Meal Prep 1/16/17: Low Histamine Trial

Yes, that is frost you see in my meal prep picture this week! As recommended by my ND, I am implementing a two week trial of a low-histamine diet. Histamine is a neurotransmitter involved in many processes within the body, including immunity, digestion, and nervous system communication. When we consume histamine, our body generally breaks it down within our digestive system, but there are certain genetic SNP's that can hinder this process, leading to a buildup of histamine in the body. Symptoms of histamine intolerance include headaches, digestive distress, palpitations, hives, itching, and more. Foods that are highest in histamine are those that are aged or fermented, as histamine is a byproduct of bacterial activity, particularly on proteins. Once created in a food, histamine is not destroyed by any method of preparation, so for those with histamine intolerance, the key is to limit the total intake by emphasizing fresh foods and consuming or freezing proteins immediately after preparing them. Though I was sad to give up my homemade bone broth, sauerkraut, chocolate, and many other high histamine foods (vinegar! citrus! bacon! spinach! fish sauce! COYO! cinnamon! EPIC bars!), I am interested to see if this might be a missing piece to the puzzle of my health. I took extra care to only include foods in my meal plan this week that are naturally low in histamine and froze them immediately after preparation. As well, since my food choices are further limited to low histamine foods, I am including more carbs in my diet this week (compared to my usual LCHF/keto approach) to increase variety.

Here's what the week will look like:

Breakfast: Protein Shake // 1 scoop Vanilla Build protein by PureWOD and 1 scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, mixed with Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk, Bulletproof Brain Octane, and 1 cup frozen blueberries.

Lunch: Lamb Meatballs + Roasted Sweet Potato + Radish/Cucumber/Parsley Salad // I started with 1# of ground lamb from US Wellness Meats and thawed it quickly in water. I mixed in about 8 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tsp Redmond Real Salt, a handful of fresh mint, and 2 cups of chopped fresh parsley. I formed 16 small meatballs and baked them at 425 for 15 minutes, then transferred them immediately to the fridge for 15 minutes before swapping them to the freezer. At the same time, I roasted some orange and purple sweet potato cubes in coconut oil and salt and added those to my frozen meatballs. The radish/cucumber/parsley salad I'll make fresh each day, but I did make little bags of the veggies for convenience and chopped the parsley. I'll dress the salad with olive oil and salt. 

Dinner: Carrot Ginger Soup with Vital Proteins // This is a recipe from the AIP Instant Pot Cookbook. It's super simple to make (basically just carrots, parsnips, ginger, salt, and cilantro) and comes together in a flash! I left out the broth and replaced with additional coconut milk. I also added Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides to boost the protein (gelatin is approved for a low-histamine diet) and topped it off with some ginger scallion sauce that I toasted up in ghee. Delicious combination! 

Snack: Soft Boiled Eggs + Coconut Butter // I'll boil the eggs each day to keep them fresh, and as usual, will stash a packet of Artisana's Coconut butter single serving packets in case I need it!

I think I need to invest in another freezer now :) 

Have a great week!

-Tracey

How To Charcuterie

Charcuterie boards are one of my favorite ways to eat. Through the summer we were having them every Sunday night for dinner, and when I'm not sure what to cook, they're an easy go-to! One of the things that I love about them is that they are easily customizable and can accommodate a variety of dietary needs at the same time, because each person can choose the parts that work for them. I always try to include a couple of options from each of the following categories for a diverse board with tons of flavors! I've listed some of my favorites, but feel free to branch out and add whatever suits your fancy.

1. VEGGIES // radishes, persian cucumbers, bell peppers, sliced carrots, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, arugula (wrapped with prosciutto)

2. FRUIT // grapes, sliced apple/pear, fresh berries, dates/dried figs/cranberries

3. PROTEINS // smoked salmon, prosciutto, salami/pepperoni (I prefer Applegate brand), cheese (we love the 1000 Day Gouda from Trader Joe's), pâté

4. OLIVES/PICKLES // dried botija olives, castelvetrano olives, cornichon pickles

5. NUTS/SEEDS // I'll use whatever I have on hand, but macadamia nuts, walnuts, almonds, and cashews are some of my favorites!

6. CONDIMENTS //dijon mustard, pesto, aioli (I use Primal Kitchens Mayo as a shortcut!), jam

Once I have all of my ingredients, I like to pull them all out on the counter and add them item by item to the board. I usually start with the bigger ones and work my way down to the smaller. I have as much fun putting together and styling the board as I do eating it!

That's really all you need to know. Charcuterie boards are so versatile and there's really no wrong way to put one together, so jump right in and go for it!

Perfect Granola

I've always loved granola, especially the kind that is perfectly crunchy, dense, and full of extra goodies like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. It's perfect on top of full fat yogurt, mixed in with a fresh batch of homemade almond milk, or let's be real here, just by the handful!! This recipe was inspired by one that I found on The Kitchn, and I have adapted and made it time and time again over the years. It makes a great gift too! 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups old fashioned gluten free oats (I used One Degree Organics, Sprouted)

• 2 cups raw mixed nuts and seeds (cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds are some of my go-to’s)

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1 cup unsweetened mixed dried fruit (blueberries, cherries, golden raisins, currants, chopped apricots, and cranberries are some of my favs) 

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp cardamom

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (or ghee)

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the salt and spices. Add in the oats and stir thoroughly to combine. 

2. Spread the oats out in a single layer over 1-2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

3. Bake at 350 for around 45 minutes (or to preference), stirring every 10-15 minutes.

4. When everything is starting to toast and is a light golden brown, add in the nuts and seeds. (This is usually at around the 30 minute mark for me.) Stir to combine, then pop back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

5. Pull it all out and add the coconut, then roast for 5 final minutes. Keep in eye on it, because that coconut will toast quickly.

6. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and stir in the dried fruit. Be sure to let the granola cool completely before transferring to a storage container.

Now just try not to eat it all at once!!

Meal Prep 1/2/17

Whew. I do love the holidays, but I'm glad they're over for the year! After so many busy weekends lately, we kept the weekend low-key. My Mister and I went on a long walk along the coast, shared a charcuterie board and nice bottle of wine for NYE, and drove up to Carlsbad to FINALLY try out the new Pressed Freeze that just opened! I had today off from work too, and it was all about self care. I had a vitamin C IV (part of my current anti-viral protocol in support of reducing my autoimmune markers), a scheduled infrared sauna, a long walk outside, no to-do list, a castor oil pack, and plenty of lounging. Starting 2017 off right!!

Breakfast: Protein Shake // 1 scoop Build protein by PureWOD and 1 scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, mixed with Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk, Bulletproof Brain Octane, and ice. On cooler mornings sometimes I skip the ice and blend it up hot instead!

Lunch: Venison Pesto Hash // Remember that time I packed 12# of meat in my carry on bag? While most of it was elk meat, there was a little bit of venison in there too. I cooked that up this week with nothing but a little bit of salt (I love the flavor on its own!), then mixed it in with some spaghetti squash (which I cooked in my Instant Pot for 7 minutes on steam), a 6 oz bag of fresh baby spinach, chopped, and some pesto. I usually make my own pesto based on this recipe, but my Trader Joe's was out of basil this week! Fortunately, I'm able to find an AIP compliant pesto at my nearby Grocery Outlet, so I used that instead. These "hash" style meals are super simple and I make them almost weekly for workday lunches. 

Dinner: Squash Lime Soup // After Christmas last weekend I was lucky enough to end up with all of the bones from the turkey, which I happily turned into 6 quarts of rich and delicious bone broth! Naturally I put a soup on the menu this week to take advantage. I've made this Squash Lime Soup before, but this time I added in a 6 oz bag of baby spinach and three scoops of Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Pure Protein for an all in one meal.

Optional Snack: Artisana Coconut Butter Travel Packs

I hope that you had a relaxing weekend as well, and a Happy New Year!!

-Tracey

Meal Prep 12/26/16

This weekend was full of family, fun, and feasting. I did some Christmas cooking (these brussels sprouts, slightly modified // roasted carrots and parsnips with this brown butter vinaigrette // and a re-imagined version of this spice cake by The Paleo Mom) to add to the traditional turkey, ham, salads, etc. But while all of that food and festivity was delicious, I'm always happy to get back to the simplicity of my weekly meal prep! 

Breakfast: Protein Shake // 1 scoop Build protein by PureWOD and 1 scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, mixed with Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk, Bulletproof Brain Octane, and ice. I've been enjoying starting my days with these high fat protein shakes for months now because they keep me full for hours and don't give me any digestive symptoms! Plus, the prep is super easy. I also made a fresh batch of my homemade coconut milk yogurt this week. 

Lunch: Bison Stir Fry // You can find a recipe for a classic stir fry in my cookbook, Weeknight Paleo, but to be honest, most of the time I just wing it! This week I started by browning some ground bison from US Wellness Meats in a large pot. After it was cooked through I added in one head of chopped green cabbage (about 1.5#), 2 cups of chopped green onions, 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger, 8 or so cloves of minced garlic, and let it cook, covered, until the cabbage was soft, about 15 minutes. Then I stirred in 2 cups of chopped cilantro and some Red Boat Fish Sauce (about 1 tbsp) and Coconut Aminos (about 3 tbsp) to taste! I'll serve this in some butter lettuce cups to add a little more veggie.

Dinner: Green Flatbread + Braunschweiger + Pineapple // You can find my classic Green Flatbread recipe here. This week I used arugula, cilantro, parsley, pumpkin seeds, ginger, sweet onion, and some Guiltless Superfoods Superseed Flour. I'll have this with some nutrient dense Braunschweiger from US Wellness Meats and some fresh pineapple (which didn't make it into the photo)! I've been eating a LCHF diet for many weeks now, and am experimenting to see how I feel best. I've been doing 1-2 carb ups per week, but this week I'm going to see how I feel with a little carb up each night with dinner instead! 

Optional Snack: Almond Butter Fudge // One part almond butter, one part coconut butter, plus cinnamon and salt to taste! I did about 1/2 cup almond butter/coconut butter, 1 heaping tsp cinnamon, and 1 heaping 1/4 tsp salt. I bring a couple of these with me each day and usually have one after lunch and one after dinner. 

That's all for me this week! What are you cooking up??

-Tracey