Rosemary and Sweet Onion Focaccia

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients for recipe:

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  
  


• 1 tsp white sugar
  
  


• 1 tsp salt
  
  


• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
  
  


• 1 cup water
  
  


• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  
  


• 1 egg
  
  


• Non-fat cooking spray
  
  


• 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
  
  


• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
  
  


• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  
  

Preparation:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, salt ,sugar, yeast and mix well.
  
  


• Heat water and vegetable oil until warm, and add to flour mixture and then add the egg. Blend with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 additional minutes.
  
  


• Gradually add 1-¾ cups flour while beating, until dough pulls away from side of bowl. Knead in ¾ cup flour on floured surface.
  
  


• Cover dough with a bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes.
  
  


• Spray a baking sheet with non-fat cooking spray. Press the dough out evenly onto the pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 20-30 minutes.
  
  


• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  
  


• Uncover dough, and press indentations with your fingers at 1” intervals. Spray dough lightly with non-fat cooking spray and sprinkle with crushed rosemary and Parmesan cheese. Arrange onion rings evenly over the dough. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
  
  


• Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
  
  


• Cut into wedges and serve warm.
  
  

Make 6 Servings:

Weight Loss Recipes Amount Per Serving (1/6 of recipe (111 g)): 350 Calories, 11 g Protein, 59 g carbohydrates, 3 g Dietary Fiber, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 38 mg cholesterol, 463 mg sodium

Rosemary and Parmesan Lavasch

(makes 16 servings)

Ingredients for recipe:

• 1 package active dry yeast
  
  


• 2 cups warm water
  
  


• 1 tsp sugar
  
  


• 3¼ cup unbleached flour
  
  


• 2½ tbsp vegetable oil
  
  


• 3 tbsp fresh rosemary
  
  


• 1 tsp salt
  
  


• 3 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese*
  
  

Preparation:

• In a small bowl, add water and sugar until dissolved then sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand for 10 minutes to activate yeast then add vegetable oil.
  
  


• In a food processor, add flour and salt and mix well. Slowly add yeast mixture and continue mixing until dough forms a ball while scraping sides with a spatula.
  
  


• If you don't have a food processor, use a wooden spoon to mix by hand and add yeast mixture a little at a time to evenly combine. Add more flour as needed if dough is too sticky or water if too dry.
  
  


• Turn dough out on a floured work surface and knead dough by hand until it is smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator until it rises to nearly double its size (about 1 hour.)
  
  


• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  
  


• In a small bowl, combine rosemary and Parmesan cheese.
  
  


• Turn dough out on a floured work surface and roll out until it is the shape of a rectangle. Cut dough into roughly 16 equal portions. When working with one portion of dough, place the others in a bowl covered with plastic wrap to prevent from drying out.
  
  


• Take a portion of dough and roll until paper thin (should resemble a very flat rectangle or strip). Using a spatula, lift the dough strip and place it on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
  
  


• Evenly sprinkle with rosemary and Parmesan cheese over the tops of the dough strips and lightly press into the dough.
  
  


• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, then cool on wire racks.
  
  

*Other suggested topping combinations of your choice:

• fresh chopped rosemary
  
  


• pine nuts
  
  


• crushed garlic
  
  


• cumin
  
  


• red pepper flakes
  
  


• curry powder
  
  


• sunflower seeds
  
  


• etc
  
  

Make 9 Servings:

Weight Loss Recipes Amount Per Serving (1 cracker (30 g)): 118 Calories, 3 g Protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g Dietary Fiber, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 164 mg sodium

My Gluten-Free January

I've been avoiding most gluten, particularly wheat, for over a year now. I never had obvious symptoms that I could clearly link to eating wheat, although I had my suspicions. I've made many changes to my diet over the last decade, and I feel much better than I did ten years ago, but it's hard to disentangle all the factors. I don't think I ever went an entire month without eating any gluten at all before this January. After posting Matt Lentzner's challenge to go gluten-free this January, I felt obligated to do it myself, so I signed up!

I succeeded in avoiding all gluten for the month of January, even though it was a pain at times. I felt good before January, and didn't start with any health or body weight problems, so there wasn't much to improve. I also felt good while strictly avoiding gluten this January, perhaps a little better than usual but it's hard to say.

At the end of the month, I did a blinded wheat challenge using the method I described in a previous post, which uses gluten-free bread as the placebo (1). I recorded my blood sugar at 30 minute intervals after eating the bread, and recorded how I felt physically and emotionally for three days after each challenge.

The result? I think the bread gave me gas, but that's about it. I'm not even positive that was due to the wheat. My energy level was good, and I didn't experience any digestive pain or changes in transit time. There was no significant difference in my blood glucose response between the bread and the gluten-free bread.

I decided that I didn't have any symptoms, so I celebrated by having a porter (1) with friends a few nights later. I slept poorly and woke up with mild digestive discomfort and gas. Then I ate wheat later in the week and slept poorly and got gas again. Hmmm...

Some people might say that the body adapts to any food, and wheat is no different. Go without it for a while, and the body has a tough time digesting it. But I can go for weeks without eating a potato, a chicken thigh or broccoli, and all will digest just fine when I eat them again.

I'm pretty sure I don't have a severe reaction to gluten. I think I'm going to stick with my mostly gluten-free habits, and eat it occasionally when I'm offered food in social situations.

Did anyone else do a blinded wheat challenge? Describe it in the comments!

41/365 - Delicious Brussel Sprouts. Yes! Delicious

I am not a big fan of Brussel Sprouts. Neither is my family. But it's the benefit they offer to our bodies that gives me reason to buy them. 

I thought I was doing pretty good with the new Beef Soup recipe that included Brussel Sprouts I posted a few weeks ago. But I've found something better, Roasted Brussel Sprouts.  I know, that doesn't sound too spectacular, but it is.  

I first put them into the oven on faith.  My mom had told me how wonderful they were when she made them.  I believed her.  When I put them into the oven, I had hoped I didn't just ruin a package of sprouts. (I originally bought them to make the soup)

While the little, green orbs were baking, I admit, the scent was a bit confusing.  When my hubby walked into the kitchen, he took a whiff, and gave a look. I told him, "No opinions until after you try them." At that time, I hoped I didn't have to eat those words.  Secretly, I agreed with him and was only sharing the same thoughts I was telling myself.

When I took them out, I wasn't impressed.  They looked like burnt Brussel Sprouts. MMmmm...... *not*

After they cooled enough so I could taste without scalding myself, I gave one a try.  To my surprise, it was one of the most delicious green things I have ever eaten!! I piled up a plateful and dug in.  Hey, the family wasn't interested so I had my fill. 

Then my oldest walks in and inspects the tray I had cooling on the oven.  He says, "They looked burnt." I smiled. He goes in for a sniff and says, "These don't smell so good." He pokes one with his finger and licks it. He looks to me and asks if I liked them. I told him I thought they were really good. I assumed he'd walk away and be done.  But he didn't.  He grabbed a plate and served himself.  While he was eating he told me, "Mom, if you ever make Brussel Sprouts again, you have to do them like this." WIN.

Just cut off the brown ends, wash, dry, and cut in half-lengthwise.

Toss well in olive oil on a cookie sheet. 

Spread to single layer and sprinkle with salt/pepper.

Bake at 375-400 for about 30 min. or until edges are browned and crispy.

Pumpkin Muffins

(makes 9 muffins)

Ingredients for recipe:

• 2 medium eggs, beaten
  
  


• 1 cup sugar
  
  


• 1 cup pumpkin, canned
  
  


• 1 tsp baking soda
  
  


• 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  
  


• ¾ cup vegetable oil
  
  


• ¼ cup water
  
  


• ¾ tsp salt
  
  


• ½ tsp ground cloves
  
  


• ½ tsp nutmeg
  
  


• ½ tsp baking powder
  
  


• ½ tsp cinnamon
  
  


• ½ cup nuts, chopped (optional)
  
  

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  
  


• In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vegetable oil, and water
  
  


• Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices in a separate bowl.
  
  


• Add dry ingredients to wet, and stir to blend.
  
  


• Pour the batter ¾ into the prepared muffin pan
  
  


• Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from pan right away.
  
  


• Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them.
  
  

Make 9 Servings:

Weight Loss Recipes Amount Per Serving (1 muffin (98 g)): 307 Calories, 21 g Protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 2 g Dietary Fiber, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 421 mg sodium

Tuesday night update and Wednesday birthday cake

Last night didn't go well. After I wrote my post I felt like I was literally starving to death. Almond. Butter. I don't need to say anymore except that this morning I poured soap into the jar (what was left of it) and threw it in the trash.

Right now I feel very ill because I ate a big piece of birthday cake tonight, chocolate truffle cake and I don't even really like chocolate cake. It was my husband's birthday today. I feel really gross. Like throwing up gross. Plus I'm so thirsty I could die. I just can't get enough water to drink.

That's all. Not much else to write except I screwed up again. What else is new?

Oh yes, I should mention that work is out of control busy. I've been getting intense headaches lately. Probably because I feel like my head is spinning out of control All day long I keep telling myself to calm the hell down, but then someone else wants something else from me. Tomorrow is going to be different. Honestly. Totally different. I need a new attitude at work.

I'm going to bed now. I'm going to have to work out like a maniac tomorrow morning. I have a plan of really mixing up my routine with new exercises.

Funny, I just read this post and I sound like a crazy person, with a death theme. Hmmm....

Gluten-Free January Raffle!

Hi, Gluten-Free January participants. Matt, Janine and I have collected about 200 survey responses at this point. So far, the results are very interesting! But we want to get as many responses as possible, because the more responses we get, the more informative the data will be for all of us. So please fill out the survey Matt sent you by e-mail, no matter what your results were, and no matter whether you stuck with the diet or not! The survey is strictly about your GFJ experience, not investment opportunities, timeshares, ShamWows or anything else. It will take you less than 5 minutes, and it's totally anonymous. The deadline is Feb 15th. Big thanks to everyone who has taken it so far.

To encourage participants to complete the survey, we're organizing a raffle. Matt and I have five Gluten-Free January T-shirts we're ready to give out for free. These shirts were designed by Matt and they're really cool. I have one myself, and the print and fabric quality are top notch. Here's what the logo looks like:
If you've completed the survey and want to be included in the raffle, please e-mail Matt to let him know you've completed it. Anyone who has already e-mailed Matt to let him know they completed the survey will automatically be entered, so no need for a second e-mail. So far, very few people have written Matt, so your probability of winning a shirt is high!