Spicy Tomato Chicken & Chickpeas

I threw this together one day I wasn't really sure what I felt like so I just put a load of things together and hoped for the best, turned out pretty tasty so thought I would share it with you guys.

Tuco's Taqueria, Galway

Tuco's Taqueria in Galway is one of the first places I tried when I was first diagnosed Coeliac and it made the thought of the whole change of lifestyle a little bit less daunting.

If you haven't already guessed by the name, Tuco's is an authentic Mexican Restaurant located on 6 Abbeygate Street Upper in Galway City Centre (Just off shop street).

What first enticed me in was a sign outside stating that they are Paeleo, Vegan but most importantly Coeliac friendly. It is so rare to find such a sign outside any restaurant so I decided to go in.

Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel Donegal Town

Recently I paid a visit to Solis Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town in County Donegal. I had only ever been here once on a winter's evening so I wasn't able to appreciate the absolute beauty of this hotel until now.  Lough Eske Castle Hotel & Spa sits within 43 acres of forest woodland, surrounded by the shores of Lough Eske on one side and the Blue Stack Mountains on the other.  This lovingly restored castle-hotel blends its historic past with a dash of contemporary elegance and is well worth a visit.

 

 

Juvela Welcome Pack

When first diagnosed Coeliac you can obtain a small form to fill out that entitles you to a free Welcome Pack from Juvela. As far as I know this is the brand that used to be covered under the medical card scheme here in Ireland.

I sent away for the pack back at the start of December and received it roughly 2 months later at the start of February so don't be waiting by the door for it because it will be a long wait.

Carrot & Pepper Soup

This is my own take on Roz Purcell's 'Roast Carrot & Red Pepper Soup'. It doesn't look to appetising in the picture but I promise you it tastes soo good. My recipe is different as I did not cook the ingredients the same way and I added some of my own spices and didn't have some of the ingredients so had to improvise. If you haven't bought her book...you definitely still should!

Ingredients:

3 Carrots

Coconut Oil

2 peppers (I used 1 red 1 green)

1 table spoon of Chilli flakes

1 onion

Mini Omelettes

I tried out these mini omelettes but could only eat 2, eyes were a bit bigger than my belly with the 3.

Ingredients:
Spinach

Ham

Cheese

2 Eggs

Some milk

Spinach & Avocado for salad


Method:

Basically put all the ingredients except the spinach and avocado for the salad in a bowl and mix. Place in a muffin tin in the oven at 180 degrees for about 30 mins and they should be cooked.

Turkey Curry

This is a super simple curry recipe for when you just can't be bothered to make the sauce from scratch. I used turkey fillets because I had no chicken so it gives it the extra protein that you need if you are coeliac.

Ingredients:

2 turkey fillets

some green bean

2 carrots

1 red pepper

Handful of Kale

Handful of Spinach

Some easy cook rice

1 Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

Olive Oil

For the Sauce:

I used Dunnes stores own brand curry powder

Cumin

Turmeric


Method:

1. Chop all the veg and turkey.

2. Place the onion and garlic in the pan with the curry powder and 1 table spoon of both cumin and turmeric with some olive oil and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

3. Add the turkey and try to coat it in the spices an leave until almost cooked.

4. Add the rest of the veg and fry for 7 minutes then add some boiling water and allow to cook the carrots. At this stage you may need to add some curry powder to thicken but when simmering it should begin to thicken.

5. Meanwhile boil some rice in a pot.

6. When the carrots are soft enough to eat take of the hob and serve.

Bacon and Sweet Potato, Kale and Spinach Salad



This is a really handy lunch and super filling.


Ingredients:

3 Slices of bacon
1 Carrot
1 Sweet Potato
Handful of Spinach
Handful of Kale
Sea Salt & Pepper to Season



Method:

1. Chop the carrot and sweet potato and put in a microwavable dish for about 5 mins, but keep checking to make sure it doesn't burn.

2. Put the Kale & Spinach in a pot to boil.

3. Place the bacon under the grill.

4. Once sweet potato an carrot is cooked mash with a fork and season with salt and pepper, a little pit of paprika is nice too.

5. Remove bacon from oven when cooked and cut off any excess fat. Slice and toss with the kale and spinach.

6. Place the sweet potato and carrot on top and enjoy.

Pizza Chicken & Salad

This is one of the best things I have eaten in quite a while. This was a recipe I came across from the body coach on instagram. It is one of his lean in 15 recipes and it really is super quick. I just added the salad to get an extra bit of greens for the day as I hate having dinner with no veg or salad.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken fillets
3-4 Baby tomatoes
1 big tomato
GF Worcestershire Sauce
Oregano
Salt and Paper
Ground almonds
1 Egg
Coconut Oil
Spinach
Cucumber
Tomato Puree
Grated Cheese


Method:

1. Chop the tomatoes and place them in a bowl, add in a dollop of tomato puree and about 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and mix together. Sprinkle with some oregano and set aside.

2. Wrap your chicken fillets in tin foil or cling film and hit them with a roller or something slimmer to flatten them. (Alternatively half the top and bottom of the fillet to make it thinner.)

3. Beat the egg yolk in a bowl and dip in your chicken fillet.

4. Cover in ground almonds.

5. Heat some coconut oil on a pan and fry the chicken.

6. Once cooked place in an oven dish spoon over the tomato mixture and top with the cheese leave in the oven for 10 - 15 mins.

7. Wash some spinach and chop some tomato and serve.

Feeling almost as bad as before

So I've not had a good few weeks. Week 1 was great I finally thought I was beginning to conquer this. Was out for my walks everyday feeling more energetic than I had in a very long time, still not quite back but pushing myself to be better. Towards the end of week 1 I started to feel really tired so I didn't go for a walk the following day and gradually just felt worse and worse. Tuesday of the second week I started getting awful pains high up in my stomach. These pains were so bad I had to get injections to stop it. The doctors think it could be gallstones but I don't know, I'm waiting on a scan for it.

The Culprit

The next day was my birthday, my mother ordered me my favorite cake and asked the baker if he could make it gluten free as this is my first year as a coeliac. Bad choice. Within 15 mins of eating it I was having the worst pains in my stomach and everything that follows.









That was a week and a half ago and I am gradually feeling worse and worse, I don't know what is going on. I have had headaches for the last 4 days where my head and eyes feel so heavy, fuzzy and dizzy it's making me question if there is something really badly wrong. I'm not sleeping till 2 or 3 o clock at night and last night couldn't sleep until 5 in the morning sweating and tossing and turning all
night. I don't know what's wrong with me, I've been so good with my diet I'm keeping a diary of everything I've been eating not leaving anything out and I have another appointment with my dietitian next Wednesday, I'm just hoping she can help me because I don't know anyone else who will.

I was with the dietitian I had been referred to publicly yesterday and she was awful, absolutely awful.
I knew more than she knew herself and she really was no help to me whatsoever and had never even heard of the ataxia symptoms. It annoys me so much that I messed up on my birthday and that I can't seem to get on top of this. Really has me down in the dumps.

Until next time.....

Cookie Shots

I LOVE these little biscuits!! I picked them up for the first time today but I have been dying to try them now for ages. It was worth the wait!!

They are real chocolaty tasting and nice and crunchy exactly like any normal biscuit! Lovely with a cup of tea.

I picked mine up in Dunnes for €3.49 I know it's quite pricey but it is a pretty big bag if you are only planning to snack on one or 2 every couple of days. I had seen them last week in a particular health food store for almost €7, absolutely ridiculous. It is so important to shop around for things because healthfood stores are twice as bad for this kind of thing than supermarkets.

Anyway pick them up and give them a try and let me know what you think.

Hot Turkey Salad

This one again is really simple and can be eaten hot or cold but on a real wintery day I love to have it hot.

Ingredients:

Slice of butternut squash

Handful of Kale

Handful of Spinach

1 Turkey Fillet

Cumin

Paprika

Fry Lite Garlic infused spray


Method:

1. Peel and chop the butternut squash and place in an oven dish.

2. Chop the turkey fillet and place on top of the butternut squash in pieces.

3. Spray with Fry Lite and shake over some cumin and paprika.

4. Put in oven at 200 for about 35 minutes. (I use a turbo oven and don't preheat it so may be longer for others.)

5. Meanwhile place the spinach and kale in a saucepan with hot water and boil for about 15 minutes.

6. When the two are finished put on your plate and mix through.


Note:

You do not have to use butternut squash in this recipe you can add sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, peppers, onion, or a combination of everything. It's all about what you like but whatever veg you chose to add it will not change the dish at all.