working at home

Tuesdays are a unique day for me these days... I drop Cade off at school and take Reese to my in laws for the day. In a few weeks, my Tuesdays will be my Bible study days, but for now, I stay home. Therefore, it has become my clean-cook-prep day of the week. I am so thankful for these hours and they have proven beneficial for my family. However, I had some thoughts as I was changing the sheets in all three of our beds in our home... "again... I feel like I just did this. I am always doing the same things..."

At first, I let myself wallow a little. "Yes, you do! You deserve a break! Go relax!" ... but then, I started talking to myself and reasoning a little bit. "Yes, I just did this. Yes, I will have to do this many, many more times... but, this is part of the job description right?"

Think about it... someone who goes to school to be an accountant knows that they are preparing for a life of accounting. They know the accounting will be a constant part of their life and they are okay with that. They know that some seasons will be busier than others (end of the year, tax season, etc...). They know that every week they will be required to do projects, make up proposals, run reports. When these tasks come up every week, it is just what ya do, and you do them. Sure its not all rainbows and sunshine, but when it's your job, you just do it...

How often do I harbor resentment towards my calling as a woman? Its like... UGH again! I just washed that... I just scrubbed that... I just fixed that... and I am needed to do something more and my first temptation is to complain. However, if I view my life as a worker at home (which is what God calls ALL women to be... whether you are single, married, young, old, no outside job, or with an outside job...)... This is part of my job description and God is my Employer. He lays out the tasks for me. He gives me the husband and the kids to manage. He is the One who bestows gifts as stewardships and I will have to give an account at the end of my life as to whether or not I was faithful. 

Sure, the tasks are repetitive and gross at times, but if I see my life as an act of worship to God, the menial task are not only expected to be completed, but can be completed with joy. As a worker at home, I shouldn't be surprised when I have to:

-sweep the kitchen floor... again! I'm thankful I have the kids that eat their food and make messes

-wash the bedsheets and make the bed... again! I'm thankful that we have beds and that my kids sleep at night.

-clean the bathroom... again! I'm thankful we have a bathroom and that we have the money to pay the sewer bill!

-cook dinner... again! I have the privilege of nourishing my family. God has given me a lot of options as to what we should eat and I get to choose them and take time to lovingly cook something for them. I'm thankful for the money to purchase the food and that there are so many places to easily find food.

-pick up the mess in the living room... again! I'm thankful we have toys that they play with. I'm thankful for their budding imagination. I know that when I pick up, it is a blessing to Ian who prefers a nice and tidy home.
-weed the garden... again! I'm thankful for the lovely flowers I don't deserve. Thankful that if I am faithful to take care of the garden, a bountiful harvest will follow (hopefully :).
-iron... again! Ah ironing... but I'm thankful for the job my husband has been given. Thankful that I can serve him by freeing him up to do other things than iron his own clothes. Considering his needs more important than my own...

Yes, these tasks will be a weekly, sometimes daily, sometimes hourly thing... but you know, it's part of the job description, so I can either whine and complain about it... or work heartily as unto the Lord and reap the benefits of faithfulness. I mean, someone has to clean the house. Someone has to cook. Someone has to bring food home from the store. Someone has to wash the clothes... And... in my case, God has allowed me to stay home. Not to do whatever I want, whenever I want, but to serve... just like my Lord. 

Seriously, you know the feeling of how nice it is to crash in bed at night knowing you have freshly washed sheets on your bed and the kitchen is clean... common grace.

It's all a matter of perspective and when we see our daily tasks as given to us by a loving and kind God, it helps us see that these things can be a means of blessing to our family and a great method of daily worship to God.

Blessings,

j

soy what?

Soy is a hot topic these days and with our food changes, my researching came to SOY... Good for yo? bad for you? Neutral??

soy what you are saying is that it might not be healthy? Well... Soy is in EVERYTHING EVERYTHING EVERYTHING!!!

Here are some code names for Soy in most food in America:

Partially Hydrogenated soybean oil - microwave popcorn, most ice cream, most canned beef chili, margarine, I can't believe its not butter spray, cookies, crackers, cereal bars, marinades, mayo, dressing, dips, most dairy free products, etc...
Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin
(and you can almost guarantee if a product is not labeled "organic" than you are consuming genetically modified soy)

I found this really helpful article and I think it is a good place to start. All the scientific and practical research and evidence is there... 

This article on Dr. Mercola's site from the Weston Price foundation:

The Weston A. Price Foundation provides accurate information about nutrition and is dedicated to putting nutrient-dense foods back on American tables.

Members receive a lively and informative quarterly journal and email updates on current issues and website events. Visit their at www.westonaprice.org

Are you confused about soy?

The Weston A. Price Foundation has compiled a list of soy dangers and myths to get the truth out once and for all.

Soy Dangers Summarized

• High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking, but only with long fermentation. High-phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
• Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals, soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
• Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
• Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
• Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
• Soy foods increase the body's requirement for Vitamin D. Toxic synthetic Vitamin D2 is added to soy milk.
• Fragile proteins are over-denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
• Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
• Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods to mask soy's unpleasant taste.
• Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum, which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

Myths and Truths About Soy

Here we dispel the myths of the "Diet Dictocrats" and reveal the scientific validity behind our wise ancestors' nutrient-dense diets.

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soybeans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.

Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.

Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soybeans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.

Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body: in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12

Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth.

Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc, which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system.

Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol with soy protein improves one's risk of having heart disease.

Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.

Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.

Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later life.

Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.

Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. 

Myth: Soybeans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soybeans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

Myth: Soybeans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third-world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.

Soy Infant Formula: Birth Control Pills for Babies

Babies fed soy-based formula have 13,000 to 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Infants exclusively fed soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of at least four birth control pills per day.

Male infants undergo a testosterone surge during the first few months of life, when testosterone levels may be as high as those of an adult male. During this period, baby boys are programmed to express male characteristics after puberty, not only in the development of their sexual organs and other masculinity traits, but also in setting patterns in the brain characteristic of male behavior.

In animals, studies indicate that phytoestrogens in soy are powerful endocrine disrupters. Soy infant feeding -- which floods the bloodstream with female hormones that inhibit testosterone -- cannot be ignored as a possible cause of disrupted development patterns in boys, including learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder.

Male children exposed to DES, a synthetic estrogen, had testes smaller than normal on maturation and infant marmoset monkeys fed soy isoflavones had a reduction in testosterone levels up to 70 percent compared to milk-fed controls.

Almost 15 percent of white girls and 50 percent of African-Americans girls show signs of puberty, such as breast development and pubic hair, before the age of eight. Some girls are showing sexual development before the age of three. Premature development of girls has been linked to the use of soy formula and exposure to environmental estrogen-mimickers such as PCBs and DDE.

Intake of phytoestrogens even at moderate levels during pregnancy can have adverse affects on the developing fetus and the timing of puberty later in life.

For those seeking scientific references please see my earlier artticle

 

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

If you were to carefully review the thousands of studies published on soy, I believe you would reach the same conclusion as I have—which is, the health risks associated with unfermented soy products FAR outweigh any possible benefits.

However, there's an important distinction that must be made any time you talk about soy, and that is the difference between traditionally fermented and unfermented soy products.

For centuries, Asian people have been consuming fermented soy products such as natto, tempeh, and soy sauce, and enjoying the health benefits associated with them.

Fermented soy does not wreak havoc on your body like unfermented soy products do.

Additionally, there's the issue of eating genetically modified (GM) soy. In the US, over 90 percent of all soy grown is genetically modified Roundup Ready soy, which has an array of additional health hazards all of its own.

Unfortunately, many Americans who are committed to healthy lifestyles have been mislead and grossly manipulated into believing that unfermented and processed soy products like soymilk, soy cheese, soy burgers and soy ice cream are health foods.

As the Weston A. Price Foundation so clearly shows (above), this is far from true.

Health Dangers of Soy

Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story, points out thousands of studies linking soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility—even cancer and heart disease.

If you have symptoms of any of the following diseases, I would strongly urge you to take a closer look at your diet and eliminate unfermented soy:

• Breast cancer
• Brain damage
• Infant abnormalities
• Thyroid disorders
• Kidney stones
• Immune system impairment
• Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
• Impaired fertility
• Danger during pregnancy and nursing

What Soy Products are Good For You?

The only soy with health benefits is organic soy that has been properly fermented, and these are the only soy products I ever recommend consuming.

After a long fermentation process, the phytate and "anti-nutrient" levels of soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties become available to your digestive system.

The primary fermented soy products I recommend are:

• Tempeh a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
• Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
• Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor.
• Soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes; be wary because many varieties on the market today are made artificially using a chemical process.

Please note that tofu is NOT on this list. Tofu is not fermented, and is therefore not among the soy foods I recommend.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/04/soy-dangers-summarized.aspx

So, that is the info... just thought I would share what I'm learning about... food for thought ;)

A Shoppin'

We were updating our family budget and Ian asked me to write out what I have been purchasing over the last few months and from where.. I showed and friend and she said it was super helpful, so.. maybe it can help someone...

as a recovering processed food and taco bell addict... I know this can be overwhelming... but, take it little by little and it is doable!


BURBANK FARMERS MARKET - Saturday Mornings - 8am-12:30pm
I try as hard as I can to make it every week... sometimes I shop solo and sometimes we make it a family trip... but we try not to miss our market morning :)

-Pastured Cage Free Eggs from happy chickens - $6 for 20
-All produce (You are forced to buy and choose from what is in season)
 ... for instance, this week I bought... organic... berries (blueberries, red + yellow raspberries, strawberries), spinach, mixed greens, broccoli, kale, cilantro, onions, peaches, plums, pluots, nectarines, grapes, oranges, cantaloupe, zucchini, beets, tomatoes.
- Raw Local Honey

ORGANIC PASTURES DAIRY HUB -  Saturday Mornings - 10am-1pm . the farm comes down to sell only from 10am-1pm at a little parking lot in Los Angeles
Again, we try to make this every week because we get our meat and dairy from them!

- 1/2 Gallons of Raw Whole Milk
- 1 or 5 pounds of Raw Cheddar cheese
- Raw Butter or Raw Cream (To make butter!)
- 1 pound packs of Raw Almonds
- 1 pound packs of Grass Fed Beef

TRADER JOES
Why Trader Joe? They have a large selection of Organic Products and all TJ brand food is not made with any GMOs.

- Organic - Unpasteurized Orange Juice
- Organic Whole Milk Unsweetened Yogurt
- Raw Milk New York Sharp Cheddar or New Zealand Grass Fed Cheddar (If I run out of Organic Pastures)
- Bagged Organic Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts

- Organic Produce that I might have missed from Farmer's Market

- TJ Cranberry, walnut, gorgonzola dressing (though we are trying not to use it all the time... it does have canola oil in it...)
- Bagged Organic Lettuce (if I run out of my Farmers Market bounty)
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Organic Ketchup, Mayo, Mustard, and Dijon
- Boxed Cereal - Gorilla Munch (for me! hah!) + Barbara's Peanut Butter Puffins (for Ian :)
- Trader Joe Brand Nitrate Free Lunch Meats - Roasted Turkey + Ham
- Applegate Brand "The Great Organic Hot Dog" - Grass Fed Beef with No Nitrates or yucky stuff
- Corn Tortillas

- Ezekiel 4:9 Low Sodium Bread

- Honey Wheat Hot Dog Buns + Hamburger Buns

- KerryGold Unsalted Butter for cooking and baking
- Corn Bread Mix
- Organic Marinara Sauce
- Organic Brown Rice
- Organic Pastas - Whole Wheat or Rice Pasta
- Organic Quinoa
- Stevia Powder
- Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Freeze Dried Strawberries, Blue Berries + Raspberries
- TJ Brand Cereal Bars (handy to have for car rides and such...) though ideally making my own is preferred because even the TJ brand has some additives in it.

COSTCO
They have really expanded their range of organic options at really affordable prices.

- Organic Packaged Chicken Breasts ($5.99 per pound) -or-
- Organic Whole Chickens ($2.99 per pound)

- Organic Corn Tortilla Chips

- Frozen Fruit
   . Berries - organic Raspberries, BlackBerries, and Strawberries
   . Pineapple Chunks
   . Tropical Medley - Mango, Pineapple, Papaya, Strawberries
- Naked Juice - Green Health Monster (my kids love this stuff so its nice to have on hand)
- Organic Carrots (The huge pack of raw carrots - for snacks, side dishes and carrot juice)
- Organic Free Range Chicken Broth (Pack of 3)
- Organic Fruit Snacks - Pack of 24 Tutti Fruiti
- Organic Peanut Butter
- Organic Maple Syrup - when available
- Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Organic 100% Orange Juice
- Bananas
- Organic Multigrain Bread (The one with the sunflower seeds baked into the crust!)
- Organic Whole Wheat Pasta (Variety 3 Pack)

AMAZON.COM
The subscribe + save option is super handy. All delivered to my front porch.

- Coconut Oil
- Trace Minerals Kids Vitamins
- Bob's Red Mill Products

SPROUTS
Close to our house and coincidentally, the same super market my mom shopped at when I was little... it was formerly a Vons :) + they have "Car carts" and mini shopping carts that my kids just love. I would go here just for the fun they have with the carts.

- 1/2 Gallons of Raw Whole Milk (If I run out before Saturday morning)
- Organic Produce that I might have missed from Farmer's Market
- Popcorn Kernals (in the big bins)
- Dude Ranch Late July chips (for Ian's lunches)
- Quinoa Pasta - Linguini or noodles
- Baking Supplies
   . Aluminum Free Baking Powers
   . Baking Soda
   . Organic Vanilla
   . Bob's Red Mill Flours, Flax Seed Meal, and Wheat Germ
   . Organic Sugar + Brown Sugar (I still use this occasionally in baking)
- Beans  - I still used Organic Canned... working on the dry beans slowly...
- Organic Spices
- Organic Coleman's Chicken Nuggets (to have on hand in case my own run out...)
- Organic Sprouts Brand Mac + Cheese
- Organic Tomato Paste
- Organic Diced Tomatoes (to have on hand for last minute salsa concoctions)

MY PARENTS YARD :)
When their trees are a bloomin, its great! :)
- Avocados
- Lemons

TARGET
This haven has become an infrequent stop... and amazingly, we have saved so much money by staying away! No more $20 dollar section raids ! :) So, I greatly limit all purchases here. They don't offer many organic options and their produce has always gone bad so fast for me, but some of their baby and kid food options have helped me out.

- Organic Baby Food Pouches - My kids both still down these... and if they will eat straight up sweet potato puree... hey, I'll take it!
- Plum Organics Kid Snacks - to have on hand just in case I'm stuck in traffic or for long trips to disneyland where fresh food later in the day is hard to keep cool.
- Archer Farms Organic Fruit Leather - No added sugar

.............................................................................................................

Obviously, I don't buy every item each week... but this is just a sampling of goodies that regularly hang out in our pantry and fridge. Farmers + the Dairy Hub is a Saturday staple... and I usually alternate Sprouts and Trader Joes from week to week with Costco every 2 weeks or so... And... I'm sure I have missed a bunch of things... I'll update this list when I find new goodies or add things to our regular rotation... Crazy to write it all out in one place... It looks like we are piggys and eat a ton of food! :)

I'm so thankful for friends who have helped me in this journey in answering all of my crazy questions to help me actually feel comfortable shopping on my own... you know who you are ;)

Why Cut Out Processed Food?

A very helpful list from a cool site: 100 Days of Real Food as to the WHY behind cutting out Processed Food:

Why Cut Processed Food

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-reasons-to-cut-out-processed-food/

1. Processed foods are an illusion, often appearing to be healthy (with claims like low fat, low carb, vitamin fortified, no trans fat, contains omega-3s, etc.) when these foods are in fact the very thing making a lot of Americans unhealthy, sick, and fat.
2. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer – four of the top ten chronic diseases that kill most of us – “can be traced directly to the industrialization of our food” according to Michael Pollan.
3. Making smarter (and sometimes more expensive) food choices now may reduce your healthcare costs later in life.
4. Why would one want to eat a processed food-like substance that is scientifically designed to never rot?
5. The food industry has proven that it is not very good at seasoning our foods by adding way too much salt, sugar, and/or oil to almost everything.
6. When you eat white bread and other foods made with white flour (which is a highly processed version of wheat) you are basically consuming empty calories with far less nutrition than the whole-wheat or whole grain alternatives.
7. It is estimated that up to 90% of processed foods* in the supermarket contain either a corn or soy ingredient in the form of an additive under a variety of different names. Now how is that for eating variety?
8. Cutting out processed foods could lead you to experience a variety of personal health benefits such as having more energy, losing weight, improving regularity, or just feeling healthier overall.
9. Rather than counting calories, watching fat grams, or reducing carbs for “healthy eating,” simply eat whole foods that, as Michael Pollan puts it, are more the product of nature than “the product of industry.” It certainly is less complicated.
10. It just makes plain old sense to fully understand what you are eating, be able to pronounce everything on the list of ingredients (if there is a list), and know exactly where that food comes from…don’t you think?

*Statistic courtesy of a food scientist interviewed on the documentary “Food, Inc”

And... the HOW... how in the world can you avoid Processed Foods????

How to Avoid Processed Food in General

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/

Here are some general lifestyle changes to consider instead…

1. Read the ingredients label before buying anything. For years, if I even looked at food labels, I was reviewing items such as fat grams, calorie count and sugar content. While this may be important to some, the best indicator of how highly processed a food is can actually be found in the list of ingredients. If what you are buying contains more than 5 ingredients and includes a lot of unfamiliar, unpronounceable items you may want to reconsider before buying.
2. Increase your consumption of whole foods especially vegetables and fruits. I am sure you’ve heard similar advice a thousand times, and I hate to tell you that it couldn’t be more true. This will help to displace the processed foods in your diet, and will actually make your food selections in general very simple. No more counting calories, fat grams, or carbs when your only concern is selecting whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry.
3. Buy your bread from a local bakery. I actually used to eat white bread, but what I bought for my husband from the grocery store was what I thought was whole-wheat bread. When we finally checked the ingredients and found 40 different itemson the list, including white flour and sugar, we decided it was time for a change. Why would there be so many on the list if it only takes a handful of ingredients to make bread? We since started buying our bread from Great Harvest Bread Company. Not only do they grind their own wheat every morning, but their honey whole-wheat loaf only has five ingredients – whole-wheat flour, water, yeast, salt and honey.
4. In addition to your bread choice, when selecting foods like pastas, cereals, rice, and crackers always go for the whole-grain option. And don’t just believe the health claims on the outside of the box.  Read the ingredients to make sure the product is truly made with only 100% whole grains – not a combination of whole grains and refined grains which is unfortunately how a lot of “whole grain” products are made. The white flour or other refined grain alternative is simply high in calories and low in nutrition.
5. Avoid store-bought products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and those “that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients” according to Michael Pollan. Despite the mixed research on if HFCS is really worse for you than good ol’ white sugar, it just happens to be “a reliable marker for a food product that has been highly processed”.
6. Don’t order off the kids’ menu. The next time your family is out to dinner try to avoid the kids menu. Those selections are most often things like pre-made chicken nuggets, fries, and pasta made with white flour, among other things. Instead try assembling some sort of side item plate (like baked potatoes and whatever else your kid will tolerate) and/or try sharing some of your meal.
7. Visit your local farmers’ market the next time you need to restock your fridge.According to Michael Pollan not only will you find “food that is in season, which is usually when it is most nutritious”, but you will also find a selection of pesticide-free produce and properly fed meat products. It is also better for our environment to purchase locally grown products as opposed to the supermarket produce, which travels on average 1500 miles from the farm to your plate.
8. Lastly, to once again quote Michael Pollan, he says to “eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.” If you had to peel, chop and deep fry potatoes every time you wanted French fries then you might not eat them very often. Only eating “junk food” such as cakes, sweets, and fried foods as often as you are willing to make them yourself will automatically ensure the frequency is appropriate.

So... I hope this helps give some perspective and guidelines that you can easily remember... and keep in your purse or in a .pdf on your phone to reference while grocery shopping.

dinner ideas

I wanted to do a little post on some dinner recipes that I have have reached "go-to" status in our abode.

Dinners have probably been the biggest challenge for me in transforming what our food looks like on a daily basis. Putting together a full family meal for my fam or for dinner guests used to consist of canned soups and veggies galore, packets of premade spices, cheap chicken or meat, grands biscuits, every night... you might think, well, what is so bad about those things? Well, all of it is processed... cooked and prepared by some gigantic factory. We can't be truly sure what is in all that food because of the lazy labeling laws in the US. "Natural flavoring" or "citric acid" are costumes for many yucky chemicals that are banned in most countries in the world. No joke.

So, basically... getting back to traditional eating. Cooking things from scratch with high quality, good ingredients. The "benefit" thing that has come from the industrialization of the American food system is cheap food... which has yielded rises in obesity, allergies, disease, and chronic conditions that plague this country.

Anywho, in my own kitchen, I am on a mission no to get back to the basics. Cooking good, quality whole food meals that don't come from a box with a happy glove on it.
For these recipes, just assume organic produce, meat, and dairy. If you are on a tight budget, spend the money on the dairy and meat to reduce your exposure to antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones.

FIRST COURSE
With dinner, we have added a dark leafy green salad (mixed baby greens, spinach, and/or kale +chard). Even sweet Cade has begun to eat this and now knows he is going to eat his salad with his dinner. Seriously, it is doable with your kiddos! Start small and use dressing and fruit and they will take little steps :)

So, in addition to our nightly salad, here are some dinner faves...

Chicken Fajitas
 - I make this all the time now! It is SO simple and SO SO SO delicious.
We make chicken tacos, chicken nachos, or just eat the mixture plain!

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas 1 yellow onion, sliced
3 sweet peppers, sliced
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs
1/4 to ½ cup chicken broth, depending on preference
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cumin
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
Squirt of lime juice
Tortillas
Fajita fixings

Combine sliced onion and peppers in the bottom of a greased crockpot. Lay chicken on top of veggies. Pour chicken broth over top. Sprinkle everything with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Give a nice quirt of lime juice over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or on High for 4-6 hours). When meat is done, shred with two forks and stir back into juices. Serve meat mixture with slotted spoon on tortillas with your choice of fixings.

Pasta + MeatBalls
A bag of whole wheat pasta, quinoa pasta, or rice pasta + a jar of organic marinara sauce (or make your own sauce!)
+ add a cube of sweet potato or zucchini puree (I try to make these when the veggies are at my favorite farmer at the farmers market and freeze for use over the next few months) to the sauce while it simmers to add some veggie points.
+ add turkey meatballs or grass fed beef meatballs . TJ has yummy premade frozen turkey meatballs. Or you can make your own!

Make Ahead Frozen Meatballs RecipeThe Players

• 3 eggs from pastured hens

• 1 small onion, chopped (or half a large one)

• 1 1/3 C. bread crumbs (or cooked brown rice)

• 2 1/4 tsp. salt (find real sea salt)

• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

• 1 Tbsp. Italian herb blend

• 1/4 tsp. pepper

• 3 lbs. grass-fed ground beef (see resources)

The How-ToPreheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the next six ingredients and mix well. Finally, add the beef and mix well. Shape the meatballs into one inch balls (should make approximate  100 meatballs). Place in single layers on ungreased 1-inch deep baking pans and bake at 400F for 10 minutes, until done.
Drain the fats and store for later use or (heaven forbid!) discard.
Once the meatballs and pans have cooled to the touch, place the meatballs (tray and all) into your freezer to “flash freeze” them. After they’ve frozen, remove the meatballs from the trays and transfer to plastic freezer storage bags or other freezer storage.
Keep stored in freezer and remove only as many meatballs as you need at a time. You can thank the flash freezing for that. It helps each meatball hold its individual shape and not stick to the other meatballs around it. This way, you can remove as few or as many meatballs as you need for whatever you’re serving up.
Reheat make ahead frozen meatballs on the stove, in sauces, or in the oven (350F for 20 minutes).
Enjoy!

Homemade pizza
1 Slice of Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread - or our other favorite... the Costco Organic Multigrain Whole wheat bread
Spread leftover marinara sauce (from pasta that week-that includes the veggie puree) and top with Raw Cheddar cheese + toppings
-bake in toaster oven for 10-15 minutes...
(I make two each for adults, and one for the kids)

Breakfast Burritos
-Scrambled Pasture Raised Eggs using real butter to "grease" the pan.
-lightly coat a griddle with coconut oil, cut up white and/or red potatoes into 1" pieces, "fry" until they are browned, stirring frequently
-cook two-four slices of nitrate free bacon
-add bacon and eggs to the potatoes and stir fry together, chopping and mixing up the goodies all together
-add to a homemade tortilla or a whole wheat (NO enriched flour!) tortilla and enjoy a breakfast burrito!
-or eat the mixture plain with a piece of ezekiel toast buttered or with berry preserves.

BBQ Chicken Salad
This salad is the main course, so we don't have an additional salad with this one :)
-Place 1-3 Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts in your crock pot and pour one full bottle of Organic BBQ Sauce (TJ has a yummy one) over the chicken. Cover and crock pot for 8 hours... When putting together the salad, shred the chicken and use the excess bbq sauce for extra dressing.
-Darky Leafy Greens
-corn, boiled, then stripped for kernels
-black beans (organic canned is good if you don't have a bunch of black beans on hand :)
-home made tortilla strips, or organic corn chips crunched
-add shredded cheddar cheese
-add basil, tomato, cilantro and green onions if you like...
-Organic Ranch Dressing - look for a Ranch without soybean or canola oil
Mix it all up and be happy!

Taco Lettuce Wraps
-Use big Iceberg Lettuce slices for a little bowl
-fill with grass-fed taco meat (browned with homemade McCormick Taco Seasoning)
-top with usual toppings - avocado, cheese, cilantro, sour cream

DIY Taco Seasoning
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and store in air tight container

Vegetable Soup
The one I make is a secret family recipe. So you will have to just come over to my house when I make it and try to figure it out. Seriously, I have been forbidden to post it :)
There are lots of recipes online especially on Pinterest. You can easily find one and just experiment!

Good ol Baked Chicken 
This was a monday night staple in our house growin up!
-Use skin-on chicken and just sprinkle some Seasoning Salt on top of chicken on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 40-50 minutes until it is cooked (use a meat thermometer).

-use boneless chicken breasts - dip in egg - dip in whole wheat organic breadcrumbs and lay on lightly oiled foil lined baking sheet - bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes or until it is cooked (use a meat thermometer).

-Try this recipe: Melt in Your Mouth Chicken Breast, 1/2 c parmesan cheese,1 c Greek yogurt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt 1/2 tsp pepper,spread mix over chicken breasts, bake at 375 45 mins

-use boneless chicken breasts - dip in egg - dip in whole wheat organic breadcrumbs and lay on lightly oiled foil lined baking sheet - bake at 375 for 40-

Side Dishes
-Homemade tortilla chips

These are amazing!!!!! They taste so fresh and incomparable to bagged chips!!!

HOME MADE TORTILLA CHIPS: Ingredients:  1 package flour tortillas or 1 package corn tortilla 2 tablespoons oil 
Directions: 1 With a pastry brush, paint a very light coating of oil on one side of each tortilla. 2 Stack the tortillas greased side up in an even pile. 3 With a sharp, heavy knife (or serrated knife) cut the stack in half, then into quarters, then into eighths. 4 Separate the pieces and arrange them greased side up on a lightly oiled baking sheet. 5 Toast the chips in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until they are crisp and just beginning to brown lightly; watch them closely so they don't become over baked.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-tortilla-chips-4378?oc=linkback

-Homemade Salsa (I'll post this amazing recipe later)

-Whip up some Quinoa, cous cous, or brown rice.

-Good Ol Steamed or roasted Veggies . Make this a staple in your meals. I prefer the taste of steamed veggies... broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts (yes! I have begun to eat brussel sprouts! what?!?), carrots... you can steam all sorts of veggies! add good butter and enjoy!
-home made biscuits - these are so easy.

Basic Fluffy Biscuit Recipe 

    Ingredients:

• 2 cups pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil

    1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix the pastry flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.  Then pour in the milk and oil.  Stir until the flour mixes completely with the liquids.

    2. If your mix is still a bit doughy, sprinkle in a little bit more flour, and mix with a fork until you can handle the dough with your hands.

    3. Oil a pizza pan or a plain cookie sheet, then roll your dough out onto the oiled pan.  Use a biscuit cutter (or just a household cup) to cut your dough out into as many biscuits as you need.

    Hint: The biscuits will be much fluffier if the dough isn’t rolled down really flat.  Roll the dough out so that the top of the dough is a half an inch to an inch above the pan, before you cut the dough into biscuits.

    4. Slip the biscuits into the oven, and bake on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

    Butter and jam go well with this fluffy biscuit recipe, especially if you’re using the biscuits for breakfast.

So... I hope these are helpful for you! A little peak into my kitchen... I am learning, changing, and slowly getting used to new normals... to cutting up my own onions and peppers instead of buying bagged... actually trying new recipes from the cookbooks that have sat on my shelves begging for use...  making my own sauces and spice packets... hello! If I can do it... anyone can!!! :) Baby steps...