Meal Plan Dec 8-14

Last week was kinda crazy and I didn't stick to the meal plan. So there are some repeats from last week.

Let me know if you want any of the recipes!

Breakfast:
Breakfast pizza
Cottage cheese w/peaches x 2
Eggs, Grands biscuits
Apple sausage, Eggo's
BLT's
Sausage, leftover biscuits

Lunch:
Loaded potatoes (chicken, cheese, veggies, sour cream, butter)
Sweet beef & rice
Chinese chicken w/rice, carrots x 2
Heat & eats (before Gabriel's party)
Sketti (pureed roasted red bell peppers, jarred sauce, Italian sausage) w/pasta, parmesan

Supper:
Grilled cheese
(Church Christmas party)
Sandwiches
?
Cajun tuna pasta, veggies
(Mom's night out)

Meal Plan

December 3 to December 8
There's a lot going on this week that I needed to plan around!

Breakfast:
Eggs, biscuits/leftovers
Chicken, rice, butter, parsley
Sausage, Eggo's
Cottage cheese, peaches
Eggs, toast
Breakfast pizza

Lunch:
Leftover gumbo
OUT
Chinese chicken, rice, carrots x 2
Burgers
Spaghetti (jarred sauce, pureed roasted red bell peppers, ground beef), pasta, cheese

Supper:
Cajun tuna pasta, veggies
Sandwiches
Grilled cheese, veggies
Grilled chicken salad or sandwich

Sweet BBQ Beef and Rice

This is one of those thrown together meals. Everyone loved it!

SWEET BBQ BEEF AND RICE

1 lb lean ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1/2 jar roasted red bell peppers, chopped or pureed
~3/4 c. BBQ sauce
3-4 c. cooked rice

Brown ground beef and onions. Stir in peppers and BBQ sauce. Add rice. Mix all together.

Meal Plan

Breakfast:
Eggs x 2
Cottage cheese & peaches x 2
Sausage
Bacon
Carbs - still have 1 can of biscuits in the fridge, Eggo's and homemade blueberry muffins in the freezer, picking up Bisquick and bread at the store

Lunch:
Rotisserie chicken, salad, premade sides
Chicken lo mein
Sesame chicken strips, mashed potatoes, veggies x 2
(Out after church)
? (will pick something up after Ethan's appointments)

Supper:
Sandwiches
Tuna salad - salad or sandwiches
Greek ground beef salad
Leftovers
Baked fish, veggies
?

Wednesday

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Brunch - turkey sausage and cheddar wrapped in Grands

Supper - pizza - chicken, beef, lots of veggies (tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, red and green bell peppers); Ghirardelli square

Tuesday

No veggies tonight because my stomach, well, veggies would not have been a good idea ;)

Food journal

Breakfast - leftover chicken breast and muenster on toast w/mayo

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - Subway - steak and cheese on flatbread w/mayo, onions, lots of bell peppers; Ghirardelli square

Decaf chocolate iced Americano w/whipped cream

Supper - Grilled cheese (RF cheddar, RF provolone on oatmeal bread, cooked in butter)

Monday

This is the fifth Monday in a row I made it to the workout class at church :) We ate lunch late and I wasn't that hungry after working out. When I do cardio, I'm starving after! We did basically a Pilates class tonight. Good workout!

Food journal

Breakfast - chicken sausage ( al fresco brand, apple); toast (Pepperidge Farm oatmeal bread) w/butter & strawberry Simply Fruit

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - chicken breast w/Essence cooked in OO; rice pasta; sauteed red and green bell peppers; pineapple upside-down cake

Supper - Stonyfield organic Greek yogurt (blueberry)

Yummy Sausage!

I found a healthy, YUMMY sausage! Check out www.alfrescoallnatural.com/default.aspx We've had the Italian sausage one (great on pizza!), and today we had the apple maple one at breakfast. They're made from skinless chicken and there are no funky ingredients. They have a pork casing but it comes off easily and the sausage still stays together. This morning I browned the links on all sides (medium-low heat) in a stainless steel skillet sprayed with a light coat of OO nonstick spray (generic Pam). Yum!

Sunday's Meals

This is my free day and we almost always eat out for lunch after church. Today we opted to pick up something healthier to eat at home instead since my stomach isn't back to normal yet.

Food journal

Breakfast - leftovers - chicken breast cooked in OO/Essence; (brown rice) pasta w/butter & S&P

Lunch - Amy's frozen cheese enchiladas; Ghirardelli square

Supper - Annie's deluxe macaroni and cheese (rice pasta); Ghirardelli square

And, no, I didn't forget to record my coffee ;) I haven't had any since Wednesday! And no withdrawal symptoms either :) Guess that 1/2 cup a day isn't a big deal! I am looking forward to some soon though...

Workouts

The past four Mondays I've worked out at church. One of our members teaches a class. We do different things each week but she mainly does strength and core exercises. Jesse watches the boys so I can go. So thankful!

I've also made it to the gym a few times. When I'm there I do a C25K Week 1 workout. Last time I bumped up my speed so I'm happy about that :)

I hope to be able to workout more soon! I really enjoy it. Getting the kids out of the house to go? Not so much :p

Liver/Gallbladder Flush

I finished a 2-day flush last night. It's only been a little over 6 months since my last one but I felt it was time. While we were getting ready to move, moving, and after, we did NOT eat healthy :( It was cheap, easy, quick meals. So my body has been through a lot since my last flush.

It went fairly well. The first day I wasn't feeling good anyway and didn't have much of an appetite. I made veggie soup but didn't eat much. That night, well, let's just say my stomach emptied... Yesterday I had a bit of an appetite but not much. I ate another little bowl of soup but that's it. A few hours after I drank the evoo/lemon juice mixture, I got really nauseous. I had some heartburn and didn't know if that's what was making me nauseous. Jesse made me some baking soda/water (natural alkalizer) to try to help the heartburn. It's a good thing I had a big bowl in my hand when I drank it. Because it barely hit my stomach before everything came up :( I felt a bit better after but was still pretty nauseous when I finally got to sleep.

I was woken up earlier than I wanted but other than being tired and weak, I feel okay. I haven't had a bowel movement yet but all I've eaten is a piece of toast and 1/2 turkey sandwich. Taking it easy on my stomach and easing back into regular food. Tonight I'm cooking chicken breasts, veggies, and buttered pasta. Should be okay on my stomach.

Hoping for an early night tonight. I really need the sleep!

Monday

Breakfast - turkey sausage on bread w/mustaise

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - baked chicken thigh; green beans w/OO and Essence; Ghirardelli square

Later 1/2 cup decaf coffee w/usual

Before supper - 1/2 big roll

Supper - seafood gumbo (shrimp, crab, lots of okra/bell peppers/celery/green onions) w/brown rice

Monday

Food journal

Breakfast - biscuit sandwich (same as yesterday)

1/2 cup of coffee w/usual

Lunch - fresh chicken sausage (dark meat, w/feta and spinach); lemon linguine; romaine w/Caesar dressing; chocolate meringue pie

Snack (before workout) - Colby-Jack; granola bar

Supper - grilled cheese (white bread, RF cheddar, butter); tomato; mint Oreos

Sunday

Food journal

Breakfast - Grands buttermilk biscuit w/breakfast sausage and RF cheddar

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - ravioli (Buitoni 4 cheese) w/sauce (Newman's Own sweet onion and roasted garlic + pureed roasted red bell peppers) over grilled chicken (Tyson), topped w/RF 4 cheese Italian blend; garlic bread (French bread with butter and garlic powder); piece of chocolate meringue pie

Supper - slice of homemade cinnamon raisin bread (barely sweet) w/cream cheese (wasn't very hungry but felt like I needed to eat!)

Saturday

Food journal

Breakfast - breakfast pie

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - chicken Italian sausage; potato w/RF cheddar and sour cream; Ghirardelli square

Supper - leftovers from last night

Meal Plan

Thursday to Tuesday

Breakfast:
Bacon, homemade cinnamon raisin bread
Breakfast pie
Leftovers
Chicken/rice/butter/parsley
O'Brien hash browns w/breakfast sausage
Turkey sausage, Eggo's

Lunch:
Chicken, rice, onion gravy
This & that
Chicken Italian sausage, loaded potatoes, veggies
OUT
White chili
Burgers, cucumber soup

Supper:
Tomato pizza
OUT (anniversary)
Chicken and salad
Leftovers
Grilled cheese, tomatoes
Macaroni and cheese, veggies

I also bought a chunk of parmesan to shred and make crisps with to snack on.

Friday

We went out last night to celebrate our anniversary a few days early :)

Food journal

Breakfast - Breakfast Pie; Ghirardelli square

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - 2 fried cheese sticks; couple of chocolate covered almonds

Supper - Caesar salad; rich, super yummy, "simply delicious" seafood; 1/2 cupcake; little bit of decaf chocolate iced Americano w/whipped cream

* Look on my FB for a note named Anniversary Dinner if you want to see what exactly I ate ;)

Breakfast Pie

BREAKFAST PIE

Pie crust for 2-crust pie
1 lb breakfast sausage
1 lg red bell pepper, chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
5-6 sandwich slices sharp cheddar

Brown sausage and veggies until meat is cooked and all liquid is evaporated. Layer:
Pie crust
1/2 of the cheese
Meat/veggie mixture
Rest of the cheese
Pie crust
Crimp edges of crusts to seal. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Thursday

I need to start keeping a food journal again. I don't know if something I'm eating doesn't agree with me or it's just my hormones...

Food journal

Breakfast - turkey bacon; homemade cinnamon raisin bread w/cream cheese

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - chicken and onions cooked in beef broth with rice; Ghirardelli square

Supper - tomato pizza (refrigerated pizza crust, OO, Italian seasoning, cheese, tomatoes); mint Oreos

Correlation?

I never had gallbladder issues till I was pregnant with Ethan. During both pregnancies, I followed the Brewer eating plan. I ate lots of eggs, whole wheat bread and pasta, and drank milk. All of these are foods I no longer tolerate well.

I wonder if my intolerances were there to a lesser degree back then. And contributed to my gallbladder problems. Pregnant women are already more susceptible to gallbladder issues because of the increased hormone levels. Were the food intolerances enough to bring my gallbladder over the edge?

Food for thought... ;)

Creamy White Chili

CREAMY WHITE CHILI
adapted from Taste of Home February/March '01

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Oil to saute
31 oz canned white beans, rinsed and drained (I used navy)
16 oz chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz sour cream
1/2 c heavy cream

Saute chicken, onion, peppers, and garlic powder until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and cream.

This was SOOO yummy!

Feeling Like Myself!

I've been taking my supplements regularly (except for my multi) and I'm feeling so much better! I have a ton more energy and motivation :) It helps that things here haven't been as stressful. Ethan's behavior has been better. The PCIT is really making a difference (details are on my other blog)! Other family situations are a lot better too.

I haven't made it back to the gym but I'm hopeful this week I'll make it!

Cucumber Soup

COOL AS A CUCUMBER SOUP
adapted from Taste of Home, June/July '11

1 lb English cucumbers, seeded and sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c yogurt
1 green onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh dill, minced

Place cucumber slices in a colander over a plate. Sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well. Discard liquid. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Serve cold.

*Best if made ahead of time. Refrigerate until serving.

Meal Plan

Saturday through Monday. Tuesday I have an event that starts at 4pm and won't be over till at least 8pm so I haven't figured out what to do about lunch and supper that day...

Breakfast:
Cottage cheese/eggs, peaches
Bacon, Eggo's
My sausage patties in canned biscuits with cheddar
Eggs/leftovers

Lunch:
Honey mustard BBQ sloppy joes, cucumber soup (new recipe)
OUT
Creamy white chili (new recipe)

Supper:
Roasted red bell pepper alfredo w/leftover turkey, french bread
Leftover turkey in salad w/Craisins
Mom's Night Out?

I also have the ingredients for creamed carrots (new recipe). They were supposed to be for supper tonight but I ended up going grocery shopping this afternoon instead of this morning and opted for something quick for supper!

If the new recipes are good, I'll post them :)

Chicken and Millet

I had some millet leftover from last year when I tried a Chinese dish. The Chinese was good but we're not in the mood for Chinese very often. So the millet has sat on the shelf, locked up tight in a jar. That recipe is the only time I've ever cooked or eaten millet... Till today :)

CHICKEN AND MILLET

Big batch millet and onions:
3 tbsp butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cups millet
4 cups chicken broth

Melt butter over medium heat. Saute onions and butter, stirring often, until millet is golden brown. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until millet is cooked.

Additional ingredients:
Leftover chicken, chopped
Cream
Tomatoes, chopped
Salt & pepper

Mix the rest of the ingredients and millet in whatever proportions you like. I portioned the chicken into individual bowls, then mixed in some of the millet mixture - about 1/2 cup millet per 2 oz chicken. Stir in cream until desired consistency. Add S&P to taste. Heat if necessary. Mix in tomatoes.

Save the rest of the millet for another meal.

Yummy, healthy, and very hearty!

Thursday

I made it back to the gym today :)

Food journal

Breakfast - cottage cheese w/peaches

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - rotisserie chicken breast; roasted red pepper hummus; blue corn tortilla chips; small piece cake

Supper - tuna/peas/rice with a little mixed shredded cheese and cream; Ghirardelli square

Meal Plan

Breakfast:
(Need one more for tomorrow - will decide when I make a quick grocery trip tonight)
Chicken/rice/butter/parsley
Eggs/cottage cheese, toast, peaches
Bacon, Eggo's
My sausage, white gravy (probably Rice Dream white sauce with cream), Grands buttermilk biscuits
Eggs/leftovers
Smoked sausage, canned biscuits

Lunch:
Baked chicken, macaroni and cheese (Annie's boxed), cucumber salad
(Pick up something heat and eat while grocery shopping Friday)
Sweet Beef and Rice
(Sunday - usual lunch out after church)
Macaroni and cheese (Annie's boxed) with hot dogs, broccoli/green beans
Roasted red bell pepper alfredo (jarred RRBP, jarred Newman's alfredo sauce), pasta or French bread

Supper:
Roast beef (lunchmeat) salad with chunky bleu cheese dressing
Leftovers
Tuna salad
PBJ'S/ABJ'S
Salad with chicken
Burgers

Back to the Gym :) C25K, Wk 1 Day 1. Take #???

I FINALLY made it back to the gym today!!! I've been trying and trying to go but between trading sickness, my back, etc, it just hasn't happened :( Till today :)

Gabriel took an early nap. I didn't get much sleep last night, housework needed to be done, supper needed to be prepped, my workout clothes had to be unearthed (haven't used them since we moved)... In short, there were lots of reasons I "couldn't" go.

Jesse got his own workout moving boxes to find my clothes while I prepped supper. I left a dirty kitchen. I realized when I got there I also left my purse at home... with my driver's license in it. Good thing I didn't miss it!

It's been 4 months since I went to the gym. When I got there I didn't recognize the trainer at the desk (I assume she's the new one) but she smiled and told me hi. I brought the boys to the nursery and headed to the treadmills. One of the trainers (the one who did my orientation class) was doing a private training session near the treadmills. She stopped me, mentioned she hadn't seen me in a long time, and asked how I was doing. I told her we had moved and been passing sickness around. She was genuinely concerned and genuinely happy to see me. She asked what my plan was for today's workout. I told her my intention was to just get in the door and that I was getting on the treadmill to do a C25K workout. She encouraged me so much! Told me it was a good idea to ease back into working out. Said that I had done good just coming back. She sounded pleased that I had come in with a specific workout laid out. She told me I would feel so good once I got back in the routine of working out. I told her I had been dying to get back and got a big grin in response :) Just the fact that she remembered me and stopped me to say hi was encouraging, never mind the rest!

The workout itself wasn't too bad. I used the C25K app and had an operator error that made me walk an extra 5 minutes at the beginning but it went smoothly after that ;) I streamed the Pandora Christian Rock station through my headphones. That didn't work out so well. The music was too slow for my workout :( I want to get some MP3's on my phone and do a playlist. I won't be able to have it for next time but hopefully soon... Jesse suggested I stream Air1 through their app next time. I think I'll try that instead.

As for the workout itself... I ended up with a 10-minute warm-up. Which was probably a good thing. I worked up to 2.7 on the treadmill during the warm-up and used that speed for my walking intervals. My jogs were at 3.3. I'm satisfied with those speeds. I had to push through the last 10 seconds of my jogs, and the walks felt brisk but I recovered fairly well before my next jog. I think those were the speeds I was using in May. My hamstrings and butt were sore the first couple jogs but were okay after. I didn't really struggle till the last jog.

I stretched for a few minutes after but didn't feel very tight. I was HOT so I headed to the sinks and splashed cold water on my face for a while. It helped :)

It was hot outside so I didn't cool off completely until after I got home. Once I cooled off, I was STARVING! I ate supper, some dessert, then some leftovers before I was finally full :p

Looking forward to my next workout!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I looked for where I had posted this recipe to share it with someone and SURPRISE! It wasn't there :p So, here it is...

www.food.com/recipe/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-copycat-270550

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (Copycat)

3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons vanilla-flavored syrup (I used Torani)
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup milk
3 ounces espresso (1-2 shots)

In a small saucepan, stir pumpkin puree into milk. Add vanilla syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Heat gently, continuing to stirring occasionally just until steaming and foam begins to appear. Pour pumpkin flavored milk into a tall mug and pour espresso over. Top with whip cream and a dash of pumpkin pie spice.

Update

So much has been going on... Where to start?!

I haven't been too consistent with posting my food journal. I'm trying to do it every day but I decided if it's too much to keep up with some days, oh well :p Overall I think I've been doing pretty good. I've been hitting the chocolate more than usual lately but I think there are reasons for that which I will explain later...

Main thing I need to work on with my eating? Making sure I get my veggies. I've noticed I do better with eating them when I make a meal plan, and when I go to the store that has the fabulously fresh produce. This last week has been terrible with veggies because of the tropical storm. I couldn't do our grocery shopping till Friday, and that's the day the tropical storm started coming in. We didn't know if we would lose power so I had to buy canned foods just in case. I try to do it at the beginning of hurricane season but with moving we haven't had the money to do it. I didn't have extra money to do it last week, but I didn't have a choice. And what got cut from the groceries was the veggies :( We don't eat many canned foods so I didn't have hardly any in the pantry. I bought enough for us to eat at least two days just in case. And it really ate into the grocery budget... I'm looking forward to getting some fresh veggies later this week!

I would also like to lower my consumption of white flour. I used to eat whole wheat whenever possible and miss it :( A longtime online friend makes a homemade gluten free, lower carb bread in her bread machine. I have her recipe and plan to get the ingredients to try it soon as an alternative to white bread. I picked up a variety of brown rice pastas recently so I'm stocked up on them for a while. We like them better than whole wheat pasta and they're whole grain too! I would love to have some time to make oat waffles to freeze for quick whole grain breakfast carbs. Pancakes too. Maybe one day...

And now for the biggie... Between moving, trying to cut costs, etc, I hadn't been taking all of my usual supplements. I had gone down to taking a probiotic (necessity for me) and immune builder. I cut my iron dose in half and was sporadic at best with everything else.

And my body decided to rebel...

It took me a while to realize what was causing my seemingly unrelated symptoms. My depression and anxiety started up. I had no energy. My patience and tolerance were much shorter. I was starting to get really concerned. I could feel that I was on a downward spiral but had no idea what to do about it. I asked my natural health place about it and they suggested a chromium mixture. I didn't have the money to buy it but I kept it in mind.

I went online and researched vitamin/mineral deficiencies and depression. I was convinced there was something my body wasn't getting that was affecting me mentally. This - depression.about.com/cs/diet/a/vitamin.htm - is one of the articles I found and I was SHOCKED at what I realized! Almost every vitamin and mineral on their list is something I had stopped taking...

I showed the article to Jesse and we discussed it briefly. We decided to find the money to get me back on everything and see what happened. Over a period of about a week (he gets paid twice a week so we split the cost between paychecks), I started back on everything I used to take except the multi (plan to add it back soon). I felt a difference in just a few days... My depression and anxiety started lessening. My stress level went down. My energy level went up. My patience and tolerance started returning to normal levels. The days were no longer a struggle to get through. I started sleeping better.

For almost three weeks I had had a backache. I didn't injure it, but it HURT. Jesse tried to massage out the worst of the knots. I went to my chiropractor - it helped but I was still hurting. I iced it. I rested it as much as possible. It HURT. The only other time my back hurt that much was during my first pregnancy. This definitely rivaled it and I was in a lot of pain then! Aleve helped, but didn't get rid of the pain and knots. I tried sleeping in different positions. Anything I could think of for some relief! As you can guess, my back trouble was only making my depression etc worse...

A few days after I started back on my supplements, I noticed my back was better. I stopped taking Aleve and icing it. I worked back up to doing things that had been torturous - like standing for more than a few minutes at a time. Apparently something in my supplements had an effect on my back! I'm wondering if I had a severe deficiency in something and it made my back inflamed. It's still bothering me a little but is so much better!

Little by little I'm feeling better - both physically and mentally - since getting back on my supplements. I'm trying to be mindful of taking them as I'm supposed to. I now know how badly I need them...

So with everything going on, I still haven't made it back to the gym :( I'm hoping to this week but poor Gabriel is fighting something so it depends on that.

Between the depression, having no energy, being in pain, etc I haven't felt like blogging much. Plus I have to type posts on my phone and it takes so long! I just haven't wanted to take the time and effort to do it...

Now that I'm feeling better, I hope to get back on track with cooking, eating, exercising, blogging, and everything else ;)

And as for the chocolate... It's a natural antidepressant. It also contains a lot of the minerals that are in my supplements. I think I've been craving chocolate for those two reasons. (Look for my previous post about the health benefits of chocolate for more about this)

Have a great week, and thanks for reading!!! :D

Monday

Food journal

Breakfast - chicken/rice/butter/parsley

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - brisket sandwich (brisket w/same sauce as yesterday on bun); Ghirardelli dark caramel square

Supper - grilled chicken breast; sweet potatoes (canned w/butter and salt); bittersweet chocolate chips

Sunday

Food journal

Breakfast - homemade hash browns w/bacon

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - brisket potato (~3 oz potato w/butter and little bit of cheddar, 4 oz brisket, 1/2 can corn, sour cream, little bit my honey mustard, little bit of BBQ sauce); bittersweet chocolate chips

Supper - grilled cheese (white bread, butter, colby-jack); cookies

Later - saltines (stomach felt upset)

Thursday

Food journal

Breakfast - turkey sausage w/mustaise; Eggo w/butter

1 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - turkey melt (turkey, Colby-Jack, onions on bun w/mayo); peas w/mayo; Ghirardelli dark caramel square

Oreo

Supper - burger - (homemade from a local bakery... They make their own buns!) w/mayo, mustard, green leaf lettuce, tomato; bittersweet chocolate chips

Wednesday

Food journal

Breakfast - my sausage (~4 oz); 2 biscuits (Grands flaky layers buttermilk) w/butter and 1 w/Simply Fruit (strawberry)

1/2 cup coffee w/the usual

Lunch - Turkey Salad; Ghirardelli square (60%)

Supper - grilled cheese (2 slices bread, cheddar, mozzarella, cooked in butter); chocolate covered almonds

Turkey Salad

Turkey Salad

1/2 c. cucumber, chopped
1/2 c. bell pepper, chopped
2-3 tbsp. green onions, chopped
Salt
3 oz. cooked turkey, shredded
~2-3 tbsp shredded cheddar
1/2 c. cold leftover mac & cheez
~1/3 c. sour cream
1/8-1/4 tsp. dill weed

Sprinkle veggies with salt to taste and mix. Stir together turkey, veggies, cheese, and mac & cheez. Spoon sour cream on top. Sprinkle dill on sour cream. Mix in sour cream.

Tuesday

Probably not done for the day but I'll edit if need be... Meals were later than usual today so I likely will just have something small later

Meal 1 - cottage cheese w/peaches; homemade hash browns w/onions and green onions

1/2 cup coffee w/Stevia and cream (finally got to the store that has Stevia!)

Meal 2 - turkey breast (leftover) w/onions; mac & cheez (Annie's); Cal mix veggies w/butter and salt; cookies

Tuesday

Realized after lunch yesterday that our BargainBee certificate for the Italian buffet expired last night! So that was supper...

Food journal

Breakfast - cottage cheese and peaches (canned in juice)

1/2 cup coffee w/demarara and cream

Lunch - BK double cheeseburger; honey bun

Supper - Italian buffet

Meal Plan

Breakfast:
Smoked turkey sausage; Eggo's
Eggs/Cottage cheese; peaches
Bacon; toast
Sausage; Eggo's
Brunch pizza
My sausage patties; biscuits; cheddar (biscuit sandwich)
Leftovers

Lunch:
(Shopping day - pick up something quick)
Steak w/sauteed onions and bell peppers; loaded microwave-baked potatoes
Turkey; cream spinach; lemon linguine
Pizza - turkey, alfredo sauce, roasted red bell peppers, onions, mozzarella
(OUT)
Turkey, mac & cheez, California mixed veggies/green beans
Baked cod w/lemon; lemon linguine; broccoli/green beans

Supper:
(At in-laws)
Tuna salad (salad/sandwiches/crackers)
Turkey sandwiches/salad w/turkey and Craisins
Tarragon turkey salad (salad/sandwiches/crackers)
Leftovers
Burgers; fries; cucumbers
Grilled cheese; tomato puree

Thursday

Breakfast - grilled chicken/rice/butter/parsley

1/2 cup coffee with demarara and cream (still out of stevia!)

Lunch - roast beef sandwich (white bread) w/mayo and bleu cheese salad dressing; Ghirardelli square

Supper - grilled chicken, leftover shells and white cheddar, roasted red bell peppers; cantaloupe

ETA: Chocolate covered almonds later :)

Sweet Beef and Rice

SWEET BEEF AND RICE

1 large onion, chopped
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
Olive oil to saute
1 lb lean ground beef
Salt & pepper
2-3 cups cooked brown rice
Cream (I used about 3/4 cup)

Saute onion and peppers in OO until peppers are soft and onions are translucent. Remove from pan and set aside. Brown ground beef. Add veggies and S&P to taste. Mix in rice. Stir in cream to taste.

*I named it what I did because Jesse asked what was in it that made it so sweet! Ethan LOVED it too! Gabriel didn't eat a whole lot but he's still not feeling back to normal.

Monday

Food journal

Breakfast - nothing

1/2 cup coffee w/demarara, chocolate Torani, and cream

Lunch - Jason's Deli leftovers - Sergeant Pepper; few bites potato salad; Ghirardelli square

Chocolate covered almonds

Supper - grilled chicken w/alfredo on toast

Saturday

Food journal

Breakfast - cottage cheese w/peaches; piece of toast w/butter and Simply Fruit

1/2 cup coffee w/demarara and cream

Lunch - 93/7 ground beef/green beans seasoned w/mustard, Essence, onion powder, garlic powder, salt; chocolate covered almonds

Supper - leftover pizza and garlic cheese bread w/bleu cheese dressing; Ghirardelli square

Friday

Had errands to run and a sick kid so meals were quick and easy today...

Breakfast - bacon; Eggo w/butter

Lunch - Subway - 6" flatbread cheesesteak - meat, swiss, mayo, lots of bell pepper and onion

Supper - leftover pizza and garlic cheese bread w/bleu cheese dressing; Ghirardelli 60% square

This was my first time trying the flatbread at Subway. I didn't want anything too bready so decided to see how it was. Oh my goodness! It was so delicious! And just perfect with my cheesesteak. The bread was slightly buttery and didn't overwhelm the rest of the ingredients. I'll definitely be eating it again!

Thursday

Breakfast - chicken in onion gravy and small piece French bread

1/2 cup coffee w/demarara and cream

Lunch - grilled cheese - cheddar and mozzarella on white bread cooked in a little butter; tomato dip - pureed grape tomatoes/kosher salt; Oreos

Supper - small red potatoes (cooked in microwave) w/butter, grilled chicken, sour cream, cheese, and broccoli (about 1/2 my bowl was broccoli); chocolate covered almonds

Top Ten Healthy Eating Tips

As part of an online healthy eating group I belong to, our challenge for this week was to compile a top ten list of healthy tips. Here's my list:

1. Eat lots of protein! Make sure you have a good bit with every meal, and preferably with snacks as well. It keeps you full and helps with the munchies.

2. Eat "real" food. Keep chemicals, artificial ingredients, etc to a minimum!

3. Dark chocolate. Preportioned! More and more research has been coming out lately about the health benefits of dark chocolate. In moderation of course ;) Eat by itself or melt, mix in almonds, spread on a cookie sheet, and top with sea salt; cut into pieces when cool for a yummy snack! One individually wrapped square of Ghirardelli 72% chocolate (my favorite!) has 55 calories, 5 gr fat, <5 gr carbs and is extremely satisfying!

4. Read labels on EVERYTHING! Even raw meat often has additives. Look for "Enhanced with a x% solution" on the label. This means there are hidden ingredients, which usually include some form of MSG.

5. Cinnamon and mint fool the tongue into thinking there's sugar in whatever you add them to ;)

6. When you treat yourself to pizza, top it with grilled chicken, fresh tomatoes, and lots of other veggies.

7. Keep ingredients for quick and easy meals on hand. My favorite - Puree a jar of roasted red bell peppers, add to a jar of good quality Alfredo sauce. Mix with frozen grilled chicken. Serve with leftover pasta or multigrain French bread. Or keep healthy frozen options on hand.

8. Plan your meals! I keep a list of meals (sorted by breakfast, lunch, supper, veggies, carb sides, etc.) in a binder to make it easier to plan for the week.

9. If you have problems with indigestion, don't drink anything 1/2 hour before or 1 hour after you eat. Liquids dilute digestive juices and make it harder for your body to process the food.

10. Healthy soda substitute - sparkling water + frozen 100% juice concentrate (I'm not a big soda drinker but DH is and he drinks this now instead)

Did you find any of my tips helpful? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Breakfast - cottage cheese; peaches (canned w/100% juice)

1/2 cup coffee w/demarara and cream

Lunch - BK double cheeseburger (minus ~1/2 bottom bun); Oreos

Supper - grilled chicken (Tyson frozen) dipped in sour cream; biscuit (small canned) w/butter; Ghirardelli square

Meal Plan

This is for Wednesday through Tuesday. I have two lunch meals unaccounted for. Wednesday's lunch will be something quick and easy I'll decide on while I'm shopping. I may pick up a rotisserie chicken from the deli. Another day my mom has a doctor's appointment that should end right before lunch. So I'm not sure what we'll do that day. We may eat out with her.

Breakfast:
Sausage; biscuits
Breakfast pizza
Eggs (boys); cottage cheese (me); peaches - 2 days
Grilled chicken/rice/butter/parsley
Sausage; Eggo's
(Turkey) Bacon; toast

Lunch:
Turkey; cream spinach; *carb*
Pizza - turkey, alfredo, roasted red bell peppers, onions, mozzarella or Italian blend cheeses
OUT (Sunday after church)
Imitation calzone (turkey, spinach, mozzarella)
Leftovers

Supper:
Tuna
Turkey sandwiches or salad w/Craisins
Turkey tarragon salad
Greek meat salad
Leftovers
Turkey nachos or quesadillas
Roast beef salad

Thursday

Breakfast - tuna/Alfredo/peas

Lunch - leg quarters/onion gravy (beef broth with a little roux, diced onions) over rice; small piece cake

Supper - grilled chicken/rice/cream cheese

Dessert - No Ice Cream Banana Split

Other - 1/2 cup coffee w/Demarara and cream (sipped throughout day)

Wednesday

Slowly but surely I'm feeling better. My sinuses are a lot better but I am still really run down. The least bit of exertion makes me out of breath. I think it's partly from being sick, and partly from the antibiotics. At least my stomach has eased up from them! Tomorrow is my last dose. My gallbladder has had little twinges but nothing major. I was concerned about how it would handle all the chemicals in the medicines (I've had to take ibuprofen off and on for the past two-ish months to relieve the pressure and swelling in my sinuses). But it's doing okay. I think the twinges have been from the stomach upset more than anything.

Breakfast - leftover corn dog casserole

1/2 cup coffee w/Demarara and cream (I'm out of stevia)

Lunch - tuna/Alfredo sauce/peas/few bites garlic bread

Later - chocolate almonds

Supper - roast beef in romaine salad with bleu cheese dressing; small piece of cake (Funfetti w/homemade chocolate buttercream)

"That's Not Trash, That's Dinner"

Interesting article... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/dining/thats-not-trash-thats-dinner.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

Tuesday

Breakfast - grilled chicken/rice/butter/parsley

Few sips of coffee w/usual

Lupper - Italian buffet

Monday

Breakfast - macaroni salad w/cheddar

Lunch - (93/7) ground beef/carrots/mashed potatoes (boxed)/seasonings; chocolate coconut (semi and bittersweet chocolate)

Supper - almond butter (100% almonds)/peach (canned in juice, pureed) sandwich; brownie

Other - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual (sipped throughout day)

And oh yeah... My stomach is a bit messed up from the antibiotics :( Really thankful for probiotics!

So, July is Over...

And since I promised to start posting regularly again, here I am! With a sinus infection :p

For the past 6+ weeks I've been sick. I've gotten better and worse but never completely well. It's felt like a constant cold that flares up when I'm run down.

Saturday afternoon my throat started hurting really bad. By that evening the left side of my face was slightly swollen and I had pain and pressure from my temple to the top of my shoulder. I took a couple ibuprofen and it helped some but I knew I had a sinus infection :(

Looking back, I think I've had it for quite a while but my supplements have kept it from getting bad. Till Saturday. I think the stress and unhealthy eating while moving lowered my immune system and the sickness started then. I had nonstop days leading up to Ethan's party Saturday and between being stressed, busy, and not getting enough sleep, I think my body just didn't have any more fight left...

Sunday morning I went to the after-hours walk-in clinic. It didn't take the doctor long to make the official diagnosis. Big surprise. NOT. So now I'm on antibiotics for the first time since Gabriel was born. My body doesn't tolerate most antibiotics well but I do pretty good with Zithromax. And I only have to remember to take it 5 times ;) My stomach was upset after the initial (double) dose yesterday but it usually is. I sipped some mint/green tea last night and it helped. Hopefully today will be better!

One good "side effect" of the antibiotics though. Last night I could see my face was already clearer :p It always clears up when I'm on antibiotics. Positive sign that they're already working :)

I don't know what meals will be like today. We finished off the leftovers yesterday but I'm not exactly up for cooking. Still lightheaded :(

I'm hoping the antibiotics will kick this for good and August will be a much better month!

So...

July is just CRAZY BUSY. So, no food journal. Hope to get back to it next month. Till then...

Health Benefits of Chocolate

For my fellow chocolate lovers :D

www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/chocolates-startling-heal_b_825978.html

Wednesday

I only got 3 1/2 hours sleep last night. We had big drama right before bedtime, the boys didn't fall asleep till after 11, I didn't get to sleep till almost 1, Gabriel woke up at 3:30 and didn't get back to sleep till 5:15 (of course I was up that whole time), then Ethan woke up coughing before 6 and was up till my alarm went off... I was able to doze off this afternoon for a short time but not near long enough. It was least than 1/2 hour I think...

Breakfast - leftover yummy whatever I called it :p

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - salad (romaine, carrots, parmesan, Caesar dressing); rotisserie chicken breast; macaroni salad; Oreos

Supper - (ordered out) roast beef po-boy w/mayo, lettuce, tomato; fried cheese sticks; chocolate chips (bittersweet and semisweet)

Sunday

Breakfast - turkey bacon, apple pancakes w/grade B maple syrup

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - homemade beef stew; Oreos

Supper - Burger King - grilled chicken on small sesame bun w/mayo

Hmmm...

I woke up with a bit of a sore throat and by this afternoon it hurt. I'm fighting Jesse's most recent cold Ethan isn't feeling good either. I really wonder if we're all having some issues with the carpet! They put it in a day or two before we moved in and it really smelled. If it's keeping our sinuses inflamed would we be more likely to catch colds? Food for thought...

Saturday

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Breakfast - see below ;)

Chocolate covered almonds (Gabriel was asleep on me and I was HUNGRY!)

Lunch - dilly chicken sandwich; peas w/salt; Oreo

Supper - leftovers - roasted red bell pepper pasta w/lots of extra chicken; smashed potatoes; pie

Yummy Breakfast

I threw together some of this and that I had in the fridge and freezer and made a yummy breakfast!

QUICK SKILLET BREAKFAST

1 lb lean ground beef
3 carrots, grated
~1/2 cup grated onion (or chopped)
2 frozen hash brown patties
Essence to taste (1-2 tsp)

Cook hash brown patties in microwave according to package directions. Break apart. Put all ingredients in a skillet. Cook until ground beef is browned.

Friday

Breakfast - leftover smashed potatoes; grilled chicken

Lunch - rotisserie chicken breast; (frozen) macaroni and cheese; cucumber; slice of pie

Supper - roast beef on French bread w/mayo; plain potato chips w/French onion dip; romaine w/parmesan and creamy Caesar dressing; cake

Thursday

Had an upset stomach this afternoon but no clue why... Didn't feel sick or anything.

Breakfast - cottage cheese w/peach (1/4); homemade apple buttermilk oat pancakes

Lunch - Mexican burger (93/7 ground beef, onions, canned green chilies on flour tortilla with Mexican blend cheese, tomato, sour cream); slice of French silk pie

After upset stomach - slice of plain bread

Supper - tortilla with grilled chicken, leftover cheese, sour cream; Oreo; Ghirardelli square (PB/milk chocolate)

Breakfast Sausage Patties

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE PATTIES

2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean ground beef

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add meat; mix until combined. Shape into eight patties. Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray. Cook patties over medium heat until browned on both sides and the meat is no longer pink, about 15-20 minutes.

Yummy Brunch Pizza

Thought I had posted how I did this but obviously not :p

YUMMY BRUNCH PIZZA

I used a Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust (the one you roll out) for the base, topped it with:
Slices of fresh tomatoes (2 tomatoes, 12 good slices)
1 lb (homemade) lean beef breakfast sausage crumbles
1 big red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Chopped red onion
~1/2 cup each shredded sharp cheddar and mozzarella

I baked the crust first, then added the toppings and baked just till the cheese was melted.

Everyone loved it!

Correction

Last month I said white flour at breakfast made me hungry all day. Well... that's not exactly the case...

As long as I eat a good bit of protein and not a lot of white flour, I do fine. For example, this morning I ate about 3 oz of turkey sausage and 1 slice of white bread toast. And I wasn't hungry till lunch! That's been the pattern.

I'm pretty happy about that :) It means I can eat a slice of toast or a biscuit without compromising the rest of the day's food.

Yay :)

Wednesday

Breakfast - turkey sausage w/mustaise; slice of toast w/butter and strawberry Simply Fruit

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - roasted red bell pepper pasta; piece of pie

Supper - broiled cod w/lime; green beans w/oo and lime; red potato w/butter, sour cream and chives; chocolate almonds

Past Few Days

Sunday was a fairly normal Sunday for food. Ate a good breakfast (can't remember what now though LOL), 1/2 cup coffee, lunch out (Italian buffet), light supper.

Monday ate leftovers for breakfast I think, Sonic for lunch (chicken strips with my honey mustard and onion rings). Cup of coffee after lunch. Supper was BBQ at my best friend's. I ate a meaty burger with lettuce and tomato and mayo, and some fries with ketchup and mayo. Piece of toffee cake later. Stayed up all night ;)

Tuesday I slept through breakfast, bleu cheese chips for lunch, Logan's for supper (sirloin, sweet potato fries, caesar salad), coffee later (decaf chocolate iced americano with whipped cream)

Saturday

Breakfast - nothing

Lunch - leftover Mexican-ish w/sour cream; slice of French silk pie

Supper - jarred alfredo sauce w/roasted red bell peppers and grilled chicken; French bread; Oreos

Friday

Breakfast - breakfast pizza

Later - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - thrown together Mexican-ish creation (93/7 ground meat, brown rice, queso, cheddar, bell peppers, onion) w/sour cream and green onions; chocolate chips (mixed semisweet and bittersweet)

Supper - blue cheese chips; plum w/skin + skin from 2 others; watermelon

During the day I also had a couple swipes (~1 tsp each) from the jar of Nutella :p

Lemon Linguine

This was quick, simple, and yummy!

LEMON LINGUINE
(from Quick Cooking)

8 ounces linguine (I used brown rice pasta)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, cook linguine in boiling water according to package directions until tender. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine butter, lemon juice, basil, garlic powder and lemon-pepper; cook and stir until butter is melted. Drain linguine; add to butter mixture and toss to coat. Add Parmesan cheese and toss. Yield: 4 servings.

Thursday

Sorta weird eating day today... Gabriel woke up at 5:30am screaming with his teeth and never went back to sleep. So I spent the morning sipping coffee and trying to stay awake :p No breakfast, and everything was off for the rest of the day...

1/2 cup coffee with usual

Lunch - leftover lemon linguine and aromatic turkey

Few chocolate almonds

Another 1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Supper - 93/7 ground beef w/BBQ sauce; bleu cheese chips (kettle chips w/Monterey Jack, chunky bleu cheese salad dressing, green onions); peanut butter cup

Later - semisweet and bittersweet chocolate chips

I might've had something else but don't remember. Been a long day...

The Importance of Listening to Your Body

Just wanted to share what happened a while back...

I started craving black forest cake. Chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream. Yum! It's not something I usually crave. That should've been clue #1...

It was a PERSISTENT craving! It went on for at least 2 weeks before I gave in. Clue #2.

I was afraid it would taste overly sweet to me. So I HAD to make it with tart cherries. Mmmmm... Tart cherries sounded SO GOOD! Clue #3.

I knew I could find tart canned cherries, but knew tart pie filling would be tough to find. Never mind that canned pie filling has MSG in it (listed as a modified starch). I looked around online and found a recipe for tart cherry pie filling that looked easy and didn't have any funky ingredients.

I baked a Duncan Hines devil's food cake in a 13x9 pan. Made the cherry filling. Bought Reddi-Wip to go on top. Oh. My. Goodness. It tasted incredibly yummy to me! I slathered on the cherries since they sounded so good.

Now what does this have to do with listening to my body?!

Well...

I was enjoying my yummy cake the days I got overheated. Remember me posting how sick I was? How I wondered if I was in a detox? As time went on, it was apparent I was DEFINITELY detoxing. The day after the grocery store incident I realized that's what it was. The next day I Googled a hunch.

Guess what...

Tart cherries can be used to trigger or enhance a detox.

The night I read that, I ate even more cherries to see if it would have an effect. Late that night my detox symptoms got a lot worse for a few hours. The next day I ate my cake at lunch. A couple hours later the detox symptoms got worse again.

Did the cherries have an effect on my detox? Most DEFINITELY!!!

Coincidence? I don't think so!

Even without always knowing what foods are high in what, my persistent cravings always prove to be related to a deficiency in my body. When I have a persistent craving, I Google "what minerals is _____ high in" and I find my current deficiency. It NEVER proves wrong!

Let me give you an example... I went through a period of craving mushrooms. I was eating them at least once a day for weeks! I had no idea what the nutrition profile of a mushroom was beyond the basics. It finally occurred to me to see if there was a vitamin or mineral they were high in. There were a few. One of the highest was zinc. "Coincidentally," for a couple of months I had cut down on the dose of one of my supplements. The main mineral in my supplement? ZINC! There are more similar incidents but that's a good example.

So this time? My theory is that my body needed some extra help with the detox so I started craving something that would help it along.

The moral of this story? Sometimes your body really does know what it's asking for ;)

Wednesday

My mom had a dentist appointment this morning so the boys and I dropped her off and went out for breakfast. It gave us something to do for the two hours she was there, plus we didn't have to get up quite so early.

Breakfast - IHOP - turkey bacon; double blueberry pancakes; coffee w/sugar and 1/2 & 1/2

"Lunch" - turkey stew (ate two bowls a couple hours apart); Oreos; cranberry candy

Supper - grilled chicken/rice/butter/parsley/cream; watermelon

Turkey stew was turkey, carrots, red potatoes, celery, salt, pepper

Tuesday

Breakfast - grilled chicken (Tyson)/brown rice/butter/parsley

1/2 cup coffee w/usual

Lunch - aromatic chicken breasts (used leftover turkey); Lemon Linguine (new recipe); green beans (frozen) w/oo, salt, Mrs. Dash lemon pepper; Oreos

My chocolate almonds

Supper - cheesy biscuit wienies (hot dog and cheddar wrapped in Grands biscuit) w/mustard; oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

To Journal or Not to Journal...

I'm talking about recording my food on here... I got out of the habit of doing it but am debating starting again.

Pros:
Accountability
Easier to track patterns to see what foods may be causing problems
I can see how old my leftovers are ;)

Cons:
Having to take the time and effort to record every day

I think I'll record for a while again and see if it's worth it or just a waste of time and effort...

Meal Plan

Breakfast:
Breakfast pizza - tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, my sausage (crumbled, not patties), cheddar
Grilled chicken/rice/butter/parsley
Bacon (turkey), hash browns
Sausage hash (new recipe)
Smoked sausage, biscuits

Lunch:
Greek-seasoned ground beef salad
Turkey, cream spinach, pumpkin mashed potatoes
Burgers, fries, veggies
Mac & cheese w/turkey, veggies
Red bell pepper pasta
Turkey stew

Supper:
Aromatic chicken breasts, Lemon Linguine (new recipe), veggies
Tuna salad
Stir-fry (veggies, leftover turkey), rice
Cheesy biscuit (beef) wienies, veggies
Baked fish, Pesto Pasta (new recipe), veggies
Cheesy chicken, cheesy mashed potatoes, veggies

Eating Plan

I decided to ditch the low carb suppers and see how I'd do. I'm concentrating on:
1. Lots of protein. Definitely protein at every meal.
2. Making sure I'm eating my veggies.
3. Eating "real" food. The less ingredients on the label, the better!
4. Not eating a lot of carbs.

So basically I'm going for healthy meals. So far I feel pretty good! Once I start working out again (planning on this week sometime!), I'll see how I feel and adjust accordingly.

Last Night

I had a bit of trouble getting to sleep. Then I woke up a few hours later for seemingly no reason. And I was about to have a panic attack. I wasn't having a bad dream or anything. There was no reason for it.

But I seem to remember that happening back when I did my big detox last year...

I'm feeling better today. Able to do more each day. Not getting as tired during the day and not as tired at night.

Pretty happy about that :)

Rainy Day

Since it wasn't as hot, I spent a lot of the day cooking! Cooked the roasts and sides. Plus I've been wanting black forest cake but the cherries are always so sweet. And tart pie filling has funky ingredients in it. So I bought canned Montmorency cherries (packed in water) and made my own! It was the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Yummy!

Breakfast - grilled chicken (Tyson frozen) in brown rice w/ butter and parsley

Lunch - tarragon chicken salad on bread; cookies

Supper - roast (cooked in beef broth w/garlic); roasted red potatoes; buttered carrots; black forest cake

I also licked the beaters and bowl after I mixed up the cake ;)

Cranberry Candy

I threw this together for Jesse as a Father's Day treat using a few of his favorite ingredients. It couldn't be easier!

CRANBERRY CANDY

12 oz chocolate chips
8 oz cream cheese
6 oz bag Craisins

Melt together chips and cream cheese. Mix well. Spread into a thin layer on a lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle evenly with Craisins. Lightly press Craisins into chocolate mixture. Refrigerate to set. Cut into small pieces. Store in refrigerator.

These are very rich! A little piece is very satisfying!

Imitation Calzone

There was a pizza place here years ago that made a yummy chicken Florentine calzone. This is my approximation of it.

IMITATION CALZONE

~2 tbsp each butter and olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt to taste
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
Cooked spinach
4 slices bread

Heat olive oil and butter over medium-low until butter is melted. Add garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or until the garlic just starts to brown. Remove garlic and set aside. Turn heat to medium and cook chicken. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon. Mix chicken and cheese in a large bowl until cheese is melted (microwave if necessary to melt). Salt to taste and set aside.

Brown bread in olive oil/butter left in skillet.

You can eat all the ingredients separately or build an imitation calzone. To build, place 1 piece of bread on a plate. Top with chicken/cheese. Place a good bit of spinach on chicken/cheese. Sprinkle with reserved garlic if desired.

Tuesday

Brunch - turkey bacon, biscuits w/butter
Sipped 1/2 cup of coffee w/usual throughout day
Before supper - 1 Reese's PB cup
Supper - Imitation Calzone; Cranberry Candy

Long Few Days...

Jesse's getting over an eye infection that came on quick and got bad fast :(

Friday I ran errands. I got a bit overheated, came home and cooled off, and got back out again. I was in the grocery store, almost done with the few things I needed, when I got really weak. I made it to the pharmacy area where I knew there was a chair. At that point my legs were so shaky I couldn't stand up. My hands were shaking so bad I barely could type a text to Jesse about what was going on. It felt like I had gotten overheated again, but with a delayed reaction. I sat for a while (poor boys were ready to get moving!) then made it to the checkout and home. The rest of the day I couldn't walk without leaning heavily on a wall because my legs were still so shaky. I figured I'd feel better after a good night's sleep. Well... I woke up Saturday and only felt marginally better :( I was still having trouble walking, lightheaded etc.

Today is Tuesday and I'm still not back to normal! I'm short of breath easily, and worn out after very little exertion.

I've been trying to figure out what's going on. I even took a pregnancy test yesterday just to be sure (it was negative, as I expected). I do have a theory...

We ate out a LOT while we were moving. And even in the weeks after. I think my body is detoxing all the chemicals in the food we ate. In a lot of ways this does feel like my big detox last year. I suspected my body was starting a detox last week. Now that we're eating healthier again, I think the better food triggered it. Not that we've been eating totally healthy, but definitely better than we did while we were moving! So I think the heat affected me a lot more.

So that's my theory...

Meal Plan Change

I got a good deal on rump roasts today (B1G1F - ended up being $2.50/lb!) so I'm replacing my ground beef patties meal and Florentine meatball meal with roast instead. Yum!

Meal Plan

Breakfast:
Bacon, blueberry pancakes
Sausage hash
Smoked sausage, biscuits
Chicken, muffins
Chicken/rice/butter/parsley
Sausage patties/cheddar, carb

Lunch:
Dilly chicken sandwiches, tomatoes
Roasted red bell pepper pasta
Turkey stew
Cheesy chicken, cheesy potatoes, veggies
Roast, brown rice, broth or gravy, veggies (was spinach parmesan linguine, ground beef patties)
Roast leftovers (was florentine meatballs, pasta)

Supper
Tarragon chicken salad
Chicken/spinach/mozzarella/garlic
Tuna salad salad
Chicken usual salad
Steak salad
Chicken with tarragon mustaise, veggies

Tuesday

Breakfast - nothing (slept in a bit)

Lunch - Connie's Ultimate Baked Potato; few chocolate-covered almonds

Two of my mini-muffins

Supper - tuna salad salad; Ghirardelli square

Connie's Ultimate Potato

CONNIE'S ULTIMATE POTATO

1 small red potato, baked and cubed or mashed
5 oz chicken breast, cooked (I did mine w/Essence in olive oil), cut in bite-sized pieces
1 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed
6 oz frozen broccoli, cooked, w/butter and salt
Salt if needed
Sour cream

Mix together potato, chicken, cheese, and broccoli. Microwave if needed to melt cheese. Salt to taste. Dip bites in sour cream.

Perfect proportions of everything... Yum yum!

Monday - Yummy New Recipe!

Breakfast - turkey bacon; homemade wild blueberry oat muffins

Lunch - Dilly Chicken Sandwiches; coconut cake

Tablespoon of chocolate chips

1/2 cup coffee w/vanilla Torani, Stevia, cream

Supper - 93/7 ground beef (Greek seasoned) in usual salad; Ghirardelli square

Dilly Chicken Sandwiches

DILLY CHICKEN SANDWICHES
(adapted from Quick Cooking)

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
6 tbsp butter, softened, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp dill weed, divided
4 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1-2 tsp lemon juice
Bread

Pound chicken breasts to flatten. In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add garlic and 1/2 tsp dill. Cook chicken until done. Remove from skillet.

Spread bread on one side with butter. Brown buttered side of bread in skillet until golden brown.

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp dill.

Spread unbuttered side of bread with cream cheese mixture. Top with chicken.

* We ate these open-faced. You can put lettuce and tomato on them too. I had planned on having fresh Creole tomatoes on the side but didn't make it to the grocery store that has them.

Sunday

So the plan this weekend was to prep Sunday's breakfast Saturday night. Well, I was feeling bad, fighting a cold - lightheaded, stuffy, etc. So it didn't happen :( Then I didn't get up until the last minute Sunday morning because I still didn't feel good. The boys had leftover eggs. I was hungry and needed to eat. Trying to find healthy fast food at breakfast is impossible! I ended up getting a steak/egg/cheese bagel from McDonald's. I ate the half of bagel with the meat, cheese, and onions. The boys split the egg half. I also had a hashbrown. Had some coffee w/usual when I woke up.

Lunch was Italian buffet. Quick, close, and cheap!

Supper... Gabriel took a long, late nap on me (his second of the day). It was late when he woke up so I just ate about 2 oz of chicken (oo, Essence) and a little celery.

Saturday

We ate breakfast late so just combined lunch and supper.

Breakfast - turkey sausage w/mustaise; biscuit w/butter and strawberry Simply Fruit

Couple of chocolate-covered almonds, Espresso Escape Ghirardelli square

Lupper - onion cheese soup; fish sandwich - baked cod, mayo w/sundried tomatoes, slice of bread browned in butter; coconut cake

Banana

Friday

I had planned on eating a carb at breakfast but I felt a bit overloaded on carbs from yesterday so decided to just do protein.

Breakfast - turkey sausage dipped in mustaise
Lunch - grilled chicken (Tyson); peas w/butter; leftover fries w/mayo and ketchup; piece of coconut cake
Supper - chicken breast cooked in oo, seasoned w/Essence; romaine; my honey mustard dressing; Craisins; Ghirardelli square
Other - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual (sipped between breakfast and lunch)

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Pasta

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER PASTA

8 oz penne (I used brown rice penne)
15 oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
7.5 oz ricotta
8 oz Italian 6-cheese blend (I used Sargento)
Strips of grilled chicken (I used a couple handfuls but next time will use more)

Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water. While pasta is cooking, puree bell peppers in food processor. Add cheeses and puree into a sauce. Drain pasta and put back in pot. Add sauce and chicken and mix together.

Ethan made sure everything was pureed REALLY well ;)

Brunch and Lupper

Weird food day... My mom and I had errands to run and she asked me to go to Shoney's breakfast buffet with her. So the boys and I did :) Then by the time we were done with our errands and made it home, it was almost 4:00. We were all hungry so we ended up going to Golden Corral for lupper :p Definitely not eating anything else today LOL

I over-ate a little but not bad. Didn't get as many veggies as I should have either. But I definitely got a lot of protein :)

Now that I have meals planned out and groceries to cook them with, I should be set!

Yummy Thrown Together Supper!

Will post the recipe after I figure out the amounts...

Breakfast - 1/2 potato, 2 slices turkey bacon, 1 slice cheddar, ~2 tbsp sour cream

Lunch - rotisserie chicken breast; small bowl grits w/butter; tomato and mayo

Later - cookie

Supper - roasted red bell pepper pasta; small piece coconut cake, few bites carrot cake

Meal Plan for Next Week

I don't plan specific meals for specific days, just a list to choose from.

Breakfasts:
Sausage patties, cheddar, carb
Sausage patties, blueberry muffin
Chicken, potato, cheddar
Chicken, rice, butter, parsley
Bacon, blueberry muffin
Beef sausage sandwich

Lunches:
Turkey stew (two days)
Onion cheese soup, fish sandwich
Dilly chicken sandwiches, tomatoes
Bacon cheeseburger pasta, veggies
Stir-fry, brown rice

Suppers:
Chicken, spinach, mozzarella
Tarragon chicken salad
Greek salad
Tuna salad salad
Chicken and salad
Ground beef (onion) salad

I only planned six days of meals. Sundays we eat a big lunch out after church and eat leftovers later if we get hungry. I really needed another breakfast but I'll probably eat leftovers for it.

Wonder how close I'll stick to the meal plan... I have a few new recipes to try so we'll see how it goes!

Dinner at the In-law's

Breakfast - grilled chicken (Tyson) in brown rice w/butter and parsley
Lunch - rotisserie chicken breast in romaine salad with dried cranberries and my honey mustard; Ghirardelli square
Supper - baked chicken, homemade spaghetti (ground beef, white pasta) w/parmesan; small piece (frozen) mozzarella bread; small piece dessert - ice cream sandwich, cool whip, Hershey's syrup, pecans

Mom's Night Out :)

Started the day with an appointment, then haircuts, then it was time for lunch so we ended up grabbing a bite nearby.

Breakfast - grilled chicken (Tyson) in brown rice w/butter and parsley; little bit of coffee w/usual later
Lunch - Italian buffet
Supper - few tortilla chips; shrimp/grilled veggie chimichanga; Mexican rice; beans; everything with queso
Later - decaf chocolate iced Americano w/whipped cream

Sunday

Breakfast - leftover minced sirloin steak with brown rice and my homemade honey mustard; 1/2 coffee with usual later
Lunch - Italian buffet (didn't eat a whole lot)
Later - small piece of cake at party
(Wasn't hungry for supper)

Well, One Thing Hasn't Changed...

White flour at breakfast makes it a lot harder to eat healthy the rest of the day! I had somewhere to be this morning and nothing at home I could grab for a quick breakfast so I ended up with fast food. I did good with lunch, then ate way too much dessert. And by suppertime I had a crying teething toddler who had a meltdown whenever I stepped out of arm's reach of him, and being up and down all night for days in a row with one or the other kid puking had taken its toll in me so we ended up ordering out. Not the healthiest, but I could've done much worse!

Breakfast - chicken biscuit from McDonald's - non-pork, non-egg protein fast food choices are very limited at breakfast :(
Lunch - 93/7 ground beef w/turkey bacon and Essence; 1/2 red potato w/butter; cheddar (all mixed together); chocolate chip cookie dough
Supper - roast beef po-boy w/mayo, lettuce, tomato (no gravy); garlic cheese bread
Dessert - strawberries and banana pureed with a drizzle of homemade dark chocolate syrup

Friday

Breakfast - no food; 1/2 cup coffee w/usual
Lunch - grilled chicken breast (Tyson frozen); 1/2 red potato w/butter, sour cream, chives; peas w/butter; 1 cookie
Supper - chicken (same as lunch) in romaine salad w/bleu cheese salad dressing; Ghirardelli square

I had planned a different supper but Gabriel took a long late nap on me...

Thursday

Breakfast - slice white bread w/almond butter (roasted whole almonds only)
Lunch - sirloin w/brown rice and bleu cheese dressing; green beans seasoned w/oo and Essence; 1 cookie
Supper - tuna salad salad; Ghirardelli square

The New Eating Plan... In Progress

So here is what I'm thinking:

Breakfast - protein, carb, veggie
Lunch - protein, carb, veggie
Supper - protein, veggie

Protein - 80-100 grams total
Carbs - low to moderate amount
Fats - 30-40% caloric intake
Calories - ? - not going to focus on
Veggies - lots!
Fruits - ?

Some aspects of the way I've been eating that I'm keeping:

No drinks 1/2 hour before or 1 hour after I eat
Nothing to eat after 8pm (if really hungry, fruit only)
No milk (other dairy okay)
Salad/raw veggies everyday
Minimal sugar
Minimal processed foods
Sunday free day
Avoid MSG as much as possible (including modified food starches, hydrolyzed proteins, autolyzed yeast extract)
Whole foods as much as possible
Liver/gallbladder flush twice a year

I'm looking forward to seeing how my body does with this way of eating. It definitely gives me more options. I thought about trying to go low carb but my body feels better when I eat some carbs, but not a lot of them. And always with protein.

I'm eager to try ice cream made with almond milk! And bringing back some of our old meals on a regular basis!

I'll probably need to tweak things as I go but this at least gives me a starting point and we'll see where I go from here...

Rethinking My Eating Plan...

The past month for food has been... well... interesting. We have eaten out a LOT. Sometimes it was cheap fast food burgers. Sometimes it was plate lunches. We ate a good bit of pizza. At one point we went 8 days with only one lunch/supper that was made at home. We lived with stuff in both apartments for quite a while. Monday night we finally got the last few things out of the old apartment and turned in the keys.

So now we can concentrate on unpacking and settling in. And things can get more back to normal. So now I'm wondering... Do I go back to the eating plan I've been following? It's a great time to evaluate things since I haven't been eating on plan for so long. My body did really well with this plan for a while, but now I question whether it's for the best to continue it.

My thoughts are all over the place on this...

I haven't been feeling good after my carb meal at supper. Despite increasing my veggies and decreasing the carbs. I tried switching my carb meal to lunch and that was worse :p

I don't have much energy before lunch. I feel better when I eat something besides fruit at breakfast. I think I really need some protein to start my day.

I know my body does pretty well eating 80-100 grams of protein per day. I've been trying to eat as much protein as possible at lunch, but I find myself craving it more and more at night too.

I haven't lost any weight since my gallbladder healed.

My body has not seemed more inflamed.

I did really well this month - my stomach didn't bother me much more, my gallbladder didn't bother me at all (I had just done a flush too though), and I had more lasting energy.

Regardless of what kind of eating plan I end up following, I will still - do flushes, avoid MSG as much as possible, eat whole foods, eat lots of veggies, etc.

I think I'll be switching things up but not sure exactly what I'll end up with...

Where Am I?

For those of you who don't know me IRL, we are having to move on very short notice :( It's been nine years and two kids since our last move so things are really stressful and chaotic right now! After we're settled in at the new place I'll get back on here. And maybe an update or two in the meantime.

Take care!

No Workout

Gabriel has not been eating much supper and then waking up hungry, wanting a bottle, once or twice a night this week. Last night he woke up at 12:45 and again at 6! Plus the thunderstorms woke up. So my sleep was really choppy. I'm definitely feeling it today :(

I dealt with the car all morning.

Ethan was having a bad day and as much as I wanted to go work out just to not have to deal with him for a while, I couldn't leave him in their nursery acting like he was.

So I didn't make it to the health club today. I don't think I'll go tomorrow either. Thursday we have the next round of assessments and Friday we'll be gone so it would be nice to have a day this week I can stay home!

I wasn't sore when I got up. It didn't hit till this afternoon. I mainly feel it in my inner thighs. We didn't do a lot of toning so I didn't expect it would be bad. When I was taking the step/tone class years ago, it was the toning that killed me! But it's also what I saw quick results from...

There are some toning classes offered every other week. I need to find a way to work them into my schedule! One is at 530am - don't think I'll be making that one ;) But I can probably plan for another one.

Tuesday

Spent the whole morning at the mechanic's but we have ac! There's something that's making it cut off intermittently still but I have to wait until it cuts off and drive directly to my mechanic. He said he suspects one of two things are going out but won't know which unless he can check it when it's not working. But for now it works! By the time I finished there it was lunchtime so I ended up picking up plate lunches for us. Not on plan, but definitely healthy!

Breakfast - nothing (forgot to bring something with me and was there a lot longer than I expected!)
Lunch - health food store - chicken teriyaki (the best I've ever had!) w/brown rice (had celery and orange and red bell peppers in it); carrots; squash/zucchini; cookie
Supper - baked leg quarter in usual salad; Ghirardelli square

Monday

Breakfast - juice
Lunch - tuna salad salad; Ghirardelli square
Post-workout - very small piece of french bread
Supper - french bread; LOT of veggies - entire bunch of asparagus, roasted; celery and red bell pepper w/ranch; cookie

I Am Officially a Member! / My First VFF Step Workout

I got my health club membership today! I went this morning to take a tour and liked what I saw :)

So... I did my first workout today! I did a 45-minute step and tone class. I haven't taken a step class in over 10 years so it was a bit, um, interesting :p I was proud of myself for staying on the step the whole time (it wasn't so high intensity that I had to stop using it for a while) although I wasn't going at quite the speed the instructor was. I kept up pretty good during the toning except for one part. We had to lay on our backs on the step and we did some ab work. Putting pressure on my lower back HURT. I moved to the cushy, springy floor to try there but it still hurt :(

After the class, I stopped to ask the instructor about the ab exercise issue and she told me, "You did good!" I mentioned that it was my first step class in over 10 years. Her eyes got big and she said, "You did GOOD!!!" LOL

In a lot of ways, step is like riding a bike. Once you're pretty good at it, your body remembers fairly easily. Not that it's easy in intensity, but you're not constantly looking down at your feet to make sure you don't miss the step ;)

I felt a lot more stable in my vff's than I would have in regular shoes. It was nice to be able to feel that I had solid footing, and to be able to tell when I was close to the edge.

As for how my body felt... Towards the beginning I really felt it in my left ankle! That's the one that has the metal rod and pins in it. We did a lot of on-and-off-the-end-of-the-step (stepping up and down sideways) and that's not a motion I do in my day to day life! I tried to take it gentle stepping down on that side but it got easier the further along we got :) I was hot and slightly out of breath more than anything! It was definitely an intense workout! I'm not sore at all. I expect to be a bit sore when I wake up tomorrow though ;)

Jesse asked me a while back if I was going to need to make changes in my eating plan to accommodate regular workouts. I shouldn't have to, but I'm making an extra effort to listen to my body and its nutritional needs. When I finished tonight, I was craving some carbs. Which was good since my veggie/carb meal was tonight ;) On the way home we stopped at the grocery store and one of the things I grabbed was some fresh french bread. I had a small piece in the car and was satisfied till supper. I ate a LOT of veggies tonight! It's what I really wanted. I bought a bunch of asparagus and roasted it. And ate it all myself :p YUM! Plus I had some fresh veggies too! I think I'd like to bring some juice for after my workouts. I would've been happy with it today, and it would've been healthier than the french bread. I need to do a little research on post-workout foods and see what might work well with my eating plan.

I have to bring my car to be looked at tomorrow. My mechanic needs to see what parts he needs to order to fix my ac. Exercise for the rest of the week depends on what happens with the car.

WOOHOO!!!

I haven't been able to work out since it got hot. It was only sporadic before then because of not being able to bring the boys with me. So I had to wait till Jesse (who has been crazy busy with work) could watch them. Which didn't happen very often...

Well, we got a financial blessing this weekend! And part of it will be used for... My registration at a health club!!! They have child care ($15/mth for both boys) so I'll be able to go a lot more often :D

I'm so excited!!!

I haven't seen the club yet but I've been on their website a good bit. I emailed them last night to see how to schedule a tour so hopefully will hear back real soon.

WOOHOO!!!

Happy Resurrection Day!

aka Easter ;)

It was a usual Sunday for food. I chanced some coffee this morning and it didn't even threaten to upset my stomach! I'm back to eating regular food now.

Breakfast - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual; juice later
Lunch - Cracker Barrel - chicken fried chicken w/white gravy to dip; green beans; fried okra; hashbrown casserole; biscuit w/butter; Andes mint
Supper - nothing (not the least bit hungry!)

Tomorrow I'll be back to my normal eating plan - Sunday's always a cheat day!

WOWZERS!!!

12:30am Sunday morning...

I thought I was finished flushing. That everything that was going to come out did. Oh. My. Goodness. I just passed a LOT of the biggest stones I think I've ever had! Explains why my stomach still felt off today. It wasn't done flushing yet!

I don't know that it's done. But WOW...

If you're curious what they look like, curezone.com/gallstones/gallstones.jpg

Saturday

Lunch did okay on my stomach. Supper was better but it's still not back to normal.

Breakfast - banana
Lunch - homemade sub - fresh French bread (it was hot when I bought it), Roma tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, lots of bell pepper, smoked turkey breast, roast beef, mayo and mustard; chips; cookie
Supper - rotisserie chicken (breast) dipped in homemade honey mustard salad dressing; roasted asparagus; Ghirardelli square

2:45 am

Let me catch you up on the past few hours...

Gabriel took a long late nap. He didn't go to sleep till after midnight. Soon after that we got a call from my mom that my 5 week old nephew had fallen and was in the NICU with a skull fracture and bruise on the brain.

Well, a lot of my body's stress reaction is with my digestive system. I'm sure the stress is what made the next couple hours so difficult. Everything is magnified when I'm stressed out. I was texting back and forth with my mom and best friend. And praying. And my stomach kept feeling worse and worse. The nausea was horrible! That awful morning sickness type that would feel better if you could just puke and get it over with. Even if you only feel better for a few seconds you think it would be worth it. In addition I felt like my body was gearing up for, well, an emptying of mass proportions :p

And then... About 2:30am it hit...

I was still awake. I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom which thankfully is just right across the hall. I sat with an empty bucket because I knew I likely would need it. Thankfully I didn't!

When it was all over with, I could see a few small stones. It definitely worked! I still felt really nauseous so I ate a few crackers. I went back to bed and went to sleep shortly after.

Friday

Nothing exciting...

Breakfast - banana
Lunch and supper - soup (added mustard today)

And 64 oz of unfiltered apple juice :p

Day 2...

Today is definitely starting better than yesterday! Gabriel woke up really early but Jesse took care of him so I could lay down a little longer. Dozed off and on but enjoyed my Ethan cuddles :)

My stomach feels better. Not normal, but definitely better than yesterday. I'm lightheaded when I stand up. Sitting is okay so I'm doing a lot of it ;)

Poor Ethan last night asked me to "put on cooking." I told him not for a couple days. Having Food Network on would really be torture!

So far today I've had a banana and about 20 oz apple juice. Not bad for it being a little after noon! I'm drinking a different brand of juice today. It's not as sweet but it's not tart. Just tastes different. Goes down easier.

I'm headed to go fix the boys sandwiches for lunch. Think I'll heat up my soup too. Wish I had enough left for two meals but I always end up throwing a bunch away so I made a much smaller batch this time. I might not even want it again tonight!

Will update in this post later...

7:40pm - I finished my apple juice about 5pm :) I tried to finish it early to minimize what happened last night. Between the time I laid down in bed and went to sleep, I had to get up 3 times to pee! And not just a little - full-bladder-can't-hold-any-more-getting-painful issues :P In addition to the aggravation it is for me, I had to have Jesse come in the room because Gabriel wakes up whenever I get out of bed. Not fun... Hopefully no repeat of that tonight! Especially during the hour after I drink the stuff.

I'm definitely feeling better today. Physically and emotionally. I had a much calmer start to the day, and I think that helped a lot. I'm still lightheaded. Low on energy. But the tummy issues of yesterday are not nearly as bad :)

Lunch and supper were both soup leftovers. I had enough for both meals! I added mustard to it both times. Yummy! I woke up thinking it would be a good addition and it was :)

Soon I'll be getting ready for bed. The last thing I'll do is prepare the concoction. Jesse wants to pray with me before I drink it :) I was hoping to read on my nook for the hour but it's decided to not work :( At least I have access to my books on my phone with the nook app! Not nearly as easy on the eyes but it'll do.

I still don't know what I want for my first "real" meal tomorrow. I'll stick to fruit only till noon like usual. Till last year when I started this eating plan, I would get a club sandwich from Subway as my first meal. It was lowfat, easy on my stomach, but still gave me protein, carbs, and veggies. I keep going back and forth between doing that or sticking to my eating plan and just doing a protein meal. Hmmm...

I'll update again during my hour...

10:45 pm - Well, my part is done. Just gotta let my body do its thing now. The concoction wasn't too hard to get down. I took five gulps at a time. The taste didn't bother me but the nausea hit about halfway through. As I told Jesse earlier, when you follow 240 grams of sugar (apple juice) with 114 grams of pure fat, your body's not going to like it :p It's been an hour and a half and the nausea still comes and goes. It'll be like this till lunch tomorrow most likely.

Speaking of lunch... I think I've decided to go with a sub. Dunno if I'll go to Subway or get stuff to make my own.

I think this is the first flush I've done that I'm actually hungry after the hour! It's a good sign :) The more toxic your body is, the harder the flush is on it. I don't remember ever being hungry after!

I'm still nauseous off and on but not bad. And I have some heartburn. Gee, imagine that :p But overall this has gone pretty well!

Really looking forward to some real food tomorrow :D And a Ghirardelli square ;)

Veggie Soup for Flush

I change up the way I do the soup every time. It always starts with organic veggie broth. I go around the store and see what looks good. I did mostly organic today since I'm only doing a 2-day. I want my body to be able to concentrate on the flush instead of fighting toxins. This is what I did today:

VEGGIE SOUP FOR FLUSH

32 oz veggie broth (organic)
5 oz frozen broccoli (organic)
5 oz frozen multicolor bell peppers (organic)
5 oz frozen mushrooms (variety) (organic)
5 oz frozen butternut squash
2 green onions, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
Seasonings - Essense, parsley, fennel seeds

Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer.

Thursday

Breakfast - nothing (was gone till after 11)
Lunch - 12 oz pk frozen green beans w/Essence and sea salt
Supper - Soup

Day 1

I started the day by picking up food for the next 2 days. Easy ( mostly frozen) stuff for Jesse and the boys - pot pies, lunchmeat, the boys' favorite organic TV dinner, organic spaghetti o's, organic boxed mac and cheese. For me, veggies and veggie broth for soup, veggies, unfiltered apple juice, lemons and extra virgin olive oil for the actual flush.

Then home to get started! I heated up some frozen veggies for lunch and started drinking apple juice. I also put my soup on to simmer for later. I'll eat some tonight and some tomorrow.

It's 330 and I've drank my first 32 oz already. I need to refill it but Gabey-baby's asleep on me.

I'll update again later in this post...

6:45pm - I'm hungry. But not for more soup. I'm remembering why I end up eating so little while I flush - I love veggies, but eating them by themselves and not eating anything else gets old quick! Really glad I'm only doing a 2-day...

I did do something different with the soup though that helped it seem more satisfying. I put fennel seeds in it. Why? Because when I smell them, I think of fatty, meaty Italian sausage! So I added the fennel seeds to give it some "fake" meat flavor :p

52 oz of apple juice down, 12 to go! Trying to finish by 8. Think I'll make it :)

Will update here again before bed...

915pm - I finished my apple juice a little after 7. Drank tea between then and now. My stomach and I are feeling worse. I had diarrhea late this afternoon. Now I'm nauseous and feel like I'll be headed to the bathroom soon. But I've felt like that all evening. I don't know if it's from the flush, if my body decided to do a detox while I'm eating little, or what. I don't feel good. I'm chilly. I'm gassy. It's possible I've been fighting a stomach virus this week ( especially considering Jesse's stomach was messed up earlier in the week).

Regardless, one day down, one to go! Sooo glad I'm only doing a 2!

The Toughest Part

To me the hardest part of the flush isn't physical. It's mental. Don't get me wrong - it's physically tough! Depriving your body of protein and fat for days doesn't feel good! I can go without carbs a lot easier than I can go without protein! My body feels best when I'm eating close to 100 grams of protein a day. So going with 0 is not easy to do! And then all that apple juice... Sure, apple juice is yummy. In small quantities. 64 oz in one day? Not so yummy :p I don't eat a lot of sugar. So ingesting 240 grams of it in one day isn't something my body enjoys! I fill a 32 oz bottle, take a few sips at a time until it's gone, then refill it and start over. I usually keep some water or tea nearby to sip when the apple juice just gets to be too much.

But that isn't the worst of it. Not to me anyway. It's the mental that I struggle with. Knowing that all I can have is fruits and veggies. Wanting a bit of butter or olive oil on those veggies. Wanting PROTEIN. Fixing regular food for the rest of the family. Smelling their food. Knowing I can't have it today. Or tomorrow. Or the next day. Not being able to work a bit of a craving into what I eat.

That's a big part of why I'm doing 2 days instead of 3 this time. Day 2 is usually the toughest for me. Day 1 isn't too bad. Day 3 is my last day. I know whatever it is I want to eat, I can have it the next day. But Day 2... It's rough. And it's a big part of why I dread doing the flush so much. If it's a lot easier to get through a 2- day, I'll do it more often. Not that it's pleasant! But maybe it'll be more bearable...

Way Overdue... Flush Time!

I've known for a while I needed to do another liver/ gallbladder flush. But I've been putting it off. I can't plan one for when I won't be home a few days in a row. It can't include Sunday. Etc. Etc.

I talked to my natural health place a while back about some concerns I had at that time with doing one and they recommended doing a 2- day instead of a 3. They said it wouldn't be as effective but it would still do a lot of good.

My stomach has been acting up a bit lately. A flush might help and certainly won't hurt! And it's time... It's been over 13 months. I like to do them twice a year so it was way overdue!

Here's how it's done ( copied and pasted from my post last year):

Day 1-3: Eat nothing but fruits and veggies - unlimited amount. They can be cooked and/or seasoned, but ZERO fat! No starchy veggies eg sweet potatoes, corn. I usually make a veggie soup Day 2 with organic vegetable broth as a base.

Each day, drink 1/2 gallon unfiltered apple juice/cider. Fresh squeezed is best. If you buy it, make sure you can see the pulp that settles to the bottom of the jug so you know it's unfiltered. You can also drink water, tea, or other juices. But make sure to drink all your apple juice! The apple juice breaks down the gallstones/liver stones so they will be easier to pass and don't get stuck.

Night of Day 3: This is when you do the actual flush. Get ready for bed. Just before bed, mix together 4 oz FRESH SQUEEZED lemon juice and 4 oz extra virgin olive oil. Drink. Get it down within a minute or two. IMMEDIATELY lie on your right side in bed. Make sure the mixture stays down at least 1 hour! You can take some ginger about 30 minutes before you drink the nasty-tasting stuff to help the nausea. A heating pad on your liver and gallbladder area may also help. I keep something to throw up in by the bed just in case. Lay on your right side at least 1 hour.

Sometime during the night or the next day you will pass the crushed stones. Plan on staying home Day 4 ;-) I've never had explosive bowel movements from the flush but some people do. You can drink another 8 oz apple juice the morning of Day 4 as a natural laxative.

The first couple times I flushed I did see some stones - you may or may not. You can start back on a normal diet on Day 4, but eat lowfat and foods that are fairly easy to digest until your body can handle heavier foods again.

I'll check in with how it's going in a bit...

Wednesday

Jesse and I both had appointments at the same place this morning but the person I needed to see was sick so the boys and I had to find something to do. I drove past a few fast food places, with the windows down, and they smelled soooo good! But instead of giving in, the boys and I grabbed a couple things at Walmart, including bananas. And ya better believe I busted one out as soon as we were in the car!

Breakfast - banana
Lunch - chicken breast in usual salad; Ghirardelli square
Before supper - couple bites cccd
Supper - biscuits (Bisquick, made with rice milk) made w/mustard powder and parsley flakes w/butter; peas w/butter; piece of cake

I'm back to sweets tasting too sweet. Happy about that :)

Tuesday

Breakfast - few sips juice; banana later
Lunch - tuna salad salad; Ghirardelli square
Before supper - few bites cccd
Supper - leftover battered mushrooms w/ ranch; piece of cake

Monday

The boys are fighting colds, and I woke up this morning stuffy and very lightheaded. I almost fell trying to unload the dishwasher because I was so unsteady so I knew better than to try to cook lunch :(

Breakfast - few sips juice
Lunch - Papa John's - garlic cheesebread; pizza - grilled chicken, bell pepper, onion, double mushrooms, extra cheese, light sauce. Red velvet cake
Later - Ghirardelli square
Supper - tuna salad salad

I'm feeling a bit better tonight as far as the stuffiness and lightheadedness. Unfortunately my stomach is a bit upset. I was constipated for a few days the end of last week so maybe it's just trying to compensate?

Sunday

Breakfast - cup of coffee w/usual; juice later
Lunch (very late), or should I say LUPPER... - homestyle buffet incl dessert

Saturday

I woke up wanting pancakes, waffles, anything like that. But I didn't have forever to spend in the kitchen today (I have to make 4 batches to feed us all) and didn't want to spend the money to eat out! Another day...

Breakfast - juice; 1/2 cup coffee w/usual later
Lunch - 93/7 ground beef w/bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt in usual salad; Ghirardelli square
Supper - battered mushrooms; cookies and creme cake

Friday

Breakfast - banana
Lunch - rotisserie chicken breast in usual salad; Ghirardelli square
Supper - peas w/mayo and Essence; roasted potatoes; cookies and cream cake

Thursday

"Breakfast" - chocolate iced coffee
Lunch - chili cheese dogs (white bun, beef hot dog, canned turkey chili, sharp cheddar, mayo, mustard); red velvet cake w/cream cheese frosting
Supper - chicken breast in usual salad; Ghirardelli square

Lunch With a Friend

Breakfast - juice
Lunch - local restaurant - red beans and brown rice; sausage; fried chicken (it all came as one dish); Mediterranean hummus; 2 cookies after I got home
Supper - mashed potatoes w/ranch; red bell pepper w/ranch; chocolate chips

Tuesday

Breakfast - nothing
Lunch - chicken breast in usual salad; Ghirardelli square
Supper - carrots w/butter; Grands biscuits w/butter; decaf chocolate iced espresso drink

Pepper Steak

PEPPER STEAK

1 1/2 lbs round steak
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil
1/2 lg bell pepper, chopped
Beef broth (about 3 cups)
Essence
Mrs. Dash steak grill seasoning
Salt

Cook onion in olive oil until translucent and starting to brown. Add bell pepper and steak. Pour over enough broth to cover. Add seasonings. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until steak is tender.

This tasted similar to my mom's pepper steak :)

Monday

Breakfast - juice
Lunch - Pepper Steak; roasted broccoli; Ghirardelli square
Supper - grits w/butter and cream and tomatoes; Ghirardelli dark chocolate w/caramel square

And I really want a chocolate iced coffee...

Sunday

Breakfast - 1/2 cup coffee w/the usual; juice later
Lunch - homestyle buffet incl dessert
Supper - piece of french bread

Juice

Just to clarify... When I drink juice for breakfast, I'm not drinking much. Maybe a total of 3 oz, and not all at once. The exception is Sundays. Because I'm up so early, I sip on a 10 oz bottle throughout the morning and usually end up finishing it off!

Saturday

Breakfast - juice
Lunch - tuna salad salad; Ghirardelli square
Supper - roasted broccoli; mashed potatoes made from instant w/butter; cake w/Reddi-wip; few chocolate chips

The roasted broccoli was pretty good! I didn't like it as much as the butternut, carrots, and asparagus though. Not that it wasn't yummy... I bought a 12 oz bag of florets and cooked and ate the whole bag by myself ;)

Friday

I unexpectedly got some time out of the house by myself! Starting with supper :)

Breakfast - Juice
Lunch - ground beef w/green beans, onions, celery, parsley, Greek seasoning in Romaine salad w/1000 Island; Ghirardelli square
Before supper - piece of french bread
Supper - shrimp chimichanga (shrimp and grilled veggie filling); Mexican rice; refried beans; white queso; few tortilla chips
Later - decaf iced coffee w/chocolate shot and whipped cream

Productive :)

A friend unexpectedly had off work today so she offered to come help with the boys a few hours so I could get some stuff done around the house :) I couldn't afford the time to fix a good lunch for us so we had PBJ's.

Breakfast - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual
Lunch - peanut butter (Smucker's natural) and blueberry Simply Fruit jelly; plain Ruffles; Ghirardelli peppermint bark (the one w/dark chocolate)
Supper - chicken breast in usual salad; Ghirardelli square

Monday to Wednesday

It's a bit sketchy but let's see what I can remember...

Monday:
Breakfast - juice
Lunch - tuna salad salad; Ghirardelli square
Later - Reese's big cup
Supper - Mom's Night Out - Mexican - shrimp chimichanga, chicken burrito (part), chile relleno (part), queso, few bites each rice and beans
Later - frozen chocolate coffee drink w/whipped cream

Tuesday:
Breakfast - juice
Lunch - chicken breast in usual salad; Ghirardelli square
Supper - broccoli w/butter; fries (frozen, baked) w/ketchup and mayo; cake

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Shoney's breakfast bar
Lunch - 1/2 BK double cheeseburger; cccd w/Reddi-wip
Supper - peas and pasta; salad w/1000 Island dressing and crackers; cake w/cream

My mom wanted to have breakfast with the boys and me before we ran errands. We were supposed to be done fairly quickly but ended up running later than we planned. Hence the BK for lunch :( And that was at 3!

Sunday

Breakfast - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual; juice later
Lunch - Italian buffet incl dessert
Supper - Froot Loops; few bites cccd

Sooo Yummy!

I roasted asparagus for the first time today. It was sooo good! The bunch I bought was almost a full pound. I trimmed it, lightly coated it in olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper and cooked it at 400 for about 1/2 hour. Definitely will do it again! Ethan ate 1 spear but no one else liked it (I don't think he really did either LOL) so more for me ;) I ended up eating the whole batch!

I bought some broccoli florets a couple days ago. Thinking about roasting them soon too...

Breakfast - 1/2 cup coffee w/usual; juice later
Lunch - salad from grocery store salad bar - chicken, carrots, spinach w/1000 Island dressing; Ghirardelli square
Supper - (brown rice) pasta w/butter and salt; roasted asparagus; cake; cccd

New Feathered Friend

Anyone who knows me IRL knows we have birds! We have cockatiels and budgies (what most people refer to as parakeets although there are many species of parakeets). Today we added a new member to our flock:

She's a Rosy Bourke's Parakeet. Ever since we lost Kiwi (our lone living room budgie), we've missed having a bird in the room the boys and I hang out in. We had the opportunity to get her today and took advantage of it! Even though she wasn't handfed, she's very easy-going and I think if we want we'll be able to tame her :) She's adjusting really well to being here, and isn't scared when the boys or I go near her cage. I say she, but it's impossible to tell males from females except by DNA testing. It's a pink bird, I say it's a she ;)

And what does this have to do with my health? It's emotionally beneficial for me to have a feathered friend to hang out with in there again!