Eating healthy just doesn’t sound appetizing. It sounds restrictive. Up until this past year, that’s how I felt. If you know me, you’ve probably heard me talk about how much I hated cooking. I couldn’t even watch someone rinse off raw meat or cut it without getting nauseous. (Dramatic much!?) The fact that I’m even writing a post about food, much less HEALTHY food is beyond me. Nevertheless, the changes I’ve made lately have impacted my life in big ways, it’s hard not to talk about it!
Honestly, I wish I would have had this blog post when I first started my wellness journey! My journey started in 2021. I wrote a recap on How I Lost The Weight Without Weight Loss Products at the beginning of 2022. Today's post isn’t about losing weight, it's about eating healthier meals that actually taste good! (Which actually could help you lose weight, but that's not the point.) Christian and I joke about how much I love food all the time. He’ll be eating something and catch me staring at him. Well, not at him, but at his food! I try not to ask for a bite because if I let myself, I’d eat everything he had, ALL the time!
Benefits to Going Gluten Free & Dairy Free
After losing 40lbs. by the end of 2021, then maintaining through 2022, I noticed some weird symptoms I still had. I felt bloated, fatigued, I had a hard time concentrating, and the eczema refused to go away. (The dermatologist said it was an overgrowth of candida and without their prescribed creams, I would live with it for the rest of my life. This made me so angry, because I knew that was not the only option.) I’d been reading Wild & Well by Dani Williamson. She talks about how inflammation is the cause of so many diseases, skin issues, gut issues and more.
This section blew my mind. “Have you ever wondered why so many painful conditions end with “itis?” There is an excellent reason for that. The suffix “itis” literally means inflammation. There is chronic inflammation behind the development of each condition, from arthritis, gastritis, and colitis to sinusitis, thyroiditis, and vasculitis.” -Dani Williamson, Wild & Well
It blew my mind because I realized that decreasing inflammation can actually reverse the side effects of so many of these diseases. I had also just gotten food sensitivity testing done and found out that I have leaky gut.
What is Leaky Gut?
Leaky Gut means that my gut lining is damaged and can’t function as a barrier anymore! What use to be smaller holes in my gut are now larger holes, allowing harmful substances like gluten, bad bacteria, and undigested food particles into my system. The symptoms I felt even after getting healthier were… guess what, the exact symptoms of leaky gut. My body knew something was up, it just took a little more digging to find the root cause.
What Causes Leaky Gut?
There are a number of things that cause it, but a big one is inflammation. What causes inflammation? Well the answer to that could be an entire chapter in a book. Actually it is! It’s an entire chapter in, Wild & Well. For the sake of keeping this post short, I’ll list the foods that cause the most inflammation.
These are known as the Sinister 7:
gluten,
dairy,
corn,
soy,
sugar,
peanuts,
and eggs.
I’m not saying you have to cut out all 7 right now, but you just might try one of these meals and enjoy it! If you do, you’re just trying a new recipe! This is a great mental way to pick up some healthy meals without fully committing to it just yet.
Okay enough chit chat - let’s dive into the FOOOOOOD :)
Skip to the end for the bonus snacks and drinks section!
Nachos
This is one of my favorites!
Beanitos – black bean tortilla chips. No corn and they taste amazing.
Organic Ground Beef (cook with taco seasoning for extra flavor)
Daiya Mexican 4 Cheeze Blend - yes, there is a dairy free cheese that actually melts and tastes good!!
Mateos Salsa will ALWAYS be my favorite as well. I buy 3 of the big jars at Cosco more often than I want to admit!
The gorgeous cutting board featured in the pictures was handcrafted by Elijah Williams, owner of 615 Woodwork!
Chicken Salad
Dried cranberries
Canned chicken or cooked chicken (shredded)
Vegan mayo (still tastes good!)
Everything Bagel Season - adds so much flavor!
Add chopped Brazil Nuts for a selenium boost! (Selenium has lots of benefits. It helps protect against cell damage and infections as well as the metabolism of thyroid hormones!)
Optional: Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Hawaiian Sweet Bread (also dairy, soy, and nut free) This brand is the only gluten free bread that actually still tastes incredible! (Great option for gluten free toast in the morning with Earth Balance brand dairy free butter!)
Spaghetti
Pasta is honestly the way to my heart. I had to find some noodles that weren't disgusting because let's be real, not everything that's gluten free actually tastes good. Well, I found a noodle that I can't even tell, doesn't have gluten!
Red Lentil Noodles - LOVE THESE
Bertolli d'ITALIA Marinara Sauce
Organic Beef
Protein Bowl (Chicken, Steak, or Salmon)
This one is super quick and easy. I used quinoa because rice is currently one of the foods I have to avoid for right now. You can use either. I discovered recently, that adding a cup of pineapple juice when cooking chicken in an InstantPot, will keep it from getting dry. This worked like a charm! It also only took 6min. to cook 8 chicken tenderloins on the high pressure cooker setting.
Chicken Tenderloins
Quinoa or Rice
Cup of Pineapple (if cooking in an InstantPot)
*Coconut oil is a great alternative if you're cooking it in a pan on the stove
Add your favorite spices or sauces to it, once it's done!
Burrito Bowl
I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients but this one is simple!
Quinoa (or rice)
Organic Beef - add taco seasoning for flavor
Black Beans - extra protein!
Mateos Salsa!
BONUS: Snacks & Drinks
High Fiber Snack
These Aussie Bites are addictive. When I got them I ate 4 in 5minutes, which I wouldn't suggest as they are high in fiber... LOL. 1 or 2 a day is just fine though ;)
Need a Protein Boost?
This Swanson Sipping Bone Broth actually tastes good, plus it has 9g of protein. Pop a scoop of this Grass-Fed Hydrolyzed Collagen in it and you'll have consumed 25g of protein.
Alternative to Pop/Soda:
If you like Coke, Vintage Cola by Olipop is a tasty alternative. Their Root Beer and Cream Soda options taste great too.
Coffee Creamer Alternatives (Dairy Free of course and still yummy!)
Extra creamy oat milk is a great alternative to creamer. Plus, if you get a frother and froth the oat milk before you pour it in your coffee it will be even creamier. You just might not even be able to tell that it's non dairy, WIN WIN. (Keep in mind when buying oat milk, try to get organic. My wellness coach informed me that oats are heavily sprayed with pesticides.)
If oats give you problems you can always try almond milk or coconut milk. They also have coffee creamers that are made from these milks that have flavors and added sugar. This is what I used when I first went dairy free and it was a life saver.
Coffee Alternatives
My food sensitivity test said I needed to limit my intake of coffee, so I've gotten really into tea. I've always hated tea, but not anymore - these are some of my new favorites!
Lady Grey
Early Grey
English Breakfast
Green Tea (not the best taste, but it has ginseng, which helps mental focus.)
Another new favorite is from a small business here in my town called Nashville Tea Co! A Cup of Christmas is heavenly!
These are just too cute I couldn't help, but take some extra pictures :)
As you can see there are so many options. Healthy doesn't have to break the bank either. Aldi is a great place to grab your groceries, especially if you want to save money. I always thought that eating healthy would be too expensive, but sticking to this has actually saved me money. Going out for coffee is a treat and I've avoided fast food for a little over 6 weeks now. I didn't realize how much I was actually spending on fast food until I stopped.
"Discipline is choosing between what you want now, and what you want most."
Cheers to your success!
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