Some Simple Cooking, Some Simple Crochet

Turkey meatballs (I don't roll them in the topping), spaghetti squash and steamed kale.

To make spaghetti squash (I only make one half at a time if it's a larger squash)

1. Preheat over to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds
3. Rub the half all over with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper.  
5. Place face down in a baking pan.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork into it.
7. Let cool.  Scrape out flesh.  

I like it simple like that.  Some recipes add cheese and dress it up in all kinds of ways.  I think it's overkill.  Olive oil, salt, pepper.  Simple and delicious.  

To make the kale, I whip out my trust steamer.  I steam it then toss it in either olive oil (if the hubby's eating too) of butter with some sea salt.  Simple and delicious, again. 

This dinner is the kind of dinner my kids really like.  The flavors are all distinct.  

My first attempt at making jerky.  There were tons of recipes available but true to my mantra of "simple and delicious," I went with this one from paleoblocks.  I added just a touch of maple syrup and liquid smoke seasoning (really, just a touch).  I followed the directions and dehydrated for 8 hours in my food dehydrator (which I got from my wonderful sister-in-law years ago).  They came out very, very well.  I think next time, I won't dehydrate quite as long--they are really tough but it's all good.  Since they are some much work to chew, it keeps you from eating the whole bag.   The process for making the jerky was easy and I got a yield of about 4 or 5, almost $6 bags of organic jerky for Trader Joe's.  The meat cost about that (~$20) and I am able to control what goes in it (namely no soy sauce and not a lot of sugar).  

And here is my latest crochet creation: a simple camera case for our new digital camera, an Olympus X-935 (which I love because of it's simplicity).  

Book Review-Morning by Morning: How We Homeschooled Our Boys to the Ivy League by Paula Penn-Nabrit

This book was recommended to me by another homeschooling mother.  She was so enthusiastic about it, I just had to pick it up.  I placed it on hold at the library and in less than a week, it had arrived.  I started reading with interest.

One important thing to note is that Morning by Morning: How We Homeschooled Our Boys to the Ivy League is less of a how-to manual and more of a memoir.  It chronicles how this one, middle-to-upper class Black American family came to homeschooling and how they approached it.  For that reason, it was an interesting enough read.  

Homeschoolers are in the minority.  Homeschoolers of color, even more so.  So all-in-all, I thought it was worth it to read the book although I will admit that I did not read the whole thing in it's entirety.  I couldn't.  Ms. Penn-Nabrit has got to be the most-longwinded, roundabout writer I have encountered in a long time.  Seven paragraphs and 3 pages later, she would still be circling around the same topic, beating that horse till it was not only dead but safely in heaven.  My goodness.  At one point, I started to just skip over whole chunks only to find her still talking about the same thing.  Towards the end of the book, I started to read the synopses at the end of the chapters and to tell the truth, I think I got the full gist of what she was saying.  This book could have been half the length but I get it: it's her life story and so I totally forgive the tendency to go into excruciating detail.  

I didn't connect much with Ms. Penn-Nabrit for a number of reasons. The decision she made to homeschool was pretty much forced.  Problems at her sons' elite private school brought things to a critical point and led Ms. Penn-Nabrit and her husband to some major paradigm shifts.  Homeschooling was the way for them to embrace and practice their new understandings.  For me, even if I did have the resources to send my sons to elite private schools, from the very beginning I would most likely use those resources to enhance our homeschooling experiences: more enrichment classes, camps, tutors, etc./moving to an area with a more vibrant homeschooling community.  Homeschooling was and is my first choice.  I did find it interesting that the couple pulled their sons at the very point where most people think that home-schooled children should probably be making the transition to traditional school.  There's this idea that will totally miss out on the "wonderful" junior and senior high school experiences.  But as Ms. Penn-Nabrit points out, there are ways to get the bulk of that experience, and wonderfully enough, the more positive aspects of that experience without being enrolled.  

Secondly, her sons were much older than my sons when she started homeschooling so she had to deal with the emotional angst her boys felt at no longer being in a traditional school environment.  Also, many of the academic subjects and extra-curricular activities her kids were involved it are not quite suitable for my kids as yet.  

Thirdly, Ms. Penn-Nabrit is clearly a middle upper class American and it comes through in her writing and attitudes.  I would say I have middle upper class aspirations but I am definitely not in the class.  So certain comments would rub met he wrong way.  There was one comment in particular of which I couldn't make heads or tails.  She was writing about why continental Africans excel in American schools and seemed to place it all on the fact that they would have had teachers of the same race at their schools back home.  I think that's overly simplistic and denies the fact that for many Africans, education is one of the few ways out of poverty and/or a situation with little hope for progress.  

Fourthly, I want this homeschooling journey to be something we all enjoy not endure.  Yes, there are things about which I am not willing to negotiate but I am willing to work with my children to find out how we can change the energy and make things what we have to do more pleasurable and less like torture.  I didn't get the sense that this was a big concern of the author's.  And I also got the sense that there was some use of corporal punishment--not a lot but it was there.  

We did connect out on some points like the fact that people will always try to shoot you down with the dreaded socialization question.  Also, when one takes full responsibility for his/her child's education, there are moments of doubt but also moments of triumph.  I think Morning by Morning was borne out of that triumph.  The family had a goal and they achieved it despite the inner and outer naysayers.  

Ms. Penn-Nabrit did make some excellent points:

When African-American male children attend school, they are in an environment designed by Caucasian-white men and controlled by Caucasian-white women.  The combination of race and gender diversity may explain, at least partially, why so many African-American male children end up in detention, suspended, and expelled.  (p. 29)

Contrary to conventional wisdom, very few people home-school in a limited environment--most homeschoolers spend quite a bit of time away from their homes.  Nevertheless, on a universal level, I think most kids are grossly under-socialized.  Single-environment socialization, whether that single, exclusive environment is created in a school or in a home is inadequate.  When our children emerge into the broader world, they will be forced to engages outside of their racial, socioeconomic, religious and academic classification.  (p. 30)

There's a large resource section at the end of the book and intend to go through and pull out ones that seem useful.  The "how" of homeschooling that is presented in the book, I think, should mainly be common sense for the resourceful homeschooler: using community and recreation centers, volunteering, relying heavily on the library, finding enrichment classes and activities.  On this end, I have been very successful.  One thing Ms. Penn-Nabrit had going for her was that her sons, having been pulled out of school later, had established social lives.  That was not a struggle for them.  As you know if you've read this blog for any length of time, this is a huge concern of mine that hasn't been addressed well yet.  I was encouraged by the fact that the Nabrit boys, though they did have lots of outside friends, loved and enjoyed being in each other's company and I am hoping the same will be the case for my boys.

Now, I can't say that my goal in homeschooling is that Z1 and Z2 attend top tier colleges.  My goal is that they can if that's what they want to do.  My goal is that they have a well-rounded, solid education that can take them anywhere.  Like Ms. Penn-Nabrit, I am looking for a holistic education that addresses the academic, physical and spiritual aspects.  So again, I recommend this book as a way to learn about another person's experience homeschooling.  I love to hear all the different voices.  

What? No peanuts?

As you can probably imagine, it's been rather challenging making the transition to a paleo diet when the hubby is a strict vegetarian.  

Today, the hubby asked why we didn't have have peanuts. Apparently, he really likes peanuts.  I've been buying other kinds of nuts like walnuts and macadamia nuts instead of peanuts because a) those are true nuts and b) they have a better ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats.  I've also been buying cashews which in my mind are pretty similar to peanuts.  At Trader Joe's where I do most of my grocery shopping, I cannot find dry-roasted peanuts (all the peanuts on sale there are roasted in some kind of vegetable oil) but they do have these other nuts either raw or dry-roasted.  So instead of making one more stop on grocery shopping day, I've just been getting other nuts.  I had no idea that the hubby was missing the peanuts so much. 

Well, he got very upset today and feels like I'm hitting him over the head with this paleo stuff.  He just wants to have his peanuts and wheat and mock meats in peace.  I'll give him the peanuts.  I'll even give him the wheat (bought 5 pounds of unbleached white flour two weeks ago, still make pancakes with it on Sundays, and I buy him loaves of sprouted wheat bread).  The mock meats are and have been a sticking point even when I was vegan.  They are heavily processed and high in salt and other additives.  We were steadily moving away from them--or so I thought.  I guess I was driving that too.  He is perfectly happy to have them as a part of his diet.  

The hubby says he feels like he cannot give his children food the way he wants to.  He's says he's always anxious about whether they can have what's on his plate.  At this point, I got annoyed because I prepare most of the children's meals.  The only day he's really responsible for what they eat is Saturdays when I work and I'm not home.  Nothing's stopping him from giving them gobs of wheat and mock meat . . . what can I do about that from work?  I get that he's trying to respect what I'm doing with the children and he doesn't want to sabotage my efforts.  I honestly appreciate that because I have heard stories . . .   I think, though, that it's more of an issue of who spends more time with the kids. And I do.  So they do what I do.  But when they're with him, I'm not going to freak out if they have some cereal or some lentils or something but we've already observed that Z2 gets a seriously bloated and painful belly after eating wheat . . . I should think my insistence on keeping the kids (at least) wheat-free would be shared.  But alas . . . 

I'll admit, I'm not easy.  I really believe that certain things he's eating are just not healthy by anyone's standards.  But I'm still buying it and cooking it.  I guess I could try harder to keep my disapproval to myself.  But what's annoying to me is that he won't acknowledge his disapproval of my diet . . . he's acting like he's totally okay with it but it's obvious he's not. He thinks it's too extreme and has said so on different occasions.  It's also expensive, which I know is a huge sticking point.  I'm trying my best to stick to organic, grass-fed meats and dairy (although not all the meats can be organic and grass-fed).  No matter how I slice it, I'm spending more on food now than I did when I was a vegetarian or even a pescetarian.  And I know it's hard on him as he is the main breadwinner in the household. I won't lie though: I get defensive because I feel blamed for not being able to tolerate a vegetarian diet.  I feel blamed for "changing up the game".  But best believe that if I had felt all the fabulous effects I was hoping to feel when I made the switch to veganism, I would still be vegan.  I made the switch to paleo out of necessity!  I had to try something radically different.

These are the kinks you have to work out when a married couple eats two distinct ways. These are the kinks you have to work out as a married couple whose members are still growing, changing and learning as individuals.  I don't know that any compromises can be made except that we just both learn to keep our commentary to ourselves--keep our mouths shut and let the other person do him/her.  And maybe buy our own groceries and cook our own meals.  ;-)  

Photo Credit

You're Going to Stick with It . . . If I have anything to do with it

Z1 has been taking piano lessons since the beginning of they year.  He has been doing very well and even won the trophy for best newcomer in his music school.  He definitely has ability and, I would say, talent.  But learning an instrument is hard and not much fun in beginning.  In fact, it doesn't become fun until you master that which was once hard.  So every so often, Z1 says he wants to quit the piano.  Lately he's been saying it a lot.

Now, the part of me who wants to be the attachment/gentle discipline parent says that if he really wants to quit, I should let him quit.  The other part--the more totalitarian part of me-- says that he will quit over my dead body.  I'm afraid that the totalitarian part is winning this battle.  You see, no one ever grows up and says, "You know, I regret learning to play the piano."  He will eventually enjoy playing it and it's a useful skill.

You know what?  I feel very sad that my parents didn't follow through with piano lessons.  I took them for a short while and made lots of progress but once we moved to a different part of the city, the lessons stopped and my formal learning stopped.  Oh, I played in high school and even played for my father's church but it was all very amateur and not what I would have liked to see for myself as a pianist.  I wanted to be good.  So yeah, maybe I'm projecting what I wanted for myself on to my child.  I won't deny it.  But I think it's healthy to learn how to play an instrument for many different reasons.  I honestly can't see how pushing him to learn this skill will hurt him in the long run.  

My promise is to not yell or be mean about it but to be firm.  A challenge is not a good reason to give up.  Z1 is expected to rise to the challenge.  And I know he will.   

Photo Credit 

Friday Breakfast

I'm all enthusiastic about posting pictures because we finally got a new camera.  No more taking the memory card out to put it in the card reader to then plug it into the computer.  So since I've got a new camera, I seem to always remember to take pictures of the food! So here's today's breakfast:

This is a tempeh scramble for the hubby.  This is the first time I've actually tried to make a scramble with tempeh. Usually I use tofu but all the bricks of tofu are frozen solid (forgot to take one out to defrost). I also made (steel cut) oatmeal peanut porridge for him with a slice of sprouted raisin bread toast (spread Earth Balance and fruit preserves on the toast).

This is our breakfast (the kids and I):  it's basically fried eggs with lots of veggies.  The kids also got a smoothie made with coconut milk, Greek yogurt, 1/2 a banana, strawberries and pineapple plus a dash of probiotic powder.  I made the smoothie this dense because Z2 isn't a big fan of eggs and probably won't eat much of it.  

Food Battles

Now, I know that I am a pretty picky eater.  I don't really like trying new things and I can pretty much eat the same things over and over ad infinitum.  I thought that I'd be better able to understand and deal with my children.  I know many children are notoriously picky . . . I was prepared to sympathize and work with them.

But let me tell you, it borders on ridiculous sometimes.  When meals are served, my kids will invariably complain that it's "yucky".  It doesn't really matter what it is.  And it's not just because we are transitioning to paleo eating either.  They did the same thing with bean based dishes.  Just tonight, I served chili and Z1 fell out on the floor as if someone had just sentenced him to eating a bowl of fried beetles.  Z2 complained after every bite.  Luckily, they did eat the yam fries without too much of a problem so at least dinner wasn't a complete wash tonight.

They have their favorite foods like pizza (especially), bread and french fries, which I had been very happy to make for them from scratch at home with the best ingredients I could find.  Trying to substitute paleo-friendly options for these favorite foods has been hit-and-miss.  I've tried different kinds of pizza crusts--some with coconut flour, some with almond--and I haven't found one yet that they really enjoy.  I tried the paleo bread from Elana's Pantry and that was wonderful and well-received.  I felt like I hit the lotto when I fried up some yam and it was accepted as french fries.  

But pretty much every meal is met with complaining and tears and a general lack of gratitude.  And I find it very problematic that before they say "Thank You" they will say things like "Not this again--I hate this!"  I understand that making the transition to paleo is hard but really and honestly, it's not the new way of eating that has prompted the complaining.  It's just different foods to complain about.  

I have come upon some sure-fire foods that will be met with smiles all around: meatloaf (I use Sarah's recipe) and millet (non-paleo but it's cool . . . the kids are pretty much 80/20) and Z1 has really taken a liking to roasted butternut squash and cauliflower rice.

I'll admit that it hurts my feelings.  I really feel so under-appreciated because I do spend so much of my time working hard in the kitchen only for folks to spit on the food and act like it's just torture to eat.  I know I need to re-adjust my attitude and not take it so personally but I am trying so hard and they just could not care less.  Never a simple thank you.  I know they are children and they don't really care much about things or people outside of themselves but tonight, I just felt really overwhelmed by it all.  Wishing I could give up and let them eat whatever garbage they want.  After all, we grew up on white rice and chicken and a whole bunch of other non-ideal foods and we turned out fine.  Well, somewhat fine.

I don't know . .. it seems like an issue all mothers really struggle with, i.e. getting children to eat.  I don't know that my mother had all this agitation around mealtimes.  I feel like it was either you eat or you don't.  And that was that.  I guess I could offer them alternatives if they don't want to eat what is served but in reality, any alternative means more work for me because all the simple go to foods that I would usually serve are not paleo.  So I guess I need to figure out a way to make peace with the stage they are in right now.  And really not take it personally.  

Paleo Meals

This was yam fries with sardines.  I sauteed onions, green peppers and tomatoes in coconut oil and added a can of sardines. I think the was lunch on Monday. 

Sorry this picture isn't bigger.  This is the breakfast cookup we have twice a week.  I basically brown two chicken sausage links and then  saute all kinds of veggies in olive oil: onions, green and red peppers, zucchini, celery, tomatoes, spinach or kale.

Sunday Morning Coconut Pancakes . . .

THE BEST PALEO PANCAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 6 eggs
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 2 Teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 Cup coconut flour

PREPARATION

Beat the eggs until they're frothy. Mix the remaining ingredients together. Cook on a griddle (we use an electric griddle because that's all we have right now, but cast iron would be ideal). When you pour the batter, try to keep the cakes small. If they're difficult to flip, cook them a bit longer.

A simple chili I made this morning: browned some ground beef (not the grass fed I usually get from the farm and I can *really* tell the difference), and then added onions, celery, carrots, green peppers, mixed greens, tomatoes, starchy tubers (yam/sweet potato) and some mixed greens.  Seasoned with chili powder, cumin, thyme, garlic.  Added some chicken broth I made a few weeks ago.  It was quick to throw together although far oilier than when I use the grass fed beef.  This was good motivation to remember to get my order in on time.  

I'll try to post some more of the paleo meals I'm preparing. Yes, eating this way means I cook a lot but in all honesty, I would do anything to keep feeling well.  I haven't felt really well in a very long time.  

Power Training Update

I really love the Power Training program, let me tell you.  It's challenging.  It's hard work.  It's fun.  Unfortunately, it looks like I will either have to stop the program only one week in or significantly change it to account for my shoulder.

I don't know when I initially hurt my left shoulder.  I do know that I am weaker on my left side than on my right side.  It could have been while doing chaturanga in yoga or anything really.  But it's injured.  My doctor identified the pain as tendonitis and recommended that I take it easy for 6 weeks.  Of course, I didn't want to stop so I've been trying to work with it by modifying exercises and avoiding certain moves that I know aggravate the pain.  But today, I realized that I really do have to back off.  I was actually gripping my shoulder at the gym and just in my daily, I am finding myself being ridiculously ginger with it.  It hurts when I drive.  It hurts when I pick up my kids.  Yeah, I have to back off.  

I don't think completely stopping my training will work, though.  I am not willing to lose my gains in the weight room and lifting, actually going to the gym to lift is something I *really* need psychologically for a host of reasons I won't detail right now.  So my inclination is to substitute rehab exercises for the vertical and horizontal push/pull portions of the PT program for at least 6 weeks to see if I can heal this shoulder.  I googled around and found this shoulder rehab protocol.  I also found out that Eric Cressey (who wrote Maximum Strength, one of the programs I thought of doing before deciding on PT) is kind of known as "the shoulder guy".  He has written an article in 3 parts called Shoulder Savers which I am going to make time to read:

Shoulder Savers Part 1

Shoulder Savers Part 2

Shoulder Savers Part 3

After 6-8 weeks, I am hoping that I would have healed my shoulder.  At that point, I will probably re-start Power Training as written.  Here's to hoping.  

Photo Credit

Paleo Challenge Update

I haven't had much time to write lately which is disappointing because a lot has been going on!

The Paleo Challenge is still in full effect.  Friday, September 28 marked Week 1 of the challenge and so far, it's going great.  I feel really good and this challenge has given me the opportunity to identify those things that make me feel less than optimal.  

A friend of mine sent me this article "Another Reason You Shouldn't Go Nuts on Nuts" by Chris Kresser who, by the way, has an awesomely informative podcast to which I regularly listen.  Later on that day, I went on to eat some walnuts and I noticed immediately after eating them that I began experiencing some serious bloating and gas.  I had been feeling 100% before having eaten the nuts.  I think that day I had some eggs and turkey bacon.  Maybe some salmon for lunch.  And I felt fine.  Once the nuts went down though, all hell broke lose.  I know that nuts should be soaked but I guess out of sheer laziness or maybe not believing that they really need to be prepped, I have not been soaking them--I've just been eating them raw.  Now that I can see a clear connection between digestive issues and raw nuts, I'm motivated to prepare the nuts especially since my children eat them a lot.  For the time being, I'm staying away from nuts but when I reintroduce them into my diet, I will be soaking them properly and I may even take out my food dehydrator to make crispy nuts.  For pancakes, muffins and other baked goods (which we don't have often at all), I'm sticking to recipes that call for coconut flour as I doubt that the almonds to make almond flour have been properly soaked.  As a matter of fact, just last Sunday, I made this recipe for coconut pancakes and they were a hit!

Speaking of podcasts, I found yet another one that is really informative.  It's the Balanced Bites podcast through which I found the Balanced Bites blog.  What a great resource!  Especially for those of us who have emotional issues surrounding food because although there are lots of blogs and podcasts out there that tackle different angles of paleo eating, so few address the other issues that arise when it comes to food.  Like, sure you know you should eat more good fat . . . but what about if you have serious issues around actually eating it?  Anyway, I just really enjoy the style of writing and the no-nonsense, no-coddling approach to paleo eating and lifestyle.  Diane seems to subscribe to one of my life philosophies:  either you do or you don't.  

In keeping with some promises I made with myself when starting the challenge, 

• I am chanting morning and night.  I miss some nights but I have been really making an effort at consistency.  
• As for walks after dinner, the cold weather we've been having lately has been a huge discouragement and I am still vegging out in front of the computer after dinner with a cup of tea (and coconut flakes).  I don't know.  I think after dinner, that's all I really want to do--to kind of be left alone and have some quiet time before bed.  If I really look at it, it's not a bad thing. 
• I cheated and got on the scale this past Sunday only to find out that somehow, I lost 2 more pounds.  Not good.  So I have been adding coconut oil to smoothies and eating more starchy tubers.  This has been an adventure:  some starchy tubers are just awful.  Others, I really like such as yam and white sweet potato.  But I have not tracked points on Weight Watchers (although I may start tracking on something like FitDay just to check out my macronutrients and see how I'm doing in terms of calories)
• No yoga with the kids yet.  I am just so tired at the end of the day, I just want them to go to sleep.  Fast.  But I'm not giving up on this one just yet.  If I can at least commit to shutting down the computer at 8:00PM, we can get it done.  
• I am still meal planning although I haven't posted a plan for this week.  Here's to hoping I can get it up here for next week.  Really quickly though, I roasted a chicken and butternut squash for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  Today is pizza for the guys (baked fish, yam fries and broccoli for me), chili for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday dinner.  

So all that to say, I'm doing well on the challenge.  I don't know how many folks are actually doing it along with me but I'm so excited about how fabulous I feel and encourage you to at least try it.

Starting Power Training on Monday

I'm really excited to be starting Men's Health Power Training by Robert dos Remedios on Monday.  The program comes highly recommended both by reviewers on Amazon and by members of JP Fitness forums.  Honestly, I like the plain and very clear writing and the philosophy behind the programs in the book is solid.  There are a dozen different exercises in this book that you plug into a prescribed framework which means that you can mix and match infinitely and never get bored.  Here's what I've chosen:

Full-Body Workout for Strength Training (Weeks 1-3) Workout A Explosive: Power Clean Knee Dominant: Front Squat Hip Dominant: SL Rom DL Horizontal Push: Bench Press Horizontal Pull: 1-arm standing cable row Vertical Push: Push Jerk Vertical Pull: Side to side pull up Rotational: Seated Russian Twist Bridging: 3-pt. Plank Workout B Explosive: Power Snatch Knee Dominant: Drop Lunge Hip Dominant: Good Morning Horizontal Push: Standing Cable Chest Press Horizontal Pull: Modified T-Bar Row Vertical Push: DB alternating press Vertical Pull: Single Arm Lat pulldown Rotational: Corkscrew Bridging: Plank Walk Up

Each workout is going to be pretty long since I am still trying to keep to my three times a week lifting schedule and each workout includes all these exercise plus a 5-minute warm-up, a mobility circuit and a lifting circuit.  I hope I can keep to three times a week but if the workouts drag on too long, I may have to switch to a four-time a week program.  

I had hoped to try a CrossFit class last Thursday but Z2 got a pretty bad respiratory virus and had difficulty breathing.  We ended up at the hospital for 2 nights and I missed the class.  I was kind of bummed about that but very happy that my baby felt so much better after his hospital stay.  I guess I will try a CrossFit class once I'm done with the 12 weeks of PT.  

So here's what the week looks like in terms of fitness:

Sunday:	Long-ish run in 2:2 work:rest intervals (for the duration of the Paleo challenge, I'm going to forego 1-2 hour runs in favor of shorter, interval runs
Monday	PT workout A--short cardio such as skipping rope (?)--we'll see how it goes
Tuesday	Interval workout and/or yoga and foam roll
Wednesday	PT Workout B--short cardio such as skipping rope (?)--we'll see how it goes
Thursday	Sprints on the track (1:2 work:rest intervals) and yoga
Friday	PT Workout A--short cardio such as skipping rope (?)--we'll see how it goes
Saturday	Yoga/foam roll

Thursday/Saturday Salad

For a while now, I've been making a salad for Thursday and Saturday lunch.  I just fell into the habit because 1) salad is easily transportable and eatable which is great for work on Saturday and 2) it's easy to double the recipe.  My salad is pretty simple with lots of delicious ingredients.  When I first started to make it, I would add whole wheat pasta to it.  When I went gluten-free, I replaced the whole wheat pasta with gluten free pasta.  And now that I'm eating paleo, I just skip the pasta altogether but I've added a couple of things to replace it, most notably, more greens.  I would argue that it's even better without the pasta.  This is a big salad--makes 2 servings--and it's very filling especially if you add 1/2 an avocado to it (but I hate to mix avocado into a salad)

Thursday/Saturday (Paleo) Salad

one bag of organic mixed greens, baby spinach, or arugula (I really love arugula)

one can of wild salmon* or tuna packed in olive oil

3 carrots, finely diced 

3 celery stalks

one cucumber diced

1/2 green pepper

1/2 red pepper

1/4 cup diced onion

2 tbsp. fermented relish

2 tbsp. sunflower seeds

1/4 cup finely diced sun-dried tomatoes

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

*if using salmon, add 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Toss all these ingredients together (I use my hands) and divide evenly between two bowls.  

The sun-dried tomatoes really add a nice color and a hint of sweetness to the salad.  I think this salad is wonderful and I love to play around with it.  Sometimes I add slivered almonds instead of sunflower seeds.  Sometimes I use basil or garlic-infused olive oil.  Sometimes I use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.  

A salad is one great, quick, portable, no fuss way to get in lots of veggies (including fermented veggies which are great for the probiotics), good fats and protein.

Here's another salad I enjoy too.  

Weekly Meal Planning

I realize that in order to cook paleo for me and my kids, I have to plan a little better than when I was cooking vegan meals for the whole family.  I have to plan so that I can stay within our weekly grocery budget and not be forced to do grains or beans just because I don't have enough vegetables and meat.  So now, at the beginning of the week, I come up with a rough sketch of what I'd like to make for our main meals.  

Here's what this week is looking like:  

Sunday/Monday/Tuesday

spaghetti squash

tomato pasta sauce

turkey meatballs

steamed broccoli

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday

Chicken stew

dirty cauliflower rice

steamed asparagus

Saturday

Pizza (coconut crust for the kids)

salmon and salad for myself

I try to keep it pretty simple since I'm also cooking vegan meals for the hubby and preparing breakfast and lunch (paleo and vegan).  I'm exceedingly grateful for two things: refrigeration and the fact that my family doesn't require a brand new meal everyday.  It seems we all are fine eating the same thing for a couple of days in a row.  Switching it up every week provides enough variety. 

Breakfasts around here are pretty predictable:  

Monday/Wednesday

Chicken sausage stir fry (lots and lots of veggies: kale, eggplant, celery, tomatoes, red and green peppers)

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday

boiled eggs, turkey bacon, millet (for the kids and sometimes I have some) and almond butter

Friday

Fried eggs (lots of veggies) or egg cupcakes

Sunday

pancakes (whole wheat) and soy sausage (for the hubby)

paleo pancakes (for me)

oatmeal waffles (for the kids)

chicken breakfast sausage (for me and the kids)

Lunches generally consist of salads made with either salmon or tuna, baked fish (usually flounder, cod or salmon) alongside steamed veggies and sometimes sweet potato fries, or turkey deli slices wrapped around avocado and tomato with lots of carrots and other veggies on the side.  

Snacks are pretty easy: nuts, trail mix (I make this by combining coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, and raisins in a bag and shaking), Lara Bars (either homemade or purchased), organic beef jerky, fruit, guacamole and plantain chips (or baby carrots), and yogurt (although I'm trying to phase this out or at least do better and get back to making it at home).  

So I'm going to make an effort, especially during the duration of the 30-Day Challenge, to make a simple post about what my meal (dinner) plans are for the week.  

30 Day Paleo Challenge

For the most part, I have been eating paleo for the past few weeks and I have been feeling wonderful physically.  I notice that after eating grains, I definitely feel more sluggish and drowsy but about 20% of the time, though, I indulge in non-paleo foods such as popcorn (my weakness), sugar (in the form of dark chocolate and sometimes going overboard on fruits), and dairy (a treat for myself has been non-fat plain yogurt with blueberries and a tiny bit of gluten-free granola).  So I really wanted to challenge myself to go whole-hog for a month and see how I feel.  And I'm finally ready to start. 

There's will probably be a challenge thread going on Nappturality so if you're a member there, look for it.  One of my favorite members on Nappturality, swingbolder, suggested that the challenge start on Friday, September 23, 2011.  It's the fall equinox, the first day of autumn so it presents a great way for us to "really get in touch with our paleolithic ancestors  by aligning our actions and intent with the cycles of the sun, just as they did thousands of years ago."  That just made so much sense to me.  

I'm taking this 30 day challenge as an opportunity to make some other changes in my life. I've fallen into the habit of just vegging out in front of the computer after dinner.  The kids watch their show and I watch mine while having a cup of tea, dark chocolate and coconut flakes.  I've been telling myself it's just a way to unwind but really, it's just a way to disconnect which is sometimes all I want to do at the end of a long day with the kids.  My plan for this 30 days is to not use the computer at all after dinner (at least not to watch Netflix or check e-mail or Facebook or do anything internet related).  I want to get back into the habit of chanting or meditating after dinner and then doing something to connect with my children.  A walk around the neighborhood.  Board games.  Reading stories or listening to audiobooks.  Even practicing our French with Byki.  These are things that I've been claiming I don't have time for but really, I do.  All I have to do is choose to do those things and not other things.  

Also, as fate or luck or whatever would have it, I picked up the August issue of Yoga Journal at the library and in it was an article about how to use yoga with one's kids as a nighttime relaxation/de-stressing technique.  I have not found any convenient ways to consistently practice yoga with the kids and have it as a real part of their lives so this article was timely.  Because I'm nixing the television watching, we won't spill over into the 8 o'clock "start getting ready for bed" time trying to finish a show and we should have more time between 8 and 9 to read stories and practice just a bit of yoga.  It's just such a better way to get ready for bed: relaxed and happy not stressed, rushed and upset.

And lastly, for these 30 days, I am committed to not tracking what I eat or what I weigh on Weight Watchers.  As a matter of fact, I'm going to get the kids winter clothes down from the attic (since it's been so cold these past few days) and I am going to take the bathroom scale up there.  I could write a whole post about how tracking has become borderline neurotic for me but I'll spare you the gory details.  I'm going to work hard to eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full and take the time to figure out why I want to eat when I'm not even hungry and why the scale means so much to me (control issues).

I am looking forward to this wonderful opportunity to break some really addictive behaviors that have become part and parcel of my life and that really sap my energy and joy.   And I invite you to join me.   

Not sure how to eat paleo?  Over at Mark's Daily Apple, a 30 day challenge started a few days ago.  Mark provided some great guidance.  While I'm doing a paleo challenge (which is just slightly different from primal in that paleo eliminates the sugar and the dairy), it's a great place to get an overview of what to eat and what not to eat during these 30 days.  (I actually think that after the 30 days I will probably re-incorporate dark chocolate but not as an every day thing and I want to eat yogurt again, albeit yogurt that I make at home.)  

What are some changes you'd like to make?  Are you ready to make them?

Image Credit

Do you know the ice cream scoop trick?

You may or may not have heard but an ice cream scoop is a great way to evenly measure out and dispense batter for cupcakes/muffins into the baking pan.  I whipped out my trusty ice cream scoop this morning to make almond apple muffins (recipe courtesy of Everyday Paleo).  They are very hearty and quite tasty--you definitely don't miss the sugar. The kids can't get enough of them!  :) Oh, I made two modifications: I didn't have apples so I used a pear and I added a 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.   I oiled the pan with coconut oil and they still stuck pretty badly so the clean up is going to be a task.  For the future, I think, I'm just going to use cupcake liners--I have to remember to pick some unbleached ones up next time I'm at the grocery store. 

Arts and Crafts

So, I am not the biggest arts and crafts person.  Sure, I like to knit and crochet but when it comes to crafts with my babies, I'm not the most creative or the most motivated.  But there are a few projects that have piqued my interest and that I think the kids will enjoy:

1.  Rubbing Plates

We've done rubbings with leaves before so it's not a totally new concept. I purchased this set and I'm pleased with the quality and how nicely the rubbings come out.  You need to use printer paper though: the pictures didn't come out quite as well using construction paper.  And the rubbings look quite professional if you use colored pencils and not crayons.

2.  Loom and Cotton Loops set

I did this at day camp as a child and I remember being so thrilled to have made something that was actually useful.  I think this activity will also help build fine motor skills.  I hope to get a basic set like the one pictured.

3. Candle Rolling

I actually bought a candle rolling kit last year and so I'm looking forward to finally getting around to it.  I think the kids are a bit more mature and this might be more fun than disaster this year.  

I still don't see myself committing to many more art projects but I'm glad to have a few lined up.