Menu 4/1-4/7

Monday: Parm Salmon, Tortellini w/Creamy Pesto, Green Beans

The girls loved this salmon when I made it the end of February.  I'll boil some store-bought tortellini and sauce it with this delicious creamy pesto that Amelia enjoys making.  Finish the plate with some green beans.

Tuesday: Dijon Chicken, Rosemary Red Potatoes, Broccoli 

Made this chicken on the fly once a few months back and it was amazing.  Girls have requested rosemary red potatoes and we'll toss some broccoli on the plate for some greenery!

Wednesday: Chicken Tacos, Peppers, Chips and Guac 

The usual chicken taco meal...using Frontera chicken sauce, and homemade guac by Lucy.

Thursday: Turkey Chili, Cornbread, Peppers 

 Turkey Chili from the freezer, cornbread from a Jiffy box and fresh peppers.

Gearing Up

Gearing up for the start of Whole30 on Monday.  Spent this week testing out some recipes, stocking up the freezer and trying to figure out how all this produce is going to fit into my fridge.

I saw a recipe for "Monkey Salad" on this blog and decided to try it.  If you don't feel like clicking the link I'll tell you what it is:  a handful of roasted unsalted cashews (I roasted my own in a pan because I only had raw in the cupboard), a handful of unsweetened coconut, and a sliced banana.  That's it.  It was pretty good.

Getting ready for enchilada sauce, simmering sauce, veggies for soup,
Mango Madness, toasted coconut...

I got bored of it though so I tried something similar and I named my invention "Mango Madness" which is just chopped mango, roasted chopped pecans (again, I roasted my own) and toasted coconut (I toasted my own and chopped it into little bits) throw it all into a bowl and you have a quick, healthy and delicious snack/dessert/addition to a meal.

Found a recipe for chicken enchilada soup I thought I'd try but it called for a small can of enchilada sauce...there is no such thing (at least to my knowledge) of canned Whole30 approved enchilada sauce so I found another recipe and made my own.  It turned out very tasty but quite thick so when I added it to the soup I got more of a stew consistency so I'm planning on adding chicken stock when I'm ready to eat it.

I'm halfway into making these salmon patties so I'll let you know how those turn out, should be good though.

I've also updated my "Paleo pancake" recipe...I've found it works best with either a quite large banana or one and a half small/medium sized ones.  Still just add one egg and toss in some of you pecan/coconut mixture along with a tiny pinch of salt and a dash or two of cinnamon.  Pour onto hot skillet coated with coconut oil.   Yum!

I plan to document (in photos and words) everything I put in my mouth during the month of April.  I don't think all my blog readers are interested in that so I'll link up each day with this new blog I started just for Whole30.

I've also started a Facebook group for anyone who wants ideas, encouragement and accountability.  Just let me know and I'll add you!

Hope everyone has a happy Easter!

Cyber-bullying: Two Tales

I'm not doing Pinterest Thursday today.  I ran across something that needs my attention.

Remember awhile back that Greenbay Packers cheerleader that was the target of rude remarks from a supposed Chicago Bears fans?  Remember how we all got riled up.  Called it cyber-bullying, couldn't believe anyone, let alone several people, would go as far as attacking someone's looks?  It gained national attention...click the links to see the story on:

ABC News
Yahoo! Sports
USA Today
Fox News

And watch her video here:

Outrage.  How could anyone call this young woman those nasty things?  She's someone's daughter, sister, friend.  She's a child of God.  We championed her for speaking up and fighting for an end to cyber-bullying, which we all agreed must stop!

Glad we're all in agreement so far.  Keep reading...

I've seen a picture of a young man on Facebook several times and the caption on the photo says "Describe him in one word."  After seeing that people I know commented on the photo I clicked the comments to see what people were saying.  Though I didn't see what the people I know said (there are almost half a million comments and close to 30,300 "likes") none of the comments I read were positive.  They ranged from "Hideous" "Loser" "Unemployed dishwasher" to "Worthless" "Ugly" and plenty more that I can't actually retype.

Child of God

How are we allowing this to happen?  Isn't this cyber bullying?  Shouldn't we be outraged?  Calling for an end to cyber-bullying?  Reminding him and those who called him names that he's a child of God?  He's someone's brother, son, friend.  Shouldn't he be treated with the same respect as the lovely cheerleader?

Jesus and the Pharisees disagreed on this point.  This argument is not new.  The Pharisees thought Jesus was out of line for surrounding himself with sinners.  For associating with the sick, needy and destitute.  They believed he should only do life with the righteous, the clean, healthy, self-sufficient, the law followers...in other words, them.  In their eyes, Jesus should only have given time to the Pharisees, as they felt they were the only ones worthy of Him.

Jesus said:

 “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17

But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Matthew 9:12

Man, I'm sure glad that Jesus came to save everyone.  Not just the social elite of the day.  Not just the cheerleaders, but everyone.

The Bible says our bodies are a temple.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

This young man has chosen to adorn his body in this way.  We might not agree, but then again, he might not think getting plastic surgery is a suitable way to adorn our bodies.  Or what about the extra 20-30 pounds that adorn lots of bodies?  Is that honoring God?  This young man might not think so.  But is he posting photos of overweight people asking for comments on what you think of them?  No.  He isn't.

Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1

God holds the position of Judge.  You do not, neither do I, nor does anyone else on this earth.  We will all be held accountable for each action and word while we were alive.  In the meantime, we are called to love.  To serve others, to shine God's light into this dark world.

I challenge you to comment "Child of God" if you see this man's photo.  Then send a private message to the FB page hosting the photo and ask them to take it down...cyber-bullying must stop.  And not just for cheerleaders.  Everyone gets behind the cheerleader, who will stand up for this man? Send the message that Christians love others-no matter what they look like or how they choose to live.  We are commanded to love, not judge.

His law is LOVE and His gospel is PEACE.

You don't have to agree with how someone chooses to live or what they choose to do with their body, but you are called to love them.  You don't have to find them beautiful but by rejecting this man for how he looks is not much different than the Pharisees telling Jesus he shouldn't dine with tax collectors and sinners.  And remember, we're all sinners.  And all sin is equal in the eyes of the Lord.


²⁸ And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. ³³ And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:28-34

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and yougave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them,‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Matthew 25:31-46

Mother Knows Best (and a binge story)

Moms...why are they always right?

The lovely Mama Cindy has been my tour guide through this new world of Whole30.  She's answered questions I was too lazy to Google, she's passed along tips and tricks she picked up along the way and has listened as I recounted every single thing I ate that day.

She also warned me to not under eat.  Continually asked me if I really thought that was enough food and suggested I really try eating a little more.

Oh, Mom!  I'm fine.  Eating plenty.  

Sunday night in "Asia on Argyle"

And then, the crash.  Sunday I binged like crazy.  It started with a vietnamese dinner with the bestie and her in-laws.  I'll spare you all the details, but the middle was a blizzard with oreo and peanut butter cups and I finished off hours later with a few bowls of cereal.  Lets just say I hit every single thing Whole30 tells you not to eat, and I didn't just have a bite, I ate them in large quantities...peanuts, grains, MSG, sugar, dairy...I didn't have any alcohol however-we'll call that a win in that category.

I woke up Monday feeling like crap.  Not the usual post-binge mentally defeated feeling that normally occurs the morning after a binge like that.  I actually got over it pretty quickly mentally and emotionally.  Physically though, that's a different story.

Sure, it was one of my bigger binges.  If this binge had occurred while I was still  eating "normally," I probably would have only noticed a little bloating and some slight sluggishness.  But because I'd been mostly Whole30 for a whole week, and I had already started to notice changes in energy level, decreased bloating and other amazing "side effects" of the Whole30 plan, what I witnessed on Monday when I woke up was horrifying.  I actually looked like I was 8 months pregnant.  I was SO bloated.  I have never seen anything like it.  All day I was drowsy, couldn't focus, felt antsy/unsettled and my body revolted.

Really?  After just one night of eating crappy that's what happens?  Lets not do that again, Linsey.

Back to the part about Mama Cindy being right...she emailed me a link to a woman's blog showing everything she ate while on Whole30.  Each one of her plates had considerably more food on it than mine ever do.  I also (re)found this link to this Whole30 meal template.  Though I'd seen at the beginning of my research, I'd apparently forgotten about it...

I realized that Mom was right...I hadn't been eating enough at meals.  That's why I was hungry in between and much more prone to falling off the wagon.  Further research has shown me that most people start to feel full before finishing their Whole30 meals but eating those last few bites will help to stave off hunger until the next meal.  Sure, you don't want to stuff yourself, but a few extra bites of kale aren't really going to kill you.

So, my plates are now more robust than last week's.  Here's what I've been eating:

Passover Seder at Church Saturday night...Chicken, carrot salad,
a piece of potato and some matzo ball soup

Sunday Breakfast: paleo pancakes with mango and blueberries,
sautéed mushrooms with kale and spinach and a single piece of bacon.
After my research, this is NOT enough protein or veggies.

Monday breakfast: Paleo pancakes made with toasted chopped pecans and coconut,
topped with pineapple, ugly fruit and the same pecan/coconut mix.
Chicken sausage sautéed with kale, sweet potato, zucchini and yellow squash.
I probably could have added quite a bit more kale or spinach.

Lunch Monday: Fajita chicken and veggies (peppers and onion) with a side of
avocado and roasted asparagus.
Too small for a normal lunch but I knew I was having an early dinner.

Tuesday Breakfast: Sweet Potato hash (peppers, onion, sweet pots,
Italian chicken sausage) with spinach and two eggs.  A fruit smoothie of:
Coconut water, banana, frozen strawberry and peaches and a clementine.
Probably could have used more spinach or another veggie.

Tuesday Lunch: Fajita scramble using left-over chicken and peppers from yesterday,
with mushrooms and fresh cilantro, topped with fresh salsa and guac.  A side of
kale salad (Whole Foods) and fresh fruit salad.

See...portions are much better Monday and Tuesday.  If you don't wanna click the above link for the template, I'll break it down for you:

Protein: 1-2 times the size of your palm

Veggies: the rest of your plate

Fruit: Occasionally a closed open palm (yeah, I didn't know how to better describe it...click the link)

Coconut: Heaping handful

Nuts: Closed handful

Fats (oils/butters): Up to 1-2 thumb size portions

So...truth be told, I LOVE fruits and I don't feel bad eating more than they recommend.  It makes me feel like I've had a treat because it satisfies my sweet tooth and cleanses my palate of all the savory flavors.

I'm still working on getting my full veggie intake, slowly but surely I'll get it all figured out!

Hello My Name Is

I heard the story about this song on KLOVE one day and thought...wow, what an amazing reminder.

Basically the story goes like this (sorry, I couldn't find a video or anything to explain it so I'll do my best to remember)

Matthew West asks fans to submit letters about their lives and he writes songs about them.  One letter started with "Hello, my name is (insert a male name here) and I'm an addict."  The letter goes on to explain just how far this man has fallen from Christ and then the love, mercy and grace God has given him.  He signs the letter with "Hello, my name is Child Of The One True King."

Powerful stuff.

No matter our condition when we meet Jesus, we walk away as a child of the one true king, forgiven, redeemed, set free.  There are no exceptions.

Spring Break

I'm off work today.  The family I work for is on vacation at their condo in Big Sky, Montana.  If you've never been, you should go.  It's amazingly beautiful.  And they aren't over selling it when they call it "Big Sky Country" promise.

I was there for a week with the girls and their mom last July.  Their mom was "working from home" so the girls and I explored (ok, they showed me around because they might know that mountain better than they know their neighborhood here in Chicago) and one day the bunch of us headed out to Yellowstone for my first visit.  It's simply breathtaking there.  Big Sky, that is...I mean Yellowstone is great too, but wow, the views from Moonlight Basin (where the girl's place is) simply are beyond words.

A view from the back deck.

I'm not exactly sure what I'll be up to this week in chilly Chicago (aside from double dog sitting, a few lunch dates and a dentist appointment) but I know my girls will be enjoying below freezing temps and skiing like there's no tomorrow over in Montana.

After thinking about my girls being gone I started thinking about my other girls...Specioza and Florence, over in Uganda.  What's the weather like there right now?

So, I went on Compassion's site and looked up more info about where both of my girls are.

Hoima

Specioza (13) lives about eleven miles north of the closest city, which is Hoima.  Her community, located on the eastern side of the country near the midpoint,  consists of about 8300 people where the average monthly family income is about $8.  She eats beans, fish, cassava, beef and millet.  Malaria, coughs, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, asthma, worms and typhoid run rampant in this part of the country.  Her and her mother and a few siblings live in a mud walled house with dirt floors and grass (or tin if they can afford it) for a roof.




Right now in Hoima, the daily high temperature reaches about 82 degrees and the nights cool off to 70 or so.  It's rainy season apparently, as thunder storms are forecasted almost daily for the next 10 days.

Mukono

As for Florence, she lives on the opposite side of Uganda from Sepcioza, in a community just northwest of Mukono where the average monthly family income is much higher at about $30 and consists of about 60,000 people.  Her house is made of a cement floor with a corrugated iron roof and adobe walls.  Several rooms of her house caught fire around Christmastime where she lives with her sisters and brother who is listed as her guardian. 

There is a wider variety of food in her area which include maize, beans, bananas, fish, greens, potatoes, rice, groundnuts, cassava and sweet potatoes. Common health problems in this area include HIV/AIDS, 
malaria and sexually transmitted diseases.  Florence lives with her siblings

The weather in Mukono is almost identical to Hoima with slightly less storms.  The adults in both communities find work (if they can) as farmers.

Needless to say, these girls won't be vacationing anytime soon.  They'll continue to do their daily duties of carrying water, helping cook and keep the house, as well as attending school and their Compassion site.

Can you imagine living off $30 a month?  Sharing that with a few kids and maybe another adult?  I've been there, as I know many of you have as well (maybe not Uganda, but other impoverished places) and I've seen how life is done there, and I STILL struggle to wrap my mind around it.

What sticks with me most about these girls, and all the other kids and adults I met in Uganda, is that though they don't have much, they are rich.  Rich beyond anything I can imagine.  They have so much faith.  Hope in the Lord.  And joy.  They are filled with joy.  Like I've never seen before.  My first instinct is to sell everything and move there-hoping to absorb some of that joy.  And if God called me to, that's exactly what I'd do.

Until then, I'll continue to ensure that my girls have access to medical care, that their tuition is paid for, school uniforms are purchased, meals are supplemented, health and religious education is provided and most importantly love is given.  These girls know I come alongside their parents/guardians and pay for the things they can't afford.  But that's not what really matters to them.  It's my letters, my prayers, my love from across the world.  The knowledge that someone, somewhere cares about them and doesn't have to, but chooses to.  That they were picked by God for me, and I for them.  God placed us worlds apart and the Holy Spirit brought us together to form one beautiful family.

Happy family!

I can't wait to go back and see my beautiful daughters in October.  If you would please pray for my trip preparations in the coming months I would appreciate that.  And if you feel compelled to give financially, please contact me privately.

Please pray and see what God has for you...is it a child in Thailand, Guatemala, Haiti, Ghana or any of the other countries Compassion works in?  If so, click here to be united with your child.  

Alarm Clocks, Enchiladas And So On...

I was super skeptical about this whole new way of eating.  When Monday morning rolled around I was ready to prove Whole30 (and everyone who swears by a paleo diet) wrong.  

I have the same routine every Monday...wake up at 630, arrive at work at 7.  Make girls breakfast, and around 730 make myself a protein shake (usually chocolate powder with berries and maybe a banana and some greek yogurt) and have a little sausage patty too.  Drop the girls at their school around 820 and head to the gym.  Run for 15-20 min depending on time and then do a cardio/weights class.  At some point during class I usually feel a little woozy...blood sugar dipping, lights starting to fade.  By the end of class I'm pretty hungry but I immediately run to the grocery store for work to get that out of the way.  I might snack on something I have in the car--clementine, almonds, protein bar, etc.  I'll eventually eat something around 1130 but by that point I'm STARVING!

This Monday, I got up at 6 (enough time to make breakfast) ate my hash with two eggs at 630 and headed to work at normal time.  I got the girls dropped off at school and headed to the gym thinking, man, I ate a whole hour earlier than normal, this gym class is gonna suck, I might pass out.  I ran a mile because that's all I had time for and then headed into the class.  By the time class was over I realized, not only was I still not hungry but I also had never felt the low blood sugar thing.  I ran errands like normal but didn't have a snack at all.  Eventually, I made it home and had a hard boiled egg at noon because I knew I needed the protein and headed off to a daytime babysitting gig...ate my chicken taco salad around 1 and still wasn't feeling that dreaded starving sensation.

What the what?!

It actually worked.  I was shocked!  I talked to mom about it and she was like, yeah, Lins, this works and I think it will be amazing for your blood sugar issues.

Moms...why are they always right?!

Ok, back to that taco salad...I love me some taco salad and for the past year or so I've been using ground chicken and mixing in a pouch of Frontera Grill seasoning...super delicious.  However, my pouch-o-deliciousness is not Whole30 approved...time to make my own seasoning...

Click here for recipe

I googled "Paleo taco seasoning" and came up with this recipe which I followed exactly.

Delicious.  I put the chicken over a bed of spinach and added some onion, tomato and avocado.

That lunch kept me full till late afternoon when I hit my munchie phase of the day.  I was good though and had a cup of this amazing Tazo tea I saw for the first time at the store...seriously the Herbal (decaf) Sweet Cinnamon Spice tea tastes like dessert...but no sugar!  Even Phoebe liked it!  She thought I'd added sugar, that's how good it is!

I also had a small handful of cashews to hold me over until dinner which I didn't eat until about 8pm.  I've realized I'm not eating enough post-workout.  Instead of having a post-workout meal I've just been having a snack and I think though I'm not necessarily feeling hungry at the moment, I need to eat something sort of substantial pretty shortly after working out.  I think that will prevent me from being starving later on.

All in all, I think this is working.  I've spent a lot less time thinking about food.  Let me rephrase that--I have spent a lot of time thinking about food, but not in a "what can it do for me emotionally" way, but in more of a "is this good fuel for my body" kind of way.

Lucy's Dinner...

It hasn't been without a few temptations though.  I made the girls chicken/cheese/bean enchiladas Tuesday night for dinner...so even though I'm allowing myself to eat "normal" dinners the rest of March, I wasn't able to enjoy these enchiladas because I had dinner plans with a friend after work.

Their dinner looked so good...but I wasn't about to eat two dinners.  Plus, four off limit foods rolled into one delicious item?  Seriously, I could eat the chicken, and that's it...no cheese, no beans, no tortilla, no processed enchilada sauce...but man, did Lucy's plate tempt me!

I decided that since dinner Wednesday night was going to be crock-pot lasagna, and though I do like that, I wanted an enchilada more.  So, I packed up one enchilada (sans beans--I make some without because Mia doesn't like them) for myself for the following day.  I'd skip crock-pot lasagna and have the tempting enchilada instead.  Which is exactly what I did.  And it was so yummy.  I topped it with half an avocado...you know, for some good fats...

So, I ate the enchilada for lunch...what was I to have while the girls were eating lasagna for dinner?  Think, think, think...it needs to have veggies, protein and be delicious.  Here's what I came up with...it's a little unorthodox but man, was it delicious.

I spooned a ton of steamed broccoli I'd made to accompany the girls lasagna into a bowl, topped it with leftover chicken that didn't make it into the enchiladas the day before.  Simple, tasty and healthy.

While I was eating that, I was also making "paleo pancakes" which are simply just one mashed banana mixed with one raw egg, a little cinnamon and a tiny pinch of salt, spooned onto the griddle and then topped with fresh fruit salad I'd made earlier in the day.  Heaven.  Paleo Pancake Heaven.

Pinterest Thursday

Here are a few of the meals I've made so far on this Whole30 adventure...

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata.

To be completely honest, I didn't have zucchini and I had something with sweet potato for breakfast (see sweet potato hash below) so I made my own frittata...red peppers, onion, mushrooms, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, garlic, bacon (yum) and 4 eggs.  I cut it into quarters, had one and a half quarters for dinner topped with guac.  Delicious and filling.  Had some leftovers for breakfast a few days later too.

Fruit and Nut Bars (Homemade Lara Bars)

I'm a big snacker so when the Whole30 plan said No Snacking I freaked out a little.  I found these bars on Pinterest and decided they would be a good option to stick in my pocket and munch on after the gym while I run errands and such.  I made the apricot variety just as directed but I'm excited to try the other recipes too.  I wish I could find a way to get my food processor to chop dried mango because I would LOVE a mango bar...but they seem a little too hard for the silly machine.  Maybe I'll keep trying.

Sweet Potato Hash

I DON'T like sweet potatoes.  Like, at all.  Not even with marshmallows on top.  Yuck.  So, when I realized sweet pots are about the only "starchy" thing permitted on the Whole30 plan I freaked a little...you get the theme here...I freak a little a lot.  I decided to jump in and give it a try anyway.  Found this recipe and thought it looked easy enough.  I used Artichoke Garlic Chicken Sausage from Trader Joes and the only changes I made to the recipe were: using coconut oil in place of canola and adding a sprinkle of cinnamon as the sweet pots were cooking...seriously smelled so good it brought my roomie out of her room to see what I was making.  I divided the hash into two containers (2 portions in each) and the next morning pulled one out, threw half of the hash into a pan to heat while I cooked two eggs in another pan and sat down to give this thing a try.  First few bites I wasn't sure of.  Then I mixed it a little more and man, was it good!  Two mornings in a row I enjoyed this.  Still have the rest waiting for me!

My pics (which aren't as great as the ones above from the original sites, but thought I'd include them anyway)

Top L: Frittata, Middle: Fruit/nut Bars, Bottom L: Baked Apple
Top R: BLTEG Salad, Bottom R: Hash with Eggs

I also whipped up a few Linsey originals...Ok, the baked apples are a Hannah favorite...

Baked apples:  I love a good baked Jonagold apple...I heat the oven to 350, cover a pan in foil, core an apple and then all heck breaks loose.  This time I brushed a little clarified butter over the tops, sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger then popped into the oven.  They took about 30-45 minutes, you want to cook them long enough until they "pop" you'll know it when it happens...the skin starts to pull away slightly and the flesh is tender.  I then added chopped pecans and a little more cinnamon and a drizzle more clarified butter...it's good fat, right?! Let it cook until fragrant then pulled them out and enjoyed.  Yum!

The BLTEG Salad: A bed of spring mix (or any greens I have on hand) topped with some crumbled bacon (I used two pieces I had left over from the frittata I made) sliced cherry toms, two eggs (I like mine over medium...whites done, yolks still runny) and a dollop of guac.  Stir it all up and enjoy...what the what?!?!  Yum!

And a few other pics from the week...my mound of dishes post cooking and the "oops, I guess that burner was still on" incident I'd rather not discuss...

Check back tomorrow for some thoughts on my first week of (mostly) eating Whole30.  And click here to follow me on Pinterest.  I even have a Whole30 board!

Prayer And Fasting

I spent the weekend fasting and in prayer.  My prayers were as follows:

*Remove food as an idol in my life
*Focus on spiritual health vs physical appearance
*Lean on God and not rely on my own strength to resist temptation and be disciplined
*Run my own race and don't compare to anyone else
*God centered eating and exercise going forward

My time in prayer and in the Word centered me again in Christ and revealed where I need to focus and which things I need to cut out of my life to reduce stress and striving.

As far as my relationship with food...

I decided to jump into this Whole30 thing.  (Check this blogpost if you don't know what I'm talking about)  I decided waiting till April 1st was going to be too hard...I was seeing myself binging until then which is not good.

Setting myself  up for success is the only way this is going to work.  My biggest fear is dinner.  I can (with the help of God) eat Whole30 all day and then dinner strikes...I cook for the girls Monday through Thursday and there is no way they are going to hop on the Whole30 bandwagon.  I decided to gear up during the next two week by sticking to Whole30 until dinner, then still making the wisest decisions possible...reserve a chicken breast for myself before assembling chicken enchiladas, put my spaghetti sauce over mushrooms or spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  And use this time to try recipes, get my freezer and fridge stocked with quick dinner options that are Whole30 approved so when April 1st rolls around it'll be an easy transition.

After fasting, I was psyched to go grocery shopping and start making some Whole30 meals...I ran into a slight problem...I only have one third of the fridge.  How am I to keep all sorts of produce, protein and eggs on hand when I only have half of one shelf, a produce drawer and a shared deli drawer...

Menu planning!  Turns out menu planning is pretty much a life saver...at work and at home!  I sat down, looked at my week and planned each workout and meal.  Made a list and minimized unnecessary impulse buys.  I vowed to try things I haven't liked in the past (like sweet potatoes) and give everything a fair shot.  I ventured into the world of coconut oil, clarified butter and vegetables like asparagus and brussels sprouts...

Next up...making the recipes!  Check back tomorrow for the first few recipes I've attempted!

Come To The River

I love this song.  The lyrics speak to a place in me that I haven't been able to adequately express with my own words.  The Rhett Walker Band says it all.  Take a listen...

One Meal One Day

How much do you normally spend on a lunch out?  What if you skipped that meal and donated the money you saved to feed hungry children?  Just one meal, on one day.  Do you realize how much of an impact this one small act could have?

Compassion International challenges us to do just that on March 27th.  Take a look at the video and for more info visit One Meal One Day.

One Meal One Day Challenge 2013 from Compassion International on Vimeo.

Menu 3/18-3/22

Monday: Breakfast
Trying something new...I love breakfast for dinner but not sure the girls are that "out of the box" at this stage of the game.  Growing up we would have breakfast burritos but since Pho can't have eggs unless its a baked item, that's out of the question.  I'll most likely do homemade waffles or pancakes with sausage or bacon and fresh fruit.  

Tuesday: Chicken/Bean/Cheese Enchiladas, Corn/Peppers 

Ok, I just make these up as I go along.  I spray a casserole dish with Pam or the like, splash a little store bought enchilada sauce in the bottom then assemble the enchiladas:

I'll cook chicken and pull it, then cover it in some encha sauce over low heat.  Take a tortilla of your choice (I find the small ones work best for my kiddos) and fill with some refried black beans, a little chicken and some shredded cheese.  Place seam down in casserole dish.  Once dish is full, pour enchilada sauce to coat, sprinkle with more cheese and bake 350 till hot and bubbly.  I have one girl who doesn't like beans and another who likes very little cheese so I end up making 3 types, it's obnoxious, but I love them and I really want them to eat dinner so I do it anyway.

Wednesday: Lasagna (CP), Broccoli, Crusty Bread

I'll be pulling sauce from the freezer, then assembling it in the morning.

Thursday: Turkey Burger Pitas w/Tzatziki

 I'll make this recipe for "mini meatloaves" into burgers and shove them in a pita with tomato, lettuce and some of what Lucy calls "Zimbabwe Sauce" also known as Tzatziki...I make the burgers on my Foreman Grill because I'm not about to touch my bosses charcoal grill...it's a little too fancy/expensive for me to use.