Discovery + Recipe + WTF

I want to cover a few things this week--ya know, since I have been such a slacker about writing these last couple weeks. A three-in-one, if you will. First, I have made a delicious (and AMAZINGLY healthy)...

Discovery

Sometimes I just crave something CRUNCHY. I have found a "replacement" for almost every snack I previously enjoyed before starting my journey to remission, EXCEPT for a crunchy one. Sadly, this post does not provide information on satisfying my crunch needs (feel free to make any suggestions!); BUT I did make ANOTHER amazing discovery. PLANTAINS.

Let me start by saying I have never liked plantains before. Growing up I had a lot of Puerto Rican friends (even visited PR when I was in high school!) whose families invited me into their homes and served me some AMAZING food; one which I did not enjoy, however, was plantains. The way I remember them they were a flattened, fried (?), "patty"/chip. I just didn't like the unusual flavor, the seeds in the middle, the consistency...

So as I was saying, I had been set on "crunch". I thought - chips! I can eat sweet potatoes steamed, but for some reason sweet potato chips do not sit well with me. What about plantains? I decided to toss away my memories of "how" plantains were, and that I would make plantain chips! They are a low-sugar fruit, and could be my cure for crunch. So off to the store I went to purchase a handful of green plantains (green=lower in sugar). The baked version was horribly dry, and the fried version was tasty, but upset my stomach (even in "healthy" oil). I had a couple left, so researched what I could do with my plantains. Annnnd as it turns out, they are GREAT for gut health! (I didn't even realize when I bought them!) BUT only when made certain ways: boiled or streamed are best; grilled or roasted are acceptable; but fried doesn't offer near the benefits as the formerly-mentioned, and can cause stomach upset (*sad face*). Although starchy, the starches in plantains actually help MEND the gut, as they are RESISTANT starches and contain prebiotic fiber. Additionally, plantains are full of vitamins C (antioxidant), A (antioxidant and cell growth--GREAT for Crohns), B6 (brain health and hormone stabilizers), potassium (electrolytes), magnesium (SO many people deficient in this necessary mineral), and iron. ALSO! BOILING green plantains actually brings out even MORE of these nutrients!

I think the reason I used to dislike plantains was because of how they were prepared. One - they were likely yellow or brown when they were made (because they were sweet and mushy, unlike green ones which are starchy but not sweet, and very firm). And two - they were fried. The whole thing was just weird. Sweet, strange flavors, crispy on the outside, mushy with seeds on the inside...bleh. The GREEN ones are almost more like potatoes in flavor, and much more firm than I remember.

Recipe

I have played around with my plantains. Boiling and mashing them with a little ghee or olive oil, salt, and pepper is tasty. Cutting in half and roasting them, then topping with seasoned ground beef and onions was good. BUT...you guys...I made something I have come to LOVE and CRAVE. I'm gonna be honest, I have no idea what to call them: "toast" or "fritters"...but I usually put something on them, so I'll call it toast. PLANTAIN TOAST. They kind of remind me of a hash brown, but more dense. I hope you enjoy these as much as I have. They may look a bit odd, but I promise - they are SO STINKING GOOD!!!

**DISCLAIMER: I can only eat one or two of these per day. When I eat them, I feel great and full afterward, BUT if I eat TOO many, it actually has an opposite effect, and I feel too full, tired, and gassy. This is just me (<<and my very sensitive self), but I wanted to throw out that warning for anyone following who may also be very sensitive.

PLANTAIN TOAST

Ingredients

2 Plantains, boiled & mashed

2 eggs (or egg/binding substitute)

Salt & pepper

Onion powder (optional)

Instructions

PLANTAIN MASH: Bring a medium pot of water--about half full (enough to cover plantains, plus about an inch) to a boil. Cut ends off plantains. Cut into 3 sections each, then slice peel down the side in about 3 or 4 spots (for easy peeling). Peel off the skin. Place peeled plantain chunks in boiling water, and allow to boil for 15-20 minutes, covered. Strain off MOST of the water, but reserve about 1-2 tbsp of the water. Mash plantains with a masher or fork. Add more water, if necessary (it gets VERY dry, fast! You want it mashable, but not watery). Allow to cool a bit on the counter if you are making toast now, or store in the fridge or freezer in an air-tight bag, and finish the rest of the process later.

PLANTAIN TOAST: Heat a skillet to medium heat. In a mixing bowl, add 3 eggs and seasoning to plantain mash, and use masher OR hands (I often use my hands to break up the chunks that clump together) to combine all ingredients. Place oil in skillet. Form patties with hands, then gently place patties onto skillet, and press down flat using a spatula (I often squish in the sides that spattered out to make it more smooth around the edges). Wait until the bottom is completely firmed and brown (or it will flop and break), then flip.

My favorite toppings for this:

Poached egg

Avocado

Egg & avo - together

Plain yogurt & pickled onions

Ground beef (seasoned) and grilled onions

Avo dip

Makes about 6.

Storage: I prefer storing the mashed plantains ONLY (in a freezer bag)--versus making these and storing them (they don't reheat well and end up dry), and instead making the toast fresh (I usually end up making a half of this recipe each time, which makes 3).

MACROS: Serving size - 2 patties; Servings per recipe - 3; Calories - 146; Fat - 3g; Sat fat - 1g; Cholesterol - 93mg; Sodium - 329mg; Potassium - 35mg; Carbs - 29g; Fiber - 2g; Sugar - 5g; Protein - 4g

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And now for my WTF moment...

WTF

...is going on with me. It's embarrassing. Here I am eating well and resisting all kinds of temptation, yet I'm in some kind of funk. I have been in an on-and-off flare since about 3 weeks ago. The good days have been very good: high-energy and stamina, in a good mood... But the bad days have been BAD. In the bathroom on and off all day long, VERY fatigued, headaches, low patience... Last week I had more good days. I was killing it in the gym, doing all kinds of stuff with the kids... Then this week I have felt COMPLETELY exhausted from sun-up to sun-down. I literally wake up tired, even if I got a full night of sleep. Coffee/matcha/CAFFEINE seems to do little to nothing (and I am usually very sensitive to these and perk right up after consuming). I just feel like a dead lump. I don't want to move from my couch or the bed, and when I do I'm just in a haze. I pump myself with more caffeine, which allows me to get one--maybe two tasks completed. I have little patience for my kids' nonsense, mostly because I don't want to actually have to GET UP and deal with it, and also because like OMG CAN THEY NOT SEE THAT I'M SICK?! I really have no clue what this funk could be, but it's been almost a full week of it, and it does not feel right. The only factor I can think of that is different than normal may be (?) that I am ovulating this week, and have been diagnosed with estrogen dominance in the last year (I have taken supplements to correct the problem in the past, but had a negative reaction). Additionally my daughter stopped breastfeeding about 3 months ago, and my body is still adjusting with each cycle. My hormones can have a huge effect on my gut health, and I have yet to find a cure for that. In the meantime, I have contacted my doctor and am waiting on a response. I will also be taking it easy with a calming diet and not working out as hard this week. SIGH. Will keep you all updated...

If you have any input on...

-CRUNCHY (gut-friendly) SNACKS

-OTHER WAYS TO PREP PLANTAINS

or

-WHAT I CAN DO WHILE IN THIS FLARE (or what on earth could cause my body to hate me SO MUCH this week)

...I would accept that advice with open arms!!!