I have a chronic illness, yup it's true. I have chronic migraines. Part of my whole learn to eat better thing has been in an effort to be better and not get migraines but the truth is the migraine cycle doesn't really seem to give a shit if i eat all organic low glycemic meals or not. It is a monster that will devour me whole.
After a couple years of being mostly headache free I have rentered the land of migraine awfulness. The last four days have been spend in a total migraine daze where I am not sure if I should go to the hospital or lie down in a cave somewhere or just wait for my brain to find an escape hatch and crawl out of my head in the middle of the night.
complicate this by the fact that i have a lot of commitments at work and home and socially that i can't back out of. i'm tonning them down, but man it's just not fun for me right now.
so i am not cooking which sucks, and i am not eating delicious things, which also sucks. Migraines make me crave starchy foods and gatorade. Because i guess it sucks the electrolytes and sugars from me. so i've been existing on fast food burgers, fries, popcorn and gatorade. I try to eat my normal low GI foods but i find they just don't sustain me. I burn through them too fast which isn't right or normal.
I have had this migraine attack since tuesday. On that day i almost went to the hospital and begged them to give me a lobotomy. But i persevered and with a combination of every drug i had, gravol, gatorade, cheesy popcorn and not moving even the slightest bit i seemed to survive. Now I am in what seems to be a recovery period of frequent low blood sugar crashes no matter how high value/protein/low GI the food is, with constant dizziness and feeling like alice when she fell down the rabbit hole.
And yet i have been tow ork every day except one.
i have driven to the hospital over an hour away nearly every day to see my grandmother.
i am insane.
Dedicated to love of food, puppies, joy, and fibre arts. Also spelling things the british way.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Pinning bbq recipes runs afoul
I am addicted to pintrest, and to be honest I have started moving on from websites that don't have pinable images.
I find it a great way to organize and sort through a whole crap load of web junk that i might have liked at one point in time depending on the mood i was in on a certain day or what i ate for dinner the night before.
That said this website has no pinnable images but it probably has the most easy to understand recipe for bbq bacon wrapped pork loin that i have found so: http://www.menshealth.com/bbq/recipes/bacon-wrapped-pork
UPDATE July 12, 2012
I know I said I'd be trying it later that day but I didn't. I got to it on monday instead...so here is the review.
DELICIOUS.
So i opted to do a bacon weave instead of just wrapping the bacon around the pork loin. I did this because i felt it would be a fun and effective way of making sure the loin was covered completely. It was super fun to make.
After that I put the loin in the middle of the weave and used a silicone brush and brushed on the mixture described in the recipe above. I really layed it on thick, and it does get a little messy. I think next time I would put the bacon weave on saran wrap first so that when I wrapped the bacon around the covered loin it was less of a mustard explosion (it would also make for an easier roll).
Anyway you can see the wrapped up loin below. I used cut up tooth picks to secure the bacon in lose spots and at some of the ends
I have an older small bbq, and the loin was of a considerable size. Anyway we couldn't figure out what temperature to put the lit side on so we put it on high which worked out great. Here you can see it on the unlit side, this was about 3/4 of the way through cooking. It ended up taking about 50 minutes for ours to be finished though I think it would have been done after 40 but my partner in crime is a bit of a worrier when it comes to meat. I would have preferred to remove it from the bbq when it hit 150-155F inside, while he opted to wait for at minimum 160F. It was a touch dry for me, but not super dry by any means.
And here this baby is sliced, let me tell you it was delicious. The mustard gets absorbed into the meat and the pepper gives it a bit of spice that isn't overwhelming. I would do this again in a heart beat!
Also the foil pack in the background? Brussel sprouts with salt, pepper and butter. I haven't made them like that since girl guides!
I find it a great way to organize and sort through a whole crap load of web junk that i might have liked at one point in time depending on the mood i was in on a certain day or what i ate for dinner the night before.
That said this website has no pinnable images but it probably has the most easy to understand recipe for bbq bacon wrapped pork loin that i have found so: http://www.menshealth.com/bbq/recipes/bacon-wrapped-pork
Ingredients
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
b2tbsp black pepper
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 clobes garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh or dried rosemary
1 ½ lb pork tenderloin
1 package thick cut bacon
Instructions:
1.
Stir
together mustard, black pepper, syrup, garlic and rosemary in small bowl. Rub mixture
on pork tenderloin
2.
Wrap bacon
slices around tenderloin, securing with toothpics so bacon completely blankets
meat
3.
Arrange tenderloins
on unlit side of a hot grill, cover with grill lid
4.
Cook 15 to
20 minutes on per side until a meat thermometer registers 160F
5.
Let rest 5
minutes, remove tooth pics and cut into slices.
I will be making this tonight, probably with a red wine pan
sauce. I will report back on how it goes!
UPDATE July 12, 2012
I know I said I'd be trying it later
that day but I didn't. I got to it on monday instead...so here is the review.
DELICIOUS.
So I opted to do a bacon weave instead
of just wrapping the bacon around the pork loin. I did this because i felt it
would be a fun and effective way of making sure the loin was covered
completely. It was super fun to make.
UPDATE July 12, 2012
I know I said I'd be trying it later that day but I didn't. I got to it on monday instead...so here is the review.
DELICIOUS.
So i opted to do a bacon weave instead of just wrapping the bacon around the pork loin. I did this because i felt it would be a fun and effective way of making sure the loin was covered completely. It was super fun to make.
After that I put the loin in the middle of the weave and used a silicone brush and brushed on the mixture described in the recipe above. I really layed it on thick, and it does get a little messy. I think next time I would put the bacon weave on saran wrap first so that when I wrapped the bacon around the covered loin it was less of a mustard explosion (it would also make for an easier roll).
Anyway you can see the wrapped up loin below. I used cut up tooth picks to secure the bacon in lose spots and at some of the ends
I have an older small bbq, and the loin was of a considerable size. Anyway we couldn't figure out what temperature to put the lit side on so we put it on high which worked out great. Here you can see it on the unlit side, this was about 3/4 of the way through cooking. It ended up taking about 50 minutes for ours to be finished though I think it would have been done after 40 but my partner in crime is a bit of a worrier when it comes to meat. I would have preferred to remove it from the bbq when it hit 150-155F inside, while he opted to wait for at minimum 160F. It was a touch dry for me, but not super dry by any means.
And here this baby is sliced, let me tell you it was delicious. The mustard gets absorbed into the meat and the pepper gives it a bit of spice that isn't overwhelming. I would do this again in a heart beat!
Also the foil pack in the background? Brussel sprouts with salt, pepper and butter. I haven't made them like that since girl guides!
Friday, June 1, 2012
The eat more challenge!
I am a crappy eater. I dont eat crap but i suck at eating in general. I love breakfast and i have a great partner who makes me inspired for dinner. My real problem is all the other times.
I need to eat at least 2000 calories a day and i dont. I am over weight largely because i eat below my basal metabolic rate of 1600.
So in an effort to eat more and feel better i discovered bento. Bento seems ideal for me because i would rather snack all day than eat another meal.
I am home with a broken foot so i figured i'd give it a go! Below is my lunch today
Green pepper slices, celery sticks and baby carrots with two tsps of hummus. Some blackberries and a sandwich on gluten free home made bread with hummus lettuce tomato and marble cheese.
Yum!
I need to eat at least 2000 calories a day and i dont. I am over weight largely because i eat below my basal metabolic rate of 1600.
So in an effort to eat more and feel better i discovered bento. Bento seems ideal for me because i would rather snack all day than eat another meal.
I am home with a broken foot so i figured i'd give it a go! Below is my lunch today
Green pepper slices, celery sticks and baby carrots with two tsps of hummus. Some blackberries and a sandwich on gluten free home made bread with hummus lettuce tomato and marble cheese.
Yum!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Happy easter!
I am not religious and if u was i wouldnt be christian. But being raised baptist i have a taste for christian holidays. I live spending time with my family and making delicious food. This year my family (consisting mostly of women) is coming to my place for easter and i'm excited.
It's also my moms birthday so i decided instead of pie we'd have cake. My youngest sister is celiac and my other sister and i range between varying levels of gluten intolerant. So a gluten free meal mandatory.
I scowrred the internet for gluten free cakes and got so confused by the many types of flours non of which i could find at a grocery store near me so i asked a friend who recommended the betty crocker gluten free cake mix. Well wouldnt you know it contains all the dry ingredients to make a great cake.
I ignore the instructions on the box and made my own. Recipie below:
One box of betty crocker gluten free chocolate cake mix
One cup hot strong brewed coffee
One cup buttermilk
One tsp vanilla
Two eggs
Half a cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 350, butter and flour two 8" pans (i used 9s because its all i had but they came out pretty thin) or line with parchment.
Add dry ingredients to bowl and yhrn add all the wet. Beat on medium for two minutes. It will look like runny pudding. Thats ok.
Put in oven for 25-30 minutes.
Voila! Cake.
Cake isnt complete without frosting and my mom loved raspberries so i made a raspberry puree and used it to make a raspberry buttercream frosting.
I hope she likes it!
It's also my moms birthday so i decided instead of pie we'd have cake. My youngest sister is celiac and my other sister and i range between varying levels of gluten intolerant. So a gluten free meal mandatory.
I scowrred the internet for gluten free cakes and got so confused by the many types of flours non of which i could find at a grocery store near me so i asked a friend who recommended the betty crocker gluten free cake mix. Well wouldnt you know it contains all the dry ingredients to make a great cake.
I ignore the instructions on the box and made my own. Recipie below:
One box of betty crocker gluten free chocolate cake mix
One cup hot strong brewed coffee
One cup buttermilk
One tsp vanilla
Two eggs
Half a cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 350, butter and flour two 8" pans (i used 9s because its all i had but they came out pretty thin) or line with parchment.
Add dry ingredients to bowl and yhrn add all the wet. Beat on medium for two minutes. It will look like runny pudding. Thats ok.
Put in oven for 25-30 minutes.
Voila! Cake.
Cake isnt complete without frosting and my mom loved raspberries so i made a raspberry puree and used it to make a raspberry buttercream frosting.
I hope she likes it!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Life is weird
The last couple months have been interesting, and resulted in me being completely happy after coming out on the other side of the fire.
I have taken a lot of time to get to know myself, cultivated friendships which are true and honest and loyal, and I have become a much better person because of this. I am also starting to get the life I wanted, and not the one I thought I should have.
Joy of joys.
I have been practicing non action a lot. So instead of doing anything when I don't understand another persons words of actions I stop and watch and wait to see what unfolds. This has helped me avoid a lot of weirdness and steered me along the right path.
I hope that big things will be coming in my direction soon, I am working towards them and hopefully I will be rewarded with them.
On sillier notes I have regained my knitting mojo! After a couple months where it was uncomfortable knitting I have learned a different style and have started knitting with joy again.
That means FO pictures pending!
I am currently working on a Dahlia sweater in a lovely grey, as well as a pair of ribbed socks in a colourway which I describe as strawberries and cream.
Pictures coming soon!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Blog rework
I have been thinking the last few days about what i want to do with this space and how i want to change it to refelect me.
The last year of my life has been a challenge. I ended a relationship with a man i'd hoped to marry, moved out of a place i loved, was diagnosed with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and adrenal fatigue. I got a lung infection that took 3 months of my like and 22 days on antibiotics to get rid of and i basically tore myself apart.
This lead me on a spiritual path. And i have learned i need to be kinder to myself and to those around me. Kinder and thoughtful. So starting february 4th i am going to turn this blog into the kindness project. A place for me to be kind and loving or to work out how to get there.
The last year of my life has been a challenge. I ended a relationship with a man i'd hoped to marry, moved out of a place i loved, was diagnosed with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and adrenal fatigue. I got a lung infection that took 3 months of my like and 22 days on antibiotics to get rid of and i basically tore myself apart.
This lead me on a spiritual path. And i have learned i need to be kinder to myself and to those around me. Kinder and thoughtful. So starting february 4th i am going to turn this blog into the kindness project. A place for me to be kind and loving or to work out how to get there.
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