Today marks the first day eating the Clean Cuisine way. The FIRST week is to slowly introduce the new foods that will be a part of the 8 week program.
This week, I will be eating mostly salad, vegetables sauteed in extra virgin olive oil and lots of fruit. The whole carb is kale, arugula, romaine lettuce and any dark green veggies.
I will keep posting as I go along and let you know how it goes and what I'm learning from this experience.
One of the new things I've learned that I'm excited to tell you about it Pinot Noir red wine. The following will tell you a bit about it. Just follow the link below.
My husband loves the discovery of new wine. We'll see how he likes the one I found today at Trader Joe's that has a note of strawberry. It's called Santa Maria Valley. I look forward to tonight to end my day with a handsome hubby and a glass of wine.
Summer is here! School is finally out! Now, our focus has changed a bit. I have planned out the beginning of summer to be about resting. No limits to when we wake up. Stay up late. No major chores. Life has been good, as we've had our stay-cation.
Now, that part of over. That was week one. Now, it's week two. Our focus will be cleaning every room in the house, one by one. De-clutter every closet, and go through every dresser and throw away old clothes.
As we focus on making life easier by de-cluttering, I've also been focusing on our summer menu. I've discovered an awesome couple over 5 years ago, who put out a book called, The Gold Coast Cure. Since then, I've been following this couple, Andrew and Ivy Larson, for years, watching them on YouTube, reading their books found at the my local library. They just released a new book called, Clean Cuisine. cleancuisineandmore.com
It's an 8 week anti-inflammatory nutrition program that will change the way you age, look and feel. As quoted from the cover of their new book.
One of the major things to change, through my research is eating more fruits and vegetables I've heard this all my life, pretty much. Eat less, eat healthy and exercise. I've tried diet pills, quick fat reduction machines, eating very restrictive to the point of being overthrown by my cravings, which made me go bust and quit! I hate eating food that doesn't taste good. I hate exercising long periods of time! I am not easily motivated, unless I know I can do it!
That's why I'm excited to have a plan to eat whole-foods, that will help me put together good home cooked meals for my entire family. Plus, the exercise is only 30 minutes, three days a week. I can do this! You can find Ivy Larson's easy exercise workouts for free on YouTube. Just search, Ivy Larson Workout.
Now the adventure begins....
I'll give you updates on my progress. And any tips of what is working for me.
There is good news about maple syrup. I never imagined, something so sweet would actually be good for you. Here is an article I found::
Expert Insight
A report in the January 2009 issue of the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association states that maple syrup has a higher antioxidant content than processed pure sugar. Antioxidants are believed to be helpful in preventing health conditions that are based upon oxidative damage to the body -- examples of such conditions include cardiovascular disease, cancer and degenerative disorders. Plant saps and syrups such as maple syrup were found to be preferable to processed sugar in terms of antioxidant content, so maple syrup would be a better food choice than white sugar if you want to increase your antioxidant intake.
This is good news to people like me, who are embarking on this new journey of eating whole foods in their natural form. Eating dessert every now and then is a craving I can't resist! So, this helps. I hope it helps you, too, to be informed.
The following is a recipe I found last night. I made these for my family and friends and they were amazed at how yummy they were. I'll share it with you! You can find this recipe and others like it at the blog "Finding My Niche."
Whole Food No Bake Cookies (Sugar/Dairy/Gluten Free)
Version 1 - very sweet, less chewy
*This is GAPS-legal using honey
2/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
1/4 cup coconut oil
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup sun butter (or peanut butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded or flaked coconut
Over medium heat, combine maple syrup, coconut oil, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and turn down heat to a simmer. Stir constantly for 3 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in sun butter, vanilla, and coconut. Place by tablespoonfuls onto waxed or parchment paper and set in the refrigerator to set up (about 30 minutes).
Version 2 - slightly less sweet, more chewy
(pictured above)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon pre-soaked and cooked white quinoa
Over medium heat, combine honey, coconut oil, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and turn down heat to a simmer. Stir constantly for 3 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, coconut, and quinoa. Place by tablespoonfuls onto waxed or parchment paper and set in the refrigerator to set up (about 30 minutes).
I was watching a romantic movie with my daughter the other night. If you're like me, you love the gitty feeling when the couple in the end get together. I get teary eyed when the man proclaims his love for the girl of his dreams. Or when the woman realizes she would make the biggest mistake in her life, if she doesn't go get her man. So she's running with all her might to catch him before he leaves. And the final scene, when she finds him, he looks at her and they both run towards each other and embrace. She tells him what a mistake she made and wants to be with him for the rest of her life. This scenario is in so many romantic movies, it's pretty predictable. I've included in this blog a trailer from my favorite movie of all times.
Romance has been apart of my story. Being a bride to my dream man, has had those " raise your leg," moments, when I couldn't imagine my life without him. If you have watched, It's a Wonderful Life, when Jimmy Stewart kisses his wife, and her leg goes up. I felt that way when my husband to be looked into my eyes, when we were just dating. I was so full of hopes for a sweet, beautiful wedding, and romantic filled life. To live that life ever after.
What I imagined does happen, now. There are those moments that my darling husband will look me in the eyes, and I melt all over again. Or when I'm not expecting him, and he decides to come and drop in at my work to visit me. My heart jumps to think he is here, just to see me. It is those romantic gestures that stokes that romantic part of me.
But lets get real. For those who have been married for over a year or so, you know that the dreams of a married life filled with romance and gushy feelings, is not reality. If you aren't married, this may be a shock, and you just may not believe it!
The truth is marriage takes work. You have to put into it, time and forgiveness. You have to work out your differences and when major decisions are made, you have to be willing to say, ok, let's do it your way.
But today, I want to talk about something that I've been faced with in my marriage. I've already overcome many lessons that has taken time to learn. But this one was the one lesson that came through brokenness.
I'll tell you, if I knew I'd go through shattering, hurtful, down-right painful experiences in marriage, I'd probably run the other way. What I know now vs. what I knew then, was only going to happen through the road I have taken. Only experience can prepare you for the different phases of a married life. But can I just tell you, it is those painful, hurtful, shattering moments I experienced that brought me to really know what God meant when he said, know me, learn of me and follow my ways.
Sometimes, we can come to that crossroads of choosing a path that may look like, one way is easy and one way is hard. I've faced those crossroads to see it as, one way is life and one way is death. For me, in my marriage, that crossroad looked like, this way of divorce would be easy but would bring death, and this way of staying in the marriage and going through the process is hard but will lead to life.
It was a life changing moment, as I sunk to my knees in prayer one day. It was through my broken heart, crying out to God to take this pain away from me that I heard a gentle voice prodding me to think differently. Instead of looking at it as a choice, it became clear it wasn't a choice but my calling as a wife, to bear all things, to love unconditionally, to separate my womanly desire for romance and gushy love, to excepting my part as a warrior in the spirit, to face the true enemy of my soul, and choose life, that can only be found through submission.
Now, submission, at least in my lifetime, has had a bad taste in my mouth. But what I heard, while on my knees, wasn't a submission to my husband (I will explain later), but a submission to Him. Ultimately, I was being encouraged to follow in obedience to Christ, to follow the road of truth that I am not able in myself to live out my life, in my flesh, but only unto God, who is able to help me, in His strength, to overcome this sin in my life, and submit to my husband in all things through my submission to Christ. It was like I was given my new orders. My calling was not a distant missions trip, or laying hands on people (though that is part of it), it is to lay down my life of romantic notions, and gushy love, and to find my fulfillment in surrender to the King.
It doesn't mean I can't have romance, nor that I"m not to submit to my husband. But that I was trying to outwardly do the right thing, and was unsatisfied because it wasn't working. I did the, I will work on this harder, to make it work, only to find my efforts of submission was not enough. My heart wanted to do the right thing, but my flesh wanted to have it's own way. It was two worlds finally colliding and one had to give. That is the crossroads. Am I going to choose my way, which is a death to a marriage OR am I going to choose HIS way, which is life to my very soul.
That day, I chose His way. When I opened my heart to Him, I realized that my sin of selfishness and wanting things my WAY was grievous. My heart was pricked with conviction to change. Jesus has wanted me to open my eyes and see the greatest joy of loving someone, even in their failures and making a choice to give of myself, to the love of my life, and choose to never give up. The sweetest reward has been the joy of laying down my life everyday. It's not easy! I am a witness that this choice can only be fulfilled by a daily surrender to Christ. But it is the way that leads to life. I am glad of it.
We can have hopes of a romantic life and wanting that beautiful life ever after. But for me, it was sacrificing my dreams that I had imagined in my life, to living a life laid down, in surrender of another dream, that means now, I am living for HIM.
This is how you OVERCOME in your marriage. When you've done everything to fix your marriage, and you feel there is no other way but divorce. You have tried counseling, talked until your head hurts and still there seems to be no alternative. Can I just tell you, there is ONE way, and it's not the easy way. But it is the way of life, that leads to true happiness. It's through surrendering your way to Christ. Allowing Him to strip your inward self that wants it's own way and coming in alignment to true obedience to Christ, to choose HIS way, of loving through HIM, and following his way through TRUE forgiveness and allowing HIM to love through you. It's worth it!!!! You can read more about this as I post more down the road.
I have a video a friend of mine shared on Facebook, that I want to share with you. It shows what true married love looks like. Please watch.
The following link will take you to my favorite store of all times. I've put on a Victorian Tea Party every year for the past 5 years.
One of the perks of this event is finding that perfect dress to wear. http://www.victoriantradingco.com/catindex/C2-3.html
This year, I found the most beautiful dress, that is so romantic, and fits me like a glove. The intricate details are exquisite. The way it makes me feel when I'm in it, is out of this world.
It looks even better in real life, then this picture. Seriously, you know you look good, when people want to feel your clothes and can't stop complimenting you on how beautiful you look. All I know is, we all love beautiful things. I love to decorate my home. Most everything I do comes from the inspiration of beautiful things. Even those vintage things of the past that makes you appreciate the simple life. When there was no TV. When family meant something, as evenings were spent around the dining room table, talking and visiting, which was part of a nightly routine. For me, and probably for you, is why I am smitten by old vintage stuff. I long for a bygone way of life that feels like home. Where there is comfort in doing the simple things that seems to have been lost. It is an intentional, purposeful mindset to grab a hold of that past. To fit evening dinners around the dining room table. To purposely spend time with your spouse and kids. But to also, have friends over for tea, to just talk about life, and to share visions and goals. That makes for this moment to be special and not so hurried. This dress, speaks that to me. I hope to be able to wear it as many times as I can. Why not?
For several years now, I've taken this to heart, to find out more about the state of where our food industry has taken us as a nation. I've grown more and more alarmed at the liberties SCIENCE has taken to inject our food with chemicals that can change the next generations.
The good news in all of this, is there is a way to prevent our next generation to experience health issues, in the degree that could happen, if we don't take action.
1. STOP buying store bought, prepared foods, in the grocery store. And START buying foods that are in their original form, like fruits and vegetables. Get knowledgeable information at your local LIBRARY, and find those scrumptious recipes for bread, whole food dinners, easy snack and lunch ideas for your kids, and healthy alternatives for sweet desserts. Other resources is AMAZON with their USED books, if you're wanting one to keep.
2. REALIZE this is doable! You can do it! My favorite resources that has inspired me to take that leap is reading the blog from, 100 Days of Real Food. That and, Kelly the Kitchen Kop. There are so many other bloggers with awesome tried and true recipes and whole food ideas, that they've experimented with, and settled on the ones their kids love, and make these their daily, regular go to recipes that they share with their readers. I've tried many of these recipes and have experienced my kids loving the foods I've prepared. It has changed me to believe this is a doable change!
I'm inspired to be a mom that changes my kids future, so that they can in turn change their kids future, through simply taking a stand and eating the original way God intended. These are scary times, but it doesn't have to be too scary to change this moment in time. I want to inspire you, as I, too, am embarking on a new way of life, to take this journey worth traveling, and join the many others, who are willing to say no to the norm we've been accustomed to and say yes to a more simple clean way of eating.
If you walk into my kitchen, you will notice my beautiful herb garden on my window sill. My husband and I had a recent remodel of our home. We had granite counter tops put in. One of the things my husband wanted the most was granite put in our window sill behind our sink. Without fail, every window sill we've had has been ruined because of the water that gets on them due to watering my plants. Now, it is soooo nice to not worry and water my herb plants when needed.
One thing I've learned as I've been taking care of my precious garden, is there is a limit to how often you water them. You have to water them every few days if not longer. DO NOT OVER WATER! Please comment below and share your advise on proper care or advise on how to have a healthy herb garden. Thanks!
My favorite part of having herbs close at hand is when I'm cooking. I'll grab some herbs, rinse them, cut them up and put them in mostly everything I can. My favorite herb right now is BASIL. The smell and taste is divine in most of my dishes.
My new discovery is DILL scones. I never would have thought that would taste good in a scone. Oh my gosh! It is so yummy! Especially with crunchy Parmesan cheese melted on top. If you look really close to the first picture. You can see my tall basil plant in the middle of the white flower pots. It has been staying alive, even after we spent 40 days at a hotel while our home was getting remodeled. I was amazed how hardy it was. It even grew tall over a large pot I placed it in so that it could reach out for more sunlight. That was my first experience with an herb plant. I was so excited of it's durability that I've grown an immense love for herb plants. And believe me, if I can do it, you can too.
The place I've found a good variety of herb plants was at our local fruit market. They're not organic, as I wish but they are a good price, compared to the price for herbs in the salad section at the grocery store. I priced it to be around the same price for an herb plant vs. store bought herbs in a plastic container.
Later today, I plan on taking my herb plants out of their black pots and put them in my new ones. I was looking for some kind of narrow pot to place on my window sill, and found these at Target for a price I couldn't pass up. If you knew my life before I started this new whole food lifestyle, you'd be amazed at how much this has changed my family's life. I haven't totally become strict yet, as we still have non-whole food items in our home, that we are eating. But anything we buy from this point on is purely whole foods. I have to admit, it is hard to say no, being still new to this, when friends and family want us to join them to eat the things we are saying no to. I look at each day as the beginning of saying no to chemically laden foods and yes to those foods that are hopefully GMO free and processed FREE. If you have comments about this subject, feel free to share below.
I'm amazed at how many people don't know about GMO. I didn't know until several months ago. And it was from a friend who posted it on her facebook! Since then, I've been researching and reading books on what GMO is. My discoveries has opened a door to finding many links to a conspiracy that is bigger than you or I. It is eye opening!
What I know is it is preventable if we just open our eyes and keep talking about it. One action I've taken is to stop eating GMO kinds of foods. One of them being corn. That has been my favorite vegetable. But now, it will not enter my home unless it is organic. I was saddened to find out that organic corn is not easy to find. My findings have shown that 90% of corn produced in the US is GMO. Which by the way, "GMO" stands for "Genetically Modified Organisms,"
Do your own research and find out how this is affecting your family. Corn is in everything. So, home cooked meals is safer. Putting ingredients in your food that you know is safe for your family is not only the rave right now, it is necessary!
Yesterday, I was outside most of the day at my kids school. (I'm the recess monitor several days a week.) Living in Washington state, you have to expect unpredictable weather. It mostly rains and even if it isn't, the clouds put an overcast in the sky of gloomy grey. But yesterday, the sun came out and burned my arms and neck! So, I look like a lobster and feel sore to the touch!. I was advised to rub vinegar on it to take away the sting. I did, and it worked!
But today, I'm enjoying the sun from inside my bedroom. I woke up hearing the birds chirping and feeling the warm glow through my large window. This perspective of the sun is rewarding. It feels wonderful to have the brightness fill up my being. It's like having a vacation moment. Letting go of the worries of the day, and just basking in the suns warmth and letting it soak in my bones that have been sun deprived for many months. Gazing at the flowers outside my window, blowing in the breeze. They are a sweet reminder that summer is upon us. This also means that school will be ending and lazy days are coming.
During this time alone in my bedroom, I hear nothing but my own thoughts. It's quiet and it feels GOOD! I wish you could be here to enjoy it, too.
The beauty of the outside reminds me of the beauty of the One who brings beauty to my inside. I'm one of those people who could just revel in having fun. If there's a party, I'm there! If you want to go somewhere or just hang out and watch a movie, I'm there. It has taken discipline to focus on what matters. The only way I have been able to achieve this focus has been through focusing on the eyes of Jesus. Life can get carried away, and time can be wasted away. It has become not only a necessity but the very breath I breathe, to spend time with God and hear His voice.
That is what thrills me when I get these moments. To breathe in truth and to know I'm not alone in my everyday trials and hardships. I have hope for each situation. Be encouraged today, that even if you haven't experienced this in your life. That you can. And if you have, be encouraged to keep pushing on towards the goal of knowing Him more. Blessings to you!
Another great recipe I found on 100 Days of Real Food blog. I cooked this on Sunday morning for breakfast. My family raved at the fabulous little egg muffins that were so scrumptious and satisfying. Serving my kids whole food has proven to be worth while and no one is complaining. We love eating whole foods and non-processed food. The favorite dishes we love is included in our new lifestyle, just tweaked and homemade, instead of from a box or a can.
Now, my husband hates quiche but loved these little Egg muffins. I used the bacon bits we put on our salads, which I think is delicious! The recipe I'm sharing with you is my version. You can give it your own tweak!
Breakfast Egg Muffin
Ingredients:
Bread- 2 slices
8 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fat free/2% Milk
1/2 cup Bacon
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese/Cheddar Cheese
You will need 12 foil baking cups..
How to put it together:
Put the foil baking cups in a muffin pan. Put some of your favorite bread at the bottom of each baking cup. I used Whole Brioche bread from our local Macrina Bakery. The best bread I've tasted yet!
Using a whisk, beat together 8 eggs in an easy pour bowl for pouring in baking cups later. Put 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup low fat milk and stir until fully blended. Mixture should be a light yellow.
Pour the egg mixture into each baking cup about 3/4 full. You will use all the egg mixture. Sprinkle the bacon bits on top as desired. Grate the parmesan and/or cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on top of each egg muffin.
Put the muffin pan in the oven at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes. You are watching for the muffins to rise and get golden brown on top. You can check if muffins are done by using a fork or knife. Insert it in the middle of a muffin. If it comes out clean it is done. If it comes out with wet egg mixture, leave muffins in the oven until done.
Here is my finished product! Don't they look beautiful? They taste fabulous, too! You can freeze the muffins and unthaw them the night before you serve them the next morning.. Go ahead and comment down below and tell me if you tried this recipe and how you liked it!
I have fallen in love with Mason jars! They are convenient for my kid's lunches! Especially the small ones that hold salad dressing, ketchup or snacks like nuts. But the best discovery has been how fresh things are after being in a mason jar. I had bought some strawberries from our local fruit market. I put some in mason jars and left the others in their plastic container. After several days, the ones in the mason jars were still fresh and bright color. The others were turning dark and rotten.
My other fun discovery is having a cute way to display my dried goods in my pantry. They stay fresher but make my pantry look organized.
When I was looking for these canning jars, I couldn't find them that easy. I was directed to search the grocery stores and Target. When I arrived I found the shelves were practically bare. It took some time, but I located enough to start storing my food properly.
If you have any fun uses of your mason jars, please share them below. I would love to hear what you found to be useful! Thanks!
I just learned something!!! When blogging, don't try and figure things out until you are done typing, or you will lose all you wrote down! It just happened to me.
All this week, I have been feeding my family whole foods. It has been a wonderful journey to finally get to that place of really doing it. I sent my kids to school with vegetables and fruit in their lunches for school. Not to say my kids didn't have fruit and vegetables, it just wasn't a daily thing. I even used those Ziploc divider lunch boxes recommended by another blogger, who you can find at "100 days of Real Food." I love this blog. So informative. My son, when he came home said he loved eating his salad with nuts and his little jelly jar filled with his salad dressing. (I will talk about my mason jar discovery some other time.)
But today, I was hankering for something sweet. I walked in the door of my home, after a long day working. Now mind you, I have had NO sugar all week. A thought of a crunchy sweet dessert overwhelmed me! So, here is my recipe I have had in my back pocket since my college days. My girlfriend who was from Switzerland made this for me in our college dorm. She told me this was their family dessert they had when she was growing up. I now use it at times like these.
I know, it has sugar. But it is brown sugar. I am not a fan of sugar anymore. I am learning to love Agave, coconut sugar, maple syrup and the REAL Stevia. So, you can adapt this recipe to use these other sugar replacements.
Whole Food Oatmeal Crunch with Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup cashews (or you nut of choice)
1/4 cup brown sugar (coconut sugar, Agave- not sure of the measurements yet)
1/2 cube butter plus another dab
Cinnamon stick grated to desired taste
Homemade whipped cream
How to make: Take a medium sauce pan and heat it on medium heat on your stove top. Put in the butter and melt. Add the sugar until it is combined.
Grate the cinnamon stick into the mixture. This will cause the sugar and butter to foam up. Add the oatmeal. Stir it until oatmeal is covered. Add just a dab of butter to cause the oatmeal to stick together. The mixture will start to get golden brown. Take it off the heat and put it into a serving dish or container immediately. It will become hard after it cools down, so not a good idea to leave in the sauce pan. I know, I did it and had to soak my pan and lost most of the yummy sweetness.
This being my first blog, I want to introduce myself. My name is Esther Lewis. I have the privilege of being a wife to an incredible man and a mom to three kids who I can say now have surpassed me in height! My joy in life has been to enjoy every moment that I have with the ones I love. This makes life worth living, as I try to work towards slowing my days, making time for what matters and doing the things that makes life better.
As of late, my life has taken on a new adventure. I've been discovering new ways of feeding my family and myself. For awhile now, I've researched proper ways of eating that is healthy to the body but also prevention of cancer. This has led me to finally take the plunge and get serious about doing it! It has simply been excepting that eating whole foods is not only better for you but not as complicated as it sounds.
I've been the type of mom that when I've come home from work, I go by the store and pick up a frozen pizza, chicken strips, french fries and plop it in the oven and presto, there's dinner! Or if I was really busy, I'd take my kids through the drive-thru and get a burger and fries so we could eat it on the way home and get dinner out of the way before I enter the house!
What an eye opener it was to see what I was doing! I was putting things in my families bodies that was unhealthy. But most of all, I was instilling in them a love for easy eating and not giving them a chance to witness a better way. At the time, it was what I knew. It is what we all know until we are open to see another way. I know! It has taken me awhile to embrace this lifestyle.
What changed my mind was when I came across several blogs about moms who were living this way and had already tested and tried their recipes and were posting them. It wasn't so hard after all! Cooking homemade meals seems hard but REALLY it isn't!!!!! And the cost? Seriously, you buy the things for cooking and it's on your shelf, ready to make. Once you prepare, it becomes easier. I make homemade cookies. It takes less than 15 minutes to put together the ingredients and another 8 minutes or so to cook. That's probably less time it would take to go to the store and buy them!
Later, I will share my journey and how I worked to feed my family whole foods. Thanks for reading...
