chicken broth/soup

Chicken and vegetable soup - country style or creamed -as you like

2 chicken carcass(whole chicken stripped of meat)  - usually in the deli 

low salt/sodium chicken stock - or plain water is good too

1 onion

1/2 leek

1 carrot - grated

2 sticks of celery

1/2 cup of pearl barley or for gluten free option use lentils

1/2 cup split pea

3 cups of chopped vegetables - potato, parsnip, yam, kumera, corn, pumpkin, green beans, broad beans, courgette (use whatever you have)

1 tsp curry powder 

Sprig of thyme, rosemary, or bay leaf

1 tsp of fresh finely chopped ginger 

 2 tsp crushed garlic

In a pan brown off the chicken carcass. Remove from the pan and add the chopped onion, leek, celery, garlic, spices, and toss until browned. Set aside.

Use some chicken stock to mix the pan brownings. Pour into a large saucepan or crockpot with the chicken and all the vegetables, peas, barley herbs and spices. Cover with 1/2 chicken stock and 1/2 water.

Simmer until the chicken falls of the bones.

Remove the bones from the pot and serve.

For creamy soup - blend before serving.

Irritated bowel? constantly? I know this.

not that long ago - I figured out that the food I ate irritated my bowel immediately- AND caused the ugly merry-go-round of disrupted hormone levels and mind changing issues, like paranoia, anxiety and, terrible moods, all at the same time. Sometimes I felt huge DESPAIR and wondered if I had some dreaded disease. Other times I was beside myself and would rather just DIE from this disease.
To say the least the BIGMAC combo I'd ordered wasn't the hangover cure it used to be. Especially not on a drive thru anyway. I'd have to park myself seconds from the bathroom door. And be prepared to go 3 times, minimum. AND THEN I would say
'oh its just the food and wine combo last night thats upsetting me -remind me not to eat that together again.'
BUT there were times when I'd eat the KIWIBURGER not to cure a hangover - and still couldn't do the drive thru. BIG TROUBLE.

SO...I just had to get off the trolley. The 1st thing I stopped eating was - BigMac's and all other SANDWICHES. No toast for breakfast, no muffins for morning tea, no sandwiches for lunch, no crackers for afternoon tea and no pasta for dinner.

what did I EAT NOW then?
change, change, change.......
Some was easy -fruit for breakfast, then I learned about smoothies. Porridge was ok too, with fruit, homemade yoghurt and nut sprinkles.
Snacks were tricky - coffee without the muffin? not the same right?
Well it gets easier, and I LEARNED lots more about food.

because I'm a DIY kind of person I made up a lot of my own recipes and tried different things.

And I used this recipe book too.

Changing Habits Recipe Book

I hope you can be inspired to start with the change. And be WELL.

how do you choose from a menu when eating out - that avoids eating the foods you don't want?

Heres the thing - when I worked out my list of choice foods for my body at the time and, a family dinner or social occasion comes up that means eating out - the first thing I did was groan -because I would think the restaurant wouldn't have the foods on my food choice list.

I’m hoping you can get through this emotional drag and not think that your food choice list is debilitating at all. 

I find these days most chefs are open to supporting peoples eating choices and, will gladly remove an ingredient or leave a dressing on the side. They are, after all, in business and will want a good review on trip advisor. For you it's the same old story - be prepared before you eat.

So here goes- 

1. Before you write yourself off as having to eat the side salad only perhaps you could go online and check out the chosen restaurants menu.
2. Here's a menu from a place I’ve chosen to meet a client at this week - I didn't look before I picked the place - I just wanted somewhere convenient for my client to get to after work.

Chicken Chicken Chicken

Free Range Corn-Fed, Citrus Brined:

1/4 Chook – $10

1/2 Chook – $20

Whole Chook (Serves 3-4) – $30

Add one of our house made bastes for – $3:

Korean BBQ

Jamaican Jerk

Truffle Butter

Gravy

Fresh Herb, Lemon & Confit Garlic

Buttermilk Fried:

Fried Chicken Thigh, Jalapeno Yoghurt & Chipotle Mayo – $15

Schnitzel:

Panko Crumb Chicken Breast, Butter, Capers, Lemon, Mayo, Rocket – $15

Hot Wings:

6 whole wings - $12

Vegetarian - Organic Tofu:

Fried Tofu, Sesame Greens, Ginger Chilli Sauce, Pickled Cucumber – $17

Sides & Snacks

Beer-Battered Chips

Harissa Mayo – $8

Seasonal Veg – $10

See Specials Menu

Chicken Fat-Roasted Potatoes:

Gravy (Optional) From 6pm only – $10

Warm Baguette – $6

Free Range Chicken Liver Pate

Cornichons, Balsamic Onions, Baguette - $15

See Special's Menu

Any baguette, burger or wrap can be made vegetarian with fried organic tofu or free range eggs

Salads – Fresh, Seasonal, Vegetarian

Salads:

Small – $6

Medium – $10

Large – $15

Extra Large – $20

See Specials Menu for Salad List

Add Pulled Chicken:

Little – $4

Lots – $5

Loads – $6

Or Add Bird’s Marinated Organic Tofu – $5

Can’t Decide?

Chicken Feeds:

Chicken, Salad from the Cabinet, Warm Bread

For One – $16

For Two – $30

Big Bird:

Feeds up to 4 with a choice of 2 Salads – $60

Family Feed:

Feeds up to 8 with a choice of 3 Salads – $100

Desserts

Slice of Lemon Pie:

Berries, Yoghurt – $10

Warm Brownie:

Chocolate Sauce, Vanilla Ice-Cream – $10

Eton Mess:

Berries, Meringue, Cream $10

Our delivery zone is within a 5km radius of our Ponsonby store. Click here for more info

Chicken

Produce

We are New Zealand’s first chicken joint to draw a line in the sand and only source free-range chicken. Corn-fed and from Rangitikei to be precise. In our many, many, many blind tastings, this Rangitikei chook has come out on top each time. Rangitikei was the first chicken meat producer in New Zealand to carry the blue SPCA tick. Read about their farms and story here.

3.  Understand the words they use and know what you are looking for

4.  Avoid falling under pressure and say 'oh stuff it, I'm out once wont hurt'

5.  For me ? from this menu - I will avoid the corn fed chicken even tho it is free range -because I am avoiding grains at the moment (the chicken is corn fed)

6.  I'll ask about the salads - I’m wondering if they use organic ingredients (cross fingers here)

7.  I'll ask about the specials menu -there might be a line caught fish

8.  I am likely to order a salad and add the marinated organic tofu for protein. Ill ask for any dressing to be on the side and exclude crotons or alfalfa sprouts.

9.  I will feel very satisfied with my selection and enjoy their offering with gratefulness.

10.  Most of all I will enjoy the company at dinner.

If you cant see the menu before you go -just trust that changes can be made - I hope you can do it quietly and politely. I know you don't really want to attract all the attention for being fussy about food from those you are dining with.

grow eat heal - LOGO

I'm wondering what -

I'm wondering what would get you people to come along to this 'whats with wheat' documentary.
Is it that you don't believe? or that the concept of wheat being a problem is too scary?
Or do you just like bread and don't want to give it up for better health?
Did you know that modern, genetically modified wheat contains an opiate call gliadin. The gliadin protein is not gluten, it’s like opium. That is why bread is so addictive.
Come and see this doco and get the truth from Doctors and health experts in the field.

http://grow-eat-heal.blogspot.co.nz/p/whats-with-wheat_13.html