Not without my sugar!

I think that a big, big reason that people are scared of trying something like the SCD is the total absence of sugar.

On SCD you can use fruits and honey, sparingly. That's about it.

Here's some fun blog posts that I found on the topic:

Modern Forager confirms that the best sugar for us is honey, sparingly. I agree!

Pay Now, Live Later tells us that we're all sugar junkies -- well, those of us not on SCD, at any rate.

Sugar is a drug. Don't believe me? How about all those people in this country eating themselves to death, with skyrocketing rates of obesity?

That's not lack of willpower, kids. That's ADDICTION.

I was completely and wholeheartedly addicted to sugar before SCD. I did not know what it was like to not be hungry, because I was always hungry. My blood sugar was out of control along with my appetite.

During my first week on SCD, I thought I would die. It was a true and serious withdrawal.

And then I felt great afterwards, and forever more.

I can walk right by those giant muffins, because to me they are no longer food. People look at me with pity. But then I see them returning to the muffins again and again...telling me they just can't stop thinking about them, that "it was calling to me."

Yeah, that's one voice in my head I do not miss at all.

Skillet meals and other snacky stuff

I have been making lots of skillet meals. They are fast and nutritious and they make you eat your veggies! I am a big fan of anything that gets me to eat more veggies.

CREATE-YOUR-OWN SKILLET MEAL

Take two pounds of chicken or beef. Cook in a skillet on the stove top. If you are still a bit earlier along, you can sort of boil/poach in a small amount of water.

Add onion and garlic at this stage, too. You can also use dried if you know your source -- I got letters stating no additives from The Spice House.

Once the meat is cooked to your satisfaction, add 3-4 cups of water. Top the cooked meat with 2-3 pounds of veggies. I usually use a combo of carrots, green beans, and spinach. Sometimes I throw in a little broccoli but I can't eat too much of it yet.

Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour with the lid on, until almost all the liquid is gone.

Season and eat!

Pretty easy, and you get a bunch of leftovers. I have a huge skillet as you can tell. It is well worth the investment, I think.

Olive oil to butter conversion chart!

This is something many of you will appreciate!

See, if you just read Breaking the Vicious Cycle, you'll notice there is a preponderance of cow dairy. Now, that is fine for lots of people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. But it is not fine for ASD kids, by and large, and certainly not fine for me, as I discovered that I am intolerant to cow dairy.

So! Rescue is on the way, courtesy of Olive Oil Source -- a conversion chart! Check it out here...or...

1 teaspoon butter = 3/4 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter = 2 1/4tsp olive oil
2 tablespoons butter = 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup butter = 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup butter = 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter = 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup butter = 1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup butter = 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup butter = 3/4 cup olive oil

Enjoy!!

A word about health care

Today, I popped over to Val's awesome blog, Occasional Superheroine. As a girl geek, it is my duty to read her words. :)

Read this to see what it's like for an uninsured person in an emergency room.

That is MESSED UP.

You know, I have rheumatoid arthritis. And no matter how under control my condition is, I still have RA.

What that means is, I will never be insurable by a private insurance plan. I am screwed. I will have to have a job that gives me employer health care for all time.

I can't just go start a business with some employees if I want to. I can't just work freelance and take out a policy for myself and my family.

Even if I am severely wronged at my job, I can't just walk away from it.

I am trapped.

And that is the state of health care in this country.