Living Our Best Lives – indulgences

/ simplywendi
Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist on Pexels.com

I don’t need to remind anyone who lives with a chronic illness that our lives have restrictions, and for many of us, this includes not just physical ones but also what we are able to consume.

So, my question for you this month is, what food or drink do you indulge in that brings you happiness.

As always, thank you so very much for taking the time to stop by and join in the discussion. Each of you is amazing and I so enjoy interacting and learning from you.

100 thoughts on “Living Our Best Lives – indulgences”

  2. My favorites are ones I make myself, so I know exactly what’s in them. I get to enjoy peanut butter, so it’s in several of my treats. This is one I like, energy balls:
    You can add almost anything you like into these energy balls.
    No ingredient amounts are listed, as you can mix together however much you like. This recipe is a springboard of ideas.
    Ingredients:
    nut butter
    dates (pitted)
    honey or maple syrup
    raw honey
    ground flaxseed
    chia seed (ground or not)
    Rice Krispies® (find an organic brand)
    coconut
    chocolate chips or cacao nibs
    cacao powder
    adaptogenic herbs, powdered or ground (such as ashwaghanda, maca, slippery elm)
    turmeric
    nutmeg
    cinnamon
    Coconut Oil
    nuts
    raisins
    powdered bone broth, collagen, or protein powders
    Directions:
    Mix any of the ingredients together (a food processor works well).
    It works really well, if you’re using dates as a sweetener, to add the dates to the food processor first, along with the powders (i.e., ground flax, protein powder, adaptogens). Add a few dates, some powder, more dates, etc.
    Add the peanut butter afterward. Add the chocolate chips or raisins last, unless you like them chopped up.
    A nice aspect to this recipe is that it’s no-bake: you can taste it before you finish the product.
    Form into balls, or press into a pan. Balls can be rolled into additional ingredients (coconut, cacao powder, sucanat), or additional ingredients can be pressed into the top of the bars (chocolate chips, raisins). Refrigerate or freeze.

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  6. Ah dear lady, the sipping of a nice wine after an evening meal. Completes the day as you watch a sunset over the water. it’s just a pity I’m now allergic to alcohol for the last five years, sipping water just doesn’t have that same ambience 🤣
    But I can still eat a dairy free dark chocolate ice cream and yogurt mixed with blueberries and mango. It is surprising what now brings happiness after so many things I’m now allergic to 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋

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    • sounds delightful! I sure do miss wine also……and you are right, water just doesn’t have the same effect………but, dairy free dark chocolate ice cream sounds yummy and yogurt with blueberries (my favorite) and mango! I hope today is being kind to you and you can feel God’s blessings surround you today. 🙂

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    • what a perfect way to end a meal, thank you so very much for sharing………I need to now see if I can find this somewhere around me! 🙂 Hope today is treating you well and brings you a smile or three!

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  9. I don’t, have chronic illness. But, my heart does (my wife). If I said, two or three, that would be just a starting point. Consuming, one of those. Fighting to keep it down, winning the day. Where the happiness, makes it my heart… feeling profoundly elated. Seeing, the strength of her courage, to face another day! Blessings to you, my friend! Enjoy, your best life!

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    • Oh Ryan, thank you so very much for sharing this here. I have never heard of this but I am definitely going to search for this. I hope today is treating you and yours well and you can feel the love of God surround you this day.

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  12. I just love baked apples.. I do them in the oven cut into halves with some apple juice or water and cloves, I sometimes add some frozen blueberries.. If I bake them for 30 minutes they turn into a lovely sweet treat to have with icecream, cream or my latest favorite : coconut dairy free yoghurt..

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  14. I don’t have a particular food item in mind, but anything that hubby and I prepare together, that is top quality but cost effective and tastes great would probably be my favorite food item. Lately he and I have been drinking wine spritzers. We found that combining 5 ounces of Italian cabinet savingon (?) with grapefruit flavored seltzer is a near perfect summer drink. Inexpensive and nice to sip out on our back deck on a warm summer night. Who knew?

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  15. You know they say good and healthy food is important to have a fresh and happy soul. For me, I love exploring all kinds of food but with my dietary restrictions( for instance I don’t consume red meat) but having that home meal( the signature indian food rice and yellow lentils with vegetables) beats them all

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  16. My weakness is chocolate. I try to get dark chocolate which is usually low calorie. But sometimes I indulge in chocolate truffles too. It is a mid elevator and like Harry Potter, it makes the sadness go away!

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    • I love that you have certain foods that sooth your mind………so important that we think about our mental health too…..thank you so very much for sharing and I hope today is being kind to you in all ways.

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  20. I am so blessed to not have any dietary requirements but my choice to be a vegetarian for most of my life sadly disturbs others. My treat is the filtered water from my tap and any food, I see it, I eat it , yum 🙂

    Really love the range of answers your questions solicit Wendi … what’s your treat?

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    • I am so sad to read that your eating choices upset other people, that makes no sense to me and good for you for sticking to your values! (not that I would expect anything less 🙂 ) I love that you included filtered water because that is one of my main treats too. We live on a well and when we had our water tested we found out it was non potable so we bought a Berkey filter and now I am so thrilled to be able to have clean water to drink – something I don’t take for granted!
      Thank you so much for stopping by Kate and I hope today is kind to you in all ways………..

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  23. Food and drink. The eternal struggle. There are so many foods that I should not eat and cost me dearly if I do. I gave up sodas more than 15 years ago because they made my legs cramp up and found it’s the carbonation that causes it. So I have found mineral water to be a lovely substitute. I can add lemon or other flavors to it as it’s a bit flat on it’s own. When a friend comes to have a glass of wine with me, I’ll splash a tiny bit in the mineral water and it looks like I’m having a real drink. No one is the wiser. 😉 When I eat anything no longer on the list of allowed, I start coughing almost immediately. Bread, pasta, cookies, anything with sugar. How are we supposed to have any fun? I guess it’s apple slices and almond butter now. Oh well. Have a wonderfilled weekend, Wendi. Keep taking care of yourself. Hugs.

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    • I love that you wrote……food and drink the eternal struggle because that is exactly what it feels like. 🙂 Thanks for the tip, I think I need to go purchase some mineral water. I hope you are not working too hard……

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  24. I don’t know if it counts, but my indulgence during these hot summer months is watching my chickens enjoy a big hunk of watermelon or cantaloupe. I don’t have any of it myself other than maybe just a little taste. But watching them enjoy it helps me to live with pain.

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  25. Pingback: Living Our Best Lives – indulgences — Guest Blogger Simply Chronically Ill

  26. I am not a big foodie, Wendi, I am an eat to live sort of person and the baking I do is either mainly for my family or for the look of it. I do enjoy cheese but I have to be very careful eating it as it upsets my digestive system. The pulmonologist wants to test Michael for an aspirin allergy, but she said that as aspirin is in so many foods and Michael is so young, he cannot cut it out completely even if the test is positive.

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    • I am so very very sorry Roberta that your son is being tested for an aspirin allergy……and I had no idea it was in so many foods. I have said a prayer for your son this evening……..and I hope today is being kind to all of you.

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  27. Thank you for sharing!!… yes, life indeed puts challenges before us in some manner, but as the saying goes “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”. (Author Unknown) and we learn every day!… 🙂
    Don’t have a favorite food but I do have a weakness for banana bread… 🙂

    Until we meet again..
    May flowers always line your path
    and sunshine light your way,
    May songbirds serenade your
    every step along the way,
    May a rainbow run beside you
    in a sky that’s always blue,
    And may happiness fill your heart
    each day your whole life through.
    (Irish Saying)

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  28. Hello Wendi I love ice cold ginger ale with a few different water enhancers bought at the C0-Op Food Market or Buy Low. I spoil myself with these way to much at times. God bless you my dear friend. I know exactly how we all feel so having to pleasure our sweet tooth or just our ordinary food tooth is required. LOve and support coming your way.

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  30. Wendi, I got your beautiful card today. I could feel your gentle hug surrounding me. Bless you for your kindness and thoughtfulness — you are such a treasure in this world — I hope you don’t mind if I thank you online after the first. Thank you again for the brightness and warmth, dear heart ❤️

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