Improvements with Aches & Pains

Earlier this year (I can't believe I'm already saying that - it's March!) I was telling you about some aches and pains I was having that seemed to be increasing.  I also told you that I was looking into ways to improve them.  I feel like I have done that (somewhat) successfully.  Of course some days are better than others.  I have to tell you that I haven't been diagnosed with anything and I'm not really self-diagnosing either.  But what I can tell you is that almost everything I was dealing with lined up to fibromyalgia systems.  Steps I have taken to help with my systems have helped a great deal.  After doing research on the subject I found out that many doctors will say that it's true if you have 13 (or 15 - depending on who you talk to) out of 18 pain points.  I can say that I have different levels of pain and/or aches in 16 out of 18 of them.  

So what have I done to make these improvements?  

First and foremost I have upped my B Vitamin intake.  I have also added Spirulina and Chlorella tablets.  I've always LOVED Turmeric so I have increased my intake in that as well!  I have been wearing different bras for the past couple of months.  They are high impact sports bras.  I have changed the way I sleep.  I used to be a side sleeper and have changed to laying on my back.

I have picked up many things from Forks Over Knives, Dr. McDougall, and the Hallelujah Diet.  All of which are plant based.  Each day I have been trying to learn more and more and implement something new.  So far I have seen a HUGE difference.  I will continue to report on things I find to be helpful.

Things Have Been Pretty 'Cheesy' Lately

Over the past couple of weeks things have been pretty cheesy!  Of course there are no actual dairy products in the cheesy recipes I show you here today and I apologize in advance but these are lacking actual recipes, too!  I literally threw them together and only wrote partial recipes or didn't write up a recipe at all! 

I will tell you this about the first photo you see - as a thickener I used a bit of NuNaturals Oat Fiber.  It worked quite well.  I also used nutritional yeast, garlic, onion, Bragg's Liquid Amino's, Turmeric, Coconut Milk, and a few other ingredients.

As for this 2nd photo - I used Corn Pasta.  I used about 1/2 package of Daiya Mozzarella, 3 T Earth Balance, 1/4 C Nutritional Yeast, 1 t Paprika, 1 t Garlic Powder, 1 t Onion Powder, 1 t Mustard Powder, 1 or more cups of Almond Milk, 1 t Turmeric, and Black Sea Salt to taste.

This turned out pretty wonderful, too!  Incredibly creamy and cheesy!

As you can see I have been using more more Turmeric in my recipes.  This is the Turmeric I use from The Raw Food World.  I LOVE it! 

For this last photo - I made some Cashew Cheese and topped it with Cajun Seasoning.  I used 2 C Cashews, 2 C Water, 1/4 C Lemon Juice, 1/2 C Nutritional Yeast, 1 Small Onion, 1 t Avocado Oil, 1 t Dried Garlic, 1 t Bragg's Liquid Amino's, 1/2 t Turmeric, Pinch of Cayenne...and topped with Cajun Seasoning to taste.

I had LOTS of this Cashew Cheese Left over and used it for Nachos, as a dip, some in other sauces, and MISC recipes that needed a little more creaminess!  Which one looks/sounds more up your alley!?

In My Kitchen - February

Better Late - than NEVER, eh!?  Yeah...sorry about this In My Kitchen - February being so late!  And I don't know if I am breaking the rules or not but I'm starting this post off with an item that I REALLY enjoyed the past few months and have run out of recently!  This is definitely a restock-able item the next time I get to Trader Joe's!  It's their Vegetable Masala Burger and it's VEGAN.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the flavor of these.  The first ingredients listed is Potatoes and they are marvelous!  I wasn't even able to eat these as an actual 'burger' - I ate them plain.  I just cooked them in a pan on the stove top with a little bit of Grapeseed Oil and it was spot-on AWESOME!  I think that by putting it between a bun you might lose some of the flavor.  Don't quote me on that but I am FINE with the way I ate it stand-alone!  I already told my husband I will stock up on them next time!

One of the many tea companies I was introduced to this past month was Tea At Sea.  They don't have a HUGE selection of teas (yet) but they are doing a LOT of things RIGHT!  I really LOVE the little "press kit" promotional visual they included in my mailing!  It looks a lot like this...it was a half of a Wine Cork for the base with a tooth pick for the 'body' and a heavy duty paper that you clipped on for the sail!  Very nice!  I was able to sample both their Black Tea as well as their Oolong Tea and both were lovely.

In the past I have shared my Veg*n Findings at Aldi and I am happy to report than their Vegetarian and Vegan offerings are multiplying as well as their Organic offerings!  So exciting!  This month I found a Bean and Corn Salsa/Dip that was not only made with vegan ingredients it was actually LABELED Vegan as well!  AND...I found a Mango Chutney that was labeled vegan, too, YAY!   I also noticed earlier this week that they now have a Vegetarian Section in their Recipe area on their website!

I always have GARLIC in the house...whether it's actual Garlic Cloves and Bulks or Minced Garlic in the Frig or powder even.  I almost always have Lemon Juice in the house, too, but I just ran out of it with the Raw Vegan Burgers I made Sunday Night.  2 flavors I have been using more than usually as of late have been both CURRY and TURMERIC.  Not only the flavors I have been craving but the nutritional benefits of each.  PLUS...with this horribly cold winter we are having it just makes sense to consume them both!

As for Grab-N-Go Convenience Foods this month I have enjoyed a few of the McDougall's Vegan Soups.  I bought them because they were on sale.  They aren't a new-to-me-product but I don't necessarily buy them often either...unless they are on sale.  I especially like the lower sodium offerings because I'm not a salty foods fan - generally speaking.  All of the soups I have tried I have liked.  I see there is a Tamale one that I have tried but want to.  Those are just a few things that have been popular in my kitchen this past month!  How about you!?