Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Last Week of May's Challenge, Plus Our Menu for the Week

One of my recipe boxes!
Everyone here in the United States, I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! Taking time during your vacation and BBQ's to remember why we have the freedoms we have in this great country, those who gave their lives and serve in the Armed Forces. Freedom is never free, it is obtained with a great price and kept the same way. I hope you took time to honor them and thank them for the freedom you have.

Memorial Weekend is the unofficial kick of to summer. BBQ's, and families traveling, how did you find sticking to your new way of eating? Did you use this as a cheat day(s)? If so, how do you feel? Do you notice a difference in your body going back to your old habits as opposed to sticking with a healthier eating plan. Maybe some of those old aches and pains returned, or sleeping issues came back, it is important to take note of how you feel and the changes.

Maybe you stuck it out because you feel so great you did not want to relapse. Was it hard with family and friends questioning you about why you eat this way? What did you find was the best way to coupe with this and talk with them? If they gave you grief, maybe it is because they are jealous you have the courage to stand up and make the changes you need to lose weight, over come your health concerns, be happy and feel amazing. Most people are not like us and want to wallow in their self pity and not make the hard changes. Because, they are hard. They want the body of their dreams and all their health concerns to go away without putting anything into it. They are jealous of you! Do not give into them. Be an inspiration to them. Once they see you reach your goals and see how easy it is, they will have the courage to follow you. It always take the most courage to be the first one to stand up for something better. Others might want to, but do not have what it takes to be the leader. You were the courageous one and in time, they just might begin to follow you, ask questions, make small changes and see you as someone inspiring. You never who you are going to influence. Do not give up. I am here for you, you are not alone in this fight for real food.

Our approximate menu for the week, I make a weekly menu but that does not mean it does not change, we are flexible.
Mediterranean Meatzza, we will get two to three meals from this with leftovers. I might do a side salad with this, but maybe not. With a meal like this, we are eating our veggies and meat with one dish, so you do not have to have a side dish. Try this when you are planning meals, protein, fat and veggies all in one so you do not have to cook as much, buy as much, which equals you save time and money.
Caprese Grilled Chicken, not sure what I will do on the side, maybe some grilled veggies, yum!
Thai Beef Salad, I had this the other night at a restaurant and it was amazing, so I am trying to recreate it.
Indian Inspired Grilled Chicken Salad
Lime Infused Fish Tacos, in our house we adhere to the no meat Friday. I will have to post this recipe, I have non-fisher eaters who love this.

A very yummy week of food ahead of us!

You are only as healthy as your food.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's abundant blessings,
Jenn

Monday, May 20, 2013

Building a Garden, for my Recipe Box

Garden

Peach Tree
Pear and Apple Trees

We have been busy getting our garden planted! The trellises were homemade for the viney plants to grow on this year. Then they will not be snaking throughout the garden, making for free tortoise food! Our little orchard, yes it is only three trees, but who is counting, all have fruit beginning to grow! This all makes me very happy!!!

The great thing about this is, I have been building my recipe box for this months challenge with lots of yummy food. When our garden begins to produce, I can walk out, pick veggies and make some of these recipes with produce from my garden.

For those of you who might be thinking it is too expensive to cook with whole, real food, having a garden is the way to go. You are self sufficient, save money, have healthier produce, you can take pride in knowing you grew food to feed your family. You might be saying, but I do not have a green thumb, do not have the space, whatever your excuse is. Well, by know you should now I am not one to take excuses and have great solutions for you instead! Gardening is no different. I do not have a green thumb either, trust me. But, when you follow the Square Foot Gardening, anyone can have a green thumb. No one believes me about not having a green thumb when they see our garden, I just tell them with the SFG, anyone can do it. No room? Think again. SFG can be done in pots! See, I told you, solutions! You can begin with small pots and grow greens, beets, and maybe a pepper plant or a tomato plant to make fresh salads. Soon, you will have the hang of it and be planting more and more and everyone will be asking you what you do to have such an amazing garden with tasty produce to nourish you and your family. Do not be afraid to give gardening a try and see how much fun it really can be.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's many blessing,
Jenn


Thursday, May 2, 2013

May's Challenge: Building a Recipe Box


How did you do on last months challenge? Did you find it hard to eat more fat? Was is tastier than you expected? How do you feel adding in the healthy fat and taking out the bad? I hope you were able to notice a difference in your body, I sure did.

To take this idea of eating more healthy fat a step further, May's challenge is making at least ONE Primal, traditional, real, whole food, no pre-packaged, processed food, meal a week.

If you are already doing one meal a week, than try adding in another. Or, maybe try eliminating grains for the month. Where ever you are, take the next step to be eating real, whole food 80-90% of the time.

Challenge yourself to eat healthier and healthier because the better your food, the healthier you will be. What we eat, become who we are. So, if you are eating, processed, dead, pseudo food that is lacking in vitamins, minerals, nutrients, the building blocks for life, protein, how can you expect your body to function at the best? It cannot. When our food is lacking nutrients, we are lacking those same nutrients and then our bodies begin to fall apart. Disease, fatigue, not sleeping well, hormones not function properly, brain fog, depression, the list goes on.... For the thousands of reactions that take place in our bodies, we have to have the right chemicals to make it happen.

For example, if you were going to build something, we will keep it simple, say a table, and you do not have everything you need to make said table, it is not going to turn out well. What if you were missing nails or screws, something the hold all the boards in place? Maybe you have a few, but not enough to hold the table secure, it is not going to be able to support itself and will fall. How about the tools to build the table, like a hammer, screw driver, sand paper, a tape measure, it will make it very difficult to build that table wont it?

For us, the raw materials and tools to build our bodies, is the food we eat. When something is missing or not there, our bodies have to try and make due with what they have. The results can be devastating. The best way to make sure our bodies have everything they need so we can Thrive is, eating a nutrient, dense, rich diet of real, whole food.

Places to find these types of recipes:
Here, searching for Tuesday Recipes
Marks' Daily Apple
Paloe OMG
Wellness Mama
Chris Kresser
Nom Nom Paleo m
Civilized Caveman
Everyday Paleo

Between all of these sites, you will find enough recipes for months, even trying a new one everyday! I will post some of my favorites and new recipes I try. I might even put up a meal plan for the week so you have an idea of what I eat. Enjoy being adventurous!

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's abundant blessing,
Jenn