Gluten-Free Pecan Sandies (Wheat and Fish-Free, Can Be Soy, Nut, Egg and Milk-Free)

The other day, I went to a Ladies' Fellowship at our church on St. Patrick's Day.  We were all asked to bring finger foods, and I thought it would be fun to make something Irish.  I looked up Irish desserts, and came across these Irish Oat Cookies on Baking A Moment.  To say they were fantastic would be an understatement.  They reminded me of pecan sandies without the pecans.  That flavor profile got me thinking about what would happen if I made them with pecans vs. oats and gluten-free?  Answer: I'd get some tasty little gluten-free pecan sandies, that's what!

If you are a fan of pecan sandies, you simply must try these.  They are buttery and sandy - the perfect cookie for lovers of shortbread and pecans.  They are great on their own or with a cup of tea, coffee or milk.  You will not be disappointed!

These cookies are wheat and fish-free, and can be soy*, nut, egg and milk-free (see variations).

*Note: The gluten-free flour I recommend does not technically contain soy, but it does contain xanthan gum (see "Soy-Free" under variations for more details) which can cause issues for people with soy sensitivities or allergies.  For this reason, I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free.  I will share a soy-free alternative in variations, though.

Gluten-Free Pecan Sandies

1 Cup (2 sticks) salted, full-fat butter, softened

3/4 Cup brown sugar, loosely packed

(Normally, you would tightly pack brown sugar.  For this recipe, you want it loosely packed for best results.)

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 Cups gluten-free measure for measure flour

(We normally use and highly recommend King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour.)

1 Cup pecans, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (heaping)

(By heaping I mean rounded 1/2 teaspoon.  This can be up to 3/4 teaspoon, but ideally between 1/2 and 3/4 teaspoon.)

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)

(By scant, I mean just below a full 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon.  This could mean as little as half those amounts, but ideally between half the amount of the amount intended (i.e. 1/8 to 3/16 for the 1/4 teaspoon and 1/4 to 3/8 for the 1/2 teaspoon).  We normally use the scant 1/2 teaspoon, but you can use scant 1/4 if you like things less salty.)

1. Preheat oven to 350^o F .

2. Line sheet pans with  parchment paper.

3. Place the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat together until smooth.

4. Mix in the egg yolks until combined.

5. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the flour, pecans, baking soda, and salt, mixing together until just barely combined.

6. Using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop, drop balls of dough on the prepared baking sheets, allowing room in between for spreading.

7. Bake the cookies for 14 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and crisp.

8. Cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.

Makes around 30 cookies.

Variations (Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using variations):

• Milk-Free: Use non-dairy butter of your choice, coconut oil or lard in place of the butter in this recipe. 
    
• Egg-Free: Follow one of the recommendations here to replace the egg yolks in this recipe.
   
• Soy-Free: The King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour that we use does not claim to contain soy, but it does contain xanthan gum, both of which can cause issues with people who have soy sensitivities and allergies.  For this reason, I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free.  You can use regular flour (if you can have it) or a soy-free, gluten-free flour of your choice.  Keep in mind that if your blend doesn't contain guar gum or xanthan gum, you may need to add between 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground flax seed, guar gum or xanthan gum to help with textural issues, too.  
  
  
• Nut-Free: You can substitute 1 Cup of old fashioned oats for the pecans.
  
  
• Alternative Nuts:  If you like nuts but don't like or can't have pecans, you could substitute 1 Cup of finely chopped walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts for the pecans.
  
  
• Reduce Spreading:  These cookies can spread a bit.  If this bothers you, you can chill your cookie dough for 30 -60 minutes after scooping it into balls and before baking.

Classic.  Simple.  Delicious. 

Enjoy!

Irish Potato Soup (Wheat, Fish, Soy, Nut and Egg-Free, Can Be Milk-Free)

 

I know - it's been forever since I've posted a new recipe.  I hope you find this one worth the wait! :)

This soup (a slightly modified version of the recipe found here) is by far the most requested soup that I make for get-togethers.  It is just 7 ingredients and super simple to make.  It is wheat, fish, soy, nut and egg-free (if all your ingredients are), too, and can even be milk-free (see Variations below) so that makes it a major win in the food allergy/sensitivity world to boot!  Nice!  Enjoy! :)

Irish Potato Soup

1 stick full-fat, salted butter

2 large white onions, diced*

5 lbs. yellow potatoes, peeled and diced*

8 Cups of allergy-friendly chicken stock or broth 
(8 Cups is 2 (32oz.) boxes of stock or broth.  My personal favorite is Swanson Organic Chicken Stock.)

1 Cup allergy-friendly heavy whipping cream

(My personal favorite is Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream.)

Salt and Pepper

*Note: I essentially use twice as much potato as onion for this recipe.  I find that 2 very large white onions and 5 lbs. of yellow potatoes are generally perfect for this ratio.  You can, however, always add a little more/less onion or potato according to your individual taste preferences.

1.  Melt the butter in a large stock pot.

2.  Add the onion to the pot and cook and stir for one minute, coating the onion completely in the butter.

3.  Add the potatoes to the pot and toss the potatoes well with the onions and melted butter.

4.  Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent sticking. (Note: Yes, you need to shake the pot vs. stirring the vegetables.  Taking the lid off to stir the vegetables stops the sweating process and changes the flavor of this soup.  That said, shaking the pot is essential to keep the onions/potatoes from burning and sticking.  I try to shake the pot every 1-2 minutes for best results.)

5.  Pour in the stock/broth, stir the mixture well, and simmer the soup for 20 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked to desired tenderness.  (Note: I find fork-tender a good doneness for the potatoes.)

6.  Turn off the heat, and puree the soup using a handheld blender.  (Note: If you don't have a handheld blender, allow the soup to cool, and then blend the soup by batches in a regular blender.)

7.  Add the heavy whipping cream and mix the soup well together.  (Note: I just use my handheld blender to do this part, but you can also use a wooden spoon.)

8.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Note: Some people don't add salt and pepper to the whole pot, but instead have everyone season their own individual portions of soup.  I personally season the whole pot.  You can do whichever is your preference.  When I season the whole pot, I aim for the flavor of well-seasoned mashed potatoes which requires tasting as I go.  I start with stirring in about a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper, taste, and add more salt/pepper until I get the taste I am looking for.)

9.  If needed, reheat the soup to serve.

Makes about 12 (1 Cup) servings.

Variations
(Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using variations.)

• Milk-Free: Use a dairy-free heavy whipping cream alternative like Silk or Califia in place of the heavy whipping cream.
  
  
• Vegetarian/Vegan: For a vegetarian option, use a vegetable stock or broth that fits your dietary needs in place of the chicken stock.  For a vegan option, use a vegetable stock or broth that fits your dietary needs in place of the chicken stock and a diary-free heaving whipping cream alternative.
  
  
• Topping Ideas:  This soup is wonderful plain, but you can also top it with additional heavy whipping cream, sour cream, cheese, bacon crumbles, ham, jalapeño slices, onions, chives, parsley - whatever you like on a baked potato would be fantastic on this!

Irish Potato Soup with Ham, Cheese and Sour Cream

That's it!

Easy.  Simple.  Delish.

Enjoy!

Hello Again, My Readers!

Hello, blogosphere!

I know - it's been ages.  I'm not promising to be back on any super regular basis, but I am going to be posting at least a bit when I am able.

You may or may not have noticed that I am updating some things here and there.  This will take me some time as I have been away from this space for quite awhile, but I am working to update where I can.  Some things may end up disappearing (or at least getting archived), but what will remain should be useful and helpful to you.

I plan on posting new recipes (hopefully soon).  I plan on updating old ones (I am not sure if this will be as a new post or updating the old one, but likely a new post).  This will also take time.  I appreciate your patience. :)

I have a few ideas for non-recipe posts floating around in my head, and those may or may not make an appearance.  I want to keep this space for things related to food/nutrition, so likely anything posted will be in some way related to that.  We'll see. :)

I know some of you will want me to post more often.  I can only say this - this space is going to be "as I get to it" priority for now.  There are simply too many life things going on that prevent me from being here more than that.  Maybe in time I can be more dedicated to this space, but for now, it is what it is.  Thank you for your understanding and patience!

All that said, I wish you all a great day, and if you need help finding anything (recipe, tips, etc.), feel free to reach out to me by leaving a comment below or filling out the Contact Form.

How To Make Your Own {Allergy-Friendly and Better For You} Flavored Yogurt

No, I'm not going to ask you to make yogurt from scratch.  I don't even know how to do that!  You are more than welcome to do that, but it's not necessary.  What I am going to talk with you about is how to flavor your yogurt instead of buying already flavored yogurt.

Several years ago, I tried very unsuccessfully to find flavored yogurt that was allergy-friendly, not full of a lot of artificial flavors or refined sugars, not artificially colored, didn't contain things like cornstarch or "natural flavors", etc. that still tasted...well...good.  The only options I was able to find that even remotely fit the bill were plain yogurt (Greek-style or regular) {which taste a bit like sour cream, so they were good for recipes, but normally not so great for eating on their own} and a few select vanilla yogurts (Greek-style or regular) {and most of those were full of refined sugar}, so I pretty much gave up on yogurt as a go-to food when I'd eaten it nearly daily up until that point.  Boo for me. :(

Since then, flavored yogurts have improved quite a bit, and there's more allergy-friendly options, but it can still be pretty expensive to find a good quality flavored yogurt without all the junk.  What's a gal to do to get a yogurt fix and not break the bank?  Make your own custom-flavored yogurt!

It really is very simple, very tasty, and a lot more affordable.

Here's what you'll need:

-Plain, unsweetened yogurt of choice.  

This can be milk-based or dairy-free, Greek or regular.  Use your favorite that fits your allergen needs.  I normally use a milk-based Greek yogurt.  Plain yogurts tend to be limited ingredient (sometimes as little as 1 ingredient), and definitely have less sugar than other types.

Pro Tip: Aldi has very inexpensive, great tasting Greek-style yogurt!  It is normally half the cost of the same type of yogurt at WalMart or Meijer.  They also have low fat options.

-Honey, maple syrup, or liquid sweetener of choice.  

I normally use honey, and I use about a 1/2 Tablespoon per 1/2 Cup of yogurt for myself, and up to 1 Tablespoon per 1/2 Cup for anyone else in my family, but you can use more or less to taste.  Any other sweetener is also according to taste.  I do insist that it be a liquid, though, as it will blend better.

Pro Tip: Check out Costco for a larger quantity of honey or maple syrup!  I find buying my honey this way is much less expensive than buying it elsewhere.

-Toppings of choice that fits your allergen/dietary needs (if desired).  

This can be anything from cinnamon, fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, granola, etc.  You can use any amount that you want in any combo you want!

Pro Tip: You can buy frozen fruit to use in your yogurt, if you wish, which can save you a bundle.  You can even turn your yogurt into a delicious smoothie!  

Here are some smoothie recipes to try: 

Breakfast Smoothies 

Yogurt Smoothies 

Pumpkin Smoothies

-To use extracts to flavor your yogurt, use an extract of choice (vanilla, lemon, etc.), but I would be very careful with this as it would be very easy to add too much flavoring.  I'd start with literally a drop per 1/2 Cup and add more, if desired, a drop at a time.

Pro Tip: If extracts are not your thing, but you still want a citrus or vanilla flavor, you can always use vanilla bean or citrus zest instead.

-To make a chocolate flavor, add cocoa powder with your sweetener.  The amount you use is up to you - the more you use, the more it will taste like dark chocolate.  I recommend starting with a teaspoon per 1/2 Cup, tasting the mixture, and then adding more if you prefer.  You can also add a drop or 2 of vanilla if you want to, but it isn't necessary.

-To make a coffee flavor, add instant coffee or espresso powder.  Like with the cocoa, I'd start with a teaspoon per 1/2 Cup and work your way up from there.

-To make a mocha flavor, add cocoa and instant coffee or espresso powder according to the instructions above.

Pro Tip: Don't be afraid of generic or store brands!  Some of these are just as good or better than the expensive ones!  Aldi also offers a "Twice as Nice" guarantee on most items, so if you don't love it, you can take it back and get TWICE your money back!  Win-win!

It's that easy to make your own flavored yogurt, and so very delicious!  My husband, who is not a fan of most yogurts, actually likes flavored yogurt made this way!  His favorite is the plain Greek yogurt with honey and berries.  So, if you feel like you don't like yogurt or have a family member who doesn't really care for it, give this a try.  You might find yourself changing your mind!

Not sure what combo to try first?

Here are some of our past and present favorite flavor combos:

Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey or Maple Syrup

and Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice

{This one is simple and great for autumn.}

Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey

and Berries

(Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, or a Combo)

{This one is perfect for summer or for kiddos.}

Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey or Maple Syrup,

Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice, and Almonds or Pecans

{This one, especially with honey, cinnamon, and almonds, is a regular go-to of mine.}

Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey or Maple Syrup

and Granola (Either Homemade or Store-Bought)

{This is another one that tends to be a hit with the kiddos.}

Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey

and Almonds or Pecans and Fruit of Choice

{This one is great for all ages and tends to check off all the right flavor and texture boxes for everyone.}

Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey or Maple Syrup, 

Instant Coffee or Espresso Powder and Cocoa Powder (With or Without Cinnamon) 

{This one is great for mocha lovers.}

I hope you all enjoy making your own flavored yogurt!

Leave me a comment below containing your favorite go-to flavor combo(s)!

Hello, Blogiverse!

 

I decided to include a photo {turned verse meme} of some awesome Northern Lights we saw back in March of 2023, just because. :)  Enjoy!

Hello, everyone!

I know - it's been a VERY long time.  I have been meaning to get back to blogging, but I just haven't found the motivation or time.  I've been floundering with what I wanted this space to look like, and I think I know now. :)

My plan is to use this space for food-related content {specifically food allergy/intolerance content} again, though non-food topics could crop up here and there.  I have a few ideas of what I want to post first, but we'll see if I stick to my plan. :D

I am not sure how often I will post, though I'd like to post at least monthly.  We'll see.  There is a lot going on right now, so this blog isn't taking priority {sorry if that offends - it's just truth}, and I believe that's how it should be.

I hope to bring you some valuable information that will help you in regards to food allergies/intolerances, as always.  I will also work to update my pages, as needed, too.  That could take awhile, so please be patient!  It's a LOT of content, and things change often, so it's hard to keep it current.  I will always put the date on top of the specific page when that information/page was updated, so make sure to keep that in mind when using any of my resources.

Anyway, I need to get back to homeschooling my daughter {my boys are now adults and working, so it's just the wee one - 8th grade!!! - now}.  I hope to have a new post for you all, soon!

Zao's Tales by J.A. Sommer

My original thought for my first post of the year was to do some sort of recipe or "here's my pantry staples" type of thing, but that's not where this post is going, obviously.  You see, my brother wrote a book...and this post is to somewhat shamelessly promote it.

Zao's Tales is a story that is full of Disney-esque magic where reading a book aloud leads to a villain being released into the world, and the only way to get rid of said villain is to finish reading the villain's story...and that proves to be quite the task!  This book is one big adventure with lots of lovable characters, beautiful imagery, and amazing bits of truth along the way.  It is one of those reads that is hard to put down, no matter what age, gender, race, or creed you are.  Trust me - it is something you will not regret reading.

{To read a longer, non-family member review, you can click here: https://storywarren.com/introducing-zaos-tales/ }

The world is in need of new good stories that can help shape the next generation for what is good and right, and this is one that can do that.  You don't have to worry about if the story will be appropriate for young readers/listeners - it is.  You don't have to worry if the book will help foster good morals or not - it does.  It is also entertaining and enjoyable for boys and girls.  It's a gem...and worth investing in.

This book is being funded via Kickstarter {https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bandersnatchbooks/zaos-tales-by-j-a-sommer}.  Investing in the Kickstarter is essentially pre-ordering the book, but if the project is not 100% funded, no one will be charged.  The book will still be published, but via different means, and certain things will not be available {such as the wonderful hardcover edition}.  If you believe that a book like Zao's Tales needs to be in the world like I do, please stop by the Kickstarter and invest today.  You'll get an amazing book, and you'll help release it into the world, too.  Win-win. :)

Have a great rest of your week!

{Images related to Zao's Tales courtesy of Bandersnatch Books.}

It's Been Awhile...

Rainbow picture I took Saturday.  I did edit the picture a little bit so you could see the colors better.  It was gorgeous!

Hello, Blog Friends!

It's been awhile.  In fact, it's been nearly a year.  Wow!  That was unintended, but I think it was needful in so many ways.

Life has been a bit insane.  I'll try to give a {relatively} quick summation of the chaos for those that are curious.

1. My health has been good for the most part.  I never saw the rheumatologist as we determined that endocrinology would be a better fit for my symptoms after all.  I have yet to get that appointment, but I am working on it.  I am hoping to get in some time next spring.  At least my meds seem to be doing a great job, so I am ok with the wait for now.

Also, for the last few months, I have been dealing with some foot pain.  I do have arthritis in my foot as well as some Baxter's neuropathy due to plantar fasciitis that I've dealt with for several years off and on, but there is also a exostosis that may end up needing to be removed.  It appears to be benign, but if it is the main source of my foot pain, then it needs to go.  I'm trying some new shoes and will be getting a new insole to try and see if that helps, and we'll go from there.

2. My son Sean's health is staying pretty stable, but he's dealing with nearly daily headaches again along with the other symptoms he has been dealing with (joint issues, fatigue, lack of focus, stomach pain, etc.).  He meets with the doctor next month for his physical, and we're hoping to have some direction then on next steps.  He may simply be going through some crazy growth spurt-related phenomenon (i.e. something hormonal but non-emergent) or it could be something more sinister.  We'll see what the doctor thinks/says.  It's been 2 years, and his symptoms are just as odd as when they began.  We appreciate your continued prayers.

3. My daughter, Elaina, is dealing with some health issues as well.  In April of 2021, after dealing with what we thought was asthma off and on since December of 2020, we took her to the ER with dizziness, trouble breathing (not asthma and not COVID), odd heart rate, chest pain, and some other symptoms.  We found out she deals with frequent PVCs (originally, 1 in 3 heartbeats was premature, now it is 1 in 4 thanks to removing all sources of caffeine from her diet and watching her sugar intake).  So far, they have classified her condition as "non-emergent", so that means we monitor her condition without any treatments and repeat tests as needed.  She is due to see her cardiologist next month, and she will also see a neurologist to follow-up on an EEG she had done to rule out seizures (she has had a few times where she kinda spaces out, so we had to check that out).  We've been told her condition could get better over time, so we hope for that.  It could also stay unchanged for the rest of her life or even get worse.  Time will tell, and we covet your prayers for her.

4. I have decided that I definitely want to use this space for mainly sharing recipes.  I will post health updates as they are relevant, but mainly I want to keep to sharing recipes.  I may share other things related to food or food allergies/intolerances, as well.  We shall see.  I also plan to revamp some pages to make them more user friendly.  We'll see how that goes. :)

I don't know how often I will post, but it may not be as frequently as some of you would like.  I have plans for a few recipe posts soon, so there's that. :)  We'll see how quickly I get to everything.  As you can tell from the paragraphs above, life got very interesting over my nearly year-long hiatus, so my time is more limited than it was by leaps and bounds.

Thank you for all the prayers and concerns for me and mine.  They mean the world!  I look forward to getting back to blogging again soon. :)

Saying Good-Bye to Social Media and Other Changes

I decided to share my planned selfie with you today, anyway. :)

 

This is not the post I had planned to write today.  Truthfully, I planned to just do my Weekly Weigh In post, but my conscience wouldn't let me.  I have known for awhile that I needed to make a change to my routine, and today is going to be that day.

Over the course of the next few days, I will be either disabling or deleting my social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest).  This is a much needed change in my life.  If you would like to follow my blog from this point on, you can do so by email.

My weekly and monthly features have ended.  I need to take a step back from this space and really think about what I want to do with it.  My leaning is to change it back to what it once was - an online, allergy-friendly recipe book - and that is probably what I'll do.  I may throw in a personal blog post here and there, but I may not.  We'll see.

I will be working on a blog redesign, as well.  I am not sure how long this will take or when I will post again.  No past blog posts are going anywhere, so you can still find your favorite recipes and posts of mine.

I know this is short notice, and I apologize for that, but (as I said) today is the day for change.

I wish you all the best, and feel free to reach out to me via comment or email, as always.

Weekly Weigh In 2020: Week 45, November 9, 2020

 

Weekly Weigh In will go live every Monday, and it will share how I'm doing health-wise, and it will give me more accountability with my health.

Here is my forty-fourth weigh in of 2020:

1. The Selfie: The selfie is me as of today, November 9, 2020.

2. Weight: My weight went up about half a pound this week.  I did eat more salt than normal over the weekend, so hopefully it is mainly just water retention.  Hopefully, I will see a weight loss next week.

3. Health News: I averaged just over 7,200 steps per day last week.  I'm glad that I was able to reach my goal of 6,000 steps per day average, and I hope to do so again this week.  I do best when I get in a daily walk or 2, so I am going to really push to do this even if the weather isn't 100%.

I finally heard from the rheumatologist.  My appointment is set for the end of March, 2021.  If I have issues between now and then, I'll call them or my doctor and see what they want me to do.

I would say that I'm doing pretty well overall.  I am still dealing with my quirks now and then, but, other than that, I really can't complain.

4. Diet News:  Nothing new to report.  As always, if I follow my rules, I do very well.  

5. Other News: Please continue to pray for my middle kid.  For about 13 months now, he has been dealing with an unknown health issue that has been very frustrating to pin down (we're still trying to figure out exactly what's going on).  He will now be seeing a gastroenterologist when we can arrange the appointment, and we'll go from there.  If you'd like more of a current update/rundown on his condition, you can click here.

As to our week, it may actually be a more relaxing week.  I'm looking forward to that. :)  The weather has been gorgeous the last few days, and it supposed to be more mild for this time of year for at least another day, so we plan on enjoying it as we can.  Hopefully, it won't rain too much.  We'll see. :)

How are you doing?  Do you have anything you want to weigh in with?  Any health progress or goals you want to share?  If so, please leave a comment below (with a link to your post, if you have one and wish to leave it), and I'll respond ASAP.

Have a great week!

Weekly Weigh In 2020: Week 44, November 2, 2020

 

Weekly Weigh In will go live every Monday, and it will share how I'm doing health-wise, and it will give me more accountability with my health.

Here is my forty-third weigh in of 2020:

1. The Selfie: The selfie is me as of today, November 2, 2020.

2. Weight: My weight went just down about half a pound this week.  I wish it were more, but I'll take it! :)

3. Health News: I averaged just over 6,200 steps per day last week.  I'm glad that I was able to reach my goal of 6,000 steps per day average, and I hope to do so again this week.  I do best when I get in a daily walk or 2, so I am going to really push to do this even if the weather isn't 100%.

Still no word on my rheumatologist appointment.  I'm starting to think it was denied.  For now, I'll just keep on keeping on, and ask for an appointment with my primary if I start having issues again and go from there.

I would say that I'm doing pretty well overall.  I am still dealing with my quirks now and then (for example, I seem to be dealing with tendinitis or something in my left wrist right now, which is odd because I'm right handed), but other than that, I really can't complain.

4. Diet News:  Nothing new to report.  As always, if I follow my rules, I do very well.  Goes to show you that diet is definitely more important than we realize!

5. Other News: Please continue to pray for my middle kid.  For about 13 months now, he has been dealing with an unknown health issue that has been very frustrating to pin down (we're still trying to figure out exactly what's going on).  Going back on Pepcid vs. Tagamet seems to have helped reduce the headaches for him, but he is still dealing with stomach issues along with some other things.  He had labs run today, and he gets his second opinion from the new general surgeon tomorrow.  If you'd like more of a current update/rundown on his condition, you can click here.

As to our week, it is going to be insanely busy.  We had appointments today, an appointment tomorrow and one on Friday, along with school and family things.  Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the weekend. :)

How are you doing?  Do you have anything you want to weigh in with?  Any health progress or goals you want to share?  If so, please leave a comment below (with a link to your post, if you have one and wish to leave it), and I'll respond ASAP.

Have a great week!

Weekly Weigh In 2020: Week 43, October 26, 2020

 

Weekly Weigh In will go live every Monday, and it will share how I'm doing health-wise, and it will give me more accountability with my health.

Here is my forty-third weigh in of 2020:

1. The Selfie: The selfie is me as of today, October 26, 2020.

2. Weight: My weight went down just over a pound this week.  I wish it were more, but I'll take it! :)

3. Health News: I averaged just under 6,000 steps per day last week.  I'm disappointed I didn't reach my 6,000 steps per day average, but I hope to do so this week (if the weather behaves - we've had a LOT of rain).  I do best when I get in a daily walk or 2, so I am going to really push to do this even if the weather isn't 100%.

Still no word on my rheumatologist appointment.  Since I'm feeling good as long as I follow my rules, I'm going to just wait and see what happens here.  If I suddenly start having more issues, I'll contact the doctor again and see if I should see a cardiologist for now and then keep trying for the rheumatologist appointment in future.  I'll keep you posted.

I would say that I'm doing pretty well overall.  I am still dealing with my quirks now and then, but other than that, I really can't complain.

4. Diet News:  Nothing new to report.  I'm finding that having some dark, leafy greens daily really helps me feel pretty good, though, so I highly recommend them!  If you find they are hard to eat on their own, definitely put them into a fruit smoothie.  I promise you cannot taste them!

5. Other News: Please continue to pray for my middle kid.  For over a year now, he has been dealing with an unknown health issue that has been very frustrating to pin down (we're still trying to figure out exactly what's going on).  He is starting to have more daily issues, especially when it comes to the nausea and headaches.  His doctor goes on maternity leave soon, so most of the decision right now are on the general surgeon, and that general surgeon, along with changing up some meds, suggested a second opinion by another surgeon in his office before we go any further.  We will have that appointment next week.  If you'd like more of a current update/rundown on his condition, you can click here.

As to our week, it is going to be a bit busy, but next week will be way busier.  I'm just hoping the weather gets a bit nicer so I can go out and enjoy the fall colors while we still have them. :)  We'll see!

How are you doing?  Do you have anything you want to weigh in with?  Any health progress or goals you want to share?  If so, please leave a comment below (with a link to your post, if you have one and wish to leave it), and I'll respond ASAP.

Have a great week!