Shrimp, Mushroom & Asparagus Stir-fry

This deliciously fresh dish is a cinch to make! The variety of fresh ingredients compliment each other very well. You can make this stir-fry after a long day, because it only takes about 15 minutes to whip up!

Shrimp, Mushroom & Asparagus Stir-fry
Serves 4

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces
salt & pepper

• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
• Add asparagus and season to taste with salt & pepper.
• Cook stirring for another 4 minutes
• Serve over rice or pasta (optional).

Chicken Broccoli Divan

This recipe tastes like one of those home cooked meals your grandma made when you were a kid. It makes the whole kitchen smell yummy when it's in the oven. Best of all, you can just throw this together, because most of these ingredients you should have in your pantry. It doesn't use very many ingredients and prep time is about 15 minutes!

Chicken Broccoli Divan
Serves 4-6

1 lb. fresh broccoli cut into spears, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups of cubed chicken, cooked
1 can broccoli cheese soup
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine chicken and broccoli in a 2-quart baking dish.
• Mix soup and milk together and pour over chicken and broccoli and sprinkle with cheese.
• Mix bread crumbs with butter and sprinkle on top.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.

Delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 /2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup raisins

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, beat all ingredients except oats, flour and raisins, with electric mixer on medium speed.
• Stir in oats, flour and raisins.
• On a cookie sheet, place rounded spoonfuls of of dough about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown.

Diagnosed one year ago this month

One year ago this month I was officially diagnosed with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

My whole life I hadn't experienced symptoms of the disease (and if I did, they weren't severe enough to notice) until January 2008. My diet had always consisted of lemonade and everything spicy. Then during the month of January 2008, I went to a local clinic five times for a recurring bladder infection/urinary tract infection. I knew something was wrong because I had never had a UTI in my life.

I spoke to my mom, who had actually been suffering from IC off and on for a few years and she said my symptoms were very similar to the disease. I didn't want to believe her, because I saw her go through the pain and how she had to change her diet. With her advice, I changed my diet to one similar to hers, but my symptoms still worsened. In April 2008, I went to her specialist and after the long grueling tests the doctor walked back in the examination room and said, "It's not that bad, you'll be fine," and I was devastated. He went on to tell me how he's lactose intolerant (this was during a time when I had an ice cream addiction, so his lecture did make feel a little better).

Since my diagnosis, I haven't taken any medications, such as Elmiron, because I was afraid of the terrible side effects. When I experienced flares, I took Pyridium to help with the pain. But after a year of being on an interstitial cystitis diet and learning more about what my body can handle, I can actually say I feel a lot better. Not only my bladder health, but my general health as well.

The hardest part of having interstitial cystitis is having to change your diet. But after having the disease for a year, I have found that it is a lot easier dealing with the strict diet rules. Once you get creative in the kitchen, the possibilities are endless. That's the reason I wanted to start this blog, I wanted to give create fun and IC-safe meal options for someone suffering from the disease.

For more information about interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome visit click here or check out the resources I have listed on this blog.

Lean Turkey Stroganoff

My boyfriend found this delicious stroganoff recipe online that called for lean ground turkey instead of the typical ground beef. It was delicious! The turkey brought in a whole new flavor and also made the dish feel a little lighter. If you like beef stroganoff, I definitely think you should try this recipe, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Lean Turkey Stroganoff

Serves 4

12 ounces egg noodles

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup chopped leeks
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 cups sliced white mushrooms

1 Tbsp. butter

24 ounces creamy mushroom soup

• Cook egg noodles as directed on package. Once done, drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet, brown ground turkey, with garlic powder and leeks. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in butter until tender.
• Once everything is done, and pasta is drained, combine pasta, ground turkey and mushrooms in a large pot and add creamy mushroom soup and stir well.
• Cook for a few minutes and once hit and mixed well, serve.

Feline Interstitial Cystitis

I get google alerts for interstitial cystitis and related news so I can make sure I am up to speed on current trends in medical treatments and news. Something I have noticed more recently is the abundance of blog posts about cat owners dealing with their pet's interstitial cystitis. I think this is really a weird subject, and its almost humorous (but poor kitty).

Anyway, I saw a recent post about Holistic Cat Care mentioning feline interstitial cystitis and while it doesn't directly pertain to us humans, I thought it was an interesting article. I did enjoy reading it and identifying the link between feline IC and human IC. Who knows, maybe researchers can use this link to learn more about the disease to find cures.

If you would like to see the post click here.

Glazed Carrots

Here is a delicious side that is sweet and can be paired with just about any dish. The sweet flavors created when combing the carrots and the brown sugar resemble a sweet potato, however, the texture offered here is a little tougher and not quite as mushy.

Glazed Carrots

Serves 3-4

1 1/2 lb sliced carrots (you can also use julienne strips)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

• In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups water to boiling. Add carrots and reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 6-9 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and reserve.
• In 12-inch skillet, cook remaining ingredients over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly.
• Stir in carrots. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until carrots are glazed and hot.