Right now I am...

Thinking back on how far I have come in the last 2 months on this migraine diet!

Glad my little boy is feeling better

Wondering what would happen if I ate onions, but not willing to risk a headache for them at this point. It just doesnt seem worth it!

Looking at these and thinking its time for another homemade waffle freezer stock up cooking session and this time maybe adding french toast?

Feeling dumb as I went to an appointment on the wrong day.

Proud that I did pretty good this week in terms of meal planning! There were no desperate dinner time scrambles!

Shocked that its almost April!

Glad I made a double batch of cornbread with Minestrone Soup! Made great leftovers!

Excited to find Carageenan free ice cream! Organic Premium Wegmans Vanilla! You have to check the premium brands!

Happy Friday!



*Right now post format inspired by Amanda Soule at Soulemama.com

Roasted Chickpea, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato Over Rice

This was inspired by a version I saw over at Healthy Happy Mama's blog. I know I am obsessed with her blog, but what can I say her recipes satisfy my healthy side and my husbands bean side!
Anyway it got rave reviews the other night and it is super flexible. I can see this being a great refrigerator clean out recipe!

Roasted Chickpea, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato Over Wild rice

Ingredients
-One head of cauliflower cut into small pieces
-One sweet potato cubed
-One can of chickpeas
olive oil- I used garlic infused
rosemary
basil
sea salt
1 cup wild rice
2 cups water

drizzle cut veggies and rinsed chickpeas with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary, basil, and salt. Roast at 400 degrees until sweet potato is soft around 20-25 minutes. While veggies are roasting start the rice. Add the rice and water in a small sauce pan. bring to a boil. reduce heat and cover. simmering on low for about 20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed.

Serve roasted vegetables over the rice!

Enjoy!

Magnesium Oil

Magnesium oil is something I recently discovered while doing research on magnesium deficiency. It really is a great addition to the migraine toolbox if you are one of those people that is magnesium deficient. Some people on the amazon reviews reported that they no longer had periodic episodes of migraine as long as they used the oil faithfully. I don't use it that often mainly because I also get once weekly infusions but there are times when I feel low or when I have a headache that I reach for it. It is amazing.
You can put it on when you have a headache and immediately feel some relief. You must cover a large part of your body and use enough. A little dab will not cut it. It is thin and doesn't really feel like a oil. It also lasts a pretty long time. The problem is the good stuff Ancient Minerals Brand (and you get what you pay for) is expensive!

Most migraine patients are magnesium deficient and most importantly have difficultly absorbing this important mineral internally. Applying the oil containing the mineral salts to the skin allows it to be rapidly absorbed bypassing the digestive track. It is the next best thing to magnesium infusions. I have done both infusions and oil.

I find the oil an amazing tool for people who

Need an infusion or infusions but are unable for any reason to get them

Feel like they are getting a migraine- a little oil application could prevent it

In between infusions if they are feeling a little low

For people with IBS or other GI issues that have difficulty absorbing vitamin forms of magnesium

 Simply put a little oil in the palm of your hand and rub into large patches of your body. Alternate application areas to avoid over working an area as it can sting and dry the skin out after awhile. Great places for application are legs, shoulders, arms, and belly.

Note: After the oil absorbs it leaves a light sticky residue that some find itchy. Simply wipe off after 15- 20 minutes if this bothers you.  It doesn’t bother me but my husband says it itches.

Want to try magnesium oil without spending lots of money on a huge bottle? I decided to provide small 1 ounce trial bottles of Ancient minerals magnesium oil in my store after talking to many people that wanted to try the oil but didn’t want to pay over 20 plus bucks for a 8 ounce bottle if they were not sure it would work for them! There is enough oil in the bottle for many applications you only need a little bit.

You can get your own Magnesium Oil- 1 Ounce Trial Bottle here

There are some new new teas in my store too!! Check out the new Frazzled Nerve Soother Tea and Headache Tea in convenient tea bags!

 Have you tried Magnesium Oil? Do you like it?

Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

This is a quick and easy weeknight meal that I made the other day when we were running low on many items in the pantry! Its pretty frugal and most of the things I have on hand at any given time. You can try substituting different frozen fruit (no raspberries or dried fruit). The best part is it’s like eating an oatmeal cookie for a meal!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

- Fits in a 9 by 13 pan for brownie thickness, for thicker bake but longer cooking time use smaller pan. Modified from Taste of Home.

4.5 cups oatmeal

1.5 cups evaporated cane sugar or 1.25 cups of brown sugar

1/2- 3/4 cup melted butter depending how rich you want it

3 eggs

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup flax- I like it healthier hahah

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup frozen blueberries

Mix wet ingredients together then add dry ingredients, and mix together. Add blueberries last. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges are brown and the middle is done
Top with warm milk, brown sugar, fresh fruit, or a little real maple syrup.

Sick Little Boy

My little boy has been very sick the past few days. He does seem to be on the mend though now thank goodness, but that's why I have been silent here. I must say though even with the lack of sleep I have not gotten a migraine. Lots of tea drinking though!

I did make these yummy portobella mushroom fajitas by Happy Healthy Mama
-Modifications- no lime juice or onions, and i skipped the roasted part and just sauteed them in skillet with the peppers. Wonderful!!!!

Carrageenan and Other Recent MSG Problems

I happened to be baking cookies the other day, when I glanced at the oat milk in the fridge. The same oat milk I had switched to when this whole diet thin started almost 2 months ago. At that point I didn't know as much as I do now and I was focusing mostly on avoiding soy and almond. My husband is lactose intolerant so I was trying to find something we both could have. I thought I had found it when I had bought the oat milk. What I totally did not realize then is how many places MSG can be hiding.
So there on the ingredient list was CARRAGEENAN!

I have been putting it in my coffee, morning smoothie and cooking with this stuff for almost 2 months!

Then I did some research - its linked to intestinal cancers and IBS! I have IBS!
This guy had a interesting post about the link of his migraines and carregeenan.
This site was interesting as well http://www.msgmyth.com/.

Then I saw it could be in toothpaste! I use Tom's natural toothpaste- Yep its in there! and in my sons Tom's kids toothpaste too!!! Luckily I had made my own recently and was just lazy and not using it! But jeez! I made 3 different kinds the best of the 3 was this one I think or very similar!

Natural Toothpaste Recipes*
grittier version
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup fine sea salt
1ts-1tbs plain Dr. Bonner's Castile soap- you can leave this out but makes it more bubbly
20 drops or to taste- stevia extract
10 drops peppermint essential oil or more to taste

Option 2*- creamier version but hardens easily in winter
2-3 tablespoons baking soda
1 Tbs dr bonners
5 Tbs coconut oil- be careful if you are sensitive to coconut
stevia to taste
peppermint essential oil to taste


Its different in texture and taste but you get used to it and hey it works AND no migraine!

If that was not enough I was out of my homemade mouthwash! Now folks this is important I have a mouth guard for TMJ (migraine related!) you might be able to skip mouthwash otherwise but a fresh rinse on a mouth guard is priceless! My husband has the regular green stuff full of colors that led me to make my own anyway, but last night of all nights it was out! I look at the ingredients and what do I see "FLAVOR" hmmm is that like the MSG hiding natural flavors? Who the hell knows! I felt like I was in bathroom hell! First the toothpaste and now the mouthwash!

Mouthwash Recipe
For each cup of water add
1 teaspoon baking soda
3-4 drops peppermint essential oil
put in a glass jar and shake to dissolve baking soda,
use like regular mouth wash, shake right before using, store on the counter

Moving right on in the bathroom to the GELATIN in all those prescription medications! Mine even have bright colors! Not sure what to do with these as its a LOT of powder to take, maybe applesauce? PB is out...

As the final straw in this post, I have sad news about Daiya fake cheese that I have previously recommended on here. Upon further scrutiny it too has natural flavors. Sorry folks its a no go.

I know its depressing! Its getting hard to keep track of! Even I am getting confused!

*natural toothpaste recipes is a combonation of these two (1 & 2) wonderful blogs recipes but had to be modified- no lemon! and i don't like glycerin in homemade toothpaste:)

Panko Crusted Wild Caught Salmon

I am lucky enough to be a part of our local fish buying club that buys from Lummi Island Wild Salmon. I am not a big fish lover, but I really like their salmon! We have a big case in our freezer and pull some out about once a week. Our favorite way to have it is with a panko crust. This time we had it with sides of Israeli style couscous mix and broccoli.

Panko Crusted Salmon

Ingredients
1 cup plain panko style bread crumbs- these are extra crunchy and regular doesn't work!
olive oil- garlic olive oil is yummy!
salmon
salt
pepper

Easy Directions

Coat fish with olive oil, salt and pepper and any other seasoning you desire.

Sprinkle/ coat with panko breadcrumbs

Bake 400 degrees until the panko is light brown and the fish is flaky about 20-25 minutes