An update (lots of pictures)

Hi all,

I'm distressed that it's been weeks since my last post. I'm even more distressed by the fact that I STILL haven't gotten back "on track" from the "fried chicken and cupcakes" weekend I wrote about in my last post.  I won't tell you all the unhealthy things I've eaten since then but know that Entenmann's "donuts," a cheeseburger from Five Guys, copious amounts of peanut M&M's, and a McChicken (oh the shame) are all on that list. My body hasn't taken this abuse quietly: my hives came back some days ago (and have been visiting every day since), my face has broken out pretty badly, and my "digestion," has been less than stellar. Overall though, my food choices have not been completely terrible, especially over this past week. Have you seen this picture before?

I appreciate it so much because it accurately describes the food journey I've been on since June 2011. I am in the jumbled phase: I've had many set backs, "fallen off the wagon" often, looped around a lot, haha, but I am always learning more and, overall, moving forward :).

An extremely wise man once said that "life is more than food" (Luke 12:23). I know this is true but I don't always live like I know it is. I am working on having more balance in my life I and hope to have a few non-food related posts up soon! Until then, here are some pictures of the good food choices I've made recently.

I recently read this book.

I borrowed it from my roommate and really enjoyed it. It doesn't [necessarily] advocate a vegan or vegetarian diet (so if you're looking for a detox program that will still "allow" you to eat meat I highly recommend this book) and it even persuaded me to go out and buy [wild, frozen] salmon (I bought 2 six ounce fillets that I intend to make into four servings) and a small carton of eggs (organic and certified humane). I guess the book made me curious to see how I would feel consuming  tiny amouts of  meat/ animal products as part of a very clean, unprocessed diet. When I've used up these two fillets and six eggs, however, I don't plan on buying anymore. Ok, now for those pictures:

 

Broccoli-Garlic Pasta :). It's brown rice pasta with garlic, olive oil, broccoli, and no-salt added spaghetti sauce sprinkled with a bit of Parma! ( vegan "parmesan" made from nutritional yeast, raw walnuts, himalayan crystal salt).
 

Spinach-carrot- celery- cucumber- beet juice with a bit of ginger and lemon

Cornmeal porridge (a Jamaican specialty) veganized with homemade gluten-free crackers subbing for the usual Excelsior water crackers I grew up eating this with.

Healthy "ice cream"- what you get when you put frozen bananas, a splash of soymilk, a tsp of cacao powder, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, a pinch of sea salt, 1 tbs raw almond butter, and a bit of agave in a food processor (and let it run for a bit).

Green juice from lactino kale, romaine lettuce, cucumber, celery, broccoli stems, 1 pear and 1 piece ginger.

My most recent "haul" from Whole Foods: organic, unsweetened applesauce, organic frozen veggies: mediterranean blend, organic celery, organic red chard, organic lactino, kale, organic red kale, organic romaine lettuce, organic cauliflower, organic broccoli, 1 lemon, 2 limes, raisins, organic brown/wild rice blend, 1 bunch bananas, 1 container organic "orignial" hummus, 2 organic pears, 2 organic fuji apples, 1 pack organic baby carrots, 1 box baking soda, 1 carton organic, plain, unsweetened soy milk (I usually by the WestSoy brand because it's the cheapest "clean" brand I can find. The ingredient list looks like this "Water and Organic Soybeans." Fantastic).

Dinner one night this week. Note the plate organization: 1/2 veggies, 1/4 grains, 1/4 protein. Steamed broccoli and red chard lightly seasoned with sea salt and garlic powder, brow/wild rice blend, and sesame-ginger-maple baked tofu (I've found a new favorite way to prepare tofu!)

Green smoothie from romaine lettuce, 1/2 large cucumber, 1 pear, 1 frozen banana, water, 1/2 cup soymilk, and ground flaxseed.

Red chard omlette on top of toasted homemade sourdough bread

For the past couple of days I've been snackingon raw cauliflower and baby carrots. At first I tried them with hummus but decided I liked them better plain.

organic red grapes. I turned to these today when I had a sugar craving. (I still ended up eating some M&M's le sigh.)

brown/wild rice blend with 1 tsp gomashio(japanese condiment made from sesame seeds and sea salt)

Green juice from lactino kale, romaine lettuce, cucumber, celery, carrots, 1 fuji apple, 2/3 lemon, and 1 piece ginger. I really enjoyed this juice, it tasted like lemonade. It was especially smooth because I strained it with my super tiny sieve (my juicer is an inexpensive brand/model so the juice it produces usually has a little pulp left in).

"Superfood Smoothie" 2 tsp raw cacao powder, 1 handful goji berries, 2 bananas (1 frozen, 1 very ripe), 1 tbs raw almond butter (Trader Joes makes the best and cheapest raw almond butter I've tried so far!), 1 cup raw homemade almond milk, 1 handful raw walnuts (soaked for 8 hrs). (I didn't use the agave pictured). I honestly wasn't that big of a fan of this smoothie. I think I needed more cacao powder and almond butter and less banana. oh well.

 

Ok that is all for now! Stay tuned as I continue to pull myself out of the depths of nutritonal disaster haha.