So Many Catchy Titles, I Couldn't Decide...

Here are some of the possible choices - leave a comment to tell me your favorite or give me another suggestion!

Parasites: Friend or Foe?
My Parasite Likes Your Parasite
What the Helminth?
The Helminth Within
Should They Stay or Should They Go?

So, I have been researching parasites lately. And guess what - you all have them! There is no way possible that you don't have a parasite right now, unless you have recently been "de-wormed" and by recently that means probably within the last six weeks.

While I would love to write long posts on this topic, I simply can not (my parasites are tired), so I am going to share some of the gleanings of the research and information I have come across via some links below so you can read and research too.

Even if your parasite doesn't want you to know about it (ha, ha!- really them), and so a little voice is saying inside you that you don't need to know this stuff (also called denial), you'll probably want to read the links so that you can come up with some catchy titles for this post and also so you can understand the references I make in my options above. Incidentally, worms and yeast are good buddies, so expect some forthcoming information on yeast-overgrowth.

Enjoy!

First, this post - Parasites: the root of ALL evil?, by a mother of a child with food sensitivities (and more). I really encourage you to go and read this post and the comments. She has done some wonderful research and is/has actively dealt with parasite removal.

This one is so interesting: from the New York Times, an article exploring the links between inflammation and autism (as well as asthma and allergies) during pregnancy and the lack of parasites and it's potential impact on our immune system, as well as information about research being done to restore domesticated parasites - don't you love that phrase "domesticated" parasites?!

I stumbled across the posts at the Real Food Forager blog by chance a couple weeks ago when I was looking for a good roll-out cookie recipe (here's the one we used and it was great! and talk about yeast overgrowth - oof!). Got to reading about helminths - that's a friendly name for parasites - this post reviews some research being done using helminths to treat IBD (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Celiac's), MS and asthma, with improvements shown by the patients in every study; this post discusses the Hygiene Hypothesis and how certain helminths who live in us can protect us from inflammation. Did you know that inflammation is the root of many diseases/autoimmune disorders our society faces today?

From Real Food Forager, I came across this post and this one. Again, another mother seeking health for her child and herself. She is using helminth therapy for both of them. The second link talks more about that.

I reviewed the GAPS FAQs. You might like to do the same (use the Find button to search for parasites). I don't want to misrepresent Dr Campbell-McBride's suggestions on dealing with parasites, so if you want to know for sure, please read her responses; however, she does state in the FAQs that an overgrowth of parasites and worms can keep your gut lining damaged, so you may need to deal with them in order to heal. She also states that their are many natural supplements which can help, including garlic extract, olive leaf extract, oregano oil and grapefruit seed extract. Prescription medication (Mebendazole) is faster than the herbal treatments; however she says worms generally always come back. She mentions that raw meat can be a source of parasites and so can raw fish - such as sushi - so does not recommend people eat it.

Here is a quote "Generally speaking, we all have worms. The important question is: are they affecting your health? If yes, then it is a good idea to fight them. But if they do not bring any symptoms, then there is no need to attack them, as they are a part your inner eco-system and may fulfil some useful roles, such as regulating immunity and preventing autoimmune disease. The typical symptoms of common worms getting out of control are crampy pain in the middle of your abdomen, particularly after food in the mornings, difficulty putting weight on, persistent anaemia (usually hookworms) and bouts of irritating dry cough (the larvae travel up the breathing passages into the throat to be swallowed again)."

and another quote in response to a question about eradicating Borrelia, a bacteria that causes Lymes disease, but I felt it was helpful also in response to thinking about and dealing with parasites.
"What every one of us has to do is to find a balance, a harmony between the myriad of microbes living on us and inside us and our immune systems. So, focus on feeding, nourishing and nurturing your immune system, rather than killing, attacking or eradicating anything."

Obviously this is a topic that is very rich and one that could allow this post to go much deeper, but I am going to stop here for now. Please remember that I am not a medical professional, just one woman trying to take care of her family, so my diagnosis of your parasite is only in jest. But really, my parasite does like your parasite!





 

Dairy Fail

Last week in honor of our six-month mark on the GAPS protocol, I thought we could try the dairy intro. We've already introduced ghee and we do take the High Vitamin Butter Oil, which complements the Fermented Cod Liver Oil.

We did the skin test. It was fine. So last Sunday we all ate a little bit of butter in our soup. The only person who showed a slight reaction was N, with a bit of eczema on the back of her upper thigh the next day. She used to get it there when eating butter once a week at our co-op in WA. On Tuesday, I thought hot buttered muffins sounded good, so we tried some more butter. Perhaps too much?

Both girls woke Wednesday with the sniffles and sneezes and L went on to get runny eyes and the worst allergic shiners! A little too coincidental. So I am pulling the butter for now (back to ghee making) and will hope to try again at some point.

The good news is, I haven't shown any physical signs of reacting to butter - the last time I had a small acidenttal dairy exporsure, I was sick. I am glad we tried because it lets me know that we need to carry on in our healing efforts.

So, now I am very inspired to find good coconut milk yogurt and kefir recipes!

GAPS Diet Three Ingredient Pancakes

Sometimes you don't want soup for breakfast. Sometimes you don't want eggs either.  Sometimes you just want....pancakes.  This might be the simplest pancake recipe you will ever try.  It only has three ingredients... well four if you count the coconut oil used to grease the pan. Keep in mind that the recipe may require some slight adjustment -i.e. if you use a larger banana you may need another egg to balance it out. 

My photo below isn't the best and I slightly overcooked these pancakes - you shouldn't expect yours to be so brown.

Three Ingredient Pancakes

2 eggs
1 small banana
vanilla extract
coconut oil

Blend the eggs, banana, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.  Heat a pan over medium heat and grease with coconut oil. Cook using about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.  Sometimes I cook all of the batter in the pan at the same time and finish the pancake off under the broiler. Then it is one delicious giant pancake.  You can also experiment by adding berries, nuts, cinnamon, etc. to make different flavors.  I typically serve my pancakes with a pat of butter and goats milk kefir... I know...that sounds weird.  It's good, trust me.

If you aren't the goat's milk kefir type then these pancakes would also be nice served with a blueberry honey 'syrup'.  I've made this sauce before sans the honey... essentially just cooked blueberries and lemon zest. It was still good. Of course I imagine it would be better with honey.

Blueberry Honey Syrup
1 c. frozen or fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon of honey
lemon zest (if you want to be fancy)

Gently heat the blueberries and honey until the honey is distributed and the blueberries are syrupy. Add the lemon zest and a tablespoon of water if the berries are too dry. Serve over pancakes.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin!

I'm posting up some treats for Emily in honor of her pumpkin obsession.

First, inspired by this Pumpkin Spice Creamer from Coconut Mama, I made this the other morning. I didn't use it in coffee, we had it as a warm breakfast drink (also known as soup!). You'll get fats and gelatin in this one.

Sweet and Creamy Pumpkin Spice "Notte" (Rhymes with Latte!) a la Kathryn

Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or make your own)
3 cups coconut milk (canned (Natural Value is organic, BPA and guar gum free!) or make your own but if you make it, make it thick)
Seasonal spice - nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon
a pinch or two of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla.
6 egg yolks
a big hunk of coconut oil, maybe a 1/4 cup
grass-fed gelatin (yes, this is GAPS, after all)
optional honey if you want the dessert feature

Mix it all together and gently warm. I don't like to heat raw honey so I didn't let this get too warm. Let your gelatin "bloom" by sprinkling it and letting it rest before you stir it in. Both girls liked it and it was quite filling!

Then later you could make these:

Pumpkin Spice Coconut Muffins

I found a recipe for basic coconut muffins and highly modified it, so you may have to adjust the cooking time just a bit. Keep checking them. They turned out great and didn't last 24 hours. Makes 12.

Ingredients:

6 egg yolks and 1 cup coconut milk to replace whites (or use whole eggs)

1.5 cups pumpkin puree

1/2 cup, plus 3 tablespoons coconut flour

1 tablespoon each of cinnamon and ginger

a few grates of nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda (saw that it is now considered GAPS legal)

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare your muffin pan.

I like to put all wet ingredients together and all dry ingredients together then mix them. Let sit 5 minutes. Fill your muffin pan and then bake 20-25 minutes until starting to brown and not soft when lightly touched on the top. We put coconut oil and a drizzle of honey on them. No gelatin in this one.

I like the looks of the recipes on the Coconut Mama site. I have to go back and peek around there some more. I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Fudge and was thinking I could modify it too (less honey) or maybe not!   Might make for a tasty muffin topping or would that be too much pumpkin for you, Em?

Fall Weather and Pumpkin Pie Smoothies

Today is the most beautiful day - quite a change from the wind and rain of the hurricane the other week and the cold, wind and whipping snow we had last week from a nor'easter that followed on the heels of Hurricane Sandy.  It is one of those days where the sky is bright blue and cloudless and even though it is warm, the falling leaves and chill is a reminder that the warm weather won't last.

There is something about the change from Summer into Fall that triggers something in me. It is a little hard to explain, but Fall makes me think. It, more so than any other season, reminds me of the passage of time. Although most people think of Spring as a rebirth, Fall is my rebirth. It makes me remember where I have been and where I want to go. It makes me antsy to start new projects to refocus on old goals...and the funny thing about Fall is that even though they days are getting colder and darker, it makes me believe that anything is possible again. 



 

One of my favorite things about Fall is pumpkin – I love pumpkin in everything.  At the farmers market the other week I bought a few pumpkins, chopped them in half, scooped out the seed (salt and roast at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes - delicious) and put the halves in the slow cooker for about 6 hours. Then all you have to do is scoop out the flesh and freeze. Homemade pumpkin puree is much more flavorful than the canned variety, but of course, canned also works and Farmers Market brand uses BPA-free cans!

I've been making this smoothie as a dessert - it tastes like pumpkin pie filling to me. If you wanted more sweetness a date or some honey could be added.

 Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 frozen banana (unfrozen will also work)

¾ c. pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or ground ginger)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract                                                       ½ cup almond milk, coconut milk, or kefir (I used goat’s milk kefir)

Blend all ingredients in blender and drink!

Expect more pumpkin recipes to come... Like I said I'm an addict.

Halloween Duck

Downtown Manhattan, Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Well it has been a crazy couple of days here in New York post Hurricane Sandy.  We were very, very lucky given the amount of destruction caused by the storm surge and winds.  Seeing the photos of cars floating in downtown NYC where I work and houses under water across the river in Hoboken it is hard to believe that we were relatively untouched other than some downed trees and branches.  It is hard to know what to do and how to help.  The subways are still not running.  Manhattan is powerless from 39th Street down. Limited bus service is available with people spending hours waiting to get on a bus and traffic is even worse - lines for gas stations take hours due to power problems.  So we have been staying local.  I went to the gym yesterday and it was packed.  Everyone else must have cabin fever too.  I haven't seen that many people in the gym since January when New Year's resolutions are fresh in everyone mind.

 Warren Street, Brooklyn

Since I have had a lot of unexpected free time, I have been doing a lot of cooking - kale chips, roasted vegetables, roasted red pepper and tomato soup, chicken stock, apricot nut bars, sandwich bread, Mexican style chicken soup... etc.  Alex commented that if we did lose power we'd have to throw out all of my newly made food.  I responded that we may have to throw out some stuff, but we would most certainly be drinking the 6 quarts of chicken stock I just made. Luckily for us we didn't lose power.

Yesterday,  I decided I would cook up a duck breast I bought a few weeks ago at the farmers market for dinner. I haven't had duck in...well, I can't remember the last time... and I have to admit it was pretty amazing.  I served it with a cherry sauce and roasted vegetables.

Pan Sauteed Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce

1. Salt and pepper both sides of the duck breast and let come to room temperature - about 15-20 minutes. 
2. Score the skin side of the breast with cross hatch slices - this way it will cook up very pretty in your pan. 
3. Heat a pan over medium heat (I used cast iron) and place breast skin (aka fat) side down.  Let cook for about 8-10 minutes until browned and flip to the other side, cooking roughly the same amount of time.  You could also choose to finish this off in the oven if it is getting too brown - I try to limit turning on my oven since it makes our apartment a sauna so I just cooked it on the stove the entire time. My duck was about medium-rare with this cooking time.
4. Remove duck from pan when done and let rest while you prepare the sauce.



Cherry Sauce
1/2 small onion minced
1 orange juiced
1/2 c. organic Bing cherries (important to use organic here)
1/3 c. chicken stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (check to make sure there is no sugar hidden here!)
2 tablespoons dry red wine
Salt/Pepper

1. Pour off the fat left in the pan from cooking the duck breast leaving a thin coating to start the sauce.  Reserve fat in the fridge for cooking eggs/vegetables later.
2. Saute the minced onions until soft and translucent.
3. Deglaze the pan with the wine and balsamic vinegar, scraping up any brown bits.
4. Add the orange juice, chicken stock and cherries to the pan breaking up cherries with the back of a spoon to release juices.
5. Let the sauce simmer until thickened, adding more chicken stock if sauce becomes too thick.
6. Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
7. Sit down with your small glass of red wine, sip slowly and enjoy your duck!

GAPS Diet Sandwich Bread

It is hard to believe that I have been on the GAPS for just over 5 months and in that period of time I have not eaten any bread. I have thought about it a few times but I never really got around to baking any.  The GAPS diet bread recipes all use between 8-10 eggs and I always shied away from using that many eggs in one recipe.

But yesterday, as there was a impending hurricane, I questioned what I would eat should the power go out.  The GAPS diet is not exactly conducive to eating your typical non-perishable foods. So I decided to that instead of running out to the store to stock up like everyone else - I would do some cooking so that I had prepared food on hand should the power go out (hopefully it won't - I have a lot of money in that freezer!!)

My recipe was based off of the one over at Nourished and Nurtured - click here for that recipe.


The flavor of the bread was very good and the texture reminds me of Food for Life GF Brown Rice Bread.  I won't say it is as good as some of the gluten free breads I have eaten - granted those did have starch to make them lighter, but for a first try it was good.

GAPS Diet Sandwich Bread
2/3 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup (one stick) butter
8 eggs
1 date
1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Add coconut and almond flour to bowl along with salt and baking soda. Mix in eggs, vinegar, 1 date and 1 stick of melted butter into the flour mixture using an immersion blender.  If you do not have an immersion blender sift the coconut flour otherwise you will have lumps in your batter.  The batter should be like thick cake batter.

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 300 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  Once cooled, remove from pan, slice and store in freezer or the refrigerator.