Days 74, 73 & 72 - Bloat-be-Gone, Detox and a Recipe

I'm finally starting to feel a little better. Haven't quite gotten my energy back, but I'm not feeling as disheartened. Plus, the bloat has gone down so that makes me happy. :)

I actually randomly came across a really good article about bloating yesterday. It breaks down gas on a scientific level (but still keeps it as an easy read), listing the common culprits, how they affect your body, and how you can avoid them.

It's funny because, when I saw the lists I thought, "So if all of these things cause bloating, what's left that I can eat??" Clearly others were thinking the same thing, because people left similar comments on the page. A Calorie Count Registered Dietitian remarked that the key points in the article are that "everyone digests food a little differently" and "intolerances are dose dependent." So you really have to listen to your body and pay attention to what affects you and how it affects you.

It's good to know the common culprits. Now I can pay attention to how things other than fiber, beans, gum and soda affect me.

In other news, E and I have both decided to completely change the way we eat. We're not getting enough nutrition by what we're doing now. Which is why we've been using NuSpecies supplements for a few months...But we thought it would be a good idea to go in for a consultation to see what they'd suggest to meet our specific needs. We had a very informative conversation with one of the consultants and now we've begun a month-long, detoxifying cleanse.

E doesn't need to lose any weight, but we could both stand to be/eat healthier. The human body is directly affected by the things that are put into it. So it makes sense to cleanse the system of self-imposed toxins (e.g., processed foods).

So far, we've been incorporating a LOT more fruits, vegetables and nuts into our diet. No red meat. No "fast" or fried foods. We're still eating chicken and fish, but only minimally - and only baked, grilled or steamed.

As backed up as my digestive tract tends to be, I know it can surely use the cleansing!

Last night we made a non-fry, stir fry. That is to say, there was no actual frying involved - i.e. no butter or oil used. Instead, we prepared the veggies with seasoned water, heated the water in a non-stick skillet, and then stirred in the veggies. The heart of the meal was pop chow (that's bok choy for you non-Jamaicans:) and portobello mushrooms. It was really easy to make. With prep time it took only about 20 minutes. Here's the recipe I made up on-the-spot:


Inga's Non-Fry Stir Fry - Pop Chow & Mushrooms

for "seasoned water":

water

sea salt

onion powder

garlic powder

ground black pepper

oregano

3 stalks thyme

2 pinches ground pimento seeds

sliver JA scotch bonnet pepper

for main dish:

1 small onion
2 stalks escallion
2 medium tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1/4 sweet pepper
1 head pop chow

1 pkg portobello mushrooms

directions:

1. Wash and chop all veggies. Set aside.
2. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of large skillet. (Veggies will spring their own, natural water once added, so you don't want to start off w/too much water.) Heat over high flame.
3. Add sea salt, onion and garlic powders, ground pepper, and oregano to taste. Add thyme (rub leaves off stalk and into water - you can include stalk if you'd like) and pinches of ground pimento. Stir water to season thoroughly.
4. If you like pepper, you can add a sliver of Jamaican scotch bonnet pepper to the water. Stir for a nice flavor. (N.B., Although the pepper itself is hot, most of the peppery flavor comes from the seeds. For those who have never had it before, scotch bonnet is VERY hot - one of the hottest peppers - so if you're not a big fan of this type of spiciness, skip this step!! If you can manage the heat, or are adventurous, keep the scotch bonnet in for only a few minutes - just enough to add a nice flavor. Obviously, the longer you keep it in, the more peppery your dish will be.)
5. Add onion, escallion, tomatoes, garlic and sweet pepper. Stir and let simmer for approx 2 mins.
6. If you haven't done so already, remove scotch bonnet. (If you're a pepper pot like me, leave it in.)
7. Add pop chow. (It'll seem like a lot, but pop chow shrinks the same way cabbage does.) Mix thoroughly w/veggies that are already in skillet.
8. Add mushrooms. Mix thoroughly.
9. At this point you'll want to re-season for optimal flavor. Repeat step 3 to taste. (Be sure to sample the food before adding extras. You don't want to ruin it by adding too much.) Stir thoroughly.
10. Cover. Reduce heat to medium flame. Let simmer for approx 7-10 mins. 
11. Remove cover. Stir. (Mushrooms should have changed from white to brown. Pop chow should be soft.) Serve hot.

Makes 4-6 servings.

If you try the recipe, let me know how you like it. Bon appetit!

non-fry stir fry