Oops!

So, 6 weeks ago I found out I was pregnant with our 4th child.  This was NOT planned.  We had talked that IF we were to have another baby, it would be when this journey was over.  Well, our Heavenly Father had different plans.

I will be taking a break from weighing myself every week.  As I am still STRIVING to follow the eating habits that I developed, I must admit, I have taken several paths that are not on the road.  I get REALLY sick during my first trimester.  I am still committed to eating healthy and keeping the habits that I have enforced in our lives. These last 4 weeks have been quite hard for me.  I will still blog about the healthy eating benefits, but they will be more focused on the pregnancy.  This is the first pregnancy where I have actually been eating healthy.  My first 3 pregnancies I didn't eat the way that I should and I gained quite a bit of weight.  I will admit, I am scared to gain back what I lost.  I know I can't possibly gain back the 50 pounds that I lost if I continue to eat healthy. As soon as the nausea ends, I will be able to eat more according to the guidelines of this healthy journey.  Until then, I am going to eat what I can without throwing up. 

Please, stay with me and continue to follow my progress during this "bump in the road".

Thank you!

The Small Things

I often get asked what I'm doing for exercise these days.  I reply with an honest answer, "I'm not exercising right now." The reasons are nothing but excuses, but it occurred to me the other day that that really isn't an "honest" answer.  Let me explain.

I am a mother of 3 children.  I have an almost 12 year old girl, a 9 1/2 year old daughter, and I have an almost 4 year old son. I realized the other day as I was running up the stairs for the 20th time that morning that I actually DO exercise every day.  It may not be consistent and back to back, but I shouldn't discount the activities that a mother of 3 does everyday.  We have 3 sets of stairs in our home and a total of 4 levels.  I home school my 2 girls and their "school" is in the basement of our home.  That is one set of stairs that I go up and down at least 20 times during the day.  My room is on the second level of our home along with the closest bathroom.  That is another set of stairs that I go up and down about 20 or so times during the day.  The other bathroom and my kids bedrooms are on the top level of our home.  That is the other set of stairs that I don't go up as often, but I still go up and down at least 10 times during the day.  That is a total of going up and down the stairs in my home at least 50 times a day.  I would say that is exercise.  ESPECIALLY since my legs ache and are tired by the end of the day. Of course, there are the other things that I do daily that also count like cooking dinner for my family and sometimes walking to the mail box.

Don't discount the small things that you do everyday.  After all, they DO add up. 

New Old

Before I started this journey I bought me new clothes.  Some I only wore once and others I wore more.  It probably wasn't the BRIGHTEST idea to buy a whole new wardrobe before I lose 90 pounds, but we learn from our mistakes, right?

Now I'm in the situation where my pants are falling off of me and I look completely ridiculous in them.  But I don't have any thing else to wear, right? Well, the BEST thing about "yo yo"dieting is the wardrobe you can longer fit in because, just like all yo-yo's, your weight goes back up.

After my shower today I decided that I would look through my pants drawer to see if there were any pants in the back that I could fit into better than the ones I always wear. To my discovery, they were all too big. I then remembered the stash of pants in the drawer under our bed. In the front of my head I was thinking that they weren't going to fit me quite yet because they were all size 16 and, let's face it, I haven't worn a size 16 for 6 years. But there was also a voice in the back of my head telling me to try them on and I would be pleasantly surprised.  Well, I did.  I pulled out 6 pairs of pants, one of which STILL had the tags on them from when I bought them YEARS ago.

The verdict?

I am now wearing a size 16 pant. 

Update

As you might of guessed, I have been struggling with posting on my blog.  It isn't because I'm not having success, because I am, it's just that I am struggling to find anything to say.  So, please forgive me for the "down time" between posts.

Here is an update of how I am doing. I'm currently down 46 pounds from the start and I'm feeling GREAT! I just hosted a LuLaRoe (check it out here) boutique at my house and it was a BLAST. I got me some new clothes! Here's the deal though.  Every time I go shopping, I find that I am in a size smaller than I think I should be in.  For instance, I got a size large shirt at a boutique just the week previous from mine and at mine I got a size medium shirt in the same style.  I am now buying size large skirts, instead of extra large, and hell must have frozen over because I actually bought leggings.  And they aren't the plus size.  They are the "one size" leggings.  NEVER in my wildest dreams would I ever think I would wear leggings let alone ONE SIZE leggings. And I now have 3 pair! Things are changing! This is a wonderful discovery! I am realizing my mind is behind where my body is.  I'm still thinking extra large and plus size. Why wouldn't I? I've been in those sizes most of my life. It's interesting to me how the psyche works.  I LOVE the fact that I'm losing weight faster than my mind can go. I'm having the BEST time on this journey.  I wouldn't change it for the world!! And the BEST part about it is, that my family is there with me every step of the way.



 

45 and COOKIES!

I have officially made it half way!  45 pounds lost in 30 weeks.  I've had some "hiccups" here and there, but I wouldn't change the experience for anything. I've learned so much about myself already.  I've had moments of discouragement and I've also had "A-HA" moments.  And all these experiences shape who I am becoming. I can't wait to see what the remaining road of the journey has in store for me.

For Christmas I got a shopping spree for some new clothes.  I told myself that I wasn't going to go shopping until I reached my half way point.  Well, now I can say that it is time to go SHOPPING!!!!!

I've had a lot of fun doctoring recipes and making them more healthy. Just yesterday I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  They were SO yummy and SO healthy!  I'm loving this new lifestyle and so is my family!  I found this recipe for Quinoa cookies and I must say they are absolutely fabulous! 

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

1 C ground whole wheat flour
1 C oat flour or ground old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
1/4 C Greek yogurt
2/3 C Sucanat
2 large eggs
1 T vanilla
1 C cooked quinoa, cooled
1/2 C bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 C shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together coconut oil and yogurt until combined.  Stir in Sucanat until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and stir.  Stir in quinoa until incorporated.  Add dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and coconut.

Using a medium cookie scoop (2 T worth of batter) drop scoops about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Bake about 8-10 minutes or until set in middle and lightly golden brown.  Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet and then remove to wire rack.  Makes about 32 cookies. 

Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Chili

Over the holidays I tried a bunch of new recipes. I must share this one! This one has quickly become one of our very favorites.

 
Pumpkin Chili

1-2 T Avocado oil
1 chopped red onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 C chopped carrots
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 T chili powder
1 T cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
1 (15-ounce) can organic pumpkin purée
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
6 or so cups organic vegetable broth
1 (14-ounce) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-ounce) can organic cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
sea salt
black pepper

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add red onion, bell peppers, carrots, and jalapeño; sauté for 10-12 or until just starting to brown. Add garlic and spices and sauté for 1 minute. Add pumpkin, tomatoes, vegetable broth, and beans; bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes, partially covered, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper; taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.  Top with your favorites. Watch out though, this chili is highly addicting and extremely filling. *wink wink*

These are our favorites: sour cream, diced avocado, green onion, sharp cheddar cheese, organic blue corn tortilla chips.


We LOVE this chili! ESPECIALLY with the WORKS. It really has become a favorite!

Enjoy!

Triple H

WOW!  It sure has been a while since I blogged last.  The holiday really consumed my time and energy.  So much so that I got sick ON Christmas.  Yes, Merry Christmas to me.

Growing up we had a traditional Christmas morning meal. For as long as I can remember, I only remember having one thing for breakfast.  This meal that my mom would put on for us was and IS still so special to me. Every winter my mom would make a hot chocolate mix that, to this day, is the BEST and easiest mix known on the face of the Earth. Every Christmas morning we would have this hot chocolate accompanied by a fruit salad that consisted of diced apples, oranges, and sliced bananas.  She would then pour Sprite and orange juice made from concentrate over it and it would make this yummy, sweet, and fizzy treat.  Now, for the "pièce de résistance". Every year my mom would go on a baking frenzy.  She would bake SO much stuff for Christmas.  She would use these offerings of pure heaven as gifts to friends and family.  Sandwiched in the middle of this baking frenzy she would make the holy grail of Christmas goodies which would then turn into our Christmas morning meal.  Two words: "Cardamom Bread".  This bread, or more likely the "Achilles heal" of all dieting efforts as I know it, is the thing that I look forward to the most EVERY year and has been my downfall of all past diets.  I've tried making it other times, but it just isn't the same.  Funny how that is.  Anyway, this bread is packed full of yummy cardamom spice and then topped with an icing that brings it to heaven's gate.  And it isn't shaped like a typical loaf of bread.  My mom would shape it into braids, wreaths, Christmas trees, etc. etc. It truly is a work of art. The hot chocolate, fruit salad, and bread is what I remember the most growing up about Christmas and together they bring the Spirit and fun memories that are often lacking because of the "hub bub" of the season. I've carried on this tradition in my own family and I am happy to say that my children have come to see how special this traditional breakfast is. This year, however, I had to get a little "creative" as to how I could make it more healthy. ESPECIALLY when it came to the icing. Mmm....icing.

To start, I didn't make the hot chocolate mix.  I made hot chocolate from scratch this year.  I used milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and sucanat instead of sugar.  Instead of Sprite and orange juice, I used soda water sweetened with just a touch of honey and used lemon and lime essential oils to give it the "Sprite" flavor and then used fresh juiced oranges for the orange juice.  A couple years ago I added pomegranate to the fruit salad and it was a hit.  So, now we add pomegranate to the salad and it is not only yummy, but really pretty too.  For the bread, I always get nervous when I "mess" with an already perfect thing, I was determined though to make it as good but make it more healthy for us.  Instead of AP flour I used fresh ground whole wheat and instead of sugar I used honey.  The bread turned out beautiful.  I typically just braid it and it makes two huge loaves that we typically finish up in 24 hours time. The icing was where I was really struggling. How could I make an icing that would do this bread justice and keep it healthy??? Since graduating from culinary school my icing has been powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and the juice from maraschino cherries. (I hate the cherries, don't mind the syrup.) And it has been GOOD, BUT seriously unhealthy.  So, this year, I had an idea to take cream cheese and thin it out to an icing consistency using maple syrup and/or sucanat and then add Amaretto flavoring to give it the maraschino cherry "vibe". We weren't sure which one we would like the most so I did small batches of both.  They were BOTH EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD.  My alterations were a success. The breakfast was just as indulgent as it has been in the past.  In fact, I felt like I was being a traitor to my own cause.  It was hard to wrap my mind around eating this yummy stuff and it being OK. I didn't realize how "OK" it actually was until I stepped on the scale the next Monday and saw that I had lost almost 5 pounds. This is where the "Triple H" comes into play.  This year we were able to have a Happy, Healthy Holiday.

As for holiday treats, I found this recipe for pomegranate chocolate bark that was to DIE for.  So, I thought I would share this Happy Healthy find with the world.

Chocolate Pomegranate Bark

2/3 C cacao powder
1/2 C pure maple syrup
1/3 C coconut oil, melted
1/2 C chopped pecans
1-2 pomegranates, de-seeded
1 tsp sea salt

Add the first 3 ingredients to a bowl and mix well until you have a uniform consistency. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture onto a parchment or Saran Wrap lined pan. Pour pomegranate seeds evenly across the chocolate and push them down gently. Sprinkle with the sea salt. Place chocolate bark in the freezer for 20 minutes. Break chocolate sheet apart (I actually cut it because it was "bendy" and not breakable) carefully with the pomegranate side facing down so you don't squirt yourself with juice from the seeds! Store leftover chocolate bark in an air-tight container in the freezer.

ENJOY!!!