Toi Thomas's Blog

The text featured below is the transcription of the video above.

Hello and welcome to Knauthentic. We’re going to be talking about sandwiches today.

I feels so weird listening to myself do like my intros, but I am going to be talking about a type of sandwich today. So, for me sandwiches is one of those things that, as a kid, I started learning how to cook, like at an early age, and I used to make these really kind of elaborate sandwiches, like most kids, you know, that was that was an easy to go and easy food for most kids to learn how to make. And, so, like, you would, you know, whatever bread you had in your house, whether it was white bread or wheat bread or, usually it was it was pre-sliced bread. It’s like when you become an adult, you start buying the artisanal breads that you have to come home and slice yourself. But as a kid, when you’re starting to have, like your first taste of, like, independence and things like that there’s, you know, pre-sliced bread in the house and you take out two pieces of it and then you go into your fridge or your pantry or whatever, and find those kind of ready-made items that you can throw together.

I know a lot of kids, before it seemed like everyone was allergic to peanuts, PB and J was the way to go, and I still enjoy a PB and J sandwich as an adult, though I prefer to use the,l ike the natural peanut butter with the peanut butter pieces in it. I prefer crunchy peanut butter. I do eat creamy peanut butter for certain things, but I’m veering a little bit, but my point was, is, though, if you if you weren’t eating a PB and J, then you were going into your fridge and you were getting like a ham and cheese or, God forbid, a Bologna and cheese. I mean, we’ve all been there, you know. But these were very simple things that, you know, filled little kids bellies, and they were things that they could make themselves, you know, after school when they were hanging out with their friends or if they were doing homework and mom and dad were busy maybe preparing an actual meal for like, dinner later or something, you just needed something to kind of tired yourself over. So, sandwiches were that.

And the crazy thing is, is I didn’t realize this as a kid that, you know, sandwiches are not part of everyone’s culture, a lot of, kids who don’t grow up eating the standard American diet when they get older and they see people, you know, buying, like these huge sub sandwiches, like they are just like, I don’t understand what that’s about. Like, why is everyone So, obsessed with putting other foods in between slices of bread, you know, so I get it, like in that context, like if you don’t grow up eating sandwiches, but for me, the reason why I wanted to talk about sandwiches today is because of all of my the changes that I’ve gone through, I do look at sandwiches differently. There was once a time where I could go, a week and have, you know, a sandwich every single day. That’s not my reality anymore. At least not in the way that I used to eat sandwiches.

So, I’m going to break down kind of what kind of, like, sandwiches I’d eat now. And, I’m going to walk through another one of my quick meals. So, the video for it, uh, may or may not be up, but I’m going to just kind of walk you through what’s in that. So, if you want to see that, it’ll, you know, be on the socials. But, so for now, I just want to talk about when I eat sandwiches as a kid versus me as an adult. Now with what I know and my restrictions what eating a sandwich is like now. So, let me take a little sip of my tea. My throat’s trying to get a little scratchy. Not good for the audio.

Alright, So, when I was a kid, I was definitely one of those kids who, would go into the pantry. Usually, the PB and J was my go-to. I, like I said, to this day I still love PB and J, but if I knew that I was going to maybe go on like a field trip or, you know, be eating at the table with like some other kids, there was a point in time where, I didn’t always want to have my PB and J around other people because it was kind of sticky and not I mean, I didn’t have a problem, like with people knowing that I ate like peanut butter jelly. I just didn’t necessarily want to eat PB and J around other people. And so, that’s when I started making myself, you know, simple little ham and cheeses and, I don’t remember eating a lot of turkey. I don’t I don’t think turkey sandwiches were a big thing when I was a kid growing up in Texas. It was either a ham and cheese sandwich or a Bologna and cheese sandwich. And I used to eat Bologna because that’s what was available.

But I do remember at some point kind of taking over my sandwich making or packing, like my lunch. And so, I was had more control over what was going in my lunch. And I started putting more of the ham instead of the Bologna in it.as I, you know, my palate was already starting to change, and I just didn’t like it. But I know there’s lots of people who do like it, So, I’m not knocking it in any way. It was just one of those things. Kind of like the Oscar Mayer hot dog to me, the original just kind of base like Oscar Mayer. Hot dog to me just tastes like thick Bologna. And that could be just my memory. Like, maybe that’s not actually what it tastes like now, but that’s how I remember. Which is why I’ve never been a huge fan, but I know that other people are, and I’m not telling people to not eat that.

So, anyway, I remember my dad used to make our sandwiches, and I don’t know if it’s a male thing. Like, I’m not trying to get into the battle of the sexes here, but I feel like more often than not, men seem to tend to take things kind of like to the extreme. With that said, I think my husband is the exception, and I’ll explain why in a moment. But I remember, like my dad making sandwiches for us when we were kids, and he would put like lots of mayonnaise on them and he would stack, you know, several, you know, slices of, you know, whatever the meat was, like I said, probably ham and then, you know, putting the cheese on it. And he would cut it in half. And, sometimes he would toast the bread, sometimes he wouldn’t. It would just depend. But it was just like it had this, like, amazing presentation and it was just a sandwich. And so, when I started trying to make my own sandwiches, I would try to like, mimic what he did with the presentation. I would cut my sandwiches at a diagonal, though I was never one of those kids who wanted my crust to be cut off. I don’t know why.

But even as a child, I just felt like that was So, wasteful. And I’m not harping on you if you don’t eat your crust, but it is wasteful. So, these are just facts. But as a kid, if you cut the crust off my bread, I’d be like, why are you trying to rob me of food? Like, I want all of it.so but I did. I realized that when I was trying to, like, mimic what my dad was doing, but personalizing it to myself, I started putting less and less like mayonnaise on things, because I begin to realize that I never really liked mayonnaise. I just ate it because it was given to me. And once I started having control over what was going in there, I stopped putting mayonnaise on sandwiches. And I don’t even plant-based, like, man, like, I don’t really eat mayonnaise. That’s not really a thing that I do. Which means I don’t eat, like, tuna salad and egg salad and all those kinds of things, like, in their traditional form. I have versions of them that. But I’ve just never been a mayonnaise eater.

Once I started having control over what I was eating. And so, I would, I went through a phase of trying to experiment because I was like, If I’m not going to put mayonnaise on it, what am I going to put on it? And I remember putting like trying to put like mustard on it, realized, nope, I don’t like mustard on any, on anything. Like that’s a real like issue for me is mustard. And I know So, many people like it. And the crazy thing is, is I cook with it all the time. I cook with it because I know that it enhances certain things. But just mustard on its own. Not for me. So, I tried putting mustard on sandwiches.

I tried putting ketchup on sandwiches. I mean, come on, uh, child raised in America on the standard American diet. Of course, I tried putting ketchup on everything. It was not a success. Ketchup doesn’t belong on everything. And now, as an adult, I can’t even eat traditional ketchup because tomato is the base of it and I can’t eat tomato. And so, I did. Sometimes I would have a sandwich that didn’t have anything else on it. Every now and then, if we had something like maybe some plain yogurt in the house, I might spread a little bit of that on it and then start thinking about all of those salad dressings that we had in our home for those salads that we were supposed to be eating, that I don’t seem to have a memory of us ever really eating. So, I started putting salad dressing on my sandwiches in, in place of, like, the mayo or whatever. And, I did that for a long time. But again, now as an adult, a lot of the store-bought salad dressings, I can’t eat those anymore.

I have to make them myself. So. But that’s still like, if I’m going to make myself a sandwich as an adult, that’s probably going to make some kind of sauce that like mimics, like a salad dressing to put on it. It’s not going to be anything mayo based. And so, but, you know, very kind of simple ideas.as I got older again, I switched from eating, you know, ham to having turkey. Even deli sliced chicken sometimes. I did play around with, like, roast beef, but also as I got older, I ate less and less beef. I just didn’t like the flavor of it. It wasn’t like, a cultural, religious or a health thing. It was just I didn’t really like the flavor of it. And I think, before that, it was another one of those things. I ate it because that’s what was given to me. And so, I ate it. But once I started having control over what I could eat, I ate less and less of it till it got to the point where I had gone like years without eating it. And when you go for a long time without eating something and then you consume it, your body doesn’t always react positively to it, like I didn’t get sick or get in the hospital or anything like that, but it upset my tummy just a little bit just because my body wasn’t used to eating it. So. And that’s just a cautionary tale for anyone out. If you are going to be cutting something out of your diet, and then you try to eat it later, that there can be an adjustment period, and that’s fine. But that’s what it was like for me trying to incorporate beef products later on in my life because I had gone so, long without eating them.

So, with that said, nowadays I still don’t eat a whole lot of beef, but there are certain products that I might consume with beef, but it’s always going to be something lean and probably something that I have to make myself. There are some exceptions. And So, now when I make a sandwich, it’s very different from my childhood experience of making a sandwich. I’m also, you know, I’m older and I’m concerned about like, my heart and, you know, my digestion and my weight and all that kind of stuff. And So, one of the things that I kind of a tradition that I’ve created now is I make a lot of open-faced sandwiches. And, I don’t know, I like the idea of, like, So, we, we eat. In my mind, lots of people eat open faced sandwiches all the time without realizing. Because to me, a slice of pizza is an open-faced sandwich. Is that. I don’t know if that makes sense or not. And So, I just like the idea of kind of holding something in my hand and bringing it towards my mouth and biting into it, and it’s not like sandwiched. It’s just open. And I’m like, we do that all the time with pizza. Why can’t I just do that with sandwiches?

So, my process, with my thought process with doing that is it reduces my overall carb intake. Instead of eating two slices of bread, I’m eating one. If you’re not worried about your overall carb intake, then go ahead and throw on the other slice. I like the aesthetic of the open face sandwiches and the low-carb, side effect. Or I guess result is just kind of a bonus, a perk. I have been eating a lot of low-carb breads recently. The brand right now that I prefer is hero, and I’m not sponsored by them, but there are other brands that I will eat from time to time, and I’m not doing that again because I’m trying to. I’m not on Atkins or Keto or anything like that. I’m just trying to manage my overall carb intake. I’m not about counting carbs or like just eliminating them. I’m looking for a balance. I whenever, whatever it is I’m eating, I’m looking to see is there a good amount of fiber in it? And the truth, the reality is, is if you are getting a good amount of fiber, you are also getting carbs. It’s very difficult to consume fiber without consuming carbs, and so, I just want there to be a good balance and if I can get some additional protein in there, that’s great. But I am not one of those protein obsessed people that are like trying to make sure they get one hundred and thirty grams of protein a day. I don’t need that much protein. Every person’s body is different. Everyone needs a different amount of protein. So, I’m not saying that word protein to like, set off alarm bells and, you know, be like, oh, you know, trying to increase our that I’m not I’m not doing that. I’m just looking for a balance.

So, my open faced sandwich tradition is to just kind of try some different things I’ve learned and have been inspired a lot about by other like, content creators, Nisha at Rainbow Plant Life. She is the person who inspired, like, this idea when I saw her making several, kind of, like, open faced sandwiches where she would put spreads and stuff on them and sprouts and, like, sauerkraut and stuff like that. And so, it just inspired me to kind of start playing around with different flavors. And so, that’s kind of like my tradition now is. I toast a piece of bread, something that usually has a high fiber content and high protein content. And then I put some kind of spread on it, usually something that I’ve had to make myself. I usually will put some type of protein on it. It could be an egg if I’m having eggs at that time, it could be a meat.it could be a tofu. Fava bean. Tofu right now is kind of my jam. Especially the smoked kind, but it could be, you know, whatever. So, I always have some kind of protein on it.

I typically like to add other textures as well. I might put like some walnuts or some pepitas on it, some pecans, some kind of like seeds or nuts. And I’ve been trying to consume a lot of sprouts, for all of their, you know, nutritional benefits. Broccoli sprouts are my go-to. But there are other kinds. Sometimes the broccoli sprouts are not available, So, I get the ones that are. And so, I’m always having like some kind of combination of these things. And so, I’ll be showing you guys or talking about some of the different sandwiches that I make, from time to time. But I have one of these open-faced sandwiches, I would say three to four days a week, not every single day, because I just, I just don’t eat bread like that every single day. And another thing that I like to point out about me having my open face sandwiches, I am trying to reduce my gluten intake. So, typically when I have one of my open face sandwiches that is my serving of gluten for the day. I don’t have celiac, and I’m not sensitive to gluten in the in the traditional sense that people who are I have digestive issues, So, anything that’s easier for me to digest is probably what I’m going to be leaning towards.

I have a little analogy here that some may be able to relate to. You know, if you have a dog with an upset stomach, most vets will tell you to give them boiled chicken and rice. Unless you had a dog like mine who was allergic to chicken, and then they tell you to boil some lean beef and rice. But the idea is that you’re putting something in your dog’s belly that’s easy for them to digest. And then once they start to, you know, feel better, you can slowly reintroduce, like, their regular food, whatever that might be. And that’s kind of my mentality when it comes to gluten. I can eat gluten, but, I try to eat things that I know are going to be easier for my stomach to digest. If you think about all of the opportunities that you have to eat gluten in a day, it doesn’t hurt to reduce it a little bit. And I do want to be clear right now and just say gluten is not bad for you. It is not evil unless you have a sensitivity to it. If you have celiac or if you have, you know, rheumatoid arthritis and gluten is a trigger for that. So, there are certain people who, you know, it is, you know, not a good idea for them. But if you’re not one of those people, you don’t need to cut, you know, gluten out of your diet. But don’t listen to me. Listen to your doctor. Talk to a professional, speak to a nutritionist or dietitian or something like that. I’m just explaining to you what my experience is for me. If I eat a lot of gluten, my digestive system slows down and that stuff stays in there a little bit longer than I would like for it to. So, limiting my gluten intake helps to keep things on a more regular schedule.

So, think about it. Let’s say you get up in the morning, and you have toast, eggs and coffee. So, your toast has gluten. Let’s say for lunch you have a healthy lunch, and you have yourself a wrap. Well, your tortilla has gluten in it. And then let’s say sometime later you decide to have a simple, healthy snack, maybe some cheese and crackers. Your crackers have gluten in them. And then for dinner you have spaghetti, which your pasta has gluten in it, and you have a breadstick or a roll on the side that’s more gluten. If you don’t have a problem with gluten, that’s perfectly fine. That day of gluten consumption is perfectly fine again. Talk to your doctors, your nutritionist, whatever. But I’m just saying in a very general term, that’s not an issue. But if you do have some issues like I do, reducing that could be beneficial not having gluten at every single meal, which is why I limit myself typically to one serving of gluten a day. I will go as far as two, but definitely not the five or six servings that I just kind of described in that scenario. Whew. That was a lot. So, that’s, typically why I like to do the open-faced sandwiches kind of first thing in my day, because I get my kind of gluten, serving out of the way and, yeah.

So, let me just explain about the open-faced sandwich that is appearing in my short that I either just put out or I’m about to. I can’t remember if I’ve scheduled it, but it is a piece of, hero branded bread. It is their seeded bread and again, not sponsored and I just toast it up. I do have to toast it on a pretty high setting, because I freeze it because I don’t eat it every day. Sometimes I would say, like I said, three or four times a week. Sometimes it’s like just two or three times. Bread doesn’t last that long. So, that’s why I have to freeze it, because it comes in a large quantity.so after I’ve toasted it, I believe in this one, I added some smoked fava bean tofu that I just very quickly added some liquid aminos liquid, some coconut aminos to. You could definitely add soy sauce or tamari. I am testing coconut aminos right now just because I know I have friends with sensitivities and I want to be able to make things for them, but I want to taste it myself. I am the kind of person that I’m not going to feed someone something that’s alternative, that I’m not willing to eat myself, even though a lot of people seem to think there’s nothing wrong. And I want to be clear that there’s nothing wrong with that, but it still, it will sometimes give your loved ones a sense of other to know that you’ve made something special for them that you yourself are not willing to eat. So, I’m always testing out different things that I might want to feed to someone else, because I don’t want to feed someone something that I’m not myself willing to eat. So, you can use soy sauce, tamari, or the coconut aminos. They all work very well, and I just give it a quick soak in that.

Stick it in my air fryer at four hundred degrees for I want to say I did six minutes, three minutes on each side just to, you know, cook it up a little bit. And then on the actual toast, all I did was put, sweet potato, mashed sweet potato on it. I will do that where I’ll just cook a bunch of sweet potatoes in bulk. I don’t add anything to them, literally. I just take whole sweet potatoes and stick them in the oven. I don’t put any oil, salt or anything on them. I just cook them, mash them, and I have them. I can stick them in the freezer, or I can stick them in the refrigerator if I’m going to be eating them sooner rather than later. And when I get ready to eat them, that’s when I can add something to them. If I want to salt, pepper, sugar, whatever. But this day I just spread the sweet potato on the toast.

And then I put the, heated up, you know, fava bean tofu on top of it. I sprinkled on some pepitas I was using, I think, pumpkin seeds a lot this week because I was out of my walnuts that I usually put on there. And so, after I put on my pumpkin seeds, I then put on my broccoli sprouts and I was ready to consume it. Now, normally I would top off this open-faced sandwich with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, but I had run out of it and I hadn’t made it yet, So, that’s why that wasn’t on there. So, again, I know that was a lot, but this is just me kind of talking about my experience and things. I would love to know.do you guys make elaborate sandwiches? Do you use two slices of bread, or do you like the open face aesthetic? What are some of your health concerns that kind of dictate what you eat or how you eat it? I would love to know and I think that is all that I have for today. So, guys, stay safe and be blessed.

Credits:

Knauthentic number four starring Toi Thomas.

Featuring no one else at this time.

Topics discussed: Quick meals, open-faced sandwich, working with what you’ve got.

Produced by Toi Thomas in association with the ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnivale.

Directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas.

Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack and YouTube. This is all for you.

Content below is for additional recipe execution.

One slice of crispy toast.

Cooked sweet potato spread across the toast.

Smoked, quick marinated, air-fried fava bean tofu placed on top of the sweet potato.

Sprinkled with salted pumpkin seeds and broccoli sprouts.

Optional- drizzle with balsamic fig glaze.

The fourth week of each month will be a week where I post an additional entry in either my Counting My Blessings series, or either of my W.I.P. Vlogs (reading or writing). This week I choose Counting My Blessings because of the holiday. If ever there is a 5th week in the month, you’ll get a break from listing to me. He he :D

Author Feature:

These won’t start until after the new year, but I have set up form for those interested.

The Muse Writers Center Updates:

We opened applications for our Teen Fellowship. Boy, it’s such a great program, it almost makes me want to be a teen again… Almost. This week, we are all taking some time to enjoy our families over the holiday, but when we return, it’s back to social clubs, events, and classes. Plus, our end of the year, holidy party is coming up, but I’ll say more about that on IWSG day.

If you’re feeling up to it, as non-profit, we love your support. Click here to find out more.

Knauthenic Updates:

I’m trying out a new posting schedule, so episode 4 of the podcast will go live tomorrow. Be sure to check it out.

Lit Carnivale Updates:

I’ve also posted my 4th podcast in this series, where I about reaching readers.

Patreon (fiction) Updates:

Monday, I shared part four of continuing ghost story.

Thank you for making it this far down the virtual page. Kudos to you! I’d love to know what you thought of this post in the comments below. Stay safe and be blessed.

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So, guess who forgot to schedule this post to go… It’s me. Oh well, better late than never. It’s time for the WIP vlog, writing edition.

Author Feature:

Thanks for reading The ToiBox of Words! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

These won’t start until after the new year, but I have set up form for those interested.

The Muse Writers Center Updates:

Food for Thought went really well and I look forward to the next one. This time, we created collages and got to try plant-based muffins and a cabbage dish.

I’m co-hosting another Happy Writing Season Write-in on November 22. Not only do we invite writers to come in person, but they can also Zoom in to feel connected to writing community, during this season on writing.

Knauthenic Updates:

I’ve posted my 3rd podcast in this series, where I talk about Quick Meals.

Lit Carnivale Updates:

I’ve also posted my 3rd podcast in this series, where I about community.

Patreon (fiction) Updates:

Today I shared part three of a continuing ghost story.

Thank you for making it this far down the virtual page. Kudos to you! I’d love to know what you thought of this post in the comments below. Stay safe and be blessed.

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Thanks for reading The ToiBox of Words! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

The texted featured below is the transcription of the video above.

Hi and welcome back to Knauthentic. This week we’re going to be talking about Quick Meals.

So quick meals is something that I used to do over at my Toi Thomas channel on YouTube. And it was just what it sounds like they were just little shorts that I would post. And so I’m going to continue that tradition with this community. So, by the time this, you know, podcast is airing, the short should be up. But I will be talking about what I’m doing in that short, in today’s podcast, along with some other things.

In the past, I would do, at my Toi Thomas channel, each week was a different version of my, work in progress, blog vlog, and I believe either week three or four was when I would do my food vlog. And so I’ve just moved that over to this platform. And so this is going to be kind of the food blog episode of Knauthentic.

And so I want to talk about quick meals. So, I’m not going to drone along too much about all of my issues, because this isn’t all about me. But I think sometimes explaining why I do the things I do helps other people to, consume them better, if that makes sense. So, I’m at a point in my life where I would say that I do make about 80 to 90%, depending upon the week of all of the food that I consume, from scratch. Now, that’s not to say that I’m, you know, growing all of my food and processing. I am working on, you know, becoming more, sustainable and self-sufficient in that regard of, like, gardening and things like that.

But, what I mean is, like, for instance, if I wanted to, throw together a pizza for lunch so I can’t get a frozen pizza from the store for a number of reasons, I would have to prepare that ahead of time to have it. Depending upon what I have access to in my area, I might be able to buy, like a prepackaged dough for, like, the crust. But, if not, I’d have to get creative and, you know, come up with something for that or make it. And then there’s like the sauce that I would need to put on it and the toppings that I would need to put on it. The recipe that I’m going to be talking about today, I’m actually using, one, I think prepackaged. No, two prepackaged. Hold on. Let me backtrack.

I think I use three prepackaged items in this particular quick meal, but one of them is a just kind of a test. And I’ll explain what that is. So basically, for something to be a quick meal, in my mind, that means that you can put it together from getting the thought in your head of this is what I want to eat, to actually sitting down and eating it in fifteen minutes or less. And so for that to happen, you do kind of have some things that are already kind of like pre-made or just kind of ready-made things, which is for most people, not a challenge. It’s just your limitation is basically your creativity. Like what can you think to put together. But for me it does become a little bit more challenging just because a lot of the things that would make meals quick for most people, I can’t do.

So, if I were, you know, like, again, using that pizza analogy, going to make my own pizza, I either have, you know, of course, pre purchased like a crust or dough or something like that, or I’ve made it myself. I’ve had to make the marinara myself because I can’t use any store-bought brands. I have to probably make the toppings that are on there, you know. And then, you know, put it together.

So, there’s a couple of different, components to, to that, if I want to throw together a salad. Same thing most people are not like it’s not a challenge to make a salad. I think where it becomes a challenge is finding a way to make salads interesting with not having, like, the same thing, like, over and over and over. And some of that comes down to, like the dressing, which again, I have to make my own because I can’t buy most store-bought dressings.

So. Yeah. So, what I want to talk about today is something that kind of looks like a pizza. In the short that I posted, when you see it, I do like, if you go and watch it, you’ll see it clearly labeled. But it’s what I call a Tortilla Spiral. It’s something that I just started whipping together a while back. It is very much inspired by the idea of a pizza, but I actually found that, I didn’t like it when I was trying to make it as a pizza. Once I started making it as a tortilla, it kind of worked better for me.

And the reason why I’m so adamant that it’s a tortilla spiral and not a pizza is because, of two main reasons. Most of the toppings that go on to my tortilla spiral are, like soft or liquids or something like, I don’t put a lot of like, I don’t put, thick items on it. Like I don’t put like, like whole vegetable pieces on there. I might put something on a sprinkle, like, as a topping, but mostly it’s like layering different, sauces that, create this dish for me. And I’ve never cut it like a pizza either. I usually just kind of rip off corners of it. And until I get it’s a very much a, a handheld like finger food, you just kind of rip it and eat it kind of thing. So anyway, all of that to say is. So I’m just going to explain, what I put together for this particular, tortilla spiral. I can’t even think of my own terms and then explain, like, why this is so important for me and why might be beneficial for you if you have, like, food restrictions. So, let’s start with the tortilla itself.

The tortilla is the first of the three prepackaged or pre-made items that I used to throw this quick meal together. And so, I am using a Hero brand tortilla, not sponsored in any way whatsoever. I like the tortilla, the Hero brand just because it’s a very, low carb, high fiber, high protein, product. Good quality doesn’t have like a lot of additives and things like that. And they’re made with olive oil. So, it’s just, for me, a healthier option. Now I will buy, store bought, like tortillas from time to time and use those as needed. Because the the because the Hero brand tortillas are a little bit more costly. But for me it’s a really good investment. I don’t eat them every single day. So, I typically when I buy them, I freeze them and just kind of thaw them as I need them. So that’s the base of this is the tortilla.

And now comes the layering of the dish that makes it, a tortilla spiral. So, I typically start with a layer of a sauce, not a marinara. My sauce of choice is usually some type of homemade hummus, something that I’ve made myself, in this version that, that I’m talking about today, I have a, fennel and olive hummus that I make that actually has, like, chunks of olives in it, and it’s quite tasty. And so I basically spread the tortilla with the base of that, fennel and olive hummus. And so that’s the base. Other bases that I use for this would be other flavors of hummus have like a curry hummus that I make. A also can use, my black bean. The black bean hummus is okay. I actually just prefer to cook black beans in, like, just mash them. Like, to me, that’s even, like, better. But you could go either way with that. But it’s usually some kind of legume base basically for these spirals.

And I know not everybody can, you know, eat legumes. So I do try other things as well. I’ve done bases that were made out of like cashews or almonds. Definitely have used some tahini based, you know, sesame seed, sauces to put as the base. So it’s really kind of versatile to what you are willing to work with. So and you could also do other types of, you know, vegetable parade parades if you’re not into the legumes or the the lentils or the nuts or the seeds. But that’s usually what I do for the spiral is I just start with like a base. So if this were a pizza, that would be the marinara. But for this, tortilla spiral, I usually have some kind of legume as the base.

And then after that I continue to like layer the flavors. And so for this particular version I had made, recently made a green curry, Knauthentic green curry because, if you, you know, follow the show, you know, that a lot of things that I do are not culturally authentic, not because I, I’m not I’m not willing to take the effort to put it in. It’s just that if I make things that are culturally authentic, I can’t eat them. But with that said, it is a really good curry sauce that, my husband and I both enjoy because, you know, before I had all of my health issues, Indian food was one of our favorite cuisines. Indian American food, I should say so. So for the curry, I usually just kind of put it in in dollops. I don’t spread it. I don’t know why. It’s like. It’s like I like the variation of, you know, sometimes you get a little bit of this and sometimes you get a little bit of that, so I just dollop it on kind of like where I want it to be.

And then the next item that I added, now this is the second pre-packaged item that I used for it, and this is the item that was the experiment. So I have started making my own non-dairy cheeses. It’s been, a very frustrating and also satisfying adventure whenever it turns out really well. I’ve learned how to make several spreadable cheeses. I’ve learned how to make sliceable cheeses that you can slice and grade. So I’m really good at, you know, I’ve got that on lock, but I know that sometimes it’s good to like, have options or alternatives. And so I’ve been testing out some, plant based or vegan cheese products from like the store. And there was one that I used to consume quite frequently, maybe a year ago. then I realized that there was ingredient in it that weren’t really ideal for my dietary restrictions.

So, I’ve been trying other brands with like different, product, ingredients in them. So far, I mean, I just, I think I may just have to stick to making my own non-dairy cheese because the taste is great. Like, the taste is not the issue. It’s just that, each time I find something that I somewhat kind of like and I pay attention to the ingredients, I realize there’s something else in it that I can’t, consume. So, I did put that on there today. I just kind of sprinkled it on. But normally when I make this, using my own non-dairy cheese, I use one of my cheese sources and I will swirl the cheese sauce on it, which is where I came up with the original name of the tortilla swirl. So that would be another layer. But for for for this one, I was trying. I believe the Follow Your Heart again, totally not sponsored, but I was trying to Follow Your Heart, mozzarella, pre-packaged. And again, it tasted fine. The taste isn’t the issue, but I do know that I won’t be able to continue, buying this brand just because it contains potato starch. And I am sensitive to potatoes.

So, yeah, I was, being a little adventurous today, trying something and just seeing like, how I react to it. So no major reaction. But when you get so used to not eating certain things and you eat them, you notice right away, yeah, I’m not going to be able to do this long term. So, beyond that, for this one, there’s one more, layer to this, but I am going to be putting it in the oven at this point.

So, I preheat it for 350 degrees. Just kind of, you know, center middle rack. I put it on a baking sheet. Now, I did put a very small amount of avocado oil because I wanted my tortilla to get really good and crispy. But if you are, like whole food plant based, oil free, all that kind of things. You don’t have to put the oil on there. You could just put down, you know, your parchment paper so that the tortilla doesn’t stick or use a nonstick surface and just bake it as is. Because I made most of the ingredients that went on to the topping of this tortilla, I was confident that I wasn’t going to be consuming too much fat by using the avocado oil to just help the tortilla crisp. I think, the majority of the fat from this will came from the plant-based cheese. And then, one of the toppings that I put on.

So, after it baked for ten minutes. Ten minutes is like the perfect amount of time to get just the amount of crisp that I want and the browning that I want without anything burning. So I took it out, and I put the last two toppings on it before I was ready to, like, dive into it. And so this is where the third pre-packaged item comes into play. I put, some sea salted roasted, pepitas pumpkin seeds. Just kind of sprinkle that on top for a little bit of crunch. Texture is really important for me with food. Sometimes I’m trying to avoid a particular texture. Sometimes I’m trying to recreate a particular texture. And for this one, I really wanted the crunch of the pumpkin seeds to complement the crispiness of the tortilla. And then, I also dolloped a couple of, drops of my, Knauthentic Chutney Verde. And I think I’ve done previous videos about that, but I’ll talk about that more later. So that was just kind of like the layering that happened with this dish. So let me wrap this up and bring it all home.

The reason why I created this type of dish was so that I could, you know, throw together meals sometimes without necessarily having to, precook an entire meal and like thawed out which I most of the time that’s what I have to do. If I have meals that I’ve planned out for the week. And, I’m fortunate to be in a position where sometimes I get to be at home, and so when I’m home, I can throw something like this together, and I save those meals for the office that have to be fully, like, pre-made and just, like, reheated. And I really appreciate having the convenience of doing that. And so that’s one of my quick meals.

And so I’ll be sharing another one, you know, next week or at some point, I don’t have a set schedule of how frequently I’ll be doing this, but I just wanted to kind of share that. So, this meal is really flavorful because of the different like, layers of things that are going on it and all of the different textures. But most of all, it’s healthy and it’s safe for me to eat. And if you know you have any type of restrictions that can That can really be a challenge sometime to eat something that’s safe for you to eat, something that’s healthy for you to eat, but is also actually delicious. I find that most of the foods that are safe and healthy for me to eat are a little bit lacking in flavor. So when I can come together and, you know, put something like this together, that I’m like shoving it in my mouth, trying not to spill it all over myself because it tastes so good that that that puts a smile on my face. And so that is a quick meal. And so I’ll be sharing more quick meals with you guys.

I would love to know kind of what are some of your go to’s? How do you throw a quick meal together? This whole meal, I guess from start to finish, probably did take fifteen minutes because it was ten minutes of, baking time and then, you know, two to three minutes before and after, kind of, you know, putting on those final touches before I dove into it. So that was my fifteen minute quick meal. And, I am going to be starting to reach out to the community and seeing if people want to share their stories with me. I’d love to hear what kind of, you know, meals that they’ve come up with to help them on their journey. And, I believe that’s all I really have for this week, guys. So, if you are really interested in seeing what my tortilla swirl looks like, make sure you check out the shorts that are posted on social media. All right, guys, stay safe and be blessed.

Credits:

Knauthentic number three, starring Toi Thomas, featuring no one else at this time.

Topics discussed. Quick meals, tortilla spirals, planning ahead.

Produced by Toi Thomas in association with The ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnivale

Directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas.

Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack and YouTube. This is all for you!

It’s been a few months since I’ve shared content for my WIP vlog. As with everything else, my health got in the way. In any case, here’s what I have to share this month.

Click here to see my book reviews.

Author Feature:

Starting in the new year, I want to feature authors. I have set up a form for those interested, but I may also join some virtual book tours to help fill the space.

I hope to have a special IWSG related announcement next month, but we’ll see how it goes.

The Muse Writers Center Updates:

I keep meeting so many cool and accomplished people. I had an amazing conversation at the Writers Coffee Break last week and am looking forward to next the one, next month.

I’m co-hosting another Happy Writing Season Write-in on November 22. Not only do we invite writers to come in person, but they can also Zoom in to feel connected to the writing community, during this season on writing. Before that, I’m co-hosting Food for Thought: A drop in catered lunch and chance for a creativity break, this Saturday. I’m quite the busy bee.

Knauthenic Updates:

I’ve posted my 2nd podcast in this series, where I explain a little more about why I started this whole thing.

Lit Carnivale Updates:

I’ve also posted my 2nd podcast in this series, where I explain what I hope to accomplish with my podcast endeavors.

Patreon (fiction) Updates:

Today I shared an in-depth update video, with an impromptu quasi Mukbang, and then an actual story installment. It feels good to be sharing my fiction again.

Thank you for making it this far down the virtual page. Kudos to you! I’d love to know what you thought of this post in the comments below. Stay safe and be blessed.

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The text featured below is the transciption of the video above.

Hi guys. It’s time to learn more about Knauthentic. All right, so this is, I guess, my official, Knauthentic, kind of blogging platform for the podcast. I have so much to to say. I’m not going to try to say it all today, but this is a good starting point. So last week I posted my introduction. And so let me just explain what’s happening in case you don’t know because you probably don’t.

So first of all, I have, um, lots of health issues. I’m not the only person with lots of health issues. And so I have, a restricted diet. So it’s very kind of all consuming. And so I’ll be talking about that a little bit. Um, in addition to having like my food restrictions, I also try to use food as part of my healing process, with my ongoing health issues. And so, I would say this journey, um, that I am, that I’m currently on started five years ago, that’s when I became aware of like the issues and things started to change and so much and so, um, the reason why we’re here now and I’m using this term authentic is because, I, I’m, I’m, I’ve written a book, a memoir, and, um, I’m going to be jumping around a lot. I should have probably.

I tend to be the kind of the person who plots things out, who scripts things, plans things. But I also find that sometimes I can overdo it with that. So I’m trying to be off the cuff a little bit here. So anyway, this book that I’ve written, I am currently taking a class at the Muse Writers Center. Nonfiction three. And so I’m hoping to work workshop it a little bit to see if what I’ve written is actually something that might appeal to people. I know for myself, it’s been a tremendous therapeutic process to write this book, so much to the point where it’s already inspired me to outline two additional books following this one. And so, but part of that process was me, um, thinking about all of the things that I’ve learned.

You have to excuse me. I’m out of breath a little bit. All of the things that I’ve learned and experienced in the last five years, dealing with my health and discovering limitations and, um, finding out new things and, you know, putting my foot down and saying, I don’t have to settle. You know, this is something that was done to me or, you know, and I’m not I’m not going to be beaten down by it, that kind of thing. I started thinking about all of the different, amazing communities that already exist. And so I’ve really started to, like, follow, like content creators and, you know, people who inspire and coach and all these things. And in doing so, I really, couldn’t really find a community that was specific to me. And that’s okay. I don’t, I don’t I’m not trying to say that this Knauthentic label is going to solve everyone’s problems.

Excuse me, but, um, so I just know that sometimes I know, I know what it’s like from a medical standpoint to not have a diagnosis because you can’t get proper treatment without a diagnosis. So having that diagnosis, whether you like it or not, is really the key to you being able to like, take the next steps to be able to do what’s right for you. Beyond that, being able to have a label that you and other people can quickly and easily identify with also makes a huge difference. I mean, when I, go into a restaurant and I say that I have food restrictions and the first thing that pops out of the waiter or the waiter, the person taking my order, the first thing to pop out of their mouth will be, are you vegan? I want to say that would be great if I was, you know, and and I’m going to talk about that more.

But the idea here is that there’s so many things out there and none of them fully apply to me. And I think there’s probably other people out there too who they don’t have something that fully applies to them. And I’m not saying that, again, that Knauthentic is the answer to all of that, but that’s where this stemmed from. I wanted to create an authentic, um, uh, gumbo recipe. My father is an amazing cook. He worked with, um, chefs in New Orleans, and he has, like, the formal training, but he’s, you know, he’s a good home, good old, like, down home guy, um, nice guy in the world. And but when he cooks it, it, people have an experience when they, like, eat his food. And I learned a lot of things from him. I can remember being in college and making kind of money on the side, because I would make gumbo and sell it to people in the dorms.

Uh, sorry. Um, but my point is, is that now that, gumbo that I made back then to make extra money on the side, I can’t eat that now. You know, it’s a it’s a traditional, authentic, delicious recipe that means a lot to me as a person. It also means a lot to me culturally, it’s part of my heritage. But I can’t eat that anymore. And that’s where Knauthentic comes from. When you, have these limitations and you feel like you, um, are missing out on something, or that you’re being removed or separated from something, um, that’s where it stemmed from. So, you know, since then, I’ve created a very wonderful, delicious, gumbo recipe that’s not authentic in any way whatsoever, but it tastes authentic. You know, it’s very delicious. I mean, my father himself. I didn’t even tell him that it was gumbo. When I gave it to him, I told him it was a stew because I didn’t want to hear him, you know, eating it and be like, hey, it doesn’t really like it to me”, you know. That kind of. So I didn’t even tell him that, that’s what it was. My version of that. I just told him it was stew, but he just kept saying, it tastes like gumbo to me, you know, which that’s that’s that meant a lot to me, because other people out there who are experiencing maybe not the exact same, you know, scenario, but the having this experience of they are separated from their family traditions or their culture because of their dietary restrictions or their needs, nutritional needs. And it was just a way for me to say, “hey, this is me being as authentic as I can be”, you know?

I even spell it the way that I spell it because ‘cause I really want to just emphasize that it’s not about this, you know, preconceived notion that something isn’t good if it’s not the genuine article. If it’s not authentic, then it’s not good. And that’s just not true. Um, of course, you know, the authentic thing is the original, is the original. It’s, you know, probably the best thing. But why should people have to be excluded because they don’t fit into the perfect little, you know, square pegs of these cultural standards. I don’t think cultural standards should change in any way whatsoever. But I do think, culture, people, society in general could be a little bit more open and exclusive.

I, I it drives me crazy when I see people online angry at vegans for eating non-dairy cheese. And I’m like, what difference does it make whether it comes from a lactating mammal, or if it comes from beans, if this person is enjoying it. If they get to have their own authentic experience, let them have that. Why are you upset that someone else is eating a cheese that’s different from the cheese you are eating? I saw one content creator go off about how people get angry when you have, you know, vegan butter. I’m sorry, but I love apple butter and it doesn’t come from a lactating animal. You know what I mean?

And so we have these preconceived notions and ideas and concepts, and a lot of times people don’t even realize how intrusive and exclusive. And, you know, I hate, oh, this is not political, but xenophobic. I mean, if you don’t eat the same thing that someone else eats, you are treated as other. And I don’t think it should be that way. I don’t want to be that way. I want to try to help people explore different options. I spoke to, uh, one of the teachers at our center, and she was telling me a story about her daughter who has all of these dietary restrictions, and I don’t know how she felt about it, but I felt good about myself when I gave her an alternative recipe for something like here. Something that you can try with your daughter. Not not for me. Like to, you know, pat myself on the back or toot my own horn, but because when I started going through what I am currently dealing with, if someone had given me a recipe, I probably would have kissed their feet. Everything that I know right now, I’ve had to work unnecessarily hard for because there was nothing available to me. And I just want to create an atmosphere where people are comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas and not letting food be the thing that separates us.

You know, if your an knauthentic recipe doesn’t include chili peppers, it’s it’s still good. It’s okay. You know, I, I am just at a point where I enjoy the food that I eat. I do it’s not easy to get to where I have to get to to enjoy it, but a lot of work, time and effort into my food. But I enjoy my food and I can only do that because I have to ignore all of the naysayers, all of the people who say, yeah, but that’s not an authentic or I’m sorry. Yeah, but that’s not authentic. That’s not really real. That’s not what it, you know, sure. I’m glad you’re you can have that, but I’m not going to eat that stuff. Like, you know, that’s that’s different. That’s other. That’s weird. I don’t I don’t I’m not here for the negativity. I want to be open.

I do think that, diversifying a diet is, um, important. I wish that if I had known now what I knew when I was twenty, I probably would have started diversifying my diet in a way to where I wouldn’t have the restrictions that I currently have. And I just want to be clear before I move forward. I was never the kind of person who sat around eating junk food all the time. I have been a foodie since the age of five. I’ve always enjoyed cooking and having different culinary experiences. I mean, I snack just like like the next person does, but I think a lot of times when people hear me talk, they assume that I am where I am because I did something horrible. I ate, you know, fried chicken and hamburgers every day, you know, for twenty years. And here’s where I- that’s not what happened to me at all.

Um, so I want to tell my story just because I think there’s other people out there who might relate to it. Um, maybe not exactly, but enough, you know, it’ll be relatable. I’m also inviting other people to share their stories because this isn’t all about me. I have several friends who have, like, food restrictions, and I’ve been testing recipes and techniques not because I need them, just because I want to be able to share it with them. I, you know, made a charcuterie board for my sister’s birthday, and I included things on that board that were gluten free because I knew she had a friend with celiac. I included things on that charcuterie board that were vegan because we have two friends who are plant based, you know? Um, these are not restrictions that I particularly have, but why not? I mean, it didn’t hurt me to be able to do those things, especially if I can do them in a way that’s delicious, you know?

So, uh, I keep. getting out of breath. But, um. So anyway, I just wanted to just kind of explain a little bit more. Um, it’ll make more sense as we’re going throughout the process. I’m hoping to, be including some of the, you know, things that I’m doing in preparation for the book. Um, uh, I will go ahead and let you know that the tentative title, let me pull it up here, because I have it saved up.

So, um, the main title of the book will be I wish I Could Eat That. Um, and then subtitle, I’m looking at thriving with nightshade and allium restrictions. And this will be an Knauthentic number one, because like I said, I’m already been inspired to write two other books, so there was a lot. So let me just put that all together. I wish I could eat that: Thriving with nightshade and allium restrictions: Knauthentic number one. That’s a mouthful. That is also subject to change, but, um, I just thought I would go ahead and just share that with you guys.

So I’ll be sharing some updates. Um, the book kind of in progress things. And then, um, hopefully I will have some guests to maybe share with you guys people who are comfortable, um, sharing their story, um, with me to share with you. Or maybe they’ll come on themselves. This is very much a work in progress, if you know anything, from my Toi Thomas channel, I talk about how I’m a whip. Um, this is an extension of that, um, um, this food journey. It’s been crazy, but it’s been fulfilling because I. I refuse to believe that because of things that have been done to me, that I have to be punished by eating rice soup and bananas for the rest of my life. And. But that’s just me. I mean, if you are dealt a horrible hand and you’re fine just eating bananas soup and you know, I forgot what the other thing I said was for the rest of your life, then. Okay. Um, I was not okay with that. I knew that there had to be alternatives for me, and I went out and found them.

And, I don’t believe that there’s any one way that’s better than than another. I believe that we live in a place and time. We live in a world with options for a reason. So maybe the plant based lifestyle is for you. Maybe it’s not. Maybe the keto lifestyle is for you. Maybe it’s not. Maybe paleo is the way to go. I don’t believe there’s any one answer for everyone across the board. You have to kind of pick and choose things you know to go, so maybe you end up with a knauthentic keto journey. Maybe you end up with a knauthentic plant based journey. You know what I mean?

Like, I just know that I, um, get up every day and I do some kind of, um, meal prep that I will talk more in depth about. And as I, as I’m doing it, I’m being as authentic as I can be. So hope that wasn’t too crazy. Hope hopefully it’ll be lighter moving forward, but I just wanted to kind of explain where this all came from, where it’s hopefully going. And, um, yeah, guys, I really, really would love, any comments that you have, um, suggestions for what you would like for me to do here? Um, outside of me trying to get like, people to, like, share their stories and things like that. But I, I’m hoping to just encourage people. And, um, if this isn’t for you, that’s that’s fine. Like I said, this is not the answer for everyone, but, um, if you’ve been, you know, struggling and you feel like you need a community and you haven’t been able to connect to one yet, maybe this could be it. Guys, please stay safe and be blessed.

Knauthentic number two starring Toi Thomas featuring no one else at this time. Topics discussed. What Knauthentic means. Who Knauthentic applies to. Produced by Toy Thomas in association with the ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnival directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas. Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack and YouTube. This is all for you!

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Hi there, yes, it’s me Toi. I know things look a bit different. I’m in a new place and am getting settled in. If you’ve been here awhile (on Substack), please offer me any advice you think might help me thrive in this community. With that out of the way, let’s get to the topic of the day.

Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more or sign up.

Optional Monthly Question: (The clip of this response is featured below.)

When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?

I never imagined myself as a writer. When I started writing my first book, I was almost finished with the first draft before I realized it was around 80k words. Then I started teaching myself about publishing after having a horrible experience with vanity presses, small presses, and co-ops. When I found this group, it was a tremendous help. That’s when I started to imagine that I could write and work part-time.

I’ve always been a practical thinker, but I sometimes wonder that if I was more of a risk taker would I be further along than I am? In any case, I imagined myself working part-time at a book or music store, or even as a tutor, and then writing my stories part-time to release 1-2 books a year. I did well for a while releasing books, but the income balance didn’t come, and then I took a step back from publishing to focus on being a better writer.

I’m in a good place creatively, but my health has hindered me from doing more with my writing. Still, I haven’t given up on what my ultimate writer dream has become, which is to share what I can with the world. I don’t have to make it big or change my life, though that would be nice. I just have to express myself and share my words- releasing them into the ether.

Counting My Blessings:

This is a little segment I started at the original ToiBox of Words to help keep me grounded. It has come and gone over the years and is currently hosted over at YouTube, but I always share it here. If you’re not interested in me Counting My Blessings, just move passed this section. This month I’m grateful for my day job.

See the full video by clicking this link.

The Muse Writers Center Updates:

Yesterday, I started taking the class Creative Nonfiction and Memoir 3, which I’ll be posting about in my new Knauthenic section of the ToiBox, at The Muse Writers Center in Norfolk. It’s an online only class and I really appreciate the convenience. Since I started working at the Muse, I’ve attended a Writers Conference, a memoir writing club, a prompt writing club, book launch, two single session classes, and a Food for Thought session.

I also co-hosted my first event, a write in. It’s Happy Writing Season! at the Muse and we are encouraging people to create their own challenges. I’m working on three short stories, one is a revision, one is a WIP I hope to complete, one is in development from a prompt I recieved at a recent class. Those are my goals for Happy Writing Season; what’s your writing goal this season?

I’m really enjoying being in this creative environment and look forward to learning so much. Here’s what I’m looking forward to the rest of this month:

Food for Thought: A drop in catered lunch and chance for a creativity break.

Heather Sweeney Book Launch: CAMOUFLAGE: How I Emerged from the Shadows of a Military Marriage

A Page in the Life Memoir Group: I went in person last month, but I may try virtual this time.

Navigating the World of Literary Journals and Magazines: a strategy for submitting

The ToiBox of Words & Knauthenic Updates:

So, I’m in a new place. There’s that.

In this new place, I’m going to start featuring author promos again because it’s inline with my role as a reading advocate. The author features that will appear on The ToiBox blog will be free and are really easy to apply for. Click here if interested.

I shared my first Knauthenic post yesterday if you’d like to know more about that.

Lit Carnivale Updates:

If you somehow missed it, I had two little video podcasts that I hosted on YouTube called, The Read Local Show and The Read All Over Show. I am in the process of bringing those back, along with two additional podcasts. Over at my Lit Carnivale publication, I’ll be posting about the experience of getting those podcasts relaunched and then they’ll be hosted there. We’ll see how this goes. Check out the archive here.

Patreon (fiction) Updates:

Since I’ve moved my blog here to Substack, I’ve made some changes over at Patreon. I’m encouraging all my Free subscribers to migrate here and take advantage of the various projects that will be hosted here, though they are, of course, welcome to stay and access all the previously public and free content there. Patreon will now be the place I share my fiction or children’s work only: short stories, ongoing WIPs, audiobooks; plus, some fun video vlogs that reflect my creativity. Moving forward, all that content will be for my Fan and Tribe members.

Personal Updates:

My health has been on a rollercoaster and I can’t seem to figure out how to get it off. I’m in a better place than I’ve been in a while, but it feels like sitting at the top waiting for the drop. I have good days, not so good days, and bad days. On the bad days, I can’t leave my house, but I’m fortunate to have a job where I can work from home if needed. On the not so good days, I may need the aid of a cane to get things done. On a good day, I eat four small meals and try to walk as much as possible.

I’ve recieved new diagnosis and new medication, but am still undergoing many tests to find answers to help me truly regulate. I’d like to get to a point when I have more good days, and maybe even a great one from time to time.

Despite my continued health struggles, I need to keep living life. Now that I’ve broken ties with my previous web host and can move forward without worrying about the little things, I’m going to do what I can and no more. Much of what I’m going through will be discussed with the Knauthentic community as I strive to use food to help me heal.

What’s Your Dream Writer Life?

Got any Substack advice for me?

It may take some time, but I promise, I will eventually stop by your blog.

After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:

Jennifer Lane | Jenni Enzor | Renee Scattergood

Rebecca Douglass | Lynn Bradshaw | Melissa Maygrove

Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #21).

Thank you for making it this far down the virtual page. Kudos to you! I’d love to know what you thought of this post in the comments below. Stay safe and be blessed.

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Hi there. Toi here.

You may or may not know me. I am a hybrid published author. I enjoy self publishing. I’ve also submitted to some anthologies and magazines. I share my bookish creativity at the ToiBox of Words and also at Lit Carnivale. But this is something new. This is a new platform that I’ve set up just to talk about my Knauthentic life.

And so Knauthentic is a term that I came up with for all of the people who don’t have a term that applies to them, I invite you to join me on my Knauthentic journey. I am currently addressing several health struggles, and I believe that food and diet are going to be part of my healing process.

I am currently nightshade free, allium free.

I am trying to reduce my gluten and carb intake. I am low-fat. I am dairy-free. Some of this is by choice. A lot of it is by necessity. And so I’m going to be talking about that journey and I invite you to come along with me.

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This blog  and site are now an archive. There are decades of great content here by me and all the talented authors who’ve been featured. I’ve moved my new posts to Substack. If it’s the first Wednesday of the month and you are looking for my IWSG post, you can find it here: https://toithomas.substack.com/ I […]

Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more or sign up. Optional Monthly Question: What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why? The most favorite thing I’ve written has been […]