Saturday, January 18, 2014

Quick moment of honesty...food Journey part 3

I am WAAAAAAAY transformed in my eating habbits.  But in the last week...

 - I've returned to coffee with Hazlenut creamer (less than before!)

 - I have soy/coconut ice cream most nights (thank you Trader Joes) and sometimes put M&M's on it

 - I grew a pant size or so...I have relied a little too much on nuts/apples/broccoli/beans and I've been soooo bloated.  Like 3 months pregnant bloated.  SO I'll have to do some research on different great foods to eat

 - I have only done about 20% of organic/grass fed meat and no fresh sea food.  My whole budget is going to fruits and veggies and if I were to get great meats/protein I would only afford produce for a day.  So maybe next year we will see about maximizing our small deep freeze and buying bulk meat!
(I need to take a moment to recognize my sisters here.  They each got me Gift Cards for Groceries as Christmas presents, and that shopping trip was so unbelievably amazing.  Words cannot express how great that trip was and how phenomenal those gifts were!)

 - I have eaten non paleo food. I have eaten chocolate chips, and peanuts, and non paleo fruits and veggies. I am not strict in that sense.  But Paleo is just the best word I can find to describe a lot of my habits, so that's what I wrote :)

Recipes I've tried...


Lunch and Dinner: Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
I could eat this once a week.  I love Butternut Squash. I am Obsessed with Curry!
 


I LOVED these.  Joel was more of a tolerate/like.  I forgot to push them down to flatten them, so I think it was more a error on the baker, and less an error on the recipe
 

 

Grain-Free Banana Muffins | Vista Lifestyle Photographer



http://melissataylorphotography.com/grain-free-banana-muffins-vista-lifestyle-photographer/
I meant for these to be breakfast, but 3 children (2,3 and 4 years old) ate 9 of them in 2 hours...I ate the 10th one and thought they were a little bland, but nothing that a bit more salt, honey or extra banana couldn't cure ;)


Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Joel approved of these, and we all know that man does not mess around with his cookie bar experiences...


super easy crockpot pulled pork (paleo noms)
 
Pulled Pork
"this is all kinds of right" - Joel
 
 
 



Lemon-Garlic Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles and Spinach.  Tried this tonight and surprisingly LOVED it!  It filled us up! - tori


                               Lemon-Garlic Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles and Spinach.

surprisingly Delicious and filling!
 
 
 
 
 
 

evolution of Tori

We've all had it.  Someone excitedly offers you food, and you hopefully accept.  Trusting in their taste buds.  Excited for your own.  And then you take a bite.  And you have to swallow.  The swallowing isn't so hard, but your mind races to the reality of the post-swallow.  You have to either keep eating or CRUSH your beloved friend.  And what's more is that you're starving, and even if you eat it, you're probably not going to be full...the following is practically scripted; they look at you and say "not bad, right?! it was dairy free and sugar free!  There was a sale at "health food store" and I bought 20lbs..." gasp.

Back track.  Over Christmas I was introduced to the idea of Candida.  Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.  Antibiotics promote yeast infections, including gastrointestinal Candida overgrowth, and penetration of the GI mucosa. While women are more susceptible to genital yeast infections, men can also be infected. Certain factors, such as prolonged antibiotic use, increase the risk for both men and women. People with diabetes or impaired immune systems, such as those with HIV, are more susceptible to yeast infections.(www.wikipedia.com)

So as my husband was busy with hobbies on Christmas Eve and my littles were preoccupied with Grandma's toys I read...for 9 hours.  What is Candid/Do I have Candida/How do I cure candida...etc.  Although I never have yeast infections I was convinced I had Candida, that it was causing skin issues and that sooner or later I would probably die because of it...

To make a long story shorter, I no longer am very concerned with Candida.  I may have it, I may not...but I've gotten over my hypochondriac state.  However with that whole day of reading, and random hours of flipping pages over the next 2 weeks, I am grossed out by processed food, by most Dairy products, and by the production of Grain.  I am concerned that my body has an intolerance to Dairy or Grain or something, that its causing my skin to HATE me...and all that has caused me to go primarily Paleo since January 1. 

I don't know if this is a temporary jump into a fad, or a life long adjustment to boycotting chemicals and dyes and GMOs, but I do know that I feel like I've been role playing for 3 weeks now. 

I've went through sleeves of Garlic. 
I've used over 12 onions.
When I'm bored, I run to the kitchen and start experimenting.
I spend insane amount of time washing dishes.  And it hasn't stopped me from making another mess at the next meal.
I ate cabbage caramelized onions green beans and vinegar the other day and LOVED it.
I just spend an hour with my Benjamin turning zucchini into noodles...

My taste buds have went through metamorphosis and  I feel like I should throw them a "coming out party." I have started to LOVE food, and not just pizza, sugar and such.  I love whole foods.

So...back to my original story.  I now get it.  I get why my friends/coughsistercough/were so proud of their creations. I realized their taste buds weren't the ones that were broken!  They made those declarations because they usually worked hard to get there. Because they were proud of the fact they weren't eating things that were ruining their body and mind (yes, I think they are connected).  Because their bodies had stopped craving processed food, and they truly have mastered the art of using whole foods to flavor their food.  I am a current foodie, someone who has much to learn, who has no idea how long I will stay, and cannot really afford my current passions, but who also cannot imagine ignoring what little I have learned.

So when you stop by, my kitchen will be messy and I will probably offer you a "dessert" with almond butter that I made in my food processor.  But its ok, if you don't like it.  Just lie to me, and say you ate just before you came :)