Healthy Natural Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Hey y'all!  So, I think we've already established that I LOVE Fall.  With Fall, comes my favorite treats.  Pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie flavored EVERYTHING!!!  Yeah.  I'm THAT person. LOL!  The only problem I find, when it comes to those delectable treats, is that they are rarely endo diet friendly.  Luckily, I can help with at least one sweet treat.  If it's Fall in your house, then you most likely already have these ingredients in your pantry.  I keep pumpkin puree in my pantry all year because of its health benefits.  It's just SO SO good for you!  Enough jibber jabber, though.  Lets get to the CREAMY, SMOOTH, and OH SO SWEET recipe!




Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

(Endo Diet Friendly!!!)




Ingredients:
1 can of Pumpkin Puree
2 just over ripe bananas
1/3 cup of Organic raw and unfiltered Honey
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or to taste.  I added more because I like a stronger flavor)
2 tsp Allspice (or to taste.  Again, I added more)
Almond milk (or your non dairy non soy milk of choice)


Directions:
In a blender, blend together pumpkin puree, bananas, honey, and spices.  Taste test to see if you need to add more spices or not.  I added more because I like a strong pumpkin pie taste.

When it gets to your desired taste, pour into a freezer safe tupperware bowl with a lid and freeze 6-8 hours or over night.

When ready to serve, you can either take it out for 30 minutes to let thaw a bit, or heat a sharp ice cream scoop under hot water and scoop out desired about into your blender.  The pumpkin mix will be pretty hard.  This is where the almond milk comes in to turn it into creamy smooth heaven.

Add the almond milk a cup at a time, blend, and keep scraping down the sides.  Add until you reach your desired thickness.  Then spoon out into a cup or bowl and enjoy!!

I was in shock at how delicious and creamy this turned out to be.  It tasted JUST how I wanted and satisfied my pumpkin pie sweet tooth.  I hope y'all enjoy this recipe as much as my 2 year old and I do.  It's so amazingly good.  The perfect cold Fall treat!

Stay safe and God Bless,
Ashley Brooke

15 Bean soup with Meat!

Happy first day of Autumn, Endo sisters, family, and friends!  It's my favorite season and with it comes comfy clothes, gorgeous colors, and GREAT comfort foods!  I've been so busy and so much has happened since my last post.  My husband came home just in time to get me pregnant and had to leave again for 4 months.  I was diagnosed with PCOS as well and was told that it's a wonder that I was able to have my son, let alone get pregnant again.  I am now 24 weeks and we found out we are having a girl!!  This will be the first girl born, on my husband's side, since 1914.  So crazy and exciting!!  God is so good!

In honor of the first day of Fall, and because I'm seriously craving it, I decided to share one of my favorite fall recipes.  It's a 15 bean soup with sausage and chicken.  I use to make it with pork sausage, but for the endo diet I traded it for turkey sausage and it's still SO good!  I hope y'all enjoy it as much as my family and I do!  It's the perfect fall comfort meal when a strong cold front blows in.

******EDF = Endo Diet Friendly - meaning gluten, soy, milk, etc. free******

15 Bean and Meat Soup
****The beans will need to soak for AT LEAST 12 hours before you start cooking.****

Ingredients:
1 20oz bag of 15 Bean Soup
1 16oz package of EDF Turkey breakfast sausage (cooked) (I use Jenni-O's brand)
2 shredded breasts of cooked EDF rotisserie chicken
2 EDF Chicken bouillon cubes (I use the brand "Edward & Son" that I get at Whole Foods)
1 32oz box of Swanson's organic chicken broth (or your favorite organic EDF brand)
1 can of stewed tomatoes
3 Tbsp of onion powder
2 cups of water
Salt and pepper to taste (I find it has enough saltiness and spice with just the breakfast sausage)

These are the beans I use.   I just toss out the seasoning packet 

that comes with it and use the chicken bouillon cubes.

These are the ONLY endo diet friendly bouillon cubes I could find.

You can, usually, find them at Whole Foods.

Directions:
In a colander, rinse the beans until the water is clear and not cloudy.  Then place them in a large bowl and fill with 8 cups of water.  Then place them somewhere with a towel over them and let them soak for 12 hours.  Overnight is best so you can start cooking the next day.  I've even let them soak for 2 days and they were pretty amazing.

After 24 hours, rinse the beans again, in a colander, until the water is clear.  Throw the beans into the crock pot and add the 32 oz of chicken stock and 2 cups of water.  In a skillet, cook the sausage until browned and throw it in the crockpot along with the shredded chicken breast, the 2 bouillon cubes, and the onion powder.  Stir gently,  but leave the beans on the bottom, then set on low for 6-8 hours.  I say 6-8 because everyone's crockpot cooks differently.  Check on it at 6 hours and if the beans are not soft enough, cook for an addition 2.

Here's the finished product.  My 2 year old even loved it, and that's rare!

I absolutely LOVE this recipe.  It has SO much fiber and protein and really warms your insides on a cool fall evening.  If you have any questions about this recipe, please don't be afraid to ask.  I'll answer to the best of my ability and as quick as I can.  I hope y'all enjoy this!  Let me know how it turns out for you! Stay strong, endo sisters, and God Bless!

Love,
Ashley B.

Endo Diet Friendly Salmon and Asparagus Meal!

I know that being on the endo diet seems like everything is going to be bland and lacking in almost everything our tastebuds enjoy.  The great news is that THAT is completely not true.  You just have to know what spices and condiments to throw together to wake up your taste buds again.  This diet CAN be enjoyable.  I promise you!  What I have been doing is making up my own recipes while sticking to the rules of the diet.  And, ladies, I have made some amazing things!  I LOVE flavor.   If something doesn't have much flavor to it, then it doesn't get eaten.  I'm stubborn that way. :-D

It's so beautiful!!  It was SOOO yummy!!

The other night I created an awesome baked salmon dinner with some heavenly asparagus for a side and endo friendly white sauce (optional).  Now, I'm not big on asparagus unless it's cooked just right and, like I said previously, has a lot of flavor.  It was all packed with great flavor!  So let's get to it so y'all can enjoy as well!



Baked Salmon

Ingredients:

2 Salmon steaks (I got a 16 oz salmon steak and cut it in half for perfect portions)1/2 Lemon

Lemon Pepper

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Sea Salt

Safflower Oil



Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°.
If you got one big salmon steak, cut in half to make 2 portions then place on plate (skin down) for seasoning.  There is no correct order to seasoning and I "eyeball" how much I sprinkle onto the salmon.  Sprinkle all of the seasonings onto the tops of the salmon.  Cut the lemon in half (save the other half for the other recipe) and squeeze the juice of it on the salmon.  Sprinkle a little Safflower Oil on a non-stick baking sheet (just on the area where you're going to set the salmon on.  Place the salmon skin down on the baking sheet and toss in the oven for 12-15 minutes.  Everyone's oven is different so the times will be different.  When your salmon is done, it will have a pale appearance and flake when punctured and twisted with a fork.  If it is done, Enjoy!  If not, then place in the oven for a few more minutes.

Endo Friendly White Sauce  (for the salmon)

This is the Mayo that I use for EVERYTHING!!
It's Egg, Dairy, and Soy free!!!  I love mayo, so to find some that was
Endo diet friendly was a big deal to me! lol!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance Mindful Mayo
Apple Cider Vinegar to taste

Directions:

In a bowl mix mayo and vinegar until you like the taste and consistency.  It goes GREAT with the Salmon.


Sautéed Asparagus

Ingredients:

2 bundles of Asparagus

Safflower Oil

1/4 cup and a dash of Coconut Sugar

2 Tbsp of Onion Powder

2 Tbsp of Garlic Powder

1/2 Lemon

Dash of Pepper

Dash of Sea Salt


Directions:

In a skillet drizzle some Safflower Oil until bottom is almost covered.  Rinse off Asparagus and cut about 1-2 inches off of the bottom to discard.  Place the rest in the skillet and turn heat up to *Medium High* heat.  Drizzle a little more Safflower Oil over top then sprinkle the onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice from half a lemon, pepper and Sea Salt.  With some tongs, turn asparagus until they are all covered in the seasoning.  Then sprinkle the 1/4 cup of Coconut sugar over them and turn.  Cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes turning occasionally.  When they look tender, turn the heat down to *Medium Low* heat, turn them again, sprinkle the dash of coconut sugar on top, cover, and let cook for another 5-ish minutes.  Everyone likes their asparagus at a different texture so you could cook them more or less.  I like mine pretty soft.  When they are done, turn them one more time then place them on your plates and enjoy!!!


I hope y'all enjoy these recipes as much as I did.  Eating healthy doesn't have to mean flavorless eating.  Why not have the best of both worlds?  Healthy eating with tons of flavor.  Now that's my kind of diet!  Stay safe and God Bless, ladies!


Always,
Ashley Brooke

Gluten, Egg, Dairy, and Soy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!! (Endo Diet Friendly)

On the Endo Diet, with all it restrictions, it's hard to believe that you can have delicious food again.  Especially dessert foods.  Well, think again because I just made some seriously delicious gluten, egg, dairy, and soy free Chocolate Chip Cookies!!  I could go on and on about how good they are and the texture isn't grainy like some allergy free recipes, but I'll just go ahead and type up the recipe.  Nobody wants to read babble.  We just want COOKIES!!!  I hope y'all enjoy this!  They're so good they'll make your tongue beat your brains out!

The glorious mountain of cookies!
I couldn't wait until after the picture to take a bite. My bad, y'all! LOL!

Endo Diet Chocolate Chip Cookies
(GF = Gluten Free)



Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups GF Oat Flour   (I just took some old fashioned oats and blended them until it was powdery like flour)
• 1 cup GF All Purpose Baking Flour  (I used Bob's Red Mill brand)
• 1/4 cup Flaxseed Mill (Next time I'm going to use Chia Seeds since my mom and husband are allergic to flaxseed)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of Arrowroot Starch
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Refined Coconut oil
• 1 cup Raw Unfiltered Certified Organic Honey (I used a little less than a cup and they were perfect)
• 2 Tbsp GF Vanilla Extract
• Gluten, egg, dairy, nut, and Soy Free Chocolate chips!

  

  These are the chocolate chips I used and they are SO GOOD!!!
  I got them at Whole Foods Market!  They also make big chocolate chunks!

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 325°F.
2. Grease two cookie sheets or, for easy clean up, line them with Parchment Paper and set aside
3. In a medium bowl combine and whisk together all dry ingredients together.
4. In another bowl add the coconut oil and melt in the microwave completely then add the honey and vanilla extract.  They will not mix, but the heat from the melted coconut oil helps to soften the honey for mixing.
5. Add the wet ingredients with the dray and mix really well.  If the batter seems too runny, add more all purpose backing flour 1 Tbsp at a time until you get the desired consistency.
6. After batter is mixed, add as many chocolate chips as you'd like.  I used the whole bag because CHOCOLATE!
7. Using a spoon, scoop out a big strawberry sized portion and place them on the cookie sheets 1 1/2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 7 minutes then turn the cookie sheet and bake for another 7 minutes or until the cookies are are golden brown on the edges and look firm.  (Not doughy)
9. Let the cookies stand for 15 minutes before eating.  Or if you can't wait that long, at least wait until they wont sear your mouth and HAVE AT IT!!

Makes about 27 cookies depending on the amount of dough you drop.

I hope y'all enjoy these as much I do.  SOOO yummy!!  Have a blessed day, stay safe, and God Bless!!

~Ashley Brooke 

Sticking to a diet in 8 steps!

(I own no rights to this beachbody photo)
This is the workout that I do.  AMAZING!
I love this quote!

You keep hearing that phrase, "It takes 21 days to make or break a habit."  That would be GREAT if only it were true.  Starting a healthy diet and life style is one of the hardest things to do.  Especially when it's the Endo Diet and it seems like they take everything you love away from your plate and kitchen. (Can you sense my frustration. lol!)

Sometimes it's such a hard decision.  Unless your life depends on it.
Which it almost always does, if you think about it. . . . 

A new study found that it actually takes 66 days, on average, for a new healthy habit to feel automatic to someone.    That means if your "New Years resolution" was to start jogging every morning or add some fruit to your lunch every day, you wouldn't mindlessly do these things by Jan. 21st but more around March 8th.  It's SO easy to lose your motivation and go back to your normal ways when you don't feel a change or see physical changes within a week.  Patience is a big factor when changing your life style.  Some of us were born with a ton of it and others were born with barely enough patience to fill a thistle.  A great support system is also very important because you will need those accountability partners to help you push forward and keep with the program.  Here is a list of things that help you stick to your Diet plan and healthier life style.


1) Find and stick with a reliable Support Group
Preferably with one that is filled with people going through the same thing you're trying to accomplish and have the same belief system.  It is much easier to stick with something when you have people going through the same thing and feeling the same way you are and believe in what you believe in.  It prevents a lot of drama if you do it that way.  We all have those "bad influence" people in our friends or even in our family that try to turn you off of your new diet.  They'll say, "This ONE meal wont kill your diet, " or , "You look fine.  I don't even know why you're doing this."  Is is crucial that you surround yourself with supportive friends and family.  Make them understand that you NEED this and would appreciate their support.  I believe, COMPLETELY, in the power of prayer.  If you do, too, then pray pray PRAY!  Have others pray for you and with you.  

This is the support group I'm in on Facebook. :-)

2) Don't Jump in all at once
It's like seeing a pool and jumping in just to realize it's too cold and getting out immediately.  You've got to EASE yourself into it.  If you cut out everything bad, cold turkey, your are MUCH MUCH more likely to cheat or give up all together.  Try adding the healthier options or phasing out the bad, little by little.  Limit how many sweets you eat per a week and add how many veggies or fruits you eat per week.  I found that swapping one for another worked GREAT for me.  For example; I stopped drinking soda and started drinking herbal teas.  I took out all processed and artificial sugars and used raw honey.  I switched from normal bread to gluten, dairy, egg, and soy free bread.  I would make these changes every couple of weeks.  The hardest was the bread, but now I love it.

3) You, and only YOU, are in charge of what you do
That doesn't mean you can't ask for help.  But YOU have to make the decision and ask instead of waiting for someone to offer to help.  Only YOU have the power to stick with your diet and make a healthier life style.  Nobody can do it for you.  If you say that you deserve a "cheat day" and end up in pain or gaining a couple pounds then hating yourself for it, that was your decision.  The great thing is that you don't have to feel that way because YOU CAN control that urge to cheat.  Especially if you have that support group to cheer you on.  You own the power to change your life for the better!

4) Be accountable to yourself
It can be SO hard to stick with a diet when there are so many yummy things taunting you and looking so good.  Make them less desirable.  If you happen to eat something you weren't suppose to tell someone in your support group.  If you vocalize it, it makes it real.  It tells your mind that you're not fooling yourself by making excuses and that you know you did wrong.  Try making consequences for each time you happen to cheat.  Make yourself fold laundry or do dishes without using the dishwasher.  If those don't do it for you, make harder chores that you don't enjoy.  That way you'll start to relate those chores with the bad foods you ate and you won't crave them as much.

BAHAHA! If only training ourselves was this easy.
I guess we could give ourselves these options. LOL!!

5) Don't have pity parties for going astray
The longer you feel bad for "cheating" the longer it'll take to get back on track and it will make your brain crave "comfort food."  It can also cause depression which makes it even easier to cheat because who doesn't want Ben & Jerry's when they are sad?!  Realize you messed up, move on, and get back on track.  Find your motivation, again, and keep moving forward.

6) Make sure you set goals for you diet
Whether it's fitting into a smaller size or having a pain free life, setting a goal is another crucial strategy in keeping with your diet.  If you have a goal to work towards then it'll be easier to make small changes to get there.  It also helps to imagine and visualize what you'll look and feel like once you meet your goal.  What would you be able to do that you can't do now and what would you be able to wear what you can wear now?  Imagine how great you'll look and feel and all the things you'll get to do!

7) Stop lying to yourself and making excuses
I read in a different article, "If you knew you were going to get paid $50,000 after one day of sticking to your diet 100%, would you?"  Um, is that a real question?  DUH!  So why not stick to it anyways when you KNOW that you'll look and feel SOOOOO much better once you've hit your goal?!  It's a not brainer!  Stop making excuses and stick to it.  Excuses only slow you down.

8) Know that this is for your own health and keeping a promise to yourself
It's not just about sticking to a diet.  It's about being the healthiest you've ever been and being at the top of your game.  It's about keeping your promises and not letting yourself down emotionally or physically.  How will our own children, or friends and family, look at us if they see us lying to ourselves all the time and not holding true to our promise of a healthier life style.  If we want to be a good example to others, we first have to be a good example to ourselves.

It really is worth it in the end, y'all.
A life without pain is very very worth the changes!!

Everyone could do with a healthy lifestyle.  We owe it to our families, our friends, but most of all, to ourselves to be healthy and active.  If you have ANY questions about diet advice, which support groups to join, or anything else endo related, just ask.  There are SO many support groups online now, thanks to social media.  There is a support group I am a part of for people specifically going on the Endometriosis Diet called "Endo Diet Warriors."  It's a great group full of great women.

I hope y'all have a blessed day and have success with your new diets and lifestyle changes.  Stay safe, stay strong, and God Bless!

~Ashley

Endometriosis Diet Friendly Chocolate Truffles!! **Could also be Paleo Diet Friendly!!!!**

Yes, you read that correctly!!  Chocolate we can actually eat and NOT feel guilty or like we're dying afterwards.  It's like "heaven in your mouth" good, y'all!  I found the recipe online while having a super craving for chocolate and searching frantically for a way to satisfy that craving.  The only thing I changed about the original recipe is that I added honey to mine because I love honey and it complimented the chocolate flavor EXTREMELY well.  So, I'll stop dragging on and rambling and get to what really matters.  The recipe!!  I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did.  Stay strong, endo sisters, and have some CHOCOLATE!! :-D

Endo Diet Friendly Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

• Organic Raw Cacao Powder or 100% cacao Powder
• Coconut Oil
• Raw Unfiltered Organic Honey

You use equal parts of coconut oil and cacao and you add the honey to taste.  I'll use 3 tbsp as an example but you can make as much as you'd like.

Directions:

In a glass or ceramic bowl, melt 3 tbsp of coconut oil over a pan or pot of hot water.  (I don't have any special equipment so I used a metal colander over a pot of almost boiling water and placed the glass bowl in that.  A little redneck but it worked. lol  It doesn't take much heat to melt the oil so keep an eye on it.

After the coconut oil is melted add 3 tbsp of the cacao powder and mix it until it is blended well.  Then add about 1 tbsp of honey at a time (or less) until you reach your desired sweetness.  I used about 2 heaping tbsp of honey.


Then use an ice tray or a candy mold tray (I prefer the silicone ones that bend which you can get at Ikea.  That way you don't have to use warm water to get them out.) and pour your chocolate in there and set it in the freezer to harden.  I waited about an hour.  Then, if needed, run some warm water over the bottom of the tray so it's easier for the truffles to dislodge and store in the fridge so they don't melt.  You can add nuts and shaved coconut pieces to add texture but I loved the smoothness of the plain chocolate! YUMMY!!