I decided to do an anti-inflammation diet that is meant to help my body fight and repair from the lyme disease. I thought I'd put together my daily menu for the first week and share it here. I know a lot of my time in prepping was used just in planning the meals and in the kitchen getting things ready. But, by the end of it all, I hope to have some good recipes to share and some helpful kitchen tips to help speed things up so that you don't spend half of the day cooking and cleaning up the kitchen!
The diet is based off the book: Recipes for Repair by Gail Piazza and Lauren Piazza (the link is for a downloadable version since the print version is no longer available). They also have a corresponding website with some extra info. You can find it here.
Day 1
Breakfast: Brown Rice Porridge
Lunch: Deviled Eggs & Carrot Salad
Snack: Almond Crackers
Supper: Veggie Soup & Biscotti
Day 2
Breakfast: Brown Rice Porridge
Lunch: Spinach & Egg
Snack: Cherries
Supper: Moroccan Spiced Salmon with Rice & Asparagus
I went to bed with a migraine. I had an eye doctor appointment and my RX was slightly changed. So some of it could be due to that. But I believe it is mostly due to detox.
Day 3
Breakfast: Chia Pudding
Lunch: Cinnamon Applesauce, Cucumber
Snack: Cherries, & Blueberries
Supper: Stir-Fried Rice and Veggies
I had a headache all day and was achy. Very foggy-headed.
Day 4
Breakfast: Spinach & Egg
Lunch: Salad
Snack: Avacado, Blueberry, Kale Smoothie
Supper: Mackerel Cakes, Brown Rice, Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Carrots
Woke up very achy with a lot of back/neck pain. Still have a light headache.
Day 5
Breakfast: Spinich & Egg, Apple Sauce
Lunch: Salad
Supper: Carrot Salad, Apple Sauce, Carrots, Celery
Day 6
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Fruit
Supper: Almond Crusted Tilapia, Okra, Wild Rice
Day 7
Breakfast: Chia Pudding
Lunch: Salad
Supper: Left Overs
Obviously I didn't take notes of all of the things I ate. But this is a pretty good run down of how my week looked. I tried to have a few snacky foods available at all times, like nuts, green apples, cherries, blueberries, and dried coconut. I also made herbal tea with allowed herbs for the times I wanted a hot drink (since I can't have coffee until Phase 3).
As a whole I'd say it went well. I dealt with a lot of brain fog and fatigue, as well as headaches due to the detox. Thankfully this was all short lived. I will say that I was definitely looking forward to adding new foods in Phase 2! But the meals were pretty good and since it was only 1 week, it was very doable.
Now on to Phase 2!
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Oh man! Do I have a delicious recipe for you!! This black bean soup is a favorite in my house. It's soooo tasty, especially when you make your own black beans (recipe here).
We like to serve this over cooked rice. Try adding chopped cilantro to add that nice cool and refreshing taste. Though sour cream and cheese may make great additions, we prefer it just as it is!
Enjoy!!
Bacon & Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups black beans (I use this recipe to make them from dried beans)
- 6 slices of bacon or more (I usually use a whole package...cuz it's bacon!)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 32 oz chicken broth (or 2 cans)
- 2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Served with:
Rice
Chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Cook bacon in stockpot (I usually do some in the pot and some in the oven to speed up the process).
- When bacon is mostly done, add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add in beans and remaining ingredients (except rice and cilantro).
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 min to help blend the flavors.
- Serve over cooked rice. Add cilantro and desired toppings.
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These black beans so so delicious!! Once you make them, you'll never want canned black beans again! They are perfect for tacos or soup. Sooooo good!
You can find my bacon black bean soup recipe here. Yum!
Instant Pot Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry black beans (sorted and rinsed)
- 3 cups water
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in instant pot.
- Place lid on and turn steam release valve to sealing.
- Set pot to manual (high pressure) for 22 minutes. It may take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
- Allow steam to release naturally for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, carefully open steam valve to release any remaining steam.
- Once steam is fully released, carefully open lead.
- Serve beans as desired.
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I love having a bowl of granola cereal in the evenings. However, last time I went to the store the price was too high for my liking. So I decided to make my own! It's super simple and has a great flavor! I had a bowl last night and it passed the test. Super yummy!
Next time I may try upping the oven temp to see if I can get it a tad more crunchy. But that's just a personal preference. This recipe browned nicely and has a great flavor.
You can add dried or fresh fruit to it after you have baked it to add even more flavor.
Homemade Cinnamon Honey Granola
Ingredients
9 cups oats *see notes
1 cup organic honey (local is best)
1 cup organic coconut oil
1 t himalayan salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, broken (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350*.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, salt, cinnamon, & pecans.
- In a small saucepan, mix together honey and coconut oil. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to help break up clumps.
- Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.
- Spread onto 2 large baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in oven 15 minutes for soft granola
- For a more cereal-like granola, stir granola and place back in over for another 10 min.
- Cool and store in air-tight container.
Notes:
*I did a mix of old fashioned oats and quick oats, about half and half, to add more texture and variety.
*If you want them a bit crunchier, try using a higher oven temp and check after 15 min
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We've all heard the saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade". But, if you are like me, you like lemons. So someone giving me a lemon would be a good thing. But what about tomatoes? What if life throws tomatoes at you? I really don't know anyone who likes that, even if you do like tomatoes!
There are times in life when bad things keep coming our way and it becomes too much to handle. But if we can learn to see the positive in the mess of it all, then it's not so bad. So, when life throws tomatoes at you, make soup! How many amazing soup recipes are out there that use some form of tomato?
- Enchilada Soup
- Taco Soup
- Chili
- Stew
- Tomato Soup
You can also make tomato paste for yummy things like pizza sauce. You can make tomato sauce for yummy home made spaghetti sauce. The possibilities really are endless!
Just think of all the amazing things that can come of one "bad" thing. There's always a silver lining. Something good can come of everything in life, sometimes we just have to look a little harder to find it.
So, when life throws tomatoes at you, make soup! Don't let it get you down. Make a good thing out of the bad. There are too many things in life that can bring us down. Make it your mission to always find the good in life. You may find yourself amazed at how good life really can be, even when nothing seems to go your way.
Remember that God always has a better plan. I can't tell you how many times I thought I was finally getting things all figured out, then there was a curveball (or tomato)...then another and another. It's times like that that I have to step back and try to see the bigger picture. I have to realize that there's more to those tomatoes than just a juicy fruit that stains and leaves messes behind. It's about learning to navigate and choosing to see the best that can come of the situation.
No, it's not always easy. Sometimes it's flat out hard and, if I'm honest, I just don't want to see the good at times. It's so much easier to focus on the bad. Last year held so many rocky moments (for pretty much everyone). It would have been easy to just give up. But instead I chose to look for the good. To see what can be made of all those tomatoes. And you know what? I feel like my family is in a good place. No, things aren't perfect. But where we are now is just another stepping stone to where we are heading. And that's what really matters.
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
