Hello everyone,
I have had MS for almost 5 years, and have been on the diet for a little more than 8 months. I've read all the posts on here, but this if the first time I've posted myself. As long as I stick to the diet, my fatigue, hand/arm/leg tingling, and Lhermitte's sign are under control. Thank you to Judi and Ann for all the information!
I am reactive to gluten, dairy, animal fat, corn, eggs, and white potatoes. I am avoiding legumes for now but will try them soon. My reading of Loren Cordain and the Paleo Diet has led me to avoid tomatoes, nightshades, and a number of spices, including chili and cayenne. I don't know that I react to them, but studies show they contribute to leaky gut. So, the upshot is that I have A LOT of foods I have to avoid. Corn is particularly hard, because it is in everything, even more so than gluten. I have a four-page, two-column list of all the ingredients that could be corn. A trace of corn triggers tingling. My diet is EXTREMELY limited. I have only a few recipes I can use and I am getting so sick of them. Avoiding chili and cayenne makes my food so bland. All my old standbys (chili, roasted potatoes, sloppy joes, tuna casserole, pulled pork, barbecue) - everything is gone.
I wondered if anyone would be willing to share some of their recipes? Don't worry if it contains some things I said I react to. I can always modify, and others might be able to use the recipe. I'm sure all of us struggle with finding recipes we can use. Thanks, Judi, for posting recipes on your blog!
Here are a couple of my standbys, in case they would help anybody. I'll be happy to post some others later when I have more time. Blessings to you all!
Sammie Burgers
1 can salmon, drained
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp lemon juice
1 T parsley
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 egg (I can do this small amount of egg, but if you can't, try 1 T flax soaked in 3 T water)
Heat some oil in a skillet. Mix all ingredients and form 4 patties. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side.
Crock-Pot Chicken Casserole
Combine 3 cooked, diced chicken breasts with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 cups chicken broth, 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, and 1 package Near East Long Grain and Wild Rice (with seasoning packet) (I don't believe this brand has gluten, I don't react to it at any rate) in a slow cooker. Cook on High for 2 hours.
Apple Crisp
Combine 5 large sliced and peeled Granny Smith apples wtith 2 T rice flour, 1/4 cup agave nectar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Place in greased pie plate, cover with waxed paper, and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Combine 1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup rice flour, 3 T agave nectar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 2 T oil in a small bowl. Mix with a fork.
After apples are microwaved, sprinkle topping over top and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until warm and bubbly. Serves 6-8.
Variation: Use 36 ounces thawed frozen blueberries with juice combined with 3 T rice flour and 1/4 cup agave nectar for the filling. Top with topping as above, and bake for 40 minutes at 375.
Hi "newlife", I just wanted
Hi "newlife",
I just wanted to thank Judi and Ann for introducing me to some of the new foods in the MS diet. If I hadn't been forced to seek new things to supplement my diet, I would have continued my daily routine oatmeal breakfast and my usual repertoire of supper dishes. Instead, I've found millet and amaranth grains, and new [to me, anyway!] vegetables and ways to prepare them. Maybe others reading this are already accustomed to the various squashes and varieties of uses for them, but basically my knowledge of squash was limited to summer zucchini and yellow squash, and the autumn pumpkin, of course. For those like me who aren't familiar with winter squash, I highly recommend them. My use of pumpkin was limited to pumpkin bread, cookies, and the rare pie. I had always heard and read of using spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta, but couldn't imagine how that could be. Imagine my surprise the first time I cooked one and began scraping the pulp into spaghetti-like strings! Amazing! My husband loves it with tomato meat sauce, but I just eat it with oil and seasonings along with whatever other vegetables I'm having and chicken or fish for protein. It's a wonderful addition to my menu. The butternut squash is delicious roasted then the pulp mashed with oil, brown sugar, if tolerated, cinnamon, and walnuts and raisins, if desired. If unfamiliar how to cook squash, cut in half, scoop out the strings and seeds, place cut sides down in pan with about half-inch water and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Then turn over, and proceed according to desired use, scraping out pulp to mash and mix with seasonings and heat in oven again to brown, or for scraping pulp and topping with sauce, seasonings, and oil, etc. Enjoy!...and thank you Judi and Ann for introducing me to a whole new line of new foods!