millet-Quinoa Tortillas
Dry Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup millet flour (or brown rice flour)
• 1/4 cup quinoa flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon corn-free baking powder (Hain brand or homemade for corn-free)
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum (I use a corn-free variety from Authentic Foods)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons pure honey or agave syrup
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening, such as Spectrum

Makes 6 tortillas
In the bowl of your electric mixer use the paddle attachment to combine the dry ingredients on low speed.
Add the wet ingredients and continue to mix until a dough forms around the paddle. Mix the dough on medium speed for an additional minute. The dough will be slightly sticky and springy. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 30-45 minutes.
After chilling, divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form each into a round ball. Keep the dough balls lightly covered with plastic wrap as you work to prevent them from drying out. On a lightly-floured counter, press down one ball at a time with your finger tips, until you have a flattened disk of dough. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the tortilla to 1/8 inch thickness. Preheat a greased skillet to medium-high. Cook tortillas one at a time for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side, flipping carefully with a thin spatula.
The cooked tortillas will have golden brown spots on both sides and may bubble a bit as they cook. Flip the finished tortillas onto a plate, stacking them on top of each other as you go. Cover with an inverted plate as the little bit of steam that’s created is key. Serve warm. Store in an airtight bag in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat tortillas on a hot skillet or briefly in the microwave to regain their flexibility.
 
From: www.freeetsfood.com

I will post about how it tastes!! 

The Buffet And Drink More Water

    Right before school started, hubby whisked me away to Vegas for the weekend and some shopping to celebrate my weight loss (28 lbs so far). We weren't able to go to any of our usual places to eat because of the dietary restrictions. California Pizza Kitchen isn't exactly on my list of "foods that make me feel good" even though it is YUMMY! :) We decided to go to a buffet because of the variety of food offered. Can't go wrong there, right? NOPE! We went to the buffet at the M Hotel. Lots and lots of salads but no salad bar...and it was $40 per person. I couldn't handle paying that much money to NOT be able to eat the foods offered. So we ended up at Sunset Station. They had a salad bar...lettuce and a few toppings. Not the greatest salad bar I have been to, but at least I could eat something. I was thinking they would have some cooked veggies and some fruit. NOPE! I quickly learned that while the buffet claims to offer something for everyone, they don't have many options for those people carefully watching what they eat. It was a learning experience and I now know it is better to special order from a restaurant than go to a place with a variety of pre-made options.
     A similar thing happened when we took the kids to Golden Corral over the weekend. Even though it was a breakfast buffet and breakfast traditionally consists of pancakes, french toast, burritos...breads, I was hoping for some healthier options. The eggs had been sitting out and were rubbery and the fruit was from a can or not very tasty because it wasn't in season. It was very difficult to be there and watch everyone else eat. I learned I have pretty strong will power when it is really important. I didn't even cheat!! I am now back to making my own meals and not embarking on the adventure called "eating out" at this stage in the game!

WATER

     I've always known it is important to drink a lot of water. I never kept track of how much water I drank...I knew I drank more Diet Dr. Pepper than water, but that has water in it, right? Since I started this healthy way of eating, I have been very conscious of how much water I drink since it is ALL I can drink. I am actually starting to like and crave it. Strange!! I did start getting my plastic cup at Maverik and filling up with water after I blogged about that as an option. Some places charge full price but Maverik only charges $.25. It's a bargain and so much better for me! It costs $1.00+ for a bottle of water and I don't feel like "cool" because I have a big ol' fountain drink! So that makes it pretty easy to remember how many of those I drink throughout the day.
     Over the weekend, I didn't even drink one full cup on Saturday. I was feeling it the next day. My bones were aching and I had the worst headache I have had in three months. The good part was that I knew it was lack of water and was able to fix the problem pretty quickly. :) I just keep learning from this experience! I am grateful I found Red River Health and Wellness and I am relieved I feel really good this week!