The Kitchen rag

“So what are we going to fight about in our counseling session today?” Clayton asks as I tap my knee nervously, sitting in our marriage counselor’s waiting room. “Huh?” “Come on sweetie. I know you’ve been pretty upset with me this last week. What are we going to tackle today? The chores? My emotional distance? You always … Read more

Did you know that: 1) The delicious bagels, doughnuts, Challah bread, and fluffy cakes you eat are not made with the same wheat your grandparents ate. 2) The incidence of Celiac disease and gluten intolerance in the US has increased 4x since 1950. 3) My mother can’t eat American wheat. As you might suspect, all … Read more

The day I had to give up my precious stick of grass-fed butter was a sad day. I hope to bring it back to my plate soon,  but for now, while my gut is healing, I am dairy free. Unfortunately, this also means giving up my main cooking oil – butter. So, I’ve taken to … Read more

I’m seven days late and while my husband fixes us breakfast I run into the bathroom to check again. Maybe I missed it the last time I went to pee. Nope. “I guess I won’t be having any drinks tonight at our dinner party.” I finally start some morning conversation with my other half. He … Read more

I’ve been quiet here and on Facebook lately. Some of you have asked for updates, others have expressed concern. I am well my dear readers, and it does good to my heart to hear from you. My kitchen is still bubbling with homemade broths every night. My pantry is still permeated with the pungent smells of … Read more

“Why did we stop?” I try to sound casual. “Just more heavy traffic ahead, but you guys have another hour; we’ll get you to your plane; don’t worry.” My friend’s voice is reassuring but her nervous tap on the wheel while trying to smile at me through the rearview mirror betrays a similar emotion to … Read more

We take a train and arrive at Schiphol Airport four hours before our flight, to be on the safe side. Although I’m mentally calm my body doesn’t seem to respond well to being dragged through another airport so soon. The airport fiasco from only three days ago is too fresh on my palate. A security … Read more

Last Spring I developed an odd pain in my left breast that made it uncomfortable to even wear a bra. At first I thought I strained a pectoral muscle, but a month later I still had no relief. I’m a healthy twenty-nine year old woman with no family history of breast cancer. The odds were … Read more

Recently, I had to take doctor Mercola’s nutritional type test and assess the results for one of my nutrition classes. There are three categories one may fall into: High protein: high density, high fat, high protein diet. High carb: high carb, low fat, low protein diet. Mixed: both high fat and high carb foods. If you haven’t had a … Read more

Are you dairy free? What if I told you that this holiday season you don’t have to skip the mashed potatoes? Becoming dairy free has been a lot harder for me that being gluten free. I miss raw milk, a good slice of gouda, and buttery sauteed vegetables. But most of all, I missed mashed … Read more