Sans Wheat, Sans Milk, Sans Soy, Sans Everything...

Dear Mouse,

Whew! A whirlwind week it has been in life and in diet. Many thanks for holding down the fort here at AMB while I spend my days studying Shakespeare (here) and evenings rehearsing this show that opens sunday... I am super exhausted at the moment so this will be short, and, like, probably not very witty. But I owe us all a bit of a report.

Ok. So yes, on the one hand, how could you post that thing about Sundaes and Cones?!! It sounds so delicious. (NOTE From the Mouse--they make all-fruit smoothies too!) On the other hand, I am in Week Two of Crazy Eating Restrictions and the biggest surprise of all is... No. Cravings.

Not really. Oh sure, at times I'm like, 'oh it would be SO easy to just get a sandwich right now for lunch... a muffin for breakfast... make this vegetable thing I like that has cheese in it..." BUT it's not like I really am feeling that deep down.

Mostly, my dairy/wheat/egg/gluten/sugar/soy-free lifestyle has had the effect of 1) giving me more energy than I thought would be possible while working this hard, 2) TOTALLY stabilizing my moods and my concentration, which is no small thing, and 3) completely controllling my appetite. I get hungry and eat regular meals, but I get, like, satisfied, by them, and not obsessive about where my next treat is coming from. Bad for the blog? maybe. But fascinating.

A big shout-out to Angelica Kitchen in the East Village, and to Cute AMB Fan/Friend o'Mouse who works there and who made my dining experience truly educational and a pleasure. CSFAMBF brought a whole BOOK to my table that listed EVERY ingredient in every dish on their menu, as well as a special page of gluten-free options. Everything was fabulous.

Because of the HEAT alluded to briefly :-) in your last note, I'll leave you with this recipe that I can eat!!! (ok it has some sugar... sigh) which is great for summer. Make these for someone and knock them back with a beer or a crisp white wine before dinner. Trust me. It is super easy and you will seem like an Earth Goddess.

Extremely Sexy Vodka Spiked Cherry Tomatoes w/Pepper Salt (from the Gourmet Cookbook) (I'm literally copying this, I feel so cheap).

I make about a third of the recipe for two people... but you can go to town.

3 pints red & yellow cherry tomatoes
1/2 C vodka
3 tbsp white vinegar (must be white!!)
1 tbsp superfine sugar (totally can use regular)
1 tsp grated lemon zest (I made it with lime and it works too)
3 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tbsp black pepper

OK this part is a little effort, but it's where all the sexy is. Cut small X in bottom of each tomato. Then toss all of them for 3 seconds ONLY into boiling water, then get them out and immediately! put in bowl of ice to stop them cooking. Drain and then slip the little suckers right out of their skins - it's magical.

Stir vodka, vinegar, sugar, and zest in bowl til sugar dissolves. Pour it over tomatoes, toss to coat. Leave it in the fridge, covered, for at least a half hour.

Stir salt and pepepr together in cute little dish. Dip tomatoes in pepper salt with fingers or toothpicks. Eat. Smile. Suddenly the heat isn't that oppressive.

Love

The Boo
p.s. Yes i have cheated: a bit of ketchup with bunless burger, chinese food that had soy in it for sure, a bite of ice cream, an untold number of cocktails I may or may not be allowed to have. but come on, something gotta get me through this.

**Breaking News**: Crisis at the AMB, or, The Tale of the Allergist's Patient

Dear Mouse,

PART I - GRIEF

Oh. My. God.

It's been said that absence makes the Hart grow fonder, that all love must be tested or it cannot know its power, that faith without doubt is a dead faith, and other pronouncements as well. I have to believe in this. I have to believe that the little curve balls The Divine likes to throw our way just when we think we've got it made are His/Her way of saying They Love Us.

No, I am not talking about my personal life. Or, well, yes, I am!! because what could be more personal to a Hart than what she puts in her body. (I am leaving that sentence as-is. Don't even say it.)

I'll make this brief as it is almost too horrifying to be true.

I, the Boo, Food Blogger and devoted Patron of All Things Tasty, have recently been to the doctor. Ok,the Naturopath,for allergy/nutrition advice. VERY highly recommended, as you know, by two of our gorgeous friends, now healed from chronic conditions and glowing enviably. Similarly plagued, I decided to follow in their footsteps.

One consultation, a blood test, and a 'wellness plan' later,the results came back.

PART II - ADVENTURE/DETERMINATION

I am about to embark on a restricted diet the likes of which I have never attempted before. Usuallly, I have the staying power of a candle in the wind (I tried the "Master Cleanser" once for four hours and then had a sandwich) BUT this time,I am determined.

Here is where you,and the slowly-building AMB community, come in.

STARTING MONDAY,I will embark on the prescribed Elimination Diet below. I will post reports of my progress and creative new recipes as I go. Most importantly, I will be accountable to you all for sticking to it. I need your help and encouragement and bad jokes.

PART III: THE PLEDGE

I, The Boo, do solemnly vow to

Abstain from my Major Allergens for FOUR MONTHS. These are:
DAIRY (all forms!!!)
PEANUTS & ALMONDS
EGGS
SOY
WHEAT
GLUTEN

& SUGAR (only agave nectar or stevia. But I forget for how long on this one)

Abstain from the following for ONE WEEK to test, after which I will add each back in one at a time:
TOMATOES
CITRUS
POTATOES
EGGPLANT
PEPPERS
CORN
WINE

Saving graces: coffee ok. most alcohol ok. other nuts ok. olive oil ok. rice pasta ok.

Send your recipes,your thoughts, your encouragements, and remind me it's not forever. I'll let you know how it goes. For breakfast I had a baguette with brie cheese and tomato...a swan song, if you will.

Love,
The Boo

Some of My Best Friends Are Juice

Dear Mouse,

Remember back in 2006 when I made my record with Crazy Producer Guy? Remember how I decided he was crazy as soon as I met him, because within five seconds of knowing me he was telling me all about how he healed a devastating back/neck injury through juicing? He'd had two unsuccessful operations and was suffering pain and immobility,and was going to go in for a third when a friend/naturopath/groupie/I forget what suggested he go on a juice fast. He bought a juicer,assembled a bunch of recipes, and within a few months his pain haddisappeared.

So had most of his body weight, apparently, and ability to control his rage, but I digress.

(whatever,the man doesn't eat,he'll never read this.)

No way, I thought,as I searched in my bag for mace. Juice is full of sugar, right? The South Beach diet disapproves. And let's not even get into how I feel about fasting. He's nuts.

Or was he? For one thing,my album ROCKS. For another,I, my friends,now LOVE juice and recommend it highly.

No dramatic healing to relate. I'm just doing a play that demands a lot of energy and I'm trying to cut back on caffeine. I also had these five or so pounds I wanted gone, and am not happy with my skin,ever. En route to rehearsal I discovered a couple of fresh juice places and started having one before commencing work, or with lunch,before eating food.

* I have lost probably 4-5 pounds(this is also due to walking to theatre daily)
* gives more energy than a cup of coffee
* NO sugar crash or bloatiness. Fresh juice really is different than the rows of supposedly "fresh" bottles in the store. Or (yech) Jamba Juice,which is basically an ice cream parlor.

NOTE FROM THE MOUSE: Case in point--as found online: Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz) = 900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 g carbs (166 g sugar)
"Seventy-five percent of this chain's "power smoothies" contain in excess of 100 grams of sugar."

* causes me to eat less and feel nourished
* skin looking great as of this writing
* mm, mm, tasty.
* NO weight gained. LOST.

Here are a few recommendations - JUICE IT UP!

Best Value: Juicy Lucy, 85 Avenue A
(between 5th St & 6th St). $2.95 for a small!! For fresh juice!! Try the carrot/apple/parsley "Energy Boost", or the Pineapple/Lemon "Hangover Helper".And they have a ton of supplements you can add for $.50 I think
Good VAlue w/better Choices: That Health Place on 3rd Av & 16th Street
Also good prices, slightly more$than Lucy but bigger portions and more interesting flavor/nutrient combos. Try the "Grandma's Veggie Something", a surprisingly sweet blend of carrot, beet,kale,apple and ginger. just do it.
Best Take-Home Option: Liquiteria, 170 2nd Ave at 14th St
ok this one is expensive - a juice here will run you like $6 or $7 but it is the real real thing and is delicious. A friend turned me on to this: Buy one or two of the pre-bottled juice blends in the fridge. Try one bottle of green juice (serious spinach/kale/parsley/chlorophyll concoction) and one "Killer" (lemon, ginger, serious cayenne)and mix at home.It'll be like $14 but it'll last you through three or four glasses. And trust me, you dont want the greens straight.They don't dress it up with anything.
Rolls Royce Juice: Pure Juice & Takeaway
OK I resisted this for a long time because itis astronomically expensive and the staff seems like they are on ecstasy. And once they tried to sell me a SINGLE piece of raw lasagna for $18!!! BUT once in a while I get a juice and I swear I can taste the difference. Instant energy charge and blissful nutrient rush. It's really fresh and they have really interesting recipes.I liked "Green Spice" which was tart and bold and involved serious greens cut with ginger and lime. Not sweet. fabulous. AND was FILLING. AND THEIR DISPOSABLE CUPS ARE 100% COMPOSTED CORN.

IMPORTANT: We are talking FRESH JUICE. The more fresh and raw and good the ingredients, the more FILLING and SATISFYING the juice will be. There is a world of difference between a Pure Juice and a Jamba Juice (or Odwalla. Yeah I said it.)

Happy Juicing!

The Boo

P.S. Important Caveat. If,like me, you have decided your life needs daily juice, you will want to get a juicer and make the stuff at home, because this WILL get hard on your wallet. I'll keep you posted on my search for the right appliance.