"Creamy" Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Who doesn't love mashed potatoes? Best part.... they are vegan and gluten free - naturally! Why do they have a green tint to them? Secret ingredient.... spinach! Adds a whole lot of nutrients but doesn't change the taste!

One thing you will find with the recipes that I share is that they are REALLY easy...

What you will need:
1. Potatoes - whatever kind you have laying around (its also okay to mix different types of potatoes)
2. Garlic/garlic powder
3. Spinach (use about 1/4 of the amt of potatoes)
4. Vegetable oil
5. Soy milk or rice milk
6. Salt

Directions:
1. Dice potatoes (I leave the skin on because the skin has a lot of nutrients) and boil until soft
2. While the potatoes are boiling, saute garlic in a small sauce pan with just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan (Use as much or little garlic as possible. I tend to use a lot of garlic).
3. Toss spinach in with the garlic and oil and saute all together
4. Once the potatoes are soft, put all ingredients in your food processor and add soy/rice milk until desired creaminess is reached.
5. Add garlic powder and salt to taste

YUM!
xo

Whats up with gluten?

So, the term "gluten free" is all over the place now. In the past, the only people that have gone gluten free (GF) were those with celiac disease. Today, more and more people are exploring this world of gluten free goodness! A few years ago,  a japanese doctor recommended it to me and I completely blew him off -- no bagels?!? no oatmeal?!? pretzels?!? no pasta?!?!?!?! (I come from a large Italian family, where eating pasta is a past-time). But I did some more research and found that it really had some great results for people that suffer from diseases that cause chronic pain. So, I tried it ... and man... was I shocked!

I found some GREAT gluten free options that served as alternatives to my gluten rich carbs. I found restaurants that cater to GF diets. I found websites and books and health food stores that were bursting at the seems with information. More shocking than the wealth of information that I found, was my body's reaction to this change.

My chronic pain had gone from about an 8 down to a 3. My stomach was not bloated anymore. I had more energy. I was no longer CONSTANTLY coughing up phlegm or feeling "like there was something stuck in my throat". It was amazing.

I do,occasionally, have products with gluten. If I eat something like a bagel or roll, I'm in pain for the next few days. However, if I really limit my consumption and space it out, my body does not react to it as much. So, something that is lightly coated in bread crumbs or vegan meat alternatives that include some wheat gluten are all tolerable if they are consumed about once a week or so.

In addition,  I began eating more of a variety of grains, such as millet and quinoa. I began to cook more, and really experiment with food. A whole new world opened up. Plus, there are some really tasty GF cookies, pretzels, waffles, & pastas out there!

I would love to share some of my favorite gluten free products with you... but for now, I think that this post is long enough.

Until next time... 

Thank you for reading. xo. 

New at this (sort of)

Okay, sorta new at this... I say 'sorta' because I had blogs for short times in the past but never really carried through with them.

Here's a little more about me: I was diagnosed (unofficially) with endometriosis at the age of 19 and then (officially, after a laparoscopy) diagnosed at age 21. I also have Lupus, which I was diagnosed with a few months ago. These really are terrible, yes, but I'm not going to dwell... These diseases have changed my life and really caused me to take charge of my health. Because of Lupus and endo, I eat a *mostly* gluten free (GF) diet. Because of my love for animals, the environment, my body, etc... I eat a *mostly* plant-based diet.

I'm planning on "blogging" (that term sounds really lame) about things that have helped me - in hopes that someone else out there who may be in a similar situation can benefit. I hope to open up people's eyes about the world of gluten free/vegetarian eating/cooking. I want to provide tips on alternative/natural medicine.

I want to help others while sharing my story. I would love it if you would join me through this journey into health and happiness :)