Day 20

The 7:54 Moment: I am very happy!

There is a warmth in the air and Spring is on it's way. This makes it easier to really get into fruit and salads, because let's face it, in winter it is really hard to feel overjoyed about biting into a cold apple verses a big, thick, rich casserole!!!!


I think my family is really happy about what we are eating now and have settled into our new 'norm'. Cheers to time and persistence, it works!!!

Breakfast: Cubed Apple and Fresh Juice. The girls had Baked Beans too.
Lunch: Kid fun lunch: Corn fritters heads with tomato sauce face.
Afternoon Tea: Coffee on soy milk.
Dinner: Minestrone Soup with wrap bread triangle dippers.


See you tmrw. xx

Day 18

The 7:54 Moment: Domestic Bliss, Dietary Dilemmas and Brain Spasms.

Today Matthew, my husband writes on the challenge from his perspective.


As the male compatriot on this dietary expedition I’ve generally been an enthusiastic co-adventurer with Elizabeth. However, in a tragic display of poor timing, I’ve recently discovered after a spate of cooking with very mixed results, that in true bloke fashion the epicentre of my culinary abilities lays with the frying pan. If I can fry it, I can cook it. This ability includes all your basic proteins from beef to lamb, chicken, sausages, bacon and eggs.
On the food challenge I’ve also broadened it to include fried, er, I mean ‘sautéed’ tomatoes, onions, capsicum, zucchini and leeks. Add to this the occasional veggie stir fry or fried rice and I think I cover most of the basics a man would want or need to eat. However, I did find myself in a spot of bother Sunday morning when it can to making a ‘nice’ breakfast.


Setting the scene, our eldest was sleeping over with friends, our youngest was happily occupied with her bottle, and we were planning a relaxed Sunday morning breakfast before heading to the local beachside park for a pre-school picnic. Into this scene I waded, frying pan in hand, to make a ‘nice’ breakfast while Elizabeth got ready.


Knowing full well the boundaries set by the 30-day challenge I began:


Me (to self):     Fresh pear and pineapple juice – check! Coffee – check! Now for the food. 
                       
                        (Long pause)


Me (to self):     Umm

(Another long pause)

Me (to self):     Ok so I can do eggs, scrambled or poached and I’ll have them with…. Um….nothing! What do you have your eggs with if you can’t have bacon, or sausages, or even toast!

This outcome was clearly unacceptable to me so I proceeded to pull several packs of bacon from the

freezer in clear contravention of the 30 day challenger’s cooking code. Call it a brain spasm, but I had

no idea how to proceed. Undetered by this  unforgivable breach of the code and re-assured by the

comforting sizzle of my frying pan I finished the bacon and eggs and called the family to the table.

That’s where it went strangely pear shaped.

She:                 Why did you make me this!?!?

Me:                  I was making a nice Sunday breakfast. That’s what we said didn’t we?

She:                 What about the challenge? You know we aren’t eating this?

Me:                  Well I couldn’t very well give you fruit again now could I? That’s so ‘everyday’.

She:                 I like fruit. If you want it to be nice, put it in a nice bowl, light a candle, do something like that!

Me (with a look of utter incomprehension):

                       

                        Nice bowl?!?

For the sake of brevity we’ll now skip the rest of the scene to get to the key points:

1. If you are changing up your menu, you need to do some homework on how to cover both everyday meals and also special occasions. Otherwise you’ll fall back into old habits.
2. Agree with the other people going on the journey of diet change with you what their expectations and ideals are. It may be that a nice bowl is all that is required to mix it up, rather than cooking a three course off menu meal of wonder that is just going to miss the mark and leave everyone with physical and relational indigestion.
3. If you have a dietary or relational blowout on the journey, talk it out, plan for the future and get back in the saddle.

Til next time, (raising my carrot stick skyward)

Cheers! Matthew

Breakfast: Weird poached egg sitting all alone on the plate, coffee and fresh juice.

Lunch: Wraps.

Afternoon Tea: Coffee.

Dinner: Pumpkin soup with left over homemade 'wrap' chips.

Day 17

The 7:54 Moment: Don't you think that it is funny that some weeks you seem to have nothing on and then other weeks you have dinner after dinner party? 
Tonight we went out for dinner, again!!!
This can make you sweat a bit over the food plan and all those extra calories in the very indulgent food riding your fork all the way to your mouth. When you do have a lot of dinners out, for what ever reasons and you can't control the menu, all you can do is ride it out. Try to eat mostly the healthy options and totally indulge in small tastes of the really fatty, sugary, yumolicious foods.


Ideas:

1) Always order a salad and eat the main meal with it or if at a banquet/buffet  just have a taste i.e.'a fork full'.
2) Share a meal with a friend or hubby
3) Share dessert with a friend or two.
4) Drink water.
5) Order entrée size meals
6) Order salad dressings, gravy, sauces on the side.
7) Eat fresh fruit and simple salads the next day. - Eat from beautiful plates and you will feel like you have had a beautiful/elegant/special feast.


Breakfast: Coffee, fruit, and our fresh juice.


Lunch: Cornflour cruskits spread with avocado, then a sprinkle of cheese, grilled capsicum and red onion. - easy.


Afternoon Tea: Passed due to having a big tea for a friends birthday tonight.

Dinner: Asian food banquet. - Yep a dinner out and more indulgence. This week I must get my exercise sorted out and have a very healthy food week, but that is not a drag because it still taste yum and exercise is about building and having a healthy body not a penalty for eating out.


See you tmrw, xx

Day 14

The 7:54 Moment: Phew I'm tired. I sat down today and really went through the food plan menu. I was becoming very overwhelmed and bored with what we were eating and I had total brain overload in coming up with new things to eat. - You take out meat and wheat and dairy and you realize how much they add diversity to each meal.
The last thing you need on a healthy food plan is to come up short because then 'take away' sounds mighty good and taste even better.


So to make life easy and diverse I have dedicated a certain 'type' of food to a certain day. i.e. Rice meals on Monday nights, soup on Tuesday nights, and on... I'm bringing back the diversity baby! :)

Also because we are being healthy that means lots of salads. Now, salads can get really boring and old, quick. This is also a complete de-motivator. The trick to these leafy meals is to break them down and build them up again simply and with different tastes of the bowl:


1) The base: Cos lettuce, or spinach, rocket, or general salad mix, even cabbage, ...


2) Add ONE main salad item as the star of the dish - grilled capsicum, or mushrooms, some roast pumpkin.


3) Next, add a sprinkle of friendship, around 2 types: grated cheese and shallots, or toasted nuts and mango slices, feta and semi dried tomatoes, snow-peas and alfalfa,or...


4) Then add a drizzle of dressing to have a 'salad delich': pesto, or a vinaigrette, yogurt, or...


Do these four and  you get  = salad delicious! - With no 'salad burnout' and a different type to try and/or look forward to next time. 


Breakfast: Rice thins with honey and our fresh juice. - twas a bit light on today.


Lunch: Salad wrap.


Afternoon: Gluten free cupcake and a coffee.

Dinner: Went to friends house and ate salad with a touch of chicken, I won't tell you about the choc-mint ice-cream we had for dessert!!!!. (Thank you my friends it was lovely.)

Day 12

The 7:54 Moment: Yep, yesterday I completely fell off the food plan wagon. 
The fall was delicious. We all have our 'oops' days and when it comes to eating healthy, we are going to have days when our cravings really do get the better off us. 
I am learning that, if you eat well for 90% of the time then when you have a delicious, 'fall off the wagon' moment the damage is not going to be huge and you can indulge guilt free.The challenge is not to start compromising on what else you might get away with, because before you know it you've put on 5 kilos and the eating plan is non existent. It happens really quick! - I won't mention the chocolate I ate either, big dope!
You simply get back on the food plan wagon and keep going. 


3 tips to help you get back on:


1) Cook and eat your favorite yummy health plan foods. i.e. Wrap pizzas, your fav salad,...


2) Ask your hubby or friend for some encouragement, tell them what you need to hear. i.e."You can do this", "You are looking great", "I'm in this with you", "That big old cheeseburger is going to make you feel heavy inside and line your throat with grease", ...

3) Try all the clothes that don't fit in your wardrobe - this will defiantly get you back on the wagon. Be warned it may leave you feeling down and reaching for the chocolate anyway!!!! lol


4) Have a picture on your mirror of what you want to look like (realistically) and know that each healthy step you take, you are one step closer to the goal. 


I am also learning that if you are having a moment when a big old ice-cream, cream sundae has tempted your taste buds try and look for the most healthy option if you can to help satisfy those buds. Try my recipe below.




Breakfast: Rice Thins with honey, cubed fruit and our fresh pineapple and pear juice.


Lunch: Salad.


Afternoon Tea: Homemade cappuccino made on 1/2 Zymil and 1/2 Soy milks.

Dinner: Rice-paper parcels with asian broccoli, peanuts, radish, onion and water chestnuts. Sweet chilli drizzle.

RECIPE:

Tempting Sunday.

Fruit of choice: mango, berries, peaches, pineapple, ...
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1/4 cup whipped cream.
Gluten free cake cubes
Toasted nuts of choice: almonds, pistachios, macadamias.
Honey.


Mix 1/2 cup of  the Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup of cream.
Place your fruit in the bottom of the glass then sprinkle some nuts and honey over the top. Next, place 2 cubes of cake on top and follow with a dollop of the yogurt, cream mixture. Place more fruit, nuts, and 2 cubes of cake on top and follow with more yogurt. Do this until the glass is full with the yogurt cream being the last layer. Sprinkle with nuts, honey, and then eat.


Gluten Free Cake. - For Cake Cubes
1 cup gluten free self raising flour
2 eggs
80g soft butter
1/3 cup of milk with a squirt of lemon juice in it
1/2 cup castor sugar.
1 teaspoon of vanilla or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon of custard powder (optional)
2 tablespoons of almond meal (optional)


Place all ingredients into a bowl and beat on high until mixture is smooth. Spread mixture out into a square or rectangle slice tray. Place in oven and cook until top springs back or golden on top (around 10 - 20min). Remove from pan and allow to cool then cut into 3cm cubes.
Note: you can freeze the remaining cake cubes ready to use another day.


Both recipes, Copyright 2010 Elizabeth Findlay.


See you tmrw. xx

Day 11

The 7:54 Moment: No comment!!! 

See you tmrw. xx

Day 7

The 7:54 Moment: Well it is official, hubby has made it a week on the 'no meat plan' but judging from his gloomy mood and vague non-focused look he needs to get back on protein. 

So he is joining the girls and having small portions of chicken and fish added to his meals. The challenge is for me is to cook it, serve it, and watch them eat it without joining in.


Anyway, In light of this I decided to cook my own roast chicken. 
I usually pick up a bbq chicken from shops, chop it up and freeze bag fulls of the meat. It is very convenient to just pick up a chook! 
At the shops this morning I choose my uncooked bird,  prepared it with onion, thyme, garlic and a bit of butter and placed it in the oven to roast. You know what, I really enjoyed it. 
For some reason I have always felt intimidated by roasting my own full chicken but it was so simple and is the plan from now on. – plus it’s cheaper and healthier (if you watch the butter, that looks like a lot of butter in the pic but it was a small bird, and only 30g of crisp me up goodness).


While I was at the shops I totally caved and gave my 1 yr old a small packet of chips. She was whinging and refusing to sit in the trolling, making shopping a nightmare (you mums know what I mean), they were the first things I saw and I knew she would eat. Arrgh, unhealthy wins this round. She contentedly munched away while I continued to have an easy shop - and no I did not have one!
Do you think it is worth 'bribing' your child, who refuses to eat the dried fruit bars and give them chips so you can shop??


Hubby would like to say: "This has been empowering because we are eating healthy rather then just eating 'habits of history'. "I am surprised and I am feeling better, apart from my attack of vagueness and the muffin I sneaked on the plane to Sydney yesterday!"


ME: "You sneaked a muffin!!!!"


Breakfast:Stewed pears with cinnamon, rice thins with vegemite, and our fresh juice of pineapple and pear.


Lunch: Left over soup from last night = easy


Afternoon Tea: Greek yogurt with apple puree

Dinner: So delicious!!! Cos lettuce cups with potato, grilled capsicum, corn and onion topped with avocado and my sweet chilli sauce. Feeling very satisfied with this meal.


See you tmrw. xx

Day 6

THE 7:54 MOMENT: 

Guess what? I am not feeling so crabby!!! Lol,

Ok - I am not a 'crabby' or angry person but being female I am subject to fluctuating hormones. I have noticed today I feel more settled - it's the perfect word. More settle in myself, more settled to cope with and get into all the demands of my day. I really do put it down to being off meat, wheat (except for that bit in the wraps) and dairy.

Hubby went to Sydney today for work and was a good boy and ordered the 'pumpkin and pine nut salad', he said it had a touch of chicken in it, but not much, which he ate...No did not envision him chocking on his chicken!!! - Much!!! (Joke)

I was proud of him for mostly trying to stick to the rules.

Big But: He brought me a gift, isn't that nice, wonderful, arrrh love. I looked at the cute little bag and joy flooded my soul: jewellery, a cute book, candles...  - IT WAS CHOCOLATE!!!

The smile fall from my face along with all the love, praise and affection I was about to bestow on him.

"Darn you" I heard myself cry at him..."Why???" "How could you???" and "What were you thinking???"

He simply replied, as men do, "You'll just have to wait 24 days."

He was totally unaware of the forbidden love coursing through my veins as I imagined what that smooth, creamy, the only amazing brown colour in the universe there is, chocolate would taste like, there in the gift bag...from hell.

...I made him change Arden - Grace's big stinky whooper of a nappy!

Moving on, Tuesday is also my child friendly lunch day. I try and make something fun and interesting for the girls. I used my new found lunch freedom - store bought healthy wraps (70% corn flour and a touch of wheat.)

Breakfast: Pikelets using my mums amazing recipe with a drizzle of maple syrup and warm apple and canned pineapple pieces. http://fradazhealth.blogspot.com/2010/08/day-2.html\

Lunch: Tuesday fun lunch for the kids = Farm Barns!  Wraps with 'hay'- grated carrot and a small amount of grated cheese, with left over rice from last nights dinner. With toasted pine nut 'mice', all topped with a smige of mayo for flavor. The girls loved it.  To mine, I left of the mayo and added avocado - my kids won't eat avo, yet!

Afternoon Tea: For the girls, left over breakfast pikelets spread with a thin amount of butter and dipped in hundreds of thousands. 

I had a warm green tea.

Dinner: Soup. Lentil, spinach and mushroom soup. So yummy and very filling.

Here is how to make our 'Farm Barns' wraps!

RECIPE:

Farm Barns

Wrap breads of choice.

Grated carrot

Small amount of grated cheese
Cooked rice

Toasted pine nuts

Mayo

Avocado

Heat wraps in microwave or oven. Spread wrap down the middle with avocado and/or mayo. Place grated carrot, a small amount of cheese and rice on top. Sprinkle pine nuts over the top. Fold or roll up wrap and serve. 

Copyright Elizabeth Findlay 2010

See you tmrw. xx 

Arggh - do I have to eat that!!! 30 Day Challange.

Last night, at exactly 7.54pm, I decide to commit to 30 days of healthy eating. - No takeaway, no lounging in my fav cafe', just healthy home cooking. Right now I am thinking why???? Why???? WHY????

It's not that I think eating out and having a great morning at a cafe is wrong it's just that I really want to get healthier, shed a few kilos (that hang around forever baby weight), and feel good on the inside physically.

It is time to 'start' doing what I have to and achieve the results I really want. Got to do to have.

So for 30 days, my hubby and I with the kiddies are embarking on:

 'Do I have to eat that? - Yes, cause it's healthy'. 

The goal is to simply be healthier and the challenge is to find the 'feast' in our healthy chosen food.

We are simply cutting out three food groups: Wheat, Diary, and Meat (except for the kiddies who need their protein and maybe hubby - depends how thin he gets, lucky thing.)

Most of all, it has to be sustainable, easy on the budget and not full of grocery items that I can't even pronounce or get from the main supermarkets - standard fare! 

I want real results that fit busy family life and which my children will eat too.

Here is what we can eat:

Fruit

Veggies

Cornflour

Gluten free flour

Water

Soy products

Rice

Nuts

Eggs

Coffee - no dairy milk

Tea - no dairy milk

Greek yogurt - ok it's dairy but the main protein in dairy is broken down by the 'culture'.

Spices and natural flavorings.

A touch of butter and sugar where appropriate. i.e. in wheat free cake, but I will try and use honey and olive oil where I can or other appropriate substitutes.

Cheese - added back in at day 4.

Mountain Wraps - 70% cornflour with a touch of Wheat, added in at day 6

Now, I am no doctor, expert, and this is no 'diet' or 'detox' it just simply about making healthy choices and actually doing what it takes to be healthy-ish. 

This will not be a perfect 30 days and I'm sure I will make many mistakes but it is about the doing rather then being perfect.

So farewell my best friend chocolate please don't hate me and remember me, I'll see you at the end...maybe!

Hello to fruit and exercise, effort and saying no to chocolate...'arrrh chocolate' "no"- dope, no already!!

                  

....oh and feel free to join if you dare 

or try/share recipes, and encourage...we may need it.