I think the jury is still out on these "anti-fungal" diets. I think diets high in refined carbohydrates can have all kinds of health side effects, (weight gain, high cholesterol, and as mentioned, diabetes or pre-diabetes, allergies, etc.) and one would be wise to limit them, if not cut them out all together. However, I don't recommend going without grains all together, since I personally need the fiber. Lack of fiber, IMHO, is another thing that causes health problems in people who eat high sugar/refined carb diets. I personally don't believe it is just "yeast" that is the culprit. There are approximately 6 billion little bacteria that live on you and in you. You are an ecosystem, and you can get out of whack. Good stewardship of one's body can help. No cure all, but neither are all the creams and pills, which often do not cure at all either. I followed a no-gluten diet for months to curb menstrual cramps, and it had no effect. Exercise on the other hand, goes a long way for me in helping that problem. However, following a diet high in fiber and with a good balance of carbs and protein helps with a whole lot of systemic health problems. Good fuel keeps the body running well, and that in turn helps the immune system fight off yeast infections. Also may help good bacteria establish themselves in your gut and also on your skin. That's a whole other aspect to the story. Modern vinegar is a far cry from the original fermented product. We're using all kinds of weird bacteria and doing all kinds of things that cause bacteria to mutate, not just "yeast." People are getting mutated e-coli establishing itself in their guts too. I have persistent urinary tract infections that are hard as heck to control too, and I've tried all the suggestions of conventional and alternative medicines, and spent THOUSANDS on tests that showed NOTHING. Here's is a recipe Web site that I like. I am no purist when it comes to anti-yeast dieting, but I think the recipes here are very good and very healthy. Oh, and then there's the issue of all the pesticides and hormonal mimics, and food grown on unnatural fertilizers, etc. It is no wonder that many of us are feeling unwell. We're stressing the earth's immune system and then wondering why our own immune systems are having a tough time. Trying to find good wholesome food, fresh air and pure water and time to de-stress and exercise are quite the luxuries nowdays. I have to balance the cost of healthy food vs the benefits, which is hard to do. I also recommend coconut oil, it is a great food. Not a panacea, but worth including in one's diet. Don't know about yeast issues, but oatmeal is a godsend for helping me with my IBS. But not the instant stuff, that's very refined, the old style rolled oats or oat groats. Modern yogurt, dairy and cheese is a far cry from the old style stuff with natural bacteria in it. One of the worst substances for health is this ultra pasteurized milk that is on the market too. They even sell "organic" versions but ultra-pasteurizing things is not a good idea as a substitute for good hygiene in the processing of food. Here is a link that might be useful: Candida diet recipes

Lori I thought of you tonight when we had this kick butt dinner that was gluten free. You have to like veggies though! Kale, White bean and Vegetable stew over Polenta YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups) Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion (I think I used about double that) 2 (4-ounce) links Italian style chicken sausage, cut into (1/2-inch) slices. You could also use turkey sausage, and I recommend getting the spicy kind for this dish. 1 zucchini, quartered and cut into (1/2-inch) slices (about 2 cups) I added half a green pepper, but it is optional and did add a little more oomph to the flavor (again, if you like green peppers) 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 6 cups chopped trimmed kale (about 1/2 pound) 1/2 cup water (I used vegetable broth, could also use chicken broth) 2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained. (I used butter beans, I love them!) I only used one can 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. italian seasoning and a healthy dash of Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning Preparation Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saut� onion and sausage 4 minutes or until sausage is browned. Add zucchini and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add kale and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (I added about 1 TBLSP tomato paste to thicken the stew) Serve immediately over polenta. Polenta (Get it from Bob's Red Mill, their stuff is usually very fresh) 2 cups water and 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth, or all water 1/4 tsp. salt (use 1/2 if you're using all water) 1 cup polenta 1/4 cup parmesean or romano cheese or fontina cheese 1 1/2 TBLSP butter for frying (that's optional, you can use olive oil or broil polenta instead of frying, or just serve the stew over soft polenta.) Bring the water/broth mix to a boil. Add the salt and stir in the polenta. Stir it as you add it to the pot to keep it from clumping. Turn the pot down to low. Simmer the polenta for at least 15 min., until it is very thick. Add the cheese. Pour the polenta into a large flat pan, well oiled. Let the polenta cool and coagulate in the pan. This will take about 15 min. Can make ahead. Then, cut the polenta into squares and fry in butter until browned on both sides, which should take about 10 min. Can also brush with olive oil and broil the polenta. Serve in flat bowls topped with the stew and a shaving of parmesean cheese. Yummo!

Here's a great spring "recipe" for cauliflower-- it's too cold for this here right now but it's sure a favorite. A friend and I used to go to the farmer's market each week to purchase this-- until we decided to learn to make it ourselves. Crunchy Pea Salad A head of cauliflower cut into bite size florets 1/2 bag of frozen peas-- partially thawed just to remove any ice crystals. They'll thaw as the salad is assembled (fresh work great too) 2 scallions thinly sliced-- greens and whites mayo milk garlic powder salt and pepper handful of chopped cashews Combine cauliflower, scallions and peas in a ziplock bag. Make a light dressing of milk, mayo garlic and salt, pepper to taste. It should be runny vs thick. We like it very garlicky! Pour dressing in bag and toss to completely coat. Again, this should be a runny dressing-- it's a loose salad vs one that sticks together. Chill to let flavors meld for a few hours. Top with chopped cashews to serve. It's really a bright salad for spring. I like to toss with lemon zest right before serving too.. and I often skip the cashews (even though they are a key element of this "crunchy" pea salad.

About grinding einkorn in a Vitamix.... Yes, IF you have the DRY BLADE CONTAINER, which is used for hard, dry materials, such as grain, and for kneading dough. The container the Vitamix comes with is the WET BLADE CONTAINER. I have a "bevy" of mills, but I teach classes on the subject and have purchased them over the span of many years. I can mill any type of grain/seed/bean from tiny teff and amaranth to dent corn and garbanzo beans. Personally, I wouldn't use a Vitamix (with the dry blade container) because it heats the flour too much, but if you already have the dry blade container, chill your grain in the freezer and only grind it in small amounts with the least amount of time for processing possible to keep it from getting too hot. The heat destroys nutrients. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COOKIE8 - I use your recipe for FLAX COOKIES you shared on the Cooking group from 5-12-2014 (which also requires ground pumpkin seeds). Your recipe above looks great, too. :-) I sprout pumpkin seeds to make them easier to digest, and look forward to trying the recipe. -Grainlady