Trim Healthy Mama Plan (29 page)

Snack Ideas for the Week

Celery and peanut butter / fruit and a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick or fruit with cottage cheese / a handful or two of nuts / lettuce wraps with mayo, cheese, and pickles with tea made with a scoop of collagen / hard-boiled eggs / any cracker or chip from the “Crackers, Chips, and Dips” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
/any sweet treat made from “Sweet Treats” in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
/ any drink made from “Beverages” in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook

T
he difference between Trim Healthy Mama and many other plans out there is that you can customize this one for your own challenges. You may have to leave out a food or two that others get to enjoy, but you'll still have plenty of “can haves.” Even with multiple allergies you're still likely to be able to enjoy meat, fish, healthy fats such as oils and butter (or ghee or coconut oil), fruit, lush greens, certain grains such as quinoa, rice, and buckwheat—and not too many people are allergic to sweet potatoes. Focus happy thoughts on your own friendly-food list and learn to thrive in your unique Trim Healthy Mama pasture.

When you think about it, many people live on a very insular diet with just a handful of staples that they rotate. Chicken nuggets, fries, burgers, cereals, pasta, crackers, a lettuce leaf or two, an occasional slice of tomato, processed cheese, ketchup, sugar, and the occasional banana. That is pretty common for a standard American diet. Compare that to your healthy list. Who has it better, even if you do have to be gluten- or dairy-free?

Think of all the wonderful meal creations you can make living in a land of plenty. Our problems are all relative when you think of what some people in Third World countries in extreme poverty get to choose from. When you have options to eat other than just rice or beans, you are blessed! It is up to you whether you'll see your food restrictions as a wonderful challenge or as a burden that robs your daily joy. Your challenges can open up a whole new world of exciting foods and culinary adventures that those with iron stomachs will never be inspired to try.

Having a
food sensitivity doesn't necessarily mean you'll have to remove the culprit food for life. Sometimes it is the processing of a food that causes inflammation and reaction. Some people find that when they replace the processed, refined, or pasteurized offenders with raw pastured dairy or cultured/fermented ancient versus hybridized grains, their body can tolerate them quite nicely.

In other instances it is just the overdoing of certain foods that causes problems for those of us with sensitive stomachs. High
fiber and
fermented foods can easily turn from helpful to hurtful if we don't tune in to our own unique and necessary stopping points. Even the healthiest foods like kefir, sauerkraut, broccoli, cabbage, flaxseeds, nuts, and Gluccie can cause us trouble if we eat too much of them or do not give ourselves natural rests from them. Just as exercise and sunshine can quickly turn from healthy to harmful, so too can certain ultra-healthy foods if we don't use caution. If your tummy is throwing a fit, ask yourself, “Am I overdoing something?” then simply give that food a time-out. When you go back to it, take it more gently and in smaller amounts.

It is super-trendy to go gluten-free these days but fewer than one person in one hundred has true
celiac disease, which is an inherited autoimmune disorder. People with
gluten sensitivity often suffer from annoying gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms or sometimes develop strange skin rashes, but this is very different from celiac disease, in which gluten actually destroys intestinal tissue and can even be a life-threatening ailment.

Obviously, most people who decide to go gluten-free are not true celiacs. We all need to ask ourselves if we truly do have gluten intolerance or if we are just joining the gluten-despising in crowd. Gluten is a protein, not a manmade toxic chemical. God put it in certain grains for a reason. Man messed with grains such as modern wheat to push gluten to unnatural levels so bread could have that soft, fluffy texture. Avoiding modern wheat varieties and eating grains that are still untampered with should not pose such GI stress. Of course, after years of gluten abuse some of us need to take a complete break from gluten grains to allow our bodies a time of healing before introducing healthier varieties.

True life-threatening food
allergies are another story and cannot be experimented with. In these cases offending foods need to stay completely out of the picture. Those with
Hashimoto's disease (an autoimmune
thyroid condition) often need to be much more careful about including foods containing gluten and dairy no matter the source. The school of thought is that those with Hashimoto's also usually suffer from a
leaky gut (this
theory is debated by some but is the current school of thought).
Gluten passes through the damaged intestinal walls and enters the bloodstream. This is when the trouble starts. The molecular structure of gliadin, which is the protein portion of gluten, closely resembles that of the thyroid gland. When the gluten protein infiltrates the bloodstream, the body goes on a high threat alert. It attacks not only this protein but thyroid cells as well.

It appears to be unknown whether the link between Hashimoto's disease and a leaky gut is always present. There may be cases in which a person suffers from Hashimoto's but has an intact intestinal lining and, in this scenario, gluten would not pose such a problem. However, we hear from many women with autoimmune thyroid issues who seem to do much better completely avoiding gluten and often dairy, too. See
Chapter 17
, “Affordable Superfoods,” for how okra may help with leaky gut.

Gluten-free is easy-peasy as a Trim Healthy Mama. No, you won't be eating the Franken—oops, Personal Choice—low-carb wraps and pitas that many other Trim Healthy Mamas enjoy; but look on the bright side, that can be a good thing because they can be too easily overdone. You will be eating most of our bread and muffin recipes, which are naturally gluten-free. Trim Healthy Mama Baking Blend is certified gluten-free, which means pizza crusts, breads, muffins, pancakes, and cookies won't be left off your plate. Grocery shelves are lined with new gluten-free products, but many of these do your waistline no favors due to their high-carb or -calorie content. Now you can avoid gluten and slim down at the same time.

Some of us thrive on cultured dairy products such as Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. All that lean protein helps our bodies shed unnecessary weight, and the more we have of the stuff, the more we lose. That may not be true in every case. If you have Hashimoto's disease or other issues, dairy and you may not play well together. Sometimes dairy can cause inflammation, weight gain, gut problems, and even some strange skin issues. At first glance some of the recipes we talk about, such as Cheeseburger Pie, may have you doubting Trim Healthy Mama can work for you. It absolutely can. We have included many
dairy-free recipes in our companion cookbook. Try our dairy-free Hello Cheese recipe to fill your life with cheesiness once again. Suffering without yogurt? Many call our NoGurt recipe even better than the real thing! Desserts won't be a problem, either. Skinny Chocolate is completely dairy-free. Ice Cream? You betcha. Try Tummy Spa Ice Cream, Tummy Tucking Ice Cream, or Polar Bear Soft Serve (if you can tolerate whey protein) found in the “Frozen Treats” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
.

Perhaps you are allergic to certain nuts and wonder what on earth you'll eat on a plan like Trim Healthy Mama, which is nut-friendly. We mention almond
milk frequently, but if you have an allergy to almonds, there are plenty of alternatives: Cashew, coconut, or flaxseed milk in unsweetened form will be wonderful replacements. Don't overlook the ease of our Foundation Milk recipe, which is a superhealthy option and very budget friendly (see the “More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
).

Choose
seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds over nuts for snacks if you have allergies. Our Baking Blend does have a small amount of almond flour in it so if you have an allergy to almonds, you can get great baking results using an equal mix of our THM oat fiber and flax meal. There are the rare few people who cannot tolerate coconut in any form, even coconut oil. Try cooking with red palm oil or butter. Light sautéing with extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil should be okay sometimes, too.

Just like with grain and dairy, the source of your eggs may be triggering your sensitivity. Battery cage–raised hens that are fed high-gluten grains and an imbalanced fatty acid ratio can result in many needless
egg intolerances. Eggs from pastured hens may make all the difference in your tolerance to them.

If your body is currently uneasy with eggs, take a break for a month or two before you switch to healthier egg sources. This will help allow your system to heal from the prior inflammation so your test on adding healthier eggs back into your diet will be more accurate.

Here is a helpful
egg substitute for baking needs:

Final note: Along with adding okra to your diet to help heal sensitivities, also be mindful to supplement with gelatin or make your own bone stock, as this can soothe an inflamed, impaired gut as well. We created a drink that includes both of those healers specifically to help with gut problems and food sensitivities. Check out our Sensitive Big Boy smoothie in the “Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
.

A
LLERGEN
-F
REE
I
DEA
M
ENU

The following menu is completely free of gluten, dairy, soy, and eggs, given that those are the four most common food offenders. We have not taken out all nuts, but peanuts are not part of it since they are the most common nut allergy. Most dairy-intolerant people can still add Pristine Whey Protein Powder since it is naturally lactose-free, but some people do have an allergy to the dairy protein itself. For this reason we have not included it in this menu.

Day 1

BREAKFAST—E

Creamy Grains made with quinoa and blueberries (“Good Morning Grains” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—FP

Tuscan Tomato Soup (“Quick Single Soups” chapter) with Crunkers (egg-white-free version) (“Crackers, Chips, and Dips” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) and 1 teaspoon ghee (this is tolerated better by most dairy-free folk than butter) or plan-approved oil

DINNER—S

Taco Salad (“Family Salads” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) with grated Hello Cheese (“Condiments and Extras” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

Day 2

BREAKFAST—FP

Sensitive Big Boy (“Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

Loaded Crunkers (egg-white-free version) (“Crackers, Chips, and Dips” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) with avocado, sliced Hello Cheese (“Condiments and Extras” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
), tomato, and natural deli meat / Beauty Milk (“More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Tomato Chicken Bisque (“Family Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / side salad

Day 3

BREAKFAST—S

Sautéed sausage, tomato, and onion scramble (add matchstick sliced radishes if desired) / a Healing Trimmy (“Hot Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy
Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

Superfood-Loaded Salad—S (“Quick Single Salads” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—E

Sweet Potato Bar (“Oven-Baked or Roasted Meats” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) but omit Greek yogurt and include grated Hello Cheese (“Condiments and Extras” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

Day 4

BREAKFAST—S

Breakfast-size Chia Pud (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / tea with an added scoop of collagen

LUNCH—FP OR S

Cheesy Dream Soup (“Quick Single Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) with Crunkers topped with optional ghee or virgin coconut oil to swing into S mode (“Crackers, Chips, and Dips” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—E

Wipe Your Mouth BBQ (“Crockpot Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) with quinoa / Light and Lovely Coleslaw (“Sides” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

Day 5

BREAKFAST—E

Sweet Dreams Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal using a scoop of Integral Collagen in place of Pristine Whey Protein (“Good Morning Grains” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—FP

Creamless Creamy Chicken (“Quick Single Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) using Laughin' Mama Cheese (“Condiments and Extras”
chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / sliced cucumber sprinkled with high-mineral salt

DINNER—S

Cashew Chicken (“Family Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / side salad

Day 6

BREAKFAST—S

Berries and NoGurt (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

Crispy Salmon Siesta (“Quick Single Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / salad with avocado, tomato, and Tangy and Sweet Vinaigrette (“Condiments and Extras” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Enchilada Wonder Casserole, dairy-free version (“Oven Dishes” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)