Adventures in Healthy Eating - Part two!

I'm hard pressed to find a way to cook my veggies that Hubbs will actually enjoy eating them.

Don't get me wrong, he eats his veggies, he just does not like eating them as much as say... Steak! It's my quest in this life to make healthy eating as enjoyable as I can for us and our growing family. It's important to me to instill those choices in my children so they live a long and healthy life!

A couple days ago I decided to make a "stir fry" with some left over veggies in my fridge to go with our no so healthy roast beef. I tossed broccoli, cauliflower and corn into a pan (with just enough oil in the bottom to cover the pan... Approximately a teaspoon) along with 3 chopped up garlic cloves!

Obviously if you don't like garlic, you're not going to like this idea but it's perfect for us because Hubbs and I are slightly obsessive when it comes to garlic. Stir up the veggies every few minutes until they're soft. If you find they're cooking too fast on the outside, just pour some water in the pan (half a cup) and let it help steam them a bit.

I added salt and pepper to taste and voilà! A super enjoyable side dish! I welcome you to try it, and explore your spice rack while doing so!







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Adventures in Eating Well - Part One

Because of my gallbladder issues, my weight issues and the health risks that go hand in hand with being over weight I am constantly on the look out for better eating options.

Today I am making good ol' fashioned spaghetti sauce and pasta. My favorite thing about spaghetti sauce is that it is essentially a veggie dumping ground. I can add almost any vegetable into the sauce and it makes little difference to the taste. Perfect for hiding extras!

Tonights sauce has chopped spinach, grated cauliflower and celery as it's extras. That is over and above the regulars like tomato, onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Whole wheat pasta smothered in said sauce.... MmmMmm, is it just me or did it just get hungrier in here?

Dishes like this, chilli, homemade soups and stews are perfect for picky eaters and toddlers. As long as you cut everything small enough and don't let it slip about what's really in there. ;)





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New Breakfast and/or Snack!

This mommy is striving to eat more healthy, be more active and ultimately get into better shape for myself, my Hubbs and my Monster.

Today I "invented" a new breakfast or afternoon snack designed to keep you feeling full and energized for the day (Forgive me because I'm sure I'm not the first to combine these foods).

In a bowl I combined 1/2 cup Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt, 1/3 cup Fiber 1 Honey Cluster Cereal, 4 tbsp Hemp Hearts and 4 sliced Strawberries. I didn't stir it all together because I like to design eat bite and yes, I am aware of how strange that sounds.

See Photo:





And close up (Note: My strawberries were thawed from frozen, hence the unappealing look)






The strawberries and vanilla yogurt are just enough sweet that I might be able to talk myself out of a chocolate bar. The fiber cereal is to hold you over until your next meal or snack and the biggest benefits of hemp hearts is its ability to help fight fatigue.

It was my first time trying hemp hearts and I'm pleased to report that they aren't as seedy or grainy feeling as I thought they'd be in the yogurt.

Of course I'm sure granola would be great in exchange for the cereal and the strawberries would be interchangeable with different fruits.

I dare ya to try it! :)


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Postpartum Weight loss - Introduction to Kashi

Once you start following weight loss blogs online, you can't help but notice a commonly enjoyed food brand. Kashi.

I had heard about it, but because of my previous lifestyle (cheaper food is better, even if it's slowly destroying your body) and the cost of the brand I've never tried it before.

Disclosure: I've learned that it actually doesn't cost much more to eat healthily as long as you get the most bang for your buck. I only purchase the amount of produce that me/my family can physically eat in one week, or else it will likely go bad in the fridge. That's why I pick up about $40 worth of groceries between paydays. I've also been buying produce that is mostly in season, and shopping around for weekly sales on staple items I normally buy.

My mom introduced me to her favorite Kashi granola bar when we got onto the topic of finding healthy, lower calorie snacks that "resemble" chocolate bars for your sweet tooth fix. It's called Dark Chocolate Coconut and she swears it's so good she looks forward to her 3pm snack every day, and this little granola bar will hold her until supper.

I didn't actually get the opportunity to try her favorite flavor because she had just purchased the Pumpkin Pecan, and the Raspberry Chocolate flavors, so we cut one of each in half and shared them to taste test. They were both great! In my opinion, the Pumpkin Pecan is more of a granola bar snack (as in, it wouldn't satisfy my need for a chocolate bar), but the Raspberry Chocolate flavor really hit the spot!

From what I've tasted of Kashi, I give the brand two thumbs up. I may have to spend some more time on their website learning about the products but, looks like I might get some cereal whilst grocery shopping tomorrow!

Healthy Eating is Learned - Part Two

When does being in the 97th percentile in both height and weight become a bad thing for a child?

Whenever I tell someone how well my Monster is maintaining his status of Monster-ism they always say something along the lines of "Oh, he's doing so well!" or "Wow, you must be doing something right!", but when does it become cause for concern?

One of my biggest fears is my Monster learning bad eating habits, or inheriting my love of all things sweet and becoming the "Fat kid" in class. When I was growing up my mom took me to a specialist to make sure nothing was wrong, because until I was about 13 I grew at a much faster rate then kids around me. I wasn't a round, Christmas bulb type child, but I was tall and sturdy. I reached my current height of 5'8" by the seventh grade. Just for a visual.

The specialist ran all the appropriate tests, and had no answers. I was a perfectly healthy and normal kid and the only suggestion he had for my concerned mother was to lay off the diary because of the hormones in our cows. Thankfully, like I said, I leveled out (I was a normal height and weight... The weight thing now, is my own damn fault *grumble*).

While cruising Dr.Google, I found that they don't start considering children's Body Mass Index until the age of two, at which time anything above the 95th percentile is considered obese. In the mean time, how does a mother know whether feeding her hungry child is healthy or a hindrance?

Please, do not be alarmed. I do not plan on putting my 4 month old infant on a diet, however, I do plan on looking into every resource available to determine how to avoid hearing those words "Ma'am, your child is obese". I know plain and simple, what goes in, must be burnt off (by the body in it's normal functions, and the general activities a child participates in) so starting early by teaching your child the right things to eat, and how to maintain an active lifestyle is key.

Now, how to teach him the importance of imagination and outside fun vs. the video games his daddy so dearly loves.

Healthy Eating is Learned

I would be lying (and not very well) if I tried to say I don't like sweets or fried food. Honestly, as I type Hubbs is popping a Delissio pizza in the oven for lunch. MmMm..

Part of the whole "new leaf" thing I talked about in my Commandments blog was inspired by my Monster. How can I possibly expect him to eat (more importantly, like to eat) fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean meats if we don't lead by example and eat them too. For the most part, Hubbs and I make sure we have our daily requirements, but it's usually not without a fight from one or both of us.

I often hear the argument that it's much faster to pop a pizza in the oven, then it is to chop up some veggies for a salad. I have to disagree with those people, because I was once one of those people and I know the truth! To bake a Delissio Pizza you have to preheat the oven, lets be generous and say that only takes about 5 minutes, then you have to bake the pizza for at least 25 minutes before you can actually eat it. In the 30 minutes you wasted waiting to eat your frozen pizza you could have chopped up your veggies AND eaten your salad. Barring any disfigurements in your fingers or hands that make it difficult for you to hold and use a knife.

Laziness. Our society has become so obsessed with speed, and getting things done as quickly as humanly possible that they have convinced themselves, and made excuses for themselves that "fast food" is the only way you can survive. I use the term "fast food" loosely. I'm not only talking about a drive thru window, I'm also talking about anything pre-pakaged and full of preservatives.

That is the way of thinking I'm planning on trying to prevent in my Monster.

(..to be continued)