Lost, But Holding Hands

I have spent the last few weeks eyeing an advertisement that keeps popping up on my social media accounts for a smoothie delivery program.  This particular company is organic, #whole30 compliant and delivers ready to go produce and add-ins already in cups ready to be blended with your liquid of choice.  Several times over the last few weeks, I visited their website and did what I am best at---added things to my cart, balked at the price, and backed out.  I mean I am not about to spend 7.99 on a smoothie- no matter how healthy or convenient. So instead, I have been buying frozen smoothie mixes at the store.  But this has proved to be a challenge as well because it is incredibly difficult to find frozen fruit that doesn't have additives and preservatives.  Manufactures put chemicals in the fruit to keep the color of the fruit vibrant- but the things is...I've froze fresh fruit and vegetables before without them losing their color, so I think it is totally unnec...

Hi, ya'll.  I've tried to really pair down and prioritize over the course of my Whole30 journey.  What started as a body cleanse and food realignment really branched out into more.   Throughout this process, my focus has been: N utrition:  Obviously.  But more than just what I can eat and what I can't eat...I set aside time to both meal plan and cook nutritious and delicious dishes for my family. Honestly, meal planning has become a hobby of mine over the past 50+ days.  I used to loath creating a plan, making a list and grocery shopping.  Now digging for recipes, organizing my shopping list, and exploring different markets and groceries is actually enjoyable! M ovement:  I run and lift almost every day.  Luckily I also have a job that allows me to get my steps in even if I can't get a run in.   F ood Talk:  Talk as a family (and with anyone else who will listen) about healthy alternatives, locally produced items, and letting fo...

Hi.  My name is Kelly, and I'm a sugar addict.  I have been clean for 38 days.  Has it been easy?  No. Has it been worth it?  Yes.  38 days ago it wouldn't have been unheard of for me to start my morning with a sugary cereal (hello Cocoa Puffs), have a soda from Sonic, and down more than my fair share of candy while at work.  I was hooked on sugar, and those were just the obvious sources.  When you quit sugar cold turkey you eliminate a lot of food.  There is sugar in a lot of food--from gum to condiments and everything in between.  The tricky part is that sugar goes by many names.  If you look at ingredients lists simply for the word sugar , you will miss all of the hidden ways that sugar makes it into your body on a daily basis. I used sugar as a source of energy and crashed, had withdrawal headaches, and felt  hangry when I didn't have it. Cooking without any added sugar is tricky.  (The other day I realized se...

It was a big day for us.  First I waded through the craziness that is the AXS website to buy Garth Brooks tickets for his May concert.  Holy Moly...who knew waiting in a virtual waiting room could be so stressful.  But nevertheless we got tickets!  So excited!! I am hoping for a rendition of Shameless so Tyler can do an encore of his famous karaoke performance. Secondly, as I was leaving for the gym this afternoon I noticed a package on our front step.  Our first Tessemae's shipment arrived!  We have been craving some new sauces- especially BBQ- for a few weeks.  BBQ=sugar 99% of the time.  So we really struggled finding a brand in the stores we frequent.  Any suggestions?  We are happy to continue buying Tessemae's but it would be nice to not pay shipping every time! This week is going to be BANANAS.  For real.  Ryan has a Parents Night Out event at his karate studio on Saturday that we are totally taking advantage o...

{A few weeks back, I read a blog in which the writer tested the notion that fast food was not food, but in fact, a combination of many preservatives and additives mixed very little "real" food. The blogger, suspicious of the fast food industry, bought hamburgers and fries from several extremely popular chains. Each meal was left out, uncovered for weeks. That's right- weeks. Guess what? Not one of the meals molded, rotted, or did...anything. It freaked me out. For. Real. T and I have virtually stopped shopping in the middle of our neighborhood grocery store. These are the aisles filled with highly-processed, yet sometimes disguised foods. Some with labels claiming to be healthy (low fat, low carb, vitamin fortified, no trans fat, etc.). We used to buy them. Granola bars loaded with all kinds of great things- vitamins, minerals, fiber... And they are so yummy! But I challenge you to do the following: next time you reach for a box of your favorite cereal, br...

{Anyone who truly knows me, knows this...I. Despise. Change. I'm not bragging. It is not one of my strong points. I love to travel, but I like going to the same places again and again. I love food, but I like going to the same restaurants- over and over...and over. I love the familiar. Turns out, the familiar was slowly making us cranky...and fat. However, all of this changed about 6 weeks ago. T and I started on a journey of health. Not only did we start focusing on movement and exercise, we started learning about and altering the things we put in our bodies. Food. The more we learn the more we RUN from the places we used to eat. Yikes! So, today's post is a restaurant suggestion. Cafe Gratitude. Go there. Now. Gratitude is completely organic (no preservatives, no antibiotics) and completely vegan (no animal products). I was nervous. It was amazing! From the eccentric vibe, the super-sweet and knowledgeable waitress (Shelly), to the extremely tasty food- ev...

/A Little Piece of Food Knowledge- from our friends at 100 Days of Real Food- We no longer buy shredded cheese. We no longer buy anything but white cheese. Let us tell you why. Do you know what "they" put in pre-shredded cheese to keep it from clumping into one BIG jumbled mess? Wood. That's right ya'll. Wood pulp is put in nearly ALL shredded cheese to keep it, well, shredded. The ingredient you need to look for us "cellulose fiber". If that is listed, you've got wood pulp my friend. We also stopped buying yellow (or orange) cheese because we made the obvious observation that dairy should be white. Generally, the whiter the dairy product is the less processed it is because coloring it is just one more step in the factory. Take our advice- shred your own block of white cheese. It takes like 20 seconds. Be Healthy. Start today./ /we/

[we had vegetarian quesadillas the other night and i wanted to make sure that it was all good for us. the only ingredient we planned to use that was not freshly prepared from our hands was refried beans. i hated them as a kid, and now i can't imagine a mexican dinner without them. i had a hunch it wouldn't be hard to make my own. turns out i was very correct. easiest thing ever. we will never buy canned refried beans again. i suggest you do the same. they freeze well so you can make a few batches at once if you like. here's how to make them: INGREDIENTS 1 yellow onion (cut into 1/2 or 1/4) 2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed and drained ½ chopped fresh jalapeno (seeded unless you like it really hot) 2 cloves garlic, minced ¾ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper pinch of cumin 6 cups water DIRECTIONS combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for about eight hours. remove bigger onion chunks and drain the excess liquid, but save liquid until the...