I have a confession to make. (Which is apt, I suppose, based on the title of this weird little blog). One of the main reasons I haven't been blogging as often as I should, which translates to once a week or so, is because I have been thoroughly sucked into the teenage world of vampires and werewolves. I have never once in my life had any interest in these creatures until just a couple weeks ago when I decided to see what all the fuss was about with Twilight. Just because it's an international phenomenon doesn't mean that I'm going to like it, I thought. Well, as it turns out, I do like it. A lot. Never before have I devoured 500+ page novels so quickly. There are 4 books in the series (in case you don't already know this). I'm reading the 3rd one, and anxiously awaiting the opening of the second movie next month. The 4th novel is more than 700 pages. No problem. I'd like to pace myself, but that's just not happening.
Part of what intrigues me about Twilight is that the author is a mom about my age with 3 kids, just doing her thing, and wakes up one morning with a dream so vivid she has to turn it into a novel. Fast forward a few years, and now her husband stays home with the kids while she rakes in the millions and is adored by her countless fans. Incredible! Haven't quite figured out my million-dollar-international-stardom idea, but I guess I'm still young (relatively).
Moving right along, then...
We had a great time in Boston. The drive was enjoyable, the water resort was a blast (especially because we had the whole place practically to ourselves), we got to wander around Harvard, and it was just fun to get away. Fall was beautiful there, but it is equally as beautiful on our street and in our backyard. There are some absolutely stunning colors, ones that I didn't see too much of living in Calgary. The kids are excited about jumping in some leaf piles, as soon as we rake some.
I wanted to mention how touched I was by all your comments when I wrote about my mom. I read and reread those comments and so appreciate each of you. It was interesting how each person that commented could relate on such a personal and specific level. Thanks for the love.
Another emotional day this week, as Monday was 2 years since my uncle was killed. Sometimes it's still so fresh and raw and other times I find myself trying to convince myself that it never really happened. Like my cousin said, the pain doesn't lessen, it gets worse as time goes on. My heart still breaks for my cousins and aunt who are just left with his memory.
Not sure how to smoothly segue onto the next topic from here...
I've been getting asked a lot about how the "raw" is going. Well, it's still coming along, slowly sometimes. I don't care how passionate I may be about raw, but I enjoyed my Thanksgiving turkey thoroughly, and there is just no substitute for that! Nor is there a substitute for the Butternut Turkey Soup I made as leftovers (which the kiddos loved - ha! they do like squash!) or the Cream of Turkey Soup... Both were so delish, and very healthy and most important, gobbled up by my munchkins. (My Oma used to laugh at Connor, who, at age 2, announced at her dinner table that he did not like squash. Guess he does after all - if only Oma could see him now!).
But, I digress. I have been a very faithful green smoothie drinker now for almost 4 months and I'm still loving them. The only thing that could make me love them more, I decided, was a proper blender (you know, one that actually gets rid of all the chunks). Well, I have saved my pennies and used some early Christmas money, and my beautiful new fancy-schmancy blender should be here in the next week or so. I really can't wait. It's silly to be so excited about an appliance, but blenders are probably my favorite appliance ever. I even ordered it in RED!
Lunch and snacks are often raw, but really nothing fancy. I've tried quite a few different raw recipes - some were good, some not so much. Supper is pretty much never raw, but does include even more veggies than before, many of which are indeed cooked. I can't give you an exact recipe for my green smoothie, as it varies slightly every day. So instead I'll just list some of my favorite ingredients and you can try for yourself, if you dare! Definitely leave me a comment if you try one, or leave me one anyway if you don't because they sound too odd. I eased into my green smoothie over a couple days, but the transition really wasn't all that hard. Here goes:
Blend together a rather large quantity of any greens you can get your hands on, using water as needed. Greens I use are: spinach (definitely the mildest and "smoothest", a good starter), collard greens, swiss chard (white and red), beet greens, kale (one of the most super of the superfoods), dandelion greens (I have found these beauties in several different grocery stores). I've even tossed in romaine lettuce and butter lettuce. The key is using a variety and mixing it up. You can use one or several, but just change it up every so often. I shove my blender full of greens and it blends down into approx. 2 cups of green sludge. Smell it. Then go stick your nose in the freshly mowed lawn. Then close your eyes and see if you can tell the difference! Yum. I've never tried the green sludge on its own, and probably never will. Some people do. If you do, I'll send you a prize!
So now you need a lot of yummy fruit to disguise the grass clippings. I like adding at least some frozen fruit, partly for creamy consistency, and partly to make it cold. (However, once I have my new blender, I'll be able to add ice and actually have it blend!). Some of my favorites are: bananas, mangoes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, pears, grapes. I have yet to toss in an apple, but might try it. Any combination of these fruits should work, although I always use a banana - it just seems to be a good flavor "masker". I also toss in extras such as flax and hemp seeds, which are very good for you, supposedly.
I'm going to leave you with that for now. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my ramblings!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Quick Hello
I just finished a yummy bowl of apple crisp, made with apples that the kids and I picked at a local apple orchard. Topped with some vanilla ice cream, it was absolutely delish! Not exactly a raw dessert, but, too bad! I was thinking of heading up to bed and reading, but I heard my blog calling my name, rather impatiently, I might add. Just a warning to manage your expectations about how coherent this post will be, as I'm getting pretty sleepy.
Speaking of raw food, some of you have been asking for updates. I'd like to say that I have totally given myself over to the raw food lifestyle and there's no turning back, but that would be lying. It certainly is a challenging transition to make, and I'm realizing that I need to be organized and plan things out in advance a little better if I'm going to prepare a raw meal. I've been doing tons of reading, and have loads of good recipes just waiting to be tried. Some I have tried and they've actually not been very good. It's turning out to be a very slow process for me, but that's ok. I've been having my daily green smoothie, and rarely miss a day. That's been the biggest change I've made. My smoothies are full of so many greens and fruits, that I know I'm doing my body some serious good. I've also been really good about having lots of raw snacks and have dramatically increased my fruit intake. I'm not allowing myself to feel any guilt over any non-raw food I eat, as a habit 35 years in the making is going to take some time to change.
I think I'll save any further thoughts for my next post, if I want it to make any sense. I'm fading fast here.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am looking forward to sharing a (non-raw) turkey dinner with my family, plus my mother-in-law and uncle. SO much to be thankful for!!
Speaking of raw food, some of you have been asking for updates. I'd like to say that I have totally given myself over to the raw food lifestyle and there's no turning back, but that would be lying. It certainly is a challenging transition to make, and I'm realizing that I need to be organized and plan things out in advance a little better if I'm going to prepare a raw meal. I've been doing tons of reading, and have loads of good recipes just waiting to be tried. Some I have tried and they've actually not been very good. It's turning out to be a very slow process for me, but that's ok. I've been having my daily green smoothie, and rarely miss a day. That's been the biggest change I've made. My smoothies are full of so many greens and fruits, that I know I'm doing my body some serious good. I've also been really good about having lots of raw snacks and have dramatically increased my fruit intake. I'm not allowing myself to feel any guilt over any non-raw food I eat, as a habit 35 years in the making is going to take some time to change.
I think I'll save any further thoughts for my next post, if I want it to make any sense. I'm fading fast here.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am looking forward to sharing a (non-raw) turkey dinner with my family, plus my mother-in-law and uncle. SO much to be thankful for!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
My Mom
I'm thinking a lot about my mom today, who would have celebrated her 66th birthday today if she was still here. I'm having a hard time imagining what she would have been like. I still picture her as young and fun and healthy and happy. When I think of my two aunts (my mom's two sisters) and my Oma (my mom's mom), then I feel like I have a sense of what my mom would have been like as she got older. I guess that's the closest I'll ever get. I do know that she would have loved being a grandma and I wish so much that my kids could have known their Grandma Kathy. They understand who she is, but apart from a few old photos and some of my stories, that's all they'll ever know of her.
A few things I'm remembering about my mom today.... the twinkle in her eye, her heartfelt laugh, her fun spirit, cuddling on her lap after kindergarten on the rocking chair, playing games, jumping on the trampoline in the heat of summer with the sprinkler on and lots of soap suds, having the best birthday parties, and always feeling secure and loved. I can't help but wish/long for her wisdom and advice now that I'm a mom. Funny how we can sometimes think of our own mothers as the experts, although there was definitely a time when we thought we knew so much more than them.
Wishing I was celebrating today, not just remembering,
tkb
A few things I'm remembering about my mom today.... the twinkle in her eye, her heartfelt laugh, her fun spirit, cuddling on her lap after kindergarten on the rocking chair, playing games, jumping on the trampoline in the heat of summer with the sprinkler on and lots of soap suds, having the best birthday parties, and always feeling secure and loved. I can't help but wish/long for her wisdom and advice now that I'm a mom. Funny how we can sometimes think of our own mothers as the experts, although there was definitely a time when we thought we knew so much more than them.
Wishing I was celebrating today, not just remembering,
tkb
Monday, September 21, 2009
September Sentiments
I have just spent the last half hour re-reading all my previous blogs and comments. It was so nice to read the comments that were left -all the support sent my way for all my crazy backyard adventures was much appreciated! I now have a big goofy grin on my face, because I feel so loved. I'm sure all but the most faithful readers have given up on me by now, so I do apologize to those of you who actually did notice my absence. You totally make my day whenever I hear from you.
I don't even know where to begin. I suppose a brief update is in order. (You're probably already snorting with laughter that I would suggest that I could give a brief update. I have never been known for my brevity, and actually, I seem to be getting less-brief as I get older. Oh help).
The rest of our summer was fantastic. Although we never did go camping, as we kept telling the kids we would, we did spend a great day at the beach, lots of days at various pools, hours upon hours in our cooled-down hot tub, and lots of sleeping in and relaxing. As much as we all enjoy our time together, and the lack of routine, there seems to be something built into the kids, that after 10 weeks of being together non-stop, something's gonna blow. It actually starts earlier than 10 weeks, but everyone starts to get at each other (everyone except my hubby who is not around the rest of us all day long). The whines get whinier, the noise gets louder, the arguments become more, well, argumentative, til we're all (just about) ready for school to begin. I truly love summer - if I could have one season all year, it would be summer. But kids need routines, too, and summer doesn't have those (at least not at our house).
But when September arrives, I find myself dragging my heels just a bit, trying to slow down its inevitable arrival. All of the sudden it's the first day of school and I'm setting my alarm, and making lunches and hurrying everyone out the door and I wonder if summer was just a dream. I look at Connor, all ready for grade 3 and I really can't believe it. He's in a portable this year, just like I was in grade 3, and his teacher is wonderful and he seems so happy to be back. Then there's Taya, who was pretty ripped off with her staggered start - she was rarin' to go! She has the same teacher this year, which is great, at least until mid-October, when the regular teacher is back from mat-leave. And then there is Logan. Ahhhh. My sweet baby is off to school. My tears were bittersweet, that's for sure. It wasn't that long ago that he was 5 pounds and not much bigger than a bunch of bananas! I was worried for him. He's always had a harder time than the other two when we leave him (Sunday school, etc.). So often there were tears. But wouldn't you know it, he was so grown up going with his teacher, this time leaving me, and this time it was my turn for tears. Truthfully, however, my tears didn't last long. No time for that when I'm off to get my hair done!!! Woohoo!
It certainly seems to help Logan that he and Taya are dropped off in the same area, and their classrooms are very close. He likes knowing that his big brother and sister aren't far off. (Or maybe that's just me). He's so excited after school, telling me all about his new adventures. So even though it's bittersweet that they're all in school (T and L go all day Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Friday), I'm a happy mommy, knowing they're all in the same school and (hopefully) loving every minute of it.
I'm planning to work some of the days the kids are at school, which allows for a few more evenings at home. C and T will be doing gymnastics again, and C is doing piano. I'm hoping to still have some time for volunteering at the school, running, and whatever else I can squeeze into those precious few hours!
I don't even know where to begin. I suppose a brief update is in order. (You're probably already snorting with laughter that I would suggest that I could give a brief update. I have never been known for my brevity, and actually, I seem to be getting less-brief as I get older. Oh help).
The rest of our summer was fantastic. Although we never did go camping, as we kept telling the kids we would, we did spend a great day at the beach, lots of days at various pools, hours upon hours in our cooled-down hot tub, and lots of sleeping in and relaxing. As much as we all enjoy our time together, and the lack of routine, there seems to be something built into the kids, that after 10 weeks of being together non-stop, something's gonna blow. It actually starts earlier than 10 weeks, but everyone starts to get at each other (everyone except my hubby who is not around the rest of us all day long). The whines get whinier, the noise gets louder, the arguments become more, well, argumentative, til we're all (just about) ready for school to begin. I truly love summer - if I could have one season all year, it would be summer. But kids need routines, too, and summer doesn't have those (at least not at our house).
But when September arrives, I find myself dragging my heels just a bit, trying to slow down its inevitable arrival. All of the sudden it's the first day of school and I'm setting my alarm, and making lunches and hurrying everyone out the door and I wonder if summer was just a dream. I look at Connor, all ready for grade 3 and I really can't believe it. He's in a portable this year, just like I was in grade 3, and his teacher is wonderful and he seems so happy to be back. Then there's Taya, who was pretty ripped off with her staggered start - she was rarin' to go! She has the same teacher this year, which is great, at least until mid-October, when the regular teacher is back from mat-leave. And then there is Logan. Ahhhh. My sweet baby is off to school. My tears were bittersweet, that's for sure. It wasn't that long ago that he was 5 pounds and not much bigger than a bunch of bananas! I was worried for him. He's always had a harder time than the other two when we leave him (Sunday school, etc.). So often there were tears. But wouldn't you know it, he was so grown up going with his teacher, this time leaving me, and this time it was my turn for tears. Truthfully, however, my tears didn't last long. No time for that when I'm off to get my hair done!!! Woohoo!
It certainly seems to help Logan that he and Taya are dropped off in the same area, and their classrooms are very close. He likes knowing that his big brother and sister aren't far off. (Or maybe that's just me). He's so excited after school, telling me all about his new adventures. So even though it's bittersweet that they're all in school (T and L go all day Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Friday), I'm a happy mommy, knowing they're all in the same school and (hopefully) loving every minute of it.
I'm planning to work some of the days the kids are at school, which allows for a few more evenings at home. C and T will be doing gymnastics again, and C is doing piano. I'm hoping to still have some time for volunteering at the school, running, and whatever else I can squeeze into those precious few hours!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Stay tuned...
I've been realizing that summer is not conducive to blogging, so lest you think I've given up on this altogether, I haven't, and shall resume more regular blogging very shortly, once the kids are back to school. *giddy shrieks of delight followed by bittersweet tears*
See ya soon!!
See ya soon!!
Monday, July 27, 2009
I'm Still Here
Apparently I haven't blogged in awhile... I guess that's summer for you. Did you miss me? Did you even notice? Don't worry, you can't offend me.
We've already had a pretty full summer around here. We spent the first week of July at a cottage (or rather, a beach house as it was called) on Lake Erie. Our great friends Steve and Angie and their kids joined us, and the week was fantastic! There was plenty of room in the house for all 9 of us - we were the 4th guests at this cottage, so everything was clean and new. Our room overlooked the lake, and we would fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the waves. Some nights the waves were intense and the crashing on the beach was enough to keep us awake, and other nights it was so peaceful we could hardly hear them. One night we were awoken by a huge thunderstorm. I got out of bed to close the windows, lest they blow off their hinges. Well, the one window didn't close from inside, so I had to go outside to push it closed (we had a large balcony off our second floor bedroom). So there I was in the howling wind and driving rain, in my underwear, trying to get this window closed, while lightning is flashing all around me. It must have made a ridiculous sight, if anyone was watching. Just glad I didn't get hit by that lightning...
Back home, we dove right into VBS and swimming lessons, with a good dose of sleeping in. All 3 kids went to VBS for 3 hours, 5 days in a row. It was... well, I don't want to say blissful, lest you get the idea that I don't like being with my kids (because I do), but I really, really enjoyed getting a whole bunch of errands done all by myself. I went for a few runs, wasted some quality time at Indigo, went for breakfast with a friend, and even attempted to give blood. I say attempted, because I was denied. Apparently, because I gave blood as a teenager under a different last name, there was some confusion, although I'm sure I've given blood since I've been married. Part of the problem was that they had labelled me (a 100 pound 16 year old) a fainting hazard. I certainly don't weigh 100 pounds anymore, so pretty sure I can handle giving some blood! It was actually kind of sad, as I know they're desperate for blood right now. Anyway, got a call tonight that it's all sorted out, so I can give blood again. Not sure when, though, with 3 kids in tow. Guess I'll have to wait til September when everyone is off at school.
I had planned to give you a little raw food update, but I have just realized that it's really late and I need some sleep! Don't hold your breath or anything, but my next post will definitely not be so long in coming. See, now I have to prove myself right!
Hope you're having a happy summer!
We've already had a pretty full summer around here. We spent the first week of July at a cottage (or rather, a beach house as it was called) on Lake Erie. Our great friends Steve and Angie and their kids joined us, and the week was fantastic! There was plenty of room in the house for all 9 of us - we were the 4th guests at this cottage, so everything was clean and new. Our room overlooked the lake, and we would fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the waves. Some nights the waves were intense and the crashing on the beach was enough to keep us awake, and other nights it was so peaceful we could hardly hear them. One night we were awoken by a huge thunderstorm. I got out of bed to close the windows, lest they blow off their hinges. Well, the one window didn't close from inside, so I had to go outside to push it closed (we had a large balcony off our second floor bedroom). So there I was in the howling wind and driving rain, in my underwear, trying to get this window closed, while lightning is flashing all around me. It must have made a ridiculous sight, if anyone was watching. Just glad I didn't get hit by that lightning...
Back home, we dove right into VBS and swimming lessons, with a good dose of sleeping in. All 3 kids went to VBS for 3 hours, 5 days in a row. It was... well, I don't want to say blissful, lest you get the idea that I don't like being with my kids (because I do), but I really, really enjoyed getting a whole bunch of errands done all by myself. I went for a few runs, wasted some quality time at Indigo, went for breakfast with a friend, and even attempted to give blood. I say attempted, because I was denied. Apparently, because I gave blood as a teenager under a different last name, there was some confusion, although I'm sure I've given blood since I've been married. Part of the problem was that they had labelled me (a 100 pound 16 year old) a fainting hazard. I certainly don't weigh 100 pounds anymore, so pretty sure I can handle giving some blood! It was actually kind of sad, as I know they're desperate for blood right now. Anyway, got a call tonight that it's all sorted out, so I can give blood again. Not sure when, though, with 3 kids in tow. Guess I'll have to wait til September when everyone is off at school.
I had planned to give you a little raw food update, but I have just realized that it's really late and I need some sleep! Don't hold your breath or anything, but my next post will definitely not be so long in coming. See, now I have to prove myself right!
Hope you're having a happy summer!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Cut the Crap! (aka - Teresa's epiphany)
I can honestly say that I've never before used the words crap and epiphany in the same breath, and I'm guessing you could say the same. There are just not a lot of opportunities to use those words in general (well, ok, maybe the first one, but it's borderline rude sometimes), never mind together. So, what's it all about? I'll tell you, while I sip my honey-sweetened green tea. (If I begin to sound a little delirious, don't be alarmed - I didn't fall asleep until after 2:30 last night, and my 10 minute "nap" today, didn't really make a dent in the sleep deprivation deficit).
We all have problems that we face on a daily basis (and if you don't, I want to know your secret!). Some of us face huge challenges, perhaps with health, jobs, family stuff, etc., and lots of us just have sort of regular, day-to-day problems. That's currently where I'm at, and I'm very thankful for that. I truly have nothing to complain about, and the things I do complain about are things that I can take charge of and change. My biggest "complaints" were a general feeling of perpetual tiredness (I don't go to sleep every night at 2:30), generally not feeling motivated, brain fogginess, occasional headaches, skin that's starting to look its age, and those extra pounds that don't feel like they belong on my body and that some of my clothes were becoming adverse to. Anyone else have similar problems? Maybe I should call them issues....
I have been feeling myself falling into a rut, and it's getting deeper and harder to pull myself out of it. Sure, I'm running more, and trying to get enough sleep, but those things weren't really making the impact I was hoping for. It's also pretty hard (for me, anyway) to just tell myself to eat healthier - I love my food, both the good and the bad, and plenty of it! iRun so I can enjoy my food! I'm a true "meat-a-tarian" as the Wendy's commercial puts it - it's a personal choice!
Then, last week, I was checking out a few blogs that I happened across, and all of the sudden, a giant lightbulb came on above my head, and I knew what I needed to do - cut the crap! I realize this is not rocket science, and I'm kind of laughing about how simple it is, but when something just suddenly makes sense to you, you wonder why you never really got it before. In a nutshell, I've decided to make my diet as raw as possible, something I never would have imagined doing in a million years. Everywhere I was reading, people were talking about the great improvements they had when they went raw - more energy, less tiredness, mental clarity, better skin, and of course, proper weight management! There it was - all of my problems could be solved with one solution!
I'm not about to call myself a vegetarian, or a vegan, because there are certain foods I'm just not willing to give up, ie. salmon, potatoes, coffee (with the good stuff in it), my homemade cinnamon buns, cheese - actually, there are quite a few things on that list. The point is to add as much raw food into my day as I possibly can, and then not feel guilty about the rest. In less than a week, I've already decreased my desire for some of those things, and I'm slowly cutting out some of the crap! My goal with this is not to try to live to 100, but to live whatever years I have in better health.
I read a suggestion to start by going raw one day a week, but I've come up with something that works better for me. Seeing as how supper is a family event at our house, and I don't make separate meals for people, I'm going to leave it as is. But breakfast and lunch are perfect chances for me to eat raw. It feels fantastic to eat raw all day, then thoroughly enjoy a cooked dinner. Does the cooked meal cancel out all the raw meals? I don't think so - I think any positive changes are a step in the right direction.
I've already tried a bunch of unusual foods this week - some were great, some not so great. My staple so far is the green smoothie. I've always enjoyed a good smoothie, full of fresh and frozen fruits, juice, yogurt. But now I'm starting my day with a green smoothie and I'm surprised to find that they are very tasty, and oh-so healthy. I blend up a mixture of spinach, chard and a little kale with some water and it turns into a beautiful bright green frothy mixture. Then I add (this varies) a frozen banana, frozen mango, fresh or frozen strawberries and raspberries, some flax seed, some hemp seed (loaded with protein), and maybe a date or two for extra sweetness. It actually turns into an odd brownish-green color, but it is a fantastic breakfast! I'm looking forward to throwing in some fresh peaches when they're in season.
You're probably thinking how unappetizing it is to drink spinach, and yes, it does sound weird, but fortunately all the fruit makes it taste yummy. Trust me, I wouldn't drink it if it wasn't yummy! So there you have it, my foray into the world of raw food. I'm excited to see some results in the coming months, and will let you know what happens! I have an incredible amount to learn about all this, but I do love to read, so doing the research and finding recipes should be quite entertaining for me. I'm quite excited about the new raw cookbook (it's probably called an uncookbook) I just bought and hoping to be inspired!
My green tea is gone, my eyes are watering, and my family is all snoring away happily, which means I need to get to bed, too. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so sleeping in is on my agenda. Thanks for following along with my crazy ramblings. As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so keep 'em coming, even if Blogger doesn't let you comment on here.
Happy Canada Day!
We all have problems that we face on a daily basis (and if you don't, I want to know your secret!). Some of us face huge challenges, perhaps with health, jobs, family stuff, etc., and lots of us just have sort of regular, day-to-day problems. That's currently where I'm at, and I'm very thankful for that. I truly have nothing to complain about, and the things I do complain about are things that I can take charge of and change. My biggest "complaints" were a general feeling of perpetual tiredness (I don't go to sleep every night at 2:30), generally not feeling motivated, brain fogginess, occasional headaches, skin that's starting to look its age, and those extra pounds that don't feel like they belong on my body and that some of my clothes were becoming adverse to. Anyone else have similar problems? Maybe I should call them issues....
I have been feeling myself falling into a rut, and it's getting deeper and harder to pull myself out of it. Sure, I'm running more, and trying to get enough sleep, but those things weren't really making the impact I was hoping for. It's also pretty hard (for me, anyway) to just tell myself to eat healthier - I love my food, both the good and the bad, and plenty of it! iRun so I can enjoy my food! I'm a true "meat-a-tarian" as the Wendy's commercial puts it - it's a personal choice!
Then, last week, I was checking out a few blogs that I happened across, and all of the sudden, a giant lightbulb came on above my head, and I knew what I needed to do - cut the crap! I realize this is not rocket science, and I'm kind of laughing about how simple it is, but when something just suddenly makes sense to you, you wonder why you never really got it before. In a nutshell, I've decided to make my diet as raw as possible, something I never would have imagined doing in a million years. Everywhere I was reading, people were talking about the great improvements they had when they went raw - more energy, less tiredness, mental clarity, better skin, and of course, proper weight management! There it was - all of my problems could be solved with one solution!
I'm not about to call myself a vegetarian, or a vegan, because there are certain foods I'm just not willing to give up, ie. salmon, potatoes, coffee (with the good stuff in it), my homemade cinnamon buns, cheese - actually, there are quite a few things on that list. The point is to add as much raw food into my day as I possibly can, and then not feel guilty about the rest. In less than a week, I've already decreased my desire for some of those things, and I'm slowly cutting out some of the crap! My goal with this is not to try to live to 100, but to live whatever years I have in better health.
I read a suggestion to start by going raw one day a week, but I've come up with something that works better for me. Seeing as how supper is a family event at our house, and I don't make separate meals for people, I'm going to leave it as is. But breakfast and lunch are perfect chances for me to eat raw. It feels fantastic to eat raw all day, then thoroughly enjoy a cooked dinner. Does the cooked meal cancel out all the raw meals? I don't think so - I think any positive changes are a step in the right direction.
I've already tried a bunch of unusual foods this week - some were great, some not so great. My staple so far is the green smoothie. I've always enjoyed a good smoothie, full of fresh and frozen fruits, juice, yogurt. But now I'm starting my day with a green smoothie and I'm surprised to find that they are very tasty, and oh-so healthy. I blend up a mixture of spinach, chard and a little kale with some water and it turns into a beautiful bright green frothy mixture. Then I add (this varies) a frozen banana, frozen mango, fresh or frozen strawberries and raspberries, some flax seed, some hemp seed (loaded with protein), and maybe a date or two for extra sweetness. It actually turns into an odd brownish-green color, but it is a fantastic breakfast! I'm looking forward to throwing in some fresh peaches when they're in season.
You're probably thinking how unappetizing it is to drink spinach, and yes, it does sound weird, but fortunately all the fruit makes it taste yummy. Trust me, I wouldn't drink it if it wasn't yummy! So there you have it, my foray into the world of raw food. I'm excited to see some results in the coming months, and will let you know what happens! I have an incredible amount to learn about all this, but I do love to read, so doing the research and finding recipes should be quite entertaining for me. I'm quite excited about the new raw cookbook (it's probably called an uncookbook) I just bought and hoping to be inspired!
My green tea is gone, my eyes are watering, and my family is all snoring away happily, which means I need to get to bed, too. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so sleeping in is on my agenda. Thanks for following along with my crazy ramblings. As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so keep 'em coming, even if Blogger doesn't let you comment on here.
Happy Canada Day!
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