When in the Dark DO WHAT IS RIGHT

     When in the Darkness do what is right......wake up, look up and stand up.....My fight against emaotional eating.

How many of us fall into the abuse cycle of emotional eating?....Eating for comfort, companionship, love, and acceptance.   Hello, My name is Karen and I am a FOOD A HOLIC...confessing my sin of abusing food rather than using it as fuel for my.body.  In the seasons of darkness I find myself using food as a brief vacation from the stresses of the moment.  A bliss on the lips but a beast to the hips....and then some. 

As a diabetic with gluten/dairy/soy intolerance, there are certain guidelines for me to follow to have a healthy body and yes it effects my mind and spirit.  But when I find myself dealing  loss of a child, in the midst of a betrayal, neglect and divorce,  seasons of loneliness, parenting challenging teenagers and adjusting to changes in life circumstances...things I allow to rob me of joy...I reach for a bandaid solution....FOOD...THE WRONG FOODS...emotioal of defeat...so why not Eat again....with more wrong choices.

WAKE UP!!!!
Been there done that...many times...but this time the wake up call is different....no medical emergency, no big celebration to plan for...but more importantly...God's revelation how much my food choices, my poor food choices, gave me a heart like Saul, ugly and sinning....satisfying the flesh.  Rather then a heart like David God pleasing,....and I seek a HEART LIKE HIS!!!

I would like to thank a DR Oz program that started my change a few days before the revelation.  The episode regarding artificial sweeteners......I stopped using them that day including splenda for they seem to increase my desire for eating...unhealthy eating.  I now only use natural sweeteners including stevia, fruit juice and molasses thus far and minimally. 

WAKING UP
I returned to tracking my eating on SPARKPEOPLE.COM....following a diet that works for ME....and tracking my insulin and blood glucose levels closely.

I continue to read my bible and study which reveals more and more.  Spent time on my knees crying out to God for Forgiveness.all of a sudden the hunger was no longer a speed bump  ...I was content and satisfied and more energetic.

I have started walking and doing some strength training.

I am confessing publicly for accountability and re-dedicating myself to blogging my journey....recipes and insights I find inspirational in hopes others may.

LOOKING UP
Pray to God to protect me from temptations and outside influences.

STANDING UP
I am EXPECTING myself to do what is right...no matter the circumstance.... packing my meals everywhere...and saying no thank you as needed....


Dear Lord....Thank you for your grace and mercy and the opportunity to cleanse my heart and put the past sins on the cross with Jesus and leave them there...Thank you for the clean heart and soul.  I realize it took me years to shape my physical being...and surrender to your ways for ME to reshape my physical self to be all that I can be .....free to be  the wife, mom, woman you have called me to be.
Thank you

Karen

Lemon Dessert Cups

The other day a friend of mine posted this yummy dessert on her Blog

http://thenourishingapron.blogspot.com/2011/12/lemon-bars.html

...I asked if I could tweak to make gf/cf and more diabetic friendly....so here is my first attempt

Ingredients

Crust

1/2 cup Karen's GF/Sf all purpose flour (see recipe box)
1 Almond meal flour
1/8 tsp Salt
1/4 cup splenda
1 cup chilled earth balance spread (soy free version )
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 TBSP water

FILLING
1/4 cup Karen's GF/Sf all purpose flour
1/4 cupCornstarch
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
juice of 4 Lemons
zest of one Lemon
3/4 cupSplenda
Egg, fresh, 4 large
1/2 Palm sugar

demerara sugar 2 tbsp ( to sprinkle on top)

Directions

For crust, combine flour, splenda and salt. Cut in EarthBalance. Drizzle water into flour mixture while stirring until the dough comes together. Press into 18 backing cups

. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before pouring the topping over it.


For the lemon filling, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, splenda and palm sugar. Add the lemon mixture to the flour mixture and combine (I used a whisk) until flour is completely dissolved. Pour over slightly cooled crust and return to oven. Bake 15 minutes then remove from oven and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes more.

Remove from oven and cool. Store in refrigerator.

Serving Size: 18 cups 

Tips

this turned out more cake like then the gooey pic of my friends lemon bars...taste is fabulous...will try again soon

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 18
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 175.7

• Total Fat: 14.6 g
• Cholesterol: 41.1 mg
• Sodium: 182.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 12.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
• Protein: 3.0 g

 I have wrapped up each individually in tissue paper with a ribbon to serve at the Church Christmas Dessert for those with special needs

Scrumptious Pumpkin Pie

A few weeks ago my cousin Margret announced pumpkin pie baking day....I wondered...could a tasteful treat be made gluten/casein/soy free.....to my amazement a first time effort brought success.

First I went to the store to buy basic canned pumpkin and followed the recipe tweaking the crust and the dairy.....

Ingredients-TWEAKED

FILLING
1	15 oz can	Santiam Pumpkin
4		Eggs, lightly beaten
1.5	cups	splenda
2	6 oz containers	So Delicious Coconut yogurt
	12 oz	Almond or Rice milk
1	tsp.	salt
1	tsp.	cinnamon, ground
2	tsp.	pumpkin pie spice
1/2	tsp.	xanthan gum
CRUST
1 1/2	cups	all purpose GF flour
1/2	cups	almond meal flour
2/3 cup	plus  2 tbsp	Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread
1	tsp	salt
4-5	tbsp	cold water
1/2	tsp	xanthan gum
ALL PURPOS FLOUR MIX
2	PARTS	Brown rice flour
1	PARTS	white rice flour
1	PARTS	oat flour
1	PARTS	tapioca flour

 For Crust

Blend flours, salt and xanthan gum with wisk.  With pastry blender mix in EB spread till well blended...slowly add water till a nice ball is formed....divide....roll on well floured wax paper and line pie pans traditionally.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt xanthan gum and spices.
3. Blend in beaten egg, yogurt and milk.
4. Pour into unbaked pie shells.
5. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  (cover crusts with foil to avoid burning)

Yield:2 9-inch pies

And my Mary Jo, who usually complains...Gluten free again...had two helpings

 

 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 16
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 198.6

• Total Fat: 15.4 g
• Cholesterol: 46.2 mg
• Sodium: 268.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 19.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g
• Protein: 3.5 g

for full nutrition go to:

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1878289