Thanksgiving Weekend

   I want to start by apologizing for my lack of posts lately! Dustin has been working 10 hour days, 7 days a week and to top it off with holidays and my grandpa being sick. Yesterday was his 87th birthday, and he celebrated it in the hospital with the stomach flu, severe dehydration, and irregularly low heartbeat. So our Sunday will consist of enjoying this beautiful spring-like day as a family and visiting our grandpa at the hospital again.

   For his birthday, he said he wanted a banana cake. I love hearing his stories of his past birthdays. He told me that a few decades back, he made his own banana cake and all of the ladies would always ask him when he was going to bake another one for them ;)

   I wanted to make a nostalgic cake for him, so I did some Pinteresting and came upon this recipe which turned out beautifully! It certainly isn't paleo, but it's definitely delicious! Baking this cake made me really miss my old days of baking all the time. Unfortunately, my grandpa couldn't enjoy a slice of the cake (he's on a strict liquid diet), but I may or may not have slipped him just one "small" bite. Shhh!!

   Our thanksgiving was spent with family where I celebrated being done with our 28-day fall Nutrition Challenge at Crossfit Uncommon. I didn't cheat for one second of those 28 days, but I definitely dreamt of all of the things I'd be gettin' down on come Thanksgiving time! It was all I expected and so much more. I ate more than any man at the dinner table and didn't regret it for a second. 

Pre-turkey

Post-turkey

         I hope that ya'll have a beautiful Sunday! 

Gingerbread Protein Pancakes (Paleo)

   So as of lately, anytime that I have eggs for breakfast my stomach will be turning into knots for hours after. I have eaten eggs for just about every breakfast for over two years now! I figured maybe it's my way of my body telling me it's all egg-ed out. So I listened. I miss the days of eating pancakes, but don't want to put grains back into my diet so I came up with this recipe. It took me multiple tries to get them to look and taste just right and they get better every time I make them! Keep in mind when you're preparing them: that it's a small serving for one...I don't measure my spices or much of anything for that matter so if you like exact measurements, don't do this recipe. I'll be describing them with the annoying terms such as "dash", "scant", "pinch", etc.


Gingerbread Protein Paleo Pancakes

   A look at some of the ingredients:

Ingredients:

-about 1/2 cup almond meal
-1 egg
-1 scoop of protein powder of choice (I used chocolate, it's all I had. If you have gingerbread...that's even cooler)
-about 1/2 tbsp organic chia seeds (optional, adds texture and Omega 3's)
-handful-ish of organic unsweetened shredded coconut (optional, again-adds texture, flavor)
-pinch of coconut crystals (low glycemic alternative to sweeteners, nothing artificial about this one though :)
-dash of ginger, nutmeg, & clove
-super dash of cinnamon (optional on the "super" part...I just think you can never have too much cinnamon)
-almond milk (no set amount, just have it ready. Coconut milk is fine, too. Cow's milk is also fine, whatever you're into!)
-coconut oil


Get out a small bowl, add all of the dry ingredients (including the egg-not shown in this pic) into the bowl. Stir them together.

Now it's time for the milk. I literally just splash a very small amount into the bowl and mix.

If it is still dry & crumbly, then I will add another small splash. Keep adding the almond milk until it is thick and creamy.

Spoon batter onto medium-heated skillet (oiled with coconut oil) and let it cook until it bubbles and then flip it!

Top it off with nut butter, fruit, nuts, syrup. Whatever you would like!

Hope everyone enjoys this one! Happy Thanksgiving!

Mini Gingerbread "Snow" Covered Donuts

Today was the first day of snow around here and I was just too excited and in the Christmas spirit to not celebrate! I want my daughter to have the sweetest holiday memories. So I ran into her bedroom this morning to get her out of bed to show her the snow outside her window...only to find...a "reindeer"! We have 2 acres of unkept land where the deer love to nest this time of year. So seeing them in our yard is very entertaining. It was too perfect and cute to watch her reaction. Needless to say, it's been a magical day!  

Anyways, I'll cut to the chase. Here's the recipe to the donuts we made today...hope you enjoy as much as she did! Disclaimer: not everything I make is "clean eating" or paleo. Gotta let the kid taste the dirty stuff, too ;) 

Mini Gingerbread Snow Covered Donuts

Dry Ingredients:

-1 cup flour

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 cinnamon 

-1/2 tsp ginger

-1/8 tsp cloves

-1/8 tsp nutmeg

-1/4 tsp salt 

-1/4 cup brown sugar

Wet Ingredients: 

-1 egg

-3 tbsp maple syrup

-1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)

-1 1/2 tsp vanilla

-3 tbsp melted butter (I used ghee, aka clarified butter) 

Frosting:

-1 cup powdered sugar

- 1tbsp hot water

-1/2 heaping tbsp almond milk (any milk is fine)

-splash of vanilla

-shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease donut pan with coconut oil (or whatever it is that you use). Combine dry ingredients and stir. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until moistened. Pipe the batter into the pan, careful to not overload them. Bake for 8 min. As they're cooling, mix frosting ingredients in a small bowl. Pour shredded coconut into a separate small dish and set aside. Once the donuts are cooled, dip in the frosting and let excess drip off (or let your toddler spastically shake it, so frosting goes flying) and then gently dunk into bowl of shredded coconut. Lay on a pretty plate and enjoy! 

Our loss, Heaven's great gain

As most of you probably already know most of this story, I wanted to share again. This is obviously from my perspective, but I also realize it was as much Dustin's loss as it was mine. I cannot speak for him. He's been so strong through this process, but I am certain he feels the same.

I have received so many messages from moms and dads of their stories of miscarriage and so many sweet prayers...I am so thankful for everyone sharing their personal stories of their sweet babies. I was also extremely saddened that so many people haven't shared their stories with others. Although it is NOT fun to talk about, I can't imagine how hard it would be to heal if I closed up and didn't talk and pray about it. I am a very open and honest person, so I don't mind telling my story. I don't care that some people disagree with what I've done or how I feel about this. I don't care if people judge me for what's happened. I don't regret telling people that we were expecting before we made it to the second trimester. I hope that some mothers and fathers that have suffered loss find encouragement through our suffering.

I found out that we were expecting on Labor Day. Dustin and I were elated and didn't wait a second to share the news with our family. The family was of course very excited. Only a couple of weeks after finding out that we were pregnant, we had an ultrasound to discover that we were expecting twins!! We couldn't believe it. Literally, shocked. The ultrasound tech waited about fifteen minutes into the appointment to tell us...which made it even harder to believe! She wanted to be sure that there were really two sacs before telling us.

She, and the midwife, were very very clear from the beginning that they don't see twins this early in an ultrasound all that often and to be very cautious to share the news with anyone, even close family, until we were in the "clear" of the glorious second trimester.

We left the appointment, unphased by their warnings and couldn't wait to tell family and friends. So we didn't. I felt so sure inside my heart that I was meant to carry those twins full term and that they would be perfectly safe inside me. I was healthy. I am strong mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. I never for a moment considered that a miscarriage could be a part of our history.

That was, until our next appointment. The babies hadn't changed too much in the ultrasound and I just sensed that things weren't right. I knew that I should have measured further along. I stayed strong and didn't cry when the tech told us that things weren't looking too good. I didn't want to believe her words. After all, I had already gotten everyone's hopes up. I didn't want to face all of the upset questions from family and friends.

I quickly fell apart after leaving the appointment and realized that my confidence in the blessings was my own selfishness. Total selfishness. I had two weeks to grieve the possibility of a miscarriage before I actually miscarried both babies. So when it actually happened, I was somewhat prepared and at peace. I knew in my heart that it was coming.

It was a lonely night when it happened, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I grieved for them. I had all night alone to cry, pray and be in my own thoughts. I selfishly wanted them still growing inside me, but knew that this wasn't a mistake. This was God's plan from the beginning. I was just along for the bumpy ride. I waited until the sun came up and my daughter woke up to bury the babies. I showed Hayden and Dustin the babies, prayed for them, we kissed the burial box and we buried them in a special place in our yard. It was a very hard thing to do, but wouldn't have it any other way.

So many people have apologized to me. Told me that they're sorry for my loss. I am not sorry. I'm not sorry that it happened. Of course I am extremely saddened and aching inside, but I am peaceful knowing that the babies weren't mine to begin with. God chose me to carry them. Even if it were for just a couple months...he chose me for this great joy and this great suffering. I am beyond honored and thankful for it all. Words can't express my thankfulness for God's constant grace. He knew that I could handle this. Through this all, it's brought me so much closer to Him. All I can seem to do is praise Jesus. And for that, I am also thankful. Without God, I wouldn't have known His promise to find the positivity and strength to make it through.

Again, Dustin and I are so thankful for the love and personal stories that people have so kindly shared with us. Knowing how painful it is to talk about, we thank you and are praying for you all! We love all of you so much.


Psalm 71: 20-21

     Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up. 

Food prepping

Since we have started prepping our food for the week, our lives have simplified!! It's so much easier than we expected. For some reason, I kept putting "food prepping" in the mission impossible category. It was always one of those things that seemed like a great idea to think about doing...but I never actually did it. Much like ALL of my boards & pins on Pinterest. Thankfully we finally gave it a shot and can't figure out why we waited so long to do this! 

 Today, I whipped up a couple meals for my hubby and I in 30 min flat! I try to do it when the baby is napping. Anyone with a toddler knows cooking with them in the kitchen is damn near impossible. 

I just buy the meat and vegetables, cook it (the grill makes cleanup super easy) and then package it up so we don't even have to do anything when it comes to packing our lunch for the work week. Our nights are much more enjoyable when we get cooking done beforehand! More time to talk and hang as a family! 

I know it doesn't look like much but there's over 5 cups of mixed vegetables, 5 chicken breasts and a steak! People always ask where we buy our food, not too many options 'round here, but we buy most of our vegetables at Sam's Club because that's the only place I can find that sells monster sized bags of green goodness! Most of our meat comes from Payless (natural & organic section only) or the farmers market. 

Try this for one week and see if it doesn't make your life easier...and healthier!

The Whole30

The Whole30 is my latest challenge that I wanted to share with y'all! I have been trying to push for improvement and this one has been surprisingly easy.

In our home, most know that we follow a paleo lifestyle about 90-95% of the time. For the past couple of weeks though, I was allowing myself to be more like an 80/20. However, for someone like me who has joint issues (Rheumatoid Arthritis); I have finally learned & accepted the fact that my body is highly sensitive to what I consume.

The average person can usually enjoy some froyo, grains, cupcake, beer, burger etc. from time to time; but I cannot. I will literally have a "food hangover" the next day and wake up in a tremendous amount of pain. It reached a point where it physically was a struggle for me to get my baby out of her crib in the mornings. Unacceptable. Some may think I am crazy & uptight when it comes to my lifestyle. I can't deny that, I have probably lost my marbles...but to me, it's worth it. I have a one and a half year old daughter that requires me to be on-point 24/7. And I am young. I want to feel young.

I am a week into the Whole30 challenge and have been feeling fabulous! Everyday into the challenge, I feel better and better. I am hoping this will give my body the reset that it desperately needed.

To those who are interested in giving it a try, I'd like to share a few tips that have worked for me:

• Before you even consider beginning, make sure you're head is in it. You've got to want it. You have to be so fed up with the aches, pains, and same routine that you can't stand to do it another day. Don't start something that you can't finish. You'll feel so good and accomplished when it is said and done.
• Meal prep. I had never prepped my meals in advance before, but I knew that I wouldn't last in this challenge if I had to cook a fresh plate for every single meal. Ain't nobody got time for that. Every Sunday, we my awesome hubby preps our meats for the week. Then, I will reheat them for lunch or dinner either on a skillet, grill, or in the oven (never the microwave).
• Extra pointers for meal prepping:
• have lots of containers or ziploc bags before starting
• slightly undercook your beef as it will taste better when you have to reheat it throughout the week. 
• Take your time cooking the meat. Cook it low & slow so it will taste good. Nobody lasts in this challenge if the food they're eating tastes like chewy rubber.
• I prefer eating my veggies in the same day that I cook them. They don't take long to cook at all; so as I cook my eggs in the morning, I will prepare my veggies for the day as well. 
• If you are known for having little to no willpower, don't put yourself in tempting situations. Don't make dinner plans with friends/family for the next 30 days if you can't resist. Don't go to a party where you know you'll be tempted by booze, cake, etc. Thankfully, I am a pretty big loser already so I don't go to too many parties ;) But I was able to take my husband out for froyo today, and didn't have a single lick! My daughter was covered in froyo and I was so tempted to lick her face and tiny sticky fingers and polish off her cup...but, I didn't. That's willpower folks. 
• If you get hungry, leave the house. Get outside. Take some carrots with you. 
• Always have fresh veggies on hand. Don't ever let your fridge run low, or hunger & anger will set in and you'll cave. 
• Drink at least a gallon of water every day. 
• If you get hungry, drink water & get over it. You'll live. 
• Get active. You'll start noticing results quickly when you eat clean. Being active in addition to this challenge will really make ya feel like a million bucks!
• Pray. I'd be lying if I said it hasn't helped me. 

This challenge has made me realize how darn good healthy food really is. I feel good, and I am eating like a queen. Here are some pictures of the deliciousness that I get to enjoy everyday!

These jalapeno bites were almost considered cheating. Don't make them...you'll want to eat every one of them! 

Always filling the plate up with a boat load of vegetables.

Even though I don't consume grains anymore, it doesn't mean I don't have a love for starch anymore. I have at least one sweet potato a day! I can't get enough. To which I have to say.....

Notice how I am not in the picture. I may have willpower, but that doesn't mean I wanted to smile for the camera. *jealous of these turds*

If you give this a-go, let me know! I would love to be support for you! Plus, it's always nice to know you're not alone in something like this. Let's be miserable healthier together!

Easy Lunch for Picky Babies

Some babies just don't want to eat their fruits and veggies. Some parents just don't want to have that fight with them. Some parents just may not have the time to make a freshly prepared lunch everyday! Whatever the reason, here's what my daughter had for lunch today. Thought I'd share for those who are into making smoothies.

We don't make smoothies often because I believe it's more beneficial to eat your food. But in her situation (lacking her molars to chew just yet), it's a great way for her to get some greens into the diet without her choking! 

I used a NutriBullet to blend. This one is loaded with antioxidants (great for teething babies to reduce inflammation) and is very filling with the rice/oatmeal cereal. 

Ingredients:

-2-3 oz of water or almond milk

-3 strawberries

-3 small blocks of cut pineapple

-1 oz Xocai Activ 

- half of a ripe banana

-1 tbsp organic rice or oatmeal cereal

-2 handfuls of mixed organic greens

Blend until it's smooth. Taste test first! If you don't like it, chances are the baby isn't going to either! 

Dark Chocolate Protein Banana Bread

This recipe was shared with me by one of my mom's friends who fabulously perfected a paleo-friendly banana bread. I am SO excited to share this with y'all! It's so good, I guarantee you, it won't last even a day in your home!

It's stupid easy to make. It's one of those recipes where everything gets tossed into the bowl, in no particular order, and mixed all at once! Easy! 

Here's what you need:

4 ripe bananas

4 organic eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 c organic coconut flour

1/3 c melted organic coconut oil

1 scoop of pure grass-fed whey chocolate protein powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

Mash bananas. Mix it all up, pour into coconutty-oiled bread pan, bake at 350 for 50 min to an hour. 

I like to add things such as dark chocolate chunks, sliced almonds, favorite nut butter, shredded organic coconut, etc to make each batch unique and delicious!  

As with any banana bread, it tastes best the next day; but if you're impatient and hangry like me...I eat it as soon as it comes out of the oven and smear some sunflower seed butter on top which melts over the edges and drips down my chin as some of the bread crumbles & falls either down my shirt or onto my belly (whichever happens to be poking out the farthest at the time, usually my stomach but I've definitely found snacks in my bra before) as I take a bite. (#preggosknowwhatibetalkinabout #tmi #icantbetheonlygirlwiththisproblem) Never mind my personal issues...it's out of this world! 

Chocolate Protein Pancakes

I've been searching for an easy protein paleo pancake recipe for a while now and think I've finally found one I can rock out! Baking delicious goods while trying to keep it clean is challenging and all too often expensive. Ain't nobody got time for that.

So I present to you my 3-Ingredient Chocolate & Almond Butter Paleo Friendly Protein Pancakes

-1/2 c almond flour, or 1/4 c coconut flour or if you aren't as concerned about grains...1/2 c oat flour

-1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (none of that highly processed protein junk-buy the good stuff)

-splash of coconut milk (add the milk in last & slowly...add just enough to moisten everything together. The batter should be thick like your thighs)

& your favorite nut butter to top it all off and of course some fruit and bacon on the side :) 

I poured the batter one spoonful at a time on to a medium heated skillet that's lubed with organic coconut oil. Two spoonfuls of batter per pancake. Pouring it one spoonful at a time and waiting 30 seconds to a minute in between creates a thick, fluffy pancake. It's all about the layering!

Once it was done, I smeared on almond butter and let it melt over the edges. Adding pancakes to the stack as I went. They were magical! & so so easy. 

You can jazz these up with all sorts of ingredients to make a different breakfast each time. I'll post more varieties as I create them! 

Crossfit Really Is Uncommon

As a newbie to Crossfit and Olympic weightlifting, participating in the Open seemed like a ludicrous thing to do. I've never been physically strong or skilled in my entire life. Some of the Open workouts have made me seriously question my sanity and abilities as a person and as a crossfitter. Despite all of my doubts, I force myself to jump into each workout head first because I know the box is counting on me & the commitment I made to represent. I go into each workout with my heart pounding out of my chest & enough nerves to serve the entire group, but I finish the workout simply amazed at what I just accomplished. I am never at the top of the leaderboards, but I'm still honored to even be rock bottom. There's been times that I haven't even got a single rep, but I'm still excited because it's forced me to try something that I wouldn't have dared to face otherwise. It's encouraged me to challenge myself mentally, physically and spiritually. Today, I set a PR of deadlifting 135#. During the warm up, I couldn't even come close to budging that weight, but I told my husband I'd still give it a try in the Open workout and give it all I had. Thanks to the amazing coaches guiding me along the way (and shouting words of encouragement & commands in my face, which I seriously love-thank you!), I was able to not only dead lift the 135# once, but NINE times-and could have done more if there was more time on the clock. Since joining Uncommon, I've had so many firsts. I was praying to God to help me deadlift that weight correctly & we nailed it!!! Woo hoo! 

So many people give me a hard time for the fact that I Crossfit. They (those people being people who haven't even ever tried Crossfit) tell me how I'm gonna get really hurt, how we do movements improperly to sacrifice for good time, etc. To which I tell them, come join us on a free community WOD and then feel free to judge me after that. Crossfit is so much more than what all of the negative skeptics say about it. A good box provides so much more than physical gains. They genuinely care about you as a person and the atmosphere in itself is often times more positive and uplifting than a good ol' Sunday church sermon. I watch my peers and cheer them on not with jealousy, but with sheer amazement at how strong they all are and with high hopes to someday be able to accomplish what they've worked so hard for.

I am PROUD to be a part of Uncommon and the community of people within it. Thanks to the coaches Crystal, Pete, Alec & Rod for the opportunity to participate & to my fellow members for inspiring me to never give up! 

Juicing Tips & Tricks

Juicing can be a blessing or a curse. I have had so many people message me lately about how wasteful juicing seems to be. I totally understand where you are coming from because I was in your shoes a couple years ago when I first began my juicing journey.

So with trial and error I have found ways to make it work. I am by no means an expert; I just am sharing what I have learned from my experiences. I hope you find this information helpful! 

• Juicing can be expensive if done without careful planning. If you are new to juicing, pick two or three simple recipes to start and make a shopping list for the ingredients. Don't overwhelm yourself by aimlessly grocery shopping and loading up on things you may or may not need.
• Choose produce that is high in water content. You will get more "bang for your buck" with these types of foods; such as cucumbers, watermelon, apples, carrots, oranges, grapefruit, etc. Any of these foods make excellent juicing bases. Always choose a base that will provide lots of juice. Our family favorite is carrots. Organic whole carrots are cheap and delicious.
• Foods such as berries and leafy greens (spinach & kale) are great antioxidant boosters but sometimes best to just eat raw. It takes a great amount of each to produce enough juice and they're also usually the priciest. 
• Add foods such as lemon, ginger, lime, wheatgrass, aloe vera, purple cabbage, & beets as "boosters" rather than bases. These are all strong in flavors and each have their own benefits when added to juice. For example, we love to juice ginger because it is excellent for stomach issues and is anti-inflammatory. It is also very spicy, so use a small amount.
• In the summer-fall seasons, ask your gardening neighbors or friends if they have any extra produce that they need taken off their hands. For instance, last fall our backyard's apple trees produced so many apples that I was practically begging people to come pick apples for me! It saved us hundreds of dollars by using the apples from our backyard for juicing, plus I know that our tree hasn't been treated with any chemicals whatsoever. 
• Check your local grocer's policy for what they do with produce that is either expired, about to expire, or blemished in some way. Many groceries offer this produce at super low prices and it is a great way to find some excellent steals.
• Consider growing your own garden. Now is a great time to get started. If you are new at it, like I am; start small. Don't go crazy or you will likely be unsuccessful. Choose 2-3 of your family's most consumed produce and try your go at growing those. 
• If after trying these tips & tricks and you still feel like you aren't getting much juice; consider a new juicer. From my experiences in juicing, you get what you pay for. We use the Omega juicer and absolutely love it. The Omega juicers website also has so many juicing recipes so be sure to check those out!
• Pulp. Many people see how much pulp juicing extracts and think how awful it is to let it go to waste. So don't let it go to waste! We save ours for our dogs sometimes and mix it in with their dinner, you can save vegetable pulp and make soups with it, you can feed some to your baby ;) or save it for compost for your garden. My mother in law saves hers to give to her neighbors to feed their chickens. There are so many ways to use the pulp! 

Here is a great cleansing vegetable juice that is easy and is sure to produce lots of juice!

-organic whole carrots (washed)

-organic celery stalks (washed)

Juice carrots until it provides 4 oz of juice; then juice the celery until it produces 4 oz of juice. Pour into a glass and chug it down! 

Good luck guys!

Washing Produce

I have had so many friends recently buy juicers, to those I say..CONGRATS!! Don't get discouraged if it's not all you've heard it is cracked up to be. I'll be posting my tips and tricks to juicing later this week!! 

Until then, I would like to stress how important it is to wash and prep your produce so that it provides the best flavors, removes as many pesticides as possible, and lasts longer. 

It makes me cringe when I see people just eat it straight from the grocery...I may be a germaphobe, but hear me out on this. It is worth the extra time it takes to wash it well for your eating enjoyment later ;) 

I typically come home and get out a large glass bowl and fill it with water and Bragg's apple cider vinegar (3:1 ratio, roughly...I don't actually measure) and let my produce soak for a good 5-10 minutes then proceed to strain the water out and let it all dry before storing back in the fridge. It's time consuming. For those who have kids, get your kids involved. They will love tossing the berries in the cleaning mixture and helping you! The ACV (apple cider vinegar) will kill mold spores and remove unwanted toxins from the produce thus providing a longer shelf life for the produce! 

For my local friends; My mom also recently invested in a Kangen Water System for her home which provides water at a pH of 11.5 which is meant to clean your produce and provide the proper pH for produce which seriously makes it taste AMAZING. It also removes unwanted toxins! It makes berries that are out of season taste like they're freshly picked in the middle of the summery season!! She so graciously offered to sell it to anyone who wants a gallon jug of it. The system is just connected to her tap; so you just bring a gallon jug and fill it up! 

These are the two ways I like to prepare my family's produce. I hope this helps you with your next grocery trip! Keep calm...it's almost farmers market season!!! :)

Feeding our ONE year old!

Our daughter turned ONE last month! Where does the time go? With that being said, we are currently working on some new steps. 

1. Weaning from a bottle 

2. Introducing fresh, new solid foods everyday 

3. Using her "pie-hole" (aka pacifier) as little as possible 

4. Reducing time at the breast 

I'm not ashamed to admit that she is still very much breastfed. Up until this point we nursed on demand (which was very frequently). I plan to let her nurse until she no longer shows interest, but on my terms as to how often she gets it from here on out. It is hands down THE BEST way to provide immunity. I'm all for that! She hasn't been sick yet (praise God!) and I hope to keep it that way as long as I can. We also put vitamin D drops in her sippy cup of H2O everyday which can help significantly improve your ability to fight sicknesses!

As far as eating solids go, she eats 100% clean. A lot of people think we are a crazy family that eats twigs and grass...which is totally ridiculous. We eat WELL! There's no magic diet, we simply eat clean & nutritious foods. Never processed or from a box. 

Fruit-check!

Vegetables-check!

High quality, grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic free meats...check! 

Water-check! 

We eat nothing more and nothing less than what you just read! And it's amazing! We consume tons of FRESH fruits, veggies, water, and meats. All of which our daughter gets to eat as well. We don't make her any special meals. She eats whatever we cook for ourselves & for the most part, loves it! 

A lot of parents tell me that their kids don't or won't eat vegetables or even fruit, to which I ask you, "Are you buying it fresh? How are you preparing it?" Those questions matter. If you buy "crap", it's definitely gonna taste like crap. Buy fresh produce and prepare them with high quality seasonings and oils. Never buy canned fruits or veggies. If your kids still won't eat them on their own, try making vegetable smoothies mixed with fruit. They don't have to know just how much kale you put in the smoothie ;) some children will force you to get creative! Take the challenge! I'd be happy to share some of my favorite smoothie recipes with anyone who has strong-willed kiddos! You can also freeze the smoothies into Popsicle molds and make healthy desserts for the entire family. 

If you have really young babies, now is the time to start good habits. Cook together, grocery shop together, and eat together! It's a great way to spend time as a family. Our best times are had in the kitchen! 

Feel free to share with me any fun foods you like to serve up for your little ones! 

Here is what my daughter and I had for lunch today :) 

Homemade Baby Wipes

I've been making and using these on my daughter since she was born! As often as newborns are soiling their diapers, that means you're gonna be doing a lot of wiping which also means that the baby will likely end up with a chafed bum and diaper rash!

These are also great because there's no drying alcohol or chemicals in them so you can use them as face wipes for yourself or the baby! 

Here's what you'll need:

-2 cups of water boiled and then left to cool completely 

-2 tbsp melted organic coconut oil 

-3 drops of Melaleuca essential oil (tea tree oil) 

-3 drops of Lavender essential oil 

-1 airtight containers

-1 Bounty DuraTowel paper towel

The liquid mixture will make one container of wipes. So if you want to use both halves of the paper towel roll, double the recipe. 

Mix the water, coconut oil and essential oils in a bowl. Cut the paper towel roll in half and place the cut halves into containers. Pour the mixture over the roll and then remove the cardboard center. Pull wipes from the middle as needed and keep lid on it when not using! 

These wipes also are good on the go! I just pull the wipes out and fold them up and place them in a zipper bag or a travel wipes case and enjoy! 

Asparagus & Brussel Sprouts

I'm on a veggie kick! I bought some seriously large bags of vegetables at Costco and am experimenting with some new mix-ups. 

My latest creation was a spin-off of the Cheesecake Factory's asparagus salad. I'd say it was super successful, try it out for yourself! 

Here's how I made it:

-Washed a handful of asparagus and a handful of brussel sprouts and chopped them in half

-heated skillet on low to medium heat 

-put the veggies in the skillet with organic olive oil drizzled on top, a dash of Flavor God's lemon and garlic seasoning and added about 1/4 c of sliced almonds

-cook until the veggies start to brown (I prefer them a little crispier & raw so I didn't cook them too long, just a couple minutes!) 

And voila! They're ready! You can enjoy them alone or add some meat to it. I cooked up a chicken breast to go with mine. 

Brussel Sprouts

Sad to admit, but this was my first time ever trying this veggie! I loved it! I asked around before I attempted preparing them because as you all know, brussel sprouts don't have the best reputation. I wanted to be sure they were as delicious as possible! 

I bought a large bag of them at Costco for a pretty decent price. (Not recommended if this is your first attempt with them because if you don't like the flavor..then you'll be stuck with a big bag of vegetables you don't enjoy!) 

Here's how I did it:

Washed them in a mixture of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and water (~1:5 ratio). Let them soak in it for a couple of minutes then toss in a strainer and rinse with clean water. 

-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

-Chop the sprouts in half & put in a bowl with a lid

-drizzle a bit of organic olive oil over them and crack some salt and black pepper over them 

-put the lid on the bowl and shake it up for about 30 seconds or until evenly coated

-line baking sheet with parchment paper and place sprouts on the sheet 

-bake at 400 for 16 minutes total. Halfway through the cooking time, be sure to stir them up or flip them so they're all evenly roasted! 

Enjoy as many as you can fit into your stomach. These are high in protein and vitamin C! 

Paleo Bread

This recipe is coming to you from my mother! She embarked on this Paleo journey when I started getting on her about eating healthier to help with her autoimmune diseases. She has been doing a fabulous job at making the many lifestyle changes that it takes to be "Paleo" and therefore has been feeling much better, too! I'm so proud of her! Thanks for sharing this amazing bread with us, Momma!

Ingredients: 

3 cups almond flour

3 tbsp coconut flour 

6 tbsp ground flaxseed

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda 

7 eggs

1 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil, plus extra to coat pan

1 1/2 tbsp honey 

1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, combine the flours, flaxseed seed, sea salt and baking soda. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Then add in the coconut oil, honey and ACV until mixed well. 

Coat a bread pan with coconut oil well and pour the batter into the pan and spread it out. Bake for 30-45 min or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted into the middle of the bread. 

Enjoy this warmed with some nut butter & chopped bananas on top or with plain coconut oil! 

Juice for Baby, Too!

Recently my daughter had a play date with a sweet little girlfriend of ours and as they were enjoying a snack together, they switched sippy cups and my daughter got to taste apple juice for the first time (not by my approval...babies are quick and sneaky)! But the look on her face when she drank her friend's juice was priceless! She looked at me and looked back at the bottle...she knew it wasn't hers and she knew it definitely wasn't water! I felt somewhat guilty inside for not letting her try anything different and she's already almost a year old! So, as we were juicing this morning I decided I'd make a little extra for her. 

She loved it! And I loved that I knew exactly what was in it, too. So this is a great recipe for you to make for yourself and baby! 

Here's what I used: (all ingredients I use for juicing are fresh; not frozen)

-2 small organic Gala apples

-2 small organic Fuji apples

-2 navel oranges 

-5 stalks organic celery 

-heaping handful of spinach 

-1/4 cup organic blueberries 

-2 kiwis 

-1/2 small organic lime 

Turkey Meatballs

These may not look like the most appealing meatballs you've ever seen; but do NOT judge a book by its cover. These puppies taste as delicious as the smell. 

Here's what y'all need:

-1 lb ground turkey

-bacon fat for cooking them in the skillet

-1/4 cup diced onion

-1/2 cup diced mushrooms

-Flavor God's Everything Seasonings

-5 tbsp Coconut Aminos 

Sear the mushrooms in skillet with a little bit of salt and pepper. Keep skillet on the heat-as you'll need it in a few minutes to cook the meatballs.

Remove mushrooms from skillet and put into a large bowl. Add the ground turkey, onion, seasonings, & coconut aminos into the bowl and mix it all together. 

Spoon the meat into balls and place on the skillet. Cook at low to medium heat until browned throughout and enjoy!! 

Dustin's Transformation

Starting weight: 225 lbs

Total weight loss to date: 65 lbs 

How did he do it you may ask? 

-completely eliminating soda, candy, & junk of all sorts

-replacing fast food lunches with a heaping cup of fresh mixed fruit, Clif Bar, & 1/4 cup of jalapeño chips or granola

-cooking dinner every night which usually consisted of chicken, fresh veggies & rice.

-eating breakfast every morning (he used to skip breakfast and just have a Mountain Dew!)

This worked well for him for a little while. He lost 45 lbs quick. BUT...there was still what I would call "healthy" junk in the diet. So upon starting our Crossfit journey last fall, we took our lifestyle a step further and he successfully eliminated all grains (rice, sprouted bread, granola, Clif Bars, etc) and is now eating a Paleo diet 95% of the time. It has been a very gradual process for us both to transfer to this lifestyle. It's something that cannot be done overnight successfully. It takes time, effort, planning and dedication to succeed. A lot of people see the way we eat or the results that we have experienced and say "Oh I wanna try it how do I do it?" It's more than just a clear, cut and dry answer of simple instructions. It took us lots of research and time to experiment what worked for us. So if you're interested in the Paleo lifestyle or just simply eating cleaner; do your own research. Don't take my word for it. It's your body; you have to live with it for the rest of your life and learn to love it. So put the time into it and it'll love you right back! 

A typical day of meals for us looks something like this: 

Breakfast: 

-water

-2-3 eggs cooked with coconut oil on a cast iron skillet with uncured bacon or turkey bacon tucked inside & topped with a little bit of seasonings 

-freshly squeezed juice

Lunch: 

-spinach & fruit salad 

-banana or apple

-paleo snack bar (mixture of nuts, shredded coconut, and dried fruit) 

Dinner:

-plate heaping full of vegetables & a lean meat cooked with vegetables & coconut Aminos 

Snacks in between meals:

-hempseed protein shakes

-vegetables

-fruit

-nuts 

We try and keep our meals constantly varied which has been a new challenge for us; as we like routine and are totally satisfied with eating the same meal day after day! It's important to keep it varied so that you can get all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that all foods have to offer. Keep it colorful & best wishes!

Snacks

Lots of people ask for recipes for meals, but it's also important to stay fueled with nutritious choices in between those delicious main courses! Mostly because I'm still nursing my daughter, I eat pretty frequently (every 1-2 hours you will find me chewin on somethin!) but I've always been a "snacker".

Anyways...here's a few ideas as to some easy & healthy snacks! 

-organic apple (I really dig Gala) with heaping spoonful of nut butter (I really dig almond butter ;) 

-banana (you can always add nut butter to this too!) 

-citrus is a great snack when you're out & about since you have to peel it anyway, you can toss it in your bag or purse and not worry about it gettin smashed or dirty! 

-dark chocolate with probiotics (Probiotics are something that should be consumed daily, by everyone. Babies & adults! Most disease begins within the colon. The average American lifestyle is overloaded with antibiotics found in medications and our foods; which strip our intestines of all the good bacteria. Probiotics provide the good bacteria that our digestive systems require to function at a normal & healthy level) 

-for the sweet tooth lovers: dried fruit. It is best to find fruit that is dried naturally and unsulfured because most dried fruit sold in chain grocery stores are full of sugar! Always look at the ingredients before buying. 

-coconut strips (mommas, this is a great choice for babies, too! My daughter is obsessed with coconut meat. It's tough so it will usually last her all day...she just sucks and gums it until she loses interest. Great teething remedy!) 

-nuts & seeds (except for peanuts)

-good ol' H2O! I never leave my house without a gigantic water bottle or gallon of water. Water should be the first thing you consume in the morning and the majority (like 99.9%) of what you drink throughout the day. 

-hot tea. Traditional Medicinal makes a fantastic line of organic teas that you can enjoy! 

-baby carrots 

-celery and nut butter topped with chia seed or raisins 

-freshly juiced fruits & veggies 

"Orange" Juice

I've had tons of requests for some juice recipes. I don't follow any recipes for juicing, I just get creative. And when I say creative; I more or less just mean I use whatever is in my fridge that is either

A. Going to go bad quicker than we can eat it

B. We have a surplus of

So with that being said, I present to you this mornings "Orange" Juice!

-massive amounts of carrots (~2 cups)

-2-4 michigan apples

-1 lemon

-5-6 cuties

We use the Omega juicer! We love it! Before we started using the Omega, we had this one. 

Juice & pour it in a nice tall glass! Drink immediately. 

For added antioxidant/anti-inflammatory benefits we add ginger root and lime. It's spicy and FIRE goin down, but it's worth it if you have any aches & pains! 

Almond Crusted Pesto Chicken

This is just so delicious guys! You gotta try this and let me know what y'all think!

Almond Crusted Chicken

What you'll need:
-2 chicken breast
-1/2 c almond flour (did you know that you can make this yourself? Blend almonds in your food processor until it turns into flour! EASY!)
-1 egg
-5 tbsp garlic lovers seasoning
-2 tbsp olive or coconut oil

Preheat your oven to 375. Coat a baking dish with the oil. Put your seasoning and flour in one bowl and mix it up. Put your egg in another bowl. Dunk the chicken breasts into the egg and then toss it into the bowl with the almond flour and seasonings. Cook it for 20 minutes.

We served ours with a steamed vegetable medley of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots with a side of baked sweet potato chips. 

It's just that easy folks! We topped ours with a little bit of pesto (recipe found here) which was so amazing, the next time I will cover every square inch of the chicken with the pesto.

Baby Food

Don't kill yourself trying to make fancy baby food or buying the latest baby food gadgets. I've tried it all and this is easiest-Almost all the recipes I post, the kids can enjoy too. Toss some on their high chair and let them experiment-or add a tad bit of water to it and toss it in a food processor. There's no need to go out and get a baby food blender...they aren't that different! I have the Baby Brezza and like it; but it's not near as easy to use as our good ol' fashioned food processor. And I know Infantino makes a baby food pouch dispenser which seems nice in theory, but that is just one more appliance to store and clean. Rubbermaid containers work just as well :) be easy on yourselves, mommas! Our lives are chaotic enough!

We have been very fortunate. Our daughter eats just about anything we shove her way! That is one of the many good things about eating clean-you don't have to worry about it's quality or content harming your babes because you know what is going into it!

We usually cook our vegetables with steam or do them roasted-which results in a nice, soft food that our 10 month old has no problem eating. Now, for those with younger kids-you'll obviously need to mash it or blend it more for them. Try it out and see what consistency they prefer. All babies are different! Our daughter didn't like anything that wasn't of breast milk consistency in the very beginning (~8 months old)

Our daughters favorite food that I've made for her so far is Mango & Sweet Potatoes:

~1 cup diced mango

~1-2 c sweet potato

Steam or boil the sweet potato (peeled) until soft, then add the mango (also steamed for about 5-10 min) then blend together with about a tablespoon of coconut milk and a dash of cinnamon. It makes it nice & creamy! Then store in containers! This stuff was so good I was eating it out of the blender (surprise, surprise..I'm always eating)

Lately though, we have just been giving our daughter the same thing we have for dinner (we break it into small pieces or mash it up) & it's SO easy. She's also learning to feed herself (double easy). 

Or in the mornings, when we juice for breakfast; we will let her have a little bit of that out of our cup. Her reaction is always priceless. You can easily freeze the juice into Popsicle molds and use for a snack or as a teething treat! Our daughter LOVES this! (If you don't have a juicer, you can also blend this into a smoothie) A good juice frozen into popsicles recipe for kids is:

-1 Gala apple

-1 heaping cup of carrots 

-splash of Aloe Vera juice

-1 cup spinach 

-1 cup berries of your choice (avoid super seedy berries if your babe is young & try a very ripe banana instead-the more ripe it is, the easier it will be for their tummies to digest it)

Beef and Cauliflower Rice

I'll be the first to admit. I'm slightly un-American. I've never been a fan of beef. Until now! My husband bought some grass fed beef yesterday and came up with this beauty!

Here's what you'll need:

-beef (cut of your choice, the more tender the better)

-small to medium head of cauliflower

-mushrooms and bacon (if you want delicious rice exactly as we made it. Orrrr you can be boring and leave it plain)

-seasonings of your choice (we use this awesome stuff from Flavor God - paleo, gluten free...all herbs and spices, no B.S.!) 

To make it edible for your enjoyment:

-heat up your grill folks! Just because it's cold doesn't mean you can't kick your hubby or boyfriend outside to man the grill 

-do a dry rub all over that meat! Whatever seasonings your little taste buds desire. Rub it in good! (Again, we used Flavor God's seasonings. They're worth every penny and ship fast :) 

-throw it in the grill and cook it at a low temp. Low n' slow! 

For the cauliflower, break it into florets and then slowly send it through the food processor.

Once it's blended to a rice-like consistency, toss it in a skillet & cover with a lid. Let it simmer there for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Sprinkle with some seasonings if you would like and mix in the bacon and mushrooms.

My husband always sautées our mushrooms and bacon in Bragg's Liquid Aminos (you can see what our typical grocery lists "staples" looks like here) in a cast iron pan. Which is BOMB! It's an amazing combination-it creates the best flavor. Try it out! 

& Enjoy it! Xoxo

Paleo Pizza

Ya'll ready for this ridiculously long titled, delicious dinner?! Paleo Pesto Chicken Bacon & Mushroom Pizza. Heaven on earth. Make it now guys. If you don't have the ingredients, go get em, NOW. 

I've experienced two "firsts" in my life tonight: 

1. Not being able to eat the entire pizza in one sitting (I'm ashamed! But gave it a good fight) This is a seriously filling meal! Go all out with the toppings and you won't be disappointed...until you realize your eyes are bigger than your stomach and that you can't possibly eat another bite without exploding of delicious goodness.

2. There wasn't one second while I was eating this masterpiece that I felt guilty for eating my favorite meal---a pizza! Made from scratch, clean ingredients, protein, healthy fats, no grains....I could brag forever. 

Here's what you'll need to make the crust: (this is surprisingly easy to make even though it looks long and daunting)

-1 1/2 cups tapioca flour/starch

-1 cup water

-1/2 cup coconut flour

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup coconut oil

-about 1 to 2 tbsp of garlic seasoning (I'd recommend 1..2 tbsp was a bit too garlicky, and I even love garlic!)

-parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the oil, seasoning and water in a stove pot. Bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tapioca flour. Let it cool for 5 minutes or so and then incorporate the eggs and coconut flour. Mix well! Dump it onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and divide it into two chunks. Create two pizzas with it. I covered them with another piece of parchment paper (so that the dough is sandwiched between two pieces of parchment) and flattened the dough out with a plate instead of dealing with the annoyingness of a sticky rolling pin mess. It worked beautifully! 

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden & then remove from oven and top with your choice toppings! Don't forget to pop it back in the oven once you top it so it can heat and melt all nicely together. Just a few minutes is good. In this dinner, we added a few of our favorite things such as chicken, mushrooms and turkey bacon. You can do sooo many things with this recipe...add tomato sauce rather than pesto or beef or sausage or all vegetables....have fun! This was a super fun meal to make on a Saturday night with the family.

Also, this crust was so easy to make, had such great consistency, and flavor that it has given me some great, sinfully delicious recipe ideas for the future that I'll try out and share with y'all (assuming it's successful). 

Here's what you'll need for the pesto: (super easy) 

-1 cup organic spinach

-1 clove garlic

-1/4 cup of nuts (we used pecans; but pine nuts would work, or walnuts :)

-3 1/2 tbsp organic (or good quality) olive oil 

-1 tbsp of seasoning (your choice...I'd recommend one with no sodium or it'll taste way too salty. But you can get creative here. For example, my husband used cayenne pepper based spice and I chose a lemon-garlic. Next time I make this, I will do a different spice without garlic. It was overall pretty garlicky. I'll probably smell like a garlic clove for at least a month.  

Blend the nuts, spinach, and garlic in a food processor. Slowly incorporate the olive oil and seasoning until it's at a smooth consistency. Spread on top of fully baked pizza crust. Then add toppings. Broil in oven for an additional 5-8 minutes until warmed! 

Get cookin, and tell me how you chose to top your pizza!