Made it through the first weekend

I made it through the weekend. I went to Sams and got a load of fresh produce. My family loves produce, so it wasn't anything too new, but it saves me when I'm hungry. When we're out of produce, I typically revert back to a peanut butter toast. So, I need to stay up on the groceries. We had chicken nuggets with honey mustard sauce (100days of real food recipe), spinach salads, loads of fresh produce as I just mentioned), a whole chicken in the crockpot with veggies and I revised a french bread recipe I have into a whole-food recipe by using whole wheat flour, honey as the sweetener and coconut oil for the fat. They turned out delicious. Breakfast has been produce, toast, steel cut oats (which I did make better by adding a wee bit more maple syrup), and eggs.

I feel good. I'm not sure I notice a huge difference quite yet, but we really weren't too far from eating this way already, so I don't want to discount the way I feel because if we ate more processed food before I think I would notice a difference.

I did mention that sauces/dips/dressings were what scared me quite a bit, so I have done some research and found some good recipes that will work. I haven't tried them yet, but I did buy all that I need to make them and they are quick to make. I think I'd rather wait until I need them so they don't go bad too fast. Sometimes I get exited and get all the prep work done for things like the sauces, etc. but then they go bad before I need them. I'm trying to be realistic about everything so I don't go overboard as I sometimes do.

We did make no-bake cookies on Sunday as our dessert and I used maple syrup instead of sugar and regular oats instead of quick (not sure if quick are still a whole grain or not. I think they are, but just to be safe I used regular). They were good enough. My 7 year old daughter that requested them didn't mention a taste-difference, but then again we haven't had the 'normal' version of these cookies for a very long time so that might be why. She ate them up and asked for some in her lunch for Monday, so I think they were a hit. Good enough anyway.

I made some chicken broth because the canned chicken base I typically use has a couple more than 5 ingredients in it, and that is one of the 'rules' that we don't have anything with more than 5. So--I took the chicken remnants (skin, bones, etc) an onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and the drippings from that dinner (cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot as I mentioned before) and filled the rest of the crockpot up with water and cooked it for 8 hours/overnight. It was decent. It has given me 10 or so pint size mason jars full that I am freezing now. It does taste a little watered down, so I'm not sure I'll use that much water again, but we'll see. I did end up adding 1/2 t. of my chicken base to each pint jar (1/4 t. per cup is what it ends up being) and I feel ok about that since my chicken base really isn't an unhealthy option (at least I don't think it is). This is my 'journal' after all, so I need to be honest. And I guess while we're on the subject of honesty--when I made the cookies, I used probably half regular and half quick oats. 

Day 1

I wrote this yesterday, but didn't end up posting it until now. I originally wanted to wait until I had eaten all my meals so I could post what I ate, but didn't get to it.

It's January 1st 2015. I know, totally fitting to start a new eating regime (not a fan of the word 'diet'). Whatever. It is what it is. My biggest fears looking forward:
1. I'm about to have a baby and I'm worried about the meals in the hospital while I'm there as well as the meals people bring in to me after I get home. Trivial, maybe, but still a real fear.
2. Nursing. Am I going to have mad-weird cravings like I do when I'm pregnant? I've done this 3 times previous but I can't remember what nursing is like in the food craving department. Non-existent? Hopefully.
3. Dressings, sauces, and the like. Hoping I can find a way around the bottled stuff I currently use (mostly natural/organic, but as I've read, that doesn't mean they are healthy).
That about wraps it up actually. Not bad. I'm glad to be doing this 100 day experiment before summer hits. I feel like I have way more control in my surroundings which is obvious. I am in control. I do the cooking as it is. I feel like I eat pretty healthy as it is, so I'm a little worried, but not terrified about this whole thing. I love to cook and bake, so I like to think I'm ready for the challenge.


I don't know that I'll list what I eat each and every day, but I will occasionally to give ideas and remind myself when I look back through this documentary-can I call it that?
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs w/ cheese. Whole wheat bread (I make my own), with butter. 1/2 an orange (had to share with my dang kids). Water to drink
Snacks: Greek yogurt w/ pecans, peanut butter toast (I am so so so happy that I can still have this! This is a serious go-to of mine. Peanuts are questionable in terms of GMO's and what not, so I need to research that better. I know next to nothing about the health part of peanuts right now. I'll put it on my to-do list.
Lunch:We were painting the bedroom in the basement getting ready for the little bean to get here, so I actually didn't have lunch...
Dinner: Sweet potato (350 60 min. Cut up, pour organic EVOO, oregano, s&p over the top in a 9x13 pan and mix with hands. So incredibly good.), quinoa/brown rice w spices, spinach salad with balsamic vinegar reduction (purchased), organic applesauce. Can I stop saying organic? Just know that I try to buy mostly organic. Not everything, but I do try. I hate the thought of pesticides on my produce, so I really strive there, but again, not everything.

Breakfast for Day 2- Steel cut oats with maple syrup and cow's milk.
I adore steel cut oats, but usually have brown sugar with them so this was pretty bland. Not so good. I need to figure a way to make this taste better. Or just buck up, which is what I did today.

Here goes

I feel that if I write it all, and 'put it out there' that I have committed more fully and that I have some accountability. So, here goes. I want to follow the pledge on 100daysofrealfood.com to eat 100% whole foods for 100 days.  I have 3 kids and 1 on the way (due in 3 1/2 weeks) and a handsome hubby that I will not cook separate for, but will not hold them to the same strict rules that I will follow. I cook all their meals and snacks, so it'll be easy in that they will be somewhat forced to eat what I cook, but if they go out to a friends house, or out to lunch, I won't be the one to stop them from the piece of pizza, or chocolate cupcake.

100daysofrealfood.com rules for the challenge are:
* No refined grains; only 100% whole grain
* No refined or artificial sweeteners; only honey and pure maple syrup
* Nothing out of a package that contains more than five ingredients
* No factory-farmed meat; only locally raised meat products
* No deep-fried floods
* No fast food
* Beverages only to include water, milk, occasional all-natural juices, naturally sweetened coffee and tea, and beer/wine in moderation

Please give her blog a read-through. She and her family did this for 100 days and is such an inspiration. I'm only blogging on my personal experience with it, and like I mention in my profile, I will use her cookbook and blog as a big resource as well as others out there that I find along the way.

So, here goes nothing...