AIP Diet Update Week 5 of the AIP diet was challenging for me. Maintaining such a strict diet and on top of the typical life stressors is a lot. But I’m taking it in stride and focusing on what I can control while prioritizing my physical and mental health. << Back to Week 4 Stress I’ve been dealing with stress in all directions this week. Our AC unit has gone out multiple times which caused stress and some sleepless night due to the heat. There’s so much I want to do and I simply don’t have enough time and that causes me a lot of stress. Stress is a key component to my overall health but I have yet to figure out how to reduce stress. Last time I saw significant improvement in my inflammation I was very calm and chill – but there are more external factors going on right now. My plan is to reduce my to do list so I can knock out a few big projects one by one instead of trying to chip away at all of them. I’m also increasing my creative self care and relaxing hobby time. I’m not much of a morning person but I’m working towards creating a morning routine so I don’t start my day directly with work. Movement Because I’m starting to feel better this week I’ve finally been able to increase my level of movement. I have been taking short walks but not much else. This week I was able to add in a few Pilate routines.I find that my body doesn’t respond well to high intensity workouts or a lot of stretching. I really like @fitbyzoe on Youtube for at home Pilates. She’s really easy to follow and her workouts are manageable and very beginner friendly. THC/CBG I haven’t been able to take my meds much this week because of my schedule. I was only able to take it once this week but man does it help! Not only does it help with my inflammation and pain, but it gives my brain a break to just relax. It’s probably the only time I can actually fully relax. The nice thing is it’s taught me what it feels like to be relaxed, and that I have the capability to relax. So even when I’m not taking it I find myself being able to relax more often. AIP Diet Menu For the Week This week I still had a lot of ingredients on hand to use up so I only shopped for 2-3 more meals. I brought back shrimp tacos because I wanted something fresh that felt summer-y! I also tried out two new recipes that I LOVED and will be doing again. View my full AIP Diet Meal Plan / Menu here! AIP Diet Recipes New Recipes this week: Pesto Pasta Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed1 cup fresh kale leaves, packed1/4 cup fresh parsley, packed2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 tsp Truffle salt1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) I blended the ingredients together for the pesto sauce. Then I heated up a bag of frozen zucchini noodles on the stove, steaming for about 10 mins. I then drained the noodles, added some avocado oil and sauteed for a bit. Mixed in a bit of the pesto and there you go! You could also add some grilled chicken to make the meal more filling. You could cut your own zucchini noodles but I found the frozen ones worked better for my routine this week. Chicken Cucumber Wraps with Tzatziki sauce Tzatziki Sauce: 1/2 large cucumber2 cloves garlic2 cups coconut yogurt3 tbsp fresh dill, choppedSalt Juice of half a lemon2 tbsp olive oil, divided Finely dice the cucumber or shred it. Wrap in a paper towel to squeeze out excess liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients and half the olive oil to a bowl and combine. Top with remaining olive oil. Wraps: Heat a casava flour tortilla so it’s flexible. Spread some Tzatziki sauce on the wrap, top with shredded chicken breast (I season mine with salt, garlic and onion, and air fry at 375F for 18-20 minutes until it reaches 165F and then shred it using my Kitchen Aid Mixer). Top with cucumber slices and more Tzatziki sauce if desired. More AIP Diet Recipes I’ve been repeating: Coconut Yogurt Bowl: Coconut yogurt mixed with cinnamon and honey. Topped with berries and banana. Shrimp Tacos I use frozen shrimp that I run under water for a few minutes to thaw. Then I season them with salt, ginger, and whatever else I want. I cook those in a pan or airfryer at 400F for about 5 minutes. Then just heat the casava flour tortilla, throw on some raw coleslaw mix, diced mango and diced avocado with a spritz of lime juice and you’re done! Chicken Shawarma Cut a chicken breast into cubes. Season with salt, garlic, onion, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Airfry at 400F for 10 minutes with whatever veggie you like. I really like to pair this with cinnamon sweet potato fries. Add a little more honey drizzle on top and enjoy! Beef Patties If you wanted you could do a lettuce wrap hamburger situation, but I’m too lazy for that. I just make beef patties by seasoning my ground beef with salt, garlic, and onion, shaping into balls, and then flatting them. Then I cook on the stove or in the airfryer until cooked through on both sides. I pair that with some sliced avocado and whatever veggie I have that day. Apple & Cinnamon Chicken Thighs 1.5 lbs chicken thighs2 slices bacon1-2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped1 tsp cinnamon½ tsp ginger (or use fresh minced)¼ tsp cardamom1 sprig rosemary, choppeda few sage leaves, choppedSea salt Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the bacon. Cook until crispy on both sides, about 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of your bacon.Salt the chicken on both sides. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan and set aside to cool. Leave a thin layer of bacon fat on the bottom of the pan (if you have excess, drain it in a separate container).Add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. After turning the chicken once (so the first cooked side is facing up), add the apples, half your spices, sea salt and pepper. (Save the herbs for the last few minutes of cooking).Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes on this side, then flip and add the rest of the spices and herbs (and dried fruit, if using).When the chicken has about a minute left, chop your bacon into bits and scatter it over the chicken.Serve warm! Sweet and Sour Chicken This recipe is so good! (original recipe linked – it’s easier to follow on their site) It took my a lit to set up as you need to make a “nomato sauce” for it, however now that I have a bunch of that sauce prepped and in my freezer, this recipe is really easy to throw together. The original recipe called for a TON of veggies, which is great, but I prefer it a bit simpler. Now I make the sauce and marinade the chicken, then when that’s done I brown the chicken, add some pineapple chunks, and more sauce and call it good. Lemon Chicken and Asparagus (or whatever veggie you have) I make this multiple times a week! Easily one of my favs. 2 tbsp avocado oil1 tsp sea salt, divided1 lb chicken breast, cubed1 bunch asparagus3 cloves garlic, minced1/3 cup chicken brothJuice of one lemon1 tbsp coconut aminos1 tsp arrowroot starch (I’ve been using tapioca starch cause I have it) Using a large skillet, heat the avocado oil on medium heat.Add the chicken to the skillet and lightly season with salt. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Set aside.Prepare the asparagus by chopping off the thick white base, and then slice in half again. Add more oil to the pan if needed and sauté the asparagus with more salt for about 5-7 minutes or until softened and lightly crisp. Set aside.Reduce the heat slightly and add the minced garlic to the pan. Cook until fragrant.Add the broth, lemon juice, coconut aminos, and arrowroot starch to the pan and stir for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce lightly thickens.Add the chicken and asparagus back to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes to reheat. Dole Whip Frozen Pineapple Coconut Cream Pineapple Juice Honey (if desired) Blend together a cup or so of frozen pineapple, a spoonful of coconut cream (it’s strong, so find the amount you like) and enough pineapple juice for you to reach your desired consistency. Add honey if you like, but I don’t think it needs it. I found that I don’t use much of the coconut cream but you can freeze it and it won’t solidify so it’s always ready for another batch! Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries One of my favorite sweet treats! Just slice sweet potatoes into long strips (Fries) drizzle with coconut oil and cover with cinnamon (I use alot of cinnamon) airfry those for about 10mins at 400F until you’re desired level of crispy-ness Cinnamon Apples Another fantastic sweet treat! Slice an apple and sauté on a pan with coconut oil. Sprinkle a healthy dose of cinnamon on those apples as they cook. Cook until fork tender. Strawberry Smoothie Blend together frozen strawberries, coconut milk, and a splash of vanilla for a cold sweet treat! AIP Diet Symptom Check In Tips AIP Diet Supplements I’m Taking These supplements support my gut and overall health during AIP. They are in no way required but people are often curious, so here’s what I’m currently taking: Continue to Week 6 >>