Hurdling the Obstacles, Instead of Tripping...Again.

Setting New Year's goals, tends to set people up for failure. Most goals are made on the spur of the moment, or during an emotional high/low, with the expectations being so far out of reach, goals are doomed before they begin.

That said, I've officially made it through day 2 of my own resolution, to get healthy and cut out the bad carbs. Can I call that a success? No, not yet. I have a long way to go before my yoga pants can actually be used for exercise instead of as a relief from the ever-shrinking jeans.  But, it is a good start.

Usually by day 2, I've relegated myself to the basement with my trusty bags of Fritos and Reese's to ease the shame. Of course, that brings another round of shame that can only be eased with a bowl of ice cream from my favorite uncles, Ben & Jerry. It's a vicious circle my friends, and it's one shape that I do not want to be.

I've also declared our home a "diet-free zone". Just the word "diet" sends chills down my spine and makes me want to have a Thanksgiving feast every week...with pie. Instead of dieting, I am cleansing. I've eliminated sugar, white flour, and white rice from my repertoire. I have cut most wheat products and potatoes from my meals and I have bagged the Fritos and Reese's for now. As a "former" food junkie, I am determined to not fail this time. Over the past year & a half, our diets have changed dramatically for the better. We consume more fresh fruits and veggies, grass-fed animal proteins and raw dairy than ever before. But our dependence on the "treats" has become the thorn in my side.

Memo to Starbucks...I resign. I will no longer be a slave to your Caramel Frappuccino. Nor will I wait in line, and pay you $4.26 to take one more year off of my life. 

...Almost sincerely, Me.

I've got a little more positive self-talking to do. 

~Here are my healthy food goals for 2011~

1. Eliminate all white sugar from the pantry. Except for the honeybee's sugar~they get testy without their daily fix. Keep that bag under lock & key. If pure maple syrup, raw honey, or sucanat cannot be substituted in a recipe, then we do not need it.

2. Use only flour that I have to grind myself. White flour has had all of the good nutrition robbed from it. It's the equivalent of eating dirt from a GMO farm. What's the point of eating it if there are no nutrients in it to begin with?

3. The only corn chips allowed in the house are ones that I have made myself. Making tortilla chips are easy, but more importantly, they are time-consuming to make. Which means that it's less likely that I'm going to hide in the basement with a bag.

4. Use only healthy, traditional fats. Coconut oil, olive oil, butter from pastured cows, ghee, and beef tallow are now taking the places of rancid oils such as; corn, canola, vegetable, and soybean oil.

5. Throw out all foods containing the words, partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil, MSG or "natural flavorings",  and high-fructose corn syrup and corn syrup. This means that the pudding cupboard will be no more. If we need pudding, we can make it. From whole food ingredients.

6. Move daily. Even if it's just dancing around the kitchen while I cook. And if that doesn't work, my Mister has my permission to tie a grain bag to my backside and leave me in the middle of the field with our always hungry cows.

If some of these seem familiar, they are. I have NOT arrived. Striving toward a healthier lifestyle is a daily challenge, especially with a large family who is always on the go. But it is a challenge that should be met head-on, even if it requires a helmet to prevent brain injury.

Expecting set-backs and knowing that goals are easier met when not alone, are key to to conquering "The New Year's Resolution Curse". When we stumble, it's always good to have someone to help us up. Most of the time, we know when we're going to trip up. Try to avoid those moments, but don't beat yourself up about them. Moments happen. And enjoying a meal with someone who has your back, can be a real boost towards success. Share with others your goals toward a healthier lifestyle. It may surprise you just how many people are willing to stand behind you. Even better is when they stand in front of you.

I recently read an article that said how we should eat. In the winter, 75% of our meals should be cooked. In the summer, only 25%, and during spring and fall, 50/50. That's a good plan and one that I plan on working toward. Another article stated that the term "whole food" is easiest to remember if you remember it as "one ingredient". Think back to math class and learning fractions. We have become a society of fraction-eating people. Fractions make me crazy. There are too many parts. Too many hands in the pot, so to speak.

I like 1. It's a good whole number.

Beginning a regular exercise program is also on my list of healthy goals, but that will have to wait until the Dr. gives the thumbs-up. Until then, I've got some work of my own to do.

How about you? Have you made healthy food goals for the year? Are you still working on your goals from last year or have those fallen off the proverbial wagon? 

It's time to pull up your bootstraps, and make 2011 your best, brightest and healthiest year yet! 

This post is part of Fight Back Fridays at The Food Renegade.

My New Favorite History Program

If you've followed my blog for very long, you'll know that I love, love, love history. I wasn't a fan of it as a child, but as an adult, I've developed a new appreciation for it.

Maybe because I now have a connection with history.

My children thought that I learned to drive in a chariot. After convincing them otherwise, I like to tell them about the events that I have lived through. Everything from the ending of the Vietnam War, to the eruption of Mount St. Helens; the first man on the moon, to the falling of the Berlin Wall; the shooting of Ronald Reagan, to the deaths of John Wayne, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon, which have been retold over and over again. I don't know which my children enjoy more; that I lived during these times or that I'm old enough to have pieces of my life in their history books!

This summer, I came across a new history program by Geography Matters. Having used most of their products over our 18 years of homeschooling, I felt confident in ordering their newest program, Trail Guide to Learning. While not inexpensive, it is more than worth the price paid. The first book, Paths of Exploration, Volume 1, has 3 units; Columbus, Jamestown and Pilgrims. Volume 2, introduces students to the lives of Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, and the fearless pioneers that braved the trails heading West.

And no, I didn't live through this part of history!

As a parent of special learners, I appreciate the simpleness of this program. All core subjects, except for math, are included and each day, these intertwine with each other. Today, my son worked on "kn" words, taken from a chapter of his Columbus reading book. He also learned about sunrises and sunsets, how sailors use the sun to navigate their ships, and finished with an art project that taught him how to shade simple shapes. Matty also did his daily copywork, read aloud from a Christopher Columbus biography and had independant reading time, where he is currently reading "The Secret Garden".

I should mention, "The Secret Garden" was not his choice. His choice would be a comic book or a movie, based on a book. We're working on that.

This level is geared towards grades 3-5, but could easily be adapted for grades 2-6. The next level is Paths of Settlement for grades 4-6, and then Paths of Progress for grades 5-7. Currently, there are future books in the works, beginning with Ancient History for middle school grades. 



Each lesson begins with copywork that sums up that day's reading.



Science covers many subjects, including weather.



Astronomy is always a fun subject.



Three of the books we're using at the moment. Others include; Eat Your Way Through the USA, 1911 Boy Scout Handbook, and Go West!, just to name a few. 



There are many more books included with the package, but you may already own some of them, or have access to them through your library. I was able to shave about $100 from my total because of this, so it made it very affordable for us. 

I can't say enough good things about this curriculum, except to say, I wish history would've been this much fun when I was 10! 

*I am in no way affiliated with GeoMatters except as an extremely satisfied customer. All comments are mine, but since I was taught to share, I will.  



First Menu Plan for the New Year! 1/2/11

With a crazy, busy beginning of the new year, I've decided to add a little more to my already full plate. This week, we'll be starting our homeschooling back up, with some changes to our current curriculum. I am also starting physical therapy so I'll be ready to pitch hay bales by summer and I've decided to join a 30 day diet challenge, from the book, Eat Fat, Lose Fat. 

In this challenge, healthy, traditional fats (such as coconut oil, coconut milk, flax seed oil, etc...) are encouraged, refined carbohydrates are out, and healthy carbs are limited to vegetables, some fruits and minimal sweeteners. I'm supposed to give up caffeine too, but in order to prevent multiple homicides in my home, have decided against slaying that dragon this week. 

Maybe next week. 

Or year. 

So, why have I decided to do this now? Having been pretty immobile for the last 8 weeks, I am feeling a little sluggish. And fat. I am fat, but now I'm feeling fat.

I don't like feeling fat. It keeps me from living in the land of denial.

I'm also a lover of carbs. Give me fresh-baked bread any day of the week and I'm a happy girl. Even happier is the day when I find a mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup in the cushions of the couch. Then there are potatoes, rice, and the forbidden Starbucks latte.

See the problem?

So, if you're like me and searching the furniture for something chocolatey, I encourage you to pick up the book, Eat Fat, Lose Fat, by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon. If the names sound familiar, they also wrote the book, Nourishing Traditions, which is one of my all-time favorite books. 

What have you got to lose?

Oh wait, I know the answer to this one!

Here's what's cookin' this week...

~Sunday~

Granola

Elk Stew, sourdough bread

~Monday~

Granola

Baked Salmon, Sweet Potato Fries, Green Salad (carried over from last week)

~Tuesday~

 Steel Cut Nutty Oats w/ Bananas

Cincinnati Chili w/ brown rice noodles, Caesar Salad

~Wednesday~

(1st day of challenge)

Grapefruit, Fried Eggs, Nitrate-free Bacon, Ezekiel Toast

Mesclun Salad, Baked Chicken w/ Coconut Peanut Sauce, Green Beans w/ Coconut, Kimchi

~Thursday~

Simple Soaked Oatmeal w/ blueberries

Coconut Corn Soup, Roasted Pork Tenderloin w/ Root Vegetables, Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut

~Friday~

Coconut Smoothies

Red Meat Curry (with leftover pork loin), Mesclun Salad, Soaked Brown Rice (for family)

~Saturday~

Scrambled Eggs, Deer Sausage

Roast beef, Caesar Salad, Slow-baked Tomatoes, Steamed Spinach, Sauerkraut

For more menu plans, visit The Organizing Junkie for Menu Mondays.

  



My "Realistic" Goals for 2011

With the passing of 2010, and the ushering in of 2011, it has come to my attention that I need to make my annual New Year's resolutions.

I'm going to do something a little different this year though. For me, making resolutions sets me up for failure. I'm doomed before the clock strikes midnight. The only thing I can be sure of is that my Mister will be there, holding me close and planting a big, juicy kiss on my lips, just as he has for the last 24 years.

One of my favorite poems is by an elderly lady named Nadine Stair. At 85 years young, she wrote a lovely poem about what she would do differently if she had her life to live over. I've decided to apply that to my life in 2011.

With some changes. The italicized words are mine.

If I Had My Life To Live Over

If I Have to Make Another Resolution

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. I make plenty, but I dare them to try and stop me.

I'd relax. I'd limber up. I'll learn to fall more gracefully and without an audience.

I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I'll try to be more discreet with my giggles.

I would take fewer things seriously. I'll try not to laugh when my children ask for McDonald's or if they can "skip" school.

I would take more chances. I will step on the scale at the doctor's office without first requesting the heaviest nurse they have in the building.

I would take more trips. I'll make sure that my family is with me so it becomes more difficult for me to flee the country.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I'll talk about how much I like hiking while soaking in the hot tub and enjoying a nice glass of organic Riesling.

I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I promise to not invent Black Bean Ice Cream. Don't be sad. There is always 2012.

I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. I'll give myself a reality check at least once per day.

You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day. 

I'll set the DVR and watch American Idol after the vote, just to keep people guessing.

Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I'd do more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments. Actually, I have moments everyday. Moments of insanity. I'll try to smile through more of them.

One after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I'll learn to go with the flow, even if the flow washes me out to sea.  

I've been one of those people who never go anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute. I'll only carry my cell phone with Poison Control on speed dial, a camera just in case I need legal proof for anything, a baggy full of organic raisins and my rubber boots. C'mon, I do live in the Pacific Northwest!

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way until later in the fall. I will proudly wear the garden dirt under my toes in the spring, and will keep an extra pair of flip-flops in the car, just in case the employees at Fred Meyer aren't as amused with my bare, paint-less toes as I am.

If I had to do it again, I'd travel lighter next time. I'll invest in a fanny pack. They're still en vogue right?

I would go to more dances. I'll dance as if no one is watching. Even if I know they are. With their cameras.

I would ride more merry-go-rounds. Only if the carnival guy stops making me stand in front of the "How tall are you?" sign.

I would pick more daisies. Now, that's a resolution I can keep.

Happy New Year!

Lessons Learned in 2010

As we say good-bye to 2010, and usher in yet another year, I'd like to share with you some things that I've had the privilege to learn this year.

1. It does not matter how many times you press the "WALK" button at a crosswalk. It will say "WALK" when it is good and ready. Pounding on it just makes one look stupid. And somebody you know will always recognize you. Wisdom says to let someone else pound on the button.

2. It is never a good idea to test an electric fence with your fingers. Especially when working in the garden. It is also a bad idea to "double check" if you don't get shocked the first time. Electric fences have pulses of electricity that eventually come back around to the very place your finger is touching. Wisdom says to just believe your husband when he says that the fence is on. Or wear rubber boots.

3. Teenagers have not changed too much since I was one. They still step out in front of traffic, believing that cars will stop. Reminding them to look both ways before crossing the street is responded with, "I have the right-a-way." Maybe so, but wisdom says that the car always wins.

4. Simply removing the microwave from the kitchen is not enough to deter the family from using it. Even if it's in the basement. And since it's in the basement, sometimes people have lapses in memory...until a week later, when a putrid odor greets us at the top of the stairs. Wisdom says to just throw the microwave away.

5. Breeding turkeys is easier than one might think. Currently, we have 3 hens setting on one nest. As hatching time draws near, the normally docile hens have become aggressive. Wisdom says that we should eat turkey more often.

6. Never assume that the 10-cent discount at the gas pump will be there when you need to fill up the tank. Wisdom says that teen drivers are very resourceful when it comes to keeping a few extra bucks in their pockets.

7. Weathermen lie. Wisdom says to just look out the window upon waking, and dress accordingly. Usually this means, in layers.

8. Dangling a Snickers bar in front of the treadmill is not a good motivator to keep moving. It's way too easy to just step onto the sides and snatch that candy-bar for a quick snack. Wisdom says to dangle a rutabaga instead.

9. If the eye doctor prescribes glasses to see things more clearly, it's probably a good idea to wear them. There's a huge difference between cooking a pie at 350F. and burning a pie at 450F. Wisdom says to forget vanity and just wear the glasses.

10. Regardless of which cellular phone carrier you may have, the phone always wears out when the contract ends. Wisdom says to pay for the phone and forget the contract. Or just use the land line.

For some reason, I don't feel as if I've arrived at wisdom's door. I may have caught a glimpse of it a couple of times this year, but something tells me that I've got a long ways to go.

So, for 2011, I say...

BRING IT ON!

But slowly, just in case wisdom is on hiatus.



An End of the Year Menu Plan~12/27/10

I have decided to declare the week after Christmas an official holiday.

Women everywhere will thank me for this I am sure.

After a month of plotting, planning, executing and shopping, we are tired. That is not to take away from any help that we received from our loving husbands and wonderful children. We are ever so grateful for all that they do. It's just that women (i.e. me) stress the small stuff. It's genetic. We worry about Christmas cards (that I didn't send), shopping (that I didn't start until the week before), baking (that I was still doing on Christmas Eve), and the house cleaning (one whiff of my boys' bathroom will attest to the fact that that didn't happen either!).

Just keepin' it real for ya. 

The reality is that even with all the hustle and bustle of the season, I wouldn't have done it any other way. 

But I still declare, the week after all the chaos, a stress-free-leave-me-alone-I'm-going-to-lock-myself-in-the-sewing-room-for-hours-on-end-and-maybe-have-an-ice-cream-sandwich-if-I-had-ice-cream-sandwiches-kind of week.

That, or I can just sit with my nose pressed against the window and wait for some snow. 

Please wave if you drive by.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here's what's cookin' this week...

~Monday~

Scrambled eggs & deer sausage

leftover Clam Chowder

Fried elk steak, mashed potatoes & gravy, peas

~Tuesday~

Pennsylvania Dutch Baked Oatmeal w/peaches

Egg salad sandwiches, orange slices

Baked sweet potato fries, baked salmon, green beans

~Wednesday~

Blueberry Coffeecake

Turkey/Veggie/Cream cheese Wraps, tangerines

Fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, applesauce

~Thursday~

Simple Soaked Oatmeal w/blueberries

Peanut butter & jam sandwiches, tangerines

Cincinnati Chili, cornbread

~Friday~

Fried eggs, cinnamon toast

leftover Cincinnati Chili

*Snacks*

~Saturday~

Speltcakes

Enchiladas, fruit salad

~Sunday~

Granola

Venison Stew, Sourdough bread

*New Year's Eve snacks: Cheese Fondue w/ goodies, Salmon dip, chips, fruit platter w/ Yogurt Fruit Dip, veggie platter w/ homemade Ranch Dip, Root Beer Floats

I should probably follow this up with some New Year's resolutions that I'm bound to break by Monday.

Or maybe I should just stick to some Tums instead.

For more menu plan ideas, visit Menu Mondays at Organizing Junkie.

Christmas Biscotti

Every year for Christmas, I like to make up "little trays of happiness" to give as gifts. In order to make the cut, the items must be homemade and they must be something that I would like to hide in the bathroom and devour all by myself.

Yes, I said bathroom. It's the only place where I can truly be alone.

Some of the goodies in the past have included: Chocolate Truffles, Peanut Butter Balls, Date Pinwheels, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies, Gingerbread, and the must-have for any parent, Sugar Cookies with hideous colors of frosting adorning them.

This year, I decided to go rebel and deviate from the norm.

Sometimes I do that. It keeps things interesting.

This year, I'll be giving away Reese's Thumbprint Cookies, Toffee Bars, Coconut Macaroons, Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Old-Fashioned Spritz Cookies and Christmas Biscotti.

In the spirit of gift-giving, I may have to avoid the bathroom until the 26th.

For regular visitors to the local espresso shop, biscotti is something that you'll recognize. It's usually sitting under a glass case or in a cute canister in plain view of the thirsty patron. Because really, who doesn't enjoy a nice cookie with their coffee? Biscotti is best eaten with coffee, tea or even milk, as it is a very hard cookie.

Biscotti and coffee. Now that's the thing Christmas dreams are made of.

Christmas Biscotti

1/4 C. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 C. sugar (I used organic sugar)

Zest from 1 orange (use an organic orange since you're using the zest)

1/2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

1 egg white

2 C. organic white flour

1-1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. sea salt

2 oz. white chocolate, chopped

1/2 C. dried cranberries

1-1/4 C. unsalted pistachio nuts, chopped

For the drizzle: 1 C. white chocolate, chopped

1 t. coconut oil

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually blend into the creamed mixture.

Stir in the chocolate, cranberries, and pistachios.

Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into halves. Form each half into a 12"x3" log. Flatten slightly. Arrange the logs at least 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a light golden color. Allow logs to cool on baking sheet until able to handle, approximately 10 minutes. On a cutting board, cut logs crosswise on a diagonal into 1-inch thick slices.

Place back onto cookie sheet and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden.

Transfer biscotti to wire racks to cool completely.

In a double boiler, melt 1 cup white chocolate with 1 teaspoon coconut oil, stirring constantly. When melted, dip 1 end of biscotti into chocolate. Return to wire rack to dry. Or, lightly drizzle the chocolate over the top of each piece.

Store in an airtight container when dry.

*I found that the adults prefer the drizzle, while the kids enjoy an entire end of chocolate covered biscotti.

Enjoy!