A Part of my Previous Life...

Before I was diagnosed I had a hobby that perhaps now in retrospect wasn't very good for me... But oh how fun it was.... Stressful, unhealthy... but oh how fuuuuun....

I made cakes...

And if I may say so myself now... I wasn't too shabby at them. 
I am taking a break, so that I first get a chance to land in my MS and in my new lifestyle. But I am not done making cakes... I can't be. It's to big of a part of my life. This is my confession ;-)... I'm not giving up making cakes for other people even though I can no longer eat them myself. I will have to have my family taste what I make and plan ahead so I don't get stressed. 

I might even see if there are ways for me to make cakes for me... If I do I'll share the recipes with you here :-)!

Here is the link for my old Cake blog... It's been dormant for a while, but it is certainly not dead. I hope you like my work! 

Pop Up Cakes

Here is a taster:

Enjoy!
-Josefine

Salsa Salmon

We happen to live right next door to my brother and his family. This is something that has been so amazing and such a blessing having family so close. We get along brilliantly and our kids play.

Around the time we moved in we all toyed with the idea of having weekly meals together. Then we even decided to have 2 weekly meals. One at their house and one at ours! So we did. And one and a half years later we still do!! 

It's great! On Thursdays we make dinner and right after we've eaten I take my Avonex and head for coma. The next day I don't have to stress about cooking in my coma state because Fridays are their day!!! It's brilliant!

So to the point.
Quite a few weeks ago now It was Friday and Linda (my sister-in-law) was wondering what to make with my new food restrictions... she saw a jar of salsa in her cabinet and that's when magic happened! She simply sprinkled some cod with salt and pepper, poured the salsa over and in to the oven it went. 
Delicious!!! 
So thank you to Linda for the inspiration!

So I decided to try it with the salsa I had been playing with and yeah, it worked... So much so that my kids cleared the plates! 

Am I selling it to you? I hope so because according to my tastebuds it was great!

Salsa salmon with quinoa and sauteed garlic greens. Yum.

Salsa Salmon

- 4 Salmon fillets (thawed if from the freezer)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 batch of Green Salsa (click for link)

Before the oven. A bit more green then me thinks ;-)

Pop the oven on 200 Celsius while you prep your salsa. Place the fillets in your ovenproof dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour the Green salsa all over the top. Pop in the oven for about 20 min and serve immediately with rice or quinoa and your chosen vegetable!

Enjoy!
-Josefine

Green Salsa

 
It's exactly what it sounds like.
Green.
Or at least greener than red salsa...

Hm... I'll start over.

Come try this great healthy Green salsa :-D! It happens to be quite delicious as well!

Ok, did I sell it to you now? I'm hopeless today! Words just wont come out of my mouth the way I want them to and this is why without further ado I'll just leave you with the recipe.
Here it is :-)!

Green Salsa

- 3-4 medium-large tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1-2 large handfuls of kale (depending on how "green" you want it)
- a handful of chopped coriander/cilantro
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove
- a knife's tip of Sambal Oelek
- a dash of lime or lemon juice
- a pinch or two of brown sugar
- salt
- pepper

Chop everything up small and mix it together to make a delicious salsa. I ran the kale, garlic and cilantro in a food processor to get it really small. Use when you make gluten free and vegan enchiladas, or go try a Salsa Salmon!?!?!? ;-)

Good Luck!
-Josefine

What a day!

What a day indeed!

I don't know how it is for you guys but what my MS nurse said about the side effects of the Avonex only lasting 8 hours is SO NOT TRUE!!!! 

I usually take mine on Thursday nights and then I am out for the next 24 hours. then for the next 15-20 I am still soooo lethargic and achy in all my joints and muscles that I am not up for much. 

Usually today would have been a day like that. I would have lounged around the garden all day with lots to do but no energy to do it. But for some reason I pushed through it today. I'm not saying it was easy, or I felt any better... but I pushed through it and managed to do 2 loads of laundry, AND hang them(important detail), semi clean the house... and on a day like this... let's add get up and feed the kids, change nappies and get everyone bathed and dressed to the list as well ;-D!!! We also take the bus with the kids to go to a friends birthday barbeque (My friend had gone all out on accommodating for my OMS diet by the way, so a big thank you to Emma!!! The food was soooo good!!!) and then went to do a food shop.... on the bus... with 2 kids!!! 

Yeah, today I want to call myself superwoman ;-)! 

Both girls in one little pushchair :-)! Who needs a sibling pram?! This worked a charm!

We are currently car-less, and living where we do we often feel very stranded. Not great having to drag the kids along on the train or bus just to go do a food shop that will most likely last up to 2 days only as I can't carry more home. The times when we somehow can coordinate going with someone else are a life saver! Today was one of those days. Unfortunately we couldn't go in their car(no car seats for the kids), but they could take our shopping home and I then took the bus home. 

This is how we Roll on our big shopping trips ;-D!!! Don't worry Nick is holding the pram so Penelope wont fall!

So a BIG thank you to my brother Edward for taking our shop home for us today!!! <3

While we were at the shop Penelope managed to pee through her nappy and pants and EVERYTHING was wet, so she was running around without pants. Couldn't help but smile at all the mothers smiling at me, knowing exactly what must have happened to have her running around in just her nappy at the supermarket. Lucky for us it was lovely and warm today, so warm in fact that there MUST be a thunderstorm coming our way soooon. Is it weird that I want one? I love a good thunderstorm... nothing like them!

Anyway, I am babbling :-)... 

While we were waiting for the bus we found a collapsed bouncy castle with puddles in it that the girls decided would be a great way to spend the time :-)!!! And so did I. It was so nice to just let go (Q the "let it go" song in your heads) and let them have fun. I saw so many kids walk by and looking longingly at what my girls got to do. They had so much fun though, they got soaking wet and there were huge smiles on their faces. Sometimes you just have to let go and save your energy for tomorrows battles.

Today was a good day. Yay for seeing the good in life, even when it is rough. Yay for moments like these.

I LOVE my kids. 
-Josefine

Gluten & Dairy Free, Almost Vegan Souvlaki Wraps

A few weeks ago my sister calls to invite us over for a little birthday bash at her house. Immediately of course I start freaking out thinking about what I can bring to not make it to painful not to be able to eat all the wonderful food that she makes (she is a guru in the kitchen). 

But no, my sister assures me that she will make food that I can eat as well.... OK, so here is when I admit that I was doubtful ;-)... So I asked if there was anything I could do to bring? And all she said was that maybe some gluten free tortillas and some tzatziki made on soyghurt. So that is exactly what I did. I felt like I was taking a huge leap of faith in someone else ability to make my food. HUGE! I kept telling myself that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stray from my diet just for one night (I know dangerous thoughts indeed).

 

So we went over there. And because we went really early I was there to help her prep. When she told me what we were eating I was amazed. It sounded SO GOOD... and no matter how much I kept thinking about the ingredients I couldn't find anything I wasn't allowed!!

AMAZING!!

So this combination is ALL down to my sister.  Like I said before she is a guru in the kitchen. This is something she made up from a trip to Greece she made where she ate something similar. You can very easily summarize her in one word: "ROCKSTAR" !!! 

Thank you JJ! <3


 Gluten & Dairy Free, Almost Vegan Souvlaki Wraps

You will need a batch each of:
- Gluten Free Tortillas
- Olive & Spinach Tapenade
- Dairy Free Tzatziki 

- 3 chopped tomatoes

- 2 thinly sliced onions
- A bunch of chopped parsley
- A splash of extra virgin olive oil
- Herbamare (herb salt)

- A slash of organic EV rapeseed oil (if using Rapeseed oil instead of Olive oil the organic and cold pressed is very important)
- 1 bag of Quorn "chicken" bits (this is why it's ALMOST vegan, they have eggwhite in them)
- Dried oregano
- Dried rosemary
- Salt
- Pepper
- Some grated lemon zest

1) Make your Tzatziki (it needs to rest in the fridge for a while)
2) Make your Tapenade and place int he fridge
3) Chop the tomatoes and plac ein the fridge
4) Slice the onions and mix with the EVOO, parsley and Herbamare. Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge. It's important to cover as otherwise your whole fridge will stink of onion!

5) Make and roll out your tortillas and bake them on the stove as the link directs. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel.
6) Saute the Quorn Chicken bits with the EVOO, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper and the lemon zest. You can also skip the EVOO and mix the ingredients and throw in the oven to avoid "frying" on the stove completely.

Serve immediately! 
Now when I say that this is good, I mean it! It is AMAZING! So Please try them and let me know what you thought! <3

Here is how I layer my wraps. And this combination is to die for!

 

Ok I'm ready to take a bite out of that... and I just ate it for dinner yesterday!!

Good luck!
-Josefine

Olive & Spinach Tapenade

Here is a great versatile little recipe for you! You can use this as a dip, or spread or as a snack to dip your popcorn in... Yeah.. you can use it for anything! But because it does have raw garlic in it make sure your not going on a date or something that day ;-)!

I love olives, I love garlic. Spinach is great for you, as is flaxseed oil. And lemon ties it all together. Yeah this is a win! 

My sister was the first one to open my eyes to tapenade years ago! And I am still thanking her. Specially now that I am on a constant lookout for a good spread to replace my previous obsession with good salty butter. So thaaaaank you JJ <3

Olive & Spinach Tapenade

- 1 dl black olives (heaped)
- 1 dl green olives (heaped)
- 1 garlic clove
- 10 ml flaxseed oil
- handfull of fresh parsley
- a large handfull of spinach (or as much as you can pack in there)
- a splash of lemonjuice


Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a nice smooth texture. serve and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Yum!


Good luck!
-Josefine

Dairy Free Tzatziki

Now I feel slightly silly posting this recipe.... because well, I dunno if I can call it a recipe....

It's more a list of ingredients. And then you will just have to do what I did, adjust it to your own taste buds. I did read a recipe I randomly found online, and then I did absolutely nothing of what it said ;-)! So I'm giving you the opportunity to do the same.

This is what worked brilliantly for me :-)!

Dairy Free Tzatziki

-3 dl Natural Soyghurt
-1 clove Garlic
-1 Grated Cucumber (drained in a sieve)
-Salt
-Pepper
-A splash of lemon juice or some grated lemon rind

I used only 1 clove of garlic to it as I felt I wanted to taste the other tastes too. Raw garlic can be so overpowering. stir it all together and let it infuse for at least an hour before you serve it. before you serve it add salt or anything else extra if you feel it needed more. 

 

Good Luck!
-Josefine

Gluten Free Tortillas

Here is a "must try" for ya!

 

Right after my diagnosis I was quite sad about all the food I no longer could eat (understandably)... at the beginning I was a lot stricter, no gluten, dairy, meat, legumes,yeast, egg yolks, sugar.... yeah what's left right? Looking through pinterest and finding the OMS support forum was my life saver. I realized that as long as I was strict on the truly important parts (saturated fat, dairy, meats, my vit d and flaxseed oil) I could add what I felt my body responded well too after. Gluten was one of those. I could really feel how much better my stomach felt. I have known for some time that gluten is not really good for anyone, whether you have a gluten intolerance or not, but have never had the reason to take the plunge since I have thought it doesn't affect me.

And like I said, now that I did.. My body is thanking me :-)!

While "pinteresting" I found this recipe for Tortillas, and after trying it I can honestly say that in my opinion, they taste better than the store bought normal ones! So these are a definite thumbs up! I would however recommend to double the amount of brown sugar. But that is just my opinion. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

 

Good Luck!
-Josefine

A Different Kind of Meditation

As part of the OMS lifestyle (not just diet) we are supposed to meditate for 30 min daily... This is something I've been having trouble with. 

I have two kids, a house and a job to take care of.. I barely have time to breathe let alone meditate for 30 min a day!! 

I was reading some posts on the oms support group on Facebook and there was someone with the same issues as me. But they came to the conclusion that things like taking a walk or gardening could be meditation as well. Emptying your mind somehow. Putting your focus on just one thing. 

One thing that I find very soothing is crafting. I sow, make cakes (for other people) and anything where my hands are used creatively. So I sat down and started painting some stones for my newly planted garden! It was a quick little project, but it was wonderful to just create and not think about anything else but what my fingers were doing. You shall be seeing a lot more meditation projects from me n here, that's for sure! 

Now go meditate ;-)! 

-Josefine

Weightloss

So one side effect from eating for my MS is that you loose weight.

I thought it would stabilize once i started getting used to what I can and can't eat, but I'm still plummeting. I'm not complaining though ;-)!

Ha.. so I'm opening up to you guys now!

I am ca 181 cm tall (yes I am a Swedish giant) and about a year ago I weighed approximately 75 kg. Which isn't loads, and I had just had a baby 6 months prior. But I was on a trip with my sisters and thanks to their own weight goals(or should I say HEALTH goals) I started joining them in their quest. I started taking long walks (like 10 km) daily, and started watching what I ate. And I lost about 6 kg over the course of 6 months. So I was down to 69 kg which I was super chuffed with. I was also happy with how long it took, I was changing food habits and it showed on the scales and in my clothes.

But then I couldn't get any further. And I felt like I had another 3 kg to loose to get back to my former jeans. But I wasn't complaining. I was quite happy with the weight i had lost and how much more healthy I felt. 


SO
If I felt healthy then, GUESS what I feel now?!?!? A health FREAK is what!!! ;-D

I'm now down to 66 kg and the thought that I will never again yoyo in levels of healthiness is a great feeling. AND THATS THANKS TO EATING FOR MY HEALTH AND NOT TO LOOSE WEIGHT.... sorry for shouting ;-)... But it's quite an important difference. I'm no longer body conscious out of a weight perspective because it's not important the way my health is. I'm eating to make sure I'm getting all the nutrients my body needs. And that is huge. 

So here is my before and after pictures. The before is from maybe 4 months after my second baby. and the after was from about 2 weeks ago. and yes, a lot of weight was probably in the hair :-D!!!

So excuse the rant, but I felt like documenting that "side effect" as well as the negative ones ;-)! 

Here's to positive thinking ;-)!
-Josefine

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade

I now feel like I have the tools i need in my kitchen to make things. I got a mini food processor for all my tabletop needs. No need to use my very dull knives to cut up onions any more! And I have my lovely Mother-in-law to thank for that one!!! THANK YOU!

I also got an amazing Ceramic pan that beats all other pans! I can now make things on the stovetop barely using ANY fat at all! Doesn't stick at all! That was a part of my belated 30th birthday prezzie from my mom. She got some for herself and didn't need them all so I got one of them!

The other part was a Magic Bullet!! And I LOVE it!!! I use it at least 3-5 times a day! It's great! So today I had some watermelon at home and thought of something i haven't made in a loooong time. And now that I have the magic bullet it duesn't feel like a huge project to make. Being a medicine day today, things can't be to complicated to make or they wont get made at all!

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade.
All the ingredients are literally in that title! 

-Watermelon
-Strawberry
-Lemon juice

Now if you have a sweet tooth then I would add a bit of honey, but it is super refreshing and great-tasting exactly how it is in my eyes! Pop a few strawberries in there fill the rest with watermelon chunks and squeeze half a lemon in there. You could even have the whole lemon if you want, but then you would definitely need a bit of sweet in there ;-)!

Hope you try this one this summer! It is amazing! Such a treat!

Good Luck!
-Josefine

OMS Friendly "Chocolate Chips"

While watching shows like "the Great British Bakeoff" I always wondered how it was possible for them to forget an ingredient or use salt instead or sugar and things like that... well I now know. AND i didn't even have the stress of a competition infront of millions!!! 

So I was looking to make some gluten free chocolate chip cookies and thought that I need to find a way to make OMS friendly chocolate chips. so I mashed a banana and added a LOT of cocoa. I then spread it out on a baking sheet and popped it in the freezer. Ready to chop up and use as "chocolate chips" in my cookies. 

Well the cookies FLOPPED.

But it wasn't because of the chips. SO i went for another go. This time I grabbed a recipe from pinterest for banana nut muffins with chocolate chips. I adapted it a little bit and in the process I managed to forget some of the ingredients... so well,  they looooooked good... but let's just say they didn't taste so good ;-).

But once again, it wasn't because of the chocolate chips. SO for today I'm calling it quits on the muffin/cookie making and instead just sharing my idea for OMS friendly chocolate chips.

OMS Friendly Chocolate Chips

- 1 Mashed banana

- 3-4 Tbsp  raw cocoa powder

- a dash of vanilla essence (optional)

Mix all the ingredients properly and spread out on a baking sheet and freeze over night. Chop up and use in any cookie or muffin recipe. Perfect low fat and dairy free chocolate chips for us OMSers!

 

Good Luck!

-Josefine

Honeynut/seed & Blueberry Granola

I have been desperately searching for some form of granola to have with my "soygurt" as I actually don't mind the taste of it, and with some yummy granola I should be able to eat like normal! SO I read loooads of different granola recipes that all had great ideas but also something that I could not eat or something that I didn't like (raisins blah). So with loads of wonderful ideas fresh in mind I placed myself in the kitchen and I brought out everything I could find in my cupboards that could possibly help make a yummy and OMS healthy granola.  I have tweaked it slightly since the first try and i think I have come to a very nice result that tastes good, but is also healthy.

Up until this point I have basically just been drinking a smoothie for breakfast and it hasn't kept me for very long. I would be hungry by 10. So hopefully now I will be full for longer and be able to feel like I have everything I want at home to eat. Yay!




Honeynut/seed & Blueberry Granola

-5 dl oats
-1 dl flaxseeds
-3 dl quinoa
-2-3 dl pumpkin seeds
-3 dl chopped almonds

-4 Tbsp Honey
-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-2 Tbsp hot water
-3/4 tsp salt
-2 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp nutmeg

-(Optional) dried fruit like blueberries, mango, figs, apricots etc.


Set the oven to 130 Celcius. Mix all the "dry" ingredients in a big bowl. In a seperate small bowl mix the wet ingredients and the salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to make a paste. Then combine the two and use your hands to make sure it is evenly combined. In a deep baking dish distribute it all evenly and bake for one hour stirring a few times.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Then add the dried fruit. I usually add Dried bluberries. but right now i have fresh ones in our freezer, so I didn't and instead Ill add as I go along. 

 

 

 

 

Good luck!

-Josefine