I pay attention to what I eat. A lot of attention. I try to do the normal things like eat seasonally/locally/organically but I also do a bit more than that. I pay attention to how foods make me feel (which is a lot, good or bad) (sugar, I'm talking to you!) and I thought I kinda had it down. I thought I was staying away from the things that didn't treat me kindly but it turns out I was a little right and a lot wrong. Turns out my body is allergic (or intolerant) to almost everything I eat every day.
I've been feeling off and awful for the past four months. Feeling things I've never felt in all my life. And feeling bad enough to go get some blood work to see just what was going on. Turns out a lot. Turns out I shouldn't be eating over a dozen eggs a week because my body has been treating egg yolks and whites like poison. Turns out I shouldn't have been eating cheese or yogurt because my body hates all dairy and cow's milk. It has something against goats, too, because it won't stand for their milk either.
Turns out all those nuts I've been inhaling by the handful are bad for me. So are the sesame and pumpkin seeds. Turns out I've got a problem with chicken and turkey, so those lovely deli sandwiches I used to make for myself are over. So is that avocado I used to put on those sandwiches. I shouldn't be eating soy (which is fine because I hate soy) and I shouldn't be eating garlic either. But the biggie, the one thing that might be in charge of this whole mess is the omnipresent gluten. Turns out my body is having a very rough time with gluten, gliadin, and wheat. I had a feeling wheat wasn't good for me so I went to spelt a while ago, thinking it would be enough. It wasn't enough. Turns out there should be no gluten in my life. And if I get rid of it there might be a chance I can go back to enjoying some of the foods I can't now. Frankly, I don't care whether I do or not, I'll do whatever I have to do.
I don't know if changing my diet will solve all of my problems but it's an obvious place to start. More tests need to be done to see if I have actual Celiac's but right now fish is in order, as are vegetables and rice. For now (and maybe forever, I don't know), I have to be dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free. That sorta sucks. And it sorta doesn't.
This dish was my first attempt at this new way of eating. I've never cooked halibut before, or fennel, but I pulled it together, and I felt better than I've felt in a while.
Greek-Style Halibut with Arugula Salad and Rice
Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 halibut fillets (about 4 oz. each)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into wedges
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (14.5 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Preparation:
1. Heat a 12-in. nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp. oil. Rub halibut with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Lightly brown fish in frying pan on one side only, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add remaining oil to frying pan along with fennel. Cook, stirring frequently, until light golden and almost tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, chickpeas, remaining salt and pepper, and the oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Lay halibut fillets, browned side up, in sauce and simmer until fish is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with rice and arugula salad.
Arugula Salad:
Mix a little olive oil with a dab of Dijon mustard and a splash of brown rice syrup together in a bowl and drizzle over arugula.
