*MEAL IDEA* Homemade Pizza (mini)

 Had a pizza craving so here is how I sated it:

879 calories

These are the ingredients:

The Mama Cozzi mini crust came with a packet of sauce so I didn't add any. I just mixed the sauce into my browned beer crumbles. 

The Minerals - which is what I focus on

I worry more about minerals than I do about calories. I've been losing weight on this self-modified renal diet so...

And, yes, this went through half my daily allowance of sodium but I wasn't hungry for anything else until later in the day. I had some toasted French bread with oil, garlic, and a tiny bit of parmesan. For my evening snack, I had an ice cream sandwich.

I just wanted to share that for anyone who gets a pizza craving but doesn't want to do a lot of cooking.

Peace

--Free

**UPDATE** This Renal Diet Is Messing With My Facial Skin

**UPDATE** I figured out that the cause of my skin issue was not the overall renal diet but the cashew milk I was drinking. I can only drink it in small amounts. I switched to macadamia milk but I like the cashew more! I now switch back and forth - depending on price - and just am careful about amounts. Amazon has both types in their Subscribe and Save program. This is the macadamia milk I use and this is the cashew milk. I can also find this Silk brand of cashew milk in local stores.

 Um, why did none of my doctors warn me that a renal diet can mess with my skin?

As my body is falling apart on the inside from the sarcoidosis and meds, I have managed to maintain my skin. My parents may have passed me some problem genes but the skin genes are awesome. Until the past couple of weeks.

Normally, I don't need to use anything on my face but a mild oil-based cleanser and some German-made Nivea, L'Oreal Age Renew, or some of that amazing Moistfull Collagen Cream from Etude. Sometimes, I use nothing but some water and oil.

Normally, I said.

For the past few days, I have been making masks of flour or oatmeal or turmeric and honey to calm down the skin on my face. I keep a bottle of water in the freezer so that I can cool down the irritated areas.

There is no visible breakout but my face just feels irritated. When I asked around about why this could be, an acquaintance who knows a little something about skincare told me to think about any changes in lifestyle or diet. Now I would love to be able to say the problem is due to the walks I've been taking, but... Nope. I thought back over everything and it has to be my diet. Right?

Well, after doing some Googling, I think I might be on to something.

I know that I am not getting enough oil in my diet - olive, coconut, ghee - and I sure as hell haven't been eating enough vegetables. That stops today.

Of course, CKD can affect the skin, but I've had CKD for a while and my skin was fine until made such drastic diet changes. In my quest to take the best care ever of my kidneys, I think I may have gone overboard. I haven't just cut back on vegetables and beans and dairy - I've cut all that out like I'm scared of it.

Anyway, I need to check with the Reddit group to see if anyone else has noticed this kind of problem. And I need to go to InstaCart with a quickness and order some skin-rescue food. 

Thank Jesus I hate wasting food and still have some beans - pinto, lentils, and black beans - in the pantry somewhere. Now I need to order some green stuff with leaves and some tuna and anything with that I can sprinkle turmeric and other antioxidants on.

My health problems are going to run me into the poorhouse. It's not time for a grocery order yet (according to that joke that I call a "budget") but desperate times and all that...

So I am going to let this oatmeal-water-olive oil paste do its thing while I say a prayer over my credit cards and put in this grocery order. I'll follow up at some point about how my rescue plan is working out.

God forgive my vanity but, if I have to feel like crap, I want to look good doing it.

Peace

--Free

That Sparkling Juice From Aldi’s…

I know I have issues when something as simple as a beverage can cheer me up. Tonight, I ordered groceries from Aldi's just so I could get this deliciousness. 

Aldis Nature's Nectar
Sparkling Juices

I love this stuff so much that I want to dedicate this song to it.

Doesn't take much at all to make me happy. 

I tried this sparkling juice just once before and it was so yummy. The problem is, everyone else loves it as much as I do so it tends to sell out about 2 minutes after it hits the shelves. It's been on Instacart a few times since that first time but by the time I see it, every can is absolute ghost.

Tonight, I was in luck. I saw the juice while browsing Instacart for some pasta sauce and a few other groceries that I was only thinking about buying. Hah. I immediately threw together an order with that juice at the top of the list. When one of my favorite Instacart shoppers texted to say Aldis not only had that flavor but a bunch of variations, I told him to just grab what he could. 

The best thing about this juice is that it is not too CKD-unfriendly. As long as you don't go overboard... According to Cronometer, when I checked the minerals for one can...

(minerals) Nature's Nectar

Because the drinks are sweet, I find that I can drink half of one and save the rest for later. My sweet tooth has abated a lot in the past few years. Sometimes, I will empty the second half of the can into a glass of San Pellegrino - my other favorite drink when I'm craving bubbles and fizz.

(minerals) San Pellegrino plain

One can every four or five days is plenty. I haven't had soda pop in years and don't know how I ever drank so much Dr. Pepper and Coke. There are times though when I want something flavorful and bubbly. This juice hits the spot. It's sweet but not sickenly so. It's bubbly without having that irritating burn of some carbonated drinks.

Ever since my last thrilling doctor's appointment, I have had no trouble sticking to this eating regimen. It's keeping me healthy but, as the doctor reminded me, I can lighten up every now and then. She approved of my coffee drinks with the macadamia milk and she loves the Cronometer app that helps keep me on track.

Tonight, I am going to break my nothing-but-water-after-7 rule and have one of these drinks. I might even have a piece of cheese toast to go with it.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: By the way, when I couldn't find this particular juice a long while back, I looked for alternatives. I made the HUGE mistake of trying that over-hyped WTRMLN drink. All I can say about that is that it's great but only if you like the taste of rank watermelon rind water.

UPDATE **CROSS POST** Meal Prep Is Not for Sissies

UPDATE - I took another swing at meal prep. See below for the photo.

**Posted this at FreeBeingFree the other day and it probably belongs here** 

I'm not playing when I tell you that meal prepping nearly broke my soul. Talk about being a meal prep dropout. I didn't even make it past cooking more than one part of a meal...

This was my first time seriously attempting to put together 5 days' worth of meals. People, I did not make it. I just couldn't. I did manage to set up 5 separate servings of pasta and get the seasonings for each meal measured out. And that wore me out.

Not my kitchen, but...

This kitchen looks CLEAN compared to my own!

What I intended to do was put together a pasta meal for every night of the week. Sounds good, right? How hard could it be? That's what I thought.

Five minutes after I'd finished measuring and weighing the pasta and bagging the seasonings, I scrapped that plan. My next idea was to just do the pasta, the seasonings, and a protein for each night. Then the idea of weighing and cooking and sealing 5 separate proteins started to depress me.

In the end, I kept the 5 separate bowls of pasta and bags of seasonings and wrote out a menu plan for the rest - I'm not sure I should call it a "menu. It looks like this:  

• Day 1 pasta bowl with sauce + (circle one): chicken, beef, pork, tofu + (circle one): cheese bread, garlic bread, buttered bread, other.
• Day 2 pasta bowl with (circle one): fettuccine sauce, marinara sauce, red sauce with garlic and onions.
• Day 3 pasta bowl with (circle one): fettuccine sauce and broccoli.
• Day 4 See Day 1
• Day 5 pasta bowl drizzled with warmed garlic-seasoned olive oil + (circle one) cheese bread, garlic bread, buttered bread, other.

I also worked out my sodium, potassium, and phosphorus totals for each of those meals. That way I could decide how to work in (or not) any desserts, snacks, or beverages without going over.

So, basically, I cooked and separated some pasta and seasonings, then wrote up everything I didn't prep. Oh, and I looked at funny memes about meal prepping.

This looks good to me...

My niece is a meal-prep pro. Every Sunday, she sets out all her meals for the next week. Complete meals. This is a screenshot from my phone of her actual meal prep from a couple of weeks ago.

I have no idea how she does it but she even manages to hold conversations over the phone with me most of the time. She warned me that it takes practice and stamina, and maybe a glass or two of wine. Maybe I need to start drinking wine then?

The worst thing is that my kitchen looks like a disaster area. You'd think I had prepped meals for a unit of soldiers or a boarding school cafeteria. How did that happen? I didn't actually prep any of the sauces or proteins. I didn't even separate and label the bread. 

In my defense... Unlike my niece, I can't just prep the meals and call it good. I have to enter everything into my Cronometer app. I love that thing but they need to do something to help my ignorant behind deal with the metric-to-imperial measurements. 

(Side note: I need prayer. I have a HUGE crush on this Christian astrophysicist. I get a serious headache trying to follow most of his seminars but, Lord help me, he looks so handsome. There is something about being that smart and Christian that is so, so attractive...)

Anyway.

Why didn't I ever learn the metric system? Why? It's one of those things I swore I'd never have to use (I didn't cook when I lived in England so...) but now I am dealing with recipes and nutrition labels.

And why are some nutrition labels so funky? I will see something in ml or grams when I was raised to measure by ounces. I dang near had to do college-level research when I was trying to figure out the grams for 2/3 cup of a pasta sauce. I had to work way too hard to get that right. Because, of course, 2/3 cup (or any amount) can depend on the type of ingredient being measured.

Good mercy.

I was joking to my SIL that I've gotten so good in the past few weeks at eye-balling measurements in grams and ounces that I'd make a great drug dealer. (I'm lying. I would get killed because I mismeasured something!)

So, yeah. I now have 5 partially prepped meals for next week but my kitchen is so wrecked I don't want to be in there. I will have to let you guys know how it goes next Sunday when I try this "one more again".

Peace

--Free

I think I'm getting the hang of this...

Not only did I weigh and measure every single thing but I also put all of it in the Cronometer app. All I will need to do to track meals - for 5 days anyway - is select the item and hit the time stamp. Oh, and I will have to add any bread or desserts. I'm pleased to have gotten this done without totally destroying my kitchen. Now I'm too tired to chew so I'm going to take a nap.

The Renal Diet is Working

 If I could say anything to anyone starting out with CKD issues, it would be this: "Be your own advocate. Do your own research. Ask questions until you understand the answers."

Even knowing about my CKD for a while, I didn't understand the full impact of diet and exercise until the past several months. My original nephrologist didn't tell me that eating a "healthy" diet wasn't the best thing for someone with CKD. He never explained lab results in layman's terms. And I didn't push for answers.

I had my latest appointment with my new nephrologist yesterday. Actually, she is my new nephrologist because my other one is out of the country for now. I will be seeing this lady from now on because the other one works with more critical patients and...

... I am currently doing great!

I had an ultrasound and new labs done last week and the results were outstanding. My filtration numbers are the best they've been in several months and I am at only 20% less function than a healthy person in my age range. My kidneys are a good size, shape, and texture. My urine is clear and protein-free. There is calcification, masses, or obstruction. (I'm reading from the results now and have no idea what most of this means except that it is all positive stuff!)

I discussed my diet with the doctor and she agreed that there is not enough information about the differences in a healthy diet for a "normal" person vs one with CKD. She loved the Cronometer app that I am using. She will be looking into it to see if it will be of use to others.

I went into this appointment absolutely terrified. The ultrasound is the first I have had since I was diagnosed. My biggest fear was that the results would show previously unknown damage.

This doctor also understood my concerns about the lack of diet information out there. She encourages me to keep doing what I am doing (except she says I can lighten up a bit on my food restrictions) and encouraged me to call with any questions or concerns.

I left this appointment almost floating. (With this Iowa humidity, I could have swum out the door.) I came home and immediately passed out into a nap. I haven't slept well since having the ultrasound and worrying about it. 

So this diet is working. And it's not difficult at all. I center my meals around a lot of pasta and chicken and white bread. Snacks are the cashew milk "ice cream" and popcorn (Boom Chicka is the best). I drink so much water that my bladder has gotten stronger. And my doctor has no problem with my 3 daily cups of instant espresso powder lattes. Of course, I use macadamia milk (which I've come to love) and I only add the smallest amount of chocolate.

Today was a good day. Today was an incredibly beautiful and blessed day. Now if only the humidity would go down... I am not playing when I say that the humidity is currently 90%. 

I left the house this morning with my hair looking fabulous. It was positively laid and slayed. By the time I went outside and ten steps to the car, I looked like I was wearing a chia pet for a hat. This Iowa weather does not come to play.

Right now, I am going to go have a coffee. I need it and I can have it.

Peace

--Free

Milkadamia Macadamia Milk Is...

 After trying cashew milk - and dang near going broke in doing so - I wanted to try yet another non-dairy milk. I found some macadamia milk from Milkadamia. They had some different flavor/blend choices on Amazon:

• Original
• Unsweetened
• Barista (sweetened)
• Barista (unsweetened)
• Vanilla
• Veggnog Macadamia

Since I hate regular eggnog, the macadamia version made me shudder just to think of it. The Original and Unsweetened were a bit confusing. I mean, is the Original sweet or not? Why don't they label the Original as sweetened or not?

My natural inclination was to go for the Vanilla. I know that the only soy milk I like is the vanilla kind. However, the Milkadamia Vanilla was pricier - running from the mid-30s to over 50 dollars. It might be cheaper to buy some unicorn milk...

I ended up choosing the sweetened Barista version. 

The unsweetened version has 
a red label

Notice that the label doesn't say this is "Sweetened"... I figured out that instead of saying "Sweetened" on their labels, Milkadamia will prominently label the unsweetened version and use a different label color. Child, just say it already!

Most of the reviews mentioned that the Barista is the best-tasting in coffee. And, let's face it, I'm looking for something to use mainly in coffee. I have got to replace the sugary-wonderful Sweet Italian creamer that I'm so in love with.

This stuff sure isn't cheap. I paid about 30 bucks for a pack of 6 32-ounce shelf-stable cartons. Actually, when I started to think about the per-ounce price (less than $0.15) and the more positive-than-dairy effects on my health, it was worth at least trying.

Okay. So. How does this stuff taste?

In coffee, it's not bad. It softens the coffee taste, which is nice, but there is zero sweetness. And I mean none. Dentists must hate this stuff. I really think I will have to find a single carton of the vanilla to see if it's better. 

By the way, there are pros and cons to this brand, depending on your own situation. Looking closer at the labels once I received the shipment, I realized that there are some additives that aren't great. But, again, it all depends on where you are in your health.

sounds good - so far

Until you look closer...

Not bad because I use this by the tablespoon.
Cup by cup though, watch out for those minerals

And these additives are not as prominently
displayed on most retail sites

Like all the other non-dairy options I've tried so far, macadamia milk doesn't have much of the whitening effect I like from a creamer. It's such a visual thing for me with coffee, I guess. I found the only white cups I have to show what a half cup of dark roast coffee looks like before and after adding a tablespoon of the macadamia milk.

Flat black

Tablespoon of macadamia

You can see how watery this product is.

I made a smoothie with the macadamia milk and, again, not bad but... so bland. It's as if there is no weight to this milk. Dairy milk has more of a "fullness" to it, whereas this milk is the same weight as water, in my opinion. Come to think of it, that was the same thing missing with the rice and cashew milk. I think that I will try adding a couple of tablespoons of Greek yogurt next time.

Pretty but... bland

Since I have 5 more cartons of this stuff and I can't afford to be wasteful, I will be cooking with the macadamia milk. I have already tried it in overnight oats and it was decent - watery but decent-tasting. I mean, oatmeal is already so bland. I did find that in using the macadamia milk, I didn't need to add any sugar. It was the same with the cashew milk so I guess there must be some sweetness to these nut milks (And because I have a filthy and somewhat sinful mind, just saying "nut milk" makes me crack up every time! I must be hearing a Chris Rock in my head.)

I have an idea that adding a little butter to macadamia and cashew milk mile give a boost to the flavor and texture. I know that I always loved using ghee in my coffee back when I was on the bullet-coffee train. Butter is another thing in the dairy family I have to limit but I won't need much to bump up the flavor and weight in a cup of coffee.

Anyway, that's how my experience is going so far with macadamia milk. If I had to  I'd rank macadamia, cashew, rice, and soy (vanilla), for overall taste, it would be:

1. Soy vanilla
2. Rice
3. Macadamia
4. Cashew

For use in my coffee:

1. Rice
2. Soy vanilla
3. Macadamia
4. Cashew

For use in smoothies:

1. Soy vanilla
2. Cashew
3. Macadamia

By the way, I probably will not ever drink cashew milk again. I think I mentioned in another post that it seemed to be irritating my skin. My face became itchy the first day and was trying to break out. I never have problems with my skin even though it's sensitive. I couldn't use any of my moisturizers and had to pat my face down with water and honey every few hours. Very weird. After I stopped drinking it, my skin started to calm down after about a day. I had about half of the one (almost-8-dollar) carton so I gave it to my neighbor. I warned her about what it did to my skin but she hasn't reported any problems.

I'm going to have to ask around about coconut milk creamers. ..

Peace

--Free

After the Nephrologist

After my panic and stress over being staged at 3b, I now feel such relief.

I saw the nephrologist yesterday and I had worked myself up so that I was almost weeping by the time he came into the exam room. The poor nurse who had to take my vitals didn't know what to do with me but be as nice as possible without calling the psych ward.

The doctor immediately put me at ease. First, he taught me how to say his name. He is Indian but his name isn't too difficult for my Amerian tongue. I'm sure his introduction was meant to be a stress-reducer. It worked. He had me smiling about 3 minutes into the appointment. 

I went very prepared. I had the printouts of my Cronometer nutrient diary, a copy of my latest labs, and a list of questions written out in a tiny notepad. He already had my labs and he only glanced at the Cronometer printout. He moved my pen and notepad to the side. He then explained that I didn't need to be as strict with my diet as I've been. He also warned me that stress is not good for my health in general.

By the time I left the appointment, I was assured that with his care and some dietary cautions - not my manic and obsessive food-tracking - I won't need to worry about dialysis for another 20 to 25 years. He said that we are going to work together as a team. We. I like that. Between him watching over my kidney function and my other doctors monitoring my neurosarcoidosis, I am going to be alright.

I'm not sure what I was most relieved about: not having to forever give up yogurt and collard greens or not having to think about being hooked up to a machine 3 times a week.

Of course, I do need to be careful about food. I just don't have to be as self-depriving as I've been. I need to drink a lot of water, keep getting moderate exercise, and stay on top of my meds.

I don't think I've thanked the Lord Jesus so much since I recovered from the aphasia when I first got this dang disease.

Anyway. 

I will be going back for a follow-up appointment in about 6 weeks and I will, of course, have regular urinalysis and blood checks. At the most, I might have to have an ultrasound down the road or maybe a kidney biopsy. And that is only because this neurosarc is crazy and unpredictable.

When I walked out to the car, my brother and SIL could tell from my expression that things had gone well. I probably had worried them sick with all my worrying. 

Yesterday was such a good day. Today is a good day. I will savor this.

The thing is, even though the doctor has given me permission to ease up on my dietary restrictions, I've kind of gotten used to eating the way I have been. If I am completely honest, the only thing I really miss is having my homemade pinto beans with ground beef and cornbread. 

I'm so thankful and I really appreciate so much the folks in the subreddit for CKD. Everyone there is so sharing and supportive of each other. I'm also still in love with this Cronometer app. I'm keeping that, for real.

So that's my good news. In spite of the neurosarcoidosis and all its annoyances, I'm happy today. I'm going to go and have a second cup of coffee with some brown sugar the cashew milk I discovered. Tonight, I might make my beans and cornbread for the week.

Peace

--Free