I'm crazy about...

Alaina!





From very, very early on in Alaina's life she has made me laugh. Even as a baby. I thought to myself, that she would be our "funny" kid. She has continued to live up to that impression.

She has been in that stage that falls somewhere in between baby and big girl, for a while now. I sort of just want to keep her in that spot for a while longer. That spot where it's still kind of cute when she tells me "no". The spot where you can't exactly force her to eat her vegetables...cause she still too young. The spot that her cheeks are still so round and pudgy you could just bite em'.

She has the best facial expressions. She is funny, but what's even greater, is that she knows when she is being funny and sometimes actually tries to make you laugh. I love this about her.

I love how she still waddles a little when she walks. I love how she tries to run. I love her lisp, even though I hope she eventually outgrows it. I love her bright eyes.

I love the sound of her cute little voice.

She came into this world with a fierce determination and has given us so much joy every day since. Stay sweet little girl!

Whole Wheat Muffins

Orange/Cranberry Muffins-100% Whole Wheat

I got the recipe from 100 Days of real food and added 2 T orange zest and 1 C chopped, dried cranberries to the batter. These are really yummy. Hearty and just mildly sweet. There is no "sugar", just honey. I used fresh ground hard white wheat (my new favorite) flour.

Sorry for the bad phone picture. I left my camera in Idaho and am waiting for it's return. Enjoy!

Good Read

I just got done reading this great book called: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. This is the 'youth' edition and it says it's specifically written for kids, but it really didn't seem like a kids book to me. I don't know what the adult version is like, but if it's anything like his book "In Defense of Food" (which I also have read some of, but not all), it is probably a little too wordy for my taste. In this youth edition, he speaks in real people language, with no overabundance of flowery vocabulary, so it's reads easy and is down to earth.

The author, Michael Pollan is a journalist. This book follows him on a journey through our world of food, from "Industrialized" to "Beyond Organic". While you do get a sense for which type of food he prefers and supports, I still feel like he presents both sides and in between fairly well, without being too biased.

If you aren't too concerned about what kind of food you eat, this book probably won't interest you at all. If you are concerned and want to learn more about where your food comes from and how it is made, or if you want to make better choices in the types of food you eat, then I would definitely give this book a read. I loved it!

Homemade Granola

This was my first try at homemade granola.

Recipe:

3 1/2 C rolled oats
1 C cranberries
1/2 C raw sunflower seeds
1/2 C raw pumpkin seeds
1 C unsweetened coconut
1/2 C raw, sliced almonds
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t allspice

Mix all the dry stuff together. Then, in a small pot melt 6T unsalted butter and 1/2 C Honey. Once butter is melted add 2t Vanilla Extract. Pour over the dry stuff, mix it all in and spread on a baking sheet. Cook at 250 for 75 min. Let it cool before breaking it up into pieces.

My opinion: It needs some salt! But I think it will be good on yogurt.

Anyone else have any tasty, healthy granola recipes?

Red Mountain Egg Farm

I came across this place during my internet search for local chickens. It's called Red Mountain Egg Farm and it's right here in our area.

I ordered my eggs yesterday and they were delivered right to my doorstep tonight by the Farmer himself. What service!

These eggs are between 1-2 days old. Fresh! I love the idea of knowing where my food is coming from and it's also fun to teach my kids where our food comes from too. Katelyn was a little confused when the eggs came. She thought there were chickens inside. And I also love the idea of buying and supporting local people.

I am sure a lot of people think this might be unnecessary, but I personally am excited about it.

I enjoyed reading their FAQs listed on their website.

http://redmountaineggs.com/questions.html

Red Mountain Egg Farm

Whole Wheat Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ask and ye shall receive.

Whole Wheat Sugar Cookie Recipe

2 3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour (I used white wheat)
1 C sugar (I used Raw Demerara Cane sugar)
3/4 C butter, softened
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add to dry mix and blend it all together.

Put dough in plastic wrap (it will be pretty soft) and refrigerate for about an hour. Take the dough out and roll it out on a lightly floured surface about 1/4" thick. Use cookie cutters...you know the drill.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes (my oven needed 11 minutes)

Blah Day

It's one of those days. Cranky beyond cranky and for no "good" reason. I keep trying to hide from my kids. I go downstairs, they come downstairs. So I go back upstairs and pretty soon they are upstairs. Sometimes Mommy just wants to be ALL ALONE! I wonder what my neighbors would think if I went out onto the back deck and screamed. Very loudly.

I went to the gym at 8:30am. Got a good workout in. Managed to make it 5 miles on the treadmill and then do some upper body exercises. Still haven't showered and I look nasty! I like to remind myself on days like this, when I feel like crap, that I have accomplished a few good things. I worked out (although, one of the reasons I am cranky is because think I have Plantar Fasciitis and I refuse to stop running). I vacuumed out the nasty car after our long road trip this weekend. I have done some laundry. I have mostly cleaned the kitchen. I have fed my children and kept them alive. Oh, and I got the sugar cookies made for Katelyn's Valentine's Day party tomorrow. Since I threw out all of my white flour, I tried a whole wheat version. I used a combination of soft white wheat and regular white wheat along with Raw Demerara Cane Sugar. Guess what? They taste great!

Now, I need to do something meaningful. Perhaps read stories?

Cleanse: Day 3

Day 3: Final day and last time I ever try this...maybe.



I have not exactly followed protocol today. But here is the outline:

Morning: 32 oz pure Alkaline water with lemon

Breakfast: Green Smoothie (16-32oz)
2 big handfuls spinach, de-veined
1 C frozen berries
1 t coconut oil
1 T chia seeds
2 C Almond milk
Blend until smooth

I forgot the coconut oil. Woops. And I definitely only drank 16 oz of that thing. It wasn't disgusting, but it wasn't delicious either. To me. Justin drank the other 16 oz and he said it was pretty good. I have a fairly sensitive palate.

Mid-Morning: Exercise and drink herbal tea or Alkaline water to replenish. I ran 3.5 miles outside because it was another gorgeous day today. Good run too! I actually at a banana and possibly another small piece of that gingerbread "cake", then went on my run, then did the Green Smoothie.

Lunch: Balancing Broth (not having that because I tossed what was left) & Orange Spinach Salad with Tahini dressing. *What actually happened today was that I got caught up in grinding some hard white wheat berries into flour and making a new bread recipe, which is absolutely divine! And I had a piece of warm, fresh, whole-wheat bread with some butter and homemade spiced peach jam. It was heavenly.

Afternoon: Have another green smoothie (Oh c'mon! Seriously?!) and try to get some rest time. *Didn't happen today. And I did not have another green smoothie.

Dinner: Start with Smart Cocktail or Ecstatic Elixir (Razzle-Dazzle cocktail again), then a salad on mixed greens with grated carrots, beets, purple cabbage and an Avocado Dressing. Have a side of steamed broccoli & onions with Braggs Liquid Aminos. (I don't have that last ingredient and I am not going to have the onions with my broccoli) *What happened today with dinner is there was no Elixir and I planned on making the Orange Spinach Salad with Tahini dressing instead of what was suggested for the dinner salad. I made the Tahini dressing and it smelled gross. I tasted it and decided not to eat it on my salad. Went with the Raspberry Merlot again. So, the salad was the same as the lunch, but I added some avocado and omitted the red onion because I don't tolerate raw onion well. The salad was tasty and fresh with the oranges in it. I plan on trying a hummus recipe with that jar of Tahini that cost me $6.99. Hummus, I like.

*In bed by 10pm (yeah, right!)

I wanted to share some information in the textbook about Chia Seeds:

"Nothing compares to the chia seed when it comes to hydration and endurance. Once soaked, these tiny seeds open up and absorb nine times their volume in water. The seeds, once fully hydrated, form a gel that is phenomenal at keeping your body hydrated. This gel is also 90% soluble fiber, which is beneficial for your digestive tract and helps to lower cholesterol even more efficiently than oatmeal. And talk about an impressive nutritional profile: the seeds have twice the protein of any other seed or grain, five times the calcium of milk, and copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, essential oils for the body. *One word of warning: Don't use chia seeds unless you have soaked them for at least 10 minutes. If you eat them dry, they will use your body fluid to expand, and that can cause digestive issues and dehydration." pg. 28-29

Also, if you don't know what Tahini is (because I sure didn't). It is ground sesame seeds, which makes a sort of sesame butter. Kind of like peanut butter.

Today resulted in about 1300 calories or so. But the best part of the day was grinding the wheat. A friend from church let me come and use her grinder. I got to make fresh bread made with fresh ground flour. The other ingredients in the bread are: Honey, Oil (I used olive oil), salt, yeast, and water. Did I mention how amazing that bread is? I highly recommend trying out white wheat flour in your bread. Made from Hard White Wheat Berries. It's a lighter berry, and your family might actually think it's "white bread", but it is 100% whole wheat! Man, I love learning about this stuff!

My conclusions on the Cleanse: Not necessarily the most fun thing I have done, but it's definitely do-able. I was not nearly as hungry as I thought I would be. That was the thing that surprised me the most. I'm not a RAW food kind of girl. I mean not all the way. I haven't decided what percentage I would like to be. 80% maybe? I like my grains and I like some meat too. I feel good physically after eating all of this wonderful, nutritious food and I am excited to continue learning and making changes for better health, for myself and for my family. Hope you have enjoyed or gotten something from all of this.

My changes so far: (as for me and my house)
No white flour
No white sugar
Start using good oils: coconut and olive so far
No pop
Start weeding out highly processed foods/snacks

Day 2 wrap

I can't believe I forgot to mention with Day 2 this little nugget of advice from the author:

"If you are able to schedule a deep tissue massage or time in a sauna or steam room, this will be very beneficial. Doing an enema or having colon hydrotherapy would also enhance your experience and reduce any uncomfortable detoxing symptoms that could begin to manifest." pg. 35

Well dangit! I am fresh out of enemas so I had to skip that part and besides, the Smooth Move tea finally kicked in. And I only wish I had the luxury of having a deep tissue massage (sigh...).

After Day 1 was over I was already starting to question my ability to see this thing all the way through. Then I remembered how I was sharing all of this on my blog, (for all 3 readers I have) and I didn't want to weenie out. Plus, I weighed myself on Day 2 in the morning, just for curiosities sake, and since starting the cleanse, I am down 1.4 lbs. Sweet! Losing weight is always motivating.

Day 2 went well. Even though I am fasting, my will power is holding out. Probably helps that I have a real purpose to my fast, and no, it's not to help me lose weight!

I am looking forward to Day 3 so I can get back in the gym. Not sure how that's going to go because I do feel a little weak and kinda shaky, but I'll do what I can.

Day 2:

Before church I made a batch of the Balancing Broth, but only did half of the recipe, since I only plan on having a couple servings. It actually smells good, like a homemade chicken soup.

After church I made my Razzle-Dazzle cocktail and it was VERY good! My favorite drink so far.

And this is where things start to go bad...I served myself up a bowl of the broth and thought: "pass the salt, STAT!" It left a lot to be desired. It was kind of like eating warm water that some semi-clean vegetables had sat in for several hours. Which in reality, is exactly what it was. Then Katelyn asked me to make cookies with her, which I knew would be a really bad idea. So we settled on a gingerbread cake. A small one. Then, I begin to get cranky. I'm hungry dangit! So I ate not one, but three tortillas. Do I feel bad about it? Nope. Because at this point (today) I really do feel like I am starving myself. I don't know how people can be 100% RAW. Maybe their taste buds are dead? I could never do it. I would not want to do it.

So, I planned on having a salad for dinner, but never did. I had a small taste of the cake. Drank about 4 cups of water and had a banana before bed. Surprisingly, I wasn't super hungry. I have no idea how many calories I ate today. I'm not quite sure how to measure the calories of the 6 apples and the raspberries I juiced. I'll be honest, I am not really looking forward to Day 3. I am going to try and do it though. Except, I am not eating that broth. I tossed it.


Today's highlights from the book:

"It's true that industrialization within our culture has created poor dietary habits and a sick environment, but it has also brought with it another insidious factor that threatens our health. I am convinced that lifestyle stresses may be equally damaging, if not more so, to our overall health. The pressures of our everyday lives are at crisis levels, yet we have become so desensitized that the hectic way we live seems normal."

"The over stimulation and the busy pace of a modern culture leads to emotional and relational imbalances, lack of exercise and poor elimination. A high percentage of people struggle with addictions of all kinds in an effort to just get through the day and cope. Although it is a sad state of affairs, it is within our grasp to transform and alter the course of our lives. We just have to recognize the need, then learn how to change and become empowered to do so. Knowledge is power, and my hope is that this little book will surprise you, give you hope, encourage and equip you with the practical tools to redirect your life onto the path of reclaiming your own optimal health." pg. 7

I personally love the first paragraph I quoted above. I shared it with my Muffin Top group as well. I have had a long struggle with feeling like there is just too much going on in our lives. I have felt the pressure of "needing" to get my kids signed up for this activity or that sport or those lessons. I believe there is an unspoken, as well as spoken, expectation or feeling that if you don't get your kids involved in "stuff", then you just aren't giving them all the opportunities that they 'deserve'. And I just think it's a lie. I really do. I want my kids to have a rich and fulfilling life, but I'm not going to have us running around like crazy from one thing to the next all while trying to balance school work and home life and church life at the same time. And just because they have a bunch of extra opportunities doesn't necessarily mean their life will be more rich or more fulfilling. I'm pretty sure a lot of that comes from within the walls of our own home. Just how I feel. If you like that kind of schedule, that's fine by me. I just know that I would go loony. Quick!

By the way, after eating those 3 tortillas, I thought they probably aren't very good for me. So I was looking up recipes for whole wheat tortillas and came across a great blog/website/whatever you wanna call it. It's called 100 Days of Real Food. There's a bunch of recipes and so far, from what I have read, this is the direction I would like to go with food.

Day 1 wrap and onto Day 2

Day 1 went pretty well. I really enjoyed my Alkaline water. The breakfast smoothie was quite tasty, the only hard part for me was that it made about 40 oz. That is a ton of liquid to consume all at once...for me, that is. I was good after my first 16 oz. Lunch was OK. I really enjoy salads, but the dressing I made was way too lemony. I was puckering through about half of it. I missed my all natural Ranch dressing. A lot! I made my girls some wonderful homemade whole wheat pancakes for lunch (no really, they are amazing!) and I wanted some so bad.

Mid morning I started to feel some of the side effects. I felt a little light-headed, dizzy as well as just a hint of nausea (although, nausea is something I have trouble with on a fairly regular basis, unfortunately).

I was peeing ALL. DAY. LONG. Like crazy, which I thought was interesting because I have been drinking about 64 oz of water almost every day since I started the weight loss challenge.

I had some general "icky" feelings on and off through out the day. Headache, irritable, flushed cheeks, random mild sweating. I read somewhere that exercise would help, so I took my girls on a walk by the river. You can't exactly get a brisk walk in when your toddler is on foot though. Still, it was a beautiful day!

After our walk, I was really, really sleepy. And cold. I came home and took a hot bath with Epsom salt. It's supposed to help rid you of toxins too, so I gave that a try. Then I lied down on the couch to rest for a bit.

Tried the Chocolate Smooth Move tea, which was nasty. I don't really like herbal tea anyway though. And it has not done it's job, if ya know what I mean.


For dinner, I ate a banana and half of an apple, followed by another big salad with sprouts, avocado, yellow pepper and cucumber. I couldn't stand the thought of that lemon/olive oil dressing again so I opted for my all natural Raspberry Merlot dressing by Bolthouse Farms, which is mostly fruit juice and olive oil anyway. And only 30 calories.

I kept track of what I ate on SparkPeople (I use this to track my calories/exercise daily). I can't believe I managed to get 1188 calories by eating only fruits/veggies. I estimated about 17 servings. I am looking forward to some MEAT!

I was in bed by 10:30pm and slept well.

Day 2

So, once a month in our church we fast for something, a cause, I guess you could say. You don't just withhold food or starve yourself, but you have a purpose and you include prayer for that purpose, whatever it may be. Then you donate the money that you would have spent on the meals that you fasted through, to help those in need. We call it Fast Sunday and it is typically held on the 1st Sunday of each month. Well, I forgot that was this Sunday, so I am going to have to modify Day 2 a bit. But here's what is outlined for the day:

Upon rising: 32 oz pure, Alkaline water with lemon

Breakfast: 16 oz green based juice "Green Drink" (the recipe I chose)
1 bunch leafy green lettuce
1/2 head celery
1 cucumber
1-2 Granny Smith apples, cored
1 lime, peeled
Put it all through the juicer and enjoy!

Mid-morning: Exercise- take a brisk walk

Lunch: Salad (I am so sick of salad right now!)

Mid-afternoon: Herbal tea, Smart Cocktail, or Ecstatic Elixir. I chose:

Razzle-Dazzle Cocktail
1 pint raspberries
6 Granny Smith Apples
1/3 C Sparkling Mineral Water

*Rest/Nap for one hour (yes please!)

Dinner: Balancing Broth & Salad with an Avocado Dressing

For the broth:
2 onions scrubbed, skin left on
4 carrots, not peeled
4 stalks celery
2 potatoes, any variety, scrubbed, skin on
2 C broccoli
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 C fresh chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
1.5" piece of kombu seaweed (couldn't find it, so I'm skipping that)
1 t each of thyme and basil-fresh or dried
pinch of cayenne, if desired

Chop it all up, put in a stock pot cover with 10 C pure, filtered water and bring to boil. Cook over low heat for one hour. Cool, strain, discard veggies and store broth in airtight container.

*In bed by 10pm

In closing, here is some food for thought (pun intended)~Taken from the book. *published in 2010

"Catastrophic disease in America is an epidemic. This year 35% of all deaths will be due to cardiovascular disease. At least 1 in 4 deaths are from cancer. Every single day, just under 8,000 people die from disease, which adds up to more American deaths annually than occurred during the entire Vietnam War. Over 4 million women are considered to be infertile. Depression, ADD, chronic fatigue syndrome, PMS and Fibromyalgia affect 70% of American women over the age of 17."

"The American Heart Association reports that among Americans 20 years old and older, 145 million Americans are overweight or obese. Over one-third of American children are suffering from weight related issues. The reality is that being overweight contributes to over 60 diseases."

"Before the 1940's, only a small percentage of the foods we ate were processed. Since 1940, the consumption of whole grains has decreased by at least 50%. The regular consumption of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables has decreased by a startling amount, yet the quantity of sugar in our diet has doubled. The regular intake of processed foods has increased fourfold, and food coloring additives are loaded into nearly everything packaged or processed. Soft drink consumption is up 300% since the 1940's, and currently 90% of the standard American diet is made up of foods that have been processed in some way. Statistics show that 90% of every food dollar is spent on processed foods. Yikes." pg. 2-5 Raw Food Cleanse, by Penni Shelton

Alkaline Water

This is the book I got at the library and is the cleanse I am following this weekend. I am only doing the 3-day Energy Boost Cleanse, but there are four options, including up to a 28 day cleanse. Wow!

As I have become more aware of nutrition over the last couple of years, I do have a very strong belief in whole foods. Meaning, when I learn about eating whole foods, I get a very strong feeling of "truth", for me. I am not ready to become a fanatic and maybe I never will be. I am also not ready to make a complete overhaul on the way I eat, because frankly, it's too overwhelming all at once. Some choices I have made recently are to stop using refined flour and sugar (in my home). This one is a very easy thing to change. I am also trying to limit the "processed" foods we have in our house, but that one still needs some more work and education.

So, the cleanse: Day One

Luckily my kids slept in today until around 8:30. Shorter day means less time thinking about what I am not getting to eat today.

I start by drinking 32 oz of pure, Alkaline water with lemon. Alkaline water is a big deal in the world of whole/raw food, from what I have gathered.

Here are some things she lists that can make us too acidic:

• meat, including chicken, pork, turkey and fish
• dairy products, including eggs
• bread, pasta, potatoes, and baked goods
• cigarettes, and other forms of tobacco
• alcohol, Rx drugs and recreational drugs
• coffee and most commercial teas
• processed or fast foods
• sugar
• artificial sweeteners
• soft drinks and sports drinks
• no exercise
• stress, negative emotions, and spiritual emptiness

(And by the way, I made sure to acid myself up real good last night. Those valentine candy bins at WinCo got the better of me-sorry Stacey! {my partner})

She also discusses how dehydration and high acid levels both contribute to stalling weight loss.

"Your body retains fat as a protection against the acids produced by the lifestyle outlined above. Some of the acids are eliminated through the bowels, urinary tract and skin, but whatever is left behind has to be buffered and neutralized. Your ingeniously created system goes to impressive lengths to keep you in balance by storing fat, building cholesterol plaque, draining calcium for your bones, and leaching magnesium from your heart or muscles. When you're dehydrated, your body goes into preservation or fat-storing mode. If your body has been dealing with a major acid intake, your fat is actually protecting your cells, tissues and organs" pg. 22-24


All I can tell you is that this Alkaline water that I purchased at Fred Meyer is really, really, really good. Probably the best tasting water I have ever had!

And this goes without saying, but I am no expert on any of this. All I am doing is sharing information and a little about my cleansing experience.

Breakfast: Raspberry Love Smoothie (you can choose what recipes sound appealing to you)
1 pint fresh or frozen raspberries
2 ripe pears
2 handfuls spinach
2 C chilled water
Blend until smooth (really wish I had that Vitamix right now!)

Lunch: Salad with lots of veggies and a dressing made of olive oil, lemon and sea salt

Evening: Smooth-Move herbal tea (hmmm, hope that doesn't backfire!)

Dinner: All raw, beginning with lower acid fruits such as berries and stone fruits and then a salad

*In bed by 10pm

Here's to trying to live with better health!

I might be crazy

My friend asked me if I would like to be her partner, for the "Put a Stop To the Muffin Top" partners weight-loss challenge. (same challenge I did last year, just with a partner this time). I had success last time and lost 21 lbs in 3 months and took 4th place. Well, I gained some of that weight back and was feeling like I need to do something to get a few more pounds off, so I agreed to be her partner.

I was so much more motivated last year. I had just signed up to run a 1/2 marathon and had lost 25lbs since having Alaina. It felt so good. This year, although I got some of those lbs back, I just feel like I'm in such a better place physically. And I am struggling to stay motivated. And lets just face it, I really enjoy eating!

And while we're facing things. Counting calories = sucks! It works, but it's no fun!

Anyway, I lost some weight and then I was back up a lb at last weigh in. Some of my fellow contestants started the challenge out by doing a cleanse (a nasty sounding one) and I thought maybe I'd give it a whirl. I tried to do one last time, but gave up after a day. I'm only doing a 3 day cleanse and I still get to eat salads. Yay! Thought I'd document this to try and hold myself accountable, but I'm not going to make any promises. Don't be jealous of my iron will!

I have been trying to eat healthier in general, but seriously, don't you have those days when you just want to eat some good old fashioned crap!?

how to make a collage

Finally learned how to make a collage. Thanks to this tutorial.
It's only taken me a year or so to figure it out.

big deal

If you know me really well, you know that I pretty much hate seafood, especially anything of the rubbery or chewy variety. However, as I have grown (matured?) I have on several occasions been willing to try different forms of sea creatures. A few successful attempts have been made, but overall I still have a really, really hard time with fish. Hello? Have ya smelled it?! But I want so badly to like it because of the health benefits it offers.

Well. Let me tell you, the light has come...I think. I have been attending a healthy cooking class offered by a lady at church. At our last class, she showed us her meat rub and grilled up some Salmon. I try Salmon as often as possible because everyone always says to me, "Have you tried Salmon? You've gotta try Salmon". I always give it a try, but few times have gone over well. So at our class, I tried it and LOVED it! Her meat rub is delicious, the fish was FRESH and those two things together made all the difference.

I liked it so much that I went to Fred Meyer THAT evening, purchased a whole Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon (it's cheaper that way), had the seafood guy fillet it, and went home and grilled half of it up for dinner. I actually touched the fish and plucked out the remaining bones (which, truth be told, was the funnest part). You then put melted butter over the fish, then the rub and slap that bad boy on the grill on med heat for 20 min. Yum!

One thing I learned: If I am going to eat a fish, it needs to be eaten as fresh as possible. I cooked the second half of the fish two days later, and had a much harder time with it.

Oh, and the rub consists of: paprika, thyme, kosher salt, ground onion and ground garlic. 1 C of each. It'll make quite a bit.