Six months on GAPS

I've just about hit the six month mark on GAPS, so I've decided it's time for an update.  Here are my impressions:

It's not hard

I was already a decent cook, I was already eating whole foods, I was already eating gluten free.  Switching to GAPs does not have to be painful. 

It's not deprivation

I've eaten more desserts on GAPs then I ever would on a regular basis - and certainly.  Culinary-wise, these have been the best six months of my life.  I even find myself wondering what all the fuss is about Christmas, Easter etc. on GAPs.  The 'traditional' meal is roast meat and veg - skipping the stuffing and potatoes in exchange for good health is no difficulty.  GAPS desserts are often far better than their sugar and wheat laden counterparts.  Even wine and spirits are permissible.  Most good quality cooking is largely GAPS compliant anyway - ok, you can't have the pasta or potatoes, but is that really so hard?

I liked doing Intro more than once..but I didn't follow Intro to a T

I never ate a nut butter pancake, I still haven't made a ferment, but I did eat Stage 1 - 3 soups for about a week each month.  Cycling through a loose version of intro every month felt right for me.  (Versus trying to struggle through all eight phases in one go.)  I used this approach because I always had mad cravings for rich food before my period.  These subsided significantly on GAPS, but, on doctor's orders, I still listen to what my body wants and vary my diet over the month.  I also found I was too tempted to whip through the Intro in days.

I'm glad I didn't start with the Intro

Easing yourself in by eating GAPs for a few weeks first makes a lot of sense.  I did this because I was skeptical, but I think I may have given up had I tried to jump right into intro with probiotics.  NB - I didn't start routinely taking probiotics until I had the diet down.  This meant I had a tiny amount of die off when I went on GAPS, a bit more on Intro, and a bit more when I started probiotics....this die off was bad enough, I'm glad I didn't have the full experience.

It goes beyond health and diet

It got me thinking about food, the handling and treatment of animals, the environment, my environment, and all those subjects that we sometimes avoid because they are unpleasant.  It got me feeling better in my own skin, not just because I'm healthier, but because I'm now confident that listening to what my body wants is the key to eating properly.  I appreciate food and I'm not living in constant misery over my weight. 

As a caveat, I say this having strayed from the diet numerous times.  Months 1, 3 and 4, I was very strict.  (Month 2 was December, so I ate far too much cheese and some chocolate etc. etc.)  But I was finding toward the end of month 4, I was having energy problems.  I was enticed by stories on other blogs about boosting energy by eating carbs.  But I had only been on the diet for six months, and I found that eating carbs pushed me back into the world of severe arthritis pain and thyroid symptoms.  Ultimately, I'm finding that a few gluten free carbs here and there (no more than once a week, and preferably only twice a month) keeps my energy problems at bay while avoiding excessive damage and autoimmune issues.  But I think that the first strict month and going back through Intro regularly are what make this work.  That's my plan for the six months to come.

Storebought sauerkraut

I've never worked up the courage to try and make my own ferments.  In fact, the only fermented food I've had on GAPS is organic kefir, bought commercially, which is contrary to doctor's orders.  Kefir was easy and accessible for me, but I've decided to go off dairy because of other health reasons.

I was soured on sauerkraut from my German great-grandmother's recipe, which my mother would make on occasion as comfort food.  It involved cabbage, sausages, onions and applesauce in a crock pot, no fermenting.  Others may enjoy this combination but I found it vomitose.

Grocery shopping this weekend, I looked around for a GAPS friendly commercial sauerkraut, before I try my hand and making my own.  I happened across one called Kiihne, made in Germany, ingredients are white cabbage and salt.  It's quite good, nice and sour tasting, very finely chopped, so it has a nice texture.  For Ontario readers, I found this at a No Frills store for about $3.

This is my fermenting plan if I ever get the nerve and/or a food processor:

1. Cucumbers (for pickles!)
2. Turnips (for lebanese dishes)
3. Tomato salsa
4. Red cabbage (pretty sauerkraut)
5. Misc. veggies - cauliflower, carrots, jalapenos

Ps.  If you know of a great storebought ferment, leave a message, let me know!

GAPS pantry meals

GAPS is all about using food to nourish, so I get that pantry meals are kind of counter to the goal. However, I do occasionally forget to grocery shop and find myself with no veg and a freezer full of frozen meat that needs 6h to thaw before it can become a meal.   Here are a few ideas for when you're starving and didn't think ahead.  [Update:  I will add to these from time to time if I discover a new pantry recipe.]

Nicoise-inspired tuna

Combine can of tuna, capers, black olives, sundried tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic in a pan and stir fry.  Plate over steamed spinach.  [Pre-GAPS I would have made this with pasta.]

Tomato Soup

Simmer jar of passata or tomatoes with a can of coconut milk (and some chicken broth, if you have it defrosted).  Add oregano, garlic powder, sea salt, etc.


Marinated Vegetable and Lentil Salad

Chop olives, mushrooms, capers, marinated artichokes, marinated peppers etc.  Fry in oil and garlic.  Combine with cooked lentils.  Can be served as a salad or hot meal.

Update - Lentils Puttanesca

Echoes the recipe above, but I achingly miss pasta puttanesca on GAPS.  My solution is this!  Puttanesca is certainly a pantry sauce...