Update on GAPS diet

A few weeks have gone by, we've been doing GAPS. DD and I are both still on stage 3. I kind of plan on staying here for a few months.  I was late in introducing fermented veggies.  I am just starting now.  I did give DD a bit of water kefir here and there and I had some too.  Somehow I felt the fermented veggies was more important. So we stay on stage 3 for a while, carry on with the fermented foods, then probably next week I'll start juicing.

Food has started to become very boring now. I just can't wait to be on the FULL GAPS diet, however I also don't want to rush things. Right now we live on soups and broths with plenty of meat and vegetables.  I've already introduced fruits, mainly bananas and avocados.  DD seems to be alright with dried apricots, dates and watermelon.  I seem to be having problems with watermelon so I backed off. 

This is our journey on GAPS, feel free to chime in.  One thing I recently learned is that DD (3 yr old) likes sauerkraut!   Who would have thought?

Sugar and dairy-free chocolate bark

***WARNING- may induce chocolate COMA*** LOL

I've been craving for chocolate to the point that I even cheated and ate something with sugar.  I had a horrible stomachache after that!  I found a recipe online and sort of modified it for my taste. So here it is.

totally addicting!

I didn't really measure much, I just eyeballed everything like I normally do.  I apologize if this confuses some people but this is how I roll.  I'll do my best with my approximations.

1/2 cup organic virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup coconut shreds
1/2 cup crushed walnuts (you may use any nuts you like or even fruit)
9 Tablespoons of Hershey's natural unsweetened cocoa powder

Melt organic virgin coconut oil in the microwave (or double broiler if you have it).  After it melts, add all the ingredients and mix.   Spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking dish.   You can use a spatula to spread it evenly.  Freeze for about 20 minutes or until it sets.   Break them apart and eat! 

Water Kefir

It's alive!!!!!

A dear friend sent me kefir grains (not to be confused with real food grains!) and I decided to make kefir water, since I can't have dairy. This was my concoction!

It's basically filtered water, kefir grains, organic sugar(the grains will eat them I was told), an apricot.  Yep that's an apricot, the bloated orange thing inside.  You will also need a clean glass jar with a lid, the size would depend on how much kefir water you're making.

Every couple of days you need to rinse the kefir with filtered water. You'll need a strainer, preferably a plastic one. You don't want the kefir grains to touch metal.  Then you put the filtered water and the kefir in the glass jar, add fruit if you like, then the organic sugar.  I was told you can use molasses too.

Oh and yes you are supposed to drink this stuff! ;). I normally wait at least 3 days before I drink some. 

Fake Larabar balls

these didn't last long!

I can't think of a snazzy name for these so because they taste like Larabars I decided to call them  "Fake Larabar balls."  These are so easy to make and so delicious, you'll devour them all in one sitting!  

I always get raw nuts and soak and dehydrate them first, which could take a couple of days.  However,  if you just want to use regular nuts and not go through the lengthy process like I do, that's fine too.  If you're interested in the art of soaking nuts, here's how I do it:

Wash the nuts thoroughly.  You'll notice that bubbles will form. Rinse well.  Soak in cold water with a little bit of salt.  Soak for at least 12 hours.   After the allotted time, rinse well.  I dehydrate them after. I have a dehydrator, I leave them there for about 7 hours. You'll have to check, times may vary, depending on your machine and the type of nuts you're using.

Ingredients:

1 cup dried dates (I used Dole)
1 cup walnuts ( you can use any nuts you want)
1/2 cup shredded organic coconut *optional

Pulse dates in a food processor.  Set aside. Pulse the walnuts but not too much, you don't want to end up with walnut butter!

Mix them together and form into balls. Or if you want to make them look like Larabars, make them into bars.

Refrigerate until it sets.  For Larabar look-alike, wrap in plastic wrap individually, tape it and refrigerate until it sets.

I hope this is not too confusing! Enjoy!