Lettuce be healthy.

Clever title for the blog post huh?

Lets get down to business.

When I went to the farmers market last week, I found some great red leaf lettuce for ubber cheap. It was such a large head of lettuce, I had to figure out a way to eat it all because I hate wasting fresh produce. I came up with, what else- lettuce wraps. A quick and easy meal idea!

This is a meal I have been preparing a lot for lunch and dinner. It's really great for dinner because it is light and easy to digest. Especially if you're having it with fish. What's also nice is that you can sub out any of these ingredients for things you prefer in your lettuce wraps. This is just one way to prepare it so hopefully it will inspire you to be creative with yours!

You will need:

(Everything is approximate. You can use as much or as little as you'd like. The more veggies, the better)

-3-4 pieces of lettuce

-1 cup of shredded cabbage (Spinach and romaine are ok, whatever you prefer! I just like the cabbage because it is has a different texture/crunch)

-3 tablespoons of diced raw onions (Maybe you prefer them sauteed in some olive oil?)

-1/4-1/2 avocado

-3 tablespoons of hummus

-4-6 oz of fish (I like cod or white tilapia. You can do salmon, shrimp, chicken. Just some type of protein. If you are vegan or vegetarian just leave out the meat! Consider adding cous cous or even quinoa and/or beans for protein)

You may choose to bake your fish, but a quicker way to prepare it is to pan fry it on medium heat for a few minutes on each side. Don't be afraid- you will only have to lightly spray the pan with olive oil. You're not

dunking it in lard. Still healthy.

Place whatever ingredients you'd like on the lettuce and roll that baby up!

I have found a really awesome garlic spread (garlic, basil, olive oil, lemon juice) and a roasted red pepper spread (hot peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, salt) that I've used instead of hummus. They are made with very simple ingredients- no preservatives or anything funky. The goal is to keep it simple and "clean." If you find this isn't filling enough, just have another wrap. I love brussels sprouts so sometimes I have a side of steamed brussels sprouts. Maybe half of a steamed yam or sweet potato?

This is to show you my portions.

Try diced tomatoes, zucchini, corn or bell peppers. When I prepare meals at home for myself, I am very aware of the unique flavors each ingredient already has and I put things together based on that. For those who are calorie conscious, I feel like this way of cooking/eating eliminates a lot of the unnecessary calories because when I cook, I don't need butter, tons of oil, salt/pepper or spices. I don't need store bought dressings and sauces that are filled with too much sugar, sodium, cholesterol etc. And I don't need things like CHEESE (can't have anyway), which people seem to love on everything (P.S.- Processed cheese is horrid. I will share an article I found later!). When I use to be able to eat whatever the heck I wanted, it was difficult to watch my portions. It was always so good that, if I didn't lick my plate clean, it'd feel like a sin...right? Now, I need to be careful with what I put into my body and how much I put into my body since I have daily struggles with my stomach, how I feel and the allergies I have. My palate has become accustomed to this simplistic way of eating. I've started to really appreciate everything for what it actually..NATURALLY tastes like. Give it a try :)

Thanks for reading!

Keep it simple & be creative.

I am allergic to life.

Once again, it has been awhile. I have much to write about.

I think more than anything else, I am most known for my food allergies (I really hope I'm actually known for better things than that). It has consumed my life for most of this past year. Long story short, I found out I was allergic to dairy, eggs, mushrooms and oysters 11 months ago. With in the last 3 or 4 months, after extensive testing, I found out I am allergic and borderline allergic to rice, soy, almonds, oats, halibut, scallops, crab, cantaloup, coconut, black pepper, cayenne pepper, carrots, grapes (which means no more wine. wahh)- and I think thats it.

Needless to say, I have cut out several things from my diet with in the last year. Some people choose to continue eating what they are allergic to, no matter their reaction. I chose to stop. Prior to finding out all of this information, I felt immensely bloated every single day. I felt that I had to stop eating those foods so that could have some type of normalcy in my body again. Well, I guess my normalcy is to feel bloated because I still feel the same everyday. At times to the point where laying down in a fetal position is the only thing that is somewhat comfortable and soothing. I have noticed that I feel sick a lot and will feel nauseous a few times a week. I really thought after sacrificing my chocolate cake, that I would feel like a normal human being again. Truly, I cannot remember the last time I didn't feel bloated.

Since we originally thought my issues were due to food allergies, it made sense that the solution would be to cut these foods out. But if I still am not feeling better, what could be causing all of this? I am not sure. No one seems to be sure. I have seen two allergists and a gastroenterologist since most of my issues revolve around my stomach. Even after a biopsy on my stomach, I have no answers.

I eat quite healthy. I eat out from time to time. When I do eat out, you better believe I modify the shit out of what I am ordering. To the point where I could just make it at home. Most of the time, my go to meal at home consist of a grilled protein like chicken and steamed veggies. Sometimes I'll have a little bit of steamed sweet potato. I snack on a lot of fruit and nuts in between. I manage to mix things up and make things tasty with different flavored olive oil, balsamic vinegar, hummus and different tasty and simple spreads I find at farmers markets. Its not as bad as it sounds. Anyway, I mentioned that because my fairly clean diet still hasn't helped because its not like I am eating allergy free junk (like when I used to eat vegan cookies and what not). The way I feel is always intensified after I eat. I am almost afraid to eat. Before my meals, what goes through my head is, "Am I going to feel bloated?" because most of the time, I do. But I pray for that one time where I might not! I used to take so many different meds like gas-x and pepto bismol, but the issue wasn't and isn't bowel movement and I don't want to continue taking things if its not helping. So I stopped.

What I am trying to focus on now, is what I am pairing together when I eat my meals since certain combinations are easier and better for digestion. It has only been about a week but I have been feeling bloated more than ever! Its odd.

This is my refrigerator the last time I got groceries..

......corn tortillas, hummus, chocolate and cereal are the only processed foods.

Left: Tilapia, Hummus, Corn tortillas, Unsweetened applesauce, Prune juice, White cherries, Red Cherries, Kiwis, Mangos, Plums, Watermelon, Cauliflower, Romaine lettuce, Spinach, Shredded cabbage, Broccolini, Diced onions, Butternut squash, and Brussels sprouts.

Right: Black beans, Kashi shredded whole wheat cereal, Sweet potatoes, Raw and unsalted cashews, Roasted and unsalted pistachios, Bananas, Papaya, Avocados and Dark chocolate.

Almost everything is organic.

With all of this, eating vegan is not an option. Vegan food has soy in it a majority of the time. Well, I guess that only applies to eating out. I have only been blogging about vegan recipes and vegan restaurants but I think from now on, I will be blogging more about meals I make at home, interesting articles I find, my doctor visits if its worth sharing- just my health journey in general. I suppose it will be more of an assortment of topics. I use to have to wait until I made something vegan but I will have much more to write about now.

If you find any interesting articles, have helpful tips or great recipes, and especially any info on what I am going through, please share!

This has truly tested my patience. I have to say, although my faith in doctors is slim right now, I am still very hopeful. I'll figure out this body of mine one day!

Until the next post,

Happy and allergy free eating.