I am by no means a raw foodist, but I love raw food. One of my go-to resources is Kristen's Raw. She has so many recipes and tips I can incorporate into meals the whole family will eat. And anything veg or vegan I can get the man and boy to eat are winners in my book.
Speaking of books, Kristen is hosting a giveaway. 10 winners will each receive their choice of three of her ebooks. How cool is that? Wanna enter? Just go to her giveaway post and answer a simple question. I did. You can get more entries by sharing about the contest, too. I did that, too.
Go, enter, and learn more about how the raw life is good for her and her family. Good luck!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Overfed and Undernouished
Part vent, part epiphany. Oh, and a request for a swat on my hand or bottom if you see me slipping into destructive behavior.
Yep, that's been my way of eating for years now. On and off that is. First it was about money and later about convenience. When I focused on speed or cost more than getting what my body needed, I ate too much to help quench my hunger without giving my body the nutrition it needed. And I gained. A lot.
The various eating plans and diets I've tried over the past 15-20 years have taught me what works for me and what doesn't. I know meat doesn't work for me. I hate the thought of it and hate how it makes me feel more. I love carby, yeasty, and wheaty goodness, but it does not like me at all. And cheese used to be my beloved, but alas it broke my heart.
What does work for me is produce and lots of it. Produce and protein. It's simple, right? I mean, beans, greens, fruit, and nuts. Why does this scare me so much? Why do I fall back on goodies and are so bad for me? I know what I have to look forward to when I deviate (and I'm feeling some of that right now), so why torture myself?
Well, partly because I'm feeling lazy. I'm fighting off something nasty (chest colds, woohoo - not) and want to reach for my old favorite comfort foods. So I did. Two sandwiches and two days and I feel horrendous. On top of the elephant sitting on my chest, I have blocked sinus and a migraine. Were those grilled cheese sammys worth this? Today, nope, but at the time, yes. I know better, dammit!
I also torture myself because part of me feels like I'll spend too much money on food. This is a dumb one I've debunked several times. It's cheaper overall when I eat what's good for me because the ingredients are cheaper (and better) than the packaged versions of kinda food-like substances. What I feel guilty about is the amount of Gardein and Boca I snagged before going gluten-free. Hubs said he'd happily eat them, and I know he will. I just feel bad about how much I spent. I can't get it back, so I need to let it go.
I promised an epiphany, didn't I? Well, I realized I know what works. Instead of searching for a new answer, I need to get back to basics. Shopping in season and preparing good food. That's it. Summertime harvests make a huge difference for me. I love the colors and selection of produce this time of year. Focus on that, throw in some nuts, seeds, and other forms of protein, and I'm golden. Avoid gluten and dairy and the headaches and joint pain will ease to manageable levels - if I hurt at all. Keep sugar intake down (especially easy with all the berries and melon around) and I'll feel even better.
Wow, I'm chatty today, headache and all.
If you see me out and about, say hi. And if I need a gentle swat on the hand or bottom, please remind me that I asked for them.
And speaking of bottoms, mine is still getting firmer and higher. Yeah, baby! The scale is holding firm, but the body is firming up. I'll take that as a win.
Peace, all.
Yep, that's been my way of eating for years now. On and off that is. First it was about money and later about convenience. When I focused on speed or cost more than getting what my body needed, I ate too much to help quench my hunger without giving my body the nutrition it needed. And I gained. A lot.
The various eating plans and diets I've tried over the past 15-20 years have taught me what works for me and what doesn't. I know meat doesn't work for me. I hate the thought of it and hate how it makes me feel more. I love carby, yeasty, and wheaty goodness, but it does not like me at all. And cheese used to be my beloved, but alas it broke my heart.
What does work for me is produce and lots of it. Produce and protein. It's simple, right? I mean, beans, greens, fruit, and nuts. Why does this scare me so much? Why do I fall back on goodies and are so bad for me? I know what I have to look forward to when I deviate (and I'm feeling some of that right now), so why torture myself?
Well, partly because I'm feeling lazy. I'm fighting off something nasty (chest colds, woohoo - not) and want to reach for my old favorite comfort foods. So I did. Two sandwiches and two days and I feel horrendous. On top of the elephant sitting on my chest, I have blocked sinus and a migraine. Were those grilled cheese sammys worth this? Today, nope, but at the time, yes. I know better, dammit!
I also torture myself because part of me feels like I'll spend too much money on food. This is a dumb one I've debunked several times. It's cheaper overall when I eat what's good for me because the ingredients are cheaper (and better) than the packaged versions of kinda food-like substances. What I feel guilty about is the amount of Gardein and Boca I snagged before going gluten-free. Hubs said he'd happily eat them, and I know he will. I just feel bad about how much I spent. I can't get it back, so I need to let it go.
I promised an epiphany, didn't I? Well, I realized I know what works. Instead of searching for a new answer, I need to get back to basics. Shopping in season and preparing good food. That's it. Summertime harvests make a huge difference for me. I love the colors and selection of produce this time of year. Focus on that, throw in some nuts, seeds, and other forms of protein, and I'm golden. Avoid gluten and dairy and the headaches and joint pain will ease to manageable levels - if I hurt at all. Keep sugar intake down (especially easy with all the berries and melon around) and I'll feel even better.
Wow, I'm chatty today, headache and all.
If you see me out and about, say hi. And if I need a gentle swat on the hand or bottom, please remind me that I asked for them.
And speaking of bottoms, mine is still getting firmer and higher. Yeah, baby! The scale is holding firm, but the body is firming up. I'll take that as a win.
Peace, all.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Food, glorious gluten-free food! Thank you, Patat Spot!
Gluten-free isn't as difficult as I thought it might be when dining out in Charleston.
Patat Spot is one of my favorite places in town. It's not just about the food, but the staff, decor, and falafel. Okay, the food is one of the main reasons I love it. I was concerned I'd have to forgo the pita with my falafel or black bean cakes, but I don't. GF pitas are available and the black bean cakes and falafel are both GF. It works. It works very well.
Last trip was the first time we took the kiddos with us, and they were smitten. Teen Girl does not always love new experiences, but she was willing to give it a go. She ordered the Frikendel Especial, a veggie dog served with diced onions and Patat's fantastic curry catsup. She thought it was pretty good. If you've met her, 'pretty good' is her second most enthusiastic rating. The top rating of 'awesome' only applies to electronics and anime.
Teen Boy snagged the Beef Shawarma and inhaled it before I could get a shot of it. No joke. He ate like he was starving (which he could have been because he's always hungry) and praised the flavor between bites.
Hubs went for the Regular Falafel (two patties in pita with all the toppings you want from the toppings bar) and I had the Salad Spot (two falafel or black bean cakes served on a bed of greens and anything I wanted from the toppings bar). Of course, we all made our meals combos with drinks and friet. We all left satisfied (well, closer to happily stuffed) and smiling. Oh, and the falafel can be grilled or deep fried. Either way, the meals are healthy and filling.
Now that school's out we plan to go more often, with or without the kids. Swing by Patat Spot at 41B George Street and enjoy some GF comfort food. Yes, I consider falafel comfort food. Sue me.
Until next time, peace.
Patat Spot is one of my favorite places in town. It's not just about the food, but the staff, decor, and falafel. Okay, the food is one of the main reasons I love it. I was concerned I'd have to forgo the pita with my falafel or black bean cakes, but I don't. GF pitas are available and the black bean cakes and falafel are both GF. It works. It works very well.
 |
| Sorry for the dark pic - my phone's camera is not the best sometimes. |
Teen Boy snagged the Beef Shawarma and inhaled it before I could get a shot of it. No joke. He ate like he was starving (which he could have been because he's always hungry) and praised the flavor between bites.
Hubs went for the Regular Falafel (two patties in pita with all the toppings you want from the toppings bar) and I had the Salad Spot (two falafel or black bean cakes served on a bed of greens and anything I wanted from the toppings bar). Of course, we all made our meals combos with drinks and friet. We all left satisfied (well, closer to happily stuffed) and smiling. Oh, and the falafel can be grilled or deep fried. Either way, the meals are healthy and filling.
Now that school's out we plan to go more often, with or without the kids. Swing by Patat Spot at 41B George Street and enjoy some GF comfort food. Yes, I consider falafel comfort food. Sue me.
Until next time, peace.
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