Meet the Food!

So Patty and I were standing on the street, talking candy corn.  (Well, what do you talk about with your friends?).  I confessed that part of my struggle is a trust issue.  Do I trust that God isn't holding out on me?  Can I trust that His food will both nourish and satisfy?

As far back as I can remember, I have loved healthy food.  I've also loved unhealthy food, especially the kind that comes in three layers and is pink.  I didn't think a person really needed to choose between the two.  That's what exercise was for, right?  Eat my cake, too...

A couple of years ago, my dear friend and health mentor, Melinda, would try her mightiest to get a group of us mamas to take our health seriously.  Really seriously.  Too seriously?  I wasn't sure.  She introduced me to coconut oil and bison.  She told us that sugar was toxic.  And though I certainly couldn't picture it, she shared that she had struggled with weight and depression before taking the reigns on her own health.  

She also seemed very convincing, like she wasn't missing a thing by choosing the healthiest foods...always.  And I love her for it.

But how to make this level of dedication practical?  

I have noticed that in my own eating life, a little psychology goes a long way.  When I wake up in the morning, I do not feel like cooking.  It's nice if lunch can be something quick and easy.  And I actually enjoy multi-step cooking in the early evening, as keeping the kitchen the center of a bustling home seems quite lovely and natural.

Breakfast was perhaps the trickiest transition for me.  The following three recipes have helped in this area tremendously:

1.  Pudding.  For breakfast.

2. Banana bread bars.

3. Simple but satisfying fruit salad.

Pudding, you say?

Two avocados + cocoa powder, honey, some almond milk & vanilla = a fantastic paleo dessert. But the recipe I use makes enough for multiple servings, and so I will happily have it again for breakfast.  Guilt-free chocolate in the morning?  Enough said.  (Here is one of many recipes for chocolate avocado pudding: http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/2013/07/chocolate-avocado-pudding.html)

I miss wheat, as I'm sure a lot of us do, but I miss it a whole lot less if I keep some street legal baked goods on hand.  This is my go-to recipe for breakfast or general snacking, which I make in an 11x7 glass pan for 70 minutes before cutting into bars: http://www.mygutsy.com/coconut-flour-banana-bread/

My favorite breakfast at the moment is a very simple bowl of strawberries and grapes, made almost hearty with the addition of goat cheese, almonds, and honey.  Yum!

I have always loved to pick up cookbooks from the library, especially before a long road trip.  My current library favorite is called The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour by Kim O'Donnel.  Ever thought of rolling roasted peppers around goat cheese and nuts w/ basil, olive oil, and lemon?  I hadn't either!  But, let me just say this profound word about the dish: WOW.

 New to roasting peppers?  Super easy.  At 400F, roast those puppies for 40 minutes.  (No prep other than washing).

With tongs, transfer the roasted peppers into a sealed bag for 15 minutes to steam.  The top and seeds will them come out easily, and you can remove the skin with only minimal effort.  Voila!

The second win I'll share from O'Donnel's cookbook is what looks to be a giant pan of- get excited now- broccoli.

Ever used the words "broccoli" and "addictive" in the same sentence?  I hadn't either, until now.  I am truly embarrassed to admit how quickly an entire bunch of broccoli disappeared...
See for yourself:
Mix the florets of one bunch with ginger, garlic, salt, paprika, & olive oil.  Roast at 400F for 15-16 minutes.  (I just estimate, but here are her amounts: 1 lb. broccoli, 1 piece fresh ginger peeled & minced, 1-2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 tsp. salt + more to taste, 1/4 tsp. cayenne or smoked paprika, & 3 Tb. olive oil).   These dishes were both completely hubby approved (though naturally completely frightening to the small people, with the exception of our middle-child-broccoli-eater).

I'll post some other time about food waste, as giant bags of kale from Costco are my current nemesis.  (Yes, I should just say no...but I want to win, dagnabit!).  I will also be experimenting with all things dates: date syrup, date energy balls...if you've seen it on pinterest and someone has called it GAPS, SCD, paleo, or vegan, it's fair game!  I'm kind of excited about this one, as dates are truly God's candy in the sky.

 

Back to my trust issues.  Is God holding out on me?  (I am rolling my eyes at myself).  OF COURSE HE ISN'T.  HE CREATED THE UNIVERSE.  And He's not holding out on you, either.  We may just need to work together on this one, to keep reminding each other of this truth until it is so ingrained that we genuinely believe it...and pass altogether on the candy corn.

Bon appetit!