Gluten-free, Anti-Candida Diet Meal Plan ~ July 1-7

 Here is what's on the menu at our house this week. Items in BLUE are recipe links. 

I am beginning a month-long anti-candida diet (ACD) to flush yeast and sugars from my system. You can get an overview of what I can and cannot eat HERE. I will be altering the plan slightly by adding brown rice, GF oats, cheese (no more than 2x a week), and a few lower sugar fruits (cherries, sour apples, pears and berries) sparingly. All meals and snacks are caffeine free, alcohol free, gluten free and very low in sugar/carbohydrates. Most meals are also dairy/cheese free (yogurt is allowed on this diet).

The theory behind the anti-candida diet is that an overgrowth of yeast in your gut and digestive tract can lead to bloating, headaches, feelings of fatigue and in extreme cases can cause rashes, chronic sinus infections, yeast infections, etc. This overgrowth can be caused by past infections, overuse of antibiotics, sustained high cortisol levels from stress and/or food sensitivities, etc. I have very mild symptoms of yeast overgrowth (mostly bloating and fatigue), but through allergy testing I found my candidas albicans score to be in the moderate range. I am also severely sensitive to yeast and eggs and mildly sensitive to cheese, whey and casein (dairy protein). Here is a cool clip from the Dr. Oz Show (Part One & Part Two) on fatigue & yeast, what sugar does to yeast and how to diagnose a candida problem.

I absolutely hate the idea of using stevia, despite it being hailed as a "natural plant-based sweetener"--but for the next month my typical go-to sweetener use (sucanat, maple syrup and honey) is VERY limited. I will be using liquid stevia in several of these recipes. NuNaturals brand has the least aftertaste, from reviews I have read online. I have the SweetLeaf liquid stevia that I purchased from the natural food section of Kroger.

Breakfasts
Creamy Brown Rice Porridge topped w/Butter, Nuts, Seeds & Cinnamon

Lemony Blueberry Muffins

Coconut Flour Biscuits & Homemade Turkey Sausage

Baked Pear w/Greek Yogurt and Roasted Cinnamon Nuts

Cherry Vanilla Smoothie

Chia Seed Pudding w/Raspberries & Roasted Cinnamon Nuts


Lunches
Dinner Leftovers

Lettuce Wraps w/Avocado Chicken Salad

Homemade Vegetable Soup



Snacks
Sea Salt Nut Butter Cups (think Reese's!) -- Recipe coming TODAY!!

Raw Veggies & Hummus

Green Apple w/Almond Butter

Herbed Yogurt Cheese Spread w/Sprouts & Homemade Nut Crackers

Dandy Blend Iced "Coffee" w/Almond Milk -- More on this product SOON!

Rice Cake w/Pumpkin Spice Yogurt Cheese (think cream cheese)



Dinners

Unstuffed Peppers w/Quinoa, Basil & Tomatoes (add cheese for hubby)
Oven Roasted Garlic Brussel Sprouts & Cauliflower

Spaghetti Squash Topped w/Marinara Sauce (omit sugar) & Meatballs (use oats & flax instead of breadcrumbs & egg)

Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Photo Credit

Blackened Chicken over Cilantro Lime Quinoa w/Avocado Sauce

Grilled Zucchini with Garlic, Olive Oil and Parmesan

 

Chili with Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato

Tossed Salad w/Apple Cider Vinaigrette

 



Beef Faijitas with Quinoa Tortillas (Eeek! Mine were a flop!)

Homemade Salsa and Guacamole

Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter & Fresh Dill

Brown Rice & Grilled Asparagus

 

Soaked Whole Grain (GF) Flatbread Pizza

Tossed Salad with Cucumber Ranch Dressing (made from yogurt)

I'll be adding some more new recipes this week (providing they come out well)! Make sure you subscribe to e-mail updates, using the box above, so you don't miss any of my yummy new recipes!



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