GLOW

My husband and I took the train to visit our dear friends, Derek and Artie, in Portland this past weekend. We had such a lovely time staying in their beautiful apartment enjoying their company, eating delicious food, and cuddling with their wonderful cat. D & A are incredible cooks, and I loved watching them at work in the kitchen. (Oh, what a kitchen! Cabinets! Counter space!) On Friday, they made a homemade sun-dried tomato pesto that they topped some toasted baguette slices with to share at a friend's birthday party. On Saturday, prior to their concert that my husband was joining them for, they made a Mexican feast of beans, rice, veggies and toasted corn tortillas. Sunday morning I swooned as they made a homemade fritatta with asparagus and various veggies in their cast iron skillet, home fries, and bagels and banana bread from local bakeries. Oh my.

Obviously, I was not able to partake in any of these amazing meals, but this was no fresh torture for me. I packed a bag of supplies with me, and supplemented with some fresh vegetables and nuts at the grocery store in Portland. In my bag was some chickpea flour, a container of toasted and ground sunflower seed meal (to mix with vegetables for breakfast), a container of vegan & gluten-free baked macaroni & cheese, my pills, my herbs and my tea ball. The mac & cheese is a recipe that I've been brainstorming up, and I used Andean Dream brand noodles which only contain white rice flour & quinoa flour. (Most gluten-free noodles contain either brown rice or corn, which I don't tolerate.) 

With my candida flare-ups, though, this meal was a bad idea. I became pretty ill and uncomfortable, so much so that 24 hours later, I was in such rough shape that I had to miss their concert. Light-headed, tingling nerves, terribly upset stomach, and pain and tenderness all over my body. Wonderful. I was grateful that I brought my herbs, at least, and nursed myself with sheep sorrel, skullcap, pau d'arco and rose hips, and did my best to not feel too sorry for myself. I was somewhat irresponsible and made myself a chickpea breakfast scramble (with thyme, tarragon and collard greens!) the next morning, but my resolve to better cater to my body's needs has strengthened since returning home.