A Whole New Culinary World

What's a Southern girl raised on fried chicken, mashed potatoes and biscuits to do when she is told that she has developed a condition called candida albicans.     Yes, it is as weird as it sounds.     Basically my body has once again decided to revolt and my fibromyalgia has caused a yeast overgrowth in my body.     Like fibromyalgia, candida albicans can cause fatigue, headaches, and digestive problems.    However, unlike fibromyalgia, candida albicans can cause death.   

So, I have been been on the candida diet now for a little while.     I can sum up the candida diet pretty easily for you.     If it tastes good... don't eat it.   

What is off my food list....

No yeast. 

No wheat. 

No sugar. 

No dairy.

No vinegar or pickled items.   (This includes condiments.)

What I can eat...

Meat (as long as it is not processed)

Lots of Vegetables


Gluten free grains and pastas

Lots of water and green tea

Nuts (but NO peanuts or pistachios)

Low-glycemic fruit – grapefruit, green apples, avocados, tomatoes, grapes, pears, lemons, limes, strawberries, blueberries   (only a couple of times a week)

The first couple of days of this diet I cried... a lot.    I just wasn't sure I was going to manage this diet.   Discipline is NOT my strong suit.    Plus it is hard to feel positive when you are so hungry.     Fortunately, I asked a couple of people to pray for me that I would stick with it.

My sweet boys and husband have been amazing.   

So my next recipes will be my discovery of how to eat on this diet.   Craziness!

Welcome to my whole new world!

Still No "Ace"

Little Guy and I finished our cake decorating class.    We had a blast despite the pounds of icing that I had to make in that  month long period.       Decorating the cakes was nothing compared to trying to keep up with making all the types of icing we had to have for each class.     For that reason alone I am kind of glad that we are finished.

We had to make a cake for our "final".     Little Guy and I were allowed to make our cake together.     We had to make a cake that was two layers, iced in the middle.   Flat on the top (some people really struggled with this).      It had to have at least four icing colors and use at least four techniques.      

Our cake looks simple, but it took us almost two hours to complete.    Both Little Guy and I loved our bumble bee and hated our butterfly.    Live and learn.    

For now we are celebrating the end of our class.... with CAKE!

Still Cooking

I know I haven't been posting a lot of recipes lately, but I haven't been doing a lot of cooking. I gave my 8 year a cookbook for his birthday. Since that little cookbook landed in his hands he hasn't quit cooking.

He has made all sorts of recipes: peanut butter cookies, spaghetti, pasta and homemade alfredo sauce, lemon squares, chicken and burgers.

He even created his own "Asian Shrimp" recipe which was so delicious I can't even begin to tell you! I was going to post his recipe here, but I can't because I have no idea what was in that little bowl of spices he created. All I know is that those shrimp came off the grill and disappeared with that bowl of Teriyaki Rice he made.

I am loving watching him cook and create. We have even signed him up for a class at the Viking Cooking School. He is over the moon with excitement.

My Little Guy isn't the only one spreading his cooking wings. My 12 year old Big Guy is also learning to grill. He enjoys cooking a little, but he really enjoys grilling. When Little Guy created his shrimp recipe he asked his big brother to finish up the process on the grill.

I have given them an assignment for our supper tomorrow night. I bought steaks. Little Guy is supposed to create the marinade and Big Guy will grill them. I can't wait to taste them!

I just wanted to let you know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I am just enjoying this phase of teaching and watching my boys cook.

This is a Test: Coconut Juice

My Little Guy loves to try new things. Once he decides he wants to try something he won't quit talking about it. About two years ago he discovered coconut soda at the store. He found it in the Mexican section of our grocery and he LOVES it. Now, my husband who loves coconut detests it, but Little Guy thinks it is the greatest treat when I buy him a couple of bottles and put them in the refrigerator. A few weeks ago he saw a can of coconut juice and he just decided he wanted to try it. So when we were buying snacks I told him that we would buy a can for him to try. When we poured it into the cup he was very surprised that there were little pieces of coconut floating in the cup.



The moment of truth....


"Mom, this is definitely not coconut soda! Do they really drink this stuff on Survivor?"


So where is the can of coconut juice? Here... in the door of the refrigerator. You know how I feel about wasting. So any ideas on what you can cook with coconut juice?