Trying to Make a Comeback….

Hello long lost friends!!!  I am wondering if it is at all possible to make a “graceful” comeback into the world of blogging…it’s only been, ya know, three months!  For what it is worth, here goes nothing…

I think I left you all wondering whatever happened with all those doctor visits and lengthy tests.  Well, that has been a large part of my absence to blogging, but I finally have some answers to share. 

I will try and spare you all the details (I am still trying to figure out what it all means myself!) and give you the shorthand version…

#1:  I have a leaky gut….This was no surprise to me, although the surprise came with the results as to what is causing the leaky gut.  I had hoped to some extent that the Paleo lifestyle that our family had adopted for the last 9 months or so would have helped tremendously with several of my gut issues.  Was I ever wrong!  I discovered that the foods I thought were a “healthy” part of my diet were indeed the culprit to most of my digestive problems…celery, grapes, lettuce (all kinds…you know how much I LOVE salads!), chocolate, pecans, walnuts, peaches, broccoli, bananas, parsley, oregano, dill, etc…  YIKES, that’s a whole lot of food that I can’t eat!

#2: I have Celiac…Although I have taken on a gluten free diet for some years now, I never considered “cross-contamination” issues.  I am still learning more about the disease and trying to equip myself and the kitchen with the necessary tools to make life somewhat easy.  In addition to the Celiac my body has decided that it also wants to reject any sort of grain (though it may be gluten free) and cause me to go into a stomach upset like none other!  My doctor said that this is large in part because the little “villa” and “micro-villa” that line the intestines are so damaged that they can’t do their job and “chop” up the food in order to be easily digestible.  I am currently taking a digestive enzyme and lots of probiotics to try and mend this problem.  You can read more about Celiac here.

#3: My body is not making enough Serotonin….Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain which influences the functioning of the cardiovascular system, immune and gastrointestinal systems.  I didn’t realize what a large part Seratonin plays in digestion.  If you want to read more on this you can check out this article.

#4: I have a sulfur/sulfite intollerance….Sulfur is actually very necessary for your body’s metabolic functions, but excess sulfur can cause lots of problems.  What this means for me is the need for a low sulfur diet.  I have already been on this diet for 7 weeks and I am currently having to go another 8 weeks!  Let me tell you, this is one of the hardest things I have had to do!  On the low sulfur diet one CANNOT have onions, garlic, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, collards, turnips, radishes, arugula, pickles, raspberries, cranberries, dried fruit, animal products, eggs, soy, dairy, etc…  There is not a whole lot of options left my friends!!

#5: My body is not breaking down and utilizing proteins and fats…This is kind of a problem when I can’t have “meat protein” because of the sulfur issue.  My doctor okayed me to have a protein shake (or two) everyday and I am allowed a small amount of meat once a week…oh yeah!!  I am also upping my omega 3 intake…having flax, chia seeds and/or hemp seeds everyday along with my fish oil supplement. 

There you go, in a nutshell!!  Sounds crazy, huh?  IT IS!!

As I struggle to figure out what I can and can’t have to eat, meal planning continues to be quite a challenge.  While I have no problem coming up with great meals for the rest of the family, there seems to be far too many modifications that have to be made for myself.  Needless, to say I am trying to not let it get me down and realizing that this is just not my time to be creative.  It is more important that I strive to heal my body, rather than giving myself anxiety over creating a fabulous meal!  

Such a good reminder for me to have on the refrigerator door!! 

One “tool” that has made life a bit easier in the kitchen is this fun little gadget that my hubs got me for my birthday…a spiralizer!  I am making zucchini, yellow squash and butternut squash noodles like there is no tomorrow!  It’s quick and easy…just a little coconut oil in the pan, add your noodles, add some seasonings and saute for a couple of minutes!  I like to mix in a few other veggies for myself and for the fam I make homemade meatballs and spaghetti sauce.  Check it out,  Amazon has it on sale right now!

I can’t wait to try potatoes and apples next!!

This dinner has become one of my favorites…and well-liked by the rest of the family too.

Harvest Vegetable Tacos

Ingredients:

2 small eggplant

1 zucchini, chopped

2 Tbsp. coconut oil + more for roasting eggplant

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 red pepper, diced

2 tomatoes, skinned and diced

1/2 Tbsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to broil.

2. Rub some oil on the outside of each eggplant and place under hot broiler.  Cook until skin is blistering off, about 15-20 minutes (turn as needed).  Remove skin and cube eggplant.

3.  Heat 2 Tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet.  Add cumin seeds and toast for a few seconds.  Add red pepper and zucchini.  Cook until tender.  Add in tomato and remaining seasonings.  Cook and stir for a few minutes.

4.  Add in eggplant and cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. 

I discovered these Grain-Free Flax Tortillas from Real Sustenance that are not only easy to make, but super tasty as well!

They are pliable and don’t fall apart after you’ve filled them with yummy goodness!  And make for a good alternative to my usual lettuce wraps…missing lettuce!

This was dinner last night…and probably for a few nights to come (when I find something that tastes good, I usually make enough for a couple of days!).  It’s a combination of spaghetti squash, which I was already using as a base for the hubs’ and princesses’ shredded beef dinner, roasted mixed vegetables (mushrooms, tomatoes, and asparagus), and a little of last night’s Harvest Vegetable mix.  I tossed it all in a skillet with a little coconut oil, sea salt, pepper and some rosemary.

 Super easy, super quick, and super delicious!

Ahhh, it feels good to be back!   Through my victories and my struggles I am reminded to be thankful that I have a “rich” life in Christ and He continues to love me right where I am at!  The trials I face today are only temporary and for that I feel blessed!

Blessings,

J’lene

Dress It Up!

Already three days into week three…wow, how time flies when you’re havin’ fun busy!  We’re still on the “paleo” bandwagon enjoying our meals and treats and not at all feeling like we’re missing out on anything or having the desire to “indulge.”  I have to admit, though, that this week I’ve run out of steam in the creativity department, so we’re having some repeat meals for pure convenience.  However, I did kick it up a notch in the “greens” department…dressin’ things up a little!

Everyone knows that I love me some green salad.  In fact, the more mixed greens I can get into one salad the more I love it!  The hubs, on the other hand, will eat the salad if it is already placed on his plate, but it isn’t typically the first thing he grabs for on the table.  He’s been even more hesitant to reach for some of the leafy greens since his beloved ranch dressing is no longer on the menu!  So this seemingly terrible situation promptly sent me out on a mission to create a paleo ranch-style dressing that would also pass the “good-taste” test.  After a few failed attempts, I think we’ve finally found our match!

Paleo Ranch Style Dressing

Yields about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (I like to use raw)

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp dill

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 Tbsp fresh chives

4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until mixed well.

This dressing has become a universal condiment in our house…it goes on sandwiches, it’s a dip for raw veggies, and it definitely takes our salads to the next level! 

If you’re looking for something a little more on the sweeter side, this dressing really hits the spot.   Creamy Citrus Dressing

Yields about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup canned coconut milk (you can use plain greek yogurt if you’re doing dairy)

1 small shallot, finely minced

1 tsp orange zest

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Combine all dressing ingredients together and whisk until thoroughly combined.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is one my favorite dressings for kale salads…mix or “massage” it over all the kale leaves and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour before eating and it really softens up the kale!   If you’re a fan of kale, here’s another one of my favorites (this was pre-paleo, hence the added brown rice!).

I see I have a “creamy” trend going on here! 

Creamy  Avocado Dressing (click for recipe)

This dressing has got a lovely “tang” to it and is paired nicely with your favorite taco salad or  lettuce wrap.  It’s another one of those dressings you can literally use on just about anything…thick enough for a dip, spreadable enough for a sandwich and just right for any salad creation!

While I may have gotten into some sort of “paleo” rhythm and things have cooled off a bit in the kitchen, things are heating up at the gym this week.  We’re at the halfway point in the challenge and now it’s time to test what we’re really made of!!  I’m definitely ready to push myself and get my sweat on this week!

I decided to do a 2.5 mile morning run on Monday only to come home and find out Monday’s WOD…

“Nicole”

AMRAP in 20 minutes

400 Meter Run

Pull-ups Max

Time started with the run followed by as many pull-ups as you could do.  Every time you dropped from the bar or couldn’t complete a full pull-up you had to head out for another 400 M run!  I ended up running 4 times and did 75 banded pull-ups for my final time.

Tuesday my arms and legs were pretty worked, so I opted for a 2.5 mile walk instead of a run!  And as part of our challenge this week we are to start and/or end our day with 25 sit-ups, 25 squats and 25 push-ups….more sweat!!

Today’s WOD…

2 Rounds

100 Double Unders

50 lunges

25 push press

It was pretty cold at the gym this morning, so I didn’t actually break a sweat but it definitely got my heart rate pumping!  I completed my rounds of sit-ups, squats and push-ups and also decided to go for a 20 minute run at the softball fields while my Princess Makenna was practicing. 

Whew!  It’s been a good week so far and I’m looking forward to finishing it out strong!

Blessings,

J’lene

Pickles and Paleo Experiments…

Can you say “heat wave!”  My oh my has it been hot!  And I know you really wanted to see a picture of my sweaty back to prove it! 

 Last week I did some long runs and the hubs got a kick out of how “wet” I was when I returned home.  I typically don’t sweat much and am quite fond of the warm weather, but 104 degrees is a little over the top warm!  Glad to see a little cooling in the forecast this week.

With all this heat going on we’ve taken a little break from working on the yard, however we did purchase some mini palms to plant hopefully in the near future!  We’ve been told that these guys are slow growing and pretty hardy, which I’m praying to be true because neither the hubs or I have a green thumb.  I think God has blessed me richly with friends who have an abundance of produce growing in their gardens this summer because He knows I can’t grow a thing myself!  In fact, last week I was blessed with a load of fresh cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, a cantaloupe and watermelon!  I was so excited to have all this wonderful and fresh picked produce, but wasn’t quite sure how I was going to put all those cucumbers to use….salads, cucumber water, as a snack with hummus??  And then the light bulb came on….PICKLES!! 

It made for a fabulous swap…homegrown cucumbers for good old-fashioned dill pickles!

The brine for these cucumbers was spot on for flavor and I love the little punch of garlic.

I was honestly afraid that I would have a bunch of soggy pickles on my hand….have no fear my friends, these are crisp and crunchy and perfect on your favorite sandwich (or straight from the jar is fine by me!).  I think the only thing I would do differently next time is to maybe slice the cucumbers a bit thicker for that extra “crunch” factor!

Garlic Dill Pickles

(inspired by Tasty Yummies)

Yields 2 large Mason Jars

Ingredients:

2 pounds cucumbers

2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons sea salt

3 Tbsp organic cane sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
a couple of sprigs of fresh dill (or a couple of teaspoons of dried dill)
Optional spicy add-ins: 1 or 2 spicy dried peppers, red pepper flakes or you can add some sliced jalapeños in with the cucumbers.

Directions:

Clean the cucumbers very well and slice them as thin as you would like them, I would say I cut mine to about 1/4″ thick rounds. You could also cut them into spears or leave them whole depending on their size. Place them in a large glass preserving jar or two smaller jars.

In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Remove from heat and pour the brine over the cucumbers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate. You can start enjoying them the next day, but obviously they are better after a couple of days. They’ll keep for about 2 months in the fridge.

 So we’ve got yummy pickles coming out of our ears, which means we’ll be having sandwiches and wraps for lunch for the next month!  And unfortunately I can’t seem to think of many more ways to incorporated pickles…pickles in muffins or cookies just won’t cut it!  But zucchini, now that’s another story!  You won’t find anyone complaining over zucchini muffins, cookies or bread around here. 

This time around I thought it would be fun to experiment a little more with almond flour/meal.  I’ve used almond meal in my baking before and really love the texture and flavor that it offers to baked goods.  However, I have never used it solely on it’s own…until now!  I was beginning to fear the muffins may turn out to be too dense, but the combination of the almond meal and the blanched almond flour seemed to work just right.

Zucchini Almond Mini Muffins (Paleo style)

Yields 24 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1/2 cup almond butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup grated zucchini (squeeze out extra liquid)

2 organic eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsp raw honey

1 ripe banana, mashed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

Divide the batter among the cups, filling almost to the top.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

**These muffins freeze well and make for a great snack for the kiddos!

The added banana provides a hint of sweetness making these little muffins perfect for any time of the day!  In fact, these were our go to snack for the first day of school today.

 We made it through the day with only a few tears from my princess Cailyn (it’s going to be a challenge getting her into the routine of things, but we’ll get there!).  We all enjoyed working in our new classroom space, complete with an “interactive” calendar (because mom finally got her act together and got it done!) for both of the princesses to work together.

Most days I can equate homeschooling with the idea of embarking on an adventure and I need to be well equipped!  The only way I feel “equipped” for this journey is if I’m walking in step with the Lord, so my day begins with Him.  I couldn’t be more thankful to the Lord for giving me the opportunity and blessing to be at home with our princesses.  More so, I am forever grateful that I can turn to the Lord for help and guidance moment by moment, step by step, throughout my day.  It is this that helps me to see victories in the little things, have joy as well as the peace and comfort I need during the days that are trying.  Homeschooling is a journey and sometimes a dangerous adventure, but I know the Lord is there to lend a hand when I fall and get me back on my feet to press on.  

Blessings,

J’lene

Zucchini-Corn Muffins & Some Improvements…

It’s hard to believe the start of school is just a few short weeks away!  We’re trying to squeeze in some last minute family fun before all the hustle and bustle begins.  Amidst all the fun, I’ve had to make some progress in getting this year’s school stuff in some sort of order.  So far I’ve purged and rearranged our bookshelf and managed to get this year’s curriculum for both princesses organized.  I also made some improvements to our “classroom space”, trying to make it more functional and fun for both girls….

“Up-cycled” table using scrapbook paper, paper bags, our favorite scripture and modge podge.

Made some room for a new white board and gave our “old” bookshelf a new facelift with some fresh paint.  I added some fabric boxes to hold flashcards, math manipulatives along with some odds and ends we use everyday (i.e. stickers, stapler, glue sticks, index cards, etc…).

  Framed “word lists” will hopefully be of help to my Makenna while working on writing assignments and a popsicle filled jar of free writes/ journal topics for the girls to pick from throughout the week will prayerfully make writing a little more fun this year! 

 

Both princesses will be taking an art class this year, so we made an “art wall” to showcase their projects!

As for me, I guess it’s safe to say that my current art projects can be found in the kitchen!  My latest creation was a bit non-traditional…a savory muffin packed with some delicious veggies!  And we have a winner!

Zucchini-Corn Muffins

Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

2 tsp baking powder, sifted

1 tsp xanthum gum

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 cup almond milk

1 organic egg, beaten

1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

1/2 cup Mozarella cheese, grated (this can be eliminated to keep it dairy free!)

1 small zucchini, grated

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 medium onion, chopped

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper baking cups

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and xanthum gum.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, milk, oil, cheese (if using), zucchini, corn and onion.  Mix until thoroughly blended.

Gently stir dry mixture into wet.  The batter should be a little lumpy.  Evenly portion the batter into the prepared baking cups.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly golden on top or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This savory little muffin had a slightly lighter texture than a cornbread muffin, which we all liked.  And mom, of course, loved it for it’s generous serving of veggies so neatly placed inside!  I decided to serve these little gems alongside this Creamy Avocado Pasta dish, which was out of this world good!  You can find the original recipe here.

I made a few slight changes to accommodate our family…subbed in some fun curly brown rice pasta, added an extra half an avocado and one tablespoon more of olive oil.  The results were fabulous and it was unanimous that we all loved our “green” pasta!

Hope y’all are having a great weekend!  Time to get back to some more projects because the clock is ticking!!

 

Blessings,

J’lene

My morning in the kitchen…

I feel like “little miss homemaker” today!  All for a good cause, of course!  My brother-in-law and his crew have been working hard over the past couple of weeks at making our side yard into something much more pleasant to look at, not to mention more functional.  The guys arrived at the house bright and early this morning to pour the concrete, which forced me out of bed and got me moving out the door to do my run before it got too hot!  After arriving back home from a great run (compared to yesterday’s fail), I was feeling refreshed, so I thought I’d show my “thanks” to those hard working gentlemen with a little something sweet. 

 They gladly accepted “Almond Joy Bars” and a few slices of a “Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie” with open arms (and the hubs is wondering where his portion is!)

Both recipes were adapted from “Mama Pea” over at Peas and Thank You.  I’ve made both of these treats many times before with variations of gluten free flours, but this time I went with Pamela’s Baking Mix just to make life easy on myself (and because I wanted the guys to enjoy their treats on their break, so I had to make it fast)!  For the Almond Joy Bars I subbed in Pamela’s Baking Mix for the whole wheat flour, which means I had to take out the baking soda.  I use gluten free rolled oats, used 1/4 cup raw sliced almonds instead of roasted and used crunchy almond butter with flax seeds instead of regular almond butter.  I also swapped out the organic sugar for a 1/2 cup of raw coconut crystals and I didn’t have coconut extract, so I just used vanilla.

For the cookie pie, I also used Pamela’s Baking Mix in place of the whole wheat flour and subbed in gluten free oat flour for the all-purpose.  If you use Pamela’s Baking Mix you need to take out the baking soda and powder because it’s already in the mix.  And again, I subbed in raw coconut crystals for the organic sugar.  I think the only thing missing was a cold glass of milk to go with their slice of ooey-gooey chocolatey goodness!

A beautiful work in progress…

   The hubs is most excited about the “fire pit”…he’s going to have to wait awhile to put it to good use because it’s way too hot right now!  I’m looking forward to planting plants in my flower boxes!

So now the house smells wonderfully delicious and the hubs walks in from graciously helping some friends of ours move all morning and I have nothing to offer him…oops!  No worries, nothing that a batch of Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies can’t smooth over!  I’m on it!

I wish I could bottle up this wonderful baked goods smell, it’s so warm and comforting…I would so use it as air freshener!

While the hubs is enjoying his freshly baked cookies, I’m loving the refreshing taste of “cucumber water” on this hot summer day! 

And what better to go with it than a cool, refreshing salad.  This is my new favorite, at least for this week!  There’s a lot to this salad, but it is so worth the effort and you’ll have A LOT to last you the entire week. Kale Power Salad (aka “detox salad”)

(inspired by Oh She Glows)

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 broccoli crowns

1 head cauliflower

1 medium carrot, grated

2 cups finely chopped kale ( I used curly kale)

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw sliced almonds

1/2 cup dried organic cranberries

1/2 cup dried organic cherries, chopped

juice of one lemon

2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash and rinse all vegetables, then cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets.  In a food processor, process the broccoli and cauliflower until fine and add them to a large mixing bowl.  This made need to be done in batches depending on the size of your processor.

Add grated carrots, kale, parsley, sunflower seeds, almonds,  and dried fruit to the bowl.  Stir all ingredients to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar and maple syrup until well blended.  Pour dressing over all the ingredients in the bowl and toss well to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well again.  Enjoy and feel rejuvenated!

A perfect super food packed salad for those weeks where you need to get your body back on track.

 (source)

Praying that you are finding ways to feel refreshed this summer!

Blessings,

J’lene

Rollin’ Out the Dough….

Not to be confused with “Rollin’ In The Dough!”  Although, as a daughter of Christ and wife of a pastor, I consider myself abundantly rich!

The hubs and I started eating “clean” several years ago and since then we’ve taken the steps to bring organic and locally grown produce into our home as well as rid our pantry of most processed foods.  I say most because I’m still working on the fine art of cracker making and I love my Lundberg Brown Rice Chips!  It’s a special treat for the princesses to pick out a box of crackers from the grocery store and when they do it usually ends in an argument over what flavor of Annie’s bunnies they’ll get this time.

It’s been a long road of changes for our family (especially taking out gluten and meat for myself and peanuts for my little Cailyn), but it’s been a road worth traveling! 

Our family still eats a lot of the things we used to love so much, it’s just that now I make them in my own kitchen instead of buying it in a package off the grocery store shelf!    We’ve been rollin’ out cookie, bread and cracker dough for quite some time and now we’re trying out our hand at tortillas!   Mexican food is one of our all-time favorites…the hubs loves him a good burrito and enchiladas, the princesses are all about rolled tacos and I love me a good grilled fish or veggie taco.  After many frustrating tries with corn and brown rice tortillas, I decided it was about time that I make us a gluten free tortilla that could withstand all this “rolling around!”

So, here’s how we roll out tortillas gluten-free style!

They come together in a snap…

They’re pliable enough for any burrito, taco or enchilada…

And they look like a lot like your store bought tortillas, but they taste a whole lot better.

Grilled Mahi-Mahi Taco

Ingredients:

2-3 wild caught Mahi-Mahi fillets (I like to purchase mine at Trader Joe’s)

garlic salt

fresh ground pepper

smoked paprika

cumin

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 batch of Gluten Free Tortillas (See Recipe Below)

Optional Toppings: shredded cabbage, guacamole, salsa, roasted corn, etc…

Directions:

Preheat your oven’s broiler.

Line a large oven-safe skillet with foil.  Set aside.

Rub the fish fillets with a bit of olive oil, then season each side to your liking with garlic salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cumin.

Place the seasoned fish fillets into your prepared pan and place the pan onto the top rack of your oven.  Broil for about 15 minutes or until fish is white and flaky.  Enjoy!

  All my favorite fixins’ tucked right inside! 

Gluten Free Tortillas

(inspired by Living Without)

Yields 6-8  small tortillas

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice flour

1/3 cup gar-fava flour (garbanzo/fava bean flour)

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1/3 cup potato starch

2 tsp xanthum gum

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp organic cane sugar

2 Tbsp Earth Balance

3/4-1 cup warm water

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Add in Earth Balance and “cut” into flour mixture with two forks or a pastry cutter.

Slowly add in warm water, beginning with 3/4 cup and mix together to form the dough.  If the dough is too dry, add in more water 1 Tbsp at a time.  When the dough has come together, separate into 6-8 smaller dough-balls.  Dust each dough-ball with a little rice flour and roll out on a floured surface until about 1/4 or 1/8 inch thick. 

Meanwhile, heat up a small skillet over medium to high heat.  One at a time place a tortilla in the skillet.  When the dough begins to “bubble” on top it’s time to flip it and cook the other side.  Be sure to turn only once…the first side should have lightly browned spots.  This should only take a couple minutes on each side.  Keep cooked tortillas warm until ready to use! 

All this talk about”dough” is making me hungry!  And I’ll say that I’ve worked up quite an appetite since I started this 10K training…it’s really bustin’ my bootie, but I like it!  Today was “Day 7” and I completed a crossfit workout that had my heart pumpin’ good.  I’m all about small victories!

 

Blessings,

J’lene