I first posted about the diet shortly after I was diagnosed with endometriosis and I was just starting to try it. Since then I've had great success with some parts (for example I've only had gluten a handful of times since then and all were accidents) but less success with others - I'm still not sugar free and the additives/preservatives bit is yet to be attempted.
Since I'm starting up the blog again and renewing my efforts I thought it'd be useful to take another look at what is cut out and why - both for readers and also to strengthen my resolve in abstaining from chocolate! This is gonna be an ~8 part series through the month focusing on what is cut out and why, along with alternatives that I've found over the last 18 months where possible.
So first a quick run down of what's cut out again, along with a little about why:
Wheat/Gluten causes all kinds of nasty symptoms from bloating to IBS. Cutting it out is the difference between me fitting my clothes and living in my stretchy pjs - literally.
Red Meat is full of type 2 prostaglandins (more on these later!), which cause your body to have an inflammatory response. Endometriosis causes inflammation all on its own, so you want to avoid adding to it!
Dairy & Eggs are full of oestrogen, something you probably already have too much of if you have endo. Cutting it from your diet can help reduce the cyclical pain.
Sugar can wreak havoc with your hormones and is particularly known for causing irritability and even rage in some sufferers. It also feeds Candida - a yeast infection in the gut often found alongside endo/IBS.
Caffeine - I'll be honest with you, I can't entirely remember why you cut out caffeine. I've mostly succeeded, but maybe doing the research for this will help my resolve with staying away from coke!
Alcohol doesn't directly affect endometriosis, but it does affect your liver's function. Your liver is the #1 organ for eliminating excess oestrogen from your body, which it can't do all that effectively if it's working on last nights indulging!
Yeast - another food-source of Candida, so a good one to avoid.
Soy(a) is absolutely full of oestrogen. There are some types of soy sauce that are okay dependent on their brewing methods, but apart from that avoid soy at all costs.
Preservatives/Additives are made up of complex chemical compounds - some of which act as endocrine disruptors and xenoestrogens (again, more on these later!). Your hormones are all over the place enough without adding chemical substitutes for your body to deal with.
Personally I've had great success with gluten, red meat (I only broke down and had a beef chilli once and it so wasn't worth it), eggs and soy (the latter two only very occasionally). Medium success with dairy, caffeine and alcohol - I do sometimes slip up with my coke addiction and indulge in alcohol on special occassions. I also haven't been able to completely kick chocolate, so dairy sneaks in now and then. As for sugar, yeast and preservatives/additives, I haven't even started aside from switching to a few natural body products. So if you look at this list and think it seems impossible to even start, don't worry. It's a journey and it'll take time to get used to it. :)
Do you follow the Endo Diet, or a version of it? What do you cut out or slip up on? I'd love to hear your experiences!
0
BBQ Pulled Pork & Crazy Hormones
BBQ Pulled Pork has been a little obsession of ours lately. Thanks to a friend who was able to get us a lot of pork shoulder for pretty cheap, we were able to indulge more than usual over the last month. I've made 3 giant batches now, totaling about 18 portions of absolutely delicious pork, made even better by the homemade BBQ sauce I made to go along with it. Yum!
January was an interesting month - my hormones have been jumping all over the place and it's made me more than a little irritable. In fact I've even experienced full on rage, which was a new one for me. I think it had to do with having my first cycle in 6 months and it's not a feeling I'm looking to repeat...ever!
January also saw the return of another emotion I battle with occasionally: depression. After doing a vision board workshop I realised that I have rather few hobbies that I indulge in anymore thanks to the endo and for a while I did feel quite upset by it. But it's also a pretty exciting opportunity to explore some new hobbies and get back in touch with old ones (such as reading and blogging!).
On the flip side of all that January also brought me a need to declutter - a lot! I'm still in the middle of the process, but I've sold off some of our bookshelves, taken a few bags to charity and even sorted out my underwear drawer and put some to one side for a homeless shelter. I have a strong desire to purge all of the unnecessary stuff that's accumulated in the flat over the last 2.5 years and make room. Call it hormones or energy, but I suddenly feel a little claustrophobic with all the stuff we own. It's actually nice getting rid of some of it!
This has been a bit of a random post, but I guess that's what crazy hormones do - make everything a little random! I've really enjoyed putting together the first few posts about the Endo Diet and its alternative, so look out for those over the new few weeks. :)
How was January for you? Did you make some great progress on new goals or get distracted and forget them (like my healthy eating idea...)?
January was an interesting month - my hormones have been jumping all over the place and it's made me more than a little irritable. In fact I've even experienced full on rage, which was a new one for me. I think it had to do with having my first cycle in 6 months and it's not a feeling I'm looking to repeat...ever!
January also saw the return of another emotion I battle with occasionally: depression. After doing a vision board workshop I realised that I have rather few hobbies that I indulge in anymore thanks to the endo and for a while I did feel quite upset by it. But it's also a pretty exciting opportunity to explore some new hobbies and get back in touch with old ones (such as reading and blogging!).
On the flip side of all that January also brought me a need to declutter - a lot! I'm still in the middle of the process, but I've sold off some of our bookshelves, taken a few bags to charity and even sorted out my underwear drawer and put some to one side for a homeless shelter. I have a strong desire to purge all of the unnecessary stuff that's accumulated in the flat over the last 2.5 years and make room. Call it hormones or energy, but I suddenly feel a little claustrophobic with all the stuff we own. It's actually nice getting rid of some of it!
This has been a bit of a random post, but I guess that's what crazy hormones do - make everything a little random! I've really enjoyed putting together the first few posts about the Endo Diet and its alternative, so look out for those over the new few weeks. :)
How was January for you? Did you make some great progress on new goals or get distracted and forget them (like my healthy eating idea...)?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
A Change In Direction
I can't believe it's almost a year to the day since I wrote my last blog. So much has happened since then! A quick run down of last year for you, before I get on to why I'm actually writing the first new blog for 12 months...
First things first, I got engaged in September! We were on our first holiday with my family in Spain and Tom proposed at midnight on the roof of our villa in a blanket fort. It was the cheesiest, most romantic thing ever and I loved it. :)
My business was also a rollercoaster - growing impressively fast early in the year then tailing off towards the end. December was hibernation mode for me and January has started with a million and one ideas on how to change my business to reflect me a little better.
My relationship with my family has only grown stronger - our experiences in 2013 really did cement some already pretty awesome friendships. I've also made new friends and gotten closer to existing ones, so 2014 was definitely a good year for relationships all round in my life. :)
But that's enough about life. Onto why I'm writing! And how fitting that it's one year since my last post - completely unintentional I assure you. I'm about to enter the next stage of my Endometriosis journey, having some scans to check up on everything and then (all being well) having the Mirena coil removed. This is partly to start the journey of having a family, although I think that one will still take some time, but more importantly I'm taking a much more natural, holistic approach to my endo. My experiences with the diet have been bitter-sweet; when I stick to it everything goes pretty well and I'm largely symptom free still, but if I slip up even slightly it can have some nasty consequences. The first step I'll be taking is to get more strict and more healthy - introducing fitness as well.
What's this got to do with the blog you might be asking? Well I want to document it all. I'll finally be sharing full details of the diet that I failed to finish last time, including recipes I find useful and alternatives to things you can't have on the diet. For example last night I made some caramel cookies that were completely endo friendly. Would you believe it?
I'll also be including any therapies that help, product alternatives to the chemical-filled ones you'll find in supermarkets. exercises that ease pain... all of it. Much like I used to track my eco adventures, I'll now be tracking my endo adventures (with some eco thrown in of course - I haven't changed that much!) in the hopes that it could help someone else going through the same. And the therapeutic effect writing gives me. ;)
I've already got billions of ideas for blogs popping into my head, but I won't be posting everything all at once. If my past unreliability has taught me anything, it's to pace the blogs and have some prepared in advance, so that's what I'm off to do!
If you have any questions about endo, the diet, recipe requests - anything at all - just leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to respond! :)
First things first, I got engaged in September! We were on our first holiday with my family in Spain and Tom proposed at midnight on the roof of our villa in a blanket fort. It was the cheesiest, most romantic thing ever and I loved it. :)
My business was also a rollercoaster - growing impressively fast early in the year then tailing off towards the end. December was hibernation mode for me and January has started with a million and one ideas on how to change my business to reflect me a little better.
My relationship with my family has only grown stronger - our experiences in 2013 really did cement some already pretty awesome friendships. I've also made new friends and gotten closer to existing ones, so 2014 was definitely a good year for relationships all round in my life. :)
But that's enough about life. Onto why I'm writing! And how fitting that it's one year since my last post - completely unintentional I assure you. I'm about to enter the next stage of my Endometriosis journey, having some scans to check up on everything and then (all being well) having the Mirena coil removed. This is partly to start the journey of having a family, although I think that one will still take some time, but more importantly I'm taking a much more natural, holistic approach to my endo. My experiences with the diet have been bitter-sweet; when I stick to it everything goes pretty well and I'm largely symptom free still, but if I slip up even slightly it can have some nasty consequences. The first step I'll be taking is to get more strict and more healthy - introducing fitness as well.
What's this got to do with the blog you might be asking? Well I want to document it all. I'll finally be sharing full details of the diet that I failed to finish last time, including recipes I find useful and alternatives to things you can't have on the diet. For example last night I made some caramel cookies that were completely endo friendly. Would you believe it?
I'll also be including any therapies that help, product alternatives to the chemical-filled ones you'll find in supermarkets. exercises that ease pain... all of it. Much like I used to track my eco adventures, I'll now be tracking my endo adventures (with some eco thrown in of course - I haven't changed that much!) in the hopes that it could help someone else going through the same. And the therapeutic effect writing gives me. ;)
I've already got billions of ideas for blogs popping into my head, but I won't be posting everything all at once. If my past unreliability has taught me anything, it's to pace the blogs and have some prepared in advance, so that's what I'm off to do!
If you have any questions about endo, the diet, recipe requests - anything at all - just leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to respond! :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Reflection - My Story
I'm awake. Awake and in pain. A familiar yet unfamiliar pain that I haven't felt in almost 5 months now.
Rather than get annoyed, I find myself reflecting on the last year and all it's brought me.
12 months ago I was experiencing just the beginning of what would soon become daily agony. I didn't know that I was soon to experience crippling pain that would have me sleeping on the living room floor wrapped in heat pads and blankets, on the strongest painkillers the doctors would give me, all in the hope of an hour or two of sleep before work. Pain that bloated my body and made every day a surprise of whether I'd make it to the end of the work day. Weekly osteopath appointments would just about keep me standing with the back pain and weekly doctor appointments would become more and more frustrating as my suffering fell on deaf ears.
9 months ago was the start of the pain. After 3 months of particularly bad 'womens problems' the pain was no longer just a symptom of an (extended) 'time of the month'. The pain became my month - all of it. And then it became two months. Then three and finally four. Four months of pain that was completely unexplained and the doctor settled upon IBS as the diagnosis from Day One. When each drug didn't work I was given another. Diet advice. Pain relief. No offer of an alternative diagnosis, further testing or anything that would've looked into the real cause.
7 months ago came the first blood test. The first admission that it might not just be IBS. By this point I hadn't slept in weeks and I was so bloated I looked 6 months pregnant. Work was becoming a struggle and I was starting to suffer depression from the constant pain. That blood test showed I had signs of infection in my blood, but no antibiotics were offered. Just an appointment in two weeks time for another blood test "to see if it's gone."
6.5 months ago came blood test number two. All my hopes pinned on this one - something had to show. Something that would explain everything. But life stepped in before I got those results.
Sunday 28th July I was in agony - even more so than usual and I couldn't even sit still. My blanket of heat pads didn't cut it and I rang the NHS advice line to find out what my options were at 9pm on a Sunday night. Within an hour I was at Frenchay Hospital Out of Hours GP seeing a lovely doctor who was probably the first to touch on the real problem. But he wasn't to be the one who would save me. Being late on a Sunday night he advised I visit my GP the next day. So back to my GP I went, for my blood tests to show more infection. And once more I was given an appointment in two weeks "to see if it's gone."
But Tuesday 30th July changed it all. Sat in my mum's kitchen I was in tears, not because of the pain but because I gave up. My family was outraged at the way I was being ignored, but I was just used to it. My fight left me that morning and I resigned myself to constant pain. I told my mum that someone else would have to fight for me, because I just couldn't anymore.
It's funny how the universe knows when you mean it. And I couldn't have meant it more. I was defeated. Within 30 minutes I was white and throwing up. Laying limply on the sofa an emergency doctors appointment was made for the afternoon. It's funny looking back that I didn't consider it serious enough for an ambulance even at that point. It was 'just IBS' after all.
That afternoon I saw a different GP. If angels exist she is one of them, because she saved me that day. I had a fever on top of the vomiting and I was sent straight home to pack for Frenchay. Something was very wrong.
At midnight after seeing a number of doctors and being sent to a different hospital I was finally admitted to the Gynae ward in Southmead Hospital with a suspected infection of my fallopian tubes. Tears streamed down my face for most of the night, especially at 2am when my mum had to admit defeat and head home to sleep. It was all just too much.
Wednesday 31st July I got my first glimpse of a real diagnosis. A scan showed two cysts - 8cm and 4cm - one on each ovary. My insides were a puzzle; it took them a lot of searching to find my ovaries in the first place as they were up by my bellybutton, touching in the middle. Blood tests also showed I had not one, but two infections. The one that had caused my fever but also a chronic infection that had been around for at least a month by that time. A very nice consultant gave me the news; it was either an abcess or endometriosis. I was put on antibiotics and watched constantly - if it was an abcess and it burst I'd need emergency surgery, but they wanted to wait until the infection was under control before surgery if possible.
I spent the next few days staying positive, meeting each new patient as they came and went and getting to know the nurses. I've never been more grateful for my family (especially my mum and Tom) as not a visiting hour went by that I wasn't surrounded by people, presents and food.
This time 6 months ago it was Thursday 1st August - the day before the first of two operations that changed my life in so many ways. In every way.
On Friday 2nd August an exploratory laparoscopy showed I had Stage 4 (severe) endometriosis. I would need another surgery once the cysts had been shrunk as it was too dangerous to cut them out at that point. I was given Zoladex to put me into a medical menopause for 3 months which would shrink the cysts and conversations delicately skirted around the real fear we all had. Would it affect my fertility?
3 months ago I came to the end of a new hell; the menopause was not kind to me. I was angry a lot of the time, depressed the rest and fighting to see an end to any of it. I'd also started on the Endometriosis Diet and combined with the Zoladex September and October were almost pain free for me. In one way I was so grateful for that relief, but in another the hormones took that gratitude from me as I was too emotional to enjoy it. And it still wasn't a solution. Zoladex was just a stop-gap on the way to the next surgery.
On Friday 22nd November I was admitted once more for another laparoscopy - this time to cut away the cysts and any endo they could get to. They were also checking my fertility and making sure all was working okay. At pre-op I'd been told I would be going home that night, but my consultant said it wouldn't be until the next day at least. So mum went off to work to keep occupied and I was taken off to surgery.
That afternoon I came around just long enough to hear the results before sleeping the rest of the day and night. The cysts were gone but they had bad news about my bowel, which was attached to my fallopian tubes. It was too risky to cut them apart, so they'd been left. And in my haze I almost missed it as the consultant said my fallopian tubes were blocked. I sat in shock and at that point I could only muster a few tears. I didn't believe it. Of all the things I thought they might say, my fertility was the one thing I'd been sure of. As the consultant explained further I just stared at her blankly. Once she was gone I could barely keep my eyes open. I knew I should be talking to mum and Tom, but the pull of sleep was too strong and so I sent them home. Sleep provided me with an escape from all the things I just couldn't cope with right then. The next day I was discharged from the hospital and left to the care of my family.
And now here we are, 2 months on. There are still so many things I'm struggling to come to terms with and I think it'll be a while before I do. But this morning has me reflecting on all the things I've overcome. I'm now pain free, completely. I've lost a stone and everyone tells me I've got my sparkle back. Not only am I back at work, my own business is now 3 months old (yup - started before the op!) and thriving. I've started with a personal trainer to regain the core strength I've lost and I'm improving my diet constantly. I've made new friends along the journey too.
But I think the best reward I've had from all of this is the relationship with my family. The support they've given me brings me to tears. There aren't words to describe what it means to me - my mum and Tom never left my side. Mum with her pep talks, her sympathetic ear and her endless patience in waiting rooms. Tom with his bear hug every time it all got too much, his constant support and his endless patience with my mood swings! Kassi with her sunny outlook on everything and her ability to make me laugh so hard I had to curl into a ball to protect my stitches. My grandparents with their endless generosity, helping me with anything I needed and just being there. And not forgetting my Dad who brought me crisps and Rachel who brought me magazines and distraction. I couldn't have done it without them. I still couldn't. They're my support, my inspiration and what keeps me going.
So there's my story. I don't want your sympathy, that wasn't the point. But now you know a little more about me and why I sometimes need a moment to compose myself or have to excuse myself from plans when I get tired. If you know me I hope it's given you insight into why I've been so absent from a social life lately and if you don't know me, I hope it's given you hope. Or at least been interesting to read for a while.
If you have any questions or stories of your own I'd love to hear them. You can leave a comment below or if it's personal you can email me: amirosemarshall@gmail.com
Thank you for reading.
Rather than get annoyed, I find myself reflecting on the last year and all it's brought me.
12 months ago I was experiencing just the beginning of what would soon become daily agony. I didn't know that I was soon to experience crippling pain that would have me sleeping on the living room floor wrapped in heat pads and blankets, on the strongest painkillers the doctors would give me, all in the hope of an hour or two of sleep before work. Pain that bloated my body and made every day a surprise of whether I'd make it to the end of the work day. Weekly osteopath appointments would just about keep me standing with the back pain and weekly doctor appointments would become more and more frustrating as my suffering fell on deaf ears.
9 months ago was the start of the pain. After 3 months of particularly bad 'womens problems' the pain was no longer just a symptom of an (extended) 'time of the month'. The pain became my month - all of it. And then it became two months. Then three and finally four. Four months of pain that was completely unexplained and the doctor settled upon IBS as the diagnosis from Day One. When each drug didn't work I was given another. Diet advice. Pain relief. No offer of an alternative diagnosis, further testing or anything that would've looked into the real cause.
7 months ago came the first blood test. The first admission that it might not just be IBS. By this point I hadn't slept in weeks and I was so bloated I looked 6 months pregnant. Work was becoming a struggle and I was starting to suffer depression from the constant pain. That blood test showed I had signs of infection in my blood, but no antibiotics were offered. Just an appointment in two weeks time for another blood test "to see if it's gone."
6.5 months ago came blood test number two. All my hopes pinned on this one - something had to show. Something that would explain everything. But life stepped in before I got those results.
Sunday 28th July I was in agony - even more so than usual and I couldn't even sit still. My blanket of heat pads didn't cut it and I rang the NHS advice line to find out what my options were at 9pm on a Sunday night. Within an hour I was at Frenchay Hospital Out of Hours GP seeing a lovely doctor who was probably the first to touch on the real problem. But he wasn't to be the one who would save me. Being late on a Sunday night he advised I visit my GP the next day. So back to my GP I went, for my blood tests to show more infection. And once more I was given an appointment in two weeks "to see if it's gone."
But Tuesday 30th July changed it all. Sat in my mum's kitchen I was in tears, not because of the pain but because I gave up. My family was outraged at the way I was being ignored, but I was just used to it. My fight left me that morning and I resigned myself to constant pain. I told my mum that someone else would have to fight for me, because I just couldn't anymore.
It's funny how the universe knows when you mean it. And I couldn't have meant it more. I was defeated. Within 30 minutes I was white and throwing up. Laying limply on the sofa an emergency doctors appointment was made for the afternoon. It's funny looking back that I didn't consider it serious enough for an ambulance even at that point. It was 'just IBS' after all.
That afternoon I saw a different GP. If angels exist she is one of them, because she saved me that day. I had a fever on top of the vomiting and I was sent straight home to pack for Frenchay. Something was very wrong.
At midnight after seeing a number of doctors and being sent to a different hospital I was finally admitted to the Gynae ward in Southmead Hospital with a suspected infection of my fallopian tubes. Tears streamed down my face for most of the night, especially at 2am when my mum had to admit defeat and head home to sleep. It was all just too much.
Wednesday 31st July I got my first glimpse of a real diagnosis. A scan showed two cysts - 8cm and 4cm - one on each ovary. My insides were a puzzle; it took them a lot of searching to find my ovaries in the first place as they were up by my bellybutton, touching in the middle. Blood tests also showed I had not one, but two infections. The one that had caused my fever but also a chronic infection that had been around for at least a month by that time. A very nice consultant gave me the news; it was either an abcess or endometriosis. I was put on antibiotics and watched constantly - if it was an abcess and it burst I'd need emergency surgery, but they wanted to wait until the infection was under control before surgery if possible.
I spent the next few days staying positive, meeting each new patient as they came and went and getting to know the nurses. I've never been more grateful for my family (especially my mum and Tom) as not a visiting hour went by that I wasn't surrounded by people, presents and food.
This time 6 months ago it was Thursday 1st August - the day before the first of two operations that changed my life in so many ways. In every way.
 |
| Me with presents after Op #1 |
3 months ago I came to the end of a new hell; the menopause was not kind to me. I was angry a lot of the time, depressed the rest and fighting to see an end to any of it. I'd also started on the Endometriosis Diet and combined with the Zoladex September and October were almost pain free for me. In one way I was so grateful for that relief, but in another the hormones took that gratitude from me as I was too emotional to enjoy it. And it still wasn't a solution. Zoladex was just a stop-gap on the way to the next surgery.
On Friday 22nd November I was admitted once more for another laparoscopy - this time to cut away the cysts and any endo they could get to. They were also checking my fertility and making sure all was working okay. At pre-op I'd been told I would be going home that night, but my consultant said it wouldn't be until the next day at least. So mum went off to work to keep occupied and I was taken off to surgery.
That afternoon I came around just long enough to hear the results before sleeping the rest of the day and night. The cysts were gone but they had bad news about my bowel, which was attached to my fallopian tubes. It was too risky to cut them apart, so they'd been left. And in my haze I almost missed it as the consultant said my fallopian tubes were blocked. I sat in shock and at that point I could only muster a few tears. I didn't believe it. Of all the things I thought they might say, my fertility was the one thing I'd been sure of. As the consultant explained further I just stared at her blankly. Once she was gone I could barely keep my eyes open. I knew I should be talking to mum and Tom, but the pull of sleep was too strong and so I sent them home. Sleep provided me with an escape from all the things I just couldn't cope with right then. The next day I was discharged from the hospital and left to the care of my family.
And now here we are, 2 months on. There are still so many things I'm struggling to come to terms with and I think it'll be a while before I do. But this morning has me reflecting on all the things I've overcome. I'm now pain free, completely. I've lost a stone and everyone tells me I've got my sparkle back. Not only am I back at work, my own business is now 3 months old (yup - started before the op!) and thriving. I've started with a personal trainer to regain the core strength I've lost and I'm improving my diet constantly. I've made new friends along the journey too.
 |
| With my cousin and sister at Christmas. |
But I think the best reward I've had from all of this is the relationship with my family. The support they've given me brings me to tears. There aren't words to describe what it means to me - my mum and Tom never left my side. Mum with her pep talks, her sympathetic ear and her endless patience in waiting rooms. Tom with his bear hug every time it all got too much, his constant support and his endless patience with my mood swings! Kassi with her sunny outlook on everything and her ability to make me laugh so hard I had to curl into a ball to protect my stitches. My grandparents with their endless generosity, helping me with anything I needed and just being there. And not forgetting my Dad who brought me crisps and Rachel who brought me magazines and distraction. I couldn't have done it without them. I still couldn't. They're my support, my inspiration and what keeps me going.
So there's my story. I don't want your sympathy, that wasn't the point. But now you know a little more about me and why I sometimes need a moment to compose myself or have to excuse myself from plans when I get tired. If you know me I hope it's given you insight into why I've been so absent from a social life lately and if you don't know me, I hope it's given you hope. Or at least been interesting to read for a while.
If you have any questions or stories of your own I'd love to hear them. You can leave a comment below or if it's personal you can email me: amirosemarshall@gmail.com
Thank you for reading.
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Christmas Preparations!
Good evening!
Today I wanted to share with you my preparations for Christmas, since the big day is fast approaching! (Seriously, it's December... when did THAT happen?!)
So far the tree is up, Christmas dinner is planned and everything I need to make the girls' presents has been bought. I know what the boys' presents will be, just need to buy in the bits and pieces to make them now! I'll be setting some time aside this weekend to put the gifts together for the girls as I've got our Christmas party coming up on the 14th and I need to leave some fussing time!
I can't pick the element I'm most excited about this year, other than to say it's how all the homemade elements turn out. It's my first year making presents and also cooking Christmas dinner for Tom, Kassi and myself. I can't wait to see reactions to each of the gifts and to have a homely, relaxed Christmas day!
After Christmas I'll be doing a homemade gifts series with How-To Guides on everything I make. Nothing I've chosen is Christmas-specific so you'll be able to use them for any gift-giving occasion. I'll also be sharing my tips and tricks for keeping Christmas low-cost, high-fun based on my experiences this year. I know it's a bit late for this year, but since this year is the first time I'm doing it all I want to make sure it's good advice that works before sharing!
What have you been doing to prepare for the big day? Are you going homemade this year too? Let me know in the comments!
 |
| Our tree looking pretty! |
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Update on Life
Hi everyone!
I'm safely back at home and resting up so thought I'd share a little update with you. :)
The op went well and I came home Saturday evening after almost 24 hours of sleeping in the hospital. I even kicked out my visitors so they wouldn't have to watch me sleep! Since then I've been napping at least twice a day, snacking on plain foods and convincing Tom that I really do need him to set the Wii Fit up every morning so I can check my weight! (I'm more than a little curious how much weight that endo was taking up - results to come once the swelling disappears!)
I was also a lucky lady yesterday when my lovely sister and our friend Andy agreed to take Tom and I to the cinema to see Catching Fire (which I adored in case you're wondering, go watch it!). It was a bit of an expedition requiring a hot water bottle (got some funny looks for that), a pillow being seatbelted to my stomach and pre-warning of all the jumpy bits, but it was worth it and I rested all evening to make up for it.
I also had a visit from the amazing Rachel, who put up with my constant babbling with a smile. I've only seen family since the op so I probably dazed the poor woman and I wouldn't be surprised if her ears are still ringing!
Plans for the rest of the week include training Tom on the business elements of Social Media so he can help me with my new business, making a start on homemade Christmas presents before the Secret Santa deadline and having a lot of chicken soup which is my current food craving!
Hopefully I might find some time between all the napping and eating to write a blog post or two as well. ;)
Have a good week!
xx
I'm safely back at home and resting up so thought I'd share a little update with you. :)
The op went well and I came home Saturday evening after almost 24 hours of sleeping in the hospital. I even kicked out my visitors so they wouldn't have to watch me sleep! Since then I've been napping at least twice a day, snacking on plain foods and convincing Tom that I really do need him to set the Wii Fit up every morning so I can check my weight! (I'm more than a little curious how much weight that endo was taking up - results to come once the swelling disappears!)
I was also a lucky lady yesterday when my lovely sister and our friend Andy agreed to take Tom and I to the cinema to see Catching Fire (which I adored in case you're wondering, go watch it!). It was a bit of an expedition requiring a hot water bottle (got some funny looks for that), a pillow being seatbelted to my stomach and pre-warning of all the jumpy bits, but it was worth it and I rested all evening to make up for it.
I also had a visit from the amazing Rachel, who put up with my constant babbling with a smile. I've only seen family since the op so I probably dazed the poor woman and I wouldn't be surprised if her ears are still ringing!
Plans for the rest of the week include training Tom on the business elements of Social Media so he can help me with my new business, making a start on homemade Christmas presents before the Secret Santa deadline and having a lot of chicken soup which is my current food craving!
Hopefully I might find some time between all the napping and eating to write a blog post or two as well. ;)
Have a good week!
xx
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Electronic Devices Prevent Proper Sleep
Sorry for the time lapse since my last post, it's been a busy two weeks getting ready for another operation this Friday. I've also been setting up a new business and that's taken off quicker than I ever imagined so it's been all go on that front too!
Things might be a little hit and miss for a few weeks while I'm recovering or I could be posting daily from boredom - we'll wait and see! But either way bear with me, I've got lots of exciting things to share with you over the coming months. :)
For now I wanted to share this article with you:
Things might be a little hit and miss for a few weeks while I'm recovering or I could be posting daily from boredom - we'll wait and see! But either way bear with me, I've got lots of exciting things to share with you over the coming months. :)
For now I wanted to share this article with you:
Light From Electronic Devices Prevents Proper Night's Sleep
The results of the study are really interesting and I've experienced first hand the difference having no devices can make. I have to put my hand up and say I've been sleeping with either a lamp or fairy lights on pretty much my entire life. When I was old enough to go without a night light I was sleeping in the attic room with a ladder, so I had a small light to stop me falling in the night and I never really grew out of that habit.
Since reading the above report I thought I'd experiment a little, first banning our mobiles from the bedroom (I'm a 4am facebook surfer) and then turning the fairy lights off too. I found my quality of sleep improved instantly - just 3 nights in and I'm falling asleep much faster, being less restless and waking up naturally before my alarm rather than groaning and hitting snooze. Mid-night bathroom visits have become a bit riskier and we need to find a solution to the loud ticking of our new alarm clock, but overall I'm very happy with the results. :)
And of course I have to mention the eco benefit of not having the light on all night - a habit I was reluctant to break but am glad I did!
What do you think? Are you tempted to have a technology ban in the bedroom to see the results? Let me know in the comments below. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
New Fishies
I'd like you all to meet our new fishies! We have Charles & Petunia, Kenneth, Florence & Charlotte plus Francis the shrimp who doesn't appear in the photo. I apologise for the poor quality picture - its night time so we have the light off while they all sleep. I'll post a better one when I remember to take one in daytime!
We're going to be coming up with background blogs for each of them and sharing stories about them as their characters emerge. Charles is particularly funny to watch and he keeps dancing with Petunia. :)
Its so lovely having a tank in the house. Its relaxing watching them already so I can imagine they'll be bringing much happiness for years to come!
Delivery!
Much to Tom's amusement, I've been saving these parcels until they'd all arrived so I could open them all at once. They're the ingredients for some of the gifts I am making for Christmas and I cannot wait to get started!
I'm still gathering bits and pieces for the overall present, but now these things have arrived I can get on with step one. :-)
Are you making presents for people this Christmas? Let me know what you'll be doing in the comments!
How To: Turn a Jumper Into a Cat Bed
We have 3 cats, 2 of which are outdoor cats who sleep in the shed. We've had one of those climbing towers since the 2 younger cats were kittens and it's in a precarious state of disrepair these days. It's still their bed in the shed, although they've grown so much that only one can fit on at a time now. Through the summer this wasn't a problem but as the days are getting colder it means one cat is sleeping on the cold shed floor.
Rather than buy a new cat bed that'd cost anywhere from £15-30 for something cosy, I thought I'd turn my hand to upcycling and see what I could create. I'd seen a post on Facebook months ago showing how someone else had turned an old jumper into a bed and since Tom had a pile of jumpers waiting to go to charity I nabbed one!
Here is how I did it in picture form...
 |
| Sew up the neck hole |
 |
| Sew from armpit to armpit then stuff the arms & neck to create the sides of the bed |
 |
| Tuck the end of one arm into the other then stitch them together |
 |
| Pad the body of the jumper and trim the excess from the bottom, turn it over and stitch the body to the arms |
 |
| And you're done! Donate to a furry friend |
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Recipe: Endo-Friendly Moroccan Chicken & Lemon Cous-Cous
As some of you will know each week we make a meal plan so that we can keep our food costs down and also get everything in one shop rather than going to and fro all week for things we need.
Monday is meal plan & shopping day, so I usually spend the better part of the morning doing a quick inventory of the freezer and cupboards to see what we've got, then coming up with meals for the week. Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays tend to be my favourite days to cook something new as those are my days off and I can generally spend more time preparing an exciting meal.
Monday is meal plan & shopping day, so I usually spend the better part of the morning doing a quick inventory of the freezer and cupboards to see what we've got, then coming up with meals for the week. Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays tend to be my favourite days to cook something new as those are my days off and I can generally spend more time preparing an exciting meal.
Since starting the Endo Diet food has lost some of its appeal to us, which is a little depressing. As much as I enjoyed being inventive at first, trying to come up with exciting new ways to present what is essentially chicken or turkey and veg has become a bit of a chore. So yesterday I made an extra effort to come up with meals that sounded full of flavour and was really quite pleased with myself when I fell upon a recipe for Moroccan Chicken & Lemon Cous-Cous! Not only did it sound delicious, it was also an opportunity to attempt cooking with bone-in chicken thighs. For those who don't know me that well, I have never even eaten food with bones in before unless it was a surprise and in all occassions I stopped eating as soon as I found out. Something about it freaks me out. But in the name of money saving and on a quest for flavourful foods, I took a deep breath and jumped right in to this new experiment.
I had a little waver upon seeing them at the shop and another upon seeing the bones at first at home, but after seeing the price I pushed through. £4 got us 1.1kg of chicken thighs! To put that into context; the packets of 450g of chicken breast are also £4, so we got almost 3 times the meat for the same price. So on the back of last nights' success, I've been convinced to try AFC (Ami Fried Chicken!) using chicken wings or drumsticks in future. I'm a bone-in convert...for chicken at least!
And so on to the recipe...
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients:
4-8 Bone-in Chicken Thighs
2-4tsp Turmeric
1-2tbsp Garam Masala
Pinch of Salt
Sunflower Oil
1 Onion, finely sliced
1-2 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced
500ml Chicken Stock
Juice from 1 Lemon
125-250g Gluten Free Cous Cous
Parsley to garnish
Method:
1. Heat some oil in a large pan, coat the chicken thighs in half the spices and place skin-down in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes before removing them from the pan.
2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry until golden.
3. Add in the remaining spices and cook for another minute. (I forgot to do this bit and it still turned out yummy!)
4. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil, before placing the chicken back in the pan skin side up.
5. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 35-40 minutes. (I didn't cover it and the stock concentrated down nicely, but I did have to add more water in later for the cous cous to cook.)
6. Remove the chicken and take the pan off the heat.
7. Stir in the lemon juice a cous-cous, topping up water if necessary, then leave to stand for 5 minutes/until the cous cous is cooked through.
8. Fluff through the cous cous and place the chicken back on top.
9. Garnish with parsley and serve!
 |
| I forgot to take a picture of our meal last night so this picture is taken from the recipe! |
The Uprising Bakery and Cafe
Last month it was my friend Rachel's birthday and everyone went for a meal and a night out to celebrate. I was heartbroken I couldn't go, but with my diet and my early bedtime at the moment I would've been a dead bore for everyone. On a hen night I attended earlier in the year I'd met a lovely girl called Ellie who runs a vegan, gluten free cafe in Bristol and as a birthday treat I decided to take Rachel who's also on a gluten free diet. :)
The Uprising Bakery and Cafe is a sweet little cafe with delicate tea cups and eclectic furniture. They have a menu of savoury and sweet foods such as soups, pizzas and cakes that are all handmade on the premises not to mention quite a wide range of scrummy herbal teas.
Rachel and I shared a pot of wild berry tea (which tasted mildly of black jelly babies in my opinion!) and Rach had a red velvet cupcake while I had a yummy slice vegan banana bread. It was all absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced considering the usual raised price of anything gluten free.
Once you factor in the enjoyable walk there from the Cabot Circus car park and the lovely antique jumble shop across the road that I fell in love with, it made for a cheerful afternoon. :) Definitely something I'll be repeating when I'm in need of an endo-friendly sweet fix!
 |
| Yummy wild berry tea! |
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Exciting Delivery!
I've not been having the best week diet-wise and since having my last Zoladex I've been pretty tired and grumpy (much to Tom's dismay!) so up to now I didn't have anything to share with you guys. But today I got a very exciting delivery - the things I need to get started on Christmas presents!
Normally I'd keep it all top secret as family and friends read this, but I've been so excited by it all that I've told most of them anyway! In the picture you can see silicon moulds, lollipop sticks and cellophane wrap, which will eventually come together with some scrummy ingredients to make hot chocolate on a stick! I've got some other plans for gifts too, so there'll still be surprises for any relatives that spot this post.
I can't wait to get started with testing recipes and wrap ideas. :)
Will you be making any presents this year?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Recipe: Endo-Friendly Banana 'Ice-Cream'
I chose this recipe today to celebrate as today was the last Zoladex injection I need before my lap next month! Avoiding dairy and sugar has been difficult (and I've slipped quite a bit on sugar..) so finding this recipe has been a god send. This is definitely one for your sweet tooth, saved for those occassions when you absolutely need something sweet but don't want to slip off the bandwagon. Obviously it isn't real ice-cream, but it's close enough! It does take some pre-planning and you may not get to the ice-cream stage - while preparing my first attempt I couldn't wait for it to freeze and ended up with ice-cold mashed banana! :)
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 Banana
Fruit Syrup (optional)
Method:
1. Break the banana up into chunks
2. Freeze then part-thaw the banana
3. Blend the banana until it's smooth and creamy
4. Serve with fruit syrup
Very budget friendly, very tastebud friendly!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 Banana
Fruit Syrup (optional)
Method:
1. Break the banana up into chunks
2. Freeze then part-thaw the banana
3. Blend the banana until it's smooth and creamy
4. Serve with fruit syrup
Very budget friendly, very tastebud friendly!
Recipe: Endo-Friendly Homemade KFC
One of the things I've missed most since starting the Endo diet is fast food. Aside from hot curries, there are very few meals you can get from a takeaway that don't have ingredients you need to avoid in them. So imagine my delight when a friend of mine says she has a recipe for homemade KFC. :) I tried it this evening and it was nom, so I thought I'd share it with you!
It's healthier than KFC (who knows what else they put in it!), cheaper than KFC (the price of chicken plus a small amount of flour, spices and oil is a lot less than a takeaway) and better for the environment too - no wrappers to go in the bin. If I'd known about this recipe in my pre-diet days I'm not sure I'd ever have had KFC!
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts cut into pieces
Flour (I used rice flour but any gluten-free one should do)
Spices (I used paprika, cayenne pepper, asafoetida, oregano, thyme, chilli flakes, minced garlic)
Egg replacer
Olive Oil
Method:
1. Pre-heat the over to 22C
2. Mix the flour and the spices together in a bag (I used 4 tablespoons of flour and that was WAY too much - 2 should be more than enough)
3. Add about 1cm of oil to the bottom of a square glass dish
4. Dip the chicken into the egg replacer and place it in the bag, shaking it so that the chicken is fully coated (1-2 pieces at a time so that it doesn't all stick together)
5. Place the chicken in the dish, repeat until all the chicken is coated
6. Cook for 30 minutes, turn, then cook for a further 15 minutes
7. Remove from oil and place on a piece of kitchen roll to drain
8. Serve and enjoy!
It's healthier than KFC (who knows what else they put in it!), cheaper than KFC (the price of chicken plus a small amount of flour, spices and oil is a lot less than a takeaway) and better for the environment too - no wrappers to go in the bin. If I'd known about this recipe in my pre-diet days I'm not sure I'd ever have had KFC!
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts cut into pieces
Flour (I used rice flour but any gluten-free one should do)
Spices (I used paprika, cayenne pepper, asafoetida, oregano, thyme, chilli flakes, minced garlic)
Egg replacer
Olive Oil
Method:
1. Pre-heat the over to 22C
2. Mix the flour and the spices together in a bag (I used 4 tablespoons of flour and that was WAY too much - 2 should be more than enough)
3. Add about 1cm of oil to the bottom of a square glass dish
4. Dip the chicken into the egg replacer and place it in the bag, shaking it so that the chicken is fully coated (1-2 pieces at a time so that it doesn't all stick together)
5. Place the chicken in the dish, repeat until all the chicken is coated
6. Cook for 30 minutes, turn, then cook for a further 15 minutes
7. Remove from oil and place on a piece of kitchen roll to drain
8. Serve and enjoy!
.jpg) |
| Chicken ready to go in the oven! |
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Recipe: Endo-Friendly Spicy Lentil and Chicken Soup
This is a new twist on an old favourite of ours and is really simple to make. Spicy chicken soup is a fall-back whenever we fancy something satisfying, warming but still healthy and budget-friendly - it really hits all bases! I especially like this recipe as you can get away with just 1 large chicken breast for 2 people. Chicken isn't cheap (there's a pun there somewhere) so needing half the amount definitely helps the food bill. I was doubtful when I first tried it, but you really do end up with a LOT of chicken once it's shredded. If you're not a fan of spicy foods it's really simple to swap out the spices and put herbs like Basil, Thyme and Parsley in their place too.
(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
100g Red Split Lentils
Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1 Large Chicken Breast
400ml Chicken Stock
270g Crushed Tomatoes
1tsp Cumin
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Black Pepper
Method:
(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
100g Red Split Lentils
Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1 Large Chicken Breast
400ml Chicken Stock
270g Crushed Tomatoes
1tsp Cumin
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Black Pepper
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion, carrot and garlic - cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken, cumin and cayenne and cook fur a further 5 minutes until the chicken starts to brown.
- Stir in the stock and water then simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove and set aside the chicken and add the lentils and tomatoes, leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes. While the soup is simmering, shred the chicken breast.
- Add the chicken back to the soup and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.
- Season to taste and serve.
For a naughty added extra crush some lightly salted corn chips (make sure they're gluten/soya/milk free - Asda Smart Price ones are but don't know about other brands) and sprinkle them over the top for a crunchy layer.
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Busy, busy, busy!
Sorry for the lack of posting over the last week or so! I'm currently halfway between my 2 ops so I'm making the most of being able to do stuff with my family. :) When I recover from my next op it won't be far from Christmas and the weather will be gross so I'm enjoying everything while I can.
The weekend before last we went to Leicester to visit Tom's parents and were very spoiled. :) It was lovely seeing them sooner than planned and we've already arranged our next visit which makes a change!
Then the weekend just gone we went with my grandparents to their caravan so we were even more spoiled! The weather was crap but we still had a good time. My Nan took up to a wholefoods store in Sidmouth and I found my heaven. Nan treated me to things like endo-friendly pancakes, rice flour and even some raw chocolate covered raisins which are incredibly yummy.
That's it for weekend adventures now until after my op (that I know of...) but I've downloaded the Blogger app so that I can keep blogging on the move if things change. Can't believe I didn't think of it sooner to be honest!
I've slipped up on the diet through all this, despite doing my best to keep with it. I'll definitely be looking into easier ways to stick to the diet while on the move and of course I'll be sharing that with you!
So you can look forward to a few more recipes coming up - I especially want to share the Harissa chicken traybake that Tom's mum made for us which was lovely!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
A note to friends and family...
Something I've noticed about endometriosis is that this disease has taken over my entire
life. That seems like a dramatic statement, but it's all I think about and I talk about little else too. I didn't mean it
to and I certainly don't want it to, but for now it seems it has. When asked how I am there's nothing else to talk about as it's crept into every aspect of my life. Our finances have been stretched and twisted in ways we didn't think possible. Every meal
has to be carefully planned and work days sometimes take crazy tangents as we
deal with my various symptoms. Trips to see the in-laws are no longer simple
and my answers to invitations now have the suffix "...as long as I'm not
too tired/in pain/recovering from my op/etc."
The biggest thing affected has to be my social life. Most people have been understanding when receiving the above response and I can't thank them enough for all of their support. But already I can see disbelief in some
people's eyes (or feel it in their messages) that I could be so far affected by endo that it would prevent me from doing x, y or z.
To those people I say this: I know you're
skeptical. If you haven't experienced the unpredictability of this illness
before then to even imagine the extent it can affect your life will be
difficult. But please believe me when I say I want to be at your event/see you
socially/whatever else you've invited me to do. I would love to say an
unequivocal 'Yes' without the ifs, buts and maybes attached. There is nothing I want more than to socialise, celebrate and experience things with my friends and family. Please know that
if I have to back out of plans, it is upsetting me more than its disappointing
you.
My body has become unpredictable. I can be fine one minute and in pain or exhausted the next. My hormones flip upside down without warning and a light-hearted joke can shatter me in an instant. That sounds dramatic and I assure you it is.
I put up with it because it's also allowed me the most heart-felt belly laughs I've had in years. The true friends have stepped forward in my life and my family relationships have never been so strong. I have a sense of purpose in life and I've found my energy again (around lots of naps!).
My life is a whirlwind of symptoms and emotions at the moment so forward planning is near impossible. My social life has become a juggling act and occassionally some things will drop. But if you're a true friend and you stick with me through it all I can promise that any time there's a choice over what to drop, it won't be you.
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Hospitals, Hormones and The Traumatic Incident of the Dog in the Evening.
Monday marked exactly 1 month from the day I was discharged from hospital, which surprised me! It seems like no time at all! To celebrate, yesterday I went to the doctors for my second Zoladex implant and to the hospital for my post-op check up. Seems like an odd way to celebrate, but that's the medical profession for you. ;)
I'm happy to say that all went well. The implant wasn't half as scary as I was worried it would be! As for the hospital check up, everything was better than they'd expected, which can only be good! Both cysts have shrunk - the larger one is now half the size which is pretty impressive! So they're happy to go ahead with my next surgery in October, which is great news.
The only downside so far are the mood swings and hot flushes. I've not quite turned into a fire-breathing city-destroying monster, but irritability is never too far and more recently I've been feeling quite fragile and easily upset. Not to mention turning into a furnace at the drop of a hat!
This all came to a spectacular explosion after a particularly traumatic incident yesterday evening with the neighbours dog that left me a shaking mess in our hallway! (No dogs or Amis were hurt, just mentally scarred for life...)
So if I'm snappy, over-react or just seem plain grumpy, please forgive me. There is hormonal warfare currently taking place in my body and right now I'm not winning!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Recipe: Endo Friendly Chicken Goulash
Today I decided to use the slower cooker that's been collecting dust since we moved in! Tom had work and I was feeling particularly lazy, so a batch of slow-cooked chicken goulash found its way onto the menu. It's incredibly simple to make and takes between 2.5-6 hours to cook depending on the setting you use. Prep time is only about 10-15 minutes so it really is a hands off meal!
Serves 6 (I froze 4 portions for later meals)
Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 an onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1kg chicken breast
1 1/2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1tbsp brown sugar
1tbsp paprika
3 handfuls of red lentils
other seasoning to taste (I used sage, mint, parsley & chilli flakes)
water/tomato puree can be used to thin/thicken it as you like
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, saute until cooked through and add to the slow cooker.
2. Cook the pepper and garlic in the pan then add to the slow cooker.
3. Add all of the other ingredients (minus the 'other seasoning' and lentils) to the slow cooker and mix together.
4. Cook for 2.5-3 hours on High or 5-6 hours on Low.
5. Remove the chicken and shred it.
6. Add the chicken, lentils and other seasoning to the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes on High or 30 minutes on Low.
7. Serve and enjoy!
I especially liked this recipe as it was something I could share with Tom - he cleared his bowl! Half the battle of the endo diet is feeling like you can't share meals with other people without feeling like they're giving up a good meal, so this was a real relief. :) It's also a budget-friendly meal, especially when done as a big batch. The chicken was the biggest expense at £6 but the rest cost no more than a few pence per ingredient, bringing the cost per portion to less than £1.50!
Serves 6 (I froze 4 portions for later meals)
Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 an onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1kg chicken breast
1 1/2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1tbsp brown sugar
1tbsp paprika
3 handfuls of red lentils
other seasoning to taste (I used sage, mint, parsley & chilli flakes)
water/tomato puree can be used to thin/thicken it as you like
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, saute until cooked through and add to the slow cooker.
2. Cook the pepper and garlic in the pan then add to the slow cooker.
3. Add all of the other ingredients (minus the 'other seasoning' and lentils) to the slow cooker and mix together.
4. Cook for 2.5-3 hours on High or 5-6 hours on Low.
5. Remove the chicken and shred it.
6. Add the chicken, lentils and other seasoning to the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes on High or 30 minutes on Low.
7. Serve and enjoy!
I especially liked this recipe as it was something I could share with Tom - he cleared his bowl! Half the battle of the endo diet is feeling like you can't share meals with other people without feeling like they're giving up a good meal, so this was a real relief. :) It's also a budget-friendly meal, especially when done as a big batch. The chicken was the biggest expense at £6 but the rest cost no more than a few pence per ingredient, bringing the cost per portion to less than £1.50!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
