As you may know I stopped eating meat in January. It was kinda a slow process of getting there of first getting the idea, then cutting it out over three years. Honestly, it just kinda happened that I cut it out all together. I realized, after taking note for many months, that I just didn't feel good after I ate meat. My stomach hurt, I felt bloated and the next day I just felt sluggish. So I tried to go without eating meat and it really was not that hard. Plus I felt much better, which obviously made giving it up easier. Once I got going it was pretty easy to just make a conscious decision when ordering food to not order meat. I never really liked it that much anyway and over the three year process the one thing I HAD loved (steak) had really come to disgust me. Steak was the very first meat item that was cut from my diet a long time ago when I realized I just couldn't digest it.
Let's back track a bit- I have a history of chronic stomach issues that we found out about when I was 15. I was actually hospitalized for a week when the doctors were first trying to figure it all out. I was paired with an amazing doctor back then who took a natural approach to my condition with changing your diet and adding in natural supplements. Brilliant. I was just too naive to listen back then. I threw a half haphazard attempt at it and went back to sucking down cokes, and chowing on burgers and cheetos. (Umm PS a Cheesburger is still probably my FAVORITE food ever. It's the one meat item I crave....BUT I have found some really awesome vegetarian options that taste like you are eating a real cheeseburger. It's like a tiny bit of heaven)\
So, moving on....the more I get into this the more I REALLY start examining my diet. I'm asking questions like, "Why SHOULDN'T you eat fish?" because I am still eating fish, rarely...I really don't like fish but I LOVE scallops and shrimp and when I go out to dinner I order scallops 99% of the time. Or I have thoughts of "I don't think I can ever cut dairy products out of my diet" and then I wonder hmmmm....probably not, but I could cut back on them for sure. Sitting down and eating cheese and crackers every night while watching TV really isn't that healthy of a snack. Hummus and a sliced bell pepper to dip it in is a better choice and still tasty.
For me, at least, it's about switching what I crave in my head. I've noticed when I "fall off the wagon" and start cramming cookies in my mouth or eating horribly I continue that pattern because my body isn't getting the right nutrients so I end up eating more sweets and wanting to snack all. day. long. because my body is trying to get the nutrients it normally finds in food but isn't getting. Kinda makes sense. On the opposite side...If I'm eating super healthy and my body is getting the nutrients it needs I hardly ever find myself wanting to snack during the day.
Okay- this post ISN'T OVER YET! Hang in there....
Now that I'm taking care of MY diet what about Georgia's??? I've always been slightly neurotic about what she ate. I made baby food, when she went to milk at a year old we did goat's milk instead of cow's milk and now we do almond milk. She is a picky eater and she has always naturally not liked meat. No, I'm not banning her from eating it- I still cook meat for her dinner every night but honestly she wasn't into it long before I. Therefore I've always pushed pastas and cheeses with her. I feel like she isn't getting enough veggies and I want to expand her tastes as much as possible. She loves smoothies and my mom bought us an awesome smoothie maker that I pulled out of the box this Monday (I know....)
I've never been a big "cooker". I can't cook rice. I'm normally in a rush and don't have time to write down recipes, plus I do not have all those spices in my spice rack- nor have I ever had a "spice rack". Well surprise, surprise I now have a full spice rack I have been slowly adding to over the past year and I now have all your basic things (I think). I'm jumping out on a limb and trying new things and googling "How To's" as I go. It's actually a lot of fun and it's actually become a great unwinding time for me to busy around in the kitchen while Georgia is hanging out. I made a rule of no TV while I'm making dinner so she pulls her toys out and plays and we talk while I cook.
Last week I made quinoa with black beans, corn and sauteed oinion. It was really, really good. Plus a great source of protein. Afterward I made homemade granola bars that had cranberries, dark chocolate, almonds and coconut- amazing. I thought I had enough to freeze but they disappeared in less than a week.
As I mentioned above- a cheeseburger is my weakness. I picked up some Boca Burger patties at the grocery store. I haven't done a lot of "research" on them but they taste sooooo good! We ate them on english muffins instead of hamburger buns with cheese and even Georgia said, "This is the BEST cheeseburger ever!!"
Last night we did sauteed broccoli and new potatoes with a fried egg on top. A friend of mine, Heather, owns Crown Kitchen and had posted the link to her version of the recipe here:
http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2013/04/22/turkey-apple-and-broccoli-breakfast-hash/
I tweaked it a bit, but great idea! I had never fried an egg before but it was super easy and so, so good!
Along with the healthy cooking we are also making smoothies. I unpacked the smoothie machine on Monday and every morning along with Georgia's breakfast I blend up a strawberry and banana smoothie. I have some kid vitamins in a powder form from Whole Foods and I will throw that in there. She loves it. Tonight for dinner I made Carrot, Cucumber, Pineapple, Apple & Orange Juice. She drank it right up as did I.
So hopefully I can keep it up- I know things get busy but I'm trying to teach myself that it really does not that that much time out of my day to cook a healthy meal, or blend up a smoothie for Georgia and at the end of the day if it means she's a little late for bedtime I think that's going to be okay! ;)
