#it's like the cheese that's on bagged pre popped cheesy popcorn you know?

[a-lil-strawberry]

I feel like there is a correlation between being neurodivergent and liking spicy and/or sour foods. OBVIOUSLY, JUST TO BE CLEAR, you can be neourotypical and enjoy these, that's why these flavor profiles are made into snacks. That is why they are popular enough to be stocked in stores. The general population likes them. But. Take Markiplier for instance. He has ADHD and is extremely not normal about how much he likes sour candy and Takis. I am the same with Takis. We don't just like these snacks, we become somewhat feral about them. I have a very specific way of eating takis and it's very chaotic and I usually eat almost the whole bag. I recently discovered spicy queso pop corners and I am also becoming not normal about them

[thinspomotiv31]

*copied from myproana website.

To help you and myself when we feel like b/ping because it is a terrible cycle and we can get through it together!

This post will be explaining my method of how I stopped binging and purging after 2 years of doing it several times a day. I do not promote starving yourself but I know for a lot of people they won't stop purging because they're scared of gaining weight from binges. This is directed towards people who wish they could restrict to 500-1,000 calories (or more) but end up bingeing and purging. THIS IS NOT TO HELP TEACH YOU HOW TO RESTRICT. THIS IS PURELY TO HELP PEOPLE EASE OUT OF A HORENDOUS B/P CYCLE. It is my personal opinion that you must restrict a little in order to feel comfortable not purging.

If the following sounds similar to you, I believe this method can help you if you give it a try and at least you'll be able to keep down a good amount of nutrients and stop making yourself throw up which we all know is terrible for your health and causes major guilt and depression and is a very addictive cycle. The night before when you binged and purged you told yourself that it would be the last time. You told yourself you would either heavily restrict or fast in order to compensate. So the next day you manage to restrict and go all day without bingeing. At night however, you're so hungry you can't sleep or get the munchies while watching your late night TV shows. Or maybe it's night and you're alone in your thoughts contemplating whether to eat more or not. Maybe you eat a small unhealthy snack (potato chips, cookies, ice cream, etc.) which tastes so good and is so comforting that you say fuck it and eat a ton of unhealthy food, feel guilty and have a massive fear of gaining and then purge. Maybe you decided to eat a small low calorie healthy snack to satisfy your hunger or cravings and put you at ease thinking it's only 100-200 cals and you'll be fine if you eat just that since you restricted all day and would still be in a deficit. The nutrients taste so good and feel great that you say ok, if I have a little more I'll be even healthier and still be in a deficit. You keep doing that until you've reached a caloric total that you feel uncomfortable with and decide "fuck it" and eat everything in sight, and then purge. It seems anything you do ends up in a purge as if you can't eat a single thing or you'll binge, so you try to fast and not eat anything the next few days but you always binge because you're absolutely ravenous at some point and can't take it anymore or are so weak you convince yourself you need food (and you do!) but you overdo it and purge. There IS a possible solution. It works for me, it may not work for you but I sincerely hope you try it because b/p cycles that seem to never end are pure hell.

First, understand that you have to eat. I know you're scared because they trigger binges but just stick with me here. You can avoid binges on as little as 800 calories a day. You WILL lose weight on this much especially if you go for a walk everyday but still even if you sit around. I am 4'11 and 80 lbs and lose weight on 800 a day. It won't be extremely rapid weight loss but it is weight loss and you won't want to kill yourself over purging 7 days in a row. You can even have 1,200 calories if you wish but for some this is too high to avoid a binge or just too high to not trigger weight gain anxiety. Also understand that once you get out of your b/p cycles you can reduce your caloric intake slightly over time if you're feeling in control so just bare with the 800 cals for a little while.

The first thing you need to burn into your brain is that bingeing never brings what your brain and body is promising. It does not relieve stress or anxiety or help you cope with whatever problem and will not make you feel healthy and amazing if you always purge after. It does the opposite so remember that. Binging is not the answer. You may not plan to purge but once you get going and start eating just to eat you'll probably purge. You need to eat 3 small meals a day or 2 slightly bigger meals a day.

A lot of us don't have appetites in the morning and don't really feel the need to binge in the morning. Perhaps instead of eating you can enjoy some nice sweet creamy coffee (I put like 60 cals of mocha latte mix and 35 of coffee mate peppermint mocha creamer and 30 cals of almond milk but you can have it anyway you like). Have as many coffees as you want, however you like it. Make sure it totals to no more than 200 (we're saving these cals for hearty meals later so you don't night-binge). If you don't like coffee or only drink black, enjoy a nice healthy fruit smoothie. You can pack a lot of good stuff in there with 200 cals to work with and they're filling. Maybe put some vegan (or non-vegan) protein powder to get the calories up and increase how filling it is). You should feel ok for the morning. Have a couple nuts or crackers or some grapes or apple if you get hungry and feel a binge coming on. The smoothie or coffee can be replaced by 1 or 2 greek yogurts (usually 130 or so cals each) or those instant quaker oatmeal packets (130-160 cals each) but I find that solid food make me anxious if I have them in the morning. Do what works for you.

For lunch, eat a healthy 300 calorie meal. 300 cals goes a long way when it's healthy food. You want to eat healthy so you're body isn't craving nutrients at night. Some ideas: those pre packaged bistro bowl salads (I like the Caesar salad kind) always have the total calories right on the front label and they range from 230-300 or so. They're delicious and filling and they usually give you too much dressing so you might not even consume every calorie that it says is in it but feel free to enjoy it all if you like it that way. There's a huge variety of kinds, some more fruity than others and some more cheesy and meaty. Each ingredient is individually packaged so you can keep out the ones you don't like (helpful if you're vegan). Some more ideas: Plain oatmeal (150 cals in half a cup dry quaker) with fruit (fresh, frozen, even dry) and Activia (100 cals) or greek yogurt (roughly 150), Fruit and granola, Bananas and peanut butter, cheese and crackers, 1/2 cup mixed nuts, a smoothie, etc. Lots of choices just stay away from super salty calorie dense unhealthy foods. You want water dense nutrient dense foods.

Finally, DINNER. The one we all struggle with. Do not skip dinner. You'll binge or not be able to sleep. Let's eat a healthy hearty dinner with 300 more cals to work with. You might still be full from your healthy lunch! Or maybe you weren't very hungry at lunch and didn't meet 300 cals so you have a little more cals to work with. It's a good idea to have a hot meal to help you sleep. Soups are a godsend. I particularly love Amy's Organic Soups. Try to find it or something similar. There's many kinds and most are vegan. You can even have the whole can not just a "serving". The following calories are for PER ENTIRE CAN  not per serving. There are 2 servings per can which would be half the calories that I'm listing. Tomato bisque (220), Lentil Vegetable (320), Vegetable Barley (140), Chunky Vegetable (120), Thai Coconut (280), Split Pea (200), Tuscan Bean and Rice (320), Spanish Rice and Red Beans (280), Rustic Italian Vegetable (280), Alphabet (160), Summer Corn and Vegetable (300). If you check their website they also have some foods that are low calorie like the light and lean pasta and veggies (280) and Tofu Scramble Pocket Sandwich (180). I highly suggest you look at all their products  because a lot are 350 cals or less. You can create you're own healthy meal too. I like to make hot quinoa or couscous salad. You boil the grains and boil some vegetables (I love to toss wilted spinach in mine) mix them together and add some Italian dressing, lemon, and salt if you like. Make it how you prefer, it's very low calorie just make sure there's more veggies than grain. There is a lot of warm healthy clean meals you can make for 350 cals or less. If it fits in your budget, or even if it doesn't honestly, I highly recommend drinking some sort of nutritional shake with your meal like the 130 calorie ensure active bottles or a powdered mix protein shake (there are good vegan ones if you're vegan such as Phood or Sunwarrior, non-vegan I recommend Skinny Jane Strawberry). 1 scoop in all those brands individually tends to be around 100 cals. Even if it doesn't fit in your budget I REALLY hope you do this because it makes the meal 10x more filling and contains a lot of nutrients you need to feel happy and healthy and continue on your purge free life.

If you're still struggling here's some more tips.

1. Gatorade Low Calorie. 30 cals in 12 oz. This helps me resist bingeing so well and has electrolytes and keeps me hydrated.

2. Gummy multivitamins because delicious and assures me that I don't need to binge to be "healthy" and cram nutrients in my body when in the end I binge on crap food.

3. Drink a glass of milk or milk alternative like almond or rice milk if you're craving fatty foods. A handful of nuts helps too.  

4. Read about how to resist bingeing.

5. Keep yourself busy so you're only eating when you're hungry not when you're bored.

6. I do not recommend 30 calorie air popped popcorn because people and myself tend to eat the entire bag.

7. Country Farms Superfood Greens (Berry or Alkalizing Greens mix) is only 70 cals per scoop and has tons of nutrients and makes you feel great and energized.

8. Drinking an ensure or protein shake that's 100-150 cals when you want to binge is better than bingeing

9. KRATOM. Kratom is a ground plant available in several different strains and blends of multiple strains. You can buy it on Green Leaf Kratom and lots of other places. If you feel a binge, take 1 teaspoon at first and then another teaspoon if you feel no effect after 30 minutes. It can be taken on an empty or full stomach. You can buy it as a powder or capsules, I prefer the powder. It tastes like shit and is super bitter. Wash it down with coffee or strong tea to cancel out the bitterness. Try to get it down, it's really really bad but puts you off your binge urge pretty well. After it works, it suppresses your appetite about 75% and makes you feel very optimistic for 1-3 hours and by then your binge urges probably will have passed. It is completely legal and has no health risks and can be addicting but in my experience I have never had a craving for it and only use it as a last resort to avoid a binge. I've never heard of someone being addicted to Kratom. I do not condone appetite suppressants or drugs but this is a plant that can help you not binge and hurt yourself.

10. Drink some sleep aid tea or chamomile before bed to warm you up and not feel so deprived. You can even put some honey and milk in it. The 800 calories in not a set and stone thing it's just the number that works best for me.

Again I don't support starving yourself but if you try to keep down a 3,000 calorie binge you could become very constipated and be in a lot of pain so I feel it's best to ease into it and start off small. You can choose to either up your calorie intake or reduce it once you have your binge urges under control. Your body will trust you to supply it with food after a while.  I hope at least 1 person finds this helpful I just figured I would share my experience.

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

7 Gluten Free Frozen Foods Always Found in a Celiac's Freezer

New blog post!

You've probably heard the saying: "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail." Well, when it comes to eating gluten free with celiac disease, that quote is - for better or worse - 100% true. Although a gluten free diet doesn't have to be complicated, planning to have a few items on hand can make it even easier. My favorite secret weapon? Freezer foods.

In fact, on National Frozen Foods Day (today, in case you thought "Monday" and "holiday" was a paradox), I'm celebrating the foods I always have stashed in my freezer.

Whether you have celiac disease, eat gluten free or just want a healthier diet, here are seven foods (plus a handful of entire, allergy-friendly meals!) to keep in your freezer for easy breakfasts, snacks and savory meals!

Breakfast

1. Frozen spinach, zucchini/squash, berries, bananas, etc. 

Anytime you open my freezer, you'll always find some frozen produce. The exact fruits and veggies often vary by the season. For example, during the fall, I often freeze pomegranate seeds to keep them from going bad (and to enjoy them for the longest as possible). In the summer, you can find fruits like cantaloupe and berries that were on sale. 

Some of the staples that always appear, though, are frozen spinach and chopped bananas. I can use them in my smoothies, but they also have a wide variety of other uses. The spinach can be defrosted and used for pizza, stir-frys, or really any baked/sautéed meal. Meanwhile, the bananas can be blended into banana ice cream, eaten straight out of the freezer (for a sweet, refreshing snack) or even defrosted and used in baked goods when you're low on ripe bananas. 

Using defrosted frozen bananas makes this granola extra thick and clustery!

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with frozen fruits and veggies! 

2. Pre-made smoothies. Now that I'm working (almost) full-time, I don't have the luxury of making a fresh smoothie every morning. Luckily, I've discovered that making a huge batch of smoothies ahead of time and defrosting them as needed works just as well! 

The process is simple. First, create your smoothie as usual (may I suggest recipes like my Zucchini Bread Nice Cream, classic Banana Ice Cream, or Breakfast Buddha Bowl?). Then, pour your smoothies into freezer-safe containers. I like using glass mason jars or glass Tupperware. One pro tip: instead of putting on a lid to your mason jar, simply cover the top with a small plastic bag. 

I made the mistake of screwing on jar lids and, when the smoothies expanded as they froze, they actually cracked my mason jars. (There were a few tears, I'll admit). Alternatively, you can be sure to leave two to three inches or so of space for the smoothie to expand. 

This buddha bowl's base was actually pre-made and defrosted!

Once you're ready to eat, simply pop your jar in the microwave and use the "defrost" setting. Personally, I microwave my 16-ounce mason jar for 7 minutes and that's about perfect! 3. Homemade bliss balls, popcorn truffles or banana bombs. I'll admit that I'm not a huge snacker. However, when I need something sweet, I love having some homemade treats waiting for me in the freezer. All of these recipes include dates, which keeps the balls/truffles/bombs from freezing solid in the freezer. 

I enjoy making around 12 to 20 treats at a time, which usually lasts me a month or so (depending on my cravings). These are especially delicious during the summer since they can be a cool, refreshing treat. These can also be great toppings for smoothie bowls, yogurt parfaits or even oatmeal (especially if you make cookie-dough flavors).

Definitely close-up worthy...

Savory Meals 4. Daiya cheese mozzarella shreds or homemade cheese sauce.

Sometimes a girl just needs a bowl (or plate) full of dairy-free cheesy goodness, am I right? While I won't claim that Daiya cheese is health food, it's delicious in small amounts - and you really don't need a ton to give your meal a cheesy kick. When I first bought Daiya cheese, I kept it in the fridge, but it could get moldy way before its expiration date. 

Keeping it in the freezer, on the other hand, works PERFECTLY. After all, you're typically adding heat to melt the cheese anyway, so having the shreds be frozen really doesn't affect the final product. My favorite uses for quick, easy meals are sprinkle Daiya cheese on some sautéed veggies, on my stuffed spaghetti squash or zucchini boat/ball or in potato wedge nachos. 

That little sprinkle of Daiya cheese on top <3

I also love having easy access to my homemade vegan cheese sauce (based off of TheVegan8's recipe). The sauce doesn't take long to make, but using the frozen version can turn stove top mac n' cheese into a five-minute process. This sauce doesn't stay the same creamy texture once frozen and defrosted, but it works just the same in slow cooker meals or when heated up in a pan for dipping. 

5. Food for Life Rice Tortillas, Outside the Breadbox buns or Canyon Bakehouse breads.

Although I'm probably eating more breads and processed gluten free foods than ever before, I still don't eat the same ones every day. To keep my gluten free goodies super fresh, I put them in heavy-duty Ziploc bags and toss them in the freezer. 

Food for Life rice tortillas (which just released a new black rice flavor!) make delicious chips. All I do is take part of a tortilla from the freezer and put it in a sauce/frying pan. Let it defrost for a few minutes and then put the heat on high. Cook until crispy, flipping the pieces regularly and watching carefully since they can burn super fast. Once crunchy, devour! 

The purple chips hiding in the purple brick background!

Meanwhile, gluten free breads can just be taken out of the freezer a few hours ahead of time to defrost naturally or be defrosted for a few seconds in the microwave. Just be sure to not over-nuke them, or else they'll taste overly chewy.

6. Cooked rice or other grains.

This one's easy to understand. Especially when I was still in college (and, fingers crossed, when I'm in grad school next year!), sometimes even minute rice took too long to make. So, I'd cook big batches of rice over the weekend and freeze small portions that could be defrosted as needed. 

You can use the exact same approach to cook, freeze and defrost other grains like quinoa, millet or buckwheat. You can let the grain defrost naturally by leaving it out on the counter (or in your fridge) a few hours before eating. Or, you can enlist the help of the magic microwave! Sometimes the grains taste a little drier once defrosted, so some especially delicious uses can be in casseroles or saucy dishes. 7. Frozen chickpeas, black beans, fish, or other meat. You didn't think I'd forget about protein, did you? However you get your protein, you can make sure the food stays good by freezing it until needed. When I was eating a lot of fish, I'd buy fish when it was on sale (yay Sprouts!) and freeze it until I was ready to cook it. I also froze pre-cooked portions for easy meals later on. 

My "snack plate" dinner addiction lately...

Now that I'm eating more plant-based protein, I'm still getting my money's worth out of my freezer and microwave. I've discovered that black beans and chickpeas freeze super well. Try to freeze them as flattened/spread out as possible in a Ziploc bag. Then, you can just break off however much you need for each meal and defrost that portion. Frozen beans work especially well if you're smashing them, adding them to a soup or stew or even throwing them in the slow cooker. 8. The freezer king: leftovers. 

Finally, the most obvious (and possibly delicious) form of freezer food: leftovers. Having an entire meal in the freezer was a huge blessing during midterms or finals week or just on long days when I didn't (and still don't) have any energy to cook. Some of my favorite freezer meals (from my recipes and other bloggers) include:

Paleo Banana Bread (with Coconut Flour): we freeze banana bread all the time in our house - and the best surprise is definitely finding a loaf wedged in the back that you forget about!

GF Buckwheat Waffles: excuse me as a I wipe the drool off of my computer screen...

Red Enchilada Sauce: this is the homemade enchilada sauce my mom and I swear by. Even though it doesn't take long to make, having it pre-made and frozen makes enchiladas super easy to throw together!

Slow Cooker Vegan Mac n' Cheese: I was amazed how well my slow cooker mac and cheese defrosts, especially if you add a little fresh Daiya cheese shreds or cheese sauce when you're about to serve it.

Vegetarian Black Bean Breakfast Burritos: I've honestly never had a breakfast burrito, but having some (healthy and homemade) freezer burritos on-hand is GENIUS!

Best Ever Black Bean Soup: I've recently become addicted to black bean soup, so this is definitely going to join my freezer in the near future!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Freezer Cookies: 'cause what's better than chocolate chip cookies? Always having chocolate chip cookies within reach (in your freezer)!

4-Ingredient Chocolate & Peanut Butter Freezer Fudge: now these could be dangerous...

I know some people hate on leftovers...but I will always be their biggest fan. I mean, what's better than free, delicious food that you didn't even have to cook? 

Luscious leftovers...

Now, I will never say that eating gluten free as a celiac is easy. However, I can 100% agree that eating gluten free gets easier the more experienced and prepared you become. And when you have a bunch of delicious, allergy-friendly ingredients chillin' (pun intended) in your freezer, making a quick, easy and scrumptious breakfast, snack, lunch or dinner can be as easy as 1-2-de-freeze! 

What foods do you keep in your freezer? Do you like any of the brands I've mentioned? Comment below! 

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