2012 and Interesting Article on Gut Flora and Rheumatoid Arthritis

One of my favorite 2011 photos, my son and my mom

I did not mean to take an unintentional blog hiatus. I was accidentally glutened at Thanksgiving. It was only slight, somehow I ingested a crumb. I only hurt for a couple of days but was a little off and brain foggy. I think it would have passed quickly but it was the holidays.... If I had stayed away from sweets I would have been fine. It was not the time for "just a little won't hurt thinking". Our dry windy winter weather had me in and out of a couple of sinus infections that had me dragging. Then I had a nasty bout with food poisoning. When the day of body aches went away I woke up feeling so clear headed, something I had not felt in a couple of months. The next day I got up and felt draggy again, dreading that the sinus infection had returned and feeling a bit defeated. When I stepped outside the sky was an orange grey hazy color. So I was happy to know it wasn't just me, I was responding like everyone else to the lovely dust bowl that blew in... I'm ready for Spring. Usually I do a post at the beginning of each year looking behind and looking ahead. This one is a little late, but better late than never.

I am hoping to do a few interview posts this year. There are more and more grain-free cookbook authors and SCD stories coming out, it's nice to get to know the people behind them. My husband and I own a small business, which is slow and struggling at the moment. I thought I could take advantage of the slow time and I am attempting to put my own research down into a book. It's so daunting, we'll see how far I get. If I don't get a book done, at least I'll have some great stuff to post here, so either way it's a win-win. Since I will be spending more time researching, I hope to come across more articles to pass on to you. On today's hunt, when I googled "THE GUT AND RHEUMATIC DISEASES" a whole mess of interesting stuff came up including this one, The Microbiome and rheumatoid arthritis. I haven't had time to muddle through all of it, but I was glad to see they making more connections with RA and gut flora. There is a connection with maternal RA and autism and now both are starting to show abnormal gut flora. Maybe this will move us more in the right direction than just blaming genes.

To ring in the New Year (a bit late I know) here's a photo of a bulletin board project I did in 2011:

Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free - Dips and Dippers Recipe Round Up

Welcome to the December 2011 Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free. This is a gluten-free blog carnival that has been going for several years! All recipes are gluten-free and you can see past recipes at Naomi Devlin's Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried. This months theme is Dips and Dippers, perfect for New Year's cocktail parties.

The first entree is 7-Layer Mediterranean Dip from Our Gluten-Free Reality. This mother and daughter gluten-free duo tempt us with refreshing and zesty flavors from the sunny Mediterranean:

 Luckily they decided to multi-dip with Grape Salsa, what a great way to make the holiday bright:

And this one, Christmas Salsa, which they described as "a totally different flavor, almost a chutney, but raw, powerful flavor":

Lisa, from Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery, brings her Spicy Red Pepper Dip to the party:

Andy, from The Rice of Life, offers Baked Vegan Taquitos that are also dairy and soy-free:

No party is complete without something crunchy. The fabulous Naomi of Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried has a how to for these crispy Cheese Crackers:

Stephanie, the Dairy Free Diva has this new take on the traditiional cheeseball: "Gluten-Free Goats Milk Cheese Ball with Bacon and Olives":

Here's a new way to put carrots at the cocktail table (rather than setting them next to the ranch dip),  my submission is Roasted Carrot Hummus:

I am also double dipping, this is Hawaiian Dip, which is a cinch to throw together:

Here's another take on hummus, Roasted Garlic Lentil Hummus Dip from Amber's The Tasty Alternative. It is also SCD friendly:

Have a wonderful New Year. Be sure to check out She Let Them Eat Cake in January. Maggie is hosting and her theme is Foods That Heal.

Hawaiian Dip (SCD, Nut-Free)

I really don't know if they eat this in Hawaii. I am just paying homage to all of the recipes that call anything with pineapple in it "Hawaiian". This is one of my submissions for "Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free".

Hawaiian Dip

8 oz of Farmers Cheese, or Dry Curd Cottage Cheese, or Dripped Yogurt, or Cream Cheese (cream cheese is not SCD legal)
8 oz can Crushed Pineapple in juice
1/3 cup finely chopped Green Onions, include tender green portion

If you are using cream cheese (not SCD legal), warm it to room temperature. Drain can of pineapple but reserve the juice.

Combine cheese/yogurt, drained pineapple, and green onions. If you need to adjust the taste then add pineapple juice, one teaspoon at a time until flavor is just right. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Dripped Yogurt "Cream Cheese" (SCD)

Yogurt that has been dripped for 24 hours will have the consistency of cream cheese and is great for dips. Dripping removes the liquid, called whey. Dripped yogurt is a cinch to make. If using homemade yogurt has been prepared in an SCD legal manner, it will contain almost no lactose.
You will need a colander or strainer to hold the amount of yogurt you want to drip:

Then you want to have a bowl that will hold the colander and have plenty of room for the whey to drip into. You will be amazed at how much whey will drip out.

Drape two pieces of cheese cloth, each long enough to hang over one inch on either side. Lay the pieces in a cross:

Then add the yogurt and place in the fridge for 24 hours to drip:

Then scrape the "cheese" into a bowl and it should keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. Two quarts of yogurt will make about two and a half cups yogurt cheese.

Books of Year Past (2011) and Year Ahead

Here's a few book I read in 2011, along with my cat Sylvie:
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch: I was probably the last person to read this too. Once in awhile I get my hands on a mainstream book, but usually long after everyone else has read it.
Why Dirt Is Good by Mary Ruebush: I am trying to learn more about how the immune system works and she writes in an easy to read style.
Blinded by Science by Matthew Silverstone: Very fascinating account of research on magnetic fields and vibrations and how they affect our health. Written in an easy to understand style.
The Autism Book by Dr. Robert Sears: He sums up most of what is available if you have a child on the spectrum, from therapies to biomedical approaches. This is a great starting point for parents. I wish I had it in 2007.
When Your Doctor Is Wrong: Hepatitis B Vaccine & Autism by Judy Converse: This book is mostly autobiographical of her life with an autistic son, and many of their struggles.
Special-Needs Kids Eat Right by Judy Converse: She's not very pro-SCD, but it was still an interesting book. This would be very helpful if you have a child on the GFCF diet.
Small Blessings by Celestine Sibley: I lived for several years in Atlanta Georgia and Celestine Sibley was my favorite columnist at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. This book has short essays on matters of everyday life.
Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob: A great book on food writing of all types: from blogging about food to cookbooks, etc.
We Band of Mothers: Autism, My Son and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Judith Chinitz: I really enjoyed this book. She writes about her experiences with her son and the SCD. Parts of the book are also written by Elaine Gottschall herself and Dr. Sidney Baker. I am hoping to do a review on this book soon.
Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Harrod Buhner: I wanted to have a couple books like this on hand for reference. I have been able to avoid antibiotics on a couple of occasions.
The Antibiotic Alternative by Cindy L. A. Jones: Another good one.
Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes: I love Taubes writing. He incorporates a lot of research and is very interesting at the same time.
Making a Good Brain Great by Daniel G. Amen: The author is a doctor that specializes in brain scans. It is fascinating to see the brain scans that go with different disorders and injuries, etc. It gives you a different look at the brain along with tips on sharpening your own brain. Easy to read.
You can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay: I read this to help with stress but it can help with so many issues we have in life. I loved it so much I am giving it for Christmas to many relatives.
The Source Field Investigations: The Hidden Science and Lost Civilizations behind the 2012 Prophecies by David Wilcock: A bit science fiction-ish and maybe even "out there" but it was like reading a really good episode of Stargate.
Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America by Robert Whitaker: I saved the best for last. This was one of those books that was hard to put down. With the explosion of mental illness and roughly forty percent of the population dealing with something mentally related, he asks if modern treatment with psychotropic medicines has resulted in a higher success rate for the patients that take them. The answer is surprising. The book also looks into the psychiatric and pharmaceutical partnership that has changed the way we treat mental illness.

I have a very ambitious reading list for 2012. I happen to be a very slow reader, so this may spill over into 2013...and maybe beyond.

Folks This Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin: Joel is pretty much a hero in the real food circles.
Hotel Bemelmans by Ludwig Bemelmans: About the seedy lives of restaurant and hotel workers. (I spent much of my twenties working in the restaurant industry.)
The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas: Catching up since I didn't pay attention in biology class.
Writing About Your Life by Willian Zinsser: I am currently reading this to try to improve upon my own writing skills. The author writes about his own life and then tells you the mechanics behind why he wrote what he did.
Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan: Determined to get more chemicals out of our home
The Web-Savvy Patient: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Internet When Facing a Medical Crisis by Andrew Schorr: Having found many answers to our health issues thanks to the Internet, I thought this would be interesting.
The Dollar Meltdown by Charles Goyette: In light of our lovely economy.
When Money Dies by Adam Fergusson: Throwing in a little history. This one is about post World War I Germany when inflation ran out of control.
Celestine Sibley, A Granddaughter's Reminiscence by Celestine Sibley Fleming: This is a re-read. I lost my grandmother in 2010 and have been wanting to read this book again.
Feed Your Genes Right by Jack Challem: Interesting title
Dog On It by Spencer Quinn: In a effort to expand my horizons beyond non-fiction. I love animals and books with a sense of humor. I used to read Janet Evanovich before my son was born, I might try to squeeze in some of hers too.
Wheat Belly by William Davis: Got to see what all the hype is, although he will be preaching to the choir.
Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn: Alfie Kohn writes on education and parenting. He's one of those authors that you may not always agree with but he is always thought provoking. Always picking apart and questioning the status quo.
The Secret Spiritual World of Children by Tobin Hart: Just the title alone has my attention.
The Man Who Couldn't Eat by Jon Reiner: I saw a review for this on My Cranky Gut.
Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern: Will 2012 be the year I am finally organized?
The Antioxidant Miracle by Lester Packer and Carol Coleman: Just wanting to learn more about antioxidants.
Food Politics by Marion Nestle: I have been wanting to read this for awhile.
An Alternative Approach to Allergies by Theron G. Randolph and Ralph W. Moss: This book was published in 1979, but I love books that were years ahead of their time. Here is an excerpt from the inside flap: "An Alternative Approach to Allergies" proposes a radically new approach to these medical problems and proves that many physical and mental illnesses are caused by our increasingly contaminated environment".

I'm sure I have forgotten a few, and this dosen't include the droves of cookbooks I hope to read. I am worse than a child in a toy store. Do you have any favorites for 2011? Anything on your wish list?