3-ingredient chocolate pots de crème

Full disclosure: I am not crazy about chocolate. There, I said it. I like it but I'd much rather have something fruit-based. And when I do eat it, I pick dark (70%+). Always.

However when dealing with crazy hormones or fatigue or winter blues, there is nothing I like better than a creamy decadent chocolate dessert. Preferably something gooey and sweet (naturally sweet of course).

This recipe was born one evening with hormones out of whack and craving for something sweet.  I always only have whole foods in the house so I knew I would have to make something right there and then to satisfy my sweet tooth. Those three ingredients came to me as an evidence and boy, did the result hit the s(pot)! (See what I did there ? ;-))
 (Needless to say that I scoffed mine right away but you can have it chilled as well...

Dark chocolate contains flavenoids which help lower blood pressure and blood clot risk and improve mood. When choosing your chocolate, make sure it is dark with the highest percent of cocoa solids and pure cocoa butter, and less to none hydrogenated oils, dairy or soya. About 30g a day will give you all the nutritional benefits that you want.

(WARNING: Please note that you will need a high speed blender or mixer for this recipe, at least 600 Watt). I have made this with a small food processor and the crème turned out to be lumpy and quite dense, which was fine but not the original texture that I was looking for)

INGREDIENTS: (for 4 pots)

1 large mug of almond and rice milk (or any plant-based milk of your choice)
10 medjool dates (pitted)
50g dark chocolate (melted, preferably using a bain marie or water bath)


METHOD:

Blend everything together in a high speed blender until smooth. Pour evenly in ramekins. Chill for about 4 to 6 hours.... if you can wait for that long!

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Français:

INGREDIENTS: (pour 4 ramequins)

1 grand mug de lait d'amande et riz (ou autre lait végétal de votre choix)
10 dattes Medjool (ou une quinzaine de dattes Neglour)
50g de chocolat noir (fondu au bain-marie) bien contrôler que les ingrédients ne contiennent pas de beurre ou de lait)

METHODE:
Mettre tous les ingrédients dans un blender/mixeur jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte lisse. Verser dans chaque ramequin et metttre au réfrigératuer pendant 4 à 6 heures  (4h minimum)

Vegan chocolate chip walnuts hazelnuts Brioche

Brioche is a big part of French culture as are croissants (plain and chocolate ones). However the traditional ones are made with eggs, milk and butter and sometimes even crème fraîche! Needless to say that your hips and tummy will not be as pleased as your taste buds :-) nor will be your health in general.
Cue the vegan brioche! Made with whole foods, fluffy, light, anti inflammatory and delicious (it was gone in less than 48 hours and there are only to of us in this household!)
I will definitely make this again and wake up to this on Christmas morning this year.

Warning: You will need to plan ahead and have some time on your hands as the dough needs to rest twice (2 X one hour)

INGREDIENTS:

Brioche:

370g wholemeal flour

100g cornstarch 

1/2 mug tepid rice milk

1/2 mug tepid aquafaba 

2 tablespoons brown sugar (or maple syrup)

5.5g fast action yeast

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Filling:

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil (or non dairy butter)

100g chopped walnuts

100g chopped hazelnuts

100g soaked raisins (in alcohol of choice or just water)

100g chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips

METHOD:

In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add the tepid milk, aquafaba and oil and combine until everything sticks together.

Sprinkle a clean surface with flour, turn the dough onto it and start kneading for about 5 to 10 minutes until your dough is nice and smooth. Add a little more flour if needed. 

Grease a large bowl and place the dough ball in it. Cover with cling film and a towel on top. Leave to rest until it has doubled in size (about one hour)

Once rested, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and punch it down. Cut it in 3 equal parts and with a rolling pin, flatten it down in a rectangle shape.

Coat the dough with melted coconut oil or dairy free butter, sprinkle with sugar, add the nuts, raisins and chocolate. Starting with the side closest to you, roll the dough into a long tight roll. Make sure all sides are sealed well (you can use wet fingers) Repeat for the other two rolls.

Take a baking sheet and place on a baking tray. Take your 3 rolls, seal them at the top and carefully start plaiting. Again, seal ends well. Cover with a towel and rest for one hour.

Preheat your oven at 180°C. 

In a small bowl, mix one tablespoon of almond or rice milk with a little oil.

Just before you place your brioche in the over, brush the top with the mixture which will act as a glaze.

Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. 

Carefully, transfer from tray to a baking grid to avoid the bottom from going too brown and let cool.

Vegan Christmas En Croûte (Veg and Nut Roast in puff pastry)

Tis the season! Full disclosure:  for many years, I cancelled Christmas. 😱

This post is not about bringing you down but just giving you a bit of context.
After my Daddy passed away around this time of year years ago, I wanted the world to completely come to a halt. I was in so much pain. How could I have fun? How could I celebrate? It felt awful. I missed him SO much. It physically hurt. I didn't do anything for Christmas for many years, I hated the season... until a few years ago when something finally clicked. My Dad used to love having people around. He used to love celebrating family, friendship and he mostly loved to share.

I had to stop living in the past and wallowing in sadness. I had to start honouring him and making him proud again. I took one thing at a time and  I slowly started celebrating again, taking baby steps and including my Mum and baby brother of course. Today, we love getting together again and honouring Dad around the table. He is very much in the room with us, always and forever.

Food at Christmas is evidently a big part of the situation. This is my first year cooking ALL THE THINGS completely plant-based. For the non vegans who will be around my table at Christmas, I wanted something that would be hearty and satisfy their taste buds...Having lived in Scotland for many years, I just loved vegan haggis, nutty and full of flavour.... I got inspired and this is how this dish was born. I love it and it'll be even more delicious served with mash and roasted veg. I simply cannot wait for everyone to dig in! Enjoy the holidays guys!

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

1 puff pastry (gluten free if possible)
2 medium carrots, diced
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 mug cooked chestnuts
1/2 mug walnuts
1/2 Pecan nuts
4 white Paris mushrooms (diced)
A handful cranberries
Some coriander leaves
Some fresh parsley
1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey
3 tablespoons red wine
A pinch Cayenne pepper
Coconut oil for the pan
A little almond milk to seal the edges
Salt and pepper to taste

Vegan gravy:
500 ml water
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons potato starch or corn starch
Some ground pepper

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 180°C

In a frying pan, heat up the oil then toss the onion and garlic, all finely chopped. Cook for a minute. Add the agave syrup, coriander leaves, parsley, cayenne pepper, carrots and mushrooms and cook for a further two minutes. Add the cranberries.
Deglaze with the wine.

In a food processor, mix the chestnuts, walnuts and pecan nuts to a coarse breadcrumb-like texture. Add to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.

For the gravy, put a pan on low heat and pour 500ml boiling water into it. Add the stock cube and stir. Add the onion, garlic, vinegar, pepper and wine and stir. Sieve the potato or corn starch into the mixture and keep stirring until it thickens. (To get a super smooth gravy, just sieve the mixture. )

Take a bowl and put your nutty mixture into it. Add half the gravy and stir. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Spread the mixture on the puff pastry (mine was round so I made a pizza calzone shape but you can make it rectangle)

Seal the edges by pressing a fork all around. Brush the top and sides with a little almond milk.
Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with gravy, mash and roasted veg and have it with a simple salad if you have any leftovers.

Chickpea Omelette

There is nothing I love more than a lovely, tasty, colourful brunch on a cold and sunny Sunday... and eggs have always been a big part of that.

I remember eating eggs growing up and later in life as a vegetarian because, well, everyone said they were good for me. I loved them poached and boiled... on toast or "en cocotte".
Farmers and food industrialists alike have always promoted eggs as a source of protein and they still continue to claim that they help raise HDL (the good) cholesterol. They tell you that they are good for you so that you eat more eggs and purchase more and more... just like dairy products I might add.
However, many studies have now proved that it is not the case and that they are little cholesterol bombs. In one egg, there's everything a chick needs to become just that... a chick! It is not food for humans. Now would you drink the recommended amount of cow milk to become a calf?? oh wait...

Eggs are very high in dietary cholesterol, they are bad for your heart and you can also get Salmonella. And then there's also the way the hens and chicks are cruelly treated and abused... So let's close the egg debate here for now.

Wouldn't you want a healthy plant-based alternative, also loaded with protein, very satisfying and that keeps you full for longer? Well, I have the chickpea omelette for you! (and isn't it ironic that the word "chick" is right there?) Chickpea flour is also a source of potassium, iron and magnesium and is virtually fat free.

This dish was a revelation! This omelette was light and fluffy and tasty. I topped it with seeds and veg for extra vitamins and fiber. This is now number 1 at the top of my brunch list!

INGREDIENTS (for 3 omelettes - 6 inches or 15 cm)

For the omelettes:
1 large mug of chickpea flour
1 large mug of water
A handful fresh baby spinach
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 strands fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper to taste
Coconut oil for the pan

For the topping:
a dozen cherry tomatoes
2 big handful of fresh baby spinach
1 teaspoon onion powder
Some pumpkin seeds
A few basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Coconut oil for the pan

METHOD:

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (chickpea flour with the onion, garlic, paprika, turmeric, yeast and baking soda). Add the water then the spinach, dill and salt and pepper. You should get a pancake-like batter. Set aside

In a frying pan, heat up the oil. Toss in the seeds, tomatoes, spinach and onion powder. Season and cook for a few minutes on low heat.

In another pan, heat up the oil and ladle in some chickpea mixture. I prefer it not too thick.

Once golden brown on the sides, (approx a couple of minutes),  take a spatula and flip it over.
Repeat for the other two.

Serve with the cherry tomatoes  and top with guacamole.

Moroccan-Style Vegetable Couscous

Comes Fall / Winter and I love a good vegetable couscous. All the veg in a nice sauce, just spicy enough and served with fluffy semolina is all I need to feel satisfied on a cold day. We all know by now that fresh organic vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals and with this dish only, you'll have your five a day! yes, you're welcome! :-)

I pick organic vegetables and make the couscous when I have time as it takes a while to prep and cook. I would say a half hour to prep the veg and about two hours to cook (on low heat! I actually use a heat diffuser) so make sure you have some time on your hands, maybe at the weekend or during the holidays.

(Now if you are a purist, look away. I have always made my own couscous and never copied anyone and although I am sure there is a "proper" way, I find mine really tasty and full of all the nutrients that your body needs, whether you are fighting an auto-immune disease or not.)

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
3 small potatoes
3 small carrots
1 yellow turnip
1 large courgette
150 g Mangetout
200 g chickpeas
10 cherry tomatoes
About 10 prunes (pitted)
About 10 dried apricots
2 handfuls sliced almonds
1 handful Corinthian raisins
1 large mug filtered water
70 g tomato paste

Couscous Spice Mix:
1 large Tablespoon cumin
1 large Tablespoon paprika
1 large Tablespoon coriander powder
1 large Tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped)
1 large Tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of Cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

I use organic veg but I still peel the carrots and potatoes so start by peeling those and cut into chunks.
Also dice the turnip, courgette, cherry tomatoes, mangetout if too big. Peel and chop up onion and garlic.

In a deep saucepan, heat up the olive oil then throw the onion and garlic in there. Stir for a couple of minutes until golden. Add all the spices and roast for a couple of minutes.
Add the tomato paste and the tomatoes. Stir until everything is combined. Add the mug of water to deglaze and stir. Add the vegetables as well as your prunes, almonds, raisins and apricots. Stir and cover. You can now use the heat diffuser and leave on to cook for about 2 hours on low heat. Stir occasionally.

You can prepare your semolina about 15 minutes before you sit down for dinner. I also use millet semolina for a gluten free version.

Chai-spiced Granola

I absolutely love granola. I usually have it with a mashed banana, a dollop of nut butter and some fresh fruit. You could also have it with some coconut yogurt. It is full of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fibre and iron. Perfect to give you the energy you need in the morning.
This recipe is SO easy to make, you will never have to buy your granola again.
You can find my original gluten-free granola recipe here but today I want to share a seasonal recipe made with Chai spices. It is Autumn after all! (and my birthday tomorrow :-)) I will even tell you how to make your own Chai spices so let's get started.

To make your own chai spices: (you can double or triple the doses and keep in a glass jar for later)

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon nutmeg
I teaspoon anise

INGREDIENTS (for a tall glass jar)

1 cup organic rolled oats
1 cup millet flakes
1/2 cup dried mulberries
4 dried apricots (diced)
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/2 cup organic whole almonds
1/2 organic hazelnuts
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 heaped tablespoons nut butter of choice (I used cashew butter)
2 tablespoons unsweetened dry raisins
2 tablespoons candied oranges (diced in tiny cubes)
2 tablespoons chai spices

METHOD:

Heat up the oven to 180° C. Cover a baking tray with some parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix everything together except for the raisins and candied oranges.  Mix until everything is well coated in oil and spices. 
Pour onto baking sheet and spread evenly.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir halfway through. 
Take out of the even and let cool.
Once the mixture has cooled down, throw in the raisins and candied oranges.
Fill the jar. Happy breakfast!

Green beans with a coconut, ginger, honey and lime sauce on a bed of Basmati rice

The weather is on the verge of being bipolar here. One day it's absolutely roasting with blue skies and the next, it's like the skies open up and it's cold and grey and dull. Autumn is here I suppose and it is the season when we need comfort food again. (As well as watch films and new TV shows.) But comfort does not have to mean heavy or difficult to digest. There's nothing worse than the post-dinner slump. It can be light and delicious and still fills you up nicely.
This dish is a favourite in my household. It tastes absolutely delicious and it is so easy it is ridiculous.

INGREDIENTS:
For 2 people

One big scallion, finely chopped
A 2 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
The juice of a lime
200 ml coconut milk
200 g green beans
2 Tablespoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 heaped teaspoon honey
Fresh coriander
200 g Basmati rice
Organic Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (I ALWAYS use pink Himalayan salt)


METHOD:
Steam the green beans. I usually stick the steam basket on top of the rice in my rice cooker, it makes the Basmati rice really fluffy too.

In a wok, put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a medium heat with the scallion, fresh ginger, turmeric, ginger powder. After a couple of minutes, deglaze with the lime juice. Stir constantly. Add the coconut milk and honey and keep stirring. Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat. Season to taste.

Serve the rice topped with the sauce and the beans. Top with fresh coriander and lime wedges.

Green Olive Tapenade without capers or anchovies

I love olives. Raw or cooked, I love them. Specially green ones. When I first tasted Tapenade which is basically olive paste, I thought I would love it. Wrong!!! I found it way too salty and sickening. Looking at the ingredients, I noticed that there were capers in it which I don't like. You can even find anchovies in it sometimes but having been a vegetarian for years (before being a vegan) I obviously never tried that one.
Olives are great for us Endogirls. They are full of healthy fats which we need in order to improve hormonal balance overall.
Before the holidays, my better half came home with a giaaant jar of olives from the market. As much as I love them, I wasn't really sure what to do with them all. He suggested we make Tapenade :)
We came up with a recipe right there and then. Below is our own version of Green Tapenade, all Endo approved. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days... If it lasts that long :)

INGREDIENTS:

(For a small jar)

220 g green olives
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
3 large basil leaves or 6 small ones
1/2 lemon juice
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD:

Put your olives, nutritional yeast and lemon juice in a food processor and mix until finely chopped. Add the garlic, basil leaves and olive oil and mix again until you get a paste. Pulse as much as desired depending on the consistency you like. I think the smoother the better. Add black pepper to taste.
Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge.
Spread on toasted baguette.

Gluten free Granola

I was brought up on continental breakfast. Bread, butter, jam, a mug of hot cocoa, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a yogurt. Everything was either home made (my father was an Artisan Baker) or organic directly from the farm which I thought was good at the time. I never really questionned it. I was brought up this way, so were my parents and grandparents (although times were extremely tough during the war and they would eat whatever they would put their hands on but that's another story).
I also had severe anemia growing up which is a decrease in the total amount of red blood cells you have in your blood. I suffered from iron deficiency for a long time. I would lose a lot of blood every month. The family doctor always told me it was normal, that my pain was normal, that it was part of growing up... Again, I never questioned his diagnosis. I mean, he was a Doctor! I was put on iron pills for years and took them religiously. I developed other symptoms because of them but I'll explain that in another post.
Coming back to breakfast, it took me a long time to try and taste and find out what I liked and what was actually good for me. You hear all sorts of things about breakfast : "it's the most important meal of the day, you should drink a hot beverage and eat carbs and dairy, you should eat a lot at breakfast that will sustain you til noon" etc etc....
I feel it is really up to everyone to find out! I believe in fasting once in a while (which is what you do during your sleep for hours anyway) so if you are not hungry in the morning then ...don't eat! Don't force yourself. Have some nuts and fruit at hand for later when you do get hungry. I love porridge during the winter months but for a few months now, I've been loving my homemade Granola.
Homemade Granola is the best. Specially when you can make it gluten free and with bits and bobs that you like. Then the one recipe that you have has endless possibilities.
Below is the version that I like best at the moment, on top of a mashed banana. I hope you get to try it!

Makes a whole tall Mason jar

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of organic rolled oats
1 cup of millet flakes (if you don't have any, use unsweetened rice puffs or just go with 2 cups of rolled oats)
3 Tablespoons of melted organic coconut oil
2 Tablespoons of organic raw cacao
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 handful of raw almonds
1 handful of raw hazelnuts
1/3 cup Goji berries
1/2 cup of unsweetened dry raisins or sultanas

METHOD:

Heat up the oven to 180° C. Cover a baking tray with some parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the oats, millet, cacao, almonds and hazelnuts together with the oil and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is well coated in oil.
Pour onto baking sheet and spread evenly.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Take out of the even and let cool.
Once the mixture has cooled down, throw the raisins and the goji berries in there.
Fill the jar and you're good to go!

No-bake choconut balls

Last week I talked about the lovely coconut balls I made that could easily replace your standard truffles. This week, I want to talk about another version that I've made with hazelnuts. And they are the BOMB! They ressemble the Ferrero Rochers that I used to loooove but can't have anymore *sigh* because of endo. These are dairy/soy/palm oil and gluten free! What else do you want? 

(I made it again today with hazelnuts and almonds and it was gorgeous)

INGREDIENTS:

(for about 20 mini balls)

1 cup of hazelnuts

2 Tablespoons of hazelnut oil

1 Tablespoon of organic pure raw cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons of maple syrup

2 Tablespoons of coconut cream

1 Teaspoon of vanilla extract

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to180° C (360° F)

Arrange the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Stir them every four minutes or so. Let them cool for another 10 minutes.

You will need to skin them. I usually transfer them into a bowl, put a plate over it and shake energically.

Separate the hazelnuts from their skin and transfer them into a food processor. Grind them until finely chopped. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the nuts onto a plate and save for later.

Back to your food processor, add the oil, the cocoa powder, the vanilla, the syrup and the coconut cream to the rest of the nuts. Pulse until you get some sort of paste (you might want to scrape down the sides a couple of times).

With a teaspoon take some of the mixture (the size of a small walnut) and press firmly in your palm to start shaping a small ball then roll it into the remaining chopped hazelnuts. 

Put them on a plate or tray and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. Enjoy!

This is my story.

Hello I'm Isabelle. I'm glad you found me. It's taken me years to get here. Questions such as "Can I do this?" "Is my story worth it?" "Can I make a difference?" were always popping in my head.... So what's changed you may ask? Well.... I did! I also got a gentle push from my friends and family. I have a story to tell that will hopefully help or inspire women like me as well as mothers, sisters, nieces, aunts and friends. And we ALL matter.

In my mid twenties, while I was living in the UK, I was diagnosed with an auto immune disease I'd never heard of and knew nothing about: Endometriosis ... (Adenomyosis & Fibromyalgia came later). It took 14 years and 8 doctors. I had an operation, the surgeon removed very extensive Stage IV Endo that had spread to my ovaries, Fallopian tubes, kidneys, lungs and diaphragm) then gave me a Zoladex shot for the next 6 months and told me I would be fine ... I didn't question... I trusted the doctors somehow.

Since I first got my period as a young girl. I was told by doctors that the pain I was feeling was normal, that my body was changing, that it was part of being a woman, that I had to take paracetamol and rest and that I'll get better soon.  As the pain got worse and worse and as I visited many doctors' practices, I realised doctors didn't actually KNOW what was wrong with me. Many of them told me that l should be stronger and take more pain killers, some doctors even told me it was all in my head! I missed a lot of school and social events and had countless doctor's notes to skip PE.

Over the years I've had several surgeries (five to this day) and every time, I got a 6-month round of either Zoladex or Decapeptyl injections. I took many painkillers .... different types, sizes, colours... and I just got on with my life. When as a young girl you are told that something is normal, well, you start believing it and you keep going, trying to live your life the best you can. The pain was so horrible most times I couldn't even walk or move.
It was like someone was reaching inside my belly, grabbing/pulling/stabbing my insides. I would cancel social plans and spend days in bed with excruciating pain,  throwing up, sometimes blood, getting awful unbearable migraines and honestly... I thought about jumping out the window many times and hurting myself so it would stop once and for all. Heavy medication at that time was my best friend. I was addicted (even though sometimes it wouldn't help). I then developed a pretty high pain threshold and this became my life. I was alright as long as my pockets were filled with lots of opium-based medication.

Last year however, my pain reached a new level of hell. I collapsed at work on Christmas Eve morning and was rushed to the ER. Doctors found a couple of tumours filled with blood one being the size of a grapefruit in my belly.  It was grabbing at my ovary and Endo had spread to the rectum and bowels. We scheduled the operation after the holidays but my body decided otherwise. At the beginning of January, I was rushed to hospital again and had an emergency operation. I started bleeding internally and the tumours were ready to burst. I nearly passed on the table. Surgeons removed the tumours, Fallopian tubes and one and a half necrotic ovaries in torsion. However they couldn't get to the ones near the rectum.

I was given shots of Decapeptyl for months. It only masked the pain and disease and the side effects slowly killed me. Chemo drugs will do that to you: Sleepless nights, hot flashes, night sweats, chills, constant muscle and joint pain, migraines, dizziness, nausea, bone issues, memory problems, joint swelling, blurred vision, hair loss.... I knew these symptoms all too well from the previous shots I had been given years before. I felt terrible and lonely and empty and really not a woman anymore. I was slowly sliding into depression.
The thing is... you can explain your pain but you cannot share it. People around me were either in denial or worried or felt helpless, doing the best they could. One painful evening, I reached out on Instagram and the response I got was unexpected and overwhelming. I found a community out there of women seeking help and support too. I was not alone anymore and it helped me a great deal.

However I was still in pain. Just before the summer of 2016, I was so on the edge that I decided to take the matter into my own hands. I switched to a whole foods diet, (cheese was my frenemy at the time), I educated myself more on my illnesses and sought a more natural treatment with the help of a homeopath. I also tried pain and heat management as well as acupuncture.

Five months later, I am 100% medication free and much happier, considering. I take natural supplements that help with the pain and my estrogen levels.
It is still painful but I do have some pain free or low pain days. I had to cut out many food groups, changed my lifestyle and gathered information on Endo because my body deserves it. I deserve it. I want to feel better without popping pills or having injections all the time. Hormones messed up with my body big time, I will not do that again if I can help it.

This blog is about my invisible illnesses, this corner of my life that you can't see unless I talk about it. And it is high time that we as women spoke up and raise awareness.
I will share healthy and anti inflammatory recipes here as I love to spend time in the kitchen creating/adapting recipes that are Endo and Fibromyalgia approved.

I hope you enjoy it. Meanwhile let's keep fighting... together :-) Thanks for taking the time to read this.
(December 2016)