bethsblog

Happy Holidays

Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday!

 See you in the New Year!

"Keep it simple."

The little gal we were waiting for this time last year is one year old today!

Happy Birthday Miss Cassidy May!

 

Love those barrettes!

"Keep it simple."

Snow Day!

Today most of the Michigan is getting slammed with the biggest snow storm of the season so far. All the schools are closed. All the squirrels are hunkered down in their nests.

Sounds like a good day to stay home and bake gingerbread cookies. These are a family favorite... crisp and buttery with just the right amount of spice.

Grama's Gingerbread Cookies:

Cream together in a medium bowl:
1/2 c. very soft butter
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/6 c. molasses
1/3 c. white corn syrup

Combine in a small bowl:
2 1/4 c. sifted flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined. Mixture will be crumbly. Turn mixture out onto the countertop and knead together until smooth. Divide into two parts and flatten into two round patties. Wrap patties in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out on floured board to 1/8" thickness and cut with floured cookie cutters of your choice. I make ginger birds, bears, and boys.

Bake on cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper at 350 for 7-9 minutes until cookies are just starting to brown at edges. Remove cookies to cooling  racks when firm enough to handle.

Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing. Allow icing to harden for several hours before packing cookies in airtight containers.

Here is a link on how to make royal icing. I tint it with several colors of gel type food coloring and load it into pastry bags fitted with a small round writing tip so we can "draw" on the cookies. My sister's kids and my daughter Sara will be here on Monday to help me decorate.

"Keep it simple."

This time last year...

...I was in Ann Arbor for most of the month of December, helping my daughter while she we waited for the birth of her second child. Being there instead of here, blasted my Christmas paradigm right out of the water, and provided me with a life lesson from the book of what's really important.

December 18, 2007

Christmas this year is far from normal.
For the first time in 30 years, I'm not in my own home.
I'm living out of a suitcase.
Like a traveling salesman.

Then I think about those 30 years of holiday bustle.
Fighting the shopping mobs.
Baking and decorating a gazillion cookies.
Feeding crowds of hungry company.

But here I sit. Waiting.
Gladly helping my expectant daughter.
Joyously playing with my granddaughter.
Focusing on just the essentials: eating, sleeping, exercising.

My normal Christmas is on ice.

Then I think about the holy couple.
Far from home.
In a lonely stable.
Waiting for a baby.

And I realize that everything is
Exactly the way it's supposed to be.

"Keep it simple."

Another Armour Update

I've been on Armour Natural Thyroid since November 5th, and would be ready for blood work now if I hadn't had to adjust my dose 3 times. After 2 weeks on the dose I was first prescribed I felt really hyper. My doctor cut the dose in half and within 2 weeks I felt totally hypo. I think I am now on a dose which I can maintain for the 6 weeks necessary to get an accurate blood test. Just like me to require a dose that's halfway in between two of the manufactured strengths... involving splitting pills to tally 45mg per day.

Here's a list of all the things that have improved since I switched from Levothyroxine to Armour Natural Thyroid:

Hot/cold spells
Hand and foot pain
Muscle aches, especially neck, shoulders, and thighs
Leg cramps at night
Intestinal gas
Heartburn
Numbness of hands at night
Difficulty writing, typing, mousing, and painting.. (see hand pain)
Fatigue
Low grade depression
Energy and enthusiasm
Insomnia
Visual disturbances... sparkle effects
Cracking skin on finger tips and heels
Sex drive
Mental clarity
Oh, and I've lost 3 lbs.

I reported all this to my doctor, (who first suggested that I try Armour) when I saw her last Thursday, and she was astonished. She photocopied my list of improvements and took down the title of a book which I found most informative: Thyroid Power.

My massage therapist, who is also a thyroid patient (she had half her thyroid removed last year, and also takes Armour) said that I will continue to feel better over the next several months. Great!

I am also happy to report that due to the astonishing improvement in the state of my gut, I am back to eating a full diet including all grains. The fun of it is, this Christmas, I can bake/eat my favorite traditional cookies! Last night I made lemon bars, tomorrow it's on to gingerbread men, women and children.

 

"Keep it simple."

What I love about Christmas:

Rising early on a dark, quiet morning.
Lighting my decorations for the hour or so before dawn.
Sitting in my cozy plaid armchair while writing in my journal.
Drinking a cup of blueberry tea in my favorite reindeer mug.

In 10 days this solitude will break forth with the joyous noise of children and grandchildren... parents and siblings... there will be the usual cooking frenzy and the excited opening of presents... a houseful of activity... people and toys, food and fun.

But in the meantime I'm going to savor the stillness...

"Keep it simple."

Cinnamon Walnut Scones

Breakfast becomes more delicious than ever with this Specific Carbohydrate Diet recipe... a collaboration between Amy and me. This is a regular feature at my breakfast table along with a side order of fresh fruit:

Cinnamon Walnut Scones

3 eggs, well beaten
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. melted butter or oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cider vinegar
2 3/4 c. almond flour
1/2 c. currants
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Beat together eggs, honey, and oil or butter. Add salt, soda, cinnamon and vinegar and mix well. Stir in flour, nuts and currants to make a fairly stiff dough. Drop by large spoonfuls in 12 globs on a baking stone or on cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper. (I use a level Large Pampered Chef Scoop) Flatten each scone a little with a wet silicone spatula or wet fingers. Bake 20-30 minutes at 325 until nicely browned, firm when inserted with a toothpick, and hollow sounding when tapped. Cool on racks. These keep well at room temperature for at least a week.

I like my scones sort of free form, or you can make them into triangle shapes with wet fingers, as Amy prefers, or you can even sculpt them into small replicas of Windsor Castle (just kidding!).

Click here for information on how you can get a copy of this beautiful Turtle Soup Cookbook Cover and a set of printer-friendly recipes.

"Keep it simple."

Taco Salad

Jill requested that I post this recipe after I talked about it in my post from 8/13.

Taco Salad   serves 4

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
olive oil
1 small minced onion (optional)
*1 T. homemade chili powder, or more, to taste
1 t. cumin, or more, to taste
1/2 t. garlic powder, or more, to taste
1/2 t. salt, or more, to taste
1/4 t. black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 finely diced tomato
1/2 c. water

assorted salad greens
olive oil
salt and pepper
sliced black olives
sliced tomatoes
SCD yogurt
shredded co-jack or other cheese
salsa (Pace makes a legal one)
guacamole

Brown meat in a little oil with the onion and seasonings.  Add tomato and water and simmer until most of juices are reduced.

Place greens on a dinner plate and drizzle with a little olive oil. 
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon meat on top of greens and garnish with olives, tomatoes, cheese, yogurt, guacamole and salsa. We had a few of my homemade Nacho Chips chips with this.

Oh, and here's how to make the guacamole:
Mush up a ripe avocado with a small, ripe, chopped tomato, 1-2 T. lime juice, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper if you like it hot!

* To make chili powder your own combine: 5 Tablespoons ground mild chili pepper, (available in ethnic groceries) 2 Tablespoons dried oregano, 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Click here for information on how you can get a copy of this beautiful Turtle Soup Cookbook Cover and a set of printer-friendly recipes.

"Keep it simple."

"Matzo" Balls

In both taste and texture, these are very much like the real thing!

SCD Mini "Matzo" Balls  serves 2

One egg, well beaten
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. onion powder
dash black pepper
almond flour

Beat together egg and seasonings. 
Add almond flour, stirring in a spoonful at a time until the mixture is the consistency of play-doh...
Wet hands. Pinch off small globs of dough with wet fingers and roll between palms of hands into balls the size of small marbles.
Meanwhile fill a 1-quart saucepan 1/2 full with salted water or stock and bring to a gently bubbling boil. 
Drop the dough balls into the bubbling liquid. They will sink to the bottom, then float to the top.
Simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. 
Serve immediately or scoop out with a slotted spoon to cool on layers of paper towels. 
Refrigerate for later use.  Can also be frozen.

Click here for information on how you can get a copy of this beautiful Turtle Soup Cookbook Cover and a set of printer-friendly recipes.

"Keep it simple."

Creamy Tomato Soup

2 cups *legal tomato juice (I use Campbell's Organic)
1/2 cup SCD yogurt made with 2% milk
1 tsp. butter
1/4 tsp. salt (to taste)
1 tbsp. honey (to taste)
a dash or two of black pepper

Whisk together it all together in a saucepan and heat slowly stirring occasionally.

*legal = no added sugars, starches or gums

Click here for information on how you can get a copy of this beautiful Turtle Soup Cookbook Cover and a set of printer-friendly recipes.

"Keep it simple."