I have been so amazed with the many real food bloggers trying liver recently. It is one of those things that is intimidating to make and try for the first time. I hope with more recipes and examples of how to prepare it that everyone gets inspired to try this wonderful energy food.

With spring coming and all the fresh produce starting to pop up I wanted to make a dish with organ meats that focused mainly on fresh produce. Lately I have been eating lots of liver pate on slices of cheese, which is tasty but more of a rich meal or snack. I have tried a stir-fried spicy liver recipe before “Chicken Liver Pepper Fry” which my boyfriend and roommate seem to love. I found it great to have now and then but I can’t handle much spiciness. My tongue was on fire with this one. So I found myself only eating a mouthful or two before I gave up because of the burning. For the record though, that recipe is probably THE best liver recipe and hides all the flavor, if you can handle the spice.

I realized last time I had the peppery livery that the real flavor I enjoyed in the dish was cilantro. So I made liver with no extra spices, just onion, garlic, tomato, and cilantro, and it was good! If you like cilantro, this is the one to try. See my full recipe here in the Liver & Other Organs recipe section.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

I’m joining in a Refined-Sweetener-Free Challenge for the month of April. Cara over at Health, Home, & Happiness has done GAPS before and since going off it has been noticing she’s eating too much sugar. I haven’t gone off SCD, but find I’m doing the same thing with honey. I have done low-carb SCD before for short periods of time if symptoms have flared up. Now that I’m feeling much better, I seem to handle dried fruits and honey quite well. I have even added in cocoa to my diet. Why would I give them up if I feel good? Well, I know that I don’t do well with sugar. I know that it makes me not sleep as well, makes my face break out, makes me anxious, etc. All of these things have been problems lately, so even though digestion is good, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I should be eating sugar. So, I will be doing without ANY honey for 1 month. That is the only sweetener I use, so I will be sweetener-free. I will not be going low carb as I don’t think it’s necessary at this point in my healing. I will be getting plenty of good carbs from squashes, carrots, fruits, dried fruits and sweet potato (not SCD legal). Yes I’m keeping in some dried fruit, mainly because I use dried cranberries in my liver recipe, and eating liver is important!

I’m really hoping this helps clear up my skin. For most of being on SCD my skin was doing fairly well (ok, besides all the rash episodes) but since going off the pill it has been constant outbreak. Every morning I wake up with 5 or 6 new spots and they seem to be taking forever to go away. It’s not so much how it looks that is bothering me, but the uncomfortable itchiness that comes along with it. I realize sugar may not be the only culprit, but maybe if I have less sugar I’ll be replacing those calories with something more nutritious. I plan to try and get more minerals in my diet, especially zinc which is known to be helpful for acne. I recently had cooked oysters and really liked them. Oysters are a great source of iron, zinc and selenium so these will definitely be making a regular appearance in my dinners!

I know I’m doing this right after starting cocoa and that might seem a little odd. I can finally have chocolate but oh wait, nope I’ll stop having it because of sugar! Honestly I think I can go without too much cocoa for 1 month. I am not eating it every day anyways. I plan to make my SCD Truffles as a nice dessert, ‘sweetened’ with dates and coated with cocoa. So I’ll have a hint of cocoa in my life still. I will have honey again after this month is over. Hopefully I won’t overindulge in it. I plan to start eating honey again when the local farmer’s markets are open and I can get some really good quality stuff. That will be motivation enough to hold off until then!

I’m also motivated to figure out different snack ideas. Gotta think outside the box on this one…

PS – I just Googled oysters and zinc. It seems *raw* oysters are the best source of zinc. Might have to work on that one…

PPS – That photo up top? I’ve been going through almost a 1kg jar of honey per week. Yeah, that’s a bit much!

**This post is part of a Kitchen Stewardship’s Spring Cleaning Carnival: Get the Refined Sugar Out, this week hosted by Donielle at Naturally Knocked Up

Ok, so I just had another test done in trying to figure out the rash episodes. For a history of that see Post 1, Post 2 and Post 3. I haven’t had it since October but went through with the visits to the Dermatologist anyway. I didn’t expect to get anything from this test since every single test I have had for anything has always come up as negative (nothing) or inconclusive. That includes tests for Celiac, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, inflammatory markers, abdominal ultrasound, liver enzyme tests, thyroid tests, hormonal tests, cortisol tests, etc etc. So the test I had done was called a Skin Patch Test. They stick strips of tape onto your back with a bunch of little circles of allergens on them. You leave that on for over 48 hours (no showering) then remove the tape. Another 24 hours later you have a look to see which (if any) caused reactions. I initially didn’t have any reactions when the nurse took the tape off, but she assured me this meant nothing. She said once the skin is exposed to oxygen the reactions can appear. One girl she saw had no reactions at first but the next day showed 21 of 30 something allergens reacting.

I went home and didn’t think anything would happen. Later that night I felt a crazy itchy spot and sure enough there were 3 spots of red on my back. The next morning I went in to see the Dermatologist and he told me which allergens they were. One was topical antibiotics, but we could rule that out as being the cause of the rash because I haven’t used any. One was dyes he said mostly dark blues and blacks. This could be interesting. I normally wear white tank tops or t shirts under my shirts but also have some blue or black ones. This could be a cause for sure, since it is an infrequent habit. The other was fragrances including cinnamon and cloves. I eat cinnamon very infrequently and he said it’s also in commercial toothpaste which I use infrequently. I will be cutting this out for a while to see if it helps. I will also be figuring out a homemade toothpaste to avoid these kinds of problems. I’m also going to look for a fragrance-free natural sunscreen. I don’t have any other sources of fragrances since I only use basic soap, coconut oil, baking soda, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, or an egg for cleaning my hair and body. See my post on How to Clean (SCD Legally) in the Tips and Tricks section.

So I’m kinda glad I did this test and it’s really the first time I have something constructive to work with. Should be neat to see if this makes a difference at all. I’m also hoping this is completely unrelated to Dermatitis Herpetiformis and that I don’t have Celiac Disease. Who knows, time will tell I guess.

Oh, and I didn’t shower for almost 3 days in order to complete this test. Did I smell? Nope, I used coconut oil and baking soda as a deodorant and that worked ridiculously well. Thanks to Sarah for that tip!

With all the skin troubles I have had I started taking a second look at body/hair care products, soaps, deodorants, and general cleaners. I read a few other blogs about toxins and cancer-causing chemicals in these products and made the decision to just stop using them altogether. While SCD doesn’t dictate what we put on the outside, I have often read “don’t put something on your skin that you wouldn’t eat” and decided to try it that way. I couldn’t be happier! I don’t miss anything I have thrown away and honestly I feel less stressed with not having to shop for each individual cleaner or soap that I used to think I needed. The biggest change was my scalp after giving up shampoo and conditioner. It definitely doesn’t itch as much. I still have some all natural general purpose cleaner that my boyfriend tends to prefer but we don’t use it much. We usually only use that for scrubbing down the shower and toilet. We definitely steer clear of any chemical cleansers that promise to be ‘antibacterial’.

The best source I have found for learning how to clean without chemicals is the book Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. I will be updating this post with new things as I figure out what works best.

Here are my favorite natural ways to clean myself and my home:

General cleaning of household surfaces
Vinegar works for just about every hard surface. Some say dilute it with equal parts water. I just put it in a spray bottle and spray liberally on surfaces. Wipe clean with a wet cloth. The smell dissipates quickly when it dries.

Baking soda can be used to scrub tougher dirtier spots. Either mix it with a bit of water or sprinkle it over a wet surface then wipe with a cloth.

To clean your shower: spray the walls and any spot that shows signs of scum or mold with vinegar 20 mins before you plan to shower. Bring an old margarine tub with baking soda, add water until it forms a paste, and use that with a wet sponge to scrub walls clean. You shouldn’t need to scrub much!

Cleaning the stovetop: I have a flat ceramic stovetop that I bought second hand because I was so fed up with spilling stuff in the coils of my old stove (not to mention the uneven surfaces were hard to work with!). I quickly realized a ceramic top is not that easy to clean and no matter how much kitchen cleaner I used it wouldn’t get rid of cacked on food. The only thing that came close was the magic erasers (I won’t mention the brand) but I knew they were full of chemicals. Enter baking Soda. This is surprisingly good for cleaning the ceramic cook top and anything that needs scrubbing. I usually spray some vinegar first then sprinkle the baking soda. Using a wet cloth, I give a few wipes and the baking soda seems to do the scrubbing for me. I will never buy anything else to clean a cook top again, this is by far the best method!

Laundry
Soap nuts- These are fabulous and I’m quite surprised how long a bag of these has lasted me. It doesn’t take a lot per load to end up with clean clothes. I use mine for 2 loads each since I’m using cold water. I just pop a small handful of soap nuts into the little cloth bag and toss into the washing machine. Note that soap nuts can be composted too.
Laundry/dryer balls- I was very surprised these worked so well. In the winters here it gets very dry and everything turns to static. I had absolutely no problems with static using these. In fact they may have even been better than dryer sheets. Plus your clothes don’t come out smelling like medicine.

Hair
I stopped using shampoo cold turkey and although I did get some build up at first, it really wasn’t that bad. In fact no one even noticed. Once I found a good rountine with natural food-based solutions, I was pretty happy.
Egg- couldn’t be simpler. Crack an egg on your head and massage through. Rinse thoroughly. This will get rid of any buildup and greasiness.
Apple Cider Vinegar- I use this as a rinse. About 1 tbsp vinegar to 1 cup of water. Pour through your hair and leave it on a few minutes. Some leave this in their hair, but I rinse it out thoroughly. Note that I use regular vinegar for cleaning the house, but apple cider vinegar for my hair. I think most regular vinegars are from corn, and I’m trying to avoid corn on my skin.
Baking Soda- This helps with grease a bit (egg works better) and helps with smells too. I mix some with water until pasty then apply to hair and massage in. Rinse thoroughly.

Face
Coconut oil- I use this as a makeup remover and moisturizer. It works wonders for removing mascara without burning your eyes. Plus it leaves the skin around your eyes really soft. I have also heard of men using coconut oil in place of shaving cream and aftershave.
Yogurt- I use yogurt as a face mask (when I remember to) especially if dealing with acne breakouts. Try using yogurt that is room-temperature, smear it all over and let it dry for about 15 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. So nice! (Yes I know my yogurt jar is empty, I have a hard time remembering to take a picture when I have a full one)

Body
Bar of soap- I buy a regular old bar of soap made from emu oil. It’s expensive but lasts a long time. I prefer not to use vegetable based ones simply because I don’t know if it came from wheat. I highly recommend soaps from animal fats or goat milk. I use this in the shower as well as all bathrooms and kitchen in the house for washing hands. While I wouldn’t eat the bar of soap, it is made from edible ingredients.
Coconut oil- Again, this can be used as an overall moisturizer. It also works well as a deodorant!
Baking soda- Pat some on the underarms after applying coconut oil. You will not smell at al
l, trust me!
Manuka Honey- This works great for scrapes, burns and cuts. It is antibacterial and helps the healing process.

I’m participating in Kitchen Stewardship’s Spring Cleaning Carnival, Get the Antibacterials Out.

***Please note that each of these recipes contains an ingredient that is not SCD legal. Eat at your own risk! ***

At first I wasn’t going to post these but then realized people who are advanced on SCD and starting to incorporate a few illegals might benefit. Rather than have people starting to introduce chocolate or candies by buying stuff from the store, maybe they can try these homemade treats and have control over the ingredients.

A note on chocolate: I have started to have cocoa powder and am feeling fine with it BUT I seem to be extremely sensitive to the caffeine. If you’re just adding in cocoa and not sleeping well, chances are that you are being kept awake by the caffeine in it. Try eating cocoa goodies in the morning only. There is some debate as to why cocoa is not legal on SCD. Dr. Haas had told Elaine Gotschall not to include it in the diet. Elaine was adamant it should not be part of SCD, although did not fully analyze it.

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Coconut Chocolate Fudge
I made this fudge from Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking‘s recipe. I reduced the honey by half and I think most people on SCD would still find this sweet. I also make this with mint in place of vanilla for a minty chocolate. I plan to make this next time with cocoa butter (also SCD legal) in place of coconut oil, for more of a homemade chocolate bar type snack. Will post that if successful.

Use this chocolate fudge as a coating in the next two recipes. I made half of this recipe with vanilla and half with mint. That was enough to coat the Peppermint Patties and Cadbury Creme Eggs.

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Peppermint Patties
I got the idea for these from Elana’s Pantry and then I got some coconut spread for the first time. I decided the coconut spread would make a great center to peppermint patties. I wanted to make the chocolate coating without using hard chocolate so I used the chocolate fudge recipe from above but with mint extract. I quickly realized I’m not very good at forming patties, but I don’t think that affects the taste Note these are dense chewy peppermint patties, just the way I like them. If you like the center soft, I think coconut oil would work better as in Elana’s recipe.

Filling:
1/2 cup coconut spread/butter (not the same as coconut oil)
5 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
sprinkle sea salt

Coating:
Use the Coconut Chocolate Fudge recipe above with mint.

Method:
Mix filling ingredients by hand. If you want it completely smooth you can process it in a food processor. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until it’s hard enough to form into balls. Get a plate out and put parchment paper over it. Take about a spoonful of filling, roll it into a ball, and press it down to form a patty on the parchment paper. Do this will all the filling, it should make about 12 patties. Return it to the fridge.

Make the coating recipe and keep it at room temperature. Take the filling patties out of the fridge. Quickly dip each patty into the chocolate until covered. Place patties back on parchment paper. Return to the fridge. Leave for a few minutes for the chocolate to harden. Repeat process again. Instead of dipping the patties in chocolate, you can try pouring the chocolate over them with a spoon.

Keep patties in the fridge until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Note: For those not having cocoa, try the filling on its own as little mint chews.

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Raw Milk Ice Cream
Once I got my hands on some raw milk (that I could digest no problem) I set out to make some ice cream. Real ice cream, with cream and milk and egg yolks, not from yogurt. I was getting both raw sheep milk and raw cow’s milk so I used those ingredients, but you can make this from any cream and any milk really. The first time I made it I just used the amount of cream I got from 1 liter raw cow’s milk (which was about 1/2 cup). I added a couple yolks and some honey for flavour. Then I used about 3 cups of milk to bring the total volume to 1 liter. It was really good and quite honestly, any variation of cream/milk amounts would probably work. Just don’t use too much honey or it will actually be too sweet. I also made this with some added strawberries once and it was great, just substitute almond extract in place of vanilla for the best strawberry flavour.

2 egg yolks
1/2 cup raw cream
3 cups raw sheep milk
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups whole strawberries, crushed (makes about 1/2 cup when crushed)

Mix all ingredients. Place in fridge for at least an hour. Process in an ice cream maker according to directions. Place in freezer to firm up if needed.

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Fudgesicles
I ended up just making the ice cream above, but with cocoa powder, less vanilla and only enough milk to make it enough to fill up the Popsicle molds. The second time I made this I ended up using more than 1/2 cup of cream and it was delicious. You can measure how much you need by filling each mold with water and pouring them into a measuring cup. These were a big hit, my first taste reminded me of the actual Fudgsicle brand ones from long ago.

In searching for a fudgesicle recipe online, I couldn’t find too many that used real ingredients. I don’t know how many I found using some kind of chocolate syrup, pudding mix, or powdered sugar. Kelly the Kitchen Kop has a great recipe up using yogurt which is very similar to what I ended up with and uses yogurt in place of fluid milk.

2 egg yolks
3/4 cup raw cream
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup raw milk

Mix everything but the milk until well blended. An immersion blender or hand mixer works well, but a whisk can do the job too. Add enough milk to bring the volume of the mix up to what you need to fill your molds. Blend well. It’s ok if the texture appears grainy, we liked it like that best. Pour into molds and freeze.

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*This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

I felt like having some Indian style food today so I decided to make Tandoori chicken. Raman Prasad has a delicious recipe that I’ve made before, so I was going to again. I looked everywhere that I keep recipes (most jotted down on random scraps of paper) but it seems I never wrote it down. I don’t own any SCD recipe books so I turned to Google and searched for “SCD Tandoori”. And of course, my own blog comes up with my review of Raman Prasad’s version, no recipe. I checked a few others and they all use Garam Masala spice mix, which I didn’t have. So I just winged it.. and it turned out pretty good! I will definitely make it again and might change a few things. Looking at the one I made before, I think I used dripped yogurt and that’s why it looks less watery. I’ll update the recipe as I work through it. It’s pretty simple and if you’re missing any spices just add more of the ones you have. I think this is a recipe that is made differently in every kitchen.

Recipe in my Poultry section.

When I first started on SCD I didn’t actually eat that many vegetables. I found that if I had anything too fibrous it would cause stomach upset. I always tried to increase the amount I was eating but didn’t have any luck at all in the first year. If I could give anyone advice on SCD or GAPS it is to not worry too much about vegetables when just starting out. Eat as many as you can and choose organic only, but don’t force yourself to eat them if your digestive system can’t handle them. Focus on organ meats, broths and healthy fats to get your vitamins and minerals. That being said, vegetables are delicious and can add a lot of variety to your diet.

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Roasted Zucchini
This is my favorite vegetable dish. I usually roast this at the same time as potatoes for other family members.

2 large zucchini
rosemary
paprika
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt and pepper
butter, at room temperature

Chop zucchini into 1″ chunks. Spread into a greased glass baking pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. Dot with butter. Using hands, mix spices and butter into zucchini. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until soft in the center.

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Delicious Asparagus
This is so simple and yet so tasty. You have to get an unrefined coconut oil that has all the flavor in it. After trying asparagus with coconut oil, I’ll never cook it in any other oil again.

asparagus
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp sea salt

Sauté asparagus in coconut oil over medium heat. Cover while cooking to keep the moisture in and keep them from burning. Towards the end, add minced garlic and sea salt. Cook until asparagus is soft when pierced with a fork.

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Baked Squash
Any variety of squash can be baked. Butternut and buttercup squashes are sweeter. Pepper and acorn squashes are a bit less sweet and more fibrous texture. Spaghetti squash has less flavor and is more watery.

Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down in a glass baking dish. Pour 1/2 “ of water into the dish. Bake at 400F for 50-60 minutes, until squash is soft. Spoon the squash into a dish and add butter and sea salt.

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Crockpot Butternut Squash
Place a whole butternut squash in a crockpot with about an inch of water in the bottom. Cook on low 4-6 hours, until you can easily pierce it with a fork.

Remove it from the crockpot carefully and let it cool enough to handle it. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Spoon the squash into a dish and add butter and sea salt.

It really is that simple!

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Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes
dozen or more cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/t tsp each Italian spices (oregano, basil, sage, marjoram)
1/4 tsp sea salt

Sauté tomatoes in butter, vinegar and spices until they have softened. When done, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve.

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Sautéed Greens
Any green leafy vegetable can be steamed or sautéed with garlic and butter. My favorites are fresh spinach and arugula. I also do beet greens, chard, and kale. If you aren’t doing butter, use coconut oil, ghee or any other fat for cooking and add olive oil only after cooking. Some greens like chard may seem bitter. Try adding a bit of lemon juice and even honey to flavor. Garlic can be added at any point but if added later will have a nice strong flavor.

Greens
1-2 tbsp Butter, ghee, coconut oil, lard or tallow
1 tbsp olive oil
garlic, chopped
½ tsp sea salt

Wash greens and roughly cut into large pieces (easiest way is to hold them as a bunch on a cutting board and slice through in a few spots). Chop up garlic and leave aside. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add wet chopped greens and sauté a couple minutes. Add garlic and finish cooking. Place in a dish, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle sea salt over top.

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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
This is a common recipe for people following diets that don’t include potatoes. I was always skeptical of it until I finally tried it. It is delicious and so simple to make!

1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
¼ cup butter or ghee (use lots)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp pepper

Steam the chopped cauliflower until soft, usually about 15-20 minutes. Place cauliflower into a pot, mixing bowl, or food processor, drained of water as well as you can. Add butter, salt and pepper. Blend using an immersion blender or food processor.

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Cauliflower Couscous
Cauliflower rice is another common recipe for grain-free diets that is meant to replace a staple. I found that if I thought of this more as a ‘couscous’ like dish then I was satisfied. It is definitely not like rice but is delicious anyway, and can be used just like leftover rice to do a ‘fried rice’ type of dish.

1 head cauliflower, grated
¼ cup butter, or more
1 tsp sea salt

Grate raw cauliflower or use a food processor. Basically the difference between this and the mashed potatoes is that you grate it first, and then cook it.

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add cauliflower and stir/fold cauliflower while its cooking, for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

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Pickled Beets
This is a good early stage SCD recipe that is useful to have on hand as a snack or to accompany a quick meal. I eat these cold and they keep quite well for at least 1 week in the fridge.

Beets
1 quart/liter Mason jar
Water
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp sea salt

Roughly chop beets and peel if preferred. Place in a pot and almost cover with water. Boil for 30 minutes or until soft. Let cool and transfer beets to a mason jar. Add all water you boiled them in. Add vinegar and sea salt. Add more water until beets are just covered in Mason jar. Cool in fridge.

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This post is a part of Real Food Wednesdays hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop. I have been participating in the Real Food Wednesdays, sharing recipes and seeing other bloggers’ recipes, hoping to get more inspiration for creating new dishes.

***Note: This is completely unscientific and based solely on my own personal experience. I will try to update with more menu plan ideas and recipes

Many people on message boards and mailing lists are asking questions about what foods to eat on SCD/GAPS to help with Adrenal Fatigue. So here I am documenting the foods I found helped my energy levels and some example menu plans. See my first post on Adrenal Fatigue for a brief overview of my symptoms and lifestyle management. I found the book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Syndrome to be a worthwhile read and explained all aspects of Adrenal Fatigue including lifestyle factors, however a lot of the foods listed did not fit SCD/GAPS. The book Rebuild from Depression was my main motivation for turning to organ meats, oysters, eggs and saturated fats for energy. I may not suffer from depression or postpartum depression, but the same dietary advice applies to adrenal fatigue.

These foods are listed in order of what I found to be best to least helpful for me. Yes I have eaten all these foods and consume most of them pretty regularly. Yes eggs & liver are THE best foods!

Eggs
One of the absolute best foods for adrenal fatigue. I eat 2-3 per day usually cooked in a way that leaves the yolk runny (soft poached, soft boiled, over-easy). Very important to get eggs from a good source. Look for a local farmer or buy organic, free-range, omega-3 eggs from a health food store. Duck eggs are also very good if you can find them. I get both chicken and duck eggs.

Meat
Eat red meat more often than poultry or fish. Eat organ meats as often as possible. Choose fattier cuts and slow-cook them, making sure to eat the fats. Don’t be afraid to try new meats, this will help get some variety into your diet! Always use a bit of sea salt on your meats.
*liver, bone marrow, bone broths, fish eggs (roe), heart, tongue
*lamb, pork (including bacon), beef, bison, elk, goat, venison
*duck, turkey, chicken
*oysters, muscles, scallops, wild salmon, wild fish

Fat
Eat lots of saturated fat. I mean lots. If you think you’re eating too much saturated fat, eat about 2 tbsp more per day and then that might be enough. Be careful not to eat too much Omega-6 in the form of vegetable oils and nuts. It is best to cut down on Omega-6 fats than to have to increase Omega-3. You actually do not need that much Omega-3. If you are not able to get grass-fed pastured meats/fats and you eat nuts, then supplement with a small amount of fish oil. Don’t cook with olive oil, just drizzle it over food after cooking it in another fat.
*ghee, butter, coconut oil
*lard, tallow
*olive oil

Yogurt & Cheese
Some adrenal diet advice says to cut out all dairy even yogurt and cheese. I found them quite helpful although you may want to test out your own tolerance for the SCD yogurt and cheddar cheese by doing an elimination stage and slowly introducing them while checking for symptoms. One very important thing is to always buy organic milk products. If you can find raw milk & cheese that would be best. I currently (as of 2010) use whole pasteurized non-homogenized milk, and raw milk cheddar. I suggest eating dairy products as snacks during the day rather than as breakfast or late night snacks. Eggs and meats are better for stabilizing blood sugars, sodium levels and energy. Always add sea salt to your yogurt!
*24-hour SCD yogurt
*cheddar, monterey jack, swiss cheeses

Vegetables
When I started SCD I actually did not eat much in the way of vegetables as I didn’t seem to tolerate anything fibrous. Don’t worry if you can’t have too much, just eat what you can tolerate. Focus more on fats, broths & organ meats for vitamins and minerals. If on SCD, you may not want to try sauerkraut right away, but I wish I had!
*avocado (raw), sauerkraut
*zucchini, beets, green beans, red peppers, onions, garlic, spinach, kale, collards, chard, arugula, artichoke hearts
*squash, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower,

Fruit & Honey
Be careful with fruit. With adrenal fatigue it’s important to keep blood sugar levels and sodium steady. Eating high-sugar and potassium filled fruit on its own can be problematic. Use honey only if necessary to sweeten yogurt a little bit. Don’t eat dried fruit until you are well.
*blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries
*lemons, limes
*apples (including applesauce), pears, papayas, pineapple
*bananas, melons, mango, oranges

Nuts and Seeds
Don’t overdo nuts. It’s the #1 mistake people do on SCD. I have done it many times! I also find I do better with properly soaked and dehydrated raw organic nuts.
*walnuts
*almonds, hazelnuts, macademia nuts, pecans
*pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds

Supplements
If you have a known deficiency found by a blood test or other medical tests, then definitely take a supplement until you reach normal levels.
If you take cod liver oil, fish oil, butter oil, etc, and you are doing ok with them then by all means continue them. Treat these as foods, you do not necessarily need to take them every day nor at the same time every day.
I find when dealing with supplements it’s best to have the help of a naturopath to guide you. I have repeatedly tried many vitamin and mineral supplements that really did nothing but frustrate me in having me try to remember to take them. I have never had any vitamin/mineral/oil/gland supplement help as much as eating liver, eggs, roe, and bone marrow have. Those foods give me energy!

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Adrenal Fatigue Menu #1
Breakfast: 2 eggs soft-poached (or any preparation), 1 cup broth, sea salt, pickled beets, sauerkraut
Snack: 1 cup whole milk yogurt, 2 tsp honey, 1/4 cup blueberries
Lunch: Leftover Slow-cooker Basic Lamb Stew, add 1 tbsp butter/ghee after heated
Snack: 2 slices cheese, 1 apple with 1 tbsp almond butter (or applesauce with 1 tbsp butter/ghee), 1/2 cup broth with sea salt
Dinner: Beef Heart, Bacon, Butter and Onions, baked squash with 1 tbsp butter/ghee, sauerkraut
Pre-bed snack: 1 soft-boiled egg, sea salt

Adrenal Fatigue Menu #2 (egg-free)
Breakfast: Meatballs (any ground meat) with 1/4 cup Tzatziki sauce, sauerkraut, Roe on Roasted Golden Beets
Snack: 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cup broth with sea salt
Lunch: Liver Pâté with Cranberries served on thin slices of cheddar cheese, cauliflower mashed potatoes
Snack: 1 cup whole milk yogurt, 2 tsp honey, 1/4 cup raspberries
Dinner: Beef roast with mushroom sauce, asparagus sauteed in coconut oil & garlic
Pre-bed snack: 1/2 cup broth with sea salt; 1 tsp coconut oil mixed with 1 tsp honey

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Ribs
Mmmm ribs. I always do ribs in the slow-cooker because they end up so tender.

1 rack of ribs
1 large onion
1 large carrot
2-3 large tomatoes, or can tomatoes or tomato paste + water
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp honey

Chop onion and carrot and place in bottom of slow-cooker. Place rack of ribs in crockpot. Chop tomatoes and garlic and place on and around ribs. Pour vinegar and stock over ribs. Sprinkle all spices over ribs. Cook on low all day 9-10 hours. Drizzle honey just before serving.

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Honey Mustard Slow-cooked Chops
A good tomato-free recipe for pork.

2 lbs pork chops
1 large onion
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
1 stalk celery
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine
1/2 cup broth
sea salt & pepper
honey to drizzle

Chop onion, mushrooms, celery and garlic and place in bottom of slow cooker. Place chops on top. Spread mustard over chops. Pour wine then broth over chops. Sprinkle to coat with salt & pepper. Cook on low all day or 9 hours. Serve each portion lightly drizzled with honey.

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Baked Tomato Pork Chops

My first attempt at cooking pork chops. Growing up we always had ham, so I really didn’t know what I was doing, but it turned out ok.

2 large pork chops
1/2 can tomatoes
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tbsp honey
sea salt

Place pork chops in a glass baking dish. Cover with tomatoes. Add vinegar and drizzle honey over top. Add sea salt if tomatoes didn’t have much salt. Bake at 375F for about 40 mins or until pork chops are done.

I didn’t always like lamb and in fact I still hate lamb from the grocery store. If you have ever tasted that ‘lamby’ taste, you know what I’m talking about. The first time I bought lamb from a local farmer at the farmer’s market I was surprised at how tender and delicious it was. I was also surprised at how easy it was on my stomach. This is definitely my choice of meat for anyone starting out SCD or dealing with flare-ups of symptoms. Just make sure you find the best source available. I hear that all New Zealand lamb sold in grocery stores is from pastured animals and probably tastes good too, but it is quite expensive.

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BBQ Lamb Chops
This is my favorite lamb recipe and can be used for BBQ Lamb Kebabs if you have kebab meat.

4-5 lamb chops
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp rosemary
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients except meat in a bowl and mix together. Pour over meat and let marinate for 4-8 hours. Cook on the barbecue over low-medium heat.

Note: I do this often in the oven too especially during winter. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes.

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Slow-cooker Tomato Lamb Stew
This one is my favorite go-to on a cold day. The tomato base just makes it such a wonderful comfort meal.

2 pounds lamb stew meat
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 onion
3-4 tomatoes or small bottle tomato paste
1 large zucchini, chopped into large chunks
2 carrots, chopped into large chunks
sprinkle rosemary
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp mustard powder
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper

Place veggies in the bottom of slow-cooker. Place meat on top (no need to brown the meat). Sprinkle all spices evenly over meat. Add chicken stock or water. Cook on low all day (9-10 hours).

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Slow-cooker Basic Lamb Stew

1 pound lamb stew meat
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup carrots
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cover the bottom of the slow-cooker with onion and garlic. Place carrots and mushrooms around edges. Place lamb in center. Pour chicken stock over. Cook on low all day (9-10 hours). In last 30 minutes add rosemary and thyme.

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Slow-cooker Lamb Curry
Oh this was good!

2 pounds lamb stew or kabobs
3/4 can tomatoes
1/3 cup SCD yogurt (I used half n’ half cream yogurt)
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger, grated
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a slow-cooker. Cook on low all day (9-10 hours).