Shredded Carrot and Beet Salad with Fresh Thyme, a Fast Easy Way to Eat Healthy

Shredded Carrot and Beet Salad with Fresh Thyme, a Fast Easy Way to Eat Healthy

In the last six months I’ve become much more interested in eating raw vegetables. I noticed that my body feels happier eating raw rather than cooked vegetables. Raw vegetables keep me feeling full longer. They give me more energy, snd help me maintain my weight easier. One day I was walking around my kitchen thinking “Wow, raw vegetables are amazing! I wonder who has thought about eating raw vegetables???” Oh, um, maybe that’s what people mean by a “raw” diet. Silly me. Now I get it!

However, I realized I am terribly resentful of lettuce. Really. At times I love it, but other times I need something different. Something crunchy. So I started exploring other raw vegetable meal ideas which are FAST and EASY.

Even though I am on good treatment for hypothyroidism, I still get tired and need quick healthy meal inspiration during the week. Here is a great raw veggie base which can be added to any kind of meal — eggs, burritos, served with ground beef, and more. It takes about 10 minutes to throw together and keeps for a week or more.

A Cuisinart or other shredding device makes the prep fast and easy. Otherwise, shredding by hand is possible but more involved.

Shredded Carrot and Beet Salad with Fresh Thyme

• 3 Golden Beets (more or less)

• 5 Carrots (more or less)

• 6 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme (or dried)

• 2-3 TBS Vinegar (White, or Cider Vinegar)

Real Sea Salt®

• Pepper

Makes about 12 cups.

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel the beets and carrots. Shred. Toss with vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Refridgerate and use.

IMG_2352

Peel raw beets

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_2353

Peel carrots

Add fresh thyme

Add fresh thyme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toss with vinegar, salt and pepper

Toss with vinegar, salt and pepper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shredded Carrots and Beets with Scrambled Eggs

Here is a fast breakfast with the shredded carrot and beet salad. Just top with scrambled eggs (Organic Omega 3 taste really really good!). I might add some lettuce, scallions and avocado if I am feeling inspired. Viola!

Top with scrambled eggs and scallions

Top with scrambled eggs and scallions

 

Miss LizzyShredded Carrot and Beet Salad with Fresh Thyme, a Fast Easy Way to Eat Healthy
Salt Cravings Could be a Sign of Adrenal Fatigue

Salt Cravings Could be a Sign of Adrenal Fatigue

Understand the Salt Craving

Recently someone asked about how to handle cravings for foods like pizza, mac and cheese, and nachos. Being hypothyroid and often inflammation many patients have difficulty eating simple carbohydrates and flour. Consequently when we have cravings meals can be especially challenging if we haven’t prepared in advance.

Maybe what you didn’t know is that cravings for foods likes pizza, french friends and nachos can actually be a craving for salt.  Craving salt can actually be indicator of adrenal stress. According to James L. Wilson, Adrenal Fatigue, some people are able to assess their adrenal strength simply by their salt cravings. For people with adrenal fatigue, like me, salt is good for us. Learn more about salt. However its important to use good salt.

Curb the Salt Craving Before Reaching for Salty Foods

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When I am craving salty foods I can quickly curb the craving, while also eating healthy, by having a cup of chicken broth or drinking a glass of lightly salted water. As James L. Wilson suggets, salted water can help boost energy in the morning and before the mid-afternoon energy crash which is caused by low cortisol. Typically when I make salted water I used 1/4 tsp, or to taste of good salt like Redmond’s Real Salt.

If the salted water tastes bad, or makes you nauseated, Wilson explains this reaction is a good indicator you don’t need the salt or just need less salt. But if the salted water tastes good that’s how you know you need the salt.

Another solution for salt cravings is to make a cup of chicken broth. This is a low calorie snack  that is filling, satisfies the salt cravings and also can help support adrenal strength.

 

 

Chicken Broth Can Satisfy The Salt Craving

product-31For chicken broth, I use a product called Better Than Bouillon which I learned about in a cooking class.

The instructor said Better Than Bouillion was a great alternative to homemage chicken broth because its made with real ingrediants and doesn’t have MSG. Plus tastes amazing.

Better Than Bouillion is condensed, so I mix about a teaspon into hot water for an afternoon or after dinner snack that’s filling and satisfying.

Better Than Bouillon is more expensive the other chicken broth however the taste difference is worth to cost of about $5.95. A little jar lasts a long time and its much less expensive than ordering a pizza.

Next time you find yourself craving salty foods, see if these tricks help curb the craving.

Miss LizzySalt Cravings Could be a Sign of Adrenal Fatigue
Salad with Fried Eggs, Ham and Dried Cranberries

Salad with Fried Eggs, Ham and Dried Cranberries

Being hypothyroid means meals have to be fast and easy, and also a good mix of protein and vegetables so I don’t get hypoclycemic. For these reasons, salads are a big part of my diet (even for breakfast).

Here is a salad recipe which takes about 5-7 minutes, with minimal prep and cleanup. Best of all it gives me energy for hours. The recipe can modified in many ways. I don’t worry about exact measurements, I just estimate how much I want.

Ingredients

  • Salad Greens (pre-washed, in the square plastic box)
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Shredded Carrots (optional)
  • 2 Eggs
  • Butter for frying
  • Ham
  • Dried Cranberries (or raisins)
  • Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil

3Directions

In a sauté pan, heat butter on medium heat until the foam subsides. Fry eggs in pan (cover if you like the top of the eggs cooked). Meanwhile, put salad greens and tomatoes. Shred some carrot on top with a hand shredder, if you like. When the eggs are done put them on the salad. Add a little more butter to the sauté pan and fry the ham until brown. Put the ham on top of the salad. Add more cranberries, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Miss LizzySalad with Fried Eggs, Ham and Dried Cranberries
Fast, Easy Tricks for Everyday Salads

Fast, Easy Tricks for Everyday Salads

Even with proper treatment for hypothyroidism, I still get tired and uninspired to cook. Sometimes I just can’t cope with making a meal. When I am tired it’s so easy to reach for junk food. So I need to make sure I have healthy foods on-hand, which are fast and easy to prepare.

For breakfast and lunch, often I have a salad with protein. I avoid grains and sugar, especially at breakfast and lunch, because they make me hypoglycemic. A meal of vegetables and protein gives me stable energy and helps my brain stay clear and focused. To make healthy salads quickly, I always keep these items in kitchen:

ingredients_photoOlivia’s Organics

At the supermarket, I’ve been buying the salad greens in the clear plastic box, like Olivia’s Organics. The plastic means more recycling which isn’t great, but hands-down the box is the best way for me to keep salad greens. When I buy regular lettuce, it usually wilts in my fridge because the idea of washing and spinning lettuce is way to much effort.

The pre-washed salad in a bag seems good, but invariably the bag gets crushed and the lettuce goes to waste. So while salad greens in a clear box might cost more than regular lettuce, it makes my life and eating healthy so much easier.

Cherry Tomatoes

I love foods that require low to no labor, so cherry tomatoes are a great staple to keep in the house. Wash them and toss on a salad. Easy.

Real Salt

For many of us with adrenal problems, salt can be important for our diets. The quality of salt is important though. Regular table salt tastes terrible. But Real Sea Salt or Celtic Sea Salt taste great. For me, good salt, pepper, and a little olive oil, are all the seasoning I need for a salad. Again, easy.

Eggs & Protein

To make sure I have plenty of energy I eat a good amount of protein in a salad. This usually means eggs and some kind of meat. For eggs, I prefer cage-free organic eggs, especially from a local farm, because they taste so good! Eggs with Omega 3 are even better because most of us need more Omega 3 in our diets.

For the eggs, usually, I fry them in butter and then put ontop of the salad. For protein, I use any leftover meat from dinner the night before. It might be ground beef, ham, chicken, pork or bacon — and fry in the pan after the eggs. This means one pan to wash.

 

Miss LizzyFast, Easy Tricks for Everyday Salads
Foods for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue

Foods for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue

Eating healthy with hypothyroidism can be a challenge. Many people have inflammation which means food allergies or sensitivities to gluten, carbohydrates and sugar. In addition, people with hypothyroidism are advised to avoid cruciferous vegetables because they can inhibit thyroid function and iodine uptake 1. Here are the food items I like to keep in my fridge and pantry or buy for special meals.

Fruits

  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Peaches
  • Lemons
  • Limes

Vegetables

  • Green Beans
  • Corn (Frozen is okay)
  • Peas (Frozen is okay)
  • Red Peppers
  • Green Peppers
  • Zucchini
  • Summer Squash
  • Asparagus (seasonally)
  • Artichokes (seasonally)
  • Lettuce
  • White or Sweet Potatoes
  • Onion

Herbs (Fresh are better)

  • Chives or Scallions
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Garlic

Canned or Jar Goods

  • Jelly sweetened with Fruit Juice
  • Natural Peanut Butter
  • Canned Tomotoes (crushed or whole plum)
  • Tomato Paste
  • Sundried Tomatoes
  • Fresh Olives
  • Kidney Beans
  • Red Beans
  • Black Beans

Meat

  • 85% Ground Chuck Hamburger
  • Ground Buffalo (mixed with the 85% for flavor with less fat)
  • Ham (Thick Cut for Chunks)
  • Italian Sausage
  • Bacon
  • Chicken Breast (Note: Try buying split breasts and debone yourself. It’s easy to debone and costs half the price of boneless)

Dairy

  • Whole Milk Yogurt
  • Whole Milk Sour Cream
  • Whole Milk, or Raw Milk if you can find it
  • Half and Half
  • Heavy Cream
  • Kerrygold Butter
  • Omega 3 Eggs or Farm Raised Local Eggs
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Harvarti
  • Any speciality cheese that’s on sale and looks great

Nuts & Dried Fruit

  • Sliced Almonds
  • Roasted and Salted Cashews
  • Dried Dates
  • Raisins

Other

  • Redmond’s Real Salt
  • Kal’s Liquid Stevia
  • Truvia
  • Cinnamon
  • Better than Bouillon Chicken Stock

Image source: http://www.portagewibid.org/farmers-market/

Miss LizzyFoods for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Honey, and Almond Crust

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Honey, and Almond Crust

As I noted in my Thanksgiving Dinner Survival Guide, personal happiness at Thanksgiving means having a fabulous dessert which I can eat — meaning, no flour, no grain, and no sugar. Seems impossible I know! When faced with a challenge, I try to make the best of the situation. This led me to my new love — Cheesecake! There are so many cheescake variations it’s really endless. And cheesecake can be made succesfully, and awesom

ely, without sugar or grain. I must say, it’s not necessarily quick or cheap, but for me it’s well worth the payoff to have a great dessert at Thanksgiving (or really anytime.) Here’s what I do…

For the crust, instead of the typical graham cracker recipe, I make a crust using chopped Almonds or Almond Meal. Trader Joe’s has Almond Meal for a good price, but I prefer to chop whole Almonds in the Cuisinart Food Processor because it makes the crust crunchier. Either works well. For sweetener, instead of sugar I use honey. Pretty simple switches! Here is a cheesecake recipe I found on Food Network, which I modified to be hypothyroid friendly:

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 3/4 cups ground almond and/or almond meal
  • 3 tablespoons honey (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
  • 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

cheesecake1

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine almond meal, honey and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Mix well. (If the crust seems too dense, just add a little more almond meal). Press mixture down flat into a 9-inch springform pan**. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, honey and the spices. If it needs more honey add more as needed. Add vanilla. Beat together until well combined. Note: The batter may seem sweet but it loses some sweetness in the baking. So better to add a little more honey to be safe.)

Pour batter into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

 

** I divide my cheesecakes into pie and muffins, mainly because I want to try the cheesecake right when it’s done! So I use a 6″ springform cheesecake pan, and a muffin tin with 6 cups. I line both with crust and batter. The mini-muffin cheesecakes take less time to cook.

Miss LizzyPumpkin Cheesecake with Honey, and Almond Crust
Thanksgiving Dinner Survival Guide

Thanksgiving Dinner Survival Guide

Vermont CremeryThanksgiving is one of those holidays that’s all about carbs and sweets — pretty much the foods which make me feel bleh because of hypothyroidism. That’s why I developed my own way of eating with the Miss Lizzy Diet.

At Thanksgiving everyone is eating what they want, so I wanted to find a way to survive Thanksgiving where I felt great and totally satisfied with foods (as well as not gaining weight!). Here’s what I do:

1. Thanksgiving morning, eat a good breakfast with protein and veggies (this really helps with carb cravings and holds me over until dinnertime)

2. Bring an appetizer that makes me happy and that I can eat — like cheese! — have I mentioned I really love cheese? Cheese really helps with my carb and sugar cravings because its rich and satisfying. Pretty much anything from Vermont Cremery is heaven for me. I skip the crackes and just eat the cheese straight.

250_cremont3. At mealtime, I fill my plate with any food that don’t have carbs (a little breadcrumbs or flour in the gravy won’t hurt) I am always suprised that there’s a lot of non-carb dishes to choose from — like salads, vegetable side dishes, Turkey, gravy, even some potatoes. I’ll have seconds if I am still hungry, but again avoiding all carbs. Maybe at the end I’ll try a little stuffing, but at this point I am usually full I can have a little carb without overeating.

4. For dessert, bring a super awesome treat specifically for me (I am going to post my special cheesecake recipe shortly!)

So that’s pretty much it. Eating this way on Thanksgiving helps me avoid the brain fog and lethargy of carbs, but still enjoy the day, feel great, and not gain weight (!)

xxoo

Lizzy

Miss LizzyThanksgiving Dinner Survival Guide
Super Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sweetened with Honey

Super Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sweetened with Honey

Time for something fun and happy. If you’ve read my hypothyroid diet, you might recall I don’t eat grain or sugar. But this makes it pretty darn hard to have baked goods. And I am no martyr, my friends. Through sheer determination to satisfy my sweet tooth, I’ve found some great recipe workarounds.

Like many hypothyroid people, sugar just makes me feel horrible. And If I even so much as look at sugar, I gain weight. My body seems to do okay with protein and fats (better than with sugar and grain). And for some curious reason honey seems to be okay for me (in moderation, of course). So I started experimenting with honey as a replacement for sugar in all my recipes. Granted, honey is more expensive than sugar so I don’t bake that often but when I want to indulge in something treaty and baked, I am happy to know there are options, like this latest recipe experiment:

Super Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake Sweetened with Honey

This recipe makes a thin rich fudge-like cake, for a taller cake double the ingredients.

cake

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 stick of Butter
  • 4 oz Baker’s Chocolate
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Honey (or to taste)
  • 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder (to thicken batter)
  • 1 TSP Vanilla (optional)
  • Whip Cream, Strawberries, Blueberries (optional)

 

 

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8″ springform pan or 6 muffin tin. Using a double-boiler (or put a glass bowl over a pot of water on a low simmer, just enough to melt ingredients). Add the butter and chocolate to the bowl and stir until melted. Add the honey to taste, blend with a whisk. Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time. Add some cocoa powder until the batter is a little thicker. Add vanilla if you are using it. Pour batter into pan, bake for about 12-15 minutes (longer if you’ve doubled the recipe). Remove from over while the middle is still a tiny bit soft so the cake doesn’t get too dry. Cool. Decorate with whip cream and berries if you want.

xxoo

Lizzy

 

Miss LizzySuper Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sweetened with Honey
Beet Roesti with Ham, Egg and Asparagus

Beet Roesti with Ham, Egg and Asparagus

I love this meal but a word of caution, it takes every pan in the house to cook so it’s better for a day when I have lots of energy. But the ingredient list is simple which is a big plus. Roesti is just a fancy word for pancake.  It’s a fun dinner, and while beets are high in sugar sometimes we need a rich meal to feel happy. Here are the instructions.

Pan Roasted Asparagus
  • 1 Bunch Asparagus
  • Butter
  • Salt

In a frying pan over medium heat, melt butter then sautee asparagus until desired tenderness.  Add Real Salt for good flavor, use as much butter as you want (assuming you are following my diet plan).

Beet Roesti

This recipe makes enough for leftovers throughout the week.

  • 3 Large Beets
  • 3 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
  • 1/3 Cup Spelt of Rice Flour
  • Salt to Taste
  • Safflower or Vegetable Oil
  • Sour Cream (Optional)
  • Chives (Optional)

Using gloves, peel and shred  beets with a food processor (or grater). Add chopped rosemary, then rice or spelt flour and salt. Toss to combine. In a big frying pan heat oil over medium high heat. When oil sizzles add beet mix in pancake sized shapes with enough room to flip.  Watch heat carefully, lower if needed. After about 5 minutes, a nice crust should form on the bottom and that’s the time to flip.  Repeat cooking on other side. When both sides are crispy brown transfer to plate.

Pan Fried Ham (Optional)

While the beets are cooking, slice ham thinly and pan fry in butter until brown.

Poached Eggs (Optional)

Boil water for eggs, add a capful of little vinegar. When the water gently boils, add eggs and poach to desired doneness.

Presentation

Plate the pancakes, add the ham, then the egg, top with Sour Cream and Chive. Then Light candles (it just makes a meal better, even if you are alone). Voila! Total cooking time is about 30 minutes.

xxoo

Lizzy

Miss LizzyBeet Roesti with Ham, Egg and Asparagus
Benefits of Salt for Adrenal Fatigue

Benefits of Salt for Adrenal Fatigue

According to James Wilson author of Adrenal Fatigue, salt craving is a common symptom for all stages of adrenal fatique.  Sadly our salt-phobic society has deprived millions of people the very nutrient needed to decrease adrenal fatigue symptoms and increase recovery.  For people with high blood pressure salt can be an issue but since low blood pressure is one of the common symptoms of adrenal fatigue salt may greatly benefit adrenal sufferers. Wilson says unless you are one of the rare people with adrenal fatigue and high blood pressure, go ahead and salt your food.

But salt is not created equally. Stop the Thyroid Madness says sea salt contains important trace minerals, that are mostly removed from table salt. Recom mended daily amounts of sea salt are 1/4 to 1/2 tsp in water twice a day for Aldosterone and Adrenal Fatigue.

Health reasons aside, sea salt just tastes better. After following a very specific eating program it’s really important to me that my food tastes good. And for me that means good salt!  To understand the difference, take the taste test challenge. Buy some sea salt (I like Real Sea Salt and Celtic Sea Salt) and compare to regular table salt. You will never go back to plain table salt.

Not all salts are iodized and the iodine in salt may not be enough.

J.Crow’s® Lugol’s Solution of Iodine

Miss LizzyBenefits of Salt for Adrenal Fatigue