Psyllium Husk Solutions

I love Psyllium Husk. I have had digestive problems and stomach pain for as long as I can remember.

Psyllium husk is a whole grain that absorbs waters as it goes right through your GI tract, and it brings all the poop out with it. Fast, clean and regular.

So, my problem is that if you mix it with water, it makes you gag. I never have juice in the house. If I buy juice, Tim and the girls will drink it till it is all gone. I really think that the husk is the answer to a lot of my problems. After I use it (for a day or two), my clothes fit better, and my stomach doesn't stick out. Crazy, but true.

Here are the problems:
Psyllium is not actually nutritious. So, it does a good work, but it does not add anything good to your body. This is a concern that the health food expert gave me. He was a smart dude, and he hates the husk.

Putting it is liquid makes me gag and throw it up.

I have to drink so much water when i take it, that I start to feel like I am going to float away.

It gets caught in my throat, and makes me feel like I am going to choke and die in the night.

I want to switch to ground flax seed, but I am scared it will not do the trick.

Solutions:
Add the husk to my morning oatmeal.
Mix it into Orange juice that I hide at work.
Sprinkle it on my toast.
Make a mixture of ground husk, flax and bran. (Buy a cheap coffee grinder at Wal-mart)
Add it to yogurt.
Keep taking Probiotics
Keep taking oils.
Ask the guy at the Health food store about those other products for IBS (aloe vera...)
Mix with cranberry juice.

Lemon and Artichoke Chicken

Lemon-Artichoke Chicken

Another great recommendation from Kipper's Snacks by Kip. Apparently he stole it from Elisa --her recipe blog is here. I haven't actually tried this yet, but it is like he is reading my mind. I am all about recipes with lemons and greens for the summer. (More lemons.... less greens, of course.)

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I'm not a fan of spicy food, so I didn't include these)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I used chicken tenders)
1/3 cup white wine
1 can (13.75 oz) whole artichoke hearts, drained, halved
1 whole lemon, thinly sliced
Orzo, or other pasta
Fresh parsley, chopped

Combine the oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper flakes in a small bowl for the sauce and set aside. Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Saute in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned on both sides, 3-5 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Add white wine, artichokes, and sauce. Simmer and reduce the sauce, about 3 minutes. Top chicken with slices of lemon, cook 2 minutes more, or until sauce thickens. Serve over orzo or other pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Chicken Marinades

These are two marinades that we used the other night.

Yogurt-Based Marinade
1 c. yogurt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chopped mint leaves
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry rosemary
2 lamb steaks or 1/2 chicken breasts

Orange Chicken Marinade
1 c. orange juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. (to taste) fresh ground ginger

Baked Apples

Baked Apples

These apples can be prepared quickly to serve on ice cream, waffles, crepes or German oven pancake. Yummy.

3 med. apples, washed, cored, peeled & sliced into uniform size slices
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Ice cream or whipped cream (or both)

Use a microwave safe dish with lid or use plastic wrap or wax paper to cover. (I use a round glass baking dish with a lid.) This may be doubled to serve 4.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in glass baking dish in microwave oven (about 15 seconds on high or until butter melts). Wash, core, peel and slice apples into uniform-size slices. Put sliced apples in glass baking dish of melted butter. Stir them so they will be covered with the melted butter.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the apples. Then sprinkle the cinnamon over the apples and brown sugar. Top with dots of butter (the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter). Put lid on baking dish or cover with plastic wrap or wax paper. Microwave 5 minutes on high or until tender (5 to 7 minutes on high). Put into 2 serving dishes.

Honey Whole Wheat Muffins

These need to be altered a little. We added a little salt to each muffin. And I added a crumb top. I also added one very small bananas and about 1/8 to 1/4 a cup of flour.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

In medium large bowl, sift flour and baking powder together
In another small bowl, beat egg and add milk, honey, oil
Quickly combine both mixtures, stirring just to moisten
Fill greased muffin tins with batter
Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until browned

Note: These did not have much flavor at all. They would probably have been better, but I over cooked them. The crumb topping is a must.

Scrambled Egg Biscuit Cups

Scrambled Egg Biscuit Cups

2	cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/3	cup shredded Cheddar cheese (1 1/2 oz)
3/4	cup milk
8	eggs
1/8	teaspoon pepper
1	tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2	cup Parmesan and mozzarella cheese pasta sauce (from 1-lb jar)
3	tablespoons cooked real bacon bits or pieces (from 3-oz package)
1	tablespoon chopped fresh chives
	Additional cooked real bacon bits or pieces

1.	Heat oven to 425°F. Spray bottoms only of 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix Bisquick mix, cheese and 1/2 cup of the milk until soft dough forms.
2.	Place dough on surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix. Shape into a ball; knead 4 or 5 times. Shape into 10-inch-long roll. Cut roll into 12 pieces. Press each piece in bottom and up side of muffin cup, forming edge at rim.
3.	Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. With back of spoon, press puffed crust in each cup to make indentation.
4.	In large bowl, beat eggs, remaining 1/4 cup milk and the pepper until well blended. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until firm but still moist. Fold in pasta sauce and bacon until blended.
5.	To remove biscuit cups from pan, run knife around edge of cups. Spoon egg mixture into biscuit cups. Sprinkle chives and additional bacon bits over tops.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 10 to 12 minutes.