Burgers and fries for dinner

I had a better day yesterday in regards to the arthritis pain. Like weight loss, I am not expecting an overnight cure with this , but there should be a gradual improvement of my symptoms as my body becomes less exposed to the offending substances and is allowed to heal and repair, so little gains are a good sign.

Somewhere in the course of the morning I glanced at the menu, created before I made the second discovery about gluten,to see what was on tap for dinner. Spinach turkey burgers, sweet potato fries and salad. Warning Will Robinson...wheaty buns would be involved ! Need to change this for myself. Time to pay a visit to the low carb community for some good bread alternatives ! Meanwhile it was school and a session with the Wii Walk it out, which I have figured out how to use so that we move the large muscles and not stomp on the floor to annoy our neighbors ( sit on a chair, tuck the numchuck in the ankle of a pair of sweat pants , hold your legs out and move to the beat). It's not perfect, but it is movement that is arthritis friendly and apartment approved- some days it is the best we can do. Mid day we broke for a gluten free lunch- Garbanzo guacamole with veggies and some sliced up deli ham

Garbanzo Guacamole

Makes 2 cups

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 small avocado, peeled and chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced


Place garbanzo beans in a food processor or blender. Add lemon juice and garlic. Process briefly,
until garbanzos are slightly chopped. Add onion and avocado. Process again until the mixture is
chunky. Place the mixture in a bowl and add tomato, green onions. Mix well. Cover and
chill before serving.

Avocado is high in fat, but it is a healthy fat that does your body good. You NEED fat in order to absorb Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Vitamin D in particular has been found to be crucial to the functions of the immune system, so if you are suffering from any disorder of the immune system, including good fats in your diet is crucial, or you will feel worse and worse.Avocados in particular have show some surprising promise in the management of arthritis."Avocado/soybean unsaponifiables are one of the most promising arthritis remedies. Four high-quality clinical trials suggest that avocado/soybean unsaponifiables, an extract made from avocado and soybean oils, can improve the pain and stiffness of knee and hip osteoarthritis and reduce the need for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It appears to have decrease inflammation and stimulate cartilage repair." The compounds used are larger than that which you can get by simply eating a lot of avocados, but it does point to the inclusion of healthy fats, such as avocados in the diet for overall health.Avocados are high in fat, but interestingly enough avocados can reduce serum cholesterol as well as bring about a reduction in autoimmune flairs.

Not long ago I was trying to do a low carb approach , and I came across three bread recipes that worked well. Just for the record, I am going gluten free and not low carb here at this time. One of the easiest to make was the original Atkins Revolution Rolls. They turn out like big browm meurainges, and if you place them in a zip lock bag after the cool, they become like great big soft pillows. A very acceptable gluten free bread substitute !

The Original Basic Diet Revolution Rolls Makes 6 rolls

Pam spray
3 eggs separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons cottage cheese
1 t Splenda

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Separate eggs very carefully (make sure that none of the yolk gets into the whites.)
3. Spray Pam on a Teflon cookie sheet.**
4. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until whites are stiff but not dry.
5. Fold in yolks, cottage cheese and Sugar Twin*** (Be extremely careful not to break down the egg whites. Mix for no more than 1 minute.)
6. Place the mixture carefully on the Teflon cookie sheet, gently putting one tablespoon full on top of another until each “roll” is about 2 inches high. Repeat this until you have 6 piles.
7. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for about 1 hour.

I served this with sweet potato fries and a salad of romaine, dandelion, watercress and mandarine oranges. Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat, based on for content of dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars and complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. Plus they just plain taste good !