4 year anniversary

🤒🤕🤢😢 Yesterday marked the 4th anniversary of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. 🎗💊💉                      –                    

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I suppose that I am actually going through the “stages of grief”. 
🔹 Year 1 was shock

🔹 Year 2 was anger

🔹 Year 3 was denial

🔹 Year 4 is apparently depression 

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I know I’m usually the one to share information, raise awareness about MS, and spread the positivity and gratitude, but I just don’t have it in me right now. 🤢 
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I usually share some of the things I deal with as a way to help those without the disease gain more understanding. I always thought that if they knew a tiny bit of what we go through every day that maybe they’d have more compassion and empathy for how difficult it is to perform even the smallest task. 
🔸 Maybe they’d cut us some slack and not be angry when we forgot things. 

🔸 Maybe they wouldn’t call us lazy because we can’t work. 

🔸 Maybe they wouldn’t be resentful if we can’t be where they want us to be or do what they want us to do. 

🔸 Maybe they’d be more forgiving of our mistakes and realize that we are doing the best we can. 

🔸 Maybe they’d stop making assumptions and jumping to the wrong conclusions about us because we have a disease in our brain that affects every single aspect of our lives. 

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Sometimes I share what I go through because I want to help others fighting the disease. They’ll see that they’re not alone and that someone else completely understands what they’re going through. Multiple Sclerosis is very isolating and incredibly lonely. Not only do you lose your physical and mental abilities, but you also lose almost everything and everyone else from your “previous life”. 
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This year has been overwhelming. As difficult as it is, I’m going to try to think positively and celebrate this anniversary as the death of a terrible year. I survived. 

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I still have a long road ahead. I have a few other health issues to get through and then hopefully I can get past this awful relapse. Then I’ll be able to start a new therapy for MS and get back on my feet. Navigating through all the Dr appointments, tests, surgeries, and medications has become a full time job. It consumes my life. It requires my full attention 24/7/365. 

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I didn’t ask for this disease. I didn’t work so hard my entire life to end up like this. I have to figure out how to live a life I never wanted. Some days I can get myself out of bed, accomplish a few small things, and be grateful for what I do have. Other days my legs won’t work or the room won’t stop spinning and I’m happy if I can make it to my chair on the front porch or my glider on the back patio. I soak up the sun ☀️ and play fetch with my dogs and feel gratitude having an amazing husband and pets. Then there are the days where I’m in so much pain and can’t get any relief. The strongest medicine barely takes the edge off and I cry for 24 hours straight. 

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I want to get through this. I want to feel better. I want to have my life back. I want a cure for MS. 

White Bean Hummus

  

Ingredients

• 1 Tb lemon juice
• 2 cups white beans
• 2 Tb red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tb sedan seeds
• 2 Tb water (reserve from beans)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 2 Tb fresh chopped thyme
• Fresh chopped chives 
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• Celery seed (optional)
• Carrots, celery, pitas for dipping

Directions

If using dried beans, place in a pot with 10 cups of water and bay leaf. Heat to a boiling. Boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 4-24 hours depending on bean variety. (Read package directions). Reserve 2 Tb water, drain, and discard bay leaf. If using canned beans, rinse and continue to next step, omit bay leaf. 

Blend beans, juice, seeds, vinegar, mustard and water in food processor until smooth. Add basil, thyme and salt. Pulse briefly- do not over process. Sprinkle with chives and celery seed if desired. Serve with veggies and toasted pitas. 

Also makes a tasty sandwich spread! 

Strip Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce for Paleo and Wahl’s Protocol Clean Eating

  

Ingredients

• 2 strip steaks
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp butter
• 1/2 C dry white wine
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 heavy cream (or sub)

Directions

Allow steaks to come to room temperature. Heat cast iron skillet. Pat dry and season steaks with salt and pepper. Add half of butter to pan and add steaks directly on top of butter. Sear 2 minutes; use tongs to seat sides of steaks. Turn and cook until thermometer reads 120 or desired temp. Transfer to warm plate to rest.
Remove pan from heat and add wine to deglaze. Hear for 1 minute, scraping any brown bits from pan. Add mustard and stir, cooking 15 seconds. Add cream and juices from steaks. Season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled over steaks. 

Pumpkin Smoothie for Paleo and Wahl’s Protocol

Ingredients

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tb honey
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 Tb protein powder

Directions

Combine all in a blender & enjoy!

Finally perfected my pumpkin smoothie recipe with added protein! My protein levels are always low so I have to add protein powder into my smoothies whenever I can & try to keep them from being too chalky. If you like your smoothies on the thinner side, use half the Greek yogurt & half almond milk! 

My recommended protein powders:

Source Organic Whey Protein

It’s GMO free and sourced from the milk of grass-fed cows. Very important for those on the Wahl’s diet! Rich in protein and amino acids. 

Naked Casein 

GMO, gluten & hormone free. No sweeteners added. 

I’m on Instagram! @headcandyrobin

Marsala Beef Roast with Bone Broth for Paleo & Wahl’s Protocol

Ingredients

Beef Chuck roast
2 onions sliced
2 bay leaves
1 Tb thyme
2 Tb fresh rosemary
1 Tb fresh basil
Pinch of pepper flakes
2 cups Marsala wine
2 cups bone broth
Crumbled Gorgonzola
Cauliflower (optional)
Carrots (optional)

Directions

Tie roast in several places with butchers twine to keep together during cooking. Preheat bone broth in small saucepan.

Coat all sides with salt & pepper. Preheat a few tablespoons coconut or olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat & brown roast on all sides then set aside. Add onions, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and dried herbs (if using instead of fresh). Cook til onions are soft. Add carrots if using.

Add Marsala & place beef on top. Add preheated broth. Cover & cook on low simmer 1-1/2 hours, basting occasionally.

Remove beef, set aside & cover with foil. Turn heat up & reduce sauce. Add cheese to melt. Add fresh herbs (if using instead of dried).

I like to serve this with mashed cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes topped with roast beef with a spoonful of gravy!
I’m on Instagram! @headcandyrobin

Korean Style Short Ribs Paleo Wahl’s Protocol Crock Pot

Ingredients

6 lbs short ribs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Asian pears
6 cloves Garlic chopped
3 scallions sliced
1″ Ginger minced
2 tsp Fish sauce
1 Tb Rice vinegar
1 cup Chicken broth
Cilantro

Directions

Preheat broiler. Season ribs with salt & pepper. Broil ribs 5 minutes on each side to brown. When cool enough to handle, stack in the crock pot on their sides to fit all in the pot together.

Cut pears in large chunks. Add to blender with garlic, 2 scallions, ginger, fish sauce, and vinegar until smooth. Pour over ribs. Add broth. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.

Remove ribs and set aside 5 minutes. Ladle off some of the fat from sauce. Serve ribs with sauce and sprinkle with cilantro and remaining scallions.

I’m on Instagram! @headcandyrobin

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

Limes for juicing & wedges
1 large jar salsa
1 large onion chopped
1 bay leaf
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 packets Sazon seasoning
2 large cans (28 oz) black beans
3 cloves minced garlic
1 Tb cumin
2 Tb sofrito
1/2 lb chorizo (optional)
4 eggs
Hot cooked rice
2 large containers chicken broth (substitute vegetable stock for vegetarians)

Directions

If using, remove chorizo from casing & sauté in large stock pot until browned. Add onion & sauté til slightly brown, 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, bay leaf, cumin and garlic, cook 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.

Add broth, beans, lime juice, salsa, Sazon and sofrito. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Fry eggs in skillet sunny side up, over easy or over medium.

To serve, place a scoop of rice in bowl. Spoon soup over rice, top with a fried egg & squeeze of fresh lime juice.

I’m on Instagram! @headcandyrobin

Salmon with Orange Relish for Paleo and Wahl’s

Ingredients

4 wild caught salmon fillets (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1-2 oranges (depending on size) (peeled and segmented)
1/4 C scallions (Sliced)
2 tsp Ginger (Grated)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Sea salt & black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 500.

Segment oranges & cut into 1/2″ pieces. Drain oranges in a colander. Toss in a bowl with ginger, lemon juice and scallions.

Place sheet tray in 500 oven to preheat. Cut 3 diagonal slashes into skin side of salmon, not going in too deep. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel. Brush with extra virgin olive oil & season with sea salt & pepper on both sides.

Turn oven down to 275. Place the salmon skin side down on the preheated hot tray. Roast salmon 9-13 minutes until a thermometer temp reads 125.

Serve salmon topped with orange relish & sprinkle with slivered almonds.

** you can also substitute tangerines or any other variety of citrus for the oranges depending on the season! This is one of my favorite recipes and I’ve made it several times with different types of fruits including tangerines, clementines & blood oranges!

I’m on Instagram! @headcandyrobin

Grass Fed Rib Eye Steak with Herb Butter for Paleo and Wahl’s

  Ingredients 

•  1 Tb apple cider vinegar 
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
•  2 Tb Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 Tb fresh rosemary (chopped) 
• 2 scallions (minced) 
• 2 Tb fresh parsley (minced) 
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  Sea salt
• 4 Tb unsalted butter
  Dried porcini mushrooms 
• 1 Bone In 100% grass fed Rib Eye Steak (About 2-1/2″ thick, about 2 lbs)
• Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Directions

Grind mushrooms in spice grinder. Mix in bowl with garlic, vinegar, brown, 1 Tb Worcestershire, 1-1/2 Tb rosemary, pepper flakes & 2 tsp salt.

Cut 8 deep slits about 1″ apart all over steak. Fill each slit with some of mushroom mix & rub the rest all over steak. Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic & put in fridge for 2-4 hrs. Remove from fridge about 1 hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. 

 Combine butter, scallions, parsley, remaining Worcestershire, & remaining rosemary, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Cover & fridge til ready to use.

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reheat grill to medium high. Turn off burners on one side. Brush steak with extra virgin olive oil & place on cooler side of grill. Cover & cook, turning occasionally, til thermometer reads 110, 20-30 mins. Move steak to hot side & cook 2 mins per side. Transfer to board & rest 15 mins, spreading with some of the butter.

Top steak with more butter to serve.
I’m on Instagram! @headcandyrobin

Tuna Steak Salad for Paleo and Wahl’s Protocol

Ingredients

4 Tuna Steaks
1 lemon
2 Tb. Dijon mustard
2 Tb. White wine vinegar
2 Tb. Fresh thyme
1 clove minced garlic
4 cups chopped kale
3 stalks celery chopped
4 plum tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 onion chopped
1 can Cannelloni beans
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 Tb

Directions

Preheat grill. Drizzle tuna with 1 Tb olive oil, salt & pepper.

Whisk lemon juice, thyme, vinegar, mustard & garlic. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Add kale, tomatoes, onion, beans, celery & parsley. Toss to combine.

Grill tuna 2-3 minutes on each side. Slice & arrange on salad.