Small steps toward change!

I've seen this heightened rise of dieting the last little while. While it's still technically the beginning of the year I think our priorities are a little skewed.  Before you start to get mad or stop reading, there is a reason...Diets stop, and then what? Most of us go back to our old ways of eating.  "Oh pizza how I've missed you and your friend diet soda!"

What if in stead of dieting we thought more and leaned more towards lifestyle changes in both our diets and how we live? Educate yourself on what things are okay to eliminate from your diet permanently.  Everyone is different and will have their own things that they need to change. For us it was eliminating the majority of convenient foods (because of MSG and the preservatives), most dairy, wheat and pork.  There are a few other things we needed to get rid of, but I will go into all of that later.  The point is look at your family's needs, not wants, but needs and take the steps towards a better lifestyle.

I'm a believer in occasionally eating something that's not in our norm.  When we go home to Utah we have to stop and get a shake from The Iceburg.  Since its only once maybe twice a year its not something that sets us back drastically.  We love getting to stay with family and eat out occasionally, but once we get home our bodies are craving our regular diet of healthier more nutritious food.  Doesn't that seem better than being on a severe diet for 30 days that makes us hate the look of healthy foods?  Little changes at a time add up to huge progress in the end.  Our family's diet didn't change over night, or even in a month or two.  I am still learning new ways to progress and make our lives healthier.  If I tried to implement all of the changes we made in the matter of a few months we couldn't have financially afforded it, we also would have most likely given up because of the sheer stress of it!  Don't be afraid to take things slow and to change one thing at a time.

I started by clearing my home of the things that had MSG.  Then realizing my pantry was almost bare I started looking for healthier things to put in there. Eating healthy is sometimes hard enough, but add that to being on an A1C's budget and its a joke. We were a family of 4 with a drastic need to eat healthier. This is about the time I became a HUGE fan of Costco.  I went into my local Costco store one day and found that they sold their canned diced tomatoes in only Organic, not only that it was a good amount cheaper to buy a pack of 8 and use that over the month than buying what I needed one at a time.  When you buy one can of diced organic tomatoes at the store its anywhere from .99 a can to close to $2, but at Costco its around .75 a can.  For the tomato sauce its even cheaper.  I use diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce in a lot of different recipes.  We make our own pizza and spaghetti sauce too so it gets used up quick.  It took me months if not longer to realize all of the organic things they sold at Costco, and all much cheaper!

This is what I picked up today.  The avocado oil isn't organic, but its non GMO!  I spent 53.74 on just this, but when you look at it individually they are an awesome deal!  At a health food store I was at today as well, they were selling avocado oil in something 1/3 of the size for the same price.  I spent 10.49 on this oil and it will last us a good long while.  The same goes for the rice. I dont even know how long it takes us to go through a big bag like this, a couple months or so, but it cost me 13.99.  Buying organic brown rice elsewhere can be pretty pricey!

I have come to terms with the price of our healthy foods.  There has been a couple times where I honestly didn't know how we were going to afford it, but then something always happened and it we were able to make it through.  I know that this lifestyle is meant for us!  So many times have I felt blessed that we don't smoke or drink, because then there would have been no way we could have afforded it.  My health feels drastically different when I eat organic foods, and when I take the time to make things from scratch.  In our premade foods we have no idea what all is going into them.  Take take the 15-30 min longer to whip up a sauce or pizza crust on your own.  You will feel a difference.

When you take things slowly and really start looking into what is going into your body you start realizing how important diet is.  Then when you find yummy healthy meals it's like winning the healthy food lottery!  Being healthy can be stressful especially when you feel like you don't have any clue what you can or can't eat.  I still feel that way sometimes, but let me tell you that when I see friends of mine taking interests in healthy foods and recipes I am all over that!  I love getting new ideas to add to our recipe book!

If I could suggest one thing to change now, it would be to implement more homemade over store made.  The more you do it the more you enjoy it, and the easier it gets.  I have a few recipes I will share with you.  One is my no fail yummy pizza crust, and the other is a cream of anything substitute that I use in my recipes that call for a can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup.  When you take these steps you will realize you sometimes feel full faster and you don't feel weighed down like you do with some foods using these things.

When you start making these steps towards a healthier lifestyle you will notice changes in yourself.  Weight starts coming off and staying off, no more yoyoing, and you start to crave these healthy foods.  Did you know it takes 30 days or so to change your taste buds?  Well its true!  I don't even crave oreos or fast food anymore.  Big steps in small changes!

I found this cream of anything substitute, but DO NOT use bullion with MSG. Just dont!  You can  buy a jar of chicken bullion that is a paste form Costco (you can find it in other stores) that doesn't have MSG.  Its called Better Than Bullion.  When making enough for one can use 1 tsp of the Better Than Bullion, and just mix it in when you add the water.  If you cannot eat dairy I have used the recipe below as well.


Cream of anything substitute

1 cup cold milk (we used unsweetened almond or coconut milk)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp better than bullion chicken flavor
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of pepper
dash of Worcestershire sauce
garlic powder & paprika to taste.
You can also add any dried herbs

In a small saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until blended.  Stir in bouillon and seasonings.  Heat to boil, stirring frequently.  Simmer on low one minute more to thicken.
If you are doing mushroom soup you can finely chop up mushrooms and add it to the soup mix when its done.

Pizza crust

1 cup warm water
3 Tbsp avocado oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp minced garlic
2 1/4  tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil leaves


Add yeast honey and water to a large bowl and let bud for 10 min.  Then add avocado oil, 1 cup of flour, and the herbs then stir.  Add second cup of flour with the salt.  Let dough sit covered for 15-30 min. Heat oven to 475.  Flour a clean surface and knead.  Spray a large pizza pan with cooking oil (see healthy oils post) place dough on pan and add your toppings.  Bake 12-15 min. We like to use a pizza stone and cook just the crust for 3 or 4 min then top with our toppings and cook 11 min more.

I've been trying to think of what my next post should be about, and have started 3 different posts.  There is so much information that needs to be shared that I don't know where all to start.  So I will be sharing two new recipes with you to tide you over that hopefully you can enjoy!

First up is a twist on yummy German pancakes.  I was craving our usual German pancakes that only have 5 ingredients, but I wanted to find something that was gluten free since I am staying away from gluten for a while. I came across THIS recipe for German pancakes that uses coconut flour.  I didn't have a pear like the recipe called for so we just used apples.  It turned out great as is.  We all really enjoyed it and our youngest devoured it!

Grain-free German Apple pancakes

Ingredients

12 eggs

2 cups almond milk

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 apples, sliced 1/8″ thick

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, almond milk, 1/3 cup coconut oil, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. In a small bowl, stir coconut flour, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients and beat well to combine. Set aside while you prepare the apples and pears.

In a small frying pan, heat 1/4 cup of coconut oil with 1/4 cup maple syrup. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg; cook for 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a 9×13″ baking pan. Spread apple and pear slices into an even layer in the baking pan. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the apples/pears.

Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes.

I went to a friends house the other day and she was making Lasagna soup.  I almost never make lasagna because its hard on my stomach, but the thought intrigued me since my husband LOVES lasagna.  So I decided to make it Mindy friendly, that way maybe I could eat lasagna and love it too.  I took THIS recipe from Our Best Bites and tweaked it since we don't eat sausage much, and I don't eat gluten.

Lasagna Soup 

Ingredients

1 pound Organic ground beef
1 large chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons dried oregano
optional: 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 14.5 oz cans of organic diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
8-12 oz brown rice pasta (or other pasta of your choice)
2 Tablespoons dried basil

2 teaspoons organic worcestershire sauce

Pepper to taste

Optional: ½ cup shredded parmesan

Shredded mozzarella to put on top

Organic cottage cheese

Ricotta cheese

Instructions

Add hamburger to a large pot and cook until lightly browned through. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes Cook for about a minute then add your tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.

Add your diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  You can add the dry pasta to the soup in the last 8-ish minutes of cooking, or you can cook the pasta separately and add to individual servings. Right before serving season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, place a generous dollop of ricotta or desired cheese (if adding) in each soup bowl, add pasta if you cooked it separately, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.  Let it sit for a minute for the cheese to melt, sprinkle mozzarella on top if desired and then dive in!

We didnt add any oil to the hamburger when browning, and then drained the grease from off of it.  It turned out great.
I try not to eat dairy or gluten, so this can be altered to GF and dairy free.  If you opt not to add any cheeses to it it's still delicious!  In fact I suggest you try it like that. My husband and girls wanted a little ricotta cheese and cottage cheese on top.  They really liked it!  

Both of these were huge hits for my family.  I hope you enjoy them as well!

Pancakes!

This is the pancake recipe that I mentioned in my last post.  It is really versatile and yummy!  I don't have a picture yet so please forgive me.

Pancakes

3 eggs
1 c. almond milk or coconut milk
1 1/2 c. organic flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Directions: Beat the eggs and milk together, then sift and stir in dry ingredients.  Add applesauce, mix until combined.  Then fry up as pancakes on a preheated skillet.  Top with pure maple syrup and enjoy! 

My girls also like when I add chocolate chips to theirs or fresh blueberries!  I like to double or triple the batch and then freeze the left overs for the girls to eat over the next week or so.  Sometimes I make my husband a pancake sandwich for breakfast on the go too.

Eating Fats and Oils

What fats and oils are you using?  Do they work for you or against you?  Not everyone realizes this, but not all fats and oils are bad for you.  In fact your body needs healthy fats to keep it functioning correctly.  Healthy fats can actually help you to maintain your body weight, and help you to have more energy.  

When we first started our journey to eating healthier I didn't know you shouldn't eat margarine(EVER), or use vegetable and canola oils.  These are marketed and presented to us as healthy oils that can help to lower things like your weight and cholesterol.  When in fact science doesn't back up these claims.  Oh the joys of marketing, but I wont go into great detail about these because Wellness Mama has written a great post titled "Why you should never eat vegetable oil or margarine".  Please take the time to read through it.  You will not be sorry you did.  I've posted the link here: 

http://wellnessmama.com/2193/why-you-should-never-eat-vegetable-oil-or-margarine/

So lets start with margarine, what do you use instead?  Butter! Grass fed and organic is the best, because you are not getting genetically modified feed fed to the cows, nor the extra hormones and antibiotics.  I personally opt for the non salted butter as well. Butter is actually really healthy for you. It raises good cholesterol, and actually lowers the risk of heart attack compared to margarine. I know some people who eat a stick of butter a day because of the health benefits. 

Trust me when I say you feel a difference eating it.  I highly highly recommend spending the extra money on Organic or GMO free butters.  If my budget is more tight I buy the butter from Trader Joes, anything with their name on it is GMO free.  I havent yet explained much about GMOs, that will be one of my next posts. 

But please for your sake and your family get these out of your fridge and pantry! 

I don't recall the exact day, but we threw out our vegetable/canola oil and margarine and never looked back.  Fast forward two years and I don't miss it at all.  What do I do in those cases it calls for vegetable or canola oil in a recipe, or cake mix?  I use applesauce!  True story.  I have a pancake recipe I will share with you at the end that called for 1/2 a cup of vegetable oil and we just use 1/2 a cup of applesauce.  It not only works as the oil substitute, but I don't have to add extra sugar to my pancakes.  Win win for us!  

In other recipes like dressings where it calls for oil you can use olive oil and or coconut oil instead. When cooking you shouldn't use olive oil if it exceeds 220 degrees, which is its smoke point.  "Due to its chemical structure and a large amount of unsaturated fats, cooking makes extra-virgin olive oil very susceptible to oxidative damage." Link to source.  So if you are like me and didn't know you shouldn't be cooking with olive oil its not to late to change.  

 I've found a great oil to replace it with that's newer to me.  I've seen it around lately and after learning you shouldn't cook with olive oil I started looking for a better alternative.  Avocado oil!  It can withstand higher temperatures in cooking, and it has more monounsaturated fats than olive oil. When buying your avocado oil make sure it says cold pressed and organic, which will give you the most health benefits.  It also has a delicious taste! So if you are making the switch from canola oil or olive I highly recommend avocado oil instead. Here is a link to more information and health benefits from using avocado oil.

What about my Pam??  Not to worry, I found these nifty spray cans at Costco that are basically refillable cooking spray bottles.  You pour in your desired oil and pump the top a few times and then instant cooking spray. Not to mention its does not have Isobutane or Propane to help get it to spray, also making it non flammable! I say that with a high amount of sarcasm.  If you do not know what an ingredient is you really shouldn't use it. Notice below that all it says is propellant, you have to go digging online to find out what exactly that propellant is.  Labeling has a lot of loopholes, and maybe I'll get more into that later, but for now ask yourself if you'd like some propane with those eggs.

 But seriously these are fantastic and now you know that all that's in it is your oil and air! I use mine for everything I used to use canned cooking spray for, including when I make cookies occasionally.  If you don't have a Costco close to you or don't have a membership you can get them on amazon. I'll post the link below.

Oh coconut oil how I love you! There are soo many uses for coconut oil its just plain awesome.  Not only that though it is extremely healthy for you.  Here is just a portion of them.

When we first started out I bought this big container determined to use it.  I bought this at Costco for $22.  This actually is one of the best deals out there, its cheaper than on the Nutiva website.  Not only is this great coconut oil, but the companies standards are awesome!

I have to admit that I had no idea how to use coconut oil when I got it.  Its in a solidified state in the container, but liquefies at 76 degrees. Coconut oil is actually recommended as one of the best oils to use in med-high temp cooking because of its stability.  You can use coconut oil to fry your chicken, make your stir fry or even baking with it. You can throw a tablespoon in your pan when making eggs (we love it!), use it to replace butter in recipes if you cant have dairy, melt it and mix it up to make a vinaigrette and toss it with your salad, but the options are endless.  We have a brownie recipe that uses 1/2 cup of coconut oil and its delicious!!

Besides eating it coconut oil has a lot of other practical uses from make up remover to diaper cream.  I have used it for both of those and love it!  Don't be afraid to buy a big bottle, you will find ways to use it!  

Here is a list someone made with over 333 uses.
http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/08/333-Uses-For-Coconut-Oil.html

Basically if you are cooking your best bets are coconut oil, animal fats like butter, and avocado oil. 

As a challenge for you go and get your favorite brownie mix from the store (not healthy I know, but we're taking baby steps) and instead of using the called for vegetable oil use that same amount called for of unsweetened applesauce. This was one of my first test runs I did. Come back and let me know what you think! 

If you take steps slowly to bettering your families health you will find it comes a lot easier than trying to change everything all at once.  Start with something like getting all of the bad oils and fats out of your house, and switching to healthier alternatives. Your tummy will thank you! 

Link for misto: 

http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Brands-Misto-Oil-Sprayer/dp/B008C9UA9W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1395950363&sr=8-4&keywords=misto+olive+oil+sprayer

Where to start?

There is so much information out there, so I just sit here thinking "Where on Earth do I start?".  So I guess I will start here...Why am I starting a blog about health and nutrition when there is a HUGE abundance of them out there?  Well, when I started changing my health and my dietary habits I wanted all of my family and friends to know what I had found out.  I realized that maybe I could help share what I know and have found out with those around me, and maybe help them realize the importance of healthy food. Food and health have become something of an obsession for me because of my health. So I want to help others find that passion and desire for change!

I have come up with and found some recipes that aren't only healthy, but really good too.  We have taken a few of our old family favorites and made them healthier.  I will share some of these yummy recipes along with some information that you might not know about food, nutrition and health.Hopefully you will be inspired to try some of these and implement healthier choices into your lives.

You will find more of my personal story on the About section, and I would love to add any of your yummy healthy recipes on here as well so feel free to contact me if you have something you'd like shared.