Month: June 2012

Friday Chit-Chat

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rainbow :-)

Good morning! I hope everyone is having a lovely Friday so far. I know it’s early, but I’ve been up since 5, so the day is well under way for me. Last night I caught this pretty rainbow with my camera! It was rainy and sunny all at once — so weird when that happens. Figured I’d just catch up on the haps this week…

♥ Poor Noah’s second-to-last (rescheduled, even) baseball game ended up cancelled last night due to the rain. Those poor kids couldn’t catch a break this season. I feel like they barely got to play. Tomorrow is the last game of the season, complete with picnic and awards. Honestly, I’m not so sure how much Noah was into baseball this year, but still…

♥ Laura got up earlier than usual this morning, so while she was eating grapes and watching Spider-Man and Friends (yes, really, LOL!), I sipped my tea and looked for jewelry deals online. I feel like adding a few new (cheap) bracelets to my wardrobe, but wasn’t really finding anything I liked. Maybe this weekend I’ll try making my own.

♥ While I love this time of year, there is one thing I really hate: ANTS. Ugh, I’ve been fighting these teeny tiny little ants around my kitchen windowsills. I tried vinegar and it didn’t help much, so I had to break out the big guns this morning — the Spectracide. I don’t love using poisons, but in this case, I just want these nasty little things dead.

♥ I have pretty much abandoned the entire Whole30 thing, LOL. I think I was delirious last week — perhaps it was a side-effect of the smell when I cleaned out our dead refrigerator. Oh well. I’m totally OK with it. I’ve still been eating healthy this week, and I feel great, and that was my intention. I am definitely feeling more like myself the last few days, free of lots of stress that I just wasn’t handling well last month. So hopefully the good vibes will continue and I’ll get to posting a little more often 🙂

♥ And with that I think I’m going to make myself another cup of coffee with delicious, delicious cream and get on with pickling the turnips from Tuesday’s farm share. They’re a quick pickle so I plan to have a few tonight with some fish tacos. I’ll let you know how they turn out!

{Recipe} Blueberry-Coconut Chia Pudding

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Have you ever tried chia seeds? If you like the texture of tapioca, chances are you will enjoy them. I discovered chia several years ago and I absolutely love them! They’re high in Omega-3, they can help reduce blood pressure, they provide excellent hydration, and because they are so full of protein and fiber they keep you full.

I love this recipe for a mid-morning snack, but it would also make a great breakfast or dessert.

Blueberry-Coconut Chia Pudding

blueberry-coconut chia pudding
1 can full-fat coconut milk (DO NOT waste your money on “light” coconut milk — you want these healthy fats!)
4 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
(optional) sweetner of choice
fresh blueberries, slivered almonds

Shake the can of coconut milk and empty it into a bowl (I mix and store my pudding in the same dish, so I use a Rubbermaid container). Add the chia seeds and coconut flakes and combine well. Sweeten to taste if desired. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When you’re ready to serve, top each dish with fresh blueberries and slivered almonds.

It’s very simple, and so yummy! If you’ve never given chia a try, they’re a fun little seeds. I usually order mine from Amazon, but they’re available in health food stores, and I have even seen them at Shop Rite in the natural foods aisle, so they are not as hard to find as they once were.

Be sure to visit Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to check out other delicious recipes!

Menu Plan Monday

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OK, so last Friday I was gung-ho for this whole Whole30 thing. But as I thought about it, I began to wonder if I was setting myself up for failure.  I really think it’s an excellent program, but I know myself and if I slip up, I’m going to end up just blowing off the whole thing. The rules are very strict, and I don’t see myself reading every single label of every single condiment in my fridge. The I remembered a saying: “Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have.” That resonated with me and I decided to make a few tweaks to the Whole30 program to make it work for me.

So, for the next 30 days: No grains. No alcohol. No sugary treats. But if my ketchup or taco sauce has a bit of added sugar I’m okay with that. But if I’m OK with it, than it’s not what Whole30 sets out to be. So I’m calling it a “June Reboot.” Overall, we eat very healthy diets. I’ve just allowed myself to get lax with the bread, tortilla chips, and chocolate. My goal isn’t really weight loss because I’m happy where I am (though I wouldn’t say no to a few more digits knocked off the scale!). I will be eating tons of vegetables and protein, fruit, minimal dairy, and peanuts or beans if I really feel like it. I don’t eat a lot of those anyway. I’m going to try to stay as “Whole30”-ish as possible.

So, with all that out, go ahead and point and say “I told ya so.” I already got the “Well you gave up on that pretty quick” from Drew. Well, I’m just being honest with myself, LOL. Here’s my meal plan for the week:

  • Monday: Roast chicken drumsticks, roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, salad
  • Tuesday: Meaty chili (no beans), salad
  • Wednesday: Sausage & peppers, CSA veggies, salad
  • Thursday: Baja cod with spicy slaw, roasted sweet potato spears
  • Friday: Grilled steak, sauteed CSA veggies, salad
  • Saturday: Pepper burgers topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions, broccoli, salad

For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday feature.

{Friday Favorite Finds} Whole30 Recipe Ideas

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It’s Friday! So that means it’s time to link up with Finding Joy in My Kitchen‘s Friday Favorite Finds. Can’t believe the last time I participated was back in March! Good grief! Anyway, I am gearing up to start Whole30 on Monday (after a gluttonous weekend of anniversary and birthday celebrations). I was describing it to Drew (who, unbeknownst to me had his in ear buds in and didn’t hear me the first time) and he was pretty intrigued. Basically, it’s 30 days of strict Paleo eating. I’ll be blogging my way through it, so you’ll read plenty about it, but in the meantime, head over to Whole9 if you’re interested in learning more.

I certainly have plenty of paleo recipes in my arsenal, but because I’m pretty liberal with the dairy, I thought this was the perfect time to share some Whole30-approved dishes! Please note, that the images in this post belong to the original blog owners. In addition, I am directly linking the name of the recipe to the original source so you can head right over there to get the details. Please pin from the original sources and not my blog. Here are my Pinterest food finds for the week.

Meaty Chili from Paleo on a Budget

 

Paleo Breakfast Burritos from A Real Housewife of NYC

 

Spicy Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley from Cooking Melangerie (have to sub out the wine for Whole30)

Source: melangery.com via Carol on Pinterest

 

Crispy Chicken Thighs With Cauliflower and Cilantro from Real Simple

Source: realsimple.com via Carol on Pinterest

 

Spicy Tortilla Soup with Shrimp and Avocado from Cooking Light (I’ll need to leave out the hominy and the tortilla chips, obviously)

Source: myrecipes.com via Carol on Pinterest

 

And that’s just a few! So many healthy, delicious options. While I’m a little bit nervous about 30 days without sugar, grains, legumes, alcohol, and (most of all) dairy, I can tell that my body needs a reboot because I’m having all kinds of carb cravings and I’m just not feeling on top of my game. Here’s hoping I can make it through!

Be sure to head over to Finding Joy in My Kitchen and see what inspired everyone else this week!