Artist Madrid, Naturally

Here in the South it hasn't felt like Fall for two weeks now but I've been craving White Chicken Chili since I was pregnant! So I turned up the Air Conditioning, put a sweater on and got cooking! Hope you enjoy this yummy recipe as much as my family did:  WHITE CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE Cook Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes INGREDIENTS :    *1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins *1 large yellow onion (diced) *3 cloves garlic (minced) *32 oz. chicken broth (I used low-sodium organic gluten-free) *2~15oz cans of Northern beans (drained and rinsed) *1~4oz can of diced mild green chiles -AND-  *1~ 4oz can of diced hot green chiles *1~15oz can of white corn *1 tsp salt *1/2 tsp black pepper *1 tsp cumin *1 tsp dried oregano *1/2 tsp dried parsley  *1/2 tsp chili powder *1/4 tsp cayenne pepper *handful fresh cilantro (chopped) *8 oz cream cheese (softened) *1/4 cup milk (I used fat-free) Note: If you want to turn up the spicy level, skip the mild chiles and u...

This past weekend my friends and I decided to take on the challenge of making a tasty Anti-Inflammatory meal. We chose one that included the anti-inflammatory heavy-hitters of Salmon, Spinach, Olive oil, Garlic and Cauliflower. Yes, pictured here is cauliflower, not potatoes, whipped to perfection.  It is actually a pretty simple recipe . And even though stuffing the salmon reminded us of the disturbing scene/musical number from The Little Mermaid, it wasn't a difficult task either. We modified a  recipe from Cafe Delites . . Instead of making pockets in the salmon fillets, using a sharp knife, we slit a "tunnel" allowing for more spinach filling. The use of toothpicks kept everything in place during the baking process. We also skipped the garlic butter in order to cut a few more calories from the meal. It turned out amazingly Delish and made me feel quite fancy :) I Couldn't Resist ;) What have you cooked recently that made you feel like a Food Netw...

Our first match-up was about two weeks ago. (Click Here to see how those competitors fared)  I had such a great time with the challenge and the readers seemed to enjoy it as well. SO without further ado... Today's challengers Both  cost less than $4.50, include beef/pork raised without antibiotics, are between 290 and 300 calories, have 16g of protein and of course are Gluten-free*! However only One meal can prevail on the frozen meal battlefield...  ...Will it be the KOREAN INSPIRED BEEF EatingWell's  "take on traditional Korean bibimbap")  -OR- the "gourmet Mexican cuisine" AL PASTOR TACO BOWL from Frontera? First we have the KOREAN INSPIRED BEEF , an "explosion of vibrant colors & flavors, this dish mixes fire-grilled beef, rice and vegetables with a savory sesame garlic sauce”. I Loved: -Certified Gluten-free -1 cup of vegetables  -Good source of Iron -Best Brown Rice EVER! (And I am not a fan of brown rice) I Didn’t ...

TODAY we have the Protein & Fiber-packed FIRE GRILLED STEAK from Evol Foods going up against the Authentic Savory LEMONGRASS BASIL CHICKEN from Saffron Road. Both competitors were less than $5.00, boast beef/chicken raised without antibiotics and are between 300 and 400 calories… And of course are Gluten-free! First up was the FIRE GRILLED STEAK , a meal of “fire grilled steak with black beans, white rice, red & green peppers, roasted corn and cheddar cheese- All combined with an insanely tasty cilantro lime pesto”. I Loved: -20g of Protein -8g of Fiber -Good source of Vitamin A, C and Iron -Good Amount of tasty Beef -Only had to microwave once/ no stirring in-between I Didn’t Like: -The bowl was smaller than expected -Included very little rice -Overall the entrée lacked flavor Up next was the LEMONGRASS BASIL CHICKEN with Basmati Rice. This “authentic Thai recipe” included “roasted white meat chicken, green peepers and onions simmered in...

While visiting my gastroenterologist at the end of January, he recommended increasing my fiber to combat my IBS symptoms. In order to avoid the side effects of upping my fiber intake too quickly, he suggested eating one bowl of a high fiber cereal each day. I decided to go with Kashi GO LEAN Honey Almond Flax Crunch cereal which packs a whopping 8 grams of fiber per serving. I’d enjoy it with unsweetened almond milk and a tbsp of local honey*. However, going back gluten-free definitely threw a wrench into my routine.   At first I thought it was impossible. I mean the term gluten-free high-fiber cereal is sort of an oxymoron. But my plucky determination carried me all the way to my local grocery store’s cereal aisle. In a coffee mug for on-the-go ease Every high fiber cereal listed wheat within the first 3 ingredients. I was about to settle on plain Original Cheerios (3 grams of fiber per serving) when I stumbled upon the Organic/Healthy food aisle. T...

The meal was served Family-Style I wanted to share a special meal I made a few weeks ago for a friend. She has a lot of food allergies and sensitivities but has found that following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)  has drastically decreased her symptoms. AIP is not only gluten-free but also grain-free (wheat, corn, rice, and oats), free of nightshades, dairy-free, nut-free, processed sugar-free and there are some other no-no’s. I definitely know what it feels like to go out to eat with friends and not be able to eat some of everything. So I wanted to cook an entire meal where nothing was off limits for her. Sounds challenging? Well, Yes! But it actually ended up opening my mind to new flavor combinations and it was a lot of fun. I felt like I was on a cooking show. I started off searching for Paleo base recipes. Base recipes are life-savers when cooking for someone with food allergies because you are not reinventing the wheel. In this case Paleo recipes were a good choic...

Happy Gluten- Free Monday! Day One of No Gluten: I was curious so did some research about how long it would take for my body to be completely gluten-free. Apparently this question doesn’t have a definitive answer because even after the gluten has left my body, I will continue to experience the negative effects of exposure for some time. I should mention I have Non-celiac gluten sensitivity but the effects are still serious. *↓TMI WARNING↓* I have had continuous symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome since back on the gluten train. In December, I also started having blood in my stool along with serve abdominal cramping. Two visits to my primary care physician resulted in  a X-ray and a CAT scan. The they only thing they could see wrong was I was severely constipated. I was directed to eat more fiber, increase my water intake, prescribed stool softeners (the gentle kind) and was referred to my gynecologist (I did end up having a concurrent uterine infection). Once I fin...

Look how time has flown by. Artist Madrid, Naturally is celebrating its first anniversary and what a year it has been. Starting this blog is up there with those life-altering decisions of going natural and getting healthy. Coming here and writing about my missteps and my progress has been like therapy for me. And I hope you have enjoyed following me on my journey as well. So much has changed in my life. I am glad that I have been able to share it with you; from going gluten-free to completely my first 5k to falling out and then back in love with LeLola (my hair). I look in the mirror and I see a new person. I am stronger because I have learned how to fight cravings and how to push myself further. I am wiser because I now know what I should put in my body and how I should treat it. I am bolder because I have learned how to let my hair down (literally), as well as my protective walls. I am happier because I have finally learned to accept and love myself. I have shared a lot with you. Tha...

Dear Bread, I need for you to truly understand what I am about to say. I want to tell you that this isn't temporary and I'll eventually get over it. This is the end of our relationship. I remember there was a time when I thought I could not live without you. You were what kept me going through the day. I thought we had a good thing going. Then I came to the realization that our relationship was slowing changing. How come I never noticed before what a negative effect you had on me? Maybe it's my fault, maybe I've changed and you were always this way. But don't try to deny it. Within these past couple of weeks during our separation , you too have seen me transform into a vibrant person who is full of energy and ready to tackle anything. I haven't been that way with you lately. We are more defined by the horrible fights we'd have, which would lead to me locking myself in the bathroom for hours. The internal distress is not worth it. I have to do what is be...

Hi, I know I have practically been nonexistent this week. That was because I had a sinus infection which completely wiped me out during the middle of the week. I am feeling some better so I did attempt to workout yesterday. I also worked out on Tuesday (my new body weight circuit training routine). Now don't get me wrong, I am not usually that chick that works out while sick. However, it just started out as the sniffles. Also everything I read said as long as you can move around, breathe and don't have a fever go for it; but of course, take it slow and use good judgement. So I did scale back my routine a bit (2 circuits instead of 3). I must say my improved eating habits and staying active (along with some home remedies ) seemed to help me bounce back quicker then normal. Another plus to eating right and exercising : )  Ok, I have two things I would like to tell you: 1.) I won't be able to participate in that 5k in November : ( Something has come up but I promise ...

(Beans, Starch, Sweeteners) (Meat, Spices) The Rundown: At the beginning of Week 3, I decided I would go ahead and eliminate the specified items in the meats and spices groups, along with starch, beans and sweeteners. It started out a little rough (Olive Garden breadsticks- Enough Said!) but I soon redeemed myself. I went food shopping the day before, looking for reasonably priced gluten-free and soy-free products. I was more than a little wary of giving up my filling and cheap wheat products; but I had two weeks to prepare myself (in the weeks before I had already given up extra refined sugar). I found a lot of good products at a nearby grocery store. They even had a whole organic, diary-free and gluten-free aisle. I ended up finding gluten-free: brown rice pasta, hot cereal mix, a chocolate bar (also diary-free) and some other really good food. I also picked up a bunch of fresh fruits and vegetables.  I definitely prefer that set-up to stores where the regular and special ...