Here We Go...Again

 

Six weeks ago we started off on a pretty big food adventure that was unlike anything we had ever done.  In years past our lent sacrifices centered around one thing that we avoided only to pick it back up when Easter came. I guess I assumed this year would be the same.  We would eat healthy for a while then go back to savoring the foods we've been savoring for 35 years. I was wrong.  I had no idea how much eating unprocessed foods would change the way I eat, the way I feel mentally, and the way I feel about food.

 

My first few weeks were rocky due to low blood sugar levels,  a lack of never having done this before, and some minor shock of how incredibly inconvenient this all was.  Really, another grocery store?  This is going to take how long?  The pizza crust takes 4 hours total? You used our mixer? And our blender? Did you know I used the food processor? And our crock pot?  Did you remember we don't have a dish washer? Did you take lettuce in your lunch today? Can you use that cilantro somehow?  You want me to cook extra rice?  How much did that cost? Can you run to the store? Can you run to the bakery? Can you run to the farmers market? Can you run to the liquor store?  Don't come home empty handed.

 

Notice I said our first few weeks were rocky.  But now, after week six, I can honestly say every single ounce of energy and every single penny was worth it because this is what I have learned from eating fresh, whole foods...

 

-Some things don't taste as good as I want them to...other foods taste better than I could have expected.

-Moderation is probably much less than we want it to be...I used to think moderation was one dessert a day...I think that was probably too much.

-I sense fullness much, much easier now...and when I am full, I can stop eating...there's no desire to clean my plate because quite frankly I don't want to feel stuffed. I am in control of my food.  I've never been able to say that before.

-My mood is happier and I feel more even-keeled.  Notice how I didn't say I have more energy?  I don't.  But I do feel happy about that.

-Foods high in salt leave me seriously thirsty...two slices of pizza = 4 glasses of water.  I don't like feeling extremely thirsty.

-My palate has changed...foods that used to be bland to me are much more desirable now.  Three years ago Chris suggested making whole wheat pizza crust.  I told him that was the worst idea ever.  The truth is, when I haven't eaten pizza in about three weeks, you could probably make the crust with hay and I would loooove it.

-The more foods with sugar I eat, the more foods with sugar I want.  True story...I had gone about four weeks without eating anything extremely sweet.  I didn't really crave anything either.  One night a friend served homemade Irish Car Bomb cupcakes for dessert. Yup. They were freaking incredible.  Two hours later, I couldn't figure out why I was suddenly craving ice cream.  Then I remembered the cupcake.  That spoke volumes to me.

-GMO's scare the crap out of me.  The fact that they haven't been around for that long scares me even more.  I'm not interested in being anyone's guinea pig. 

-I like to know what is in my food.  Know what's in lettuce?  Lettuce.

 

Soooooo needless to say, here we go....again....for good.  It's not too often in life I enter into something, never to come back out.  I guess I was due.

 

For those of you who are wondering what exactly we have been eating, here is our menu from our final week.  Tomorrow we are going to southeast P.A.  I will eat a hoagie while I am there.  I will love it and then I will be thirsty.  But you know what I won't feel?  Guilt. Because I have learned the meaning of the word moderation.



 

 

Pizza with whole wheat crust (Chris's newest endeavor), homemade pesto (also compliments of Chris), tomato slices, feta, kalamatas, and freshly shredded whole milk mozzarella...sweet potato fries

Leftover pizza...pepper and celery slices...homemade guacamole...all natural corn chips (yes the corn chips are processed, but our avacadoes were getting overly ripe we so had to make guac. Yeah, I took one for the team here...times get tough)

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Granola with plain, organic yogurt, berries, and local honey for sweetness

 

 

Eliza's lunch...smoothie with peaches, mango, banana, plain yogurt...strawberry...mango...kiwi...snap

pea...salami...salami sandwich on whole wheat bread (yes the salami is processed...but since she is still exploring foods and textures, we want to include a variety...plus two slices of salami is only $.25...plus sometimes I have to nibble it to make sure it is still good)

 

 

Smoothie...snap peas...sandwich with locally made whole wheat bread, local honey, all natural peanut butter (a few peanut butters are actually made out of only peanuts...had to read a lot of labels to figure that out)

 

 

Chicken enchiladas made with hormone/steroid free whole chicken cooked in crock pot...sauce made from whole wheat flour, butter, canned chiles, broth, whole fat sour cream...topped with freshly shredded monterey jack, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and locally made hot sauce

 

For the kiddos....blue monkey waffles...100 % whole wheat waffles with bananas, blueberries, honey...served with all natural maple syrup...fresh pear slices

 

 

Salad with strawberries, avacado, feta, almonds...home made dijon dressing

 

 



 

Free range scrambled eggs with freshly shredded monterey jack, local bread toasted with butter, black coffee

 

 

Curry chicken salad...used leftover crockpot chicken, plain organic yogurt, curry, cilantro, almonds

 

 

Homemade baked oatmeal with frozen blueberries...smoothie with strawberries, bananas, organic, plain yogurt

 

 

 Dahl...made with red lentils, onions, garlic, ginger root, and 3049584 spices...100 % whole wheat flatbreads (from the store)

 

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