Returning to my condo in Chicago following our “ranch” years together, I continued the food journey begun in 2006. Still omitting sugar, flour, and processed foods and eating mostly organic foods, I submitted my grocery list to Whole Foods late at night and the following day, a personal shopper delivered.  With time still being a precious commodity, I added Dr. Weil’s 2015 cookbook to my collection to inspire food choices included in his anti-inflammatory nutritional approach.

Written by a physician who is also a trained gourmet chef, The Mediterranean Method is a Mediterranean diet cookbook combining traditional wisdom about the diet – with nutritional science. The most recent version of the Mediterranean diet, this one contains over 50 low-glycemic recipes plus a program to reduce risk for heart disease and memory loss.

by Rick Warren (Author), Dr. Daniel Amen (Author), Dr. Mark Hyman (Author)
More than 100 easy and delicious recipes: The Daniel Plan Cookbook will help you enjoy healthy eating in 2021. The book is authored by internationally-known Pastor Rick Warren and two of our favorite physicians and food experts – Dr. Daniel Amen, who appears in PBS specials, and Dr. Hyman, who is Director, Functional Medicine, at The Cleveland Clinic.

Now that we had detoxified the kitchen of flour – in pursuit of an anti-inflammatory nutritional approach – we were still eating bread with flour. I searched the internet and found flourless bread made by only a few bakeries at the time. However, the bread plus shipping costs were prohibitive for ongoing purchase. I kept on searching and found Food for Life flourless bread online, after which we were able to find it at Kroger just ten miles away. Since leaving my hometown, I have been able to purchase this brand in every location my travel has taken me. Flourless? Yes! It’s Food for Life!

Food for Life 

Look for Food for Life products at your local conventional supermarket or health food store in the freezer section. All products contain no preservatives, so the loaf can be put into your freezer with portions removed when needed. All ingredients are certified organic. 

Our approach in most things was “no bells and whistles.” As much as possible, we used a “just-the-basics” approach. The slow cooker was a staple in our kitchen – and a healthy, nutritious, and cost-effective way to eat!

A caregiver who loved to cook would prepare recipes requested weekly from our growing collection of “favorite cookbooks.”  Storing the dish of the day in small containers for freezing, we would enjoy variations on the meal on subsequent days at which time, we would add a mixed green salad or other side dish.

So as to not overcook, we always went for the minimum cooking time before storing.

Out of the slow cooker and into small storage containers. Then stored in the freezer for weekly consumption. For variety, we usually had 3 or more recipes stored at a time. Microwave for serving. BPA free. A healthier choice than plastic.

My introduction to the More With Less Cookbook series was when I received the very first publication as a Christmas gift. Over the years, I purchased additional books in the series to use at the ranch. Author Phyllis Pellman Good’s books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, as well as the bestseller lists of USA Today and Publishers Weekly.

Our canvas bags were similar to these Amazon products. Every week, Barbara, a caregiver, did our shopping with her family and kept us fully-supplied. They picked up our bags – about 15 total – and returned them filled with supplies and beautiful organic produce.

When one of Dr. Weil’s 2006 newsletters recommended “detoxification” of kitchen cabinets, Barbara and I removed all sugar, flour, and processed foods from the cupboards. We were left with an anti-inflammatory nutritional approach. We immediately began our search for delicious recipes for Barbara, whose many talents included being a wonderful cook.

At the same time, we also switched to organic foods. At first, it was difficult to find organically-grown foods in the area, but after 2006, the organic section at The Kroger, ten miles away, began to grow and, eventually, to have almost everything we needed.

And now that we were pursuing an anti-inflammatory approach to nutrition recommended for Alzheimer’s by Dr. Weil, we began to consume healthy mid-morning snacks. We experienced a considerable shift in what tasted good. Our appetites and taste buds changed, once we eliminated added sugar, flour, and processed foods. Speaking from my own personal experience, the desire for sweets was quite simply eliminated. Concurrently, we began to purchase only organic foods.

I had seen the infomercials introducing the NutriBullet after initially using the Bullet, a smaller, early version of the one pictured here. In Mother’s final months, we used the Bullet to puree her food – which she heartily consumed.

During these years, a favorite collection became cookbooks with healthy, nutritious and delicious recipes – all prepared without added sugar, flour, and processed foods.

The Cast Iron Skillet is what Mother used during the entire span of our farm years and beyond. I believe it had been a wedding gift. If I’m not mistaken, my grandmother also used a cast iron skillet. I now use one of two different sizes on a daily basis.

I had purchased an entire set of CorningWare Cookware in the early 90’s. I liked it so much that I gave a full set to Mother on the following Christmas. This was many years before I would ever have thought that I would be back in my hometown using her cookware.

Based on recommendations from a trusted friend who was a water specialist, we used a distiller at The Ranch. Since we were in a rural area, it fulfilled concerns about aluminum, arsenic, pesticides, herbicides, phosphates, lead, mercury, asbestos, viruses, bacteria, and a full range of other contaminants. Click here for list of contaminants. It is extremely simple to clean using vinegar in between each new production of clean water.

As with other products which appear in our Gift Gallery, there are many water options from which to choose. We encourage you to include this link in your research. Environmental Working Group is a non-profit group dedicated to protecting both our health and the environment.

For chopping raw veggies for salads, soups, stews.