As someone who was recently diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, and has spent the last almost thirty years of my life without any dietary restrictions, you can imagine how hard it is now to suddenly become ill to foods I had been enjoying my whole life. My journey to wellness lead me to create each and every one of these recipes featured on Damngoodthyme.

With the diagnosis of MCAS came hormonal imbalances, leading to hypothyroidism and PCOS. What I was unaware of at the time of these diagnoses, was that diet would play the biggest role in helping me achieve remission and lose the weight gained from all of the inflammation my body was under. I began to prioritize eating high protein meals to help with blood sugar imbalances.

While working from home has its benefits, it always seems as though dinner time creeps up on me. I often find myself unprepared and in a hurry trying to figure out what to throw together and after a long day working, the last thing I want to do is be prepping and cooking a meal that takes over forty five minutes. To stress less, I focus on creating simple dinners that are high in protein and ready in under forty five minutes like these sweet and sour chicken thighs.

These tender thighs are marinaded in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, and coconut aminos- bringing together the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Finished off with fresh cilantro, the dish becomes a vibrant, delicious meal that can be eaten on its own or paired with cauliflower rice.