The Food Allergy / Pollen Allergy Correlation and Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

I've been sort of running an experiment on myself - I wanted to see if I noticed a difference by not eating gluten.  My first goal was weightloss - it seemed like the safest route to go to lose weight while still breastfeeding.  Yes, Paleo is also gluten free, but I'll admit, I had been struggling to stay with strict Paleo.  I figured if I can narrow down my restrictions to just one thing, maybe it wouldn't be so hard.  Well, with going gluten-free I've pretty much gone back to Paleo, so it was a win-win all around.

And I feel amazing.

I have more energy, my moods are better, I feel more patient, I feel more motivated, I feel like my mental blocks are gone and I can be more creative and just think clearer, it's easier to get up in the morning and I've been staying up at night after the boys to go bed because I'm not dead-tired and dragging by the end of the day anymore.  My workouts are going better, my strength seems to be developing quicker, I tried on a swimsuit the other day and I feel like I don't look half bad!  And my allergy symptoms haven't been nearly as severe as most years even though the pollen counts are ridiculous (there's a green film on EVERYthing outside).

Ah, allergies.  I'd have little flare-ups here and there, but nothing out of control.  I'd use a lavender and tea tree essential oil roll-on I made and it would calm things down for me.  The worst one I've had so far (before last Sunday, anyway) was after we got sushi and then frozen custard on Mother's Day.  But, for the most part I figured I had my allergies under control and gluten was the culprit for my problems.  I'm going to write a more sciency post about gluten soon, I hope.  I still have more research to do (yay!).

Then we went to the Strawberry Festival at a local church and they make this amaaaaazing homemade ice cream that you just cannot pass up.  I passed up the bread rolls with the strawberry jam, but I wasn't passing up the ice cream with fresh strawberries on top.

I think it was not even a half hour later and I felt like someone dumped a pound of sand into my eyeballs and then lit it on fire.  It's like my body's entire defense system against the pollens and allergens was completely disarmed and I was thrown out into the firing squad.  I was miserable.

And I knew it was self-inflicted.  Sure, I do believe I'm a bit gluten intolerant, seeing that I have had so many positive results from avoiding it, but it seems as though dairy is definitely an issue too.  I kind of knew that anyway - back when I was avoiding dairy for Elliot when it was giving him tummy troubles early on, I noticed a lot of positive changes in my body during that time.  But this experience made it pretty clear.  And then I realized that the last bad allergy attack I had was after getting frozen custard the weekend before.  Ugh, maybe I should watch what I consume in the dairy department - at least during allergy season, anyway!

Writing these posts usually takes a few days before actually getting them published.  So it's been a week since I started writing, and I was doing great - I spent the week recovering from the last allergy attack, but no new ones hit and my eyes felt clear and no longer irritated, nor have I been hit with any new sneezing fits.  Then I went to a graduation party and there was this gooey butter cake... need I say more?  Oh my goodness it was rich and gooey and delicious.  And shortly thereafter, my eyes were set on fire and the sneezing hit.  Ugh.  That cake was delicious, but this was not fun, nor was it a fair trade.

Let me clear something up, too.  I've told a few people about my discovery, and I've been met with confusion each time.  "You mean dairy sends you into sneezing fits?  I thought pollen usually did that..."  or "That's weird, you usually associate those allergies with pollens or cats and dogs, not food..."

No, it's not the FOOD that is responsible for my sneezing fits and itchy eyes - it is the pollens that I'm allergic to that irritate my eyes and make me sneeze.  It's the FOOD that weakens my body's defense system and makes me susceptible to the pollens.  My system can fight that off if it's not compromised, and it's compromised when I eat things like dairy and possibly gluten as well.  I'll write more specifically about that later.  But that's what's going on here.  Hope that makes sense.

So.  Unfortunately I had been craving fettuccine alfredo for the last week or so since discovering my dairy problem.  I had bought a carton of half & half and everything, figuring I'd splurge and make the real thing instead of an imitation alfredo sauce.  Nope, nixed that idea.  Into the freezer the half & half went - I may use that sometime in the winter when I don't have to pay for it by having a horrible allergy attack.  For now, it's going to have to be imitation alfredo sauce.

I have no hard feelings about that, though.  Let me tell you, this recipe turned out AMAZING.  I'm not kidding.  I was licking the plate.  It's REALLY GOOD.

Of course I made it out of the ever-versatile cauliflower!  I found the original recipe on Pinch of Yum, called Creamy Cauliflower Sauce, and it sounded pretty yummy.  I tweaked it to my needs, and yes, it turned out pretty darn yummy.  My craving for fettuccine alfredo was satisfied!  In the meantime, I'm taking butterbur supplements, breathing in steam with eucalyptus, tea tree, and lemon oil, diffusing lavender oil, drinking green tea with local honey and fresh lemon juice, and hoping and praying that once the dairy leaves my system, I'll be in the clear.  I promise I won't eat ice cream or gooey butter cake again!!  (Well, until the pollen counts are down, anyway...)

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

1 head of cauliflower (about 5-6 cups of florets)
 32oz vegetable broth or water
8 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil

Boil the cauliflower in the water or vegetable broth in a large covered pot until tender when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, saute the minced garlic in the butter in a skillet over low heat until soft, being careful not to brown it.
Drain the cauliflower and place the florets into a food processor or blender with the sauteed garlic and melted butter, salt, pepper, milk, parsley, oregano, and basil.  Start with 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and add more depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce.  Blend into a creamy puree and serve hot.

I spiralized some zucchini with my handy dandy vegetable spiralizer and tossed it with the sauce and some shrimp in a large pot and cooked it together until the noodles were soft enough to my liking.  And it tasted ah.maz.ing.  I'll definitely be making this again!!

Paleo Banana Muffins

I made paleo banana muffins awhile back and never saved the recipe.  Then here I was with overripe bananas and no recipe to follow to recreate the muffins I made before!  These turned out even better than those, though, so I'm not making that mistake again - I'm writing it down now before I forget!

Harlee used to eat bananas all the time.  I never had to make banana bread with overripe bananas because he'd eat them all before they ever got to that point.  I guess his taste buds changed because he's not as interested in them anymore, and since I don't care for them that much (and apparently Justin doesn't either), and the co-op basket always comes with bananas, we now have the overripe situation.

Bring on the banana bread! Paleo-style, of course.

I found the original recipe on PaleoNewbie.com and added my own twist to it.  Bananas need peanut butter, in my opinion.  And peanut butter needs chocolate.  So, without further ado, I give you:

Paleo Chocolate-Chip-Peanut-Butter-Banana-Nut Muffins  (say that three times fast...)

3 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/2 cup nut butter (I used peanut)

1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup (or more...) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

With a stand mixer or hand mixer, mash the banans and mix with the eggs, vanilla, butter, and peanut butter. Add the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips and nuts) and mix into a batter.  Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Line a muffin tin with baking cups and pour the batter into each one.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick insterted comes out clean.

Enjoy now, or freeze for later!

Mother's Day Weekend Wrap-Up, Motivation, Lemon Caprese Pasta Salad and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Recipes

Hope all you moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  I had the best one yet (out of all four I've celebrated so far).  It was my first one as a mom of two, and my first one as a complete family.  I kicked it off with a trip to Paducah, KY, to run the Iron Mom 1/2 Marathon Relay with a group of awesome gals, and it was a blast!  It was great to get away for an overnight trip too (and Justin did just fine with the boys on his own!).

On Sunday the four of us went out for sushi for lunch (well, Harlee and Elliot didn't have any but Justin and I indulged - we love sushi!), did a little shopping, and got frozen custard later.  Yum!  I'm pretty sure I added back all the calories and then some that I burned off on the run... but oh well.

Now I'm back to the grind.  I did a crossfit workout this morning, then I came across an awesome post by Felicia Newell, a nutrition coach I follow on Instagram and Facebook.  I wanted to share her post with you and reflect on it a bit, both for my own benefit and maybe yours, if it resonates with you.  Here's the link to her post, but I'll copy and paste it in case that link doesn't work.

One of the very first (and most difficult) steps to making a lifestyle change is finding the motivation.

Do you, like many others, struggle with self motivation? Having a hard time getting yourself to your regularly scheduled workouts? Finding more and more reasons to cheat on your healthy diet?

Guess what? You're not alone! We all struggle with motivation sometimes, but I have some tips that can help you self-motivate and reach your goals.

A healthy dose of motivation coupled with determination will get you almost anything in life. So how do you know if you’re genuinely motivated?

- Motivation will tell you to get to your workout no matter what.
- Motivation will nag you to put down the doughnut.
- Motivation makes passing on fries a reflex.
- Motivation makes a sweat drenched workout exciting.
- Motivation constantly reminds you why you do what you do.

Self-Motivating Tip #1: Find Your Motivator.

Motivation stems from having a goal. What is your goal? Why do you want to get into great shape and/or make a lifestyle change?

Once you uncover your personal motivator you’ll find that motivation flows quickly your way.

Take a minute to really uncover the reason that you want to lose the weight. Don’t say something vague like you want to 'Be thinner' or 'Look more attractive.' Dig deeper – there is a very specific motivator in your life, you simply need to uncover it.

Here are some possible motivators…
- I want to have more energy to keep up with the kids.
- I want to improve my health through weight loss to extend and improve my life.
- I want to lose 15 pounds before my vacation.
- I want to restore my confidence to wear sleeveless shirts.
- I want to regain my figure to impress and attract my significant other.

Self-Motivating Tip #2: Make It Official.

When you write something down it suddenly feels official, doesn’t it? Write down your motivator for getting into great shape, and post it where you will see it often—next to your alarm clock, on the bathroom mirror, or in your car.

Each time you see your written motivator take a moment to visualize yourself accomplishing your goal. Try to make the scene as clear in your mind as possible. This is a powerful tool for maintaining your focus and direction.

Self-Motivating Tip #3: Be Practical.

It’s game plan time. You know what you want, and now you need to map out exactly how you’ll achieve it. It is important to be practical in your planning, rather than throwing out ideas that you know you won’t stick with.

With any weight loss goal it is important to 1) maintain a healthy low-calorie diet, and 2) participate in a consistent and challenging exercise program.

Plan a routine that will fit into your schedule and you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Also choose an exercise program that you enjoy—don’t force yourself to jog everyday if you hate jogging.

Self-Motivating Tip #4: Call For Backup.

Enlist the support of your friends, family and co-workers. Tell everyone about your goal to lose weight and get fit, you’ll be surprised how supportive most people will be. By being open about your goals you’ll likely be an encouragement to others to make healthy changes in their own lives.

I really liked that post, and it got me thinking about my own motivation.  I struggle with motivation to work out on my own, to go for a run on my spare time, and to eat healthy as often as possible.  Swimsuit season is fast approaching and I've just felt kinda "eh" about it.  And I know I won't feel that way when it's time to actually go swimming, so to do something about that I need to start NOW.  Apparently I need to dig deeper than the swimsuit though.  What is my motivator?

Feeling good is a motivator.  I came to a realization in the last couple days - when I eat foods that contain a lot of gluten, I have allergy attacks out of this world.  I feel like I have glass in my eyes, my nose is constantly running, sneezing, the works.  If I watch what I eat, I can tolerate the great outdoors without much trouble.  And I've been finding that it's not worth the great taste of food with gluten in it to put up with allergy attacks like that.  Added to that, I feel better all over when I eat right.  I have more energy, I have more mental clarity, I have more balance when I eat right.  Motivation.  And that's my step #2 mentioned above - writing it down.

What is your motivation?  I don't often get comments on this blog.  Feel free to comment your motivation!  Let's work together and fulfill #4!

So how about a couple recipes?

Remember that vegetable spiralizer I mentioned in my last post?  Yeah, that thing has been getting a workout!  I made classic spaghetti (though I just took a shortcut and made meat sauce instead of meatballs) and it was like the real deal.  Honestly, now that I have this spiralizer, I doubt I'll ever mess with a spaghetti squash again.  These zucchini noodles are way closer to the real thing.  They're awesome.

Sorry about the bad lighting...

Yellow zucchini squashes turn out even closer to the look of real pasta!

Basic Spaghetti Meat Sauce

1/2 lb ground beef (or venison in our case)
~ 30oz tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp basil
1/2 tbsp oregano
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef in a skillet and drain off the grease.  Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat.  Add the beef and mix until well incorporated.

I added about two zucchinis worth of noodles to this recipe and cooked it all together until the noodles were soft enough to my liking.

And it was delicious.

So this morning I was feeling inspired and decided to pluck some of my basil growing outside and use up the last of my zucchini  noodles with some of cherry tomatoes we had in the fridge.  Allow me to share my recipe!

Lemon Caprese Pasta Salad

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2" pieces
2 zucchinis, peeled and cut into noodles

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper together (I used a glass measuring cup).  Add the basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese and stir until combined.  Let sit while cooking the zucchini noodles over medium heat in a dry skillet, about 3-5 minutes.  Don't overcook or the noodles will become mushy!  Once they get a bit of a transparent look to them take them off the heat immediately.  Let cool, drain off the water, and add in your lemon caprese mixture.  Toss until well combined and enjoy!

Cooking the noodles a bit

Lemon caprese mixture

Tossed together

Serve!  Yummy!