Pasta Alfredo With Blackened Chicken

One thing I've missed, over the last 20 months, on the "Wheat Belly" program is PASTA!  One dish in particular keeps coming to mind, and that was a "Blackened Chicken Pasta" I used to order at a restaurant that is no longer open in my area.  It was so tasty and spicy!  I missed that taste, that spice, that texture, while eating healthy on the "Wheat Belly" diet.

So, I've been on a search for a pasta substitute, and I've found a couple, and one still eludes me; a garbanzo flour pasta.  I don't know if it's in a package, or if you have to actually make it.  But I'm looking!  (UPDATE: I may order this one!)

The one I tried tonight was made by Tolerant, and it was good, very good in fact!  I just happened upon it at local "earth store".   Tolerant makes their flours from legumes, which is "kosher" too.

I found a fettucine alfredo in Dr. Davis' book, so I basically followed that recipe for the sauce, but embellished on the cheeses and spices; adding chicken (blackened, of course).  It turned out beautifully.  My wife, who doesn't follow "Wheat Belly" as closely as I, raved about it and wants more!

The recipe can be found HERE.  Follow that recipe, except substitute whatever "safe" pasta you have or can find.  I used the following cheeses, making the alfredo, as directed, but I added a 1/4 cup of mozzarella, 1/4 cup of diced sundried tomatoes.

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

We decided on peas as the side dish, but a salad, or asparagus would work well.

Here are the photos from tonight's cook:

Thanksgiving Wheat Belly Safe Dessert - Simple Mills Banana Muffins

The "Wheat Belly" is now a life-style way of eating for me, and I stay pretty close to the rules.  The rules have paid off for me, and I've kept the weight off for over 19 months!  I lost about 50 pounds overall, and actually got too small and had to increase my carbs to come back to today's 190 average weight.  That's the ideal weight for me and I've dropped blood pressure and diabetes medications.

However, when holidays come along, I miss something sweet.  I see family and friends indulging in pies, cakes, and other sweet things, and yes, it bothers me a little.  So, I went searching for something to fill the "holiday spirit" gap.

I discovered Simple Mills products and have been enjoying their almond flour crackers, bread, and pancake mix.  So, the natural thing to do was to try out their line of muffin mixes.

I decided on the Banana Muffin Mix.  (Note: You can buy them on several sites, or at your local "fresh market or earth type store".)

I wanted a little extra in my holiday muffin, so I chopped up pecans, dark chocolate, and some frozen berries.  It all worked perfectly in the mix and didn't require any more cooking time.  They came out delicious!

I topped the muffins with some of the Simple Mills frosting, and that got me to where I wanted to be on Thanksgiving Day!

You've still got time, or try them for Christmas...the directions are easy and in 30 minutes you'll have your favorite muffin, iced, and ready to enjoy with the family.

"Wheat Belly" Friendly Steak'n Gravy!

My wife made me some "Wheat Belly" steak'n gravy tonight!

She just rolled cubed-steak in garbanzo bean flour and fried it in an iron skillet.  She added more of the "bean flour" to the drippings, added some water, salt, and pepper and made gravy. She then popped it into the oven at 400 for about an hour.

The vegies, red potatoes, cauliflower, and tomatoes went in until soft; then I broiled them for a touch of brown. Yummy!

The steak browned beautifully!

"Pulled Pork" Wheat Belly Supper

Last night's Wheat Belly supper was some BBQed "pulled pork" I made from some ham we had frozen since Christmas! Yes, and it was delicious!

I cut up some onion, cauliflower, broccoli, and red potatoes and roasted them in the oven.  It was so simple, and so good that we wished we had made more!

You Must Read "The Shack"!

We found ourselves shut inside a condo on Indian Rocks Beach, in Clearwater, FL, this winter during a freak storm of high wind and rain.  Had it not been for the little library within the beach front unit, I may have gone crazy!

My granddaughter suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, Papaw, you have to read this book!" 

That may have been may have been one of the highlights of my entire life.  I've read the Bible through in several versions, but never had I completely grasped the meaning of a relationship with the Holy Trinity.  "The Shack"*, by William P. Young, opened my mine to the great love of each part of God.  It also made me more aware of the Holy Spirit, a part that we often overlook in our thoughts, action, and prayers. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, read this book soon; it will change your life and relationship with everything! 

Plus, there is a movie coming out soon, and you need to read the original thoughts of Mr. Young before you see it!

*A grieving father receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him to meet in the Oregon wilderness where his daughter has been abducted and murdered. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant, "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?"

Scallops and Shrimp With Asparagus

If you've been following me lately, you know that I'm a Wheat Belly practitioner.  So, the simple object is to avoid "grains" altogether.

Tonight I was craving some seafood; scallops and shrimp, to be exact.  I came up with this real quick and easy way to prepare this type of seafood without much mess and fuss, and "real" bread.

I bought 8 large, raw, scallops and shrimp, and a can of cut asparagus.  I kind of wish I'd bought only asparagus tips, because in a can of "cut asparagus", you always find one of two tough stringy pieces.  This bite always makes me rethink the purchase, but I do love asparagus!  If I'd had more time, I would have sautéed my own, using butter; next time.

Anyway, I put pats of butter around the bottom of two oven friendly bowls, and placed a scallop on top of each piece.  Around the edges, of my bowl, I placed the shrimp. 

In another pan, I heated olive oil (real California), salt, pepper, garlic, and minced up sun dried tomatoes.  I poured the thoroughly heated mixture over the scallops and shrimp.  I then crumbled "Wheat Belly Herbed Focaccia Flatbread" (made earlier) over the top.

I already had the oven heating to 450 degrees, so I popped the dishes in for 10 minutes.  That's all it takes!  If the shrimp is pink, then it's all done.

When the asparagus is heated, remove the dishes from the oven, section the scallops into 4 bites each, and place on a plate along side the vegetable.  It's good!