Chocolate Quinoa Pancakes

This morning we had Chocolate Quinoa Pancakes, a recipe I adapted from an ebook at the Natural Fertility Shop. 

Here it is:

1 cup quinoa flour (I ground it in my blender - the finer/ more flour like it is the puffier the pancakes)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup almond milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp hazelnut oil
2 Tbsp chocolate powder
1 Tbsp Honey

Mix it all together.  Pour 1/2 cup onto hot skillet (350).  Wait for the bubbles to pop before trying to flip.

I love quinoa, so I really enjoyed this recipe.  Surprisingly so did my kids :)

Here's a link to a photo step by step of this recipe.  I didn't make the topping.

http://www.ecuadorliving.com/2010/07/17/ecuador-quinoa-chocolate-pancakes.html

Oats!

I love oatmeal and fruit crisps, but....

It turns out that I have some thyroid issues.  My TSH was at 3.75 when I saw an RE, who put me on synthroid.  That's not a horrible thyroid number, but high than he would like it.  So, I started reading...



I began with The Thyroid Diet by Mary J. Shomon.  From there I just kept researching information on the Internet.  Turns out there are a number of foods that don't do any favors to our thyroids.  Oats are on that list :( 

Here's my just say no food list:

Gluten:  Oats, Wheat, Barely, Rye, Spelt
Soy
Pork
And the Broccoli Family (wow there are a lot of tasty vegetables in this family)
      Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Collard Greens, Horseradish, Chinese Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Turnips, Rutabaga, Canola, Mustard, Arugula, Maca, Watercress, Radish, Nasturtiums and more.  If you do eat these vegetables they should be cooked for at least 30 minutes and only eaten in moderation.

UPDATE:
After more research I found even more foods I need to avoid.  Grrr....

Vegetables: Spinach, Beets, Peas, Carrots, Corn, Parsnips, Potatoes

Fruits:  Peaches, Nectarines, Pears, Grapes, Mangoes, Strawberries, Cherries, Apricots, Pineapples, Oranges, Bananas & Watermelon.

Nuts: Peanuts, Almonds, Walnuts, Pine Nuts

Other: Millet & Cassava Root ( Tapioca)



Now if your anything like me you're thinking...   WHAT THE HECK CAN I EAT?!!!

Ha, Ha, ah... well, from what I can tell we can still drink WATER.  Though I have heard that it is better to drink distilled water than tape water.  Or as my husband says, we can go on the sunshine diet.  LOL

YES, THERE ARE STILL FOODS NOT FOUND ON THE AVOID LIST (at least not yet and don't worry I've banned myself from further research :)

GOOD FOODS!!!

GRAINS:  Amaranth, Buckwheat Groats, Brown & Wild Rice, Quinoa, Teff

BEANS: Fava, Kidney, Black-eyed Peas, Split Peas (I didn't find anything against dried peas), Pinto, White, Red, Navy, Aduki, Lima, Mung

NUTS: Cashews, Chestnuts, Pecans, Hazelnuts, Brazil Nuts (which are suppose to be especially good for the thyroid)

FRUITS:  Plums, Apples, Elderberries, Avocados, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Huckleberries, Cantaloupe, Currants, Dates, Figs, Gooseberries, Honeydew Melons, Kiwi, Rhubarb, Serviceberry, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes

VEGETABLES:  Celery, Chard, Dandelion, Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Pumpkins, Summer & Winter Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Artichokes, Green Beans, Asparagus, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Burdock Root, Bamboo Shoots, Jicama, Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Sea Vegetables (which as also especially good for the thyroid)


Well, I couldn't live without some of those no-no foods, so I made a list of the top 20 foods I would eat in moderation.

From the main/first list (the most frequently sited don't eat list for hypothyroid) Broccoli, Cabbage & Oats.  These three I will eat the least.  I will also eat the following foods from the newly found list:
Spinach, Peaches, Pears, Peas, Strawberries, Cherries, Apricots, Pineapple, Oranges, Beets, Carrots, Corn, Parsnips, Potatoes, Watermelon, Bananas & Almonds.

Additionally, I will use Turmeric, Cayenne or Garlic in place of Mustard in recipes, depending on what sounds the best (I had to find something).

UPDATE:  I found this website Mother Love which lists Turmeric as an herb to avoid during pregnancy as it can bring on bleeding and contractions!

I just ate an entire package of seaweed snacks!

Ok weird title and odd beginning... they go together, right?

Gesh, the reality is I'm not sure where to begin.  DH and I have been trying to conceive for 17 months now (14 months naturally, post vasectomy reversal, and 3 attempts at home insemination using donor sperm).  I would have never thought it would take this long or that we would have so many problems come up.  I had given birth twice in my early 20's and didn't think I would have too much trouble this time.  But now I've passed the big 35 mark and things just aren't looking so good. 

I spend time telling myself to be happy that I have two children, but it doesn't erase the pain of the children I thought I would have :(  It is also a struggle to not feel guilty about wanting more children, when some women are struggling to have one.   I have a feeling that the pain each of us experience as we struggle  to have children is similar, but yet uniquely different.  I hope that by sharing my journey I will find the strength to continue this journey and give others some strength too.