It was such a great dinner last night. I was so excited about it, in fact, that in my exuberance, I accidentally pulled the shower curtain off the rod and into the bathtub. (Inside your head you are probably thinking, what????. Allow me to explain.)

Previously I had attempted to cook venison meatballs and failed. Last night, I switched out a couple of the ingredients (parsley vs. cilantro, etc.) but stayed true to the method of cooking this recipe. I also cooked some spelt noodles and served a mixed green salad. Worried that there wouldn’t be enough food, I threw in some sliced goat cheese.

Everybody ate till they were full. My two year old couldn’t get enough of the noodles, cheese and mushrooms, and I couldn’t get enough of the salad! Both my son and husband ate a healthy serving of venison and noodles, and the kitchen smelled heavenly.

Once dinner was over, it was off to the bathtub for the 2 year old. As I pulled back the shower curtain, the rod came clambering down on my head. I started laughing hysterically. It’s the simple things in life that make one truly happy. ……….

I’ve got so much to say today, that I don’t know where to start. I have a chance to help people with both health and weight issues, but due to liability reasons I am not allowed to discuss the BTD while at work. Previously being employed in the management field, I can understand the politics of this dilemma. I also realize that one must first work within the rules in order to change them. Now after having stated how I understand the multiple angles of the situation, let me say this: it’s a shame.

Still, if you want change without bloodshed, then patience and compliance are the keys to change. (Ironic, isn’t it?) Better yet, maybe the increased networking will one day allow me to help people “on the side” and after hours. The possibilities give me hope.

Switching gears now.....

Both kids loved breakfast today. I can’t get over how much satisfaction I get knowing that they love the taste AND it’s good for them. The A’s ate Scottish Oatmeal with dried cranberries, brown sugar, currants and rice milk. (Very yummy.) My five year old O ate his ground beef sausage patty, seasoned with homemade pizza sauce and a little more salt. He actually said that his sausage was “perfect.” I think he realizes how hard I am trying and remembers to appreciate it every once in awhile!

Since today is a very busy day, I made a double batch of mixed roots soup and rice. It will be the A’s dinner, along with some leftover spinach. Dad is helping fix the O’s supper tonight, so I will stress the “beneficials” at the table and leave the rest alone.

Hmmmm, change without bloodshed.

Food for thought.

My two year old is wickedly smart. He is also fearless. For a mother, this is not an easy combination to deal with on a daily basis. He loves to unscrew the bath tub plug and "shout" down the drain. (It echoes just a bit.) He also loves to pull the baby proof outlet covers out of their socket. I dread the day he outgrows his crib. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

I've learned one very important thing today in the kitchen. It's not so much what type of flour you use, but how you handle it. During my fourth pizza crust attempt, I hit the jackpot. Here's the recipe:

1 cup warm water (never over 115)

yeast

1 tsp salt

1 or 2 tsp brown sugar

organic rye flour (not pumpernickel) 2- 3 cups

olive oil

If you get a chance, watch someone make crust from the cooking channel. After dissolving the yeast in the warm water and letting it sit for 5 minutes, there should be a bubbly concentration of yeast in the middle of the bowl. Add a little bit of olive oil. Mix the salt and brown sugar into the flour in a seperate bowl. Next, slowly add the flour into the water and yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon. Pour the doughy mixture onto a nonstick cookie sheet or a very well floured clean surface. Gently knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Pour a little oil in the bottom of a clean bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Turn the dough over and cover this bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for one hour.

After it has risen, punch it down and divide the dough into two equal halves. Here's the tricky part. Gently mold the dough into a flat circle. I held the dough between my two hands and gently clapped it over and over again- being careful not to drop it. Rotate the dough like a wheel as you clap. When you've got it as big as you can get it without it falling to pieces, then place it on the nonstick pan. You can gently spread it out a little more with your fingertips - but the more you touch it, the flatter and denser it will turn out.

Bake at 475 for about 8 minutes. My pizza crust (my fourth attempt today) turned out light and chewy - just the way my kids like it.

*I didn't include pizza toppings in this recipe, but you could certainly throw the toppings on before you bake it. Use a little oil as well. *

Here's one more non-yeast version:

3/4 cup brown rice flour

3/4 cup oat flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

salt (1 tsp)

brown sugar (2 - 4 tsp)

2 - 4 tsp of rumford baking powder

warm water - about one cup

The baking powder really caused this crust to puff up nicely. In fact, it's almost too thick. I chose to save this one for my O, and I whipped up some pizza sauce using tomato paste, olive oil, water, salt, minced garlic, dried parsely, brown sugar and dried basil. My five year old hasn't tasted this yet, but my husband said it "smelled" good.

If I have the energy today, the last one I will try will be a half rye, half millet combination. I have one packet of yeast left. Bless my husband. He said that he enjoyed the smells coming from my kitchen. That one compliment means a lot. Good eats, everyone.

Paying my BTD practioner to go to the grocery store with me was one of the most helpful things I have ever done. With paper and pen in hand, we looked at different types of foods together. Here's what I have learned:

If it says natural flavorings, don't buy it. It could mean anything.

Ask the guy behind the meat counter if they grind their meat at the store. Many stores receive their meat with literally a skull and cross bones sticker on it, because it has been (irradiated?). Forgive me, I am not certain how to spell the word he used.

Grill your meats for the O's. Medium rare preserves a certain substance (I forget what he called it) which they need for their brain.

Be much more afraid of corn syrup than of dextrose.

After spending an hour reading labels, I walked out with fresh meat, btd appropriate seafood at a good price, a very close to being compliant salad dressing (I just don't have time to make my own), and compliant spices. The salad dressing gave us the most trouble. We finally found one whose first ingredient was canola oil (cold pressed). Only one dressing out of hundreds didn't use soybean oil as the first ingredient! If you have a Woodman's grocery store in your area, consider yourself blessed.

The true reward came early this morning. My son was afraid of his grilled beef patty at first, but after a little coaxing and a little more cooking (it was just too rare at first), he ate it with gusto. The spice blend was from Reese and was a simple blend of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and celery powder.

I need to double check on the black pepper, but such a small amount was used that I think the benefits outweigh any possible negatives.

He ate it!

It was fast and easy and fresh!

The A's ate oatmeal with raisins and honey. Life is good.

Life is so funny. For example: my two year old got a hold of the cornstarch powder and “decorated” his room. I think he was trying to paint a picture of a blizzard. He succeeded. Luckily, this kind of experience just makes me laugh. Unlike others…..

I really enjoyed my dinner tonight. Here’s what I whipped up:

Green leafy salad mix (romaine, two other dark green things I can’t remember!), juice from ½ of a lemon, walnuts, honey, raisins, and a little olive oil

Grilled chicken breasts with three different spice combinations: salt and kelp (O’s or A’s), salt and cayenne pepper and parsley (O’s), salt and thyme and rosemary (A’s and maybe O’s). I used lots of olive oil and my indoor grill. Since the chicken breasts were FAT, I had to finish cooking them in the oven, but it was worth it. They were nice and juicy.

Lesson #1 – buy the free-range chicken breasts. Not only are they probably avoid free, but also they grill up much easier.

Steamed carrots and parsnips. Throw them in a bowl with a little olive oil, a little salt, and a little dried parsley. Yum!

Last but not least, toast your dinner with a little Sangria. I really loved this dinner. Now, here is the shocking part. My husband joined us. He didn’t eat any of the salad or touch the vegetable, but he ate the chicken without complaint. I can’t believe that I DID NOT try to please him, and he was satisfied with the meal.

How did he get full, you ask??? He chose to drink two big glasses of milk just before dinner. Interestingly enough (and no – I swear I am not lying), he complained of a stomachache immediately after our meal. I don’t dare point and say, “Maybe D’Adamo is right.”



But I know better. Hmmmnn.