Traveling on a candida diet

Let's face it, anyone on a strict candida diet will probably agree—it's hard, especially if you have a family to cook for who can eat all sorts of carb-laden and sugary delicacies (think toast and jam, crackers and cheese, chips, granola, ice cream...you get the idea).

But throw in the added challenge of traveling and not being able to cook the food you need—well, it can be very daunting and discouraging. It's hard to make a stop at a fast-food place or restaurant and discover that there's little or nothing you can eat. And this can happen three times a day!

While a candida diet is admittedly very healthy, akin to the paleo diet, it's also spartan and requires no cheating if it's going to work to rid your body of the overgrowth of yeast.

So what can you do on a trip?

Key word: PREPARE!

If you're flying, of course your options are quite limited. See the points under “Eating out” below.

If you're on a road trip, it can be easier since you're able to pack food and possibly even prepare more at a motel or host's house.

Portable food

Since the “stage 1”* candida diet is mostly meats, eggs, and green vegetables, you'll need to fix portable food. Stages 2 and 3 allow for more variety. You can prepare:

• hard-boiled eggs
• steak strips, chicken fingers, meatballs, meatloaf, cold cooked shrimp
• homemade fish sticks (salmon or tuna)
• raw veggies: grape tomatoes, zucchini, celery, jicama, broccoli, and cauliflower (bring a sprinkle-herb mix)
• soaked and dried pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• raw nuts (if you can tolerate them)
• home-dried & sugar-free jerky
• egg salad, tuna or chicken salad made with homemade mayonnaise (great as a veggie dip or build on a bed of salad greens)
• dried seaweed packs
• sugar-free mints, gum, or other candy (limited)
• stevia-sweetened drink mix packets

*(see the Whole Approach website list of Stage 1, 2, & 3 acceptable foods)

Eating out

The secret to eating out successfully is, again, preparation. Here are some tips I've learned:

• Get in the habit of carrying a small cooler with you. Keep not only perishable items you can eat in a restaurant, but also canned or dried things for the unexpected situation. I keep one in my car with the individual portion packets of sardines, tuna, salmon, chicken, canned or dried veggies, some sugar-free candies.
• If possible, check the menu selections at restaurants in your destination town or city. Many have them online.
• Request that a meat entree be prepared without the extra sauces, cheese, etc. Hamburger patties or chicken can usually be ordered. Most barbeque seasonings and sauces contain sugar.
• Fried or rotisserie chicken is often a good choice; you can easily remove any breading and skin on the outside.
• Ask if you can substitute extra vegetables or salad for the starchy side dishes like rice, potatoes, bread, etc.
• Request that your salad be prepared without dressing. Ask for lemon juice and oil.
• Sometimes I'll bring in an extra food item of my own if we're eating at a place I think will be too limited. I've been known to bring a single-serving can of green beans (with a pop-top lid) or my own mixed veggies.
• And of course, when everyone you're with orders a decadent dessert that you can't eat, it's good to have a treat of your own on hand. I like to have a sugar-free dark chocolate mint patty in my purse to stave off feelings of deprivation! M-m-m-m!
• Fast food choices: hamburger patty without the bun, avoid mayo and catsup as they are loaded with sugar, ask for extra lettuce and tomato; fried chicken & then remove the skin; main-dish type salads with chicken

Other

• Try to stay at hotels that have in-room refrigerators and microwaves. Refreeze ice packs and do any simple preparation for the next day.
• For a longer-term stay, get a hotel with a kitchenette. If you're driving, you can take along a few of your own essential food items. If you're flying, research ahead of time where health food stores are located in your destination area, then stock up when you get there.
• Make sure and always travel with plenty of purified water. Your system is in constant need of flushing out toxins while your body is dealing with candida.
• Don't forget to take along all medications and supplements you're taking, and make every effort to stay on a consistent program. The added stress of travel can distract you from a regular treatment schedule.
• And make every effort to get a good night's sleep! That's one of your body's chief immune-boosters.

With a little forethought and planning, your travel doesn't have to be defined by food. You'll be free to enjoy yourself and keep on the good path to health!

Jellied Vegetable Salad (a.k.a. Perfection Salad)

This is a really old salad recipe, going back I suppose to the time powdered gelatin and refrigerators came into being.  I found a version in a 1942 cookbook, with variations in two other cookbooks I have, both of which are called "Perfection Salad."

I was delighted to discover that it has all ingredients I can have on the candida diet, with the exception of sugar, which I substituted stevia for.  A very refreshing change on a limited diet, and a new taste for summer.  I might add that this would be a good way to get some extra veggies in your kids' diets!
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• 2 packets powdered gelatin
• 1/2 c. cold water
• 1/4 c. cider vinegar*
• 2 T. fresh  lemon juice
• 2 c. boiling water
• 2 tsp. stevia or to taste (original recipe:  1/2 c. sugar)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 c. finely shredded cabbage
• 2 c. finely sliced celery
• 1/4 c. chopped green pepper
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced radishes
• (Optional:  1/4 c. cooked green peas, 1/2 finely chopped cucumber)

In a medium bowl, soak gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes to soften.  Add the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, stevia, and boiling water, stirring well.  Chill in the refrigerator until slightly thickened, then stir in all the vegetables.  Pour into an 8x8 pan or 2-quart mold and chill until firm.  Cut into squares and serve on lettuce leaves with *mayonnaise spread on top.  Serves 6 to 8.

* Organic apple cider vinegar, raw and unfiltered (like Braggs), is permitted on a candida diet if you have no reactions to it.
**I make my own mayonnaise that has no vinegar or sugar.  Many cookbooks have recipes for this.

Yummy collard greens

Collards are a vegetable I've never known anything about or eaten, until recently.  A friend fixed them for us one night at dinner and I've been hooked ever since.  They're incredibly healthy and mild-tasting, and I've noticed they're among the least expensive vegetables we have right now.  Perfect combo!

Prepare the veggies:

• one bunch collard greens, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 plum tomatoes, diced

In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in extra virgin olive oil for a minute or two.  Add the greens and tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to blend, then cover and turn down heat.  Cook on low, stirring occasionally until tender, about 12 minutes or so.

You can season with a splash of wine vinegar just at serving.

A quick blender lunch

I call it "Avocado Gazpacho" and it only takes minutes to make.  It's wonderfully healthy and satisfying, great for a candida or gluten-free diet, as well as vegetarian.  My recipe is for two servings, and please note --all amounts and ingredients are up to you!  I like mine chunky but just blend it to desired consistency.  It's great cold for a summer soup, but you can use hot water for cold weather eating.


In your blender or VitaMix, cut up and combine:

• 1/2-1 tomato
• 1/2 c. cucumber
• 1/3 c. green pepper
• 1/2-1 green onion
• 1/2-1 stalk celery
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1/2 avocado
• 1-2 T. olive oil
• garlic salt (or if you're brave, fresh garlic and salt)
• approximately 2/3 c. water or chicken broth

M-m-m, good!

Candida "Bread"

I've posted before about something that can serve as a basic "bread" for those on a strict candida diet, Cauliflower Pancakes.  I discovered a nice modification I use when I run out of cauliflower...use eggplant!


I peel and cube a whole eggplant and use 5-6 eggs in the blender, with a little salt.  Bake them similarly on a non-stick griddle.  They take a bit longer to bake, and as with the cauliflower ones, I turn them over, back and forth, a couple of times so they are gooey inside.


I use the pancakes for...

• Cinnamon toast!...butter, cinnamon, stevia
• Tacos!...seasoned meat, veggies, avocado, mayonnaise (I make my own) & salsa
• Sandwiches!...tuna, chicken, or turkey salad loaded with diced veggies and lettuce
• Toast and jelly!...butter and cooked cranberries with stevia & vegetable glycerin (my jam)
• Handy wraps for just about anything!...mayo or butter, sliced leftover meat or sausage, etc.

I've even put baked ones in the toaster oven and crisped them up...and they become crackers.


Anyway, they're sure a blessing when you're going through a low-carb season.  Give 'em a try!

Cabbage wraps

If you're looking for an alternative for sandwiches, try a cabbage wrap!


Just use an outer cabbage leaf like you would a burrito wrap, fill it with mayo, meat, veggies, cheese, fold it up like a burrito, and voila!  A very yummy and healthy lunch.  There is no 'cabbage-y' taste, just a satisfying and filling crunch.  Cabbage leaves also don't wilt as quickly as a lettuce-leaf wrap.  And cabbage is a powerhouse of nutrition, a vegetable I think we probably all need more of in our diets.  (The kids might even like it!)


A favorite of mine is a homemade chicken or salmon patty with red onion, tomato, avocado slices, and mayo.  Yum!

Help for your soups

I learned a great health tip this year in one of my candida-diet cookbooks for cooking soups.

People who are dealing with candida tend not to absorb nutrients as well as they should, so a candida diet should focus on obtaining the highest quality nutrition possible.

Soups should be cooked only until the veggies are done but slightly crunchy.  I think I have overcooked my soups forever, but now that I do it this way, I love the flavors and textures.

So now, this is my soup-making process:

• Make my own broth ahead of time, chill, and de-fat it.  My pressure cooker is fantastic for this; I freeze it in quart jars.


• I pre-cook the meat I will use:  chicken, hamburger, roast, sausage.  This, too, can be done in large batches ahead of time and frozen.


• To prepare, I bring the broth and meat to a simmer and add the vegetables.


• I cook the soup from 5-15 minutes, depending on the vegetables, the less time the better.

Delicious!  Try it and see if you don't notice a difference.  :-)

Eggplant French toast

This is a great substitute for the real thing (desperation drives one to new creativity in the kitchen!).  It's gluten-free, milk-free, and great for a low-carb candida diet and can be sugar-free.  I've been discovering some different ways to cook and eat eggplant, not one of my favorite veggies, and this is one of the better ones.


This first step can be done ahead of time and frozen or just before you make the recipe.   I freeze individual portions in freezer bags and just do a quick thaw in the microwave when I want to use one.


Peel and slice an eggplant 1/2 inch thick, then bake them on a stovetop griddle or frypan on a lightly oiled surface, several minutes on both sides until golden and tender when pierced with a fork.  (Or, peel, cube, and saute in coconut or olive oil in skillet until tender.)


Arrange baked eggplant slices in a non-stick, oiled skillet.  Heat skillet on medium.


Beat together 2 or more eggs (your choice) with 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, dash salt, and 1/4 tsp. (or more to taste) stevia OR 1 tsp. sugar.


Pour carefully over eggplant, lifting each piece to allow egg mixture to run a bit underneath.   Cover and cook for a few minutes, then turn whole thing like an omelet.  Cover again and cook until done.


Serve hot with butter and syrup or your favorite topping.  (I use a bit of liquid vegetable glycerine mixed with maple flavoring as a sweet, non-sugar substitute--tastes just like maple syrup!)


M-m-m-m!  Yummy.

Blender Cauliflower Pancakes

Having been on a strict candida diet for a time now, I've come to appreciate the gift of vegetables.  This recipe has become my stand-by substitute for bread!  They're delicious with just butter, or as little 'wraps' for fillings like chicken salad or cold meatloaf with mayonnaise (yum!).  I also like to butter them, sprinkle cinnamon and stevia (sugar or honey if you do that), and consider myself having a 'cinnamon roll' treat!


I've also substituted part of the cauliflower with a peeled, cubed turnip. Another way to get more good veggies in your diet with little appreciable change in flavor.


Blender Cauliflower Pancakes


First, dice raw cauliflower and place in your blender until 3/4 full or so.  This is usually equivalent to a medium head.



Then add 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt and 6 eggs.



Blend for minute to a smooth batter.  Spoon onto a greased, preheated griddle and bake for a few minutes until they start to look set.  Turn and continue baking.  I usually turn them two or three times to make sure they are fully baked.



These refrigerate well for two or three days.


Enjoy!

Quick-and-easy Oven Eggplant

I've never been a real lover of eggplant, but I've been experimenting with various recipes to find something really appealing (it's one of the vegetables I can freely eat on the candida diet).  I did this tonight and it was yummy!  A new favorite. 
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Wash and dice one eggplant, unpeeled.  In a bowl, toss eggplant with 2 or 3 tablespoons good olive oil, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning, coating pieces well.

Spread in a casserole dish, sprayed with non-stick spray, and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until fork-tender and a bit carmelized on the bottom.  Stir to mix before serving.  Serves 3 or 4, depending on size of eggplant.

Green Custard

Got your attention, didn't I?   Well, this is a yummy recipe and a really great way to get some VEGGIES into your kids.  It's a sweet comfort food, super simple to make, and very nutritious.  What a combo!  Good for breakfast or a snack.
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ZUCCHINI CUSTARD

In your blender, combine:

• 2 medium zucchini, cubed
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. honey (or 3/4 tsp. stevia)
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 T. butter or coconut oil

Blend on high for 1 minute until well blended.  Pour into a greased 8x8 glass pan.  Dot with butter (optional) and sprinkle with more nutmeg.  Bake  in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean in the middle.

100% Flax bread

A real loss on a candida diet is that of bread!  I'm talking l-o-s-s.  I could live on bread.  But until I resume that wonderful stuff again, I discovered a recipe I had to share for flax bread.  It has a delicious, nutty flavor, holds together beautifully and is very low in carbs.  It bakes up something like cake but you can split it for sandwich-style use, or even French toast!  It's a winner.


Mix well: 

• 2 c. ground flax meal
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. powdered stevia 

In a separate bowl, mix:

•  5 eggs
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/3 c. oil 

Blend two mixtures; pour into greased 9x13 pan and let stand for 2 minutes for batter to thicken up.  Bake 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven; cool and cut into 12 squares.

Each serving has less than 1 gram of carbs and 5 grams of fiber.

THOUGHT:  I haven't tried it yet, but why couldn't a person add a bit more stevia and cocoa for a chocolatey treat??

A case for two lonely vegetables

 Okay, time to 'fess up...how many of you regularly use rutabagas and parsnips in your diet?!  What?!  You don't?!  Relax...I didn't either for most of my life until health issues in our family drove me to experiment and discover more of the beautiful and nutritious vegetables God gave us to eat.

So I'd like to give you a formal introduction to them and share a yummy recipe we now have as a regular on our table.  You'll find baking the veggies like this brings out their natural sweetness which carmelizes into a wonderful dish.  Vary amounts according to your taste.

Rutabagas are a member of the turnip family, a root vegetable that has a deep yellow flesh.  As with all root crops, they take in lots of nutrients from the soil.  They have an alkaline effect on your body--something you want to fight disease--and are especially known for their cancer-fighting qualities.  They are high in potassium with good amounts of Vitamin C and fiber.

Parsnips are those long, white, carrot-looking things you've seen in the produce section.  They are very high in fiber, rich in potassium and cancer-fighting substances, and have a sweet, nutty taste when cooked.
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Root Vegetable Bake

• 2-3 parsnips, peeled and diced
• rutabagas, peeled and diced to equal 1 1/2 cups
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced, OR 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
• 3 red potatoes, diced
• Optional:  2 turnips, peeled and diced
• Optional:  1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix well in large bowl.  Salt and pepper to taste, and add 1 T. dried parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.  Mix well and turn into a sprayed-with-PAM or buttered casserole dish.  Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.