So, I didn’t post last week, and this week’s post will probably be my last post about my AIP journey. I rushed through stage three and didn’t quite get through all of the basic foods to reintroduce before moving on to stage four. Then I jumped right into stage four with white rice, and it was fantastic! I ate my weight’s worth in white rice two nights in a row and didn’t experience any negative side effects, so in my book, I’m in the clear! I’ve been moving through the rest of the basic foods in stage four rather rapidly as well.

Overall, I would say my experience with AIP was positive, as I truly believe my gut was able to heal throughout the duration of the protocol. While, yes indeed it was completely miserable not being able to eat much of anything, I was able to push through and find some relief in the long run. Removing many potentially inflammatory foods allowed my body to recuperate a bit, which is just what I needed.

I began stage three with the beloved cashew. Since cashews are drupes, considered as a triune nut, seed, and fruit all in one, they are recommended to be reintroduced separately from other nuts on AIP, which most are welcomed back in stage two. I made a sweet potato gratin with a creamy cashew sauce. I had made this recipe before and remembered how delicious it was, so I made a huge lasagna-dish-sized batch….and I ate half of it myself the first night! The recipe comes from the cookbook on my shelf called Easy Paleo Meals, by Kelly V. Brozyna, but as always, I added my own twist to it. The hint of herbs de Provence in the cashew base gives the dish a unique savory, floral taste, almost in the same way that nutmeg lends that “hmm, what is that secret ingredient?” feel. You’ll notice the recipe also calls for smoked paprika, which is a nightshade spice. Paprika is indeed allowed in stage three, but yes, I cheated here and reintroduced cashews and paprika together.

Sweet potato-cashew gratin

2 lbs. sweet potatoes

1.5 cups raw cashews

½ tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. herbs de Provence

¼ tsp. salt

Pinch of black pepper

1 clove garlic

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 cups vegetable stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Make the cashew “cheese” base. In a food processor, blend the cashews, vegetable stock or water, smoked paprika, garlic clove, and Dijon mustard. Puree until smooth and then set aside. Next, prepare the sweet potatoes. Using a mandolin or the slicing device of a food processor, slice the sweet potatoes into thin rounds, about ¼-inch thick. Pour a thin layer of the cashew cheese sauce into the bottom of a large glass baking dish. Shingle a layer of sweet potatoes over the cheese sauce to create the bottom layer. Pour over some cheese sauce and spread gently with a spoon. Continue to layer the casserole, alternating between a layer of sweet potatoes and cheese sauce, until you finish with a top layer of cheese sauce. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and tender and the sauce is bubbling. Serve hot.