The Candida-Albicans yeast free cookbook

Check out this google book site. The forward to this cook book gives more information about candida diets, and some other interesting tidbits:

http://books.google.com/books?id=kNHV-BsxZrIC&pg=PP15&lpg=PP15&dq=salsa+kills+candida&source=bl&ots=ByifpOKhlf&sig=rEdJ6zYmb0XvMW2t_akqNoLdAAQ&hl=en&ei=Z_2CTZH-MJCksQPx142GAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false

Guacamole!

Remember, many common and delicious foods can be enjoyed in the maintenance stage of the candida diet.  Corn tortilla chips (make sure they didn't add flour or sugar), when eaten in moderation are often a crunchy and satisfying snack.  Eating them with salsa can help keep candida under control. The spicier the salsa the better!

I usually buy fresh organic salsa from the store, but I do enjoy making pico di gallo style salsa. It parishes faster, but also has a higher nutritional content. My basic recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

- One firm ripe tomato, minced
- 1/4 to 1/2 yellow onion (depending on how spicy you like it) (fresh onion is also an (anti fungal)
- 4 Tblsp minced parsley
- One to two cloves minced garlic (anti fungal)
- Dash lemon or lime juice (go light)
- Salt to taste

Combine to taste.

Now for the good stuff!

For a change of pace one in a while, I enjoy making guacamole. Avocado has antifungal properties, and beneficial fatty acids. Making it at home keeps it free from preservatives, increases nutritional benefits, and allows you to control how much lime or lemon you add.

Ingredients:

- Salsa
- Avocado
- Salt
- Dash of lemon or lime

Scoop avocado meat out and mash it in a bowl. Most people like different salsa to avocado ratios. Personally, I like more avocado, so my ratio is one part salsa to three parts avocado. Add a tiny dash of lemon or lime and salt to taste.

Arugula and Watercress Salad

This salad is slightly bitter with a creamy, tangy twist.


Ingredients:

Cucumber
Avocado
Arugula
Watercress
Pine Nuts

Dressing:

Sea Salt
Coconut Vinegar
Olive Oil

You can make this with any ingredients, or substitute the nuts, but the dressing is really the key. I was difficult to get the vinaigrette taste when I wasn't supposed to be eating vinegar, but just a dash of the raw coconut vinegar has naturally occurring probiotics from the fermentation process. You can adjust the oil to vinegar ratio depending on your tastes, I usually use about  three parts oil to one part vinegar, and then salt to taste.

Addition to yesterday's shishkabob recipe

I found the most amazing products yesterday: Coconut Secret!  It's a variety of products made from coconut that have a super low glycemic index, and most are somewhat anti microbial.

I used the coconut crystals in my marinade instead of honey or xylitol, and I added a few tablespoons of raw coconut vinegar.

Neither product tastes of coconut.













They also had a flour product as well that I may try later as a thickener in some recipes and to add a chewy consistency to some almond coconut bars that I have planned...

It's always so exciting to discover more easy to use and great tasting flour, sugar, and vinegar products since one if not all three of those ingredients are a great deal of our American diet.

Candida Diet Approved Shiskabobs

These are great with or without meat. A fantastic way to grill veggies.

Ingredients:

Steak: chuck or sirloin (or chicken)
Braggs Liquid Aminos
Garlic - fresh
Garlic powder
Ginger
(Honey or pineapple juice-if you are on a maintenance stage)
Xylitol
Salt
Olive oil
(red pepper flakes, optional)
(measurements will be approximate and all to taste.)
Sesame seeds (optional)

Zucchini
Yellow onion
Scalloped yellow squash
(if you are not on the diet, Mushrooms are AMAZING cooked like this)
(pineapple- if you are on a maintenance stage)


Directions:

Use metal or wooden skewers. If using wooden, make sure to soak for at least 20 min before using to keep them form catching fire.

Cut choice of meat into 1-2 inch cubes. Mix together 1 cup Braggs, 4-5 minced gloves garlic, 1Tblsp ground ginger (fresh preferred), 1/4 cup olive oil, (2 Tblsp honey or pineapple juice) or 2 Tblsp xylitol, 1tsp salt, (2 tsp red pepper flakes).  Make sure meat is covered and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours.

When meat is done marinating. Cut veggies into roughly the same sized pieces.  Toss with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder.

Alternate meat and veggies on the skewer. Cook over medium heat on the bbq until veggies are slightly tender and meat is cooked. When done sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Egg nog made without anything

This prolonged drizzly weather makes me feel like extending the holiday season, so here's the egg nog recipe I used in December.....

Ingredients:

1 part unsweetened almond milk

1 part unsweetened hemp milk

Xylitol

Ground cinnnamon

Ground nutmeg

Ground cloves

Directions:

Combine chilled milks, add spices and xylitol to taste.  This is completely candida approved, and you'll be surprised how much you'll enjoy it in the first few weeks of the diet. 

Candida Diet Approved Hot Chocolate

The first three sparse weeks of the diet with no carbohydrates and no sugar, this recipe kept me sane.

Ingredients:
11/2 cup Non sweetened, plain almond milk
1/4 tsp Coconut oil
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract suspended in glycerin
Unsweetened cocoa powder to taste (about 1 Tblsp)
Xylitol to taste (about 2tsp)
Sprinkling Cinnamon

Directions:

Heat almond milk and coconut oil in pan until oil turns to liquid. Add cocoa powder and stir until well mixed. Add vanilla. Add xylitol a little at time until you reach desired sweetness. Add optional cinnamon. Heat to desired temperature.

* The coconut oil helps give this drink a creamy texture. Without it I felt like it was too "chalky".

The rootbeer that staved my sugar cravings

Sugar withdrawal.

Eating only vegetables and limited meat product. No fruit, no honey....it had been weeks eating like this....and then a light shone on the soda aisle:

Virgil's Stevia Root Beer

It was like having sugar without having sugar. Many of the herbs in it even are candida fighting foods.  Made with Stevia, another plant derived sweetener, this root beer is a perfect blend of flavor and fizziness to the sugar starved taste buds.  I had not been a fan of using stevia to sweeten food because of it's somewhat peculiar aftertaste. That after taste is present still, but the other herbs mask it well. 

Even if you aren't on this diet, consider trying this miracle soda. It comes in two other flavors now: cream soda and cherry cola.  I have not tried either of those yet and do not know if the flavors blend with the Stevia as well.  The secondary benefit of this soda is that is has ZERO calories!

For another review: http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/virgils_diet/Diet_Root_Beer

Gluten Free Mac'n'cheese with Green Chilies

Most people can't tell that this sophisticated version of a classic comfort food is made without gluten. Here it is after some discerning college students got their hands on it.

Ingredients: 

2 cups uncooked rice noodles (I like the constancy of this brand)

1/2 cup Gluten free flour (I use this gluten free bread mix as a flour. It is a mix of rice and potato flours, honey, corn starch and yeast.)

4 Tblsp Butter
1-3/4 cups Milk
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. Salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. Pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. dry Mustard, freshly ground, if possible 

1-1/2 cups (8 ounces) diced Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
4 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, cut into strips
15 oz Ricotta Cheese 

4 oz diced green chilies (in a can)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º. 

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. (Be careful not to over cook, you want the rice noodles to be slightly undercooked.)

In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook and stir for one minute. Gradually stir in milk. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and mustard. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in half of the cheddar cheese until melted.

Open can of chilies and drain excess liquid.

Toss cooked pasta with remaining cheddar cheese, the mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and green chilies. Pour sauce over this macaroni mixture and mix thoroughly. 

Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until bubbly and brown. 

Makes about 6 servings.

(Side note, I use that bread mix for many gluten free recipes instead of flour.It has a great consistency. Not too grainy like some wheat flour substitutes.)

Gluten Free and Sugar Free Cheesecake

This modified New York Cheesecake does not taste like a substitute.  I haven't had anyone try it who thought that it was altered in any way.


Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:
2 pounds softened cultured organic cream cheese ((4 8-ounce packages))
1 cup non GMO xylitol
4 large eggs
1 cup cultured organic sour cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
lemon rind- 1 lemon, about 2 tables spoons

Sour Cream Topping Ingredients:
1 cup cultured organic sour cream
1/4 cup non GMO xylitol
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F / 163°C (I set my oven at 310F now to bake the center first.  My oven bakes unevenly, I am sure that a convection oven would probably need to be set at 325)

9-inch springform cake pan

Place cream cheese and xylitol in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add corn starch, sour cream and vanilla. Beat on high until smooth.

Pour cheesecake filling into springform pan. Smooth top with a spatula and bake for 35-45 minutes. (I found out that it's better to under-bake it than over-bake. It will still be a little wobbly.)

While cheesecake is baking, place remaining 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup xylitol and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl and whisk until smooth and blended.

Remove cheesecake from oven and carefully spread sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Use a spatula to spread sour cream topping ovewith a light touch.

Return cake to the oven and bake an addition 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour before removing.

Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving (preferably 8). Makes 8-12 servings.

A well enjoyed cheesecake at the end of the night.