Memorial Day Recipe Round Up!

One of my favorite holidays is Memorial Day!! First and foremost, it is so important to honor those men and women who have risked their lives so that we can enjoy freedom. And also, Memorial Day is a great time to get together with family and friends and share laughs and good food!

Every year, we have a big family reunion up in Wisconsin — ((we came up early this year)). Boating, Beer, and Bar-B-Que! That’s the name of the game up in the Northwoods! This year will be a little different for me, since I am on the Body Ecology Diet right now to heal my Candida and Ulcerative Colitis flare. This means no sugar (or foods that break down into sugar), thus starving the yeast of its food (sugar) – no sugar, dairy, fruit, grains, beans, soy, starchy veggies (like potatoes), sweet veggies (like beets), mushrooms, tomatoes, alcohol, caffeine, or vinegars. Whew!

But no worries, I’ll still have delicious eats this Memorial Day — just not Beer Boiled Brats and Baked Beans:)

So today I thought it’d be fun to “round-up” some Memorial Day Recipes! Potlucks can be intimidating when you have food allergies, or are on a special diet. So these should help!

They are ALL Gluten and Dairy Free, and many, if not most, are Vegan. Body Ecology Recipes are labeled BED, Maker’s Diet is MD.

Princess Slaw (GF, Vegan, BED)

Sweet Potato Baked Fries (GF, Vegan, MD)

Onion Rings (GF, MD)

Killer Guacamole (GF, Vegan, MD, BED)

Cool Greek Cucumber Salad (GF, Vegan, MD)

Sweet and Spicy Pear Quinoa Pilaf (GF, Vegan, MD)

Portobello Burgers w/ (or w/o) Goat Cheese (GF, Vegan Option, MD)

Falafel Burger (GF, MD)

GF Fish Sticks (GF, MD)

Mexican Quinoa Lettuce Wraps (GF, Vegan, BED)

Monster Cookies (GF, MD)

Chocolate & Peanut Meringues (GF, MD)

Finally, I am so honored that my new friend, Sarah, from This Is What I Eat has nominated me for the Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling!

Here’s how it works:

1. The nominee should visit the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/) and leave a comment indicating that they have been nominated and by whom. (This step is so important because it’s the only way our judges will know who is being considered for the monthly award).
2. The Nominee should thank the person that nominated them by posting on their own blog & including a link to their blog.
3. Share one random thing about yourself in your blog post.
4. Select at least five other bloggers that you enjoy reading their stories and nominate them for the award. Include these nominees in your blog post.
5. Notify your  nominees by leaving a comment on their blog, including a link to the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/).

One of the coolest things about being part of a network of “bloggers” is that you get to meet such kind, amazing people. I’ve found that each person has an inspiring, motivational story to share! It was difficult to ONLY choose five, but here it goes:

1. Tessa from Tessa the Domestic Diva. She’s a Gluten-Free Superstar who adopted a gluten-free, dairy-free, and corn-free diet after her children were diagnosed with food allergies. What a great mom!
2. Amber from The Tasty Alternative. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, she started blogging about her treatment journey using Diet and Holistic Healing. As a fellow IBD-er, her story gives me hope.
3. Taralynn from Undressed Skeleton. She’s documented her journey to health! After high school, she turned her life around by adopting a healthy lifestyle: eating right, and exercising. She’s now writing a book and inspiring others to do the same!
4. Danielle from Against All Grain. Danielle’s battle with Ulcerative Colitis has led her to adopt the Specific Carb Diet. She’s sharing recipes and hope with the IBD community. So inspiring!
5. Alex from Spoonful of Sugar Free. Living with a sugar-sensitivity, she’s come up with delicious recipes without sugar, gluten, or dairy! Her recipes are life-savers for those with Candida, or other food sensitivities.

Finally, my random fact…..when I was 7 years old, I was on a TV show like Barney, called Dooley. I won a Regional Emmy Award for it!

And thank you again Sarah! I always look forward to reading your blog everyday!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Memorial Day Weekend!!

Until Tomorrow!!