Please welcome, Kelley Anne, who will be contributing posts related to her journey into the world of auto-immune deficiencies and allergies. This is her first post in this series.

“You could live forever on that breakfast alone,” Emma’s doctor enthusiastically exclaimed.

To say that having a doctor who is supportive of “let food be thy medicine” is an understatement. My 13-year old daughter, Emma, had two bouts of Epstein-Barr Virus (ages 9 & 11) and ever since has lived with chronic fatigue, chronic stomach issues, food sensitivities, sleep disturbances, and anxiety. A year ago I was told by a doctor that she was an “autoimmune kid” and that perhaps there aren’t tests that are sensitive enough to detect WHICH autoimmune condition she was going to end up with.

Seriously?

I’m just supposed to sit back and wait for my daughter to be stricken with an incurable autoimmune disease where her body attacks itself beyond the point of self-repair? No. I refuse.

So, I am diving head first into nutrition plans that support the reduction of inflammation, which I hope will allow her body to rest and heal. Because she has always been drawn to meat, fruits, and veggies, and is allergic to milk and wheat, it was very easy to see that a Paleo lifestyle was right up her alley. Then, I read The Autoimmune Solution, by Dr. Amy Myer, and she takes Paleo to the next level with her variation of the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). At the moment, I am incorporating both Paleo and AIP recipes into Emma’s daily nutrition plan and keeping close watch to see if her symptoms decrease.

The Instant Pot has changed everything for me as I try to heal my precious girl. I can quickly put together our favorite sweet treat (adapted and inspired from Jennifer Robins’ Paleo Cooking in the Instant Pot Breakfast Cobbler recipe) that has our doctor’s stamp of approval. “Can I have my apples?” is asked by every member of the family every day — this stuff is good! I make a huge batch of “apples” that lasts us two days. The dairy-free yogurt topping has yet to be perfected, but I’m working on it!

(Note from Jaime: When I made this recipe and photographed it, I added pecans. Nuts are not included in Kelley’s recipe for obvious reasons!)

Kelley’s Allergy-Free “Apples”

INGREDIENTS:

4 apples, 4 pears, & 4 plums, chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 dashes ground nutmeg
1 dash ground cloves
1 tsp gluten free vanilla extract (not AIP)
2 heaping tbsp raw, local honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp vegan “butter”

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in the Instant Pot, Steam for 12 minutes, and quick release. Remove the lid and switch to Sauté to cook out all the extra moisture. Sometimes it can take a good 10 minutes, but it all depends on how juicy the fruit was to begin with!

I serve 1/2 cup (warmed up or cold) with 2 tbsp yogurt topping. If you tolerate raw coconut, a sprinkle on top is fun! If you tolerate nuts, be like Jaime and add some! Just be sure the ingredients are clean! You’d be surprised what manufacturers sneak into coconut, for example. Just FYI, I had to buy organic coconut from Publix in order for it to be certified gluten free. Eye roll!!

I wish I could offer you a perfected non-dairy IP yogurt recipe, but I just don’t have it yet. I recently ordered a vegan yogurt starter from Amazon and I hope that does the trick! What I have been making gives us the probiotics we need, but the texture is gritty. I’ll get back to you as soon as I make a smooth, tart, vegan yogurt that excites the whole family!

My number one priority is the health and safety of my family, myself included! I know that food has the ability to hurt us or to heal us. I intend to keep searching for ways to change my daughter’s “fate.” I believe the answer is in the food she eats. Have you allowed medicine to be thy food?

Love and light,

Kelley Anne

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links for products I use and love. All opinions are my own with no sponsorships unless indicated. If you use these links, you help support this blog!

I have a love/hate relationship with Brussels Sprouts. Plain steamed Brussels Sprouts? Ugh, no thanks. Brussels roasted with bacon? Oh yeah, now, we’re talking. By the way, am I the only one who didn’t know that it was Brussels with an “s” on the end instead of Brussel? Probably. Learn something new everyday.

Anyway, I digress. I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram the other day when a food post stopped me in my tracks. It was Brussels Sprouts of all things, and it looked damn good. When I went to click that little heart, I realized the poster was none other than my niece, Ali! She got herself an immediate invitation to share this delectable dish with my readers. I knew that Ali was becoming quite the talented photographer, but I had no idea she was also so creative in the kitchen! We made a deal. She said she would share her recipe and photos as long as she didn’t have to write. No problem-o. Hopefully this will be the first of many posts from Ali – and one day maybe I’ll get her to say hello too!

Ali’s Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dried Apricots

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ lbs fresh Brussels Sprouts, washed and cut into quarter spears

1- 6 oz Package dried Apricots, julienned

½ lb Bacon, thinly sliced (julienned) width wise.

1 tsp refined coconut oil (or any cooking oil you prefer)

2 TBSP water

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prep Brussels sprouts, apricots and bacon.
2. Add coconut oil to skillet over medium/high heat, add bacon and cook until almost crispy.
3. Add julienned apricots to pan with bacon and continue cooking until bacon is crisp, about another minute.
4. Remove bacon and apricots from pan using slotted spoon or mesh skimmer. Reserve 2 tsp of bacon drippings for later, drain pan, but do not rinse.
5. Return pan to stove over medium heat, add Brussels sprouts and water, cover and cook until tender but not soft, should take about 4 minutes but adjust time if necessary.
6. Once sprouts are tender, add the reserved bacon drippings and the cooked bacon and apricots to pan and turn heat to high.
7. Sauté sprouts, bacon, and apricots until most of the sprouts have some color. Add salt and pepper as desired, (Ali recommends using a lot of pepper as it adds another layer of flavor)
8. Serve immediately.

**If you don’t like apricots or can’t find them, substitute with cranberries!

This dish is a great side for pork or chicken.  Thanks for sharing, Ali!

xo Jaime

This post is part of a monthly feature spotlighting photographers who are very inspiring to me. Today’s post is brought to you by John Zocco of John Zocco Photography. John is a long-time friend who has played guitar for me in many gigs over the years. It has been a joy watching his interest in photography turn into a full-fledged career.

First of all, thanks to Jaime for asking me to contribute to her awesome site!

I’ve been in the music industry for more years than I can remember (the last 20 of them in Nashville). I grew up in upstate NY and started playing guitar when I was 14, inspired by classic rock and 80’s hair metal bands (just ask Jaime). At the same time, I’ve always had a fascination with photography. I always had a camera around (a pretty sweet one that used the 126 film cartridges and disposable flash bars). I remember being more interested in capturing candid moments rather than posed snapshots. I’d annoy my friends and family by snapping photos of them at inopportune (for them) times, trying to get an image that represented a moment that might be nice to look back on. My dad worked and my mom was a stay-at-home mom who took lots of photos of me and my brother. I’m sure this had an influence on me, too. To this day, my two boys love to look through the many photo albums at my parents’ house. I’m amazed at how many photos there are, and I hope that someday my grandkids will be looking at the images that I’ve taken throughout the years.

Over the years, music was my main focus. I played in bands and taught guitar, but I still loved grabbing my cheap camera and documenting the shenanigans that were transpiring around me. The “next level” of photography always seemed to be this mysterious realm of 35mm cameras, lenses, and darkrooms. Things like changing a lens, manually focusing, and setting exposure seemed amazingly cool but out of reach to a guitar-playing kid like me, so I never took it any further.

I eventually moved to Nashville with my soon-to-be wife in 1996, hoping to get a gig and tour as a guitarist. I wound up auditioning for the amazing Suzy Bogguss and I played with her from 1996 through 1999. I then played with Jo Dee Messina from 2000 to 2004. I was still bringing my little 35mm point-and-shoot camera with me on the road, shooting touristy travel photos and candid backstage stuff. I took the plunge and bought a 1, yes ONE megapixel digital camera in 2000 or so. The thought of seeing my photos right after I took them was pretty incredible.

Fast-forward a few years, and I had upgraded a few times and had an 8-mega pixel point-and-shoot camera. I had transitioned into the behind-the-scenes part of the music industry, working as a guitar tech for various rock and country artists. I was still shooting lots of photos, especially since I was touring all over the world at that point. I spent time in Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia, and I was getting more serious about capturing the things I was experiencing.

Finally, while on the road in 2011, I took the plunge and bought a DSLR kit at Best Buy. It was a Canon T3i with a couple of lenses and I was hooked. I was lucky enough to be touring with a couple of guys who were serious photographers, and their guidance was invaluable. They would let me borrow lenses and suggest settings for different situations, and one of them introduced me to the wonders of off-camera flash. Once I saw how I could manipulate light to create different looks, there was no turning back. It became a total obsession and I dove into learning as much as I could from books, websites, and friends.

I started sending band members shots that I thought they may like, and I got some nice feedback from them. When music gear companies would contact them for photos, they began to suggest that they contact me for images. My shots wound up being used in some advertisements, product literature, and websites. I was always conscious of not being overbearing when it came to photography – I didn’t want to start any new gig with “Hey! I take pictures, too!” I always take a pretty low-key approach, since my main job is as a guitar tech.   I’d casually send some shots here and there, which kind of broke the ice with any new band I’d be working with.

Over the last few years I’ve been fortunate enough to have images published in some really cool places. Most recently, I shot the cover of the new Def Leppard live DVD, and I have a shot in their latest CD as well. I’ve had images featured in several CDs, music magazines, and in music manufacturer ads and websites. I’ve also been doing product photography and portraits when I’m off the road. I’ve seen a lot of pros suggest that you need to focus on one niche in your photography, but I’ve always taken the approach that I did with music: Study as many different genres as you can and take any gig that comes along! I’m still obsessed, and I still spend lots of time reading and watching tutorials. I guess if I were to give any advice it would be to keep learning and shooting as much as you can. There is a Zen concept called “beginner’s mind” that refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would. Try to maintain that “beginner’s mind”, no matter how much you think you may know. Oh yeah – HAVE FUN too!

Here are of my favorite photos:

This is the new Def Leppard live DVD. They were looking for the moment that the show started, with people’s hands and phones in the air. I positioned myself at the mixing board for around 3 or 4 shows and fired off some shots just as the band came out. I sent them all to Joe (singer) and they chose this one.

This is a shot of Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen. I shot this during their show in Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena. After sending Phil a few shots, he wound up using this one in their new CD.

Rob Halford from Judas Priest. I was working for Def Leppard and we did a show with Judas Priest in Oslo, Norway. There was a spot in their show where Rob held this pose for a few seconds, and the combination of the pose, lights, and haze came together to make a cool image.

Mike Portnoy from The Winery Dogs. This was shot during their show at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. Mike is always throwing his sticks in the air, and I was lucky enough to capture one of these throws!

Richie Kotzen CD cover. Richie is an amazingly talented musician – he sings and plays guitar better than anyone should be allowed to. This image was shot on the road somewhere in Germany. I spotted an old piano in a cement tunnel (pretty random, I know) next to the venue. Richie and I ran out when we had a few minutes and did a quick shoot at this piano. He like this image and used it for the cover of his CD. The right half of the cover was a shot I made backstage at the venue – it is his guitar sitting in front of an old piano.

Thank you, John, for contributing! Make sure to follow John Zocco Photography on Facebook!

My neighbor, Sharon, is back and this time with a recipe that is perfect for those of you watching your carbs this New Year!

(Post and Photography contributed by Sharon Harrod)

While visiting my family for the holidays I was learning about the next step to the Wheat Belly diet, which is called “wheat belly total health.”  One of my brother-in-law’s go to lunches is a bread free Reuben.  I decided to make several at a time and I refer to them as “Lunch Pods.” You can store them in the refrigerator pop one out at a time, heat it up and you’re good to go. The bonus is that they are very filling and delicious. You don’t even miss the bread!

 

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

My neighbor, Sharon, is always cooking up the tastiest dishes. She’s back on the blog serving up a roasted veggie side dish for our readers today!

(Post and Photography contributed by Sharon Harrod)

I adore roasted veggies. They are like candy! My new favorite is butternut squash. Serve with pork tenderloin, steak, salmon or… why not just eat the whole pan like candy or a sleeve of cookies?!?

Peel the butternut squash. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice it and one half inch pieces.

Place on a cookie sheet drizzle with olive oil sprinkle either cayenne pepper or for the faint-of-heart who don’t like spicy use chili powder salt and pepper.

Bake on 400 for 20 to 30 minutes or until brown.

Another post from my lovely neighbor, Sharon!

(Post and photography contributed by Sharon Harrod)

A Tennessee snow day means a cooking day for me! This recipe is my take on BAKED EGGS from “The Chew.” It starts with a delicious tomato basil garlic sauce in the bottom of a ramekin, an egg in the middle, and topped with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. The tomatoes in these baked eggs add many vitamins and beta carotene which act as antioxidants, so this recipe could also be a nice addition to your morning menu. This breakfast offers a yummy change from your tired scrambled eggs!

Baked Eggs (Adapted from The Chew)

Ingredients
1 28 ounce can of organic crushed, diced, or whole tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons roasted garlic

2 tablespoons fresh or dried basil

6 eggs

1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Directions:
First, pour a 28 ounce can of crushed, diced or whole tomatoes into your Vitamix or whatever pureeing device you own. I use organic tomatoes.

Next, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of fresh or dried basil. The Chew recipe called for fresh basil and raw garlic however I believe that the roasted garlic adds another level of flavor. I always roast a couple of heads of garlic and then squeeze the garlic out. I keep them in a container in my refrigerator to use as needed. I also had a massive amount of Basil in my garden this year so I dried it and then crumble it into my recipes throughout the winter. Blend thoroughly.

Pour the sauce into medium sized ramekins or small baking dishes. Crack an egg over the sauce. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over the egg and salt and pepper.

Bake for 20 -25 minutes or until the egg center is to your liking.

Top with fresh basil and serve.

Enjoy every cheesy bite!