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Happy New Year everyone! How was your 2016? Did you make a resolution or two for 2017? January is the perfect month to do a reset so that’s what I shall be doing. I’ve known for some time that sweets do not sit well with me and I have made a special effort to avoid them over the last few months with great success. Of course I enjoyed a festive treat or two but, though modest by most peoples’ standards, they have left me feeling down and a little foggy. I am convinced that over consumption of sugar is the reason most people tend to love Christmas, yet often dread New Year when our adrenals have taken a hammering. I know that incorporating the sweeter things into my life is widening a slippery slope I don’t wish to travel down, so I intend to keep away from them as much as possible. In any case, this month’s hearty stew keeps me happier and far more satiated than a slice of cake could.
If you wish to reset, or are just beginning your elimination diet and finding it tough, take note of these facts –
- it takes 3-4 weeks for cravings to subside, longer if you give in to them along the way
- if you are feeling hungry immediately or soon after eating, that’s an indicator that your meal didn’t contain enough healthy fat
- when cravings strike, reach for a protein and fat rich snack, rather than carbs. Remember that fat is satiating, whilst carbs are not. If you have a piece of fruit or something sweeter, you’re on a fast track to slippery slopesville. Snacks that do it for me include :
- half an avocado with a spoonful of duck fat and a sprinkle of truffle salt
- healthy spoonful of liver paté (without the fruit). I deliberately have this to hand so I can take a spoonful as and when necessary
- spoonful of wild salmon and leek paté with a raw crunchy veggie such as celery or daikon
- having a stash of my mini chicken and ginger meatloaves in the freezer is a pretty wise decision for snack attacks or eating on the go
- try a decent spoonful of pork rillettes. I buy mine from my local deli but if you’re after a recipe, Jo Frankham has one on her site
- consider Angie’s SAD to AIP in SIX. Her six week online course has helped well over a thousand people get started on their road to recovery through improved diet and lifestyle
- Michelle’s brand new 30-Day Gut Healing Guide has meal plans, shopping lists and a load of information about healing through the AIP, Paleo and GAPS (including low FODMAP modifications).
hearty irish lamb stew
(serves 6-8)
This really is a substantial beauty that I intend to feast on throughout the rest of the winter and, what can I say, ohmagosh you really need need need this stew in your life too! One word to the wise though, do not overlook the browning process at the start. Yes, browning meat can be a little tedious but you win serious rewards in the taste department when you do so. But I think you already know that?!
Anyway, now I’ve whet your appetite you’d better head on over to Autoimmune Wellness for the recipe!
Thank you for your recipe. Irish stew is lovely.
Do you eat low-carb on purpose? I have noticed that my carbs have been rather low. I bought a carrot and parsnip puree and I read that it has 4 carbs per 100 grams. Beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, peas and sometimes carrots are the only things I eat for carbs, broccoli, cauliflower, mangetouts, courgettes, and the leaves, salads and kale and spinach don’t count. I would have a boiled parsnip for lunch and a boiled sweet potato for dinner. I might have eaten too many prunes, dates and nuts exactly because I don’t eat enough.
I put on weight in the last two-three months and I’m not happy about it. I have to cut the almond butter, the 85 % chocolate and to watch the coconut yoghurt. I don’t really know.
Hi Simona, I find that eating low carb suits me since I don’t do well with sugars (and carbs turn to sugar). I eat starchy veggies such as sweet potato and parsnips around 3 times a week and when I do, I’ll have them mostly in the evening although I’m not religious about it. If you are putting on weight, take a look at the food/drinks you are consuming and rather than losing the almond butter, which is good quality fat and protein, consider cutting out the dried fruit and chocolate which is neither satiating nor helping your body’s ability to handle sugar. I hope you enjoy the stew if you try it.
The recipe does not load when I click on it.
I know that Autoimmune Wellness had a few technical issues due to their name change but it’s working now. Here’s the link again 🙂
I just want to tell you how much I enjoy your site, recipes and information shared. I’ve been on a journey to heal my gut and your site helped me immensely especially in the early stages when I was still trying to understand how to feed myself nutritious yet flavorful foods. Thank you!!
Thanks so much for sharing that, it makes me so happy to know that my recipes are helping people. Happy healing! 🙂
I can’t find the actually recipe on this page. Jelp
Hi Hanne, the link was at the bottom of the post. Here it is again, https://autoimmunewellness.com/hearty-irish-lamb-stew/