Months 1 - 2

You are in the beginning of your food journey – and it may feel a bit stressful, but do not fear – you can do this! This is when you turn to your child, your partner, or yourself and realize that many of the foods that you may have been eating are off the table…for awhile.  I emphasize “for awhile” because my mantra with my family is, “Not now, but eventually.  Just hang with me.  This won’t be forever.”   Some foods we may never return to, but other foods we may be able to have in moderation or every now and then over time.  I definitely try to avoid the mindset that there are certain foods that can never ever be eaten again.  

I explained to my whole family that we are going to improve our gut health and bring joy to our bellies. This was something we were doing together, as a family.  Dinners our sacrosanct as special time in our house, a time where we all sit down together, and where we all eat the same thing. Other family members were able to eat their waffles, bread, rice and crackers with breakfast and lunch but I was not serving rice, potatoes or corn tortillas at dinner –staples in our previous dinners.  This felt important.  So many times i would be asked at dinner, “Can I eat everything here?”  And they needed to hear, “Yes – of course!”  An hour after dinner, other family members might be eating yogurt and granola or avocado toast, but at the dinner table, we were all eating the same thing.  Which by the way, was delicious!  And I should note that 2-3 months into the diet, I now serve rice or corn tortillas at dinner and those who can eat them do, and those that can’t, don’t.  Our goal is to heal with the idea that once that happens, more food options will become available.  

The list below is what we lived on the first month.  Texture at this phase was crucial.  Everything was peeled and cooked, including fruit.

Recipes

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Months 3 - 4

“Just hang with me – we are adding in more!” In month 3 and 4, we were able to expand our food horizons a little bit. We added in more dairy, like aged cheddar grated on tuna salad and parmesan cheese in a homemade pesto. We were able to introduce red lentils and navy beans – game changers as this finally felt like a filling carb. We were able to make more baked goods with almond flour and nut butters (almond and cashew). Clean and sugar-free sausages rounded out some of our dishes. We dabbled in tomatoes – a little bit of tomato juice in a sauce or 1 tomato (seeded and peeled) incorporated into a dish. And we started to bring in more vegetables (butter lettuce, artichokes, string beans)– including cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage). This is when the diet felt manageable and like something we could do long-term!

Recipes

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Months 5 - 6

Hopefully now you are getting the hang of your new diet and finding foods that are right for you that you truly enjoy! Very slowly, you may be able to bring in some raw fruit, like berries, pears and mangos. Dried fruit may also be a possibility now - mangos, dates and figs without any sugar or additives. Raw nuts (occasionally and in moderation) can be sprinkled on a salad. We were able to bring in olives (without additives and emulsifiers) and smoked salmon (no added sugar) in moderation as well. Black beans were also something we introduced in small amounts. This is when it is so important to listen to your body. Introduce these foods slowly and see how it goes. Every body is individual so what is right for someone else may not be right for you!

We are well past our 6-month mark and a year into this new way of eating. Just recently, we have added in potatoes (both white and sweet), oats (not grain-free, but gluten-free), maple syrup and occasionally cacao which you will see as ingredients in several of the recipes.

Recipes

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Additional Tips

Tips & Tricks to Thrive on Your New Diet!

One Step At a Time

Take things one day and one step at a time. This may be a new way of cooking. There is a learning curve and it may take some time for your family to adapt to some new foods. Every day is a new day - and some days may be better or worse than others. You just put one foot in front of the other and keep on going!

Holidays

Holidays might be tough. There will be tears when you least expect them. From everybody in the family because everybody is affected by lifestyle changes and family healing! But…you will get through these bumps and arrive at a place with new family favorites and treats that please everyone.

Time Management

Try to squeeze in cooking when you can. If I have 10 minutes during the day, I might cut veggies, prep spice mixes or even saute any veggies that are the base of a dish. Somehow this makes it a bit easier when dinner time rolls around. Along those same lines, it is helpful to cook a little extra every time so you have enough for leftovers for lunch.

A Stocked Fridge

Always have food in the fridge that your kiddo can get for themselves and snack on. Easier said than done, but we all fling the fridge open and look for food, and it is heartbreak to hear “There is nothing here for me.” Applesauce, chicken patties, tuna salad – just a couple of things help.

Appliances

Appliances - where to begin...there are some appliances that are absolute necessities and some that will just make your life easier.  My must haves are: Luvele Yogurt Maker, Handheld Blender, Mini-Chop, pressure cooker and slow cooker.  I haven’t gone the Instapot route yet because I am intimidated by it. So it has been sitting in my closet for a year now….

Parchment Paper

Parchment paper. I feel like there is not much more so say. Parchment. Paper. Have it at all times. Absolute necessity. For seasoned bakers, you already know this truth. For less perfectionist bakers (😀), yes, you can grease the pans, but it is not the same. Embrace parchment paper.

Stress

Sometimes you may feel stressed and exhausted with the diet. Sometimes it may break you. Sometimes you may cry in the grocery store. This is a thing. Particularly in the first couple of months. It gets better. Just hang in.

Soaking

You should have something soaking at all times : ). Lentils, beans, nuts, oats…something. If you pass the counter and THERE ARE NO BOWLS, grab a bowl and fill it with something.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is amazing – it helps make something sweet and decadent that feels like what you used to eat. And anything you bake with it will taste better in the fridge or freezer.