Well, after watching more health documentaries than anyone should ever watch, I have finally decided to try a juice cleanse. Since changing my diet over to 50% vegetables & fruits, 30% beans, legumes, rice, potato, etc. and about 20% protein, I feel even better than I was already feeling. Besides that, I've been unhappy since my foot surgery....since I have very limited mobility and have not been able to do simple tasks for weeks, I've not felt as well. I attribute that to the lack of activity & loss of control in my diet.
I finally decided to try juicing for about a week. I am hoping that it will help to get my body back in balance and maybe help me get a few quick pounds off so I can continue in my downward direction. ;-) I have lost about 40% of the weight that I need to lose to be "done." It's not enough, and after getting the OK from the podiatrist to resume most of my normal activities, I am more than ready to jump back on the wagon.
One of our main concerns with juicing is the expense. Eating organic, local food is EXPENSIVE. Organic meat & dairy is the most expensive, with produce being the next most expensive thing. I decided to spend what I would normally spend in one week on groceries, buy as much fruits & veggies as possible, and see how long it lasts.
I cruised over to Costco today & picked up a juicer for about $90. I got 10 pound bags of oranges, pears, apples, & grapefruit. Then I added 15 pounds of carrots, a large tub of baby spinach, a crate of kiwi, a box of mangoes, 9 cucumbers, a clamshell of nectarines, 2 pineapples, and a large clamshell of blueberries. I stopped at the farmer's market to get 1.5 lbs of ginger root, a bag of lemons, 3 jalapenos, 3 clamshells of strawberries, and 2 large bags of kale (red & green).
We will see how long it lasts. In retrospect I think I need more green veggies but we will see as we go. I had read to start with 75% fruits and work your way up when you can stand the taste of more veggies. I tried that tonight and both of us loved the juices I made. I made just under a half gallon of juice tonight and I still have lots and lots of fruits & veggies.
I'll post regular updates!
First juice recipe
1 pineapple
1 mango
1 lemon
1 orange
2 kiwi
2 pears
2 carrots
2" length ginger knob
4 handfuls spinach
1 cucumber
Delicious!!!! This filled a 28 oz container & I had about 8 oz leftover, so I added 2 more carrots, 2 pears, & an apple to fill up the second 28-oz container.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Two Hour Cleansing Process
I never dreamed that just getting clean could be so exhausting and excruciating. Before my foot surgery, the Dr. told me that I would not be allowed to take a shower for 2 full weeks afterwards. With the additional surgery, that extended things by about 3 days. My last real shower was on January 29, and my next allowed shower will be between February 11-15, depending on when my sutures are ready to come out.
When the Dr. told me that I could not shower for that length of time, I envisioned two-week-old hair sprouting off my legs and laughed with all the scorn of a spoiled princess who'd been told to go to her room (or the "West Wing.") After spending nearly two hours desperately trying to get clean, my laughs are more like those of an insane hyena. For one thing my hair is extremely long and thick, and I had planned to go to the hair salon tonight to get it washed. But, the husband's job kicked in and at this current time he's at the emergency room with an employee. I decided I could not wait one more day to be clean. I am "allowed" to sponge bathe and wash my hair as long as I don't get my sutures wet (which I didn't!!), but I have to admit, the experience was pure insanity. I now understand why perfectly civilized women turn into mountain men after surgery.
Bring in Task Force Grandma. One thing I learned is that having water poured over your head & face from a pitcher while you are lying on the floor next to the bathtub with your shoulders hanging over is....well, it's not very pleasant. Before long we were both laughing hysterically. My hair is ridiculously thick & curly we tried a variety of ways to get it clean. I washed off with my favorite lavender soap bar the best I could & even shaved my legs! Yes, Mr. Dr.-Man, I had the last laugh on that one! lol.
After about two hours I was completely and utterly pooped, the entire bathroom was covered in soap, shampoo, and water, my foot was aching, & my pets were staring, but I had earned the glorious badge of "clean" and even struggled into clean shorts & t-shirt before I plopped onto the couch with an ice pack on my aching foot and reached for the Percocet.
When the Dr. told me that I could not shower for that length of time, I envisioned two-week-old hair sprouting off my legs and laughed with all the scorn of a spoiled princess who'd been told to go to her room (or the "West Wing.") After spending nearly two hours desperately trying to get clean, my laughs are more like those of an insane hyena. For one thing my hair is extremely long and thick, and I had planned to go to the hair salon tonight to get it washed. But, the husband's job kicked in and at this current time he's at the emergency room with an employee. I decided I could not wait one more day to be clean. I am "allowed" to sponge bathe and wash my hair as long as I don't get my sutures wet (which I didn't!!), but I have to admit, the experience was pure insanity. I now understand why perfectly civilized women turn into mountain men after surgery.
Bring in Task Force Grandma. One thing I learned is that having water poured over your head & face from a pitcher while you are lying on the floor next to the bathtub with your shoulders hanging over is....well, it's not very pleasant. Before long we were both laughing hysterically. My hair is ridiculously thick & curly we tried a variety of ways to get it clean. I washed off with my favorite lavender soap bar the best I could & even shaved my legs! Yes, Mr. Dr.-Man, I had the last laugh on that one! lol.
After about two hours I was completely and utterly pooped, the entire bathroom was covered in soap, shampoo, and water, my foot was aching, & my pets were staring, but I had earned the glorious badge of "clean" and even struggled into clean shorts & t-shirt before I plopped onto the couch with an ice pack on my aching foot and reached for the Percocet.
Yes, this is my hair over a basin of water in the bathtub. It was awesome.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Cauliflower Crust Pizza (flourless/gluten free)
My sister-in-law's sister, Colleen, gave me the most AMAZING recipe for cauliflower-crust pizza. With the way I've been eating lately, this is a definite splurge, but I made it a few days ago when I was really craving pizza, and it was fabulous. Delicious!
2 cups cauliflower, riced (about 1/2 head)
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup marinara
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, for topping (Colleen used 1/4 cup. ha!) :)
Toppings (veggies, pepperoni, etc) I used sliced olives, orange and yellow peppers, & purple onions)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a pan with parchment OR you may use a pizza stone, etc. Remove the stems and leaves from the cauliflower and chop the florets into bite-sized pieces. Put the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the texture is similar to rice.
Saute the cauliflower in a non-stick skillet until translucent (6-8 minutes over medium heat). I have to be honest, I started by adding 2 tbsp of olive oil but I think in the future I may just "steam it." It didn't need the extra calories and I ended up needing to add water anyway. You could add water and microwave it for 6 minutes, but I try to avoid the microwave as much as possible.
In a medium bowl, mix the cauliflower with the mozzarella, egg, basil, and oregano. Spread it out onto your prepared pan. It should be 9-10 inches in diameter. I used a cookie sheet, thus the shape. ;)
Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes until the crust turns a pretty golden color. Remove the crust and add the toppings. Go light! You don't want to weigh down the crust. Broil the pizza about 5 minutes (don't put it too high in the oven!) until the cheese is bubbly. Cool for 3-5 minutes and serve.
You won't regret making this pizza! It is worth every minute in the kitchen--it is delicious! I may try it in the future with daiya cheeze. I think it would still be yummy. Also next time I am going to top it margherita style with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves. I think this crust is very versatile!
If you prepare it without the olive oil, each piece (8 pieces total) is about 150 calories. I'll have to get a better calorie count next time but I shredded the cheese from a block and forgot to weigh it. Sorry kids.
2 cups cauliflower, riced (about 1/2 head)
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup marinara
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, for topping (Colleen used 1/4 cup. ha!) :)
Toppings (veggies, pepperoni, etc) I used sliced olives, orange and yellow peppers, & purple onions)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a pan with parchment OR you may use a pizza stone, etc. Remove the stems and leaves from the cauliflower and chop the florets into bite-sized pieces. Put the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the texture is similar to rice.
Saute the cauliflower in a non-stick skillet until translucent (6-8 minutes over medium heat). I have to be honest, I started by adding 2 tbsp of olive oil but I think in the future I may just "steam it." It didn't need the extra calories and I ended up needing to add water anyway. You could add water and microwave it for 6 minutes, but I try to avoid the microwave as much as possible.
In a medium bowl, mix the cauliflower with the mozzarella, egg, basil, and oregano. Spread it out onto your prepared pan. It should be 9-10 inches in diameter. I used a cookie sheet, thus the shape. ;)
Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes until the crust turns a pretty golden color. Remove the crust and add the toppings. Go light! You don't want to weigh down the crust. Broil the pizza about 5 minutes (don't put it too high in the oven!) until the cheese is bubbly. Cool for 3-5 minutes and serve.
You won't regret making this pizza! It is worth every minute in the kitchen--it is delicious! I may try it in the future with daiya cheeze. I think it would still be yummy. Also next time I am going to top it margherita style with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves. I think this crust is very versatile!
If you prepare it without the olive oil, each piece (8 pieces total) is about 150 calories. I'll have to get a better calorie count next time but I shredded the cheese from a block and forgot to weigh it. Sorry kids.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
A Visit & a Recipe
My wonderful friend Jenny made us dinner tonight. I was feeling pretty exhausted when we came home so I enjoyed a nap for several hours & what better to eat for dinner than delicious quiche! Jenny also brought my little buddy Gabriel. He is such a sweet baby. He was extremely focused on getting my hospital bracelets off.
I asked Jenny for the quiche recipe to feature on my blog. I have not eaten any "regular" food since January 8 and I was in heaven. (Between the new way of eating and the esophagitis, I've lost 14 pounds in 3 weeks). I cannot eat much and have to eat really small portions and really small bites, chewed well, and each bite followed by water so it doesn't get impacted in my esophagus. One of the only solid foods I've been able to eat is eggs. So, the quiche was PERFECT and I have also been craving green vegetables. The quiche hit all the right spots and was amazing!!!
1 pastry for single-crust pie (you can use pre-made, such as Mrs. Smith's, or make your own)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped & lightly packed
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz)
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese (2 oz)
Prepare and roll out Pastry for single-crust pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim and crimp edges as desired. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 4 to 5 minutes more, or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from even, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onion and bacon until onion is tender and bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towels.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, half-and-half, salt, & pepper. Stir in onion mixture, spinach, & cheese.
Pour egg mixture into the hot, baked pastry shell. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. If necessary, cover the edge of the pastry with foil to prevent burning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
He's such a handsome little guy! He's rock solid therefore I call him "Tank." ;-) Except for those delightful cheeks!
I asked Jenny for the quiche recipe to feature on my blog. I have not eaten any "regular" food since January 8 and I was in heaven. (Between the new way of eating and the esophagitis, I've lost 14 pounds in 3 weeks). I cannot eat much and have to eat really small portions and really small bites, chewed well, and each bite followed by water so it doesn't get impacted in my esophagus. One of the only solid foods I've been able to eat is eggs. So, the quiche was PERFECT and I have also been craving green vegetables. The quiche hit all the right spots and was amazing!!!
1 pastry for single-crust pie (you can use pre-made, such as Mrs. Smith's, or make your own)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped & lightly packed
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz)
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese (2 oz)
Prepare and roll out Pastry for single-crust pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim and crimp edges as desired. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 4 to 5 minutes more, or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from even, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onion and bacon until onion is tender and bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towels.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, half-and-half, salt, & pepper. Stir in onion mixture, spinach, & cheese.
Pour egg mixture into the hot, baked pastry shell. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. If necessary, cover the edge of the pastry with foil to prevent burning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Soooo good!!!!!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Shoe Funeral
Well, it's official. The surgery center called this morning to confirm my foot surgery date for January 30th. I dragged myself into my bedroom to remove all my stilettos and high heels from my closet. I think this is in the top 10 saddest days of my life. I had to box them all up and put them in the spare room so they won't tempt me. No heels for 1 year following surgery. The surgeon did tell me I should be able to wear wedge platforms after 16 weeks. I already bought 3 pairs of new "approved" shoes to decrease my sadness. :)
I took pictures of some of my favorites. May they live in history even if I never get to wear them again. :(
I took pictures of some of my favorites. May they live in history even if I never get to wear them again. :(
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wholesome Chow!
So as many of you most likely already know, we've gone on a refined-food-free way of eating this year. No refined sugars, no refined carbs, gluten free, non-GMO. Little to no processed foods. Most foods are on the no list. But there has to be something yummy to eat every once in a while. I found a package of Wholesome Chow gluten free chocolate baking mix while I was at HomeGoods recently. I was so impressed! I was pretty happy to find ingredients that are friendly for my diet, although two of the ingredients aren't something we normally eat. (Evaporated cane juice and white rice flour.) Wholesome Chow is non-GMO, gluten free, and free of refined sugars. Yay! I made the chocolate cake mix into 12 cupcakes. I used Lactose-free milk and coconut oil. Since I didn't plan to frost them I added 1/2 cup of Sunspire 42% cacao chips. They are very yummy!
To see Wholesome Chow products click HERE.
To see Wholesome Chow products click HERE.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Find the Silver Lining
I don't know what's been going on the last couple of weeks. I feel like it's been a permanent full moon or something. I have gotten so much bad news lately, and it just doesn't seem to stop. If the only bad news I had gotten were about myself or something bad happening to me, I'd be ok. But I really don't take kindly to things happening to people that I love when so much distance separates most of us. I think one of the worst pieces of news I got was that my cousin Becky has thyroid cancer. (You can read her blog on that HERE if you like.) I was really nervous about going in for some important testing but once I found out about Becky I didn't really care anymore. I really, really don't like to see my family & friends hurting and feeling powerless to DO anything because I'm so far away.
I suppose I do have a really sarcastic, jaded, side that is "firmly grounded in realism." :-) However, I do try to look for the silver lining in every bad situation. I am definitely not going to share people's private business on my blog (I know, you're so disappointed!) But out of the things I CAN tell you, in the last two weeks, I have gotten 2 phone calls from loved ones telling me that they have cancer, a few other tidbits of bad news (details might be too identifying!) :) and I have also been juggling a multitude of Dr.'s appts (which is not typical for me!). These things may sound simple, but they can be really overwhelming. Especially since most of the things that have happened aren't "bloggable." :)
I was determined to find the silver linings and I have! I was talking to my brother last night and I told him not to worry, I always land on my feet. He said, "Yes, you do, and you're hissing and scratching when you land." I cracked up laughing!
The thing that I am the happiest about is this:
Becky came through her cancer surgery well! She has her voice, which is amazing, and at this point it looks like she does NOT have lymphoma (in addition to the thyroid cancer). This is a huge praise!
I have some more testing tomorrow and I also will be finding out the results of some tests that I had done last week. I am also headed over to my GP's office in the morning to get cleared for my foot surgery, which will be on the 30th. The good news is, I get to take a week off work!! :)
When bad things happen, I think it's important to take some time to "feel it." Pent up emotions don't do anyone any good and neither does denial. But then, just get up and get back to it. Life is not going to live itself! There is always a silver lining. If you want a funny read on Positivity, check out THIS POST. By the way I am the cousin that thought she misunderstood the diagnosis. (You'll have to read it to get it!)
Cheers to a wonderful 2013. I've just about gotten all the bad stuff over with, so the rest of the year can be FABULOUS!
I suppose I do have a really sarcastic, jaded, side that is "firmly grounded in realism." :-) However, I do try to look for the silver lining in every bad situation. I am definitely not going to share people's private business on my blog (I know, you're so disappointed!) But out of the things I CAN tell you, in the last two weeks, I have gotten 2 phone calls from loved ones telling me that they have cancer, a few other tidbits of bad news (details might be too identifying!) :) and I have also been juggling a multitude of Dr.'s appts (which is not typical for me!). These things may sound simple, but they can be really overwhelming. Especially since most of the things that have happened aren't "bloggable." :)
I was determined to find the silver linings and I have! I was talking to my brother last night and I told him not to worry, I always land on my feet. He said, "Yes, you do, and you're hissing and scratching when you land." I cracked up laughing!
The thing that I am the happiest about is this:
Becky came through her cancer surgery well! She has her voice, which is amazing, and at this point it looks like she does NOT have lymphoma (in addition to the thyroid cancer). This is a huge praise!
I have some more testing tomorrow and I also will be finding out the results of some tests that I had done last week. I am also headed over to my GP's office in the morning to get cleared for my foot surgery, which will be on the 30th. The good news is, I get to take a week off work!! :)
When bad things happen, I think it's important to take some time to "feel it." Pent up emotions don't do anyone any good and neither does denial. But then, just get up and get back to it. Life is not going to live itself! There is always a silver lining. If you want a funny read on Positivity, check out THIS POST. By the way I am the cousin that thought she misunderstood the diagnosis. (You'll have to read it to get it!)
Cheers to a wonderful 2013. I've just about gotten all the bad stuff over with, so the rest of the year can be FABULOUS!
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