I have been profoundly impacted by two bloggers.

The reason these particular two women have become a household name and an everyday part of our dialogue is because they write about the things I habitually use, abuse, spend crazy amounts of money on, bless with, bribe with, and handle (at least) three times a day.

They are food bloggers.  Moms.  Women who use food to heal and nourish.

Meet Cara and Ann Marie.

What Is Happening In Our Kitchen

Earlier this month, The Engineer and I spent 2 1/2 weeks working our way through Cara’s eBook, the 30 Day GAPS Intro Diet. She wrote a 30 day meal plan to help people (who are overwhelmed)  plan, prepare, and implement the first phase of the GAPS diet.  The Introductory Phase can be skipped, but when followed it actually accelerates the benefits of the full GAPS diet.   (I’ll tell you in a second what GAPS is if you are confused.)

It was brutal.

But beneficial.

(Yes, I know that we were 14 days shy of completing the entire program.  We just couldn’t handle any more meat.)

A lot of birds resided in our freezer.  Not long enough to accumulate ice crystals, though.

I think our house permanently smells of chicken stock.

Seriously.

And fermenting cabbage.

YET – I think this somewhat unpleasant experience (just being honest) was crucial to some healing that needed to begin taking place and for our immune systems to simmer down.

There is rumor that an individual in our house is actually feeling better and isn’t in as much discomfort (read pain).

And so, he continues on the GAPS journey.

What is the GAPS Diet?

GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome {diet}.  The name and diet was developed by Dr. Natasha McBride.  She wrote a book – that I am currently reading.  And really enjoying.

People go on the GAPS diet to heal their bodies of allergies, mental illness, arthritis, psoriasis, IBS, Crone’s Disease, and depression, to name a few.

My Most Used Cookbook is FREE (right now)

Cara wrote a book that is GAPS friendly and currently happens to be free on your Kindle.  I’d grab this book.  Even if you aren’t grain free – her homemade sausage recipe is mouthwatering.

Go and snag your copy of the Best of Grain Free Meal Plan now!

Because you can also get the coconut pancake recipe.

And maybe the Elderberry syrup cocktail that your immune system is begging you for.

And let’s say you simply want a break from planning grain free meals – Cara has a plan for that, too.

I have some 12 months worth of her weekly grain free menu plans that include snacks and even remind you to set out your bird to make chicken stock.

Life After GAPS

The beauty of the GAPS diet is that it was never intended to be a life sentence. I do not believe that grain need be eliminated from your diet for the rest of your life.

The GAPS diet heals and seals your gut – allowing you to eat a whole foods diet – using properly prepared grains.

Not your old SAD (standard American diet), loaded with white flour, white sugar, dyes, preservatives, and laboratory derived food sources.

My conviction that God intended that humans would eat grains – is because of Scripture.  While the majority of us aren’t sentenced to a horizontal year like a certain prophet, scripture does demonstrate (many times) that there is nourishment found in grain.

Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. (Ezekiel 4:9)

So . . . while the Engineer focuses on healing and sealing . . . I am stuffing the kids with recipes from Ann Marie’s Healthy Whole Grains course.

A course that my children even took with me.

That has lead to a family business – of selling sprouted wheat berries and sprouted flour. (We are raising money to go on a family mission trip.)

Anyhow – Ann Marie’s class profoundly affected the way I use grain in my home.

I had previously ground wheat berries to make flour – but now I soak and sprout my wheat berries – before turning them  into a nutrient dense and less irritating food for my family.

And one day, this will be the stuff the Engineer will eat as he re-enters the grain filled world.

A 50% off Coupon for the Healthy Whole Grains Course

I have a coupon code for you.

It makes providing nourishment for your belly palatable to the pocketbook.

Use coupon code HOLIDAY12 to receive 50% off of both of Ann Marie’s fabulous courses (I have taken both):

Reversing Food Allergies — Regularly: $149 ($179 with book)

Now: $74.50 ($89.50 with book)

AND/OR

Healthy Whole Grains — Regularly: $199

Now: $99.50

You can learn more about our previous healing journey this past spring when I hosted a giveaway for the Healthy Whole Grains course.

What questions do you have for me regarding food?  Together, let’s make 2013 a year of healing in our families.  Will you join me?

[optin-cat id=22967]