I am starting to scare myself.

I am cooking more and liking it.  

I know, I know – hard to believe.

I still do not like cleaning up, but the cooking is worth it.  

From scratch.

Yes, you read that right.  From scratch.  

Let me back up and explain.  I have dealt with migraines for almost all of my adult life.  In the past few years, they had gotten progressively worse – up to two to three times a week.  This is fairly debilitating to a mom of young children who need constant supervision and interaction.  Ugh.  I was known to visit the ER on occasion as well when the pain became unbearable and the meds were having no effect.  

After a rather embarrasing episode two hours from home and an ambulance ride later, I decided enough was enough.  I had to do more than the prescription painkillers, migraine meds, and preventative meds could do for me.  If you know me at all, you know that if I am going to do something, I research it and this was no different.  I subsequently found a book called Heal Your Headache by Dr. David Buchholz on Amazon.com.  This book got consistently fabulous reviews, a few hundred in fact.  

A friend checked it out of the library for me and I dove right in.  Three steps to stop the headaches.  Sweet.  I can handle that.   (I highly recommend the book, changed my life and I do not say that lightly.  If you suffer from migraines, look into it.)

One of the three steps was a diet change to eliminate foods that contribute to triggering migraines.  I already knew tomatoes and lemons did that for me, but what else?  I soon learned that MSG (known by many names) and preservatives were another big trigger for me.  I have since been working to eliminate as many preservatives as possible from my (and by default, “our”) diet.

And I feel so much better!  Cooking from scratch to eliminate the use of convenience foods, which contain so many preservatives, does take a little bit more effort but not so much that it is greatly significant.  It is also so nice knowing exactly what went into the food because, well, I put it there.

The other night I ventured into the brave new world of making my own condensed cream of chicken soup base for use in casseroles.  It was so easy!  I already had nearly every ingredient in my house for it already.  I made it, used it in my Chicken Divan, and it was fantastic.   I’ve also made homemade (shredded) hashbrowns and succeeded on the second attempt.   Oh, yum.  

I still do not care for cleaning up.  But, the new cooking to eliminate preservatives and other trigger foods (as well as following the other two steps in the Heal Your Headache book mentioned above) have made it more than worth it.  My migraines have decreased by at least 90%.  I no longer have a fear of leaving town,  leaving the house without my meds, or yet another trip to the ER.  What used to debilitate me no longer has a grip on me.  Praise the Lord!

I wonder what I will be brave enough to cook next?

Growing Up