5 things Friday: currently obsessed with

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5 things I’m totally obsessed with right now:

  1. Raw cacao powder - so yummy, especially in my favorite smoothie.
    And the health benefits?

    Awesome.
  2. Feedly – I’ve never used a blog reader before…so I really don’t have anything to compare it to, but I am loving Feedly. It’s easy to set up, easy to navigate and I no longer have that fear of losing all of my favorites folders when this computer inevitably goes up in smoke.
    My only wish? A light, buttery yellow theme. None  of the ones they currently have are really doing it for me.
    But that’s a really small desire in the grand scheme of things.
  3. Steve’s Paleo Ginger Cilantro Dressing – has this made the list before?

    I’m beyond obsessed.
    I could drink it.
    Read more about my favorite thing to do with it here. My husband keeps pointing out that it would probably make a great marinade for chicken, but I can’t seem to get that far with it.
  4. Yes to Carrots – since we moved back to Florida, my skin has been a mess. After 6 years with all that humidity (so annoying, true, but my skin glowed!), it’s like my face didn’t know what to do with itself anymore. I’ve tried all sorts of different products and finally gave into the attractive packaging of the Say Yes to Carrots products.
    And they’re working! I sometimes find them at Target, but have been preferring Amazon or Vitacost.
    Here’s what I’m using:
    Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser
    Yes to Carrots Super Rich Body Butter – and my scaly legs and cracking elbows are no more!
    Yes to Carrots Daily Moisturizer, SPF 15 – lovely and light, perfect for summer.
    Yes to Cucumbers Calming Night Cream
  5. Speaking of Vitacost…

    I’m a big fan.
    Big fan.
    I’m an hour from the nearest Whole Foods. There’s one grocery store about 30 minutes away that has a decent specialty/health foods section, but I rarely get over there. Vitacost is my lifeline.  It’s where I order gluten-free foods. It’s where I order vitamins and supplements. It’s where I order my favorite chocolate (seriously, any of them except the candied ginger. just not a fan).
    Last week, I placed an order Thursday around noon (over $49 to qualify for free shipping) and it arrived on Friday.
    Crazy.
    I’ve had one order that had a missing product and it was sent out immediately, no questions asked.
    I’ve been ordering every other week it seems, and have been nothing but pleased.
    And if you go through any of my Vitacost links, we can both get $10 credit on qualifying purchases over $30.

What are you obsessed with right now?

Note: contains a whole bunch of affiliate links.  
I  get a small financial benefit  from them, but I’m very careful to only link items I truly use and love.

road trippin’ – snacks to make

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Title Card

Confession: I’m not usually a big snacker at home, but put me in the car for a few days (or a few hours) and I eat mindlessly.

With 16 or 17 days of travel looming this summer, I need to be smart about those snacks or they’ll turn into giant bags of m&m’s and peanut butter cups pretty quickly…and that’s something that really needs to *not* happen or I’m going to be a mess.

This trip is going to be long – longer than I feel comfortable making all of our own snacks for, but I will be prepping some snacks for the first leg (5 days to Ohio).

Our favorites?

  • Jerky – I’ll be doing a couple of batches of my simple paleo beef jerky the week before the trip (and hiding them so they actually last until the trip starts). Perfect for that mid-afternoon slump or with a picnic lunch, I hope to have several bags full to add to the snack box.
  • Caramelized Coconut Chips – salty and sweet, these hit that “I could kill for a chip” feeling that comes along sometimes. I’ll be stashing bags in the car and maybe a few in my luggage for the long ride home.
  • Kale Chips - these will have to be a day before project and I don’t expect them to last long, but they’re a great way to get veggies in while traveling (something I can really struggle with).  Personally, I’m a bigger fan of the dehydrator recipes than the oven ones but whichever you use, kale chips are another great addition to the snack box and sooo much cheaper to make than to buy.
  • Protein Packed Monster Breakfast Cookies – how awesome do these look? We’ll be taking a small blender, as I’ve mentioned before, for smoothies on the road, but I’ve found that I can’t do just a liquid breakfast without stomach issues. I’m going to test these out soon, to see how long they last and how well they travel. I might try the sunflower seed substitution since I’ve had bad reactions to any skin products with hemp in them in the past.
  • Grain-free Granola – I’ve got a few recipes to test out before we go. I like this one from the Paleo Parents and the chocolate lover in my thinks this one over at Paleo Diet Lifestyle (which didn’t really work for me when done as the recipe said but I have some ideas about – I’ll share when I get it figured out) sounds pretty awesome too. Maybe we’ll need a few options.
  • Lara Bars – there are seriously thousands of recipes out there now, but I like the looks of this one and I’ve been meaning to try these for months.

What’s your favorite homemade snack to take on the road?

Read more about our big, crazy road trip here.

Next week: snacks we’ll be buying for the road home.

Lazy Vegetable Falls Slaw

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Veggie Falls Recipe

Props on the name for this one go to my 4 year old nephew, who actually calls it a fruit fall salad…but there’s no fruit.

He’s a big fan of watching while I prep this, and most anything else I do in the kitchen. I use my mandolin slicer over a bowl for almost all of the vegetables and apparently, that’s incredible exciting when you’re 4. He calls it a fruit fall (I’m assuming like a waterfall). He also really likes to smell anything I’m working on.

Veggie Falls 2

I call it yummy. And easy. And one of those salads you can make and eat for a few days. Also, perfect for potlucks.

This is one of those recipes that’s far more of a technique than an actual recipe – it can be done with any combination of veggies you prefer, in pretty much any amounts as long as they’re fairly hearty. I am finding I prefer regular old green cabbage over purple or even Napa for this salad, but the rest of the vegetables are completely interchangeable. And if I’m getting to the bottom of the bowl and there’s more dressing sitting there, I add a little more cabbage and mix it up.

You can make this even lazier by buying the pre-cut slaw mix or cabbage slaw mix at the grocery store…but seriously it takes like 5 minutes to clean and chop the veggies. And since I generally use a pre-made dressing for this, I prefer to go fresher with the vegetables.

Veggie Falls 1

I use a mandolin slicer that I’ve had from Pampered Chef for years, but this one on Amazon has great reviews if you’re in the market (not an affiliate link). It’s been one of my most used kitchen tools for the past few months for salads, veggies of all sorts and making Tortilla Espanola (my current favorite easy dinner when I’ve planned leftovers properly).

Veggie Falls 3

Lazy Vegetable Falls Slaw

Serves….well, I can usually get 3 lunches out of it with added protein.
If I were taking it to a potluck, I’d double it.

Cabbage (about 4 cups)
Carrots (1 cup)
Bell Pepper (1 whole)
Radishes (1/2 c)
Red Onion (1/2 cup)
Jicama (1/2 to 1 cup)
2-3 Tablespoons Cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 to 3/4 cup your favorite dressing (I’m a huge fan of Steve’s Paleo Ginger Cilantro for ease and flavor and lack of weird ingredients, but I think this Cilantro Ginger dressing would work just as well)
Cashews (for serving)
Shred or chop vegetables into bowl.

  • Cabbage: chop or slice thin
  • Carrots: peel and slice into rounds
  • Bell Pepper: remove tops and bottoms and slice thin
  • Radishes: remove bottoms and slice thin into rounds
  • Jicama: Peel, slice thin and then cut into long matchsticks (a lot of mandolins come with a blade that will do this for you)
  • Cilantro: chop roughly

Squeeze juice of one lime over all of the vegetables.

Mix in dressing.

Refrigerate.

Stir occasionally.

Serve with chopped cashews.

Shared at:

 

Veggie Falls Final

menu plan monday: 05.13.13

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MPM Logo

Good morning, friends!

We’ve got four weeks of school left. I think I might be more excited than the kids. We’ve got big summer plans, and I can’t wait!

I’ve had a couple of weeks of fibromyalgia flare up, but I think I’m finally feeling better (the key: magnesium). There hasn’t been a lot of planning or cooking or eating well going on around here and that’s changing this week.   I’m also hoping to get back to walking and daily yoga and the rest of my May goals while still keeping those much needed margins.

I’m doing a little modified green smoothie cleanse for a few days – which basically means green smoothies for breakfast and lunch and a regular dinner.  And since smoothies don’t do well as the only thing in my stomach, I might make a batch of The Civilized Caveman’s Paleo Banana Bread (as muffins) to have with them. That is one crazy good banana bread recipe, whether you’re paleo or not.

Still working on figuring out how to plan your own menu? I’ve got a few posts about that!

We’ve also been using eMeals for the past month or so and I’m finding the paleo plan really hit or miss for us…but a little heavier on the miss. I think I’m going to switch to the clean eating one next week and see if that’s a better fit.

Here’s this week’s plan:

Monday
Grilled Chicken
Grilled Squash Ribbons (skipping the prosciutto and probably basting with a vinaigrette instead of serving with a dipping sauce)

Tuesday
Grilled…whatever I have in the freezer
Baked Potatoes
Hancock Salad

Wednesday
Pappers and Zucchini in Foil (or maybe just stir fried, probably minus the potatoes)

Thursday
Carne Asada 
Salad
Guacamole
Corn Tortillas (for those that eat them)

Friday
Going to see Star Trek: Cumberbatch after school is out, so dinner out

Saturday
Cousin’s Wedding

Sunday
Paleo Swedish Pancakes
Berries
Sausage

Shared at Org Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday, Musings of a Housewife’s Gluten Free Weekly Meal Plan, the Gluten Free Menu Swap at Angela’s Kitchen and the Healthy Branscoms What’s for Dinner. Need ideas for dinner? They’ve got them!

road trippin’

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Title Card

This summer, we’re taking a road trip.

For our family, it will be the fourth time we’ve gone at least one way across most the United States by car, plus once by Amtrak. The Pastor has done two other round trips, with high schoolers. On purpose.

I think if The Pastor could figure out a way to make a business out of planning and leading road trips, he would.

In a heartbeat.

This trip will be our biggest yet – from Central California to just outside of Cleveland, OH for a family reunion and then the fun begins. Niagara Falls, President Lincoln’s childhood home, Bourbon tasting, Memphis for barbecue and Graceland, and maybe the Grand Canyon again.

All together, over 6000 miles in 16 or 17 days….with a teenager, an 11 year old with a tentative Asperger’s diagnosis, my mother-in-law, an 11 year old niece and maybe a few other family members.

And it’s going to be awesome.

I’m not worried about the kids. Or the mother-in-law (seriously, she’s pretty amazing).

What I’m really worried about – keeping this whole crazy train of what it takes to keep me feeling my best going while on the road.

It can be difficult to follow a paleo diet at home.

While traveling?

I’m a little nervous and am going into it knowing that compromises will have to be made. That’s okay, as long as I stay away from gluten.

I see a lot of bun-less burgers in my future. We have ideas for picnic lunches that aren’t too difficult. As long as I can get protein and veggies for dinner, I’m good. Breakfasts scare me, though, since we’ll be eating a lot of them at our hotels and they tend to be grain and dairy based and I’m iffy about eggs when I don’t prepare them myself.  We purchased this little single serve blender a few weeks ago (that works surprisingly well considering the price point) and I think it will be going on the road with us, along with a cooler of almond milk, frozen berries, avocado and protein powder.

Which reminds me…I need to add a small knife and cutting board to the packing list.

Also going on the road? My yoga mat and this app (thanks to Kristi).  My workout goal is yoga in the mornings and walking in the evenings after we get to our destination (we’re hoping to book hotels with fitness centers as often as possible).  I’ve also been tagging Bodeefit workouts I particularly like and think can be done on the road to keep my strength training up without having to lug along weights or a kettlebell.

Not going on the road? My kombucha. I had a few moments of wondering how I could brew while traveling, but that’s just not going to happen. Also, my husband would be really unhappy if it spilled and we spent days traveling with that special kombucha aroma in the car. I will, however, be looking for Whole Foods or any other opportunities to pick up a few bottles whenever I can. Kombucha goes a long way in keeping my gut happy when in less than optimal food situations. I’ve also mentioned asking someone to come in and check on my brewing here at home while we’re gone, but so far that’s just gotten me weird looks.

Luckily, we have a few days in a hotel in June and I can test out a few of my ideas. I’ll be sharing more ideas – road trip snacks (both homemade and store-bought, since we’ll be needing both), eating out without too many compromises, how we pack for an adventure like this, favorite travel tools – over the next few months and after the trip, I’ll be sharing the nuts and bolts of what did (and didn’t work)

And I’d love to know: is there anything specific you’d like me to cover?

talkin’ bout girl stuff

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You’ve been warned.

I grew up in a home where anatomy wasn’t discussed. Neither was certain other information about birds and bees and what happens to your body when you hit a certain age.

In fifth grade, I was given a book – for Christmas – that talked about puberty and how babies were made.

It was illustrated.

I was horrified.

That changed a little when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 43. I was in college, my sister and one brother were in high school and my youngest brother was still in middle school. We went from a house where the word boob was never uttered to one that was suddenly oriented around breast cancer treatment. Still, there was a lot I wasn’t taught.

Which is all to say, female stuff still isn’t something I’m comfortable talking about but here we go.

Again, you’ve been warned.

I have had horrible cycles since the very beginning – cramping so bad that I vomit, have severe pain in my legs, wildly uncontrollable mood swings and I can get migraines…all of which my doctors have told me is perfectly normal. Cutting gluten made a huge improvement and choosing to eat paleo an even bigger one. While I still have cramps that are miserable, it’s nice to not have to lose a day or two each month being sick.

But…

I’m noticing something very specific about my cycle and my pain levels. Even more than pain levels, really. The week before my cycle starts, I go into a huge fibro fog. I have muscle and tissue pain, no energy and my pressure points are on fire (along with an inhuman craving for m&m’s, at least according to my husband – who would also point out that I’m crankier and more anxious than usual). It lasts until the day I start, and then everything subsides over the next few days.

Conversely, about two weeks later, I have a week where I can’t be stopped. I feel awesome, I can take on the world and my to-do lists, I hit all of my fitness goals and then some, my eating is totally on point and no pain of any sort.

After which I start the slow decline into misery again.

And I’m wondering if anyone else has ever noticed a correlation like this? I’ve been so convinced for nearly three years now that it’s all been caused by gluten – and a good part of it is, but I’m wondering what hormones could have to do with it and if there’s anything that can be done about it. It’s not something I’ve been able to find a lot of info about online, but the links are so strong (seriously, my husband noticed it before I did and he’s not generally known for his observation skills) that I feel like I need to pursue it a little more.

i need margins

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margins

We’re coming up to the time of year I chafe against.

In the next 3 weeks, we’ve got a garage sale, a wedding and a parade plus a big end of the year report and project The Boy has to do (that I’m dreading so very much)…and June won’t be much better.

It’s a time of year I find myself craving the margins even more than usual…the time in between…the down time…time to breathe and to rest and to do nothing.

In this world that so glorifies business and doing, the margins are often neglected.

I know well now that I can’t thrive – to be truthful, I can barely survive – if I don’t mind my margins.

Maybe that’s why I’m loving yoga so much right now, especially first thing in the morning: it builds in a little margin at the beginning of my day.

Maybe that’s why my favorite moment of the day is when I lay on my yoga mat in corpse pose, with my hands up and open, and breathe deeply into my belly while one of my favorite praise songs plays.

Maybe that’s why I’m finding breath coming into my day more and more – that more focused breathing that expands not just the chest, but the whole torso. When stress takes over, I often hold my breath or my breathing is more shallow.  It’s a good quirk to recognize and be able to correct.

And so I’m aware. I’m breathing. I’m practicing. I’m praying. And I’m seeking margins, wherever I can find them.

Goals: May

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Goals May

Hello there, May.

Nice to see you.

I love the turning of a page to a new month. It’s like a fresh start, and that’s always welcome…especially after a month that didn’t go quite as planned.

I’m looking at you, April.

My biggest goal for May is to continue to work towards sustainability, but here’s how I’m breaking that down with fitness:

  • Daily yoga – either with one of my Holy Yoga DVD’s or a series on my own, depending on the amount of time I have. I cannot recommend Holy Yoga highly enough, and I’m planning to spend the next few months learning, practicing and praying about some things God has put on my heart regarding it.
  • 10 miles a week – outside or on the treadmill at the gym. Preferably outside.
  • 2 days strength training – for now, I’m thinking one of the shorter Les Mills Pump DVD’s I have, perhaps focusing on heavier weights.

And with food (basically what I’m already doing, but with less chocolate):

  • 5 servings of veggies a day
  • predominantly paleo
  • eating out at little as possible

And faith:

  • Daily meditations – nothing fancy, just a few minutes a day to breathe and listen to God’s voice
  • Devotional time – still the most difficult part of my day

I’m also continuing my no stress accountability plan, which is working so well. And in the back of my head this month – planning for time away in June and then our big trip in July and August. I’ve got a few ideas I’ll be sharing soon about keep this all going on the road.

What are your goals this month?

around here: 04.28.13

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We’re on Spring Break…finally…and I’m not going to be around much this week, but I wanted to share a few things before I forget…

slaw

  • I’m obsessed with raw salads/slaws that I can make a great big batch of and keep in the fridge for a few days. I think that one was cabbage, carrots, red onions, cilantro, jicama and ginger cilantro dressing from Steve’s Paleogoods. I can throw together a few day’s lunches worth of salad in a matter of minutes with any combo of veggies and my trusty mandoline,  and it just gets better the longer it sits. I see this getting me through a whole lot of summer, and it’s good enough that it might be my new go to for warm weather get-togethers.
    Also, I think I could probably drink the dressing at this point.
    No joke. I’ll be ordering the 5 pack next time they have free shipping. All of their products have been tasty, but the ginger cilantro is far and away my favorite so far.

  • waterAlso obsessed with infused waters. Every night, I dump out the pitcher, chop up some fresh fruit and fill it up for the next day. Everyone around here is drinking more water and having fun picking out new flavor combos.
    My personal favorite right now is strawberry lime, but I’m getting anxious for summer to arrive and bring with it peaches and cherries and apricots for even more yumminess.
  • The no stress accountability plan? Still working great. Holy Yoga and I are getting along perfectly, and I think the best part of my day might be the 5 minutes or so I lay on my yoga mat and breathe along with one of my favorite worship songs. I started every morning last week that way, and it helped center me through some stressful days.  The Holy Yoga book has helped me clarify some thoughts on food, faith and fitness that I’ve had jumbled up for a while now – highly recommended.
  • inner ecoI’ve been trying to be more intentional about gut health since my last round of gastritis, and I’m loving this inner-eco kefir. A lot of liquid probiotics kind of…gross me out (to let my inner Valley Girl speak), but this one’s good. Even The Boy likes it, and that’s saying something.
  • No menu plan to share for this week. We’re going to be out and about a bit, and everything else will be coming directly from this week’s Paleo eMeals plan.
  • The six pounds I gained during my 3 days of eating gluten? Gone, as are all of the symptoms that slammed me so quickly. I still haven’t gotten my blood results back, but I think at this point they matter more to my doctor than they do to me.

my no stress accountability plan

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No Stress 1

Right now, I’m all about simplicity and sustainability and finding what works best for me.

Also…getting rid of the 6 pounds of inflammation I gained while eating gluten for 3 days – 3 days! – last week before some blood tests. Happily, four pounds is gone already, but the cellulite that came with it isn’t.

If the tests come back negative, the way I felt with three days of gluten in my body is enough to tell me that it’s a bad idea for me.

Not to mention that cellulite that sprang up out of nowhere.

Ick.

I’ve had some big lessons over the past few weeks, and made some big changes. I’ve removed myself from a few situations that weren’t health promoting for me. I’ve been readjusting my workouts based on what I read in The Paleo Coach and what my body is telling me. I’m focusing inward on stress relief. I’m working hard to no longer allow diet and exercise be the center of my universe, and breaking down that idol that it’s become (so many thoughts on diet/fitness and idol right now – hoping to get them coherent soon!).

And I think I finally figured out the best accountability for me.

It’s pretty simple, and pretty low tech. It’s also very portable, something important as we have Annual Conference weekend and a 17 day, 6000 mile road trip in the next few months.

I found a notebook at Target. I think it cost me about seven bucks, but it has pockets.

I really like pockets.

No Stress 2

The pockets in mine are filled with Scripture references for mediation and memorization.

No Stress 3

And on the inside, I jotted down a few categories – just the stuff I’m really focusing on right now – and boxes to check off.

  • Quiet time – time in God’s Word. Something I know I need to make more consistent and that needs to grow.
  • Breathe – some time to just breathe deeply along to some worship music. This might be the most important part of my day right now!
  • Stretch – yoga, also done to worship music and with the intent of focusing on the Lord.
  • Move – walking. Just walking. I’m finding that if I add in even short running intervals right now, I have a flare up of fibromyalgia pain and I’m trying to avoid that.
  • Veggies – I’m trying to get 5 servings a day. That’s really the only thing I’m focusing on right now when it comes to food. How am I doing it? Spinach or kale in my smoothie or alongside eggs in the morning, protein and a big salad of some sort for lunch…and more protein and veggies for dinner. Pretty easy when I make the biggest part of my plate vegetables.
  • Water – it’s that time of year my blood can be more iced tea than anything else. And even without that, I just feel dehydrated all the time. As soon as some more fruit starts coming into season, I’m envisioning a pitcher of infused water in the fridge daily.

No Stress 4

That’s pretty much it. I’m using the space at the bottom to jot down what I eat…but no measuring and no counting calories. I’m striving to eat mindfully until I’m full, but no more than that. I’m still eating a little more refined sugar than I should be, but those chocolate chips are finally gone and I think that will improve now. And I’m amazed – as I always am – at how quickly I feel better when I remove the fluff from my diet and focus on protein, veggies and fats.

Next week, I’ll add in a few days of strength training. Once I’ve got my veggie habit down, I can add in another category if I need it. The nice thing about building my own accountability list is that I can change it when I want to. I’m only writing out a week’s worth of goals at a time so it will be easy to change up as I find new needs. I also really like that I can flip through, see trends and evaluate how I’m doing.

I’ve always found there to be something powerful about taking a few intentional moments to make notes about what I’m eating. Far more so than checking off boxes on my iPhone or on the computer. It forces me to really think and be present, and I like that.

And I don’t check off all the boxes one day, that’s okay.

It’s about simplifying and making progress, not  growing guilt or frustration.

What’s working for you right now?

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