Today, the focus is on something that I feel really passionate about. Food! (Those of you who follow Outfit 31 on Facebook or Pinterest already know this.) Not only do you feel yucky if you don’t eat right, you also will not look your very best. What you put on the inside, shows on the outside! No, I am not a registered dietician (nor do I portray one on t.v. 
) but I am a mom and I want my family (and me, too!) to eat well and healthy for LIFE!!!
My family has always focused on healthful eating. But over the last year we’ve made some major changes. We’ve given up any processed foods; white sugar, white flour, white pasta etc. NO-NADA-NIL-ZILCH FAST FOOD!!!! As a result we all are feeling better!!! Though not trying to, we have lost weight. We have more energy, and look forward to meal times even more than we did before!
We have always guarded our family dinner time every night, as a priority. Sometimes, with 4 kids, 2 parents, a grandmother and schedules, it’s a challenge, but oooHHHH so worth it!!! Even if it’s really a simple meal, what’s important is that we’re eating together as a family. I would be willing to speak for my whole family, and say that this fact is probably even as important as what we eat!!! Here are some tips that I’ve learned, that might also help you pursue a more healthy diet:
Our family tries to purchase only organic options, but if you want to use conventional, at least buy organic for the dirty dozen that have high pesticide residue.
DIRTY DOZEN
- celery
- peaches
- strawberries
- apples
- domestic blueberries
- nectarines
- sweet bell peppers
- spinach, kale and collard greens
- cherries
- potatoes
- imported grapes
- lettuce
THE CLEAN 15-low to no pesicide residue
- onions
- avocados
- sweet corn
- pineapples
- mango
- sweet peas
- asparagus
- kiwi fruit
- cabbage
- eggplant
- cantaloupe
- watermelon
- grapefruit
- sweet potatoes
- sweet onions
Bread-sprouted whole grain-Food for Life bread Ezekiel 4:29 is smimilar to a really grainy whole wheat, there’s also a cinnamon raisin version (yummy with fresh ground almond butter) and my fav Genesis 1:29 w/ lots of nuts and seeds-they’re in the freezer section (except at Trader Joe’s, where they keep it on the shelf w/ the other breads)-these breads are made from sprouted 100% whole grain (no flour)-they also make English muffins! This bread makes the best toast EVER!!! It fills you up really fast, so start with one slice. Added plus, because the grain is sprouted it is better for you!
Rice-brown (Trader Joe’s sells really yummy organic already cooked in the freezer section–micro only 3 minutes! MMMmmmmmMMM)
Potatoes-the bigger they get, the more carbs they have and higher GI (Glycemic Index)-go new/baby/fingerling/sweet, or go home!
Nuts, nuts, nuts—eat nuts or seeds when you need a snack
Fruit-combine with cheese/nuts/nut butters-the fat helps utilize the sugars-eat fruit that’s in season for where you live-you only need pineapple if you live in Hawaii and need those carbs to work outdoors all day!
Chocolate-the darker, the better! It’s good for you!
Juice-you only need 1 oz. of pomegranate juice (really a lot less $$$ to buy Trader Joe’s brand) a day for heart health. If you want to drink juices, make spritzers. 1 oz. juice and fill the rest with seltzer. Instead of apple or orange juice-eat the fruit instead.
Sweetners-Stevia, agava, honey–organic cane sugars are lots sweeter and you only need 1/2 the amount to achieve the same sweetness as regular processed sugar.
Flour-always only whole grain, preferably sprouted whole grain. Spelt flour is also really yummy in cookies!
Coconut oil-once you use it, you’ll never stop!!! Yummy in cookies! Safe to use for frying at higher temps, spread on toast, for chapped lips/skin/even diaper rash.
Meats-Beef organic grass fed. Chicken organic corn fed. Fish you’ll need to do the research on the ones you enjoy. Sometimes, farm raised fish is more nutritious than wild caught. No hormones or antibiotics! EVER!
Milk/Eggs-Organic with Omega 3.
If you eat high carbs/white flour/white cane sugars/high fructose corn sweeteners you’re going to crave them. When we decided to stop, we pretty much quit cold turkey. The first couple days are the most challenging, but worth it to beat the vicious cycle! Replace less nutritious items with healthy ones, as you run out and replenish your supply. Eating low GI is not a diet, even though you’ll get trim, it’s a way of life. Eat to live. Don’t live to eat!
On Facebook, watch for photos, links, and food ideas! Check it out!!!
“I’ve given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth And every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”
The Message
Eugene Peterson
Some whole food/organic/slow food blogs that I enjoy and would recommend:
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