In the World of Wellness: What To Eat When You're Allergic to Everything

Wellness is a term widely used that has multiple meanings around health and positive life style changes leading to well-being. Here we will use the term "wellness" in those ways and also as a means of defining a life free from disease as well as a way to explore alternative medicines, what they offer, and what this could mean for you.

Every month I'll do a post on a health and wellness related topic. This will give you a chance to explore other options, become informed, and make the best overall decision for your own well-being.

In the World of Wellness: Food is food is food...no matter the time of day.

"Having 24 food allergies is so much fun," said no one ever. 

Update on the food allergies: I'm past my 60 day food avoidance and finally getting back to "normal" (whatever that means in this case). I decided to take another blood test so I would just know what I could and couldn't eat (I'm cheating, I know, but it's easier this way) versus trying to add in one food a week for the rest of my life. No results yet, but I'm anxiously anticipating being able to eat things like spinach and tomatoes and coconut again. I do feel much better and I can see a difference in just about everything, having now healed my intestines. To be honest, these past 60+ days have been a really great journey. I've gotten so creative in my cooking and so super, duper, uber healthy in my approach to everything, that I'm actually quite thankful I was in this mess.

Having said that - since I had to avoid so many foods - I did have to get really creative with meals. I've always been weird and eaten non-breakfast foods for breakfast, but many of my go-to's were forbidden, so I had to try some new things. Without further adieu, here are a few of my new favorite breakfast (or anytime) meals.

Up first, my most favorite could-eat-this-all-the-time-but-won't-just-so-I-don't-become-allergic-to-it-too meal.

Sausage and Sweet Potato Bake

 - 2 GF Mild Italian Sausages
 - 3 Gold Sweet Potatoes
 - A Sprinkle and a dash of Sea Salt and Rosemary
- Roughly 2 TBSP's of Olive Oil






Just typing this up right now kind of makes me drool. I LOVE this meal. It's easy and the leftovers heat up nicely. I love this for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper...all the hobbit meals.

1. Pre-heat over to 400 degrees.
2. Chop sweet potatoes into thin, half circles. Add a good amount of olive oil, sea salt, and rosemary. Stir it all up.
3. Bake ONLY the sweet potatoes for 40 minutes. Give them a good stir at about the 20 minute mark.
4. While those bake, cut up the sausage into about 1 inch pieces. NOTE: I get these sausages from the Whole Foods meat case and honestly, friends, these are the best I've ever had, but check with your local store for gluten free sausages that are similar in nature.
5. Once the timer goes off at the 40 minute mark, add the sausages to the dish on top off the potatoes - don't mix them in. Put the whole thing back in the oven for 20 more minutes.
6. When the timer goes off, stir everything up and BAM - you're done. Eat it all, eat it up. Actually, save some for leftovers because It. Is. Amazing.

Sausage Stir Fry

 - About 1 Cup of Snow Peas
 - About 1 Cup of Sliced Carrots
 - 1 Package of GF Applegate Farms Chicken and Sage Breakfast Sausages

These sausages are technically for breakfast, but I actually think this makes a really nice dinner.

1. Slice up carrots.
2. Slice up sausage into little chunks.
3. Put carrots and snow peas in a pan. Add olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and Italian seasonings. I use a mix between basil, oregano, and thyme.
4. Let the veggies cook on Med-High for about 10 minutes before adding the sausage. Then, let everything finish up together for about 5 more minutes (or whenever sausages are done, depending on how thick you cut them up).
5. Eat.

Bacon Bell Pepper Stir Fry

- 1 Package of GF Bacon (I like Applegate Naturals Sunday Bacon for this)
- About 2 Cups of Sliced Carrots
- 2 Red Bell Peppers
- Some red onion, diced up
- Basil, black pepper, oregano

1. Slice up carrots, bell peppers, and just enough red onion to give it flavor (about 1/4 cup).
2. Cut bacon into squares.
3. Put bacon in pan on medium heat and let it cook a bit on it's own. Timing of this depends on personal preference. If you like really crispy bacon, let it cook longer before adding the veggies.
4. Add veggies and seasonings. Cook until veggies are done, but not soggy - you want a little crunch left in them.
5. Nom nom nom

Note: This makes 4 servings, at least!