Lactose Free

No Meat or Bread in the store? No problem!

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

 

I was a little taken aback at how the meat section and paper aisles were just stripped bare at only 10 am on a Tuesday morning at our local grocery store as part of the CoronaVirus Crisis. Our store was limiting all purchases to only two items of each. That’s a bit difficult to say the least when you’re responsible for feeding seven people! Thankfully, this store run was to get some meds for my husband and as I waited for it to be ready I figured I’d grab some fresh produce for these yummy Mushroom-Cucumber-Lettuce-Carrot-Bell Pepper Rolls. For the first time, I actually felt relief about my decision to eat more veggies because that meant the produce section was more full for me and my family to shop from!

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If you haven’t checked out the Forks Over Knives Recipes, you may want to take a gander online. There’s a movie documentary (watch online/rent/buy) that you can watch, a cookbook or can purchase as a reference for your kitchen library, and these great seasonal magazines (Spring 2020, Winter 2020) full of recipes as well as stories of those who have forever changed their lives by eating whole-based greens, fruits, and veggies while ditching gluten, dairy and sugar.

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I made the Cucumber-Mushroom Rolls without the dry brown rice Mai Fun Noodles and added some sweet bell peppers I had on hand.  This is the first time I’ve ever played around with these round rice papers. Couple of first-timer tips if I may… dip it for about 7-10 seconds and take it out while it’s still slightly stiff. I diced up the lettuce (from a medley kit because my Tower Garden romaine wasn’t quite ready — but will be soon!) and put all the components each in a small bowl and just sat there and did assembly-line style. The thing that took the longest was simply cutting the veggies. This is a seriously easy thing to make in my opinion.

When folding your rice paper, fold sides first (left, then right) and then fold the bottom flap up to seal the corner before rolling the goods into the rice paper. There is a little bit of stretch. I used the peanut dipping sauce recipe on the back of my rice paper because it was free of any gluten and sugar. (I drizzled onto the top as I ate instead of dipping.)

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This is definitely going to go into my spring/summer meal plan wheel-house, because it won’t heat up my kitchen by turning on the stove. I do encourage you to pick up a copy of the Forks Over Knives Summer 2019 Edition as it contains many more great recipes like this one!

Enjoy!

— Erin

5 PCOS-friendly Burgers to Grill

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

Summer is here and it’s time to fire up your grill! Here are five PCOS-friendly burgers to enjoy! Remember, gluten-free is the best option. Put your burger on a full bed of lettuce and enjoy with a fork or spoon. If you need to have something for a bun experience, check out the sprouted grain version of the Ezekiel Bread Hamburger Buns!

Healthy Salmon-Quinoa Burgers

Salmon Quinoa Kale Burgers

by Skinny Taste | click to view recipe

 

Vegan Sweet Potato Sliders

Healthy Vegan Sweet Potato Sliders

by Emilie Eats |  click to view recipe

 

Prosciutto Olive and Sundried Tomato Turkey Burgers

Turkey Burger

by The Healthy GF Life | click to view recipe

 

Chicken Caprese Burger
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by Chef Robert Irvine | click to view recipe

 

Mediterranean Chickpea Burger

Mediterranean-Burgers

by Roboot with Joe | click to view recipe

 

Use Ezekiel Bread as a Sprouted Grain Burger Bun or a large Portobello Mushroom

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click to view more details

 

No-Bake Chocolaty Protein Goji Berry Granola Bites

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

There are so many things I love about this No-bake Chocolaty Protein Goji Berry Granola Bite recipe! You know all those seeds you can use in the Life Changing Cracker recipe and the Overnight Oats recipe we shared? Here’s another snack option you can make with them with a totally different taste! These power-punched bites are loaded with protein, natural fats, and anti-oxidants.  Here are some highlights that make it so good for you:

Cacao: Touted as being even better for you than dark chocolate, cacao nibs and cacao powder found in this recipe are full of flavonoids and antioxidants that fight off free-radical damage which can cause DNA damage, premature aging and even cancers. Think of antioxidants as firefighters putting out a blaze — a blaze of inflammation in your body. And cacao is one of the highest sources of antioxidants. The best part is it will make this snack taste “chocolaty” to you and will fire up all those pleasure sensors in the brain and lower your cortisol levels (aka: destress). In addition, one ounce of cacao nibs has 9 grams of fiber! Fiber helps to control your blood pressure and blood glucose levels. This fiber can also help lower blood cholesterol. Last, but not least, cacao has magnesium and potassium. A one ounce serving of cacao nibs has 64 milligrams of magnesium making it one of the best dietary sources of it. Magnesium aids in protein synthesis within the body, helps muscle and nerves function properly (great if you are experiencing fibromaylgia symptoms), plus helps manage blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation.

Flax: Flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, but low in carbs, so it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss. ALA (another type of omega-3) fats found in flax may also help reduce inflammation. Studies have shown flax can help with weight loss and it will help to make healthy hair and clear skin. You’ll also get all the benefits of lowering blood cholesterol and managing blood glucose levels. Flax is also high in antioxidants, so just like cacao, flax will help to fight off free-radical damage which can cause DNA damage, premature agin, and even cancers. In fact, one study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the lignans in flaxseeds may also reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer. And finally, the lignans in the flax have been shown to have benefits for menopausal women. Evidently, it can be used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy because lignans have estrogenic properties.

Goji Berries: Goji berries are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, and are also low in calories. They are also a good source of iron and vitamin A. One serving of about four ounces of goji berries even provides nearly 10 percent of the suggested amount of dietary protein. Goji berries have a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score of 3,290, showing that they contain much larger concentrations of antioxidants than most other fruits. They also raise blood sugars slowly — important for women with PCOS trying to manage insulin responses. Some studies also point to goji berries helping to lower arthritis symptoms. And these berries aren’t for everyone either — anyone who uses blood thinners or takes diabetic medication may have a negative reaction eating goji berries, according to WebMD. When in doubt, ask your doctor first. According to Paul Gross in his report, The Top 20 Superfruits, a quarter cup of goji berries contains 11 essential vitamins and 22 trace minerals, including 24 percent of our RDI of potassium, 18 percent of our RDI of zinc and a whopping 100 percent of our RDI of iron, copper and riboflavin. They also contain 8 polysaccharides, a primary source of dietary fiber. (Learn more:  http://www.naturalnews.com/044316_goji_berries_superfoods_antioxidants.html#ixzz48q0wxCQ7)

No bake Chocolaty Goji Berry Granola Bites

Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a great source of manganese (74%), phosphorus (57%), magnesium (48%), copper (48%), zinc (23%), protein (20%), and iron (16%). They also contain plant compounds known as phytosterols and free-radical scavenging antioxidants, which can give your health an added boost.  Also promising, recent animal studies have shown pumpkin seeds to improve insulin regulation. (Learn more: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82 )

Walnuts: Cannot say enough good things about Walnuts! The anti-inflammatory nutrients in walnuts are amazing! They are full of omega-3 fats (113%), copper (53%), manganese (51%), molybdenum (20%), and biotin (19%). They also have anti-cancer treating benefits as well as the ability to help lower the bad cholesterol. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods, “The form of vitamin E found in walnuts is somewhat unusual, and particularly beneficial. Instead of having most of its vitamin E present in the alpha-tocopherol form, walnuts provide an unusually high level of vitamin E in the form of gamma-tocopherol. Particularly in studies on the cardiovascular health of men, this gamma-tocopherol form of vitamin E has been found to provide significant protection from heart problems.” (Learn more: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=99 )

If you want to add even more protein punch, you can include any protein powder you’ve been using. Although, a short word on protein powders and PCOS… the thing that’s problematic for us cysters with these powders is that most contain dairy and sugar or terrible sugar substitutes (sorbitol, mannitol, aspartame etc.) that mess with our insulin sensitivity. Read your label carefully! There is a lot of natural protein in this recipe already — you could probably skip the protein powder if you don’t have any on hand, or if you are concerned about it affecting your hormones.

No-Bake Protein Goji Berry Granola Bites - Option 1

  • Servings: 10-15
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

PCOSbitesNo bake ChocolatyGoji Berry Bites

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup rolled or quick oats (gluten free)
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs
• 2 Tbsp of cacao powder
• 2 Tbsp of protein powder (optional* – see note above about which one you choose if you have PCOS)
• 1/2 cup of goji berries (*see note above if you are on blood thinners or on diabetic medicine)
• 1/4 tsp of Pink Himalayan Salt, finely ground
• 2/3 cup of almond butter
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup Honey

OTHER TOOLS YOU MIGHT NEED:

• 9″ x 13″ pan with lid to cover or saran wrap
• Large mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Non-stick spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. (Quick oats, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, cacao nibs, cacao powder, protein powder, salt, and goji berries. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
  2. Drizzle honey evenly over the top of your dry ingredients.
  3. Add almond butter and incorporate into ingredients until all ingredients are fully combined.
  4. Take a 9″ x 13″ pan and spray with a non-stick spray. Spread your mixed ingredients into the base of the pan, pressing down firmly.
  5. Cover your 9″x 13″ pan with saran wrap or a plastic fitted lid and place into your refrigerator and chill overnight.
  6. In the morning, cut unto 2″ x 2″ squares and snack on as needed. Keep your bars in fridge for up to a week.

Tip: If you don’t need a larger batch, take half of what was made and place in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for later use.

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This recipe is Gluten-free, Lactose-free, Corn-free, and Refined Sugar-Free

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Breakfast or Snack: 2 Carrot Muffin Recipes Face-off

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

imageWhen I saw that I could get a big ‘ol bag of carrots at Sams for around $3, my mind instantly began turning thinking up ways to make my crew (and me) something tasty in the baking department. Introducing gluten-free carrot cake muffins.

I quickly learned that there are a lot of recipes out there.  So, I decided to test two options that I found online and ended up adapting both after trying them out on my crew.  Turns out that half of my crew liked version one and the other half liked my second version. Win-win!

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So, I thought I’d include both options here on the blog, so that you could try either or both options based on whatever was in your pantry for supplies. I also wanted to taste-test the difference between a muffin made with almond flour and compare it against a muffin made with gluten-free oat flour.

I preferred the second recipe, as did my hubby, my 3 year old daughter, my six year old son, and one of my 15 year olds. My other 15 year old son (I have identical twin sons) liked the first recipe as did my 11 year old son. Had we not done a side by side comparison, I think either would have been quickly devoured.

You can store in a ziplock freezer bag and toss into the freezer as a grab-n-go breakfast or snack option.

Make both and tell us which one you like best in the comments below!

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins - Option 1

  • Servings: 9
  • Difficulty: easy
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PCOSbites Carrot Muffin Gluten-Free with almond flour

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ¼ cups of blanched Almond Flour
• 2 TBSP Coconut Flour
• ½ tsp Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp Iodized Salt
• 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon, Ground
• ½ tsp Ginger, Ground
• ¼ tsp Allspice Organic Powder
• 2 large eggs, room temp and beaten
• 1/3 cup Pure Canola Oil
• 1/3 cup Honey
• 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract, Certified Organic
• 1 very ripe banana (if you want your muffin to be more moist)
• ½ cup finely grated carrots
• 1/3 cup of finely grated Pecan Chips
• ½ cup of Organic Sun Dried Raisins

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix first seven ingredients together in large bowl.
  2. Combine egg, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl and mix. Add to dry ingredients.
  3. Add honey, carrots, raisins, and nuts to bowl and mix with a hand mixer until incorporated.
  4. Scoop into a greased muffin tin or into paper cupcake liners. Fill batter to the top of each liner.
  5. Bake at 350° degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

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This recipe is Gluten-free, Lactose-free, Corn-free, and Refined Sugar-Free

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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins - Option 2

  • Servings: 12 muffins
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

PCOSbites Gluten Free Carrot Muffin using oat flour

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 ½ cups of Organic Oat Flour, 24 oz.
• 1 tsp Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon, Ground
• ½ tsp Allspice Organic Powder
• ½ tsp Ginger, Ground
• 1 very ripe banana
• ¾ cup Honey
• 1 egg, brought to room temp and beaten
• 3 TBSP of Pure Canola Oil
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract, Certified Organic
• 1 ½ cups of finely grated carrots
• ½ cup of Organic Sun Dried Raisins
• ½ cup of Pecan Chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix first seven ingredients together in large bowl.
  2. Combine egg, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl and mix. Add to dry ingredients.
  3. Add banana, carrots, raisins, and nuts to bowl and mix with a hand mixer until incorporated.
  4. Scoop into a greased muffin tin or into paper cupcake liners. Fill batter to the top of each liner.
  5. Bake at 350° degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Note: Most people can tolerate oat flour if they have a gluten sensitivity. If you have celiac disease, be sure you get a gluten-free oat flour as it will not have been milled at a facility where wheat, barley, and rye are processed.

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This recipe is Gluten-free, Lactose-free, Corn-free, and Refined Sugar-Free

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Snack: Sweet (Sugar-Free) Dark Cherry Popcycles

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / 2 Comments

imageSnack: Beat that sweet craving with these sweet and good for you Dark Cherry Pops!

You’ll need 2 cups of frozen cherries, 1 cup of dark Black Cherry Juice, and a ripe plantain. Mix in blender until smooth and spoon into your pop-cycle mold. Place in freezer. Have these ready when you need a healthy something sweet or post workout.

If you have joint pain or arthritis, you need to be adding cherries to your diet. Dark Cherries not only fight inflammation in the body, but dark cherries have been found to reduce belly fat! Cherries also reduce post-workout pain. Dark cherries have anthocyanins which have been found to block two enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) involved in the production of inflammatory compounds known as prostaglandins. Plus, they help to fight cancer – important to women suffering with PCOS as we are higher risk for ovarian cancer. A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dietary intake of anthocyanins may help prevent high blood pressure. If you can’t stand the taste of the dark cherry juice, you can also take Tart Cherry Capsules as an alternative.

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With so many benefits, you need to be making this for the freezer now! 😘

– Erin

This recipe is refined-sugar free, gluten-free, corn-free, and lactose-free.

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#pcos #pcosbites #pcosdiet #pcosfood #pcostips #pcosfighter #pcosdiva #pcosweightloss #pcosawareness #pcoswarrior #pcoscysters #pcossupport #cysters #paleo #paleodiet #paleofood #weightwatchers #thm #trimhealthymama #whole30 #arthritis #jointpainrelief #jointpain #snacksmart #onebiteatatime

Snack: Aaaamazing Homemade Beneficial Nut Butter

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

When you have seven people eating out of one fridge, getting creative about cost-savings becomes essential when it comes to snacks. At $10+ for a 12 oz. jar, feeding a family of seven a healthy treat can get expensive — fast!

Almond nut butter

Nut butter is a great to use for a quick spoon full when you feel your sugar-levels dropping. (I sometimes eat two scoops before I make dinner to hold me over until it’s time to eat.) You can use on Life Changing Crackers or even on a slice of Ezekiel Bread toast. I don’t recommend eating this (found in the freezer section in the health food area of your grocery store) sprouted grain bread more than one time a day, 3 times a week at the most. Ezekiel bread is a great transition if you are just starting to go gluten-free, but your goal should be to be off all bread if at all possible if you suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

This recipe makes about 3 small 12 oz. mason jars full.

Aaaaamazing Beneficial Nut Butter

  • Servings: About three 12-oz jars
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

PCOSbitesNut Butter

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 full cookie sheet of Almonds

• 1/3 cookie sheet Pre-shelled Walnuts or Pecans (whichever you have on hand)

• 2 tsp Finely Ground Pink Himalayan Salt

• 1/4 cup of Date “Sugar” (optional – leave out if going for sugar-free, but this will have a low-glycemic response compared to other sugars)

• 2 TBSP Honey (optional – leave out if going for sugar-free)

• 15 shakes of Cinnamon (a great inflammation fighter)

• 1/2 pkg of Dried Blueberries or 1/3 cup of Craisens or 1/3 cup of dried Cherries (helpful antioxidants)

 

OTHER TOOLS YOU MIGHT NEED:

• High-power mixer/blender

• Bowl

• Rubber Spatula

• Mason Jar

• Small spoon for compacting nut-butter mix into your jar as you add it.

• Knife and cutting board if you’re chopping up dried cherries into smaller bits. No knife needed if you are using dried blueberries or Craisens.

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a large cookie sheet (the kind with a lip all the way around them) and place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of it. Pour your almonds on top of the parchment sheet, spreading as a layer so that the almonds cover the entire cookie sheet. Place in the hot oven for about 10 min. (This will heat up the almonds/walnuts/pecans and allow the oils to break down faster when you go to break them up.) Nuts for nut butter
  2. When timer goes off, remove almonds from heat transfer your almond/walnut/pecans into your high-power mixer/blender adding 3-4 shakes of cinnamon in-between scoops of nuts as you add until you get to 15-shakes of cinnamon total.
  3. Add you date sugar at this point as well so it can incorporate into the nut blend as it breaks down in your high-power mixer/blender.
  4. It will take about 15-minutes on high for the almonds to begin to turn to a nut butter state; just keep stopping periodically to scrape down the sides and keep things blending.
  5. Begin to blend your nut mix on high. Be sure to pause periodically and “scrape down sides” times and add about 15 shakes of Ground Cinnamon.
  6. It will take several minutes for your nut mix to begin to break down the oils in the nuts to the “butter” stage. You’ll begin to see it change slowly. Keep blending until the entire batch has been converted to a smooth consistency.
  7. Pour in about 2-3 TBSP Honey to preference and add your salt. Mix to incorporate everything.
  8. Pour nut butter into a bowl and fold in 1/2 pkg of dried blueberries (or any other type of add-in you prefer) until they are completely incorporated.
  9. Transfer nut butter to a canning jar or recycle your old almond butter jar. Cap with a plastic lid and place in fridge.
  10. You’re done! Put a lid on your mason jar and keep your nut butter in your fridge. It should be good for about 4-5 days (if it doesn’t get eaten before then!) Our family loves this as a little snack each day!

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Above:Beginning to turn to butter.

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Above: Almost all converted into nut butter

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(Above: Incorporate any mix-ins you desire.)

If you want to try another version, make just as directed above, but instead of blueberries, put in dried chopped cherries or Craisens and 1 tsp of Vanilla.

This recipe is refined-sugar free, gluten-free, corn-free, and lactose-free.

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THIS instead of THIS: Almond Milk vs. Cows Milk

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

See why you should make the switch to almond milk if you are drinking dairy milk. You’ll get the most benefit from making your own almond milk as you can control what goes into it.  See our post on how easy it is to make your own (plus, you can save the left over almond bits, dry out and use your Cuisinart to make almond flour that can be used in other recipes. If you’re going to spend the money, you might as well not only stretch your dollar, but also get other beneficial by-products to use!)

Make this one change today and change your life one bite (or drink in this case) at a time!

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Breakfast: 2 Eggs, Kelp Granules, Spinach Asiago Chicken Sausage

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

When you are starting to make changes to heal your body, the key to making those changes stick is to make it simple and make it easy whenever possible.

First thing in the morning, I make a hot cup of water with lemon and steep some green tea. You can check out my post on why this is so beneficial for your body. I also take my probiotic at this time as well.

After your cup of tea has been enjoyed, time to make your easy peasy breakfast.

      1. Take a small sauce pan, turn to medium heat and put some ghee in the middle to melt. Be sure to use farm fresh grain-fed free-range eggs whenever you can afford to as they are definitely better nutritionally.

2. If you are the only one eating, crack two eggs into the pan and cover with a lid. If you are making eggs for you and a friend/spouse, you can cook up to four eggs in the same small pan and cover with a lid.  Set your timer immediately for 3 minutes for easy sunny-side up eggs.

3. While your eggs are simmering away, take a Spinach Asiago Chicken Sausage* and pop it in the microwave, cover with a paper towel (sometimes the meat and cheese can simmer and pop) and set for one-minute. Once the timer goes off, remove from microwave, place on plate and cut.  About this time, your eggs will be finishing up.

*I like the Daily Chef Chicken Sausage from Sams Club since we purchase bulk whenever possible. I think I spent about $16 for one package of 15 sausages — coming out to a little over $1 a sausage. If you don’t have a large family like ours (I have five children), you can separate the three pack and put two in the freezer while you use one during the week. Click on the images below to see cost and details if you’re interested in getting this…

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Photo Credit: SamsClub.com

Eggs, Kelp Granules, and Chicken Sausage

4. Finally, when the timer goes off for the eggs, remove lid and slide your eggs onto your plate. Add a dash of kelp* granules for seasoning. If you like salt and pepper, throw it on there as well. Enjoy!

*Why kelp granules? Well kelp is full of iodine (among other beneficial minerals) and many are iodine deficient. The US recommended daily intake of iodine is 150 micrograms (mcg) per day for most adults, and about twice that for pregnant and nursing women. Iodine helps your entire body and especially your thyroid function well. You can learn more on how it can even help your kids grow their cognitive abilities — read about it here.

 

This recipe is refined-sugar free, gluten-free, corn-free, and low in lactose.

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How I got off gluten with the help of “Life Changing Crackers”

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

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I had read on many a PCOS group that gluten was not beneficial to those who struggled with PCOS. I would read that and say to myself, “Sure — that might be the case for you, but not me. I’m just fine eating gluten.” Why would I say this knowing that others with the same struggles were nearly screaming the need to get off of gluten?

Y’all, I come from a looooooooong line of wheat farmers. I even own land that produces WHEAT! Every summer, my family would help bring in the wheat harvest. Some of my favorite memories of those hot summers included riding in the dusty cab with my mom in the wheat truck and the times where she would let me crawl into the back of the wheat truck and play in the wheat with my brother while we waited for a wheat combine harvester to be full. (In fact, if you want to learn more about how wheat is harvested, you can check out this video which some might find interesting…) So, you can imagine why I was in denial thinking that even though my PCOS was flaring with cystic breakouts, weight gain, and hair loss, I thought that I only needed to get off of dairy and that would help. Can you say denial? That was me. Fully, 100 percent denial.

A little bit about my struggle with PCOS

I had come to the point where my joints hurt so bad, it was excruciatingly painful to walk the 15 paces from my bed to my bathroom each morning. I would grip the end of my bed frame, using it as a sort of crutch to help stabilize me and aid me in walking four paces as the pain shot up throughout my body. It got so bad, that my feet even began to hurt. I would comment to my husband about the pain and he wondered if I might have broken something in my feet – perhaps fissures. (Looking back, it was a major flare up for gout — I learned of this after reviewing my blood test results.)  So, every morning, after I fought thru the initial getting-out-of-bed pain, I would grab some Ibuprofen (thinking this would help my inflammation and reduce the pain). I would pop three of these pain pills in my mouth (not realizing this was hard on my liver and adding harmful metals to my body) along with two allergy pills and all my daily vitamins. Then, I would make my way to my chair where I would sit until the pain subsided as I sipped on tea (I use to sit and sip coffee before I got off caffeine) at least enough for me to get up and do a few things. I would avoid stairs. I would avoid getting up and ask for my kids to run and get me things. This. Was. Not. Living.

I felt horrible. And it just wasn’t a week or so of this, it was month after month. (And I write this not for you to have pity, but simply as a reminder to myself just how far I’ve come.) After fighting off three bad rounds of illness and feeling like I was constantly getting sick from November to February and tired of the pain, my frustration level with my health hit an all time high and I finally made an appointment with a naturopathic doctor my friend and recommended and it took her testing me and me seeing the results for me to come to terms that I was not only lactose intolerant, but intolerant to gluten, corn, and even rice. My doctor put me on the Blood Type Diet and gave me a list of foods that were beneficial and those to avoid based on how the lectins in each food interacted in my body based on blood type. She also adjusted my vitamins and helped me with a plan on when to take these nutrients throughout the day.

How I came across this recipe

I remember coming home that day and knowing that in order to make this transition and survive, I needed something that would resemble bread to me. I needed something to replace what I was taking away. I knew if I could find at least one thing, I could make it work in the short term. So I hopped onto Pinterest and began to deep dive into research mode, hoping to find something that would work for me. By the grace of God, I came across a post that featured a recipe that intrigued me on mynewroots.org and when I began poking around on her web site and looking at her recipes, my eye was drawn to her “Life Changing Cracker” recipe.  My eyes quickly scanned the ingredients. For the most part, I could have everything in it! Eureka! I found my bread replacement! I needed only to swap out the sunflower seeds (I chose to chop up some pecans) and instead of dividing the dough into two different kinds of crackers like she recommends, I added a mix of the two different cracker ingredients and loved the outcome.

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Did my tribe go for these “Life Changing Crackers”?

My husband, who is diabetic, really likes these Life Changing Crackers as a snack. We take some goat cheese and/or some sun-dried tomato spread and 2-3 crackers would hold us over until meal time and it truly does satisfy. They are tasty with a dried fig on the side, too if we are craving something sweet. What’s more, my kids like them. This is huge! My kids are some of the biggest food critics out there and if they eat it, that says something to y’all! We even like smoothing some almond butter on it if we were missing peanut butter (yes, that was on the avoid list as well.)

Great for on “the go” or as a snack

I make a batch once a week (sometimes a double-batch because I have a crew of seven to feed). I keep them in a Zip-lock gallon size bag in the fridge and the kids know they can go to this as a snack resource (and that they should only eat a few). These also are a great grab and go item if you know you’ll be out and about running errands. They will be a life-saver if you find your blood sugar levels crashing (you often feel nausea if you’re pre-diabetic or diabetic when this happens.) I sent a bag of these with my hubby when he took the boys out fishing and it (along with a few other healthy snacks) helped him manage his blood sugar levels throughout the day until they had a meal.

Here’s how I made them (a few changes from her recipe):

Life Changing Crackers Recipe created by Sarah Britton BFA, CNP and of mynewroots.org

  • Servings: 2 baking sheets of crispbread
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
• 1 cup pecans, diced into small bits
• ½ cup flax seeds
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks powder
• 1 ½ tsp. fine grain sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
• 3 Tbsp. melted ghee
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder (depending on how strong you like it)
• 6 large dried figs (approx. 140g), diced
• 1 tsp. anise seed
• 1 tsp. cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Divide the dough roughly in half, and set aside one half.

2. Place one half of the dough back into the bowl and add any flavouring you like. Gather into a ball and place it between two sheets of baking paper. Using a rolling pin, firmly roll out into a thin sheet. Remove top layer of baking paper and using the tip of a knife, score the dough into shapes you like (I chose large rectangles but it’s up to you). Repeat with remaining half of dough. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight.

3. She recommends setting your oven to 350°F and and baking for 20 minutes and flipping the dough on the cookie sheet (peel the baking paper off of the back and remove before placing back into the oven) and baking for another 10 minutes. Mine always came out a little chewy this way, so I found to make it more crisp (without burning them) if I set my oven to 270°F, and baked for 30 minutes one side, then remove cookie sheet from oven, flip the whole cracker over and return to oven to bake for another 20 minutes, until fully dry, crisp, and golden around the edges.

4. Let cool completely, then break crackers along their scored lines and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

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Coming across this recipe was truly a boost in my faith and gave me the tools I needed to take a monumental step in saying goodbye to gluten as I sought to change my life. She did not stretch the truth when she named these crackers.

— Erin
PS: The wheat farmer’s granddaughter (that would be me) is gluten-free. And as a wheat grower, I may be looking into growing canola instead. Stay tuned on that one. 😉

First Taste: Overnight Oats

/ Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

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I’ve seen these “Overnight Oats” recipes all over Pinterest and on many a blog. I would stare at the photo of a jar filled with oats, almond milk, and chia seeds and like Goldilocks and the three bears, I would scratch my head as to why it was so popular to eat a cold porridge.

Maybe it was the repetition of seeing it over and over, maybe I was just wanting to try an easy option to break up my two egg and sausage breakfast pattern, but when I saw Angela Liddon’s (Oh She Glows — ohsheglows.com ) recipe for vegan, gluten-free, no bake/raw, oil-free, refined sugar free, soy free overnight oats, I decided to give it a go.

Here’s what I put in mine:

Overnight Oats

  • Servings: 1 Mason Jar
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

PCOSbites

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 TBSP Chia Seeds

• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

• 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Rolled Oats

• 3/4 cup Almond Milk

• 1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Add the above ingredients to one mason jar the night before you want to eat them. Stir contents and place a lid on top and put in fridge. In the morning, stir and add more almond milk if necessary. If too runny, she recommends adding more chia seeds. I did not do 1 large banana like her recipe calls for, but that is something a type O can eat. My oat’s consistency was perfect in the morning and I added:

• 1/3 cup Blueberries (I like my blueberries frozen)

• 1 TBSP Pure Maple Syrup (optional)

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enjoy PCOSbites recipe footer

This recipe is refined-sugar free, gluten-free, corn-free, and lactose-free.

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The first time I bit into this concoction I had that split second of thinking oats should be hot, but I quickly reminded myself it is suppose to be cold and soon began to settle in and enjoy my easy breakfast. What’s more, I felt great that I got three highly beneficial foods in at the start of the day: cinnamon, blueberries and chia seeds. Here’s a breakdown of why you should be eating this several times a week if you have PCOS:

CHIA SEEDS

1 ounce (equals 28 grams or about 2 TBSP) serving of chia seeds contains:

  • Fiber: 11 grams (If you subtract the fiber, which may not end up as usable calories for the body, chia seeds only contain 101 calories per ounce.)
  • Protein: 4 grams
  • Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s)
  • Calcium: 18% of the RDA
  • Manganese: 30% of the RDA
  • Magnesium: 30% of the RDA
  • Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA
  • They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2

Chia seeds are awesome! The fibers are mostly insoluble (95%). Insoluble fibers have been shown to aid in lowering the risk of diabetes (7, 8, 9, 10).  Chia seeds have a high content of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids — they are even better than beneficial flaxseeds! Chia seeds also contain high-quality protein with all the essential amino acids, and are an excellent plant-based protein source (29). Chia seeds contain a number of beneficial plant compounds. The main ones are listed below (12, 14, 37).

  • Chlorogenic acid: An antioxidant that may lower blood pressure (38, 39).
  • Caffeic acid: This substance is abundant in many plant foods, and may help fight inflammation in the body (40).
  • Quercetin: A powerful antioxidant that may reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and certain forms of cancer (41, 42, 43).
  • Kaempferol: An antioxidant that has been associated with decreased risk of cancer and other chronic diseases (44, 45).

And as you know with PCOS, gluten is not tolerated well in our body, so here’s the good news — chia seeds are gluten-free!

BLUEBERRIES

1 cup serving (148 grams) of blueberries contains:

  • Fiber: 4 grams
  • Vitamin C: 24% of the RDA
  • Vitamin K: 36% of the RDA
  • Manganese: 25% of the RDA
  • It also contains small amounts of various other nutrients.

Blueberries are made up of approximately 85% water — an entire cup contains only 84 calories, with 15 grams of carbohydrates. Blueberries are believed to contain the highest antioxidant capacity of ALL commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. They protect our bodies from damage by free radicals — unstable molecules that can damage cellular structures to our DNA that create aging and contribute to diseases like cancer. What’s more, blueberries can improve cholesterol levels.  Did you know that a daily 50 gram serving of blueberries can lower LDL oxidation by 27% in obese individuals, after a period of eight weeks (17)? Another study showed that 75 grams of blueberries with a main meal significantly reduced the oxidation of LDL lipoproteins (18). Blueberries have been found to lower blood pressure. In one study, obese individuals who were high risk for heart disease had a 4-6% reduction in blood pressure, after consuming 50 grams (1.7 ounces) of blueberries per day, for eight weeks (19). Other studies have found similar effects, especially when looking at post-menopausal women (20, 21). Research also suggests that anthocyanins in blueberries can have extremely beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism — this is GREAT for individuals struggling with PCOS. Blueberries have also been found to help with unitary tract infections. And finally, blueberries have been found to improve memory, so if you’re experience brain fog, these are your allies in lifting that fog!  So, bottom line, eat those yummy blueberries!

CINNAMON

Cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants, such as polyphenols (3, 4, 5). In a study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, cinnamon was the clear winner, even outranking “superfoods” like garlic and oregano (6). Some studies even show that the antioxidants in cinnamon have potent anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower the risk of disease (3). It reduces levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while HDL cholesterol remains stable (8).  Cinnamon can also reduce insulin resistance, helping the hormone insulin, to do its job properly (10, 11). First, cinnamon has been shown to decrease the amount of glucose that enters the bloodstream after a meal. It does this by interfering with numerous digestive enzymes, which slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract (12, 13). Second, a compound in cinnamon can act on cells by mimicking insulin (14, 15). This greatly improves glucose uptake by cells, although it acts much slower than insulin itself. Numerous human trials have confirmed the anti-diabetic effects of cinnamon, showing that it can lower fasting blood sugar levels by up to 10-29% (16, 17, 18). Many women with PCOS who are overweight or obese, are pre-diabetic so adding cinnamon to the food you consume each day is important. The effective dose is typically 1-6 grams of cinnamon per day (around 0.5-2 teaspoons). Just make sure you use Ceylon cinnamon whenever possible for greatest benefits.

IN CONCLUSION…

If you’ve never tried, cold overnight oats, I highly encourage them – especially if you have a tendency to need to dash off to work. But per my doctor, make sure this is only eaten 1x-2x a week at the most as rolled oats can act like gluten in the body.

They can also make an easy lunch option to pack if you have a fridge you can access to work. Drop it off when you get to work and they’ll be chilled by lunch. Let me know what you think if you try these. Or if you have some mix-ins you like, feel free to share!

— Erin