Top Five Friday: Gluten-Free Detox and Loving It!

Chemicals, n:  Noxious substances from which modern foods are made. 
~ Author Unknown

 

F

ood is medicine.

This is a truth that has come home to roost in a very real way for me.  Back in January, I had my gall bladder removed after getting through the majority of 2012 gallstone (and therefore pain) free.  Despite another detox, the emergency room doctors determined that my GB was infected.  So out it came.

Knowing that over 30% of people who have it removed experience similar symptoms, I resolved to focus on not just changing my diet, but changing my lifestyle so that I would not be one of the thirty-plus percent.

Apparently, I didn’t change it enough.

Since January, I have had some interesting symptoms pop up that, while directly caused by my lack of a gall bladder, my naturopath thinks they are related to my liver.  This isn’t a huge surprise, since the gall bladder and the liver are neighbors and rely on each other.  And getting the liver back on track is related to diet.

And one of the most common culprits in food-related health and wellness, is gluten.  Gluten is defined as:

1. The mixture of proteins, including gliadins and glutelins, found in wheat grains, which are not soluble in water and which give wheat dough its elastic texture.

2. Any of the prolamins found in cereal grains, especially the prolamins in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, that cause digestive disorders such as celiac disease.

So, she put me on a 21-Day Gluten-Free detox.  She also included all grains (so no rice-based gluten-free products), anything processed (which is a no-brainer), and anything white (potatoes, rice, sugar).  My friends ask with utter horror: “What in the world is left for you to eat!?”

Quite a lot actually.

Goody Brain vs. Brat Brain

Someone once said that if you want to eat healthy, shop only on the perimeter of the grocery store and not in the middle.  Which boils down to 3 sections: Produce, Meat, and Dairy.  I am dairy-intolerant, so that leaves produce and meat.  In the produce section, I can eat as many veggies as I want (and I juice quite a bit of it) and up to two fruits a day (even fruit has naturally occurring glucose, i.e. sugar, so it isn’t good to consume copious amounts of it every day).

In the meat department, she banned me from eating chicken ~ something about arsenic.  So pork loin and lean red meat it is.  Yay ~ I love meat.  So basically: lots of veggies, a little fruit, and a little meat.  Not bad.

Plus, it’s only for 21 days, people!

However, my amygdala loves bread, and although I have gone the gluten-free route before, even the substitutes were forboten in the 21 day period.  So Ms. Amygdala proceeded to kick, scream, and throw a general hissy fit.  She even (cough) pushed me off the wagon once or twice.

Damn, my amygdala is such a brat sometimes!

As much as it pains my inner culinary diva to admit it, though, my naturopath was right.  Today is Day 18 and I feel really good.  Better than I was when I went to see her three weeks ago.  Not quite ready to run a marathon, but I definitely have more energy and the blues are easier to beat.  I even signed up for a dance class! Go me!

So today, I’m sharing with you my top gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free recipes that don’t taste like sawdust or dirt.

Pistachio Encrusted Salmon

In my quest for yummy gluten-free recipes, I recently discovered Gluten Free Girl and the Chef.  She has dairy free recipes as well (yay!)  And I love wild Alaskan salmon ~ which is a very good mood booster.  Not a huge fan of soy, so I substituted black beans for the edamame.

Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry

Yummly reminds me of Punchfork and Foodgawker.  This recipe is phenom ~ it has butternut squash, it has curry, it as coconut ~ what’s not to love!?  During this detox, I of course didn’t have the rice.  Don’t need it, it’s yumalicious all by itself.

Melissa’s Medicinal Soup

Another great gluten-free find, Gluten Free for Good has some incredible recipes.  I love this one; but since I’m not eating chicken or white potatoes right now, I substituted vegetable broth, and added another sweet potato. 

Slow Cooker Vegan Black Been Curry

 WAnother curry recipe I know, but I love it!  And this one from Kalyn’s Kitchen is doubly awesome because I can put it in the crock pot and have ready to eat when I get home!

Lemon Thyme Pine Nut Cheesecake

Who says gluten-free and raw have to be boring?  Rawmazing is still my go-to gal for all things raw, healthy, and yummy.  This recipe is no different.

Healthy eating today is nothing like it was back in the 1970s ~ do you remember carob powder?!  Today we focus on taste as much as nutrition.  And we gluten-free-ites eat pretty darn well.  Who knows ~ I go gluten-free forever!

Just don’t tell Ms. Amygdala.

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

Share your gluten-free recipes here!