At first I thought I had done ok considering our limited choices. Now I suspect we just ate a dinner that many hard core btd'ers would conside an avoid. But if nothing else, it made me think a little bit. We ordered a grilled chicken sandwhich and threw away the bun. But the chicken tasted funny to me, and I suspect it had been played around with even more than the usual grocery store chicken. Then we found a "fuzion" juice bar, and ordered a strawberry slushie. The main ingredient (besides strawberries and ice) was called "fructose". Not corn syrup or maldextrin or any other corn label that I could remember, but fructose. After this blog, I will be looking it up, but I thought that meant sugar derived from fruit. A non secretors are supposed to avoid corn, and of course gluten is in about everything out there in resteraunt land.

Still, not a bad BTD kind of day. Take care, everyone.

My two-year-old breaking out in hives has recently inspired many changes. While I am waiting for test results to confirm my hunches, I feel like it’s necessary to make changes to my cookbook NOW. I also decided that I might as well reorganize the cookbook so that I could be more compliant and also PRACTICAL. As a mom with two children, we are in the car eating as little as once per week or seven times per week depending on the schedule. Sometimes I feed four of us at dinner, sometimes only two. Sometimes meals are on time and predictable, and sometimes I have to whip something up suddenly. To sum it up, I need to organize a little differently. That being said, here is my new cookbook:

*The A’s are going gluten free*

Section One: The master recipe index off of this website has been printed out. When time allows, I will research different recipes and find inspiration.

Section Two: Meal Categories and Suggested Servings. While beneficial for me, the suggested servings are beginning to have less value. I have also realized something. My nutritional needs ARE SO VERY DIFFERENT than the rest of the family due to age and gender. Ergo, you’ve really got to put on quite a varied spread to capture the nutritional requirements of everyone at the table. * *



Section Three: My master and very generic weekly checklist for the grocery store. (See below)

Section Four: Beneficial recipes for the A non secretor

Section Five: Neutral recipes for the A non secretor

Section Six: Beneficial recipes for the O secretor (my five year old)

Section Seven: Neutral recipes for the O secretor

Section Eight: Combo A/O non-secetor neutral dinners. Why? Because dinner is the time when I need to cook ONE MEAL that we can all eat. I am tired at the end of the day and I don’t feel like dealing with extra dishes.

Section Nine: Beneficial Seafood for both A/O secretor and nonnie.

Section Ten: Type base 4 Blood Type Diet Values on some of the foods I find interesting.

As you can see, it really is necessary to bring one’s master cookbook into the store with you. All of my menu planning and recipe lists are already compiled within my master cookbook. As I discover new recipes, I can simply add them in.





Here is what my generic grocery checklist looks like (just food, by the way):

Instant Coffee

Regular Coffee

Decaf Coffee

Red wine

21 portable beverages (bottled water or totally compliant boxes of juice. I.E. – if ascorbic acid has been added, it’s probably from corn and it is out.)

Carbonated water for the O’s

Neutral Juice (just one)

Enriched Rice milk (plain or vanilla or Carob)

Chocolate or Vanilla or Plain soy milk (non GMO label) No gums.

Beneficial Snacks for the car acceptable for both an A non secretor and an O secretor:

Pumpkin seeds

Walnuts

Wheat less Fig Newton’s

Bananas

Dried Cherries

Neutral Snacks that mix well with beneficial:

Dried Organic Pineapple (sugar is sugar usually)

Raisins

Dried Cranberries

Currants

Macadamia Nuts

Pecans

Salted Almonds

Neutral Snack that mixes well with beneficial spreads:

Salted rice cakes, plain.

Ezekiel bread for the O secretor only. (My A cannot tolerate Ezekiel)

Beneficial Homemade car snacks:

Pumpkin Amaranth Cookies for the A’s

Beef Jerky and Venison Jerky for the O’s (I hope. I have got the recipe but still haven’t been able to try it yet)

4 different Beneficial A Breakfasts. (Why only four? Because there are always leftovers that will stretch if you forgo the “I’ve got to have bread for breakfast, meat for lunch, etc.) (Refer to cookbook for ingredients)

4 different Beneficial O Breakfasts (usually grilled, sometimes baked)

4 different Beneficial Lunches for A’s

4 different Beneficial Lunches for O’s

4 neutral or beneficial combination A/0 secretor non secretor dinners (whew!)

(Most of the time, this is chicken or turkey)

If I am able to follow this plan, the family will be at 80% compliance and 20% neutrals despite the A/0 and secretor / non-secretor combination. That being said, beneficial combo meats are as follows:

Seafood:

Cod

Atlantic Mackerel

Sardines

Swordfish (I’ve never actually seen this around here but haven’t specifically looked either)

Red Snapper

Brook Trout (technically, this is a neutral for certain O’s but a super beneficial if one is fighting diabetes. Since it runs in the family, I will count it as beneficial)

Rainbow Trout.

Here are the recipes currently contained in my master cookbook:

A:

Whiting Fish Casserole

Salmon Fillets

Lemon Garlic Salmon

Sardine Salad

Spinach and Sardine Frittata

Sardine Spread

Fish stir Fry

Fish burgers

Broiled Salmon with Lemongrass

Hearty Fish Soup with Cod

Curried Carrot Soup

Oven Poached Salmon with dill

Dried Fruit Nut And Seed Snack

Black Beans and Rice

Pureed Pinto Beans with Garlic

Apple Crock pot pinto Bean Bake

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Dip

Black Bean Chili

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Green Minestrone

Turkey Bacon (Shelton’s) with green beans

Turkey Bacon with peas

Lentils with Spinach

Lentil Salad

Mushroom Kale Soup

Pinto Bean Delight

Lentil Soup

Amaranth Pancakes

Fried Rice with Turkey Added

Mixed Roots Soup

Vegetable Soup (Broccoli)

Turkey Burgers

Collard greens

Braised Green with Garlic

Vegetable Fritters

Baked Parsnips and Carrots

Spinach and Sprouts Salad

Glazed Turnips and Onions

Braised Collards and Carrots

Croutons using rice bread

Carrot Raisin Salad

Broccoli Salad

Sweet Vidalia onion Dressing

Pineapple Chutney

Olive Oil Lemon Dressing

Plum Barbecue Sauce

Sesame Seed Dressing

Steam Sautéed Green Beans with Onion and Thyme

All Type Oil and No vinegar dressing

Breakfast Beverages (protein based for hot summer mornings!)

Fruit Compote

Neutral:

Creamy Tuna Broccoli Rice

Pumpkin Muffins

Simple Chicken Breast

Egg Free Mayo

Brown Rice Pilaf

Simple Guacamole

Warm White Bean Spread

Tuna salad

Peanut or Almond Chicken

Chicken Strips

Italian Chicken

Garlic Chicken with Bella Mushrooms

Blueberry Cookies

Rice Krispy Cakes

Swedish Pancakes

Leftover Veggie Frittata

Spinach Frittata

Curried Egg Salad Sandwich

Sesame Chicken

Chicken Paprika

Pineapple Chicken

Pumpkin millet cookies



O’s beneficial secretor:

Venison beef jerky

Ground Beef jerky

Chicken Fried Steak

Meatloaf Muffins

French Onion Soup

Great Meat Loaf

Venison Meatballs

Applesauce Meatloaf

Big Beef Burgers

Beef – gone all day crock pot

Chiliburgers

Breakfast beef sausage

Neutral:

Oatmeal Blueberry Flax muffins

Banana Bread

Sweet Potato Cake

Rye waffles

Spelt/Rye bread (needed for bread crumbs)

Kale Pecan Bread

Sugar cookie

Pumpkin waffles

Apricot cookies

Generic Waffles

Breakfast Bar

Cornish Hens in a Crock-pot

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Pancakes

Zucchini Pecan Bread

Carrot- Banana Muffins

Pumpkin Seed Alfalfa Sprout Bread

Basic Pizza Dough

Section Eight: This is redundant. I won’t bother to bore you!

So that’s the plan. To make it easy, I think I will pick the first four of everything, then at the end of the week, place those four pages at the very end of it’s designated section. I was sad to discover that A gluten free non-secretors really lose out in the grain department. But if I try this new way of shopping (all my beneficial recipes are in the front of my cookbook!), maybe we will see a big improvement. Here’s hoping. J



Disclaimer: I am not claiming this is perfect. It’s new!

Two quick notes before I am out of time:

1) It is not easy trying to collect the spit from a two year old. I thought I could use a medicine dropper to suction saliva out of his mouth. It didn't work. If getting his older brother to challenge him to a spit contest doesn't work next, I don't know what I will do!

2) I love spinach. But it takes just too darn long to eat it raw! My favorite method is sauteeing it in olive oil with salt and minced garlic. Throw in just a little bit of cheese at the very end - and Yum! It's easy to chew and delicious!

I had high hopes getting out of bed this morning. Late last night, I had pulled out all of the recipes that I wanted to practice making today. Carrot raisin salad, sardine salad, apricot date muffins, zuchinni pecan bread, spinach artichoke and avocado dip, etc. etc. While I did spend plenty of time in the kitchen this morning, it was far from enjoyable. My little one is feeling quite stressed, and while he is over the flu bug (I think), his system is far from 100%. As of today, three of us caught the stomach flu with my two year old getting it first and dealing with it the longest. He threw up for so long that I fear he is afraid to eat. I also had a friend tell me, "Be sure to get some gatorade. You have got to restore those electrolytes." Which leads me to a thought, "what should a person drink or eat AFTER the stomach flu has run its course?"

I think I will post this question on the board. Interestingly enough, my two year old refused all food today except for: blueberries, one small dried apricot, a few bites of apple, and a few small bites of spelt bread. He is drinking plenty of fluid.

I have only got time to post one small recipe. It's from the Cook for your Type book:

Chopped carrots (food processor)

Raisins

olive oil

Lemon juice

Honey

1/4 dice onion

chopped parsley

salt

Mix the chopped carrots with the raisins and diced onion. Next, blend the olive oil, lemon juice (fresh), and honey together with just a dash of salt. Throw it all together in a tupperware dish along with your chopped parsley and shake. It's very tart and sweet.

On a side note: I noticed that there is a very different taste to my honey which was bought at a different store this week. It makes me stop and think, do I really trust this particular brand? It might to be time to investigate! Take care.

I think we all know how important "Plan B" can be. Whether you are a bank manager who has to suddenly fire an employee and then deal with being short staffed, or whether you are a stay at home Mom whose routine gets shot to pieces when the stomach flu hits, we all need a plan B. My method of decreasing my stress hormones has been the YMCA. Weightlifting, cardio, and socializing keep me centered when everyday life is overwhelming. When my children become ill, and I reach the point where I desperately need that "recharge" time, my husband took over for a brief time. He was the "plan B." But Wednesday, my plan B wasn't available. I NEED to lift weights as much as I need sleep and good food. So what did I do?

I got lucky. Last week at the library, I picked up the video "Weightlifting for dummies." It required two 5 pound hand weights and the occasional chair. Big soup cans are about 3 pounds, and if you look around your house hard enough, you can probably find a five pound something or other. While my sick child slept, I was able to work every large muscle group in my body. Today, since he was feeling better and the sun was shining, I stuck him in the stroller and took a brisk one mile walk around our neighborhood.

It felt great. I bumped into a couple of neighbors, got my excersise, and submitted my child to fresh air. Plan A - the Ymca supervises the kids Plan B - the husband and Plan C - Workout at home.

Do you have back up ? Take care everyone.

It feels good when you can look in the fridge and say, I know what to cook tonight! With leftover hamburger patties, cheese, flour, yeast and tomatoes- I have everything I need to make calzones. There is also frozen vegies in my freezer, so the A's will get broccoli, cauliflower, chicken, etc with lots of olive oil inside ours. As much as yesterday was a bummer, my five year old is eating his homemade hamburger patty with gusto. I need to remind myself, " My cooking is not that bad." My children like it. My husband's own mother has called him a "picky" eater. I have just got to stop hoping that he will like my food.

As far as following the btd diet, I am going to try something new. I am going to bring my master cookbook to the grocery store. I used to write out menu plans, and that was very helpful when I was trying to lose weight. But I keep running out of time, and I end up buying things on impulse. For example, if something goes on sale, you know I am going to grab some whether I can use it this week or not. Then it goes stale too quickly and you have ended up wasting money. I still think it's practical to:

1) Always buy fresh fruits and veggies. It is just easier to get those carrots and celery sticks in with a simple dip.

2) Always grocery shop without the kids. What??? you say? Ok, not always easy. There is a 20 dollar price difference if they come along. Run that math past your partner.

3) Always buy a variety - fresh, frozen and canned. It makes the week much more flexible.

I used to bring my D'adamo food shopping book with me to the store. While it was helpful, it still didn't tell me how to use something once I got home. From now on, I will try to place new recipes that I want to try out into my master cookbook ( a 3 ring spiral) and take that to the store instead.

I am sitting here with a glass of red wine wishing that is could be my 5th or 6th glass of delicious escapism. (Forgive spelling errors, please.) It's been one of those rollar coaster days.

I took my two year old to a local forest preserve and enjoyed the great outdoors. It was one of those mornings where you look around and think "I am so lucky." Everything is so green and bright and full of life. Being the typical two year old, he had to give me a scare. While pushing his stroller at an energetic pace, he suddently unbuckles his lap belt and attempts to get out of his stroller. Unfortunately, I did not see his little hands move and I ended up pushing the stroller right over his little fat leg. He didn't even cry. It was one of those mother moments where you just have to shake your head and think "What next?"

Well, he wasn't done for the day. Immediately after his nap, he threw up. Then he threw up again. Foolishly, I tried to give him a little rice for dinner. Yes, he threw up again. This kid just got over an ear infection. I cannot believe he now has the flu! And of course, all of that self doubt just had to creep in. Did I feed him produce that was slightly moldy? Did he pick up an old cookie out of the car that I neglected to clean up? Was it food poisoning? Then I remembered something. When he was treated for his second to last ear infection, the doctor tested him for the flu. It seems 35 cases had walked through his door within the last two weeks. So, more than likely we just caught the tail end of the flu. I hope.

Which leads me to burden myself with more guilt. For I know that half of these germs caught are a result of my little guy being in part time day care. Working out at home is stressful, not to mention near impossible. Yet, he pays the price. I console myself with remembering how my oldest one caught everything in the book his first year of preschool. I think that is preschool's real purpose. They don't want the kids having to repeat kindergarden, so they encourage preschool to stay at home mom's! Anyway, I feel for my little guy and I hope he sleeps through the night.

The hubby and I had another disagreement at dinner. On the bright side, it was respectful and it did end in a compromise. On the other hand, it was the same old subject matter. My cooking. I cooked a full cut up fryer chicken in the oven with olive oil, salt and herbs. I asked him to smell my different spice combos and to choose his favorite. Then my little one got sick and I asked him to take over the dinner. I would have chosen white rice with complimentary spices and just a small dab of ghee. I would have chosen frozen green beans cooked with salt and last minute butter. He chose something different and then proceeded to tell me that it was not good enough for him. What frustrates me beyond belief is the fact that it is more than just one opinion versus another at this point. Medically, he is not doing well. Without going into too many details, I now have proof that what I have been saying all along is true blue. His eating habits are hurting him. But is he going to give my lifestyle even half of a chance?

No.

He knows how I feel about the children. When I cook, it is D'adamo's way. When somebody else cooks, I have to let go and be grateful that someone else is helping me with the feeding burden. Truthfully, I think that it is a good compromise. Most of the cooking is done by me, ergo my children have much more good in their diet than bad. But I just have to give up on him. I just have to give up.

The pain goes farther than just a disagreement regarding diet. I wish I could share my new discoveries with him. I wish I could logically debate some of these new ideas with someone who is objective and logical. I wish he would read one of my blogs now and then. I wish he would get excited about the same things I become excited about. But, he seems to hate everything I really enjoy. I can't help but feel sad.

Warm weather, countless errands and a sick child put my normal cooking day on hold. Never the less, (is that one word, or three?) I have made lots of discoveries:

1) My two year old overcame his first ear infection WITHOUT antibiotics. I wonder.... Is his immune system getting stronger? Did I administer antibiotics too soon within his past? Is all of this good food I am cooking finally kicking in? Were his ear infections due to allergies versus a bacterial infection?

I haven't a clue. I am just glad that we held off on the antibiotics this time. They really mess with his digestive track and he always ends up with the Big D or in pain.

2) I hit the book store and wrote down several different jerky recipes. Beef jerky, venision jerky and even ground meat jerky. I can't wait to try it. Please cross your fingers for me!

3) Alfalfa sprouts are a real hit in my book. They work within everything. I have sauteed them with diced onions and added them to eggs, beans, and rice. Since they are so beneficial and so CHEAP, they will become a weekly addition to my fridge. I have a couple of bread recipes calling for alfalfa sprouts as well.... just haven't had time to try them yet.

4) Dinner was delicious and simple. Grilled turkey burgers with chopped parsley, garlic, salt, egg, and olive oil. I toasted an Ezekiel bun for my five year old and topped his turkey burger with cheese. Raw carrots and a mixed green salad with lime, salt, olive oil, and honey accompanied our meat. It was so tasty! My five year old played with the leftover limes and discovered a brand new taste! To a mom, this is so exciting. Finicky little perfectionist tried something new. I think I can get him off of the ranch and onto a new favorite dressing now. Hooray!!

5) I think we will have oatmeal pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, and then I will send leftover turkey burgers with my son to school. This will be a challenge. He hates all meat that isn't warm. I am just too tired to bake any more today. Maybe tomorrow. Good eats everyone.

My oldest son requested cal zones for dinner. It feels so good to hear him get excited about something I have made from scratch. It suddenly dawned on me that it's a great way to use up leftover meat or veggies. Plus, the dough seems to hold up well for 24 hours in the fridge. Tonight, my O had shrimp and cheese (I should have added garlic and salt also), and the A's had sauteed pinto beans with onions, alfalfa sprouts, and salt. Drizzling olive oil and a little more salt on the freshly baked cal zone makes a huge taste difference.

I have had plenty of cooking failures. Luckily they just make the successes that much sweeter. Tonight was a "what is in my fridge and what in the world can I cook?" night. Here's what we did:

olive oil

white onion - diced

minced garlic (I love garlic - one heaping tablespoon)

cooked pinto beans (1/2 to 1 cup)

salt

brown rice (1 cup)

finely chopped parsely (a lot)

alfalfa sprouts

dry mustard powder

Saute onions and garlic. Add cooked beans. Add salt. After about five minutes, pour two cups of water into pan and add one cup of brown rice. Cook for 40 minutes. Remove cover and add the chopped parsley and alfafla sprouts. Simmer five minutes, taste. I was surprised that it tasted good enough at this point. In my humble opinion, no other seasonings were required. My two year old and I devoured it together. After the fact, I added a little bit of mustard powder and decided that was great for me, but too strong for my little one. Either way, this is one super duper beneficial meal with very little fuss. I could have easily grilled something for the O's during the cooking time, had it been needed.



I still can't believe that I like sprouts! Good Eats everybody...

Red cardinals decorate our trees like tiny red apples blooming in the sun. The grass has transformed from a light spring green to a dark, lush and soft mid summer green in just two short days. And the birds!! The green-headed black-bodied birds have discovered a new place to build their nest. Can you take a guess?

In my husband’s gas grill! He can’t believe it. He hopes he can clean out his grill before the birds actually lay their eggs. Meanwhile, the birds create quite an interesting scene as we eat at our kitchen table and gaze upon their carpenter like activities. Life is sweet.

I have had many thoughts swirling through my head today. For example, I wanted to write a short ditty on “weekend food.” Simple meals for A’s center around canned fish. Whether it’s tuna, canned salmon, or even sardines, simply mix with honey, olive oil, soy sauce and a touch of salt for an easy meal. Serve the ‘fish salad” with celery sticks, carrot sticks, or salted rice cakes and an apple. Even fresh broccoli heads would work here. The fish salad would work for the O’s as well, but since my O’s won’t touch it, Swedish pancakes were served instead. (That’s 1 egg, a pinch of salt, 1 cup of rice milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and ¼ cup of btd appropriate flour.)

This morning I made several batches of pumpkin waffles (inspired by Jillthepilllady J)

1-cup brown rice flour

1-cup oat flour

1 tbl baking powder

1 pinch of salt

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

2 eggs

2-4 tbl of olive oil

1 – ½ cups of vanilla rice milk or goat milk

Currants

½ cup of canned pumpkin

I experimented with this recipe in several different ways this morning. In the end, I cracked the eggs first and then beat them. Next, add all of the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients, one at a time and mix well. When the batter was more thick than thin, I tasted my pudding like concoction. At this point, I would add more sugar or cinnamon or vanilla, etc. Whatever your taste buds tell you, go with the flow. Finally I sprinkled the currants on top and did not mix in.

With a preheated and canola oil coated waffle iron, I poured about 1 cup of the mix onto each waffle grid. Cook until well browned (4 to 5 minutes) and carefully lift out. They are easier to lift if they are WELL browned. Lastly, wrap the cooled waffles with wax paper and place into freezer bags (again, thank you Jill!).

Both pumpkin and the oat flour are beneficial ingredients for the A’s. Also, I think I may start to drift away from spelt for three reasons:

1) I suspect my husband is an O non-secretor and my muffins and such continuously disappoint him

2) My little A is allergic to wheat; ergo perhaps using an antique form of wheat just isn’t such a good idea.

3) It’s more economical to rely on brown rice flour and oat flour in its place. I think pumpkin rye waffles would be tasty too.



Here’s where it gets really wild. I truly think that my little A, with all of his food intolerances, is a non-secretor. Furthermore, I think he inherited some of the classic O non-secretor food allergies from Dad.

Hmmm, Ao (negative) non-secretor blood type. Ya see, I am an A + secretor. I know for a fact Dad is an O (negative) but the non-secretor is a guess based on his food preferences. He hates many of the foods on the O non-secretor list and is truly addicted to wheat. My five-year-old son can easily handle soy and likes spelt. Ergo, I am guessing he is an O secretor.

Mom A + secretor Dad O - (? non secretor?)

5 yr O + (?secretor?) 2 yr A – (?non secretor?)

My Sherlock Holmes attempt at solving mysteries will be proved or disproved soon enough. I am going to order the secretor saliva test for both of my children. I think I can obtain enough saliva by using a medicine dropper to suck it out of the mouth. I think that with enough “practice” runs immediately followed by some sort of treat, I will be able to collect enough for the sample.

After a brief stint outside (you just gotta get the 2 yr old out into the sunshine), I will finish the day by making a big batch of rice noodles and another batch of parsnip raisin bread. Cooking the rice noodles ahead of time was inspired by a cooking video I recently rented from the local library. To ‘refresh’ the noodles, simply place what you need in a little warm water and then drain. I have collard greens, spinach, romaine lettuce and lots of fish just waiting for me in my fridge and freezer. It’ll be interesting. Good eats, everyone.

The kids and I had fun tonight. After dinner, I decided that my five year old needed to be tackled. Of course, the two year old had to get into it the brawl too! Next, the ingenious kindergardner grabbed some tape and decided to spin a spider's web. (He was trying to entrap me.) I laughed so hard. Bonus: the tape clumped together and was rather easy to clean up. Gotta like that one.

My second batch of bread was even better. I simply put the finely chopped parsnip at the very bottom of the bread machine. I also used a little less oil. The bread still fell, gosh darn it, but the texture was thicker and fluffier (is that even a word?) overall. My kindergardner is impressed that I have hidden vegetables in it and has given me permission to do it again (hee hee.)

The spinach and sardine frittata (forgive spelling please) was a leftover conconction. It really pleases me when something accidently turns out tasty.

olive oil

diced onion

minced garlic

coarse sea salt

leftover mashed up sardines

freshly washed spinach, torn into smaller pieces

5 eggs

Saute onion and garlic in oil. (On my gas stove, that is a level three or medium heat.) Add sardines and stir. Add wet spinach leaves and saute until wilted. Add salt. Stir. Beat your eggs with a little bit of water (if we could eat cheese, I would have added it here) and pour into pan. Shake pan to distribute ingreidents evenly. Allow eggs to set (about 2 minutes) and place pan into a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until eggs have puffed up nicely. I can never get mine to look exactly like Emeril's - but he used a higher temperature I believe. Anyway, pull eggs out of the oven and allow to cool on stove top. Cut into pizza like wedges and top with a little fine salt.

The sardines actually tasted very sweet - must have been the onions. My two year old ate three slices of this egg bake - or 2 and a half eggs. As for myself, there was a definite energy surge after dinner. (The wine may have had something to do with it!) After our tickle fest, I cleaned the dishes, vaccummed the floor and mopped. That's just not normal. Good eats everyone!!

Oh, that piece of advice is right up my alley. My muscles were tense this morning, and my daily stretch took twice as long as normal. But it was worth it.

Cooking has been such a joy once again. The first time my five year old ate one of my btd calzones, it was too "mushy" and a definate thumbs down. "Never make this again, Mom!" The second time I served it to him (much flatter), he said in a surprised five year old voice "this is good..!" The filling contained one can of tomato sauce (no avoids listed within the brand, but genetically modified I fear), a little brown sugar, chopped steak and mozzerela cheese. The tomato sauce also had a little italian seasoning. I look forward to picking up tomatoes from grandpa's garden later on this year.

The A's were served rice and diced parsnips cooked in compliant chicken broth. Black beans, corn, a little brown sugar and a little cumin were added to spice it up. The parsnips made the dish so nice and creamy! I did find that cumin wasn't the perfect spice (in my opinion) so I am going to try Rosemary next. All of the sniffing of spices and taste testing during the cooking process is starting to become quite fun.

Today at lunch, I really took a creative chance. Sardines were mashed up, sprinkled with salt and combined with honey. This become our filling for the lunch time calzone. When it was done baking, I drizzled it with olive oil and served it to my two year old. He obviously liked it, because he wouldn't give me one bite! (Can you imagine a cranky two year old yelling "no!" and twisting his body so that his food is as far away from you as possible? ) Just for kicks, I drizzled a little soy sauce over the calzone. Fruit juice satisfied the need for sweet.

Next time, I think dicing up a small onion and some celery would be even better. Sardine salad, one might say. I also think it's time to increase my fish servings, as my muscles need more protein (weightlifting, in case you didn't know). Good eats everyone!

Wahhoooo! Both kids said thumbs up! I am just excited because my five year old has never eaten parsnips before. Before I share the recipe, I must admit: my bread keeps falling. It starts to rise half way through and then always plumets before it's done. Whether it is a noisy kitchen or it is too much moisture, I don't know. But if my kids like the taste, then by golly, it is a success story.

Using a bread machine:

1 egg plus enough water to equal 1 cup

4 tsp of canola oil

1 large parsnip, peeled and diced with a food blender

4 tsp of brown sugar

1 tsp of salt

2 1/4 cups of whole grain spelt (give or take)

1/3 cup of cherries

1 package of very active dry yeast



At the beep, add 1/3 cup of raisins. It has a sweet and 'spicy' kick to it!

My two year old may or may not be having trouble with spelt. Once he is feeling better, I will be baking another batch of this and then serve it to him once again. 1 serving day number one, two servings day number two, and three servings day number three. This would be easier if he could talk!

Good eats everyone

Die you ba@@@&*%^*!

Ok, that’s spider number two I have killed today. I love spring, but really – the number of spiders that suddenly appear aggravate me to no end! At least the common house spider is relatively small. I think what bothers me the most are the accidental bites. For example, if they simply left my children alone while they were sleeping, then I would be happy to share the corners of my house with them. Instead, the five year old wakes up screaming as one crawls across his body. Thank the good Lord, we aren’t deathly allergic to spiders!

On a lighter note, it was a wonderful cooking day. Here’s what was on the menu:

Oatmeal pancakes with cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins

Oatmeal cookies

Parsnip – cherry spelt bread

Cal zones using whole grain spelt flour



Both my kids gobbled up the pancakes. (Forgive me if I have written about this already. My memory seems to be on vacation.) The cookies are a necessary “car” snack as I try to tackle a very busy week. The parsnip – cherry bread sounds a little wacky, but I just thought that the two flavors might just mingle. As always, I am on a vegetable crusade with my son. I had a piece of this new concoction today and I honestly liked it. But until my kids give it their approval, I will withhold from sharing the recipe.

The caaaallllllzzzzzzooooonnnnnneeeessss…. (Can you see the drool from my chin?) My five year old got so excited when I described this type of food to him. I have dedicated this week to making cal zones for dinner. Every type I can think of will be attempted. Between the traditional pizza toppings and omelet fillings, I think I can whip up quite a variety.

Ok – let’s talk about homemade pizza crust for a minute. Whole grain spelt works quite well. Since rye is a beneficial for the A’s, I will be working on a half/half combination sometime this week. If this is your first time attempting to make a homemade pizza crust (which folded over becomes a cal zone), please allow me to help you out:

1) Follow the pizza crust recipe in the “Cook for your blood type book.”

2) However, after dissolving your yeast in warm water, wait for ten minutes.

3) Look for bubbles. This guarantees that your yeast is alive! If you see only a few bubbles or no bubbles dump it out and start over.

4) Always cover your workspace or your rolling pin with more flour. I actually used rye – as it simply was a way to decrease the expense. (Rye is a lot cheaper than spelt where I am located.)

5) Knead your dough GENTLY. I can’t emphasize this enough. When the dough ball starts to look smooth (about five minutes), you are ready to oil it up and place it back in the bowl.

6) Follow the rest of the directions in the book. For the cal zone recipe, I would actually divide the dough into 4 or 6 pieces.

7) Fill with your favorite cooked or sautéed meat, cheese and veggies. (I just stuck with simple cheese today, as I was more concerned about my crust turning out.)

8) Bake at 500 degrees for 8 minutes. (I was following the advice of Emeril). He was right!

9) Last but not least, drizzle with olive oil or butter and lightly salt. I think I will set up dipping bowls for the kids. My five year old hates to get his hands messy.

I can’t wait to try ground turkey with onions, garlic, and maybe a little goat cheese tomorrow. I say maybe because I have this sneaky suspicion that the two year old cannot handle goat cheese anymore. He used to be able to eat it without negative side effects, but something has changed. Right after this blog, I will be double-checking the type base index. Ah well, if he can’t handle cheese of any kind, that I simply will have to get more creative. What?? Another excuse to cook versus clean my spider-infested house? Yea! ……No. Somehow, super mom will find the time to do both. (Imagine a chuckle followed by a snort.) In my dreams……..

I had some leftover flour just sitting around in my fridge. I also had somewhere I was supposed to be this morning at 8:00 A.M. By making the muffins before I jumped in the shower, I made efficient use of my time. Here it is:

2 eggs – beaten

1 tablespoon of canola oil

1 cup of vanilla rice milk

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Several shakes of cinnamon

1-cup oatmeal

1 pinch of salt

1 tablespoon of baking powder

A little millet flour, a little buckwheat flour, and a little oat flour.

Chopped dates

Raisins

Beat eggs. Add wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add dried fruit and then add wet. Mix lightly and pour into muffin pan. (I always use paper liners.)

As for the question – how much flour? Thicker seems to be better, but too thin still bakes! My kids ate all 12 muffins this morning. Life is good. J

You have to wonder why rice sticks bought from the Asian market have 12 g of protein and 32 grams of carbs. Rice noodles and rice grains have much less protein (usually 3 or 4). But if rice is rice, then why can't I find rice grown in America with 12 grams of protein????

Today, I stir fried rice sticks in olive oil and then added freshly washed spinach and mushrooms. Toward the end I added minced garlic and a small amount of salt. It tasted pretty good.

With the addition of soy sauce and a little cheese, it then tasted great! A little sweet fruit on the side completed the meal. You should have seen the amount of steam in my kitchen!

After my two year old and I ate, I then grilled up a chilli burger for my O. (No buns). I would rather have made one meal for everyone, but some days just don't work out the way I had hoped. Anyway, I was able to use up the ground beef and my week old veggies. Food was not wasted and money was saved.

Now off to pay my bills....... I would rather be in Hawaii. Good eats everyone.