More Tests and an Update…

I’m back!  Life continues to throw a plethora of set-backs my way and blogging continues to take a back seat in the line-up of things!  Unfortunately, the doctor visits and a number of tests are taking the front line in my life right now.  I wish I could share something more exciting with you, like the number of delicious recipes that I’ve been cooking up or all the family fun we’ve been having over the last few months, but not today!  God has different plans for me right now, plans to focus on healing my body and guiding me in the right direction to be the best mom and wife I can be through these trials. 

Although it seems SO VERY long ago, we did have a quiet but wonderful family Thanksgiving dinner!  This was the first year that we decided to stay home and attempt our first Thanksgiving meal together as a family.  We did so in part because of the many food restrictions I have right now and I just didn’t want to ask a million questions as to how the food was prepared or end up sitting without anything on my plate.  This seemed to be the best option for us this year and now I can say I cooked my first turkey!

		Thanksgiving 2013 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Christmas was a bit the same, we celebrated Jesus’ birthday in the morning with homemade cinnamon rolls (managed to pull together a grain free, dairy free and egg free version) and finished out the evening with a fiesta…carnitas tacos, cilantro lime sweet potatoes and homemade guacamole!  I made a veggie taco for myself and prepared the rest of the meal to my specifications so I could enjoy with the rest of the family.  Although we didn’t see a lot of extended family this year, it was just what our little family needed!

Christmas 2013 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

While we’re talking about food, being on such a restrictive diet we haven’t ventured out too much as it is so difficult for me to find anything to eat and enjoy.  But since the hubs and I haven’t spent much “alone” time together lately, for Christmas I put together a little date for the two of us.  It was nothing big, but just what we needed…a trip to the Headquarters at Seaport Village for lunch at Seasons 52 and then to a matinee showing of The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug.  The Headquarters is fairly new, with several dining options and some higher end shopping venues.  I was very impressed by the service at Seasons 52 as they were so kind to accommodate all my “restrictions”!  . 

The hubs enjoyed some “Red Mole” tacos with a side of “Tamale Tots” and a fresh mint lemonade.

For me, it was a juicy grilled chicken breast (seasoned with only olive oil and salt and pepper) served over baby roasted carrots and potatoes.  Although there wasn’t much seasoning (how I needed it to be prepared), it was still very delicious and I simply enjoyed the fact that I could eat out with no worries!

We had a couple of hours to kill before the movie and decided to walk around Seaport Village a bit since it was such a beautiful day!

I realized I so need more days like this!  Spending time away from home really helped take my mind off any pain or emotional struggles that most days bring.  And any quality time I get with my hubs brings refreshment and a new perspective to my day.  As I continue to go through tests and diet changes, having a positive perspective and a good prayer life has been essential!  It’s been a struggle to even be in the kitchen these days!  While I love to continue to cook healthy meals for my family, I have become quite discouraged when it comes to cooking for myself.  I think I have eaten the same thing for the last month and a half or so (usually some combination of carrots, artichoke, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms and sometimes some sweet potatoes or butternut squash) and I am so done!!  Give me some variety!!!

Since I am so over food right now, here is a quick update on all my lovely tests happening this month…continued blood tests (amino acids, white blood cell count and platelet levels continue to be low), a colonoscopy and an endoscopy.  Woo! Hoo!  Sounds fun!  My prayer is that when these tests are finished I can start adding some foods back into my diet and begin to get back to some sort of “normalcy!” 

And of course I continue to crave the foods I cannot have…isn’t that how it always works?  Unfortunately I don’t have the energy to spend a lot of time experimenting in the kitchen, but every now and then I get the urge.  This week I came up with this delicious breakfast treat….

Grain Free Blackberry Baked Pancake (dairy free and vegan)

Ingredients:

3 cups almond flour

3/4 cup arrowroot powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

3/4 cup non-dairy milk ( I used unsweetened almond milk)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add in wet ingredients and mix well.  Fold in blackberries.

4. Spread batter into prepared baking dish.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

6. Serve warm as is, or with a drizzle of maple syrup!

Definitely not your traditional pancake, but the flavor is certainly there.  It’s a dense breakfast treat, so a little piece goes a long way which is why I decided to cut it into small squares.

The blackberries add a wonderful surprise to each bite.  I missed a picture, but ended up topping each piece off with some warm blackberry syrup.  The fam thought it was Saturday morning or something, but it was actually a quick meal to pull together.  I love that it freezes well and can be used as a quick breakfast on a busy morning.

One last hoorah before Christmas break was over…finally put our fire pit to use and roasted some marshmallows while telling funny/scary stories!

Inhaling her smores!

While this one savors each bite!

MY LOVES!!

Now we are back into the swing of school and regular schedules which makes this mama happy!  However, I am working on being a bit more flexible and open to what God brings my way each day…heaven knows that God’s plans for my day (and life) and far better than mine!  In fact, oftentimes God will use our experiences in life as stepping stones to prepare us for what He has in store next.  Scripture tells us that He will even take the things the enemy tries to bring against us and turn them around and use them for our good!

Blessings,

J’lene

Pinterest Projects and Summer Kick-Off!

It’s hard to believe Summer is already here!  And I’m so glad that it is!  While we had a great school year, I was definitely wearing down those last few weeks.  It was hard for me to keep the princesses motivated when I myself wasn’t feeling 100% and motivated!  In any case, we did it and we celebrated with an end of the year trip to the San Diego Zoo to see some of the animals we learned about in science and then treated ourselves to lunch at Stacked.  While it would not be my first restaurant choice (although their sweet potato fries are pretty good), it’s what the princesses chose to kick off their Summer vacation. 

As for me, I got started on some Pinterest projects I’ve had my eye on for a while now.  I had just finished painting my little Cailyn’s room and was looking for some ideas to get some of her “stuff” off of the floor as her room is a bit on the small side.  For the stuffed animals she just couldn’t bring herself to part with, I found these yellow wire baskets at Home Goods.

Hung with “Command Strips”, these can be moved without damaging the walls.  The intention was to create a little reading/play nook and I think it serves it’s purpose!  We’ve recently added a bean bag, which she loves to sit and read in!

Dollar store frames, some leftover spray paint, scrapbook paper and a little computer work = super cute (and cheap) framed art!

Another dollar store frame with a little spray paint and corkboard from Wal-Mart.  I happened to have some flowers in our craft box that I hot glued on to up the “cute” factor just a bit! 

I’m getting ready to tackle my Makenna’s room next…we’re amping up the western theme for her!

And speaking of projects, I’m super excited that our “family” garden is now producing loads of beautiful squash, zucchini, green onions, green beans, and hopefully some tomatoes real soon!  Unfortunately I can’t take credit for this garden, but it has definitely become a family affair.  The garden is at my parents’ place, but we all had a small part in getting it started and thanks to my dad’s awesome “compost pile” it is flourishing! 

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So far we’ve had roasted and sauteed lots of squash and I even put some in the freezer for soups and muffins…yes, there is a lot!

In the mix…yellow squash, green beans, green onion, some fresh cracked pepper, smoked paprika and a little coconut oil.

Our first grilled dinner of the Summer…Grilled Chicken with a Cucumber-Lemon Salsa and Honey-Yogurt Sauce (dairy-free)

Cucumber-Lemon Salsa

Ingredients:

1 seedless cucumber, chopped

I large tomato, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and carefully mix.  Can use immediately or place in the fridge for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld!

Honey-Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plain coconut milk yogurt

2 Tbsp coconut milk

1 Tbsp raw honey

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Serve atop grilled meat or as a dip for fresh fruit.There’s something about farm fresh produce that gets me all giddy, which is why I so look forward to frequenting local farms and Farmer’s Markets during the Summer.  I’ve found a local “gem” just down the road from us which I find myself at more than once during the week!  Grebar Farms has had the best strawberries we’ve had, not to mention sweet blueberries, olallieberries (cross between a blackberry and raspberry), apriums (cross between an apricot and plum), and a load full of different greens (kale, collards, swiss chard, pea shoots and lots of fresh herbs)

Fresh Summer Strawberry and Arugula Salad with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of pepper.  A perfect side dish to any Summer grilled meal!!

 Kale Chips…one of our favorite snacks!

 Swiss Chard, Chicken and Onion Tacos all tucked into a homemade Paleo Tortilla…

Paleo Tortillas (great for tacos and wraps!)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour

5 Tbsp psyllium husk powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup water

2 eggs

Coconut oil (for cooking)

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add water and mix well.

Let dough sit for 2 minutes until it sets up a bit.

Separate dough into 10 balls.  Place onto oiled parchment paper (I used coconut oil).  Top with another piece of oiled parchment paper.  Roll out dough into an even circle shape…about 1/4 inch thick.

Heat a large pan to medium-high heat with a bit of coconut oil.  Place unbaked tortilla into pan and cook until light brown.  Flip and cook through on opposite side.  Serve up with your favorite fixings!!

Topped with homemade salsa!

There’s many more fun Summer days ahead of us, which means more “good eats” and lots more projects to accomplish!  Now it’s time to go soak up some sun…it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Blessings,

J’lene

Prep It and Make It….

We’re at the end of week two of the “Fitness Challenge” and I’d have to say we’ve had a really good week.  So far, the biggest challenge for me is what seems to be an endless amount of prepping food and logging every meal we eat.  There’s no question that I love to cook, but having to prepare three healthy meals a day for the family is not easy!!  I got kind of used to the hubs pouring him and the girls a bowl full of cereal or defrosting an oatmeal bake from the freezer most mornings, leaving me the opportunity to get other household chores done.  This week nothing seemed to happen that “quick and easy!”   It’s okay, though, because our family is trying new foods and we’re feeling healthy…this is a CHALLENGE, right?!

Here are a few meals on our menu this last week that I felt were “quick and easy” enough to keep our day running smooth!  Starting with breakfast…

Overnight Banana-Cinnamon Pudding

(yields 1 serving)

Ingredients:

I ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 Tbsp flax seed meal

1 Tbsp Sunflower butter (or sub in your favorite nut butter)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Optional Add Ins:  chopped apple pieces, raisins, chopped pecans, etc…

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together and mix well.  Place in a sealed container in the fridge overnight and enjoy in the morning!  May be served cold or warm (heat in the microwave for about 35 seconds).  Top with additional toppings if desired.

This is by far one of the hubs’ favorite breakfasts last week!  I think he’s requested it more than twice (think it’s time he learns how to make it!), saying “it’s like eating dessert for breakfast,” and not to mention it is quite filling.

So, for a little variety I made one with a little less banana and more berries along with some coconut to change up the flavor.

 Overnight Coconut-Berry Chia Pudding

(yields 1 serving)

Ingredients:

1/2 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 Tbsp unsweetened, shredded coconut

2 Tbsp chia seeds

1 handful mixed frozen berries

Optional Toppings: seeds, nuts, “paleo” granola, etc…

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Place in a sealed container in the fridge overnight and enjoy in the morning!  May be served cold or warm (heat in the microwave for about 35 seconds).  Top with additional toppings if desired.

This “pudding” has a lot more texture, but the same great “staying” power as the first.  The chia seeds definitely do their job in keeping you full for quite some time!

Our favorite quick lunch last week (with requests to have it on the menu again this week!)…

 Avocado Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

juice from 1/2 a lime

3 slices cooked bacon, chopped

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast

butter lettuce, washed and dried

sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash avocado.  Add lime juice, sea salt and pepper and mix until well combined. 

Add chicken and chopped bacon to avocado mixture and stir to combine, making sure chicken is well coated.

Scoop 1/4 cup of chicken salad onto lettuce leaf.  Wrap and serve!

 These are best eaten the same day (the avocado will begin to turn brown), but we had a couple left over so I stuck them in the hubs’ lunch the next day.  He didn’t seem to mind his slightly “browned” chicken wrap!

It was a bit cold last week, so I brought out the crock-pot on more than one occasion to make some soup for dinner.

Ham and Greens Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cups baby spinach

3 cups rainbow swiss chard

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups fully cooked ham steak, chopped

1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

2 cups organic chicken broth (make sure it’s gluten free if you don’t make your own!)

Directions:

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, carrots and garlic to pan; cook 5-6 minutes or until beginning to brown.

Transfer onion mixture to a crock-pot.  Add in ham, salt, pepper and broth.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Stir in spinach and swiss chard; cook an additional hour.

Our family loves us some soup and this one was definitely a keeper.  Even though it has very few ingredients it packs a punch in the flavor department!  I know I’ve made something good when my little Cailyn asks for seconds…YEAH!!

The weeks seem to be rolling one into another with no breaks in between, so “hi-ho, hi-ho it’s off to prep and plan I go!”  This week we’ll continue to log our meals and daily routine, keep up on our “homework” and complete three mandatory WODS for CrossFit.    Speaking of WODS and CrossFit, I was super excited to PR in several of the benchmark WODS last week!  Here’s a look at how I did…

800 M run – 4:08

5 Rounds of “Cindy” – 5:49

5 pull-ups

10 push-ups

15 squats

CrossFit Total - 205

Back Squat – 80lbs (PR!)

Shoulder Press – 40lbs (PR!)

Deadlift – 85lbs (PR!)

Fight Gone Bad (1 Round; 1 minute each station) – 78

Wall Ball – 26

SDHP – 25lbs; 12

Push Press – 25lbs; 10

Box Jump – 22

Row (for calories) – 8

For the busy week ahead I pray for clarity of mind so as to remember…

And my prayer for you my friends…”Lord, do something supernaturally wonderful in someone’s life this week!”  Amen.

Blessings,

J’lene

The Challenge Is On…

Okay, here we go!  This is the first week of our “Lifestyle Fitness Challenge” with our Neighborhood CrossFit family and we couldn’t be more excited!  There’s no doubt this is going to be hard…I may not be able to get a shower every day, but I sure as heck will go the mile to cook healthy meals for our family! 

This fabulous folder holds all the info we need for the challenge….and they mean business!

“This challenge will be scored in four categories with a weight or percentage value given to each of the following areas.  Health Base Line (weight, LBM, resting heart rate, blood pressure) = 30%; Fitness (Bench Mark WOD’s) = 30%; Nutritional/Fitness Plan (logs – weekly WOD’s) = 30%; Understanding (written test on materials in packet) = 10%.”

This first week is to be considered our prep week where we will decide on the nutritional, spiritual and physical plans/regimen we want to take on during this 30 day period.  The hubs and I had already decided on challenging ourselves to a 30 day Paleo diet and since I had already prepared this week’s menu accordingly, Monday became our start date!  Spiritually, the hubs and I are going through the “Love Dare” together to not only strengthen ourselves as loving spouses to one another, but to prayerfully strengthen our bond as husband and wife.  And there will no doubt be tons of prayer, not only for ourselves, but for the others who are taking on this challenge as well!  Physically, we have committed ourselves to a minimum of 3 WODS a week at the CrossFit gym and will continue to keep Sunday as our rest day.  The hubs will continue his hard lifting at the gym and I plan to keep up my running on the off days. The “homework” part of the challenge includes keeping a log of our meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) and WOD’s, as well as reading the material provided for us in the packet.  I am looking forward to reading through the articles on the Paleo lifestyle and gaining more knowledge about CrossFit.

Lot’s of good food resources that are a huge help when planning meals and going shopping! And speaking of food, here’s a little taste of one of our first meals!  I decided to start with something I know we all enjoy and that is a “breakfast dinner.”  However, it was time to step it up a notch and make it a bit more hearty and healthy.Cinnamon Bread by Paleo ParentsLoved the flavor and the hardiness of this bread, however I think I baked it a bit long on my first go around.  I like a soft/moist bread through and through, and this one got a bit crunchy on the outside.  A little less time in the oven would surely do the trick!

And the main dish… Butternut Squash and Sausage Breakfast Hash

Ingredients:

1lb breakfast sausage or sweet sausage (I used Trader Joe’s Chicken Apple Sausage)

1 Tbsp olive oil + extra for roasting the butternut squash

1 butternut squash, chopped and roasted

1 organic yellow squash, chopped

5 large organic eggs, beaten (I added a couple tablespoons of almond milk to the eggs)

Sea salt and fresh cracked paper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat with cooking spray.  Peel and chop the butternut squash in half lengthwise.  Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and guts of each half.  Chop each half into1-inch bite size pieces and place in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.  Drizzle olive over the pieces and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Place in oven and bake 35-40 minutes or until squash is tender and begins to brown.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil.  Add sausage and cook until browned and no longer pink. 

Add  yellow squash to the skillet and saute until veggies are tender.  Add the roasted butternut squash.

Pour in the eggs and cook until eggs are nice and fluffy!  Serve immediately.A very simple, but filling and delicious meal!  Though we had some green veggies on the side, I think next time I may add a little spinach to the hash as well.  And as an added bonus, there were leftovers (minus the eggs) for lunch the next day!  The hubs enjoyed the veggies and sausage straight up warmed, while I had mine straight from the fridge atop a nice green salad.

As we come to the end of this week, I think I have discovered that the cooking part of eating a Paleo diet isn’t going to be terribly hard, it’s the planning and prep that has to happen beforehand that is going to be the challenge for me.  I’m pretty used to planning our dinner meals, but with having to log our meals for this challenge I’m going to be planning breakfast and lunch meals as well. 

So, whether we win this challenge or not… “whatever progress we make toward honoring God with our bodies will bring direct benefit into our lives.  Our self-esteem will increase, along with our physical and mental energy, and our relationship with God will be enhanced.  It’s a win-win deal.”  - Bill Hybels

Have a blessed weekend!

Blessings,

J’lene