More on GAPS: Recipes for the full GAPS diet

I last wrote about how and why we  are about to start the GAPS diet. I've been doing the full diet for 2 (maybe 3 or 4?) weeks now and my husband and toddler will be joining in with the 'Intro' diet starting Friday. (Bodhi--the baby, and the reason I found out about this in the first place--will be joining us via breastmilk.)

 I have been reading through Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride and the Gaps Guide by Baden Lashkov and learning a ton about how our digestive system is connected to our immune system and nervous system. Dr. Natasha does an excellent job of clearly explaining her theory without "dumbing it down" and Baden offers a step-by-step guide to implementing the diet.

The full GAPS diet (which is a good way to ease into the ultra-healing 'Intro' diet) basically cuts out grains, processed sugar and starch (no beans or potatoes), and works on using animal fats to heal the intestines along with probiotic foods. First we went gluten free and then started having grain free dinners.

I wanted to share some of the best recipes that I've found so far that work for the full GAPS diet....here they are (they all have links even though the formatting makes it look like they don't):

chicken Satay-- yum (we used almond butter instead of peanut b/c we had it)

tandouri Lamb Burgers--delicious!

hazelnut pizza crust- - I topped it with pesto chicken, olives, parm (for some)...crust was good but a bit hazelnutty for my taste-- too rich

chicken pepper poppers --loooved it

oven baked “fried” chicken (subbed almond flour & used herbs du Provence for poultry seasoning)  

sesame salmon cakes  I make salmon cakes a lot, but liked this way of making them with an Asian flair

lamb chops with lemon I made this twice--the first time with loin chops and I thought it was the best lamb I'd ever had. The second time I made it with cheaper shoulder chop and it didn't even compare.

coconut pancakes---Finn loves thes and they're also great as snacks--made into a sandwich with almond butter, honey and banana

crunchy coconut flour crackers--yum

and my favorite cracker so far: vegan herb crackers--Amazing. (too bad Bodhi and I are both now reacting to almond flour. boo hoo. I look forward to the day I can have these again.) Elana also has a  no wheat "wheat thin" style cracker that sounds delicious.

Embarking on the GAPS diet

My quest to heal Bodhi's gut and to get some sleep continues. I have been immersed in the GAPS (Gut And Psychology Syndrome) diet for the last few weeks. I think this is going to be the answer. I'll post more on this later, but the basic idea is that many health problems (physiological and psychological) are caused by dysbiosis-- a microbial imbalance in the intestines. The result is 'leaky gut' syndrome which wreaks havoc on the body, basically rendering it 'toxic' and manifesting in various ways from ADHD to allergies to depression. The protocol sets out to heal the gut and therefore heal the body and mind.

Yipee! We are going for it. I actually started on the full GAPS diet a couple of weeks ago. Jason and Finn will start the 'Intro Diet' (which is sort of like an elimination diet) on Friday. I can't go too intense with it because I'm breastfeeding and don't want to detox too fast (I would detox right into Bodhi through my milk!)....but I'll be following along with caution.

My goal? A happy baby...which will lead to a happy mommy. I also intend to heal my horrific life-long allergies, Jason's multiple problems ;) and....more on Finn later.

Pictured above you see the fruit of some of my labor-- fermenting veggies, ghee, five quarts of bone broth, frozen lamb's liver, organic beef tallow.... and some of the fixings for the diet.
What is this crazy diet all about? More later... I'm off to take a detox bath.

Worms!: vermicomposting is fun...

We moved our worm farm up to the hills with us from San Diego and the critters are going strong! I've been neglecting them and had to move them to a bigger bin. The problem is that we generate a lot more food scraps than they can eat. We'll have to set up a regular compost pile somewhere too... but I love the worms.

Step 1: drilled holes and Step 2: added bedding to new bin

Finn sporting his 'big boy underpants' outside

After drilling holes and adding bedding to the new bin Finn and I started to add food and some of the worms. The green bin will be stacked on top of the blue bin. Most of the worms are supposed to migrate up to the green bin through the 1/4 inch holes that I drilled in the bottom once they realize that all of their food is gone from the bottom bin... (see below).

Here we are a few days later...moving more worms because I'm nervous they won't migrate! Relax, Colleen, they'll move eventually! Again...Finn is modelling another pajama top with his rain boots.

And here's a shot of Bodhi and me both extremely sleep deprived:

Questions for my mother {Part Two}: Do you know how much I think about you?

Everyday. Usually multiple times a day.

I wonder where she is now. I feel her here with me but I wonder if it's my own creation. Does her essence still exist beyond the memories we hold? I guess I'll never know for sure. We had a difficult relationship when I was growing up and there is so much I'd like to talk to her about....but today I will write a little tribute. Here are some of the things I learned from my mom:

She taught me to speak my mind and to speak from my heart. My mom was tough and honest. She knew she could handle most anything and now I feel the same way about myself. She was a triage nurse in the ER for 16 years and I think she must have thrived somewhat on the adrenaline. She taught me to follow my passions. After leaving the hospital, she ran a bed & breakfast out of our home, started a cafe and then went back to school for her master's degree and worked in geriatrics until she was too sick to work. She taught me me to work hard for what I want, that life isn't easy or fair (I hated when she said that!). But she also taught me to be curious and adventurous--she was up for anything--deep-sea fishing, hiking, traveling, even soaking nude in a California hot spring--mastectomy scars and all. My mom was kind and compassionate. She taught me to be open to ideas and to truly love and accept people for who they are. People loved her because she was loyal, honest and fun. My mom gave me a love for cooking and enjoying the small pleasures of life--like sitting on the beach and dinner and drinks with friends. She taught me that life is about experiences and what you make of them--not about achieving specific goals or status. 
Thanks Mom.
Living, loving and laughing.