I recently had a massive food allergy panel done after struggling with chronic lower intestinal issues since October. Yes, that means over seven months of what’s felt like my appendix bursting mixed with ruptured ovarian cysts, where at times I haven’t even been able to eat anything, feeling every churn of my digestive tract; everything hurt, and I still have really bad flare-ups. It’s been awful as a home “mama chef” and foodie, and I’ve gone through a colonoscopy and an abdominal MRI, and a ton of other random shit that’s left me feeling like a total lab rat, poked and prodded in every nook and cranny. Literally. SO, that being said, I found out I’m allergic and highly intolerant to a few major things – including, but not limited to — Beef. Dairy. Eggs. Gluten. Pineapple. Black beans, navy beans, green beans and kidney beans. Peanuts. Oats. Peanuts. Garlic. YEAH – WHAT THE FK. And mild allergies to…Turmeric. Ginger. Bananas. Avocado. Vanilla. And I’m sure I’m forgetting 1738 other things too.

I’m still completely perplexed how intestinal issues seem to be so much more common in women, and seem to magically appear around our late 20s and early 30s. Whatever is going on in my stomach has left me with an infection in the small intestine resembling Chrohn’s. Yay. So, this week I’ve been cleaning up my eating, staying away from my allergies that were in the “red / high / 100%” range [beef, dairy, eggs, garlic, oats, peanuts], and trying to make a new routine out of my grocery shopping and cooking habits. 

This pho recipe proves that my new little f*ked up foodie // blogger // home mama chef world does not have to be rocked because of allergies and intolerances. As always, I’ll continue to cook from the heart, from my kitchen to yours, with recipes that don’t taste like shit…pinky swear.

PHO YOUR BUSY WEEKNIGHT

i n g r e d i e n t s :

• Bone broth, beef or chicken
• 1 small head of organic broccoli, washed and chopped
• 1 small head of organic cauliflower, washed and chopped
• 1 small organic red bell pepper, washed and sliced thin
• 1/2 cup shredded organic carrots
• 3 cups fresh organic spinach or 1 C frozen
• 1/4 cup organic purple cabbage, sliced thin
• 7 organic basil leaves, chopped 
• 1/4 organic onion, chopped
• 1 packet of rice noodles [the pre-cooked “slimey kind”]
• Avocado oil
• Optional: mushrooms [sometimes their flabor can be overpowering]
• Optional protein – tofu, chicken, sausage, pork, shrimp, fish…pre cook it
• Optional seasonings – garlic, ginger 

d i r e c t i o n s :

1. In a large stock pot, add bone broth and let simmer on low
2. In another medium sized pot, bring water to a boil
3. In a large pan, warm avocado oil
4. Add broccoli and cauliflower. Cook until warm but still crispy
5. Add garlic, ginger, onion, and basil
6. In the pot with boiling water, add rice noodles. Follow instructions on bag, but mine called for only one minute of boiling. Once cooked, remove promptly and add to a strainer 
7. Add shredded carrots and bell pepper
8. Add spinach and cabbage 
9. Add optional protein choice [pre-cooked]
10. Mix meat + veggies together until everything is cooked
11. Once bone broth is warm, add rice noodles, all veggies + protein, and any additional seasonings of choice 
12. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh basil
13. Optional: top with sprouts, hot sauce, fried egg, soy sauce, etc.