To Eat or Not To Eat

Pregnancy Changes Everything!

2012-12-13T14:29:00.000-08:00

Well it has been many months since I wrote in my blog. But wonderful news... I am pregnant! I am currently 34 weeks and it has been an interesting ride!

I have struggled with my weight throughout pregnancy, and have just recently been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Bummer!! Tomorrow I go to a class to learn how to monitor my blood sugars 4 times a day. I am not that surprised since I was having blood sugar problems before pregnancy too...

Here is me at 30 weeks. I basically still look the same...belly is just a little higher!

We also learned that our son (we are having a boy!!) will have a cleft lip and possibly a cleft palate. I am glad that I am a little familiar with a cleft since my husband has one. It has still been a learning experience. I feel very fortunate that Kaiser has a special cleft lip/palate team! We have already met with our pediatrician, and discussed the first surgery and what we can expect throughout this childhood. I am nervous to meet him, but I can't wait to see him!

I am not sure where this blog is going to take me. I want to share information about cleft lip and palate with other parents who might have recently been diagnosed, as well as continue to share what I learn about life and health.

Out Running Myself

2012-04-01T17:23:00.001-07:00

I have embarked on a new journey. I am training for a 5k.

Naturally, since I am a technology lover, I have downloaded and started using the wonderful Nike+ app on my Iphone. I love that it can track my progress and keep my motivated!

This running inspiration came from one of Andy and my friends. He was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He has still managed to train himself and recently run a half-marathon. He asked us to join him in running, and I am so glad that he did! Having a running partner is amazing. Andy and I are planning on keeping to a schedule, and keeping track using the Nike+ app. I feel great after completing each run. I just hope I can keep the motivation up. Knowing that Rob is expecting to meet us to run is helping Andy and I stay on track.

We are planning on doing the June 16th Philip Rivers 5k. Join us! We can help to motivate each other!

I am on Spring Break this week so stay tuned for some new gluten free recipes I am going to try! :)

Banana Muffins

2012-02-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

I love to eat bananas, and I also love muffins! One thing I have missed since going gluten free is a yummy squishy muffin! I have tried a few recipes I have liked, but this one comes out with a nice consistency.

Almond Flour Banana Muffins
9 oz almond flour (either buy a pre-made package like the one they sell at Trader Joe's or make your own)
2 eggs
3 mushy bananas
1 tbls vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tbls cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix together flour, bananas, vanilla extract and egg. Add cinnamon to taste. Take about 1/4 of batter off to the side. Mix the cocoa powder with the small batch of batter. Pour a scoop of the main batter in each muffin cup. Add a small amount of the cocoa mixture. Then finish off each cup with the main batter. This will create a chocolate surprise filling. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

I like to eat apples and bananas!

2012-01-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

Over the new year weekend I was scheduled to be out of town. This made meal planning a challenge because I knew I would be on the road and very busy each day. Needing to eat every two hours and keep my snack gluten free inspired me to try and make some of my own banana and apple crisps. After a little Internet research and combining various recipes here is what I came up with.

Apple/Banana Crisps
3 or 4 apples (or 2-3 bananas)

1 lemon
cinnamon or nutmeg... your choice!
Parchment paper

Heat oven to 225 degrees. Core and slice apples into thin pieces.

Place apples on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and squeeze lemon juice over them. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and then bake for 1 hour. Flip the apples over, and bake for 1 more hour, or until they are dried and crispy. (I like my a little softer, so 2 hours was perfect for me!)

The recipe and directions is the same for the bananas, except you bake them a little longer.

These came out great! I added them to some raw almonds and cashews and had a tasty trial mix that lasted me all weekend!

Surprise, you need to eat every two hours!

2011-12-28T18:55:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been feeling light-headed on and off, and at the strangest times. My doctors did blood pressure tests, and other blood tests to determine the cause of my vertigo. The conclusion that they finally came to is that I am probably hypoglycemic. I have always had problems with not eating every few hours, but it has not been such a big problem until recently.

My eating has drastically changed, and I was happy to hear that what I was eating are the correct foods, I was just not partnering them up in the right groupings. I already eat low carb, partially because of the gluten intolerance, but also because doing so has helped me keep my weight under control. My current meal plan looks something like the Paleo diet (where they consume meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts) but also includes cultured dairy and legumes. I don't eat any rice, potatoes or grains. This is what has been recommended to me currently while my body adjusts to its new size, and so far it is working. I say, if is isn't broke, don't fix it! (They say you need to stay at this new weight for 6 months to a year for your body to adjust to its new size!)

What does hypoglycemia mean for me?

The problem is, if I eat carbs alone, like a piece of fruit or legumes, and I do not include a protein or fat (like nuts, or healthy oils like olive or coconut oil) my blood sugar levels have trouble staying level. With this new knowledge (I learn something new every day!) I have started eating at 2-3 hour intervals and included a protein or a fat serving at each one. So far I feel much better! It has only been a few days, but I can tell a big difference in how I feel already. It is strange to eat so often, but it is exactly what you do during the fast, which is most likely why I felt so good on the program. You drink a shake every 3 hours, and when you make sure to be on time, you feel great! It worked really well for me. I was very happy on the fast, and felt an equilibrium that I have not felt with eating food until now. On the fast I was not hungry when it was time for my next shake, and so far with eating every two hours, I have had much less hunger. I have been concerned about my calories being a problem but surprisingly I have wanted to eat less since my mini-meals are so satisfying. My calorie intake has been the same or less each day since starting to eat this way.

We are preparing to go to Pasadena to sell merchandise at the Rose Bowl, and I am looking forward to seeing how eating this way will work for me on the road.

So now, I am the gluten free hypoglycemic girl! :) Here is to a new year, with new strategies to try!

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Review

2011-12-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is filled with so many treats, and it can be a difficult time for someone who is gluten free.

One of my dear friends decided to give us some gluten free cookies as a gift, and I felt that a review was in order!

These cookies tasted pretty good! They were a little more crunchy then I like for chocolate chip cookies, but for Gluten Free options I have had before I was impressed. My personal preference is to cook using natural unprocessed ingredients, but if you are looking for a quick and easy gluten free cookie this mix will do the trick!

My family had no trouble eating them at our holiday get together, and I had no complaints about the taste! I would say they were a success! Thank you to my friend who made them for us! What a nice treat!

Gluten Free Recipes from a Student's Mom

2011-12-23T10:50:00.000-08:00

One of the hard parts about being a teacher and not eating Gluten is when students bring in treats for the class. Most of the time I feel fine when saying no, but it would be nice to be able to eat the treats on occasion...

This past week at school I had a wonderful surprise! A student's mom baked some Gluten free treats for the whole class! She made extra so I could take them home... and to top off this wonderful gesture, she also gave me the recipes so I could make them at home. She has mentioned gluten free cookbooks to me before, and if I find out with book they are from I will put a credit here. The brownies and no-bake cookies were delicious, and they deserve credit!

Gluten Free Brownies (350 for 30 minutes)

4oz (squares) baker chocolate (unsweetened)
3/4 cup + one tablespoon butter
1 3/4 cup sugar (more if you please, I like to use less)
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix

Melt Chocolate & Butter together in a large pot. Add sugar. Stir in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Add flour, stir together.

Butter 9x13 baking dish, pour in batter and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool, but, and ENJOY!

Granny Glady's Chocolate Oat Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
4 Tbls Cocoa Powder
3 cups Gluten Free Oats
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup peanut butter (or Almond Butter)

Melt butter, milk and sugar in a pan, boil for 1 minute. Add cocoa powder, oats, vanilla and peanut butter. Stir until combined. Quickly drop spoonfuls of oats onto wax paper. Cool then eat!

Some very yummy and easy treats to make! Thank you for sharing your creations!

A new life, and New Adventures

2011-12-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

Three things have happened to me in the past year and half that have changed my life.

*I have lost almost 90lbs
*I carried and lost my first baby Molly Victoria Drake
*I discovered I need to eat Gluten free

My life over the past year and a half has been crazy! I took part in Kaiser's Optifast program, and lost almost 90lbs. It was a fantastic program, and changed my outlook on food, life and what opportunities I have available to me.

I have been avoiding putting up a before and after photo...but I can't believe the difference when I look!

Not long after finishing the fast I became pregnant with my first baby. It was an exciting time, but she did not make it. The pain of losing her at 18 weeks was very difficult. I am still healing, and my life will be changed forever because of what we went through. After I lost Molly, I tried for a few months to lose the weight I had gained during my pregnancy. I decided to go back on the fast to lose the weight. This was the best choice I could have made because it helped me to find an amazing counselor who has helped me transition back to food with great success. I have been back on full food for about 2 weeks, and phasing back for over two months, and I have successfully kept my weight-loss off.

I also discovered I needed to eat Gluten free. My whole life I had stomach problems, and thought I had IBS. Well, it turns out that Gluten was the problem. As I slowly phased back to food it was easy for me to tell which foods my body had a problem with. As soon as I introduced gluten, I became sick again. After speaking with my doctors, we came to the conclusion that Gluten had been my problem all along! I have not had a stomach ache since cutting it out of my life! I feel great!

This blog will be a place for me to share all of the knowledge that I am learning in the program, and any amazing gluten free recipes that I discover.

Whatever happens with my weight, my life will never be the same...