Honey Bees and Almond Trees

Apple Honey Crumble

2015-09-07T09:41:00.002-07:00

Today is Labor Day and we've got beach plans for the afternoon, but Fall is almost upon us and I was in the mood for some warm comfort food this morning for breakfast. I put together this recipe with some inspiration from a honey cookbook gifted to me by my aunt. I love artisanal honey and am fortunate that the loved ones in my life always bring me some during family visits. For today's bake, I used orchard honey from the Shenandoah Valley here in Virginia. This is a G.A.P.S. legal dish for those of you on the diet.

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour
1 cup honey
1 cup melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil
3 large apples, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie dish with either butter, ghee, or coconut oil. Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. I've found that rinsing my measuring cup with water before adding the honey allows it to slide more easily as its poured out and makes for less clean up afterwards. Once your ingredients are well blended, transfer the mixture over to your pie dish and pop it into the oven. It will need to bake for a solid hour, but it's worth the wait and awesome smell you'll have coming from the kitchen. After the crumble has been in the oven for an hour, remove and allow it to sit and cool for at least 10 minutes. I served it in bowls alongside some local breakfast sausage, but it is so good we may also have it for dessert tonight as we prepare for football.

Go Hokies!!!

Little Pickled Persian Cukes~Lacto Style

2015-09-07T09:15:00.002-07:00

Just a quick post here since I've got two planned for today. I found some leftover persian cucumbers that needed a job so I sliced them up and added a full tablespoon of dried dill and a tablespoon each of sea salt and sauerkraut liquid. Fresh dill works great if you are lucky to have it on hand instead. These pickles are different from what most of us are accustomed to as they are soaked in brine rather than vinegar. However, the salt water provides an ideal environment for lactobacteria to grow. Some recipes call for garlic and I tend to leave that out since my kids and I prefer the zesty flavor they take on without it. I like to put them on salads and sandwiches but these guys are also tasty on their own. For this recipe I used a pint jar.

Ingredients

2-4 persian cucumbers
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon sauerkraut liquid or whey
spring water to fill jar (leave at least an inch remaining at top)

Instructions

Slice the cucumbers and add all ingredients to the jar. Tighten lid and gently flip jar upside down a few times to mix well. Leave the jar to ferment at room temperature for 4-7 days, remembering to burp the lid every few days until it's ready to go in the fridge.

Cultured Lemon Ginger Carrots

2015-09-06T11:55:00.001-07:00

If you know me then you may have heard mention of these "magic carrots" before. I lacto-ferment them using sea salt and a small amount of Bubbie's sauerkraut liquid to give the culture a good jumpstart. These carrot sticks are super easy to make and will last for months in the refrigerator. We each eat one daily during cold and flu season. If you feel a sore throat coming on, pop one in your mouth. They maintain a nice crunch in the jar and have a pleasant, zingy flavor. Try them with hummus!

My favorite recipe for cultured carrots includes lemon and ginger as you see here in the picture. If you want to go simple just use the carrots and salt. But I love having the extra boost brought on from the lemon and ginger. Once fermented, the lemon quarters are ideal to add to your drinking water for the day...on the go or at home. I sometimes use the ginger chunks in my water bottle as well but I like to leave some in with the carrots, too.

If you are new to culturing foods, here are a few recommendations:

Use only spring water. Chlorinated water will inhibit the growth of your culture.
Use only sea salt or Himalayan salt. Same deal here; if you go with regular old table salt the iodine and anti-caking agents will also inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria. Stick with what's most natural and unrefined by using only mineral rich salts.
Whey may be substituted for the Bubbie's depending on what you have on hand. Or you can ferment by simply adding salt to the water and nothing else. The process may take a little longer and could be weaker, but you will still have yourself a decent ferment. I like using Bubbie's (or my own sauerkraut if it's around) because I'm guaranteed a strong culture with good flavor.
Packaged baby carrots are a quicker option over cutting carrot sticks by hand but remember to wash them thoroughly once you remove them from the package. Chlorine dioxide is used on baby carrots to prevent E. coli growth but it will do the same to Lactobacillus, which is the kind of bacteria you want! I find it a better idea to bypass this issue by just using whole carrots. It only takes 5 minutes to cut them and I don't bother peeling them.
Store your ferment in a glass jar with tight fitting lid. I typically use a quart sized jar so I can leave an inch of space for air towards the top. This recipe will take between 4-7 days depending on your kitchen. Keep the jar on your countertop in a warm spot and "burp" it every few days by unscrewing the lid to release air. You may notice the water looks fizzy and this is a good time to taste the carrots for flavor. Once ready, place them in the refrigerator and eat as needed.
Organic is best, people.

Ingredients

6 medium sized carrots; cut in half and then lengthwise
1 lemon; quartered
2-inch chunk of ginger; roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon sauerkraut liquid or whey
spring water

Instructions

prepare food ingredients as listed above and combine in glass jar
add salt and cultured liquid
fill the jar with spring water, leaving one inch of space at the top for air.
Tightly screw on the lid and then gently flip the jar upside down a few times to disperse the salt.
The jar will remain at room temperature for 4-7 days. Remember to "burp" the lid and check for flavor before placing it in the fridge. Last time I made these carrots they were good for six months!

White Cheese Pizza with a Thin Almond Crust

2011-12-20T12:14:00.000-08:00

This comforting recipe was born out of my son's current dislike for tomato sauce. It's cheesy goodness gets the job done! I probably would have used even more cheese if we hadn't run out...and of course you can add any variety of toppings you are craving. The parmesan and herbs really give it that true italian flavor.

Ingredients

Crust

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups almond flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup GAPS yogurt

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Topping

1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (preferably from raw milk)

1 teaspoon basil or 1 teaspoon oregano or both

As much aged parmesan as you'd like!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust, beat eggs, add oil and yogurt, then add dry ingredients. Mix well. I use parchment paper and a pizza stone, but you can easily grease a baking sheet instead. I spoon the dough onto the parchment paper and then using my mixing spoon, gradually spread the dough out in a circular motion until it becomes a thin layer.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with the cheese and herbs. Place the pizza back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust has reached the desired crispiness.

Cinnamon Bacon Waffles

2011-12-16T13:14:00.001-08:00

Now here is the post I am most excited about this month. A low-carb, grain-free waffle of awesome. I need to go ahead and give most of the credit to Man vs. Food since I based this recipe on a dish briefly mentioned while they were traveling through Las Vegas. Just look at that picture to the left. Looks like the bacon is simply sitting on top of the waffle, doesn't it? It is in fact baked into the waffle. [insert drool here]

Ingredients

1 package bacon (no sugar, no nitrates)

1 and 1/2 cup almond flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

Turn on waffle iron and allow to preheat. Cook bacon in skillet over medium high heat but do not allow it to get crispy. Think floppy and noodle like.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs well. Add honey and vanilla, then beat well. Add almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix all with a hand-held mixer or whisk, until smooth. Pour batter into the waffle iron, then place bacon slice upon the batter before shutting the lid. I actually use 2 slices of bacon and lay them crosswise onto the batter as you can see in the picture. These waffles cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. I usually keep the waffle iron on a low setting when using almond flour.

Hawaiian Bread

2011-12-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is a sweet bread that works well as a dessert or special breakfast treat. It has a lovely lemon aroma too.

Ingredients

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

8 eggs

1/2 cup honey or 1/4 cup honey + 1/2 teaspoon stevia

1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sifted coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)

1/4 cup flaked coconut

Optional:

1/2 cup macadamia nuts or pecans, finely chopped

Blend together mashed banana, pineapple, eggs, honey, lemon extract, and salt. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and whisk thoroughly into batter. Fold in nuts if using. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

2011-12-16T12:27:00.000-08:00

GAPS does allow chocolate if you can tolerate it, so give these simple cookies a go. This recipe makes 24 cookies.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder

3 egg whites

1 cup honey or 1/2 cup honey and 1/4 teaspoon stevia

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, coconut, and cocoa powder. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks with a handheld mixer. Blend in the honey (and stevia if using). Fold in the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture.

Spoon the dough 1 tablespoon at a time onto the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each macaroon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, then serve.

Lemon Bars with Almond Crust

2011-10-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ya'll these bars are sooo good, you'll be sneaking down to the fridge at 1am for a late night snack. These lemon bars really are delicious and I've already made this recipe four times! My older son helps me mix the ingredients. He loves to see how the lemons can be sliced and squeezed to make the flavorful topping.

Ingredients

Crust

1 and 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp butter (or grapeseed oil for dairy free)

1 Tbsp honey (local and raw is best)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Topping

1/4 cup butter (or grapeseed oil)

1/4 cup honey

3 large eggs

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter (or the oil) and dust with almond flour.

To make the crust, combine the almond flour and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Below is the crust all ready for the oven.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until lightly golden. While the crust bakes, combine the butter, honey, eggs, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. I have one of those little hand held blenders you can just use in the same bowl, but a food processor works just as well. Pour the topping evenly over the hot crust.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is golden. Let cool in the baking dish for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to set. Cut into bars and serve. I wish I had a photo of the final dish, but my oven mitt grazed the topping as I pulled it out...leaving it most "unblogworthy." We certainly enjoyed eating it though! It's almost like the lemon and honey were made for each other.

Spaghetti Squash with Puttanesca Sauce

2011-10-04T19:01:00.001-07:00

Every now and then a recipe will inspire me to give it a go even if it's a bit out of my comfort zone. Before GAPS, I had very little experience with spaghetti squash. We ate a lot of gluten free pasta made with rice flour, so there was really no reason to go this route. Boy, am I glad to have found this alternative. It is an incredible dish and due to popular demand, I've already made it several times. I found the recipe in Eat Well Feel Well, by Kendall Conrad.

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash

3 Tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

5 cloves garlic, chopped

10 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp drained capers

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

10 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rub the squash with 1 Tbsp oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up, and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, and saute for 1 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic. Add the tomatoes, capers, and olives, and simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes.

Turn off the heat, swirl in the butter, and stir in the basil. Run a fork over the spaghetti squash to separate it into strands. Place the squash on a serving platter or divide among individual bowls. Pour the sauce on top, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and serve!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Muffins

2011-10-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

I found this amazing recipe on Cheeseslave.com, a wonderful blog full of yummy GAPS recipes. I had the ingredients on hand this morning and decided to treat my boys to a savory brunch. Some of you may look at this recipe and feel these muffins are too fattening. Just keep in mind that this diet is low in carbs and very high in animal fats. This is the best way to heal your gut, immune system and various neurological behaviors. These muffins are unbelievably delicious too, so enjoy!

Ingredients

3 pastured eggs

2 Tbsp bacon drippings (add more if you wish)

1/4 tsp sea salt

3 Tbsp coconut flour

1/4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder

6-8 strips nitrate free bacon (pastured is even better if you can find it)

1/2 cup natural cheddar cheese

Butter or lard to grease your muffin tin

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy and then set aside. Blend eggs, bacon drippings and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the coconut flour and baking powder, then mix to remove lumps. Put the bacon and cheese in a food processor and pulse until crumbled; stir into batter. Grease your muffin tin and pour batter in. Bake for 15-20 minutes. I use Natural Stone by Haeger. For you and your family, it is much safer than non-stick!

Note that this recipe only makes 6 muffins, so you will need to double the recipe if you want to bake more. If you happen to have extras, wrap them up and keep them in the freezer to serve for a quick breakfast on another day. I only made 6 the first time, so if you look below you can see what happened approximately 20 minutes after they came out of the oven.

Brownies!

2011-09-27T13:24:00.001-07:00

Whew! Have I sure missed chocolate! Fortunately I found an easy recipe that allows us to enjoy brownies again. If you have trouble locating coconut flour, check your local heath food store. They will usually stock the cocoa powder you will need as well.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled or coconut oil

1 cup cocoa powder

9 eggs, wow!

1 cup honey

3/4 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup coconut flour

Butter a 9×13 pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, remove from heat. Add the cocoa powder into the butter, set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the honey, vanilla and salt and whisk well.
Add in the coconut flour, little bits at a time, mixing well to avoid lumps.
Add in the cocoa powder-butter mixture and whisk very well. If you do not whisk well enough, you’ll have clumps in your brownies that are yellow when the rest is chocolatey-brown. I use a hand held blender to mix it evenly.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Butternut Squash Home Fries with Cinnamon and Chili Pepper

2011-09-27T12:53:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 butternut squash

3 T olive oil

1 to 2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. chili pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the butternut squash, cut in half and scoop out the inside seeds. Chop the squash into 1/4 inch pieces. Coat a baking tray with olive oil and salt, spread the squash pieces onto the tray and coat with the remaining oil. Sprinkle cinnamon and chili pepper evenly over the squash. Bake in the oven until browned and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Turn the fries over during the baking process so they may cook evenly.

Apple Clafoutis

2011-09-27T12:51:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe in "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook" and it was easy to make using local apples from the farm stand down the road.

Ingredients

4 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 eggs

1/4 cup honey (local if you can get it!)

1/2 cup homemade yogurt (see recipe under "Dairy")

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup almond flour

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter and dust lightly with almond flour. Fan the apples in concentric circles on the bottom of the pie dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, yogurt, butter and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, salt and cinnamon. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture over the apples. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the clafoutis is set in the center and the top is golden. Let the clafoutis cool for 30 minutes, then serve warm.

Pizza with Almond Flour Crust

2011-09-27T11:33:00.001-07:00

I was desperate for a thick, cheesy pizza, but unfortunately delivery (and DiGiorno) are illegal on the GAPS diet. I decided to experiment a little and this pizza recipe is the end result. Kid and husband approved, so I consider it a success!

For the crust, I used the Tasty Herb Bread recipe from "Cooking to Heal Little Tummies." I chose to omit the cheddar from the crust since I use it later to top the pizza.

Crust

2 and 1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

3 T melted butter or safflower oil

1/4 tsp. minced garlic

Toppings

2 cup crushed tomatoes

2 cup shredded natural cheddar cheese

Optional:

olives, green peppers, mushrooms, basil, oregano, or any other GAPS legal favorites

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, parsley, basil, oregano, baking soda, salt and garlic. In a separate small bowl, melt butter. Add eggs and water and beat together well. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until smooth. Lightly grease a baking sheet and spoon the mixture onto it. Grease your hands a bit and use them to spread the dough into a round, pizza shape. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and spread tomatoes evenly over the crust. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and your other toppings over the pizza and return to the oven. Bake until cheese is melted...about 10-15 minutes.

About the G.A.P.S Diet

2011-09-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

G.A.P.S. is a high protein, high fat and low carb diet designed to eliminate all grains, starches and refined sugars. It is very similar to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), but puts more emphasis on fermented foods and the removal of casein.

THE FULL GAPS DIET

For many GAPS patients, the diet should be followed for two years at least. The book Gut & Psychology Syndrome will provide recipes and more explanation about the diet.

The best foods are eggs (if tolerated), fresh meats (not preserved), fish, shellfish, fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts and seeds, garlic and olive oil. Apart from eating vegetables cooked, it is important to have some raw vegetables with meals, as they contain vital enzymes to assist digestion of the meats. Fruit should be eaten on their own, not with meals, as they have a very different digestion pattern and can make the work harder for the stomach. Fruit should be given as a snack between meals.

It is very important to have plenty of natural fats in every meal from meats, butter, ghee, coconut (if tolerated) and cold pressed olive oil. Animal fats on meats are particularly valuable. Fermented foods (sauerkraut, yogurt, and kefir) are also a very important part of this diet in addition to homemade meat or fish stock. It is recommended to take a cup of warm meat or fish stock with every meal as a drink as well as soups and stews made with the meat or fish stock. The stock, kefir and fermented vegetables will over time restore the stomach acid production, which will improve digestion.

It is best to avoid processed foods (any packet or tinned foods). They are stripped from most nutrients that were present in the fresh ingredients used for making these foods. They are a hard work for the digestive system and they damage the healthy gut flora balance. On top of that they usually contain a lot of artificial chemicals, detrimental to health, like preservatives, colorants, etc. Try to buy foods in the form that nature made them, as fresh as possible.

RECOMMENDED FOODS

Almonds, including almond butter and oil

Apples

Apricots, fresh or dried

Artichoke, French

Asiago cheese

Asparagus

Aubergine (eggplant)

Avocados, including avocado oil

Bananas (ripe only with brown spots on the skin)

Beans, dried white (navy), string beans and lima

beans properly prepared

Beef, fresh or frozen

Beets or beetroot

Berries, all kinds

Black, white and red pepper: ground and pepper

corns

Black radish

Blue cheese

Bok Choy

Brazil nuts

Brick cheese

Brie cheese

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Butter

Cabbage

Camembert cheese

Canned fish in oil or water only

Capers

Carrots

Cashew nuts, fresh only

Cauliflower

Cayenne pepper

Celeriac

Celery

Cellulose in supplements

Cheddar cheese

Cherimoya (custard apple or sharifa)

Cherries

Chicken, fresh or frozen

Cinnamon

Citric acid

Coconut, fresh or dried (shredded) without any

additives

Coconut milk

Coconut oil

Coffee, weak and freshly made, not instant

Collard greens

Colby cheese

Courgette (zucchini)

Coriander, fresh or dried

Cucumber

Dates, fresh or dried without any additives (not

soaked in syrup)

Dill, fresh or dried

Duck, fresh or frozen

Edam cheese

Eggplant (aubergine)

Eggs, fresh

Filberts

Fish, fresh or frozen, canned in its juice or oil

Game, fresh or frozen

Garlic

Ghee, homemade (many store varieties contain non-allowed ingredients)

Gin, occasionally

Ginger root, fresh

Goose, fresh or frozen

Gorgonzola cheese

Gouda cheese

Grapefruit

Grapes

Haricot beans, properly prepared

Havarti cheese

Hazelnuts

Herbal teas

Herbs, fresh or dried without additives

Honey, natural

Juices freshly pressed from permitted fruit and

vegetables

Kale

Kiwi fruit

Kumquats

Lamb, fresh or frozen

Lemons

Lentils

Lettuce, all kinds

Lima beans (dried and fresh)

Limburger cheese

Limes

Mangoes

Meats, fresh or frozen

Melons

Monterey (Jack) cheese

Muenster cheese

Mushrooms

Mustard seeds, pure powder and gourmet types

without any non-allowed ingredients

Nectarines

Nut flour or ground nuts (usually ground blanched

almonds)

Nutmeg

Nuts, all kinds freshly shelled, not roasted, salted or

coated (any roasting must be done at home)

Olive oil, virgin cold-pressed

Olives preserved without sugar or any other non-

allowed ingredients

Onions

Oranges

Papayas

Parmesan cheese

Parsley

Peaches

Peanut butter, without additives

Peanuts, fresh or roasted in their shells

Pears

Peas, dried split and fresh green

Pecans

Peppers (green, yellow, red, and orange)

Pheasant, fresh or frozen

Pickles, without sugar or any other non-allowed

ingredients

Pigeon, fresh or frozen

Pineapples, fresh

Pork, fresh or frozen

Port du Salut cheese

Poultry, fresh or frozen

Prunes, dried without any additives or in their own

juice

Pumpkin

Quail, fresh or frozen

Raisins

Rhubarb

Roquefort cheese

Romano cheese

Satsumas

Scotch, occasionally

Seaweed fresh and dried, once the Introduction Diet has been completed

Shellfish, fresh or frozen

Spices, single and pure without any additives

Spinach

Squash (summer and winter)

Stilton cheese

String beans

Swedes

Swiss cheese

Tangerines

Tea, weak, freshly made, not instant

Tomato puree, pure without any additives apart

from salt

Tomato juice, without any additives apart from salt

Tomatoes

Turkey, fresh or frozen

Turnips

Ugly fruit

Uncreamed cottage cheese (dry curd)

Vinegar (cider or white); make sure there is no

allergy

Vodka, very occasionally

Walnuts

Watercress

White navy beans, properly prepared

Wine dry: red or white

Yogurt, homemade

Zucchini (courgette)

FOODS TO AVOID

Acesulphame

Acidophilus milk

Agar-agar

Agave syrup - main carbohydrate is a complex form of fructose

Algae - can aggravate an already disturbed immune

system

Aloe Vera - please go to "FAQs" for additional information on when

it can be introduced

Amaranth - is a grain substitute, contains starches

Apple juice - usually has sugar added during

processing

Arrowroot - is a mucilaginous herb and loaded with

starch

Aspartame

Astragalus - contains polysaccharides

Baked beans

Baker's yeast - contains saccharamyces cerevisae

Baking powder and raising agents of all kind - baking soda can be used

for specific medical issues, please view the "FAQs" section

Balsamic vinegar - most found in stores have added

sugar

Barley

Bean flour and sprouts

Bee pollen - irritating to a damaged gut

Beer

Bhindi or okra

Bicarbonate of soda

Bitter Gourd

Black-eye beans

Bologna

Bouillon cubes or granules

Brandy

Buckwheat

Bulgur

Burdock root - contains FOS and mucilage

Butter beans

Buttermilk

Canellini beans

Canned vegetables and fruit

Carob

Carrageenan - is seaweed and high in

polysaccharides

Cellulose gum

Cereals, including all breakfast cereals

Cheeses, processed and cheese spreads

Chestnuts and chestnut flour

Chevre cheese

Chewing gum - contain sugars or sugar substitutes

Chick peas

Chickory root - contains high amounts of FOS

Chocolate

Cocoa powder -

Cocoa is very rich in magnesium and some essential amino acids and, unless your digestive system is not ready for it, there is no need to avoid it.

Coffee, instant and coffee substitutes

Cooking oils

Cordials

Corn

Cornstarch

Corn syrup

Cottage cheese

Cottonseed

Cous-cous

Cream - contains lactose

Cream of Tartar

Cream cheese

Dextrose - in commercial products it is not the pure

form

Drinks, soft

Faba beans

Feta cheese

Fish, preserved, smoked, salted, breaded and canned

with sauces

Flour, made out of grains

FOS (fructooligosaccharides)

Fructose - extracted from corn and has a mixture of

other trisaccharides

Fruit, canned or preserved

Garbanzo beans

Gjetost cheese

Grains, all

Gruyere cheese

Ham

Hot dogs

Ice-cream, commercial

Jams

Jellies

Jerusalem artichoke

Ketchup, commercially available

Lactose

Liqueurs

Margarines and butter replacements

Meats, processed, preserved, smoked and salted

Millet

Milk from any animal, soy, rice, canned coconut milk

Milk, dried

Molasses

Mozzarella cheese

Mungbeans

Neufchatel cheese

Nutra-sweet (aspartame)

Nuts, salted, roasted and coated

Oats

Okra - mucilaginous food

Parsnips

Pasta, of any kind

Pectin

Postum

Potato white

Potato sweet

Primost cheese

Quinoa - 60% starch

Rice

Ricotta cheese

Rye

Saccharin

Sago

Sausages, commercially available

Semolina

Sherry

Soda soft drinks

Sour cream, commercial

Soy

Spelt

Starch

Sugar or sucrose of any kind

Tapioca - starch

Tea, instant

Triticale

Turkey loaf

Vegetables, canned or preserved

Wheat

Wheat germ

Whey, powder or liquid

Yams

Yogurt, commercial

The diet is based on the book,

Gut and Psychology Syndrome
Natural Treatment For: Autism, ADD, ADHD
Depression, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Schizophrenia

Book Description from GAPS website
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride set up The Cambridge Nutrition Clinic in 1998. As a parent of a child diagnosed with learning difficulties, she was acutely aware of the difficulties facing other parents like her, and she has devoted much of her time to helping these families. She realised that nutrition played a critical role in helping children and adults to overcome their disabilities, and has pioneered the use of probiotics in this field.

Her willingness to share her knowledge has resulted in her contributing to many publications, as well as presenting at numerous seminars and conferences on the subjects of learning disabilities and digestive disorders. Her book "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" captures her experience and knowledge, incorporating her most recent work.

She believes that the link between learning disabilities, the food and drink that we take, and the condition of our digestive system is absolute, and the results of her work have supported her position on this subject. In her clinic, parents discuss all aspects of their child's condition, confident in the knowledge that they are not only talking to a professional but to a parent who has lived their experience. Her deep understanding of the challenges they face, puts her advice in a class of it's own.

Website	http://www.GutAndPsychologySyndrome.com/