Food based Russian Roulette

Now being the nutritionally savvy person I am, I like to think I have a grasp on food. I know what is good for your body and I know what is bad. I can cook awesome food that is super healthy without even thinking about it. It's like a gift I have. Normally our food has been really good. We have the odd indulgence but we definitely eat better than the average North American.

You know what though, little baby sweet pea doesn't give a rats ass what Mommy thinks about eating healthy.

What do I get cravings for? Something deep friend, smothered in gravy and cheese. Yes my current love is poutine. You should have it if you haven't before, it is awesome. I want salt and lots of salt. Like I'm telling you I could just crack the sea salt right into my mouth and be happy. Now I know this isn't all the good for me. I know we need to balance food.

But little baby sweet pea still doesn't give a rats ass. If I don't give my little fetus what my body is craving I get to vomit. That's seems to be my choice right now. Eat what I crave or hug a toilet. This really isn't too hard of a choice. The problem comes when I want something but I have no idea what. This create a very emotional time because I know if I don't eat I will be sick and if I eat the wrong thing I will be sick. Kinda feels like I'm running around blindfolded in the grocery store with a gun to my head... pick the wrong thing and DEATH. Yes that may sound a touch dramatic but unless you have experienced this level of sickness and heartburn you can't possibly understand.

Yes so what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner .......... who knows???????

I'm sure the other children can survive on what they can reach and what I can throw on a plate without being sick, right? I'm sure. Oh and what dad makes when he is home. ( He is awesome like that )

Trying to make a change

You know what you want to do with your health. Though the big question is what are the steps that you need to take? Do you need to do a complete diet overhaul? Join a gym? Get a trainer? It all can get very overwhelming. Particularly if you are a busy mom with little ones it can seem like too much.

So what do you do?

Well remember back in school the " K.I.S.S" acronym? If you don't then you really need to know about this. It is quite easy and can be applied in many aspects of life.  Keep It Simple Silly ( or whatever "S" word you choose to use)

Thats about it. Keep it simple. Your body got the way it was over years, it wont change in just a few days it will take time and effort. Making small simple manageable steps will keep you going. Major over hauls get exhausting. Cutting out all your fave foods suck ass. You can make the change you want you just need to start smaller.

Start with going for a evening walk with the family or without if that will help sanity. Bring up the pace mix up the terrain. ( I have no shortage of hills in my area) Look up different workout routines on YouTube. Some of them can be really fun. Go try a yoga or Zumba class. For classes I wouldn't suggesting getting a long membership right off the bat go for a month or two before shelling out the big $$$.

Try for one or two carb & sugar free dinners a week. Add raw veggies to all your lunches. Grab something new from the health alse next time you are in the grocery store ( not the treats, the real food)

Small and simple differences can make for better changes. More lasting changes.

If you choose to do a detox or cleanse keep the timing short but at least 21 days. It is said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. You don't want to do a sugar cleanse just to binge after it.

What small and simple changes have you made this week towards better health

What's for dinner?

Steak, Gnocchi,green beans & Honey Sesame Yams

Farmers Sausage, tortellini, & roaster carrots and brussle sprouts

Fruits salad with dragon fruit, apples, watermelon,pineapple, kale & chia seeds with a drizzle of honey

Gluten free pasta with cheese and hemp seeds with veggies on the side

Portabello mushroom pizza caps

Cuca-apple Salad

Cuca-apple  Salad

This is a nice quick salad. Easy to throw together and different from you normal.

6 Mini Cucumbers
1 cup of diced Tomatoes (fresh)
2 rings of Pineapple ( fresh is best)
1 handful of Mint (fresh)
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp Chia seeds





Chop up the fruit and veggies and place them in a bowl. Dice up the mint and add it to the bowl. Top with balsimic vinegar and chia seeds. toss. Place in the fridge for about 1/2 an hour to let all the flavour mingle. Toss again and serve.

Servings for approximatley 3 people

Wordless Wednesday ~~~~~ Offering Healthy choices

Mamavation Monday~~~~~~ For the love of the run

Today the world was once again shocked but the actions of others. Today there was an attack on the Boston Marathon. It is easy to say that it shook the world. Even non runners know about this marathon, it is the holy grail for most runners to even be able to qualify for it.

Today was scary for everyone but especially for many runners, who aspire to run in high profile races. I hope in the days to come we can get some answers for this. 

I will still continue to run on my own but right now high profile races are off my radar. I know everyday there are risks and some I just choose not to take. While in Canada the levels of bombings are much lower, taking the risk still feels too scary today. 

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

So yummy and so good for you. There are times when you are changing your diet and things get hard. You don't know what to do or how to stay on track.

Trying to find good easy healthy things to make can be a challenge. Enter Spaghetti Squash. I really like it for it's versatility, an awesome sub for pasta as well. With this recipe it was quite simple and you can change it for what is in your fridge.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

1 Spaghetti Squash 

1/2 beet grated

1 carrot

1 avocado

1 cup artichoke pieces

1/4 onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take the squash and cut it n half and scoop out the seeds and goop.Pleace them on a baking sheet, insides up. Lay the beet around the inside of the squash. Take the rest of the vegetables and lightly saute them. Then place them evenly in each squash half. Place in oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes, or till squash is soft and pokeable.

Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. scoop out and serve. Top with hemp hearts for added protein :)

stuffed squash with kale chips and walnut"meat"

Calorie- smalorie

Who hate counting calories? I know I do. So what do I do about, well I simply don't count.

I know it's crazy right. How can you possibly be trying to lose that last bit of baby weight and get into shape if you don't count calories or points. How to I work towards my desired weight? Well I make smart choices. I eat whole real food. I'll be honest I tried to count calories for or about 6 days. Drove me crazy. I don't eat much for pre packaged food so I would have to input my entire recipes with quantities , ugh and figure out servings and all the stuff. I like cooking, not figuring stuff like that out. So I stopped, really was sucking the joy out of cooking for me.

I don't have anything agaisnt people who do calorie count. It is something that I just can't figure out.


Now I do fully acknowledge calories on processed foods. I can see the calories on the package, that I understand. When I go out or have a packaged snack I keep in check those calories. Mainly because I do not have full control of what is in the products. I like to know what is in my food and because I can't dissect everything and ingredient lists don't always appear fully forth coming with big fancy words that hide different things.

I also don't fully understand how you get your calories burned unless you are on a tread mill and have it monitoring for you. I understand that you need to record your heart rate and all that but another fancy tool that I just don't have the time or the money for.

I prefer really to keep it simple. what what I eat, keep it whole food high in nutritional value. keep processed foods low. And keep your body moving, find exercise in everything thing you can do. Keep pushing and keep moving.

Do you count your calories? If you do how do you do it?

A little Vegan Sex in a Dish

The other day I was poking around on some blogs and I found this little gem. Vegan Sex sounds super yummy to me so I figured I had noting to lose with trying it. Due to the fact that following recipes is not really my forte I took a few liberties. This is the second go at it. We tried the lemon first and it was too strong and because I was out of lemon but had a lime we used that and OMG!

Ingredients

1-2 roasted sweet potato/ yam ( depending on where you are they are called different things, the orange one!)
1 lime juiced
1/2 cup quinoa
10 cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 avocado
Salt & pepper


Preheat the oven to 425 and place the pierced sweet potato/yam on a baking sheet. ( trust me on this on I just put it on the rake and it oozed and burnt and smelled like burnt marshmellows)
Cook the half a cup of quinoa according to package ( usually a 2:1, so full cup of water for this) Chop up the cucumbers and tomatoes into bite sized pieces and set aside. Take the avocado  lime juice and slat and pepper and blend together to make a nice creamy bunch of deliciousness  :) Once the sweet potato / yam is roasted.,about an hour or so depending on the size. ( we had a giant one on steroids ) Remove the skin and mash it up, feel free to add butter if you you feel the need but we didn't. Take cooked quinoa and add the cucumber and tomatoes and mix. Next put some sweet potato/ yam on a plate top with the quinoa salad and then the avocado dressing. Pair with a yummy salada and there you go. Enjoy!

Serving ~ 4-5 people

What is real health

Health is really a holistic thing, it is not about just doing one thing. You, all of you, body, soul and mind all need to be going towards a common goal of health.

For most people the place they tend to start is the idea of getting healthy is working out hard and getting skinny. Big thing right there. SKINNY DOES NOT EQUAL HEALTH. I want that permanently etched in to your brain. Yes healthy people tend to be leaner and their body portions tend to proper. Though just because some is skinny does not mean they are healthy.  The same can go the other way, just because you aren't skinny doesn't mean you aren't healthy. We all have different shaped bodies, there is no mold everyone is a bit different.

Your Body: You need movement it is a need without you will waste away. You know the saying " use it or lose it". This couldn't be more true. Stretching, lifting walking moving your body in many different ways is best for your health. Also getting checked by people who special in bodily health ( massage therapists & Chiropractors) is really good for the things you can't do yourself.

Your Mind: You thoughts even fleeting ones can shape you. If you have regular toxic thoughts in your mind, the toxicity will be in your life. You need to be thinking healthy to move towards being being healthy. Are you think that it is hard and something you could never do? Then it will be hard and something you will never do! Your thoughts are amazingly powerful, let them have the power to help you

Your Soul: Whether you believe in any sort of divinity or not is irrelevant. You have something about you that controls and centers you. Many people work on focus with yoga, meditation and prayer. yours needs to be positive and believe in you. Before others can believe that you will make the change you have to believe that you will make the change.


Think about you as a whole not just the parts that make you whole!

Mamavation Monday ~~~ When the world crashes

Just keep going. Life will go on with or with out you.
Ever have those weight-loss moments when you feel like nothing you do is ever going to work? When you don't understand why you can't seem to lose weight. You change your diet, you eat right, you exercise. Nothing changes though...... Or worse the weight goes up. Really really lame!
Yup this has been battle I knew a few issues were on I had trouble getting enough calories into my body for what I was doing. I wasn't hungry but my body was starving. I really have been trying to change this but it is hard. The second reason I suspected but hadn't confirmed due to wonky hormones. I was pregnant. Unfortunately was is the key word. This has been very saddening, but it happens  it just sucks. So we are on the path of working to heal my body a bit more and get it ready to grow another person when the time is right.
Getting back on track in a few days. Just need a few moments to process.

Mamavation Monday ~~~~ When they just wont eat

Do you have a picky eater in your home? 

How do you manage healthy meals with picky eaters in the home?

You know what I don't have this trouble but I have friends who do. I feel at a loss when their kids are over and they wont eat what I feed them. Nothing really edges me off as much as a kid who sticks their nose up at good healthy food. When they start making gross noises and complaining about what they are being served, I can't help but think of the kids out there who would love to even eat today.
I try to be very understanding with kids who have sensitivities  Ones who have texture issues or allergies. Though kids who just down right refused can really frustrate me. I try to remain somewhat level headed. There are times where I fail, just like any other person. I put a lot of effort into the food I create.
I do though have a few tricks for getting my boys to eat new things.
By now most people have heard about the Deceptively Delicious Cookbook. It is all about getting the nutrients into the kids who down right refuse to eat anything that is unprocessed. This can be a good tool to keep the nutrients in their diets.  How can you change the attitude towards healthy options?

My answer is super simple. Don't offer the unhealthy ones anymore. Don't even let them be an option. Yes it may suck for you as an adult that you now no longer have some yummy things in your house. Still having treats once in awhile is good. But take away whatever they are substituting for real food! Also keep offering keep the veggies on their plates. Let them see YOU eating them and enjoying them. Encourage them to try them at every single meal. They don't have to like it but they do have to try it. It sounds harsh to some people, but it is a fact that for some thing you have to try something at least 3 and up to 15 times to develop a taste.

For people with babies start you babies on veggies as soon as they are ready for real food around 6-9 month feed you child real food. ( monitored of course ) If you look at new feeding suggestions by many national health groups you will see what I am talking about.
For children who do not have special needs, sometimes tough love is needed. There is always food available  don't like it don't eat it. I don't make special dinners for those who choose to not eat. I do listen to the children  and if they truly don't like it then I wont make it again. This is dinner and if you follow me on instagram you will see the yummy things I cook.

Food is important, it is the fuel your body uses. It is the only body you have and will ever have! Think about it!

“This post is sponsored by Roni Noone and Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway”

Mamavation Monday ----- a few days late

I'm late, I'm late for very important date. No time to say "hello"- "good bye". I'm late I'm late I'm late!- The White Rabbit

This Monday update is late but I have a good reason, my keyboard on my laptop broke. :( I had some letters but not all. As is I''m using hubby's notebook to write this. It is a full keyboard replacement :( I guess the tech found a penny and a safety pin under the keyboard. eeek Oh well it should be fixed soon.

Now that we are done with excuses,on to the update. ----------- dead silence------------

I don't have much to up date on as nothing is happening. I have joined a running group, I'm not very fast but I keep going. Last week i did 6 k in about an hour this week I did 7k in 55 minutes. Nothing fantastic but I did it and that is what is important. Also I think it is pretty good because this is the first distance running I have ever done.

The other issues is right now I'm sick again....... this trying for a baby seems to be wearing on my system. That or I am already pregnant and this is morning sickness. Either way even with diet changes I'm super tired and I feel like vomiting. Well see what the next few weeks bring.

The scale is not changing really I'm bouncing around, lose a little gain a little. So frustrating, but I just have to focus on how I am feeling keep getting my work outs in and eat right.

Love you all

What challenges are you facing in your weight-loss journey?

Mamavation Monday ~~~~ Freedom of the road

Well I finally went running last week. 5k. :) Went pretty well had to walk some but having a coach with me made a world of difference. I went further, ran longer, pushed harder. I highly recommend getting a group that will challenge you to run with.
As for weightloss I am getting frustrated with the scale. It's not moving much at all. Right now I am thinking if I focus more on my fitness and stress less about the number it will work better. You know, because really the inches matter too!
In other news I have been working on planning my garden for this year. I have a much bigger plot than I did last year which is going to mean hopefully lots of yummy food. I am also transferring some beds into veggie spaces so I can have all the things I want. :)


 “This post is sponsored Dole and Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway”

Resolutions Suck

Every new year people make resolutions and many by the first week have broken them. Next the feeling of failure and defeat come, and they give up. If they failed once they will fail again. That is the biggest issues!!!!


So many people wait till the new year to start something. Why wait? Why put yourself through the stress of over and over again punishing yourself, because you can't change your life completely at the beginning of the new year.

Now I'm all for people changing their lives to be more of whatever it is that they want to be but taking smaller more reasonable steps, just makes more sense.

Did you know most people have quit their resolution by the end of January, just given up?

Why do you think that is? I'll tell why I think that is.

They don't have a plan. They don't know what they are actually going to do about it. When the going gets tough what are they going to change? Whether it's getting healthy, fit, losing weight, cleaning the house more, quitting smoking, even having more sex, whatever it is with out a real plan it will go no where.

Already today I see twitter and Facebook feeds asking how to get out of the funk of their resolution?  How to curb cravings and do you have to work out even when your sick?

Now trust me I'm great at figuring out how to fail at whatever I'm doing. I really don't start with a well thought out plan. I have a plan for the first few days while I'm still energized but once it gets hard things fall apart.

Changing your life style is hard it take time effort and plans. It really does! I have read that it takes 21 days for a habit to form. Well I still waiting to find out how long to make that habit stick. because 21 days hasn't been enough this far.

But not that changes!

I'm going for it. I will change.

Get a plan set some real goals and going for it :)

Mamavation Monday ~~~ Eating for a Change

Wow it is amazing how fast a week can go by, isn't it? With being accepted into the Sisitahood, I have been trying to focus more on what I am doing and what is going into my body. I have two challenges for January going on. First I'm doing and ab challenge that I found online that is a few daily exercises to help target the core, a place where I know I am weak ( many people are!)

Second I'm doing a raw green smoothie challenge with Young and Raw. I like smoothies for my morning drink because it is easy and I know i'm getting lots of good stuff in my body to start the day. I make it an intention to never put more in my smoothie then I would actually eat at a sitting so I'm not overfilling my body.

this was a green smoothie for the whole family

So far it is going great. this past week I have focused on keeping my sugar down so I found a delish little snack that is so super good for you it can barely be called a treat, but those are the best kind. :) We are having lots of veggies with dinner and little to no grains for me and not surprising i'm not feeling bloated and icky. 

Well that the update for m=now.. week one going well lets go for week two !!!

"This post is sponsored by Schick Intuition and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway." at the bottom of your post and enter to win one of 4 Schick Intuition Razors. DETAILS ON THIS WEEK'S MAMAVATION MONDAY POST!

Peanut Butter Protein Nibblies

This is one of my recipe conversions to healthify a recipe that I saw that had a good basic idea. I took it made it my own and changed the name.

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

1/2 cup  brown sugar  Coconut Sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter --> please use just peanut nut or a natural nut butter, the only ingredient should be nuts!)
1/4 cup soy or regular milk Nut milk ( I used almond)
1/4 cup honey/ molasses -->I used both 3 tbsp each
3/4  1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour Almond meal
3/4 cup oats
1/2 tsp baking soda 
2 3 tbsp canola oil Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tsp vanilla --> once again check your ingredient it should just be extract & maybe a bit of sugar
pinch of salt --> use real  salt ( sea salt or Himalayan salt) not table salt

Additional Add-in options
Flax, chia seed, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, dark chocolate, coconut &/or dried fruit.


Blend all the wet ingredients together and then add the dry ingredients.

Now you have two options

•  you can bake it in an oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. To do this lay it out on a pan lined with parchment paper, Squish flat with your hands trying to make it even. 
• Or you can roll it into little balls and refrigerate or freeze them. leaving them raw is really good!!

Raw. Personally like this way better, more flavor and you don't lose any thing due to cooking

Baked. Still very yummy and loved by the boys

Mamavation Monday- Pledge post

This is my first of hopefully many Mamavation posts.

This will be my pledge post.

I have been working on trying to get fit and get healthy for years now. I have tried some fad diets. I have tried committing to a work out routine. You know what though, I keep failing at the follow through. Very very sad.

exercise can be a family thing

I actually like working out as silly as it sounds. I like running, I like working with the heavy bag. I like being outside. I suck at commitment though, at least where my health is concerned. I have no trouble finding an excuse why I can't do it. Right now it's the weather. Though it's silly because I like being outside and I don't mind it once I'm out it's just getting out. My kids are another excuse I use far too often. They, thought are my reason for needing to get into shape.  Really it boils down to being lazy. I really have no other push then the push inside me and it like to rest as well.


Alas exercise is only part of the issue

Beef &artichoke, sweet potatos & avacado

Food, what glorious food. I love to cook and I love to bake. This past year I have been on a quest of making healthier choices. It is working I am getting better. My food choices are much more aware of what I am eating. We are have real food! I don't do pre packaged foods. I don't do fake " low fat" "fat free" processed stuff. The problem is treats, snacks and desserts. I love them. I like to eat them, they taste yummy. I keep them to a lower number then before, the problem is WHEN it eat them. I eat them once all the children have gone to bed and I remember that there are goodies in the cupboard and I want to eat them.  I have a problem I have an addiction to sugar I know I need to stop, but I feel crazy sometimes.
I wonder if I knew I was actually accountable to someone other then myself if I could kick the sugar bug.

I will really push harder to keep my commitments. This is a new year about to start. While I can't recreate where i have been I can start now and change the ending!


I'm hoping the Sistahood can help me keep on track. I'm motivated to getting healthy and helping others along their way. Go 2013!!!

Get Adjusted

I am a big fan of Chiropractic. Now Not  just anyone will do for me though. I'm picky about my chiropractors. I usually look for a referral from someone I trust before I go to a new chiropractor. I need to know that they trust in other forms of natural health care. I need to know that they truly believe in what they are doing. I need them to have a goal of overall wellness with Chiropractic only being a piece in the whole puzzle.

I have used Chiropractic in my pregnancies and with my newborns ( 3-6 weeks were their first adjustments) I use Chiropractic and massage for general wellness and pain management.

I encourage you to do your research and ask around before just going to anyone. make sure you know them and their skill set. Make sure that their philosophy will work for you!



As always I'm not a doctor. Do your own research and make your own decisions!




* also posted on my Happy Mommy Healthy Mommy Blog

Emotional teeter totter

Your mental balance is very important. Going to emotional extremes can be extremely taxing on your your health. Most often people don't think of their mental health when they are thinking about getting healthy. Your mental health is so important thought!


Your thoughts can change your success.

                                                    Stress can change progress.

Your self esteem can hold you back from seeing what you are doing

                                                        The need for praise can make you feel like a failure.



You need to be in a head space that you can go for your dreams. Where when people tell you what you are doing wont work, you believe in yourself. When they tell you you'll gain it all back, you'll know you can keep your success going. When they tell you there's not point, if your going to have another baby. You'll know that having a healthy fit body is better for both you and baby and that you can lose the weight again!


There will be down days, there will be up days. But you are in control of your emotions. You can decide how you are going to let people's attitudes determine your emotions. You are a woman and you have all the power you need to do what you need to do. Go for it!!!! 



* also posted on my Happy Mommy Healthy Mommy Blog