A Time of "De-Processing", Taking this Grand Adventure One Step Further

From September through December of last year we ate very little real food in our home. Right as I began to emerge up and out of the haze of early pregnancy, and overcome the vast nausea and fatigue of my first-trimester, we set off for a five-week-long visit to my parents' home in the Ozark mountains. Our time spent with dad and mom involved much great, tasty food, but still very little real food. What exactly do I mean by "real food"? A definition of the term deserves its own blog post, so for the sake of simplicity I will state it as thus:

• Whole, natural foods which we receive from nature such as plants, roots, fruits, seeds, nuts, meats, eggs, milk and those made from it.(http://www.thepalettefund.org/nutrition_resources/more/glossary)
• Foods consumed in a form closest to their original state found in nature.
• Foods which have been minimally, or not at all, processed by industry, but rather created from whole ingredients in your own home.

Breakfast: Lamb Sausage, Potato, and Mushroom Frittata with Aged Gouda.  Time to table: 30 minutes

Although we thoroughly and completely enjoyed our month of great southern cooking in the Ozarks, we are eager and ready to return, with vigor, to our real food diet now that we are home. While on our trip, we had a lot of time to process life. It was a great opportunity at the beginning of this new year to look back over our past year, pray, and make some new life plans and goals. During this month of processing, it dawned on me that we may also be in need of some time "de-processing", in the realm of our bodies, anyways. I came up with the idea to conduct a sort of experiment to help launch us back into our wholesome way of eating. Grayson helped me out with a little bit of a 9th-Grade science class review on the definition of an experiment:

Steps of an Experiment

• RESEARCH
• PROBLEM
• HYPOTHESIS
• EXPERIMENT
• RESULTS

Research: During our trip I read several helpful books:  "Real Food" by Nina Planck, and "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver, as well as some blog posts by Lisa Leake, a real food blogger (www.100daysofrealfood.com) I know that pursuing knowledge is a very powerful tool in guiding us and motivating us to continue on this journey. It is, after all, what began us on this venture in the first place. However, with all of the contradicting information in the realm of what we should and shouldn't eat, I am wary when conducting research. Facts must be checked, and read in view of other facts I have heard and read in various books, articles, podcasts, and documentaries. I try and make a practice of not believing a fact at face value, but allowing it some real credibility in my mind only once it has been echoed by some of my other research. This phase of our experiment is never ceasing. A very large part of eating real food is learning about what real food is, and how to obtain, prepare, and enjoy it.

Problem: Eating processed foods makes us feel sick and saps us of energy and focus. It deteriorates our quality of life and how able we are to serve and enjoy one another and the Lord.

Hypothesis: If we eat little to no fake food, and instead replace it with wholesome real food, we will feel better, have a higher quality of life, and better be able to serve.

Experiment: Here is the meat and potatoes;  the "what" we will be doing throughout these two months. We will be emptying our kitchen of processed foods. We don't have many to begin with, as we have, to an extent, been living this way for almost a year. However, my first trimester of pregnancy has left us with a few stragglers--some processed intruders--as well as some things we never quite gave up (organic yet heavily processed granola bars and snacks, for example) of which we will be ridding ourselves of, and replacing with all real foods. For two months, we will be taking further action than we have previously to eat only wholesome, real foods. (I'll explain more of the details of how we will be doing this in future posts.)

Results: I can already anticipate some of the results we will see at the end of these two months, as they should mirror results such as we saw when we began this journey almost a year ago. Results such as:  weight loss (or maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight for me), more energy and greater focus, clearer skin, and less aches and pains. Some additional results I hope to see, however, would be a clearer direction, at the end of two months, in how best to continue our real eating journey as a family. As well, I hope to see an increased interest and motivation from my readers to try some new recipes, and adopt some new wholesome ways of eating in their own homes.

Lunch:  Broiled Open-Face Veggie Sandwiches with Brick Cheese on Homemade Buckwheat Bread with Fresh Fruit and Spinach Smoothies. Time to Table: 20 Minutes (Besides the homemade bread which from flour to loaf took 1 hour the day before)

This may seem like a lot of work--it will be. However, part of this experiment also entails learning how to "make it work"; how to create an environment of good eating habits, and delicious, healthful food, all while running a household, working part-time, being involved in ministry, and loving my husband and boys. The photos I've included in this blog post picture some of the meals we've enjoyed (thoroughly, might I add) this past week, along with how long they actually took to prepare. Real food does at times require a larger time commitment. However, we are also learning that we can create delicious, wholesome meals from scratch in a very short time. One of my goals for this experiment is to encourage and enable readers to do the same. On that note, I'm also looking to receive more reader feedback. I want to know what you are thinking about real food. I'll be asking simple questions at the end of my blog posts to encourage reader participation. Watch for these and share your thoughts!

I am certain that the time commitment and effort will be worth it. During our trip down south I had a lot of time to think, pray, and process life. I came up with two things I really want to focus on this spring and summer. One is the ladies' Bible study I teach out of our home. The other is our family, and life at home; life as a homemaker, I guess you could call it. Let me elaborate a little on this second focus, by sharing what I wrote in my journal concerning it:

"Our home and family
Adjusting to two little boys. Integrating a simpler and more wholesome diet. Enabling Grayson in his studies."

These three things really are intertwined. I know from experience that a healthful diet gives us greater energy and focus, enabling us to better serve one another, care for our son, and spend more thorough time studying. And so yes--this will be work. It will mean more planned trips to some stores a bit further away from home, better time management, researching ingredients, compiling and trying (and failing) new recipes, much more cooking from scratch, and blogging more regularly. I am fully convinced that the time and effort will be worth it for the health, future, and enjoyment of our family.

In future posts I'll be detailing some of the actual practices we're adapting in our kitchen throughout this experiment. I don't want to set guidelines. I'm not a fan of rules--they remind me too much of diets, and this is no diet. Instead, throughout these two months I will be blogging about food myths that we fully intend to debunk ("fat is bad" "avoid butter", "drink skim milk", "meat causes cancer" and all those other things we've heard for years but hold no truth when held up to the light of actual nutritional health). I'll also be blogging about the new wholesome ingredients we are exploring and experimenting with. As well as some things we plan to avoid, or drop all together from our diet, like refined carbohydrates (a processed carb which has been stripped of it's nutritional value, I.E. white flour, sugar, and rice)


Dinner: Creole Seasoned Sauteed Chicken Breast and Legs, served with Homemade Whole-Wheat Dumplings, Sauteed with Fresh Asparagus, Fennel, and Onions in a Garlic and Dill Sauce. Time to Table: 45 Minutes 

Honestly I've been a bit apprehensive about writing this first blog post of the de-processing experiment. I felt a bit paralyzed this week as I tried to convince myself to just sit down and do it. I was waiting for the perfect week, the perfect day, the perfect time to begin "the project", as I kept referring to it as. "No, we can't buy those, we're starting the project this week....or next." I would explain to Grayson in the market. The setting had to be perfect. However, I've realized that there will never be a perfect time or setting. If I wait until our house is perfectly stocked of wholesome foods, and I have a full menu of real meals planned, we'll never begin this thing. The whole point of this is, after all, to continue a process--the process we set in motion almost a year ago:  to integrate a real, wholesome way of eating into our home. It is a learning process, and forever will be.  As I continue to pursue knowledge, some of my ideas and beliefs regarding our health and nutrition have changed even from when I began this blog a year ago. I must be honest to admit I was wrong in some things, and will also be in the future. As long as we keep moving forward, learning, and gauging our progress by the great food we're eating, the fun we're having, and how excellent we feel, I'll count this adventure a success.

And so we invite you to join us. Don't worry, you don't need to empty your cupboards and make a dash for the nearest health food store. We simply invite you to observe what we are doing, and maybe learn a little through our personal journey as we continue on in pursuing a healthful, wholesome way of eating and living. As well, this being a learning process, we want to learn from you. During these two months I'll be asking simple questions regarding nutrition and how people eat simply to gather information for my own knowledge, as well as spur on discussion.

And so, readers, please comment below to my first question: What is your number one hindrance, or interference, to eating real food?

First-Trimester Hiatus Blog 3: My Husband to the Rescue of Our Health!

First-Trimester Hiatus Blog 3:  "My Husband to the Rescue of Our Health!"
Blog Written at 12 Weeks pregnant, November 19, 2012

What do I find attractive? A man perusing through the produce aisle of the supermarket. My man, that is, who after his solo adventure to the market came home with two paper bags full of only fresh produce. Well, and beer. You know, the essentials....

I can just picture him strolling through the tomatoes and avocados, woman of all ages perplexed by this rather handsome gentleman filling his cart with a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, he is a catch--my catch.

This particular trip to the market was a few days in the making, perhaps even a few weeks. Grayson called me earlier this week to make a simple observation. "I've been feeling really bad lately, just sick and tired, and I really think it has to do with what we've been eating." The takeout pizza and frozen pierogies? No! How could it be? Of course I knew he was right. The facts of nutrition and how our diet affects vast aspects of our life and well-being are etched into my mind from our research this past half year. Although I knew his observation to be true, my defenses rose. Of course I knew these things! However, I felt helpless to do anything about it. Grayson made a quick getaway off the phone, realizing his overly-hormonal pregnant wife was getting a bit heated up.

The half hour following his innocently-intentioned phone call, I found myself really thinking through why I was so quick to jump on the defense. Guilt, I realized, was to blame. To help me think through this realization I jotted out an e-mail to Gray.

"I already feel very guilty about compromising something I stand so strongly for--feeding
my family well, and am thus compromising the health of my family and our budget. I already feel really ashamed of it, so when it's brought up it just makes me feel worse."

Guilt and shame. I hadn't realized how hard these two factors were at play in me in regards to our "diet" the past month as I dealt with morning sickness. It may seem silly or trivial. It may seem as though it should be no big deal to compromise our diet for a few months. However, we were beginning to see and feel what a havoc our recent food choices were having on our bodies, and even our minds.

This has been a helpful experiment, in certain ways, in showing us in a very real way the benefits of eating well, and along with that the consequences of eating poorly. Of course I felt tired and sick; I'm in my first trimester. But Grayson felt progressively tired, sick, unmotivated and unable to focus. Looking back at the past few weeks, we can even see a correlation between our eating habits and other habits in life. Many claim, and are correct in doing so, that watching excessive amounts of television often  encourages poor eating habits. We have discovered that the opposite is also true. The food we have been eating has been taking its toll on our energy level and our focus. Thus, at the end of the night we are much more prone to sit in front of the laptop pressing "Next Episode" on Netflix for a couple of hours, instead of reading a book. Poor nutrition is manifested in a lack of focus and motivation, which can be seen in poor time management and, well, alot of television time.

Things had to change. Grayson was the one to bring this up. At first I fought it, but I knew he was right, and I was proud of him for being so. The great man that my husband is, he answered my e-mail that day with only encouragement. He told me that he is going to begin eating better again, and he wants to do everything he can to help me to also do so. "Eating anything made at home is better than what we have been eating." He wrote me. He assured me he understands how I've been feeling, and told me not to feel guilty, but that he wants to take the steps necessary to help us make better choices. We both know we won't be eating quite along with the standards of what we have been the past half year, but we can take little steps--an apple here and a smoothie there--to get us back on the road to where we were, and to where we are aiming with our health--to set up our family with great eating habits, beneficial and protective to our health and well-being, that we may better serve God with the time on earth He's given us.

Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Lemony Ricotta

Well, this is the conclusion of my "First-Trimester Hiatus" blog posts. After week 12 of pregnancy, I slowly began to emerge out of the mucky waters of morning sickness and longings for fast food. We spent much of my second trimester visiting my parents in the Ozark mountains (see my Ozark blog posts here and here) Although we did enjoy plenty of good Southern cooking, we were beginning to eat relatively better than we had during my first-trimester. We began incorporating, although still in small quantities, fresh fruits and vegetables, and more home cooking into our diet. We have been home from the Ozarks for a week now, and have dove back into our wholesome way of eating. We can definitely feel a difference! Just this past week we have noted a markable improvement in our energy levels and ability to focus. I was even able to jog for the first time since the beginning of my pregnancy, and with no difficulty! We are astonished again and again when we see how much of an impact eating real, wholesome food can have on our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Next week I will be beginning a sort of project, if you will, on the blog to help launch us further into this wholesome way of eating than we've ever gone before. I'll leave the details for next week, but I will say that now, a year into eating real food, we are very excited to take this thing a step further and better improve the health and well-being of our family.

This recipe was actually not from my first-trimester hiatus. This is a dinner I put together tonight (February 17, 2013), inspired by "Everyday Food"'s "Tortellini with Lemon and Brussels Sprouts". I have made a few variations to the recipe. Despite my admiration of tortellini, there sat in our refrigerator a tupperware of leftover homemade whole-wheat pasta from the night before, so this took the place of called-for tortellini. I thought also that the dish needed another element, and so I chose to incorporate the lemon juice into ricotta cheese and serve it on the side. I also roasted the brussels sprouts simply because Gray and I both revere a good roasted sprout.

Brussels sprouts have a lot to prove. The cruciferous vegetable is of the same family as kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, wasabi and horseradish (to name a few...) They are misunderstood and misrepresented when overcooked, leading to their less-than-admirable reputation. The first time I had them (some 10 years ago), I baked them into a veggie pot pie. The pie was so terrible that I did not touch the sprouts again until this past summer. This time I tried a simple roasting method--the one I use for this dish--and they were a sure winner on our table! These are now one of our favorite vegetables, simple to prepare, and deliciously in-season during the cold months when we are most desperate for great, in-season produce. Brussels sprouts boast about twice the value of protein than most other vegetables (although incomplete as a plant protein). Brussels sprouts are rumored (by extensive research), to contain cancer-fighting properties. They are also a decent source of vitamin C at about 100mg per cup, cooked. The daily recommended amount of vitamin C is around 80mg right now, although I take about 1,200mg  in vitamin c tablets a day, and Grayson closer to 2,000mg, but that can be for another blog...

Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Lemony Ricotta

1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

salt and pepper

extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 large red onion, chopped

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

2-3 cups cooked pasta, fresh if possible

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

• Trim and quarter brussels sprouts, toss in extra-virgin olive oil to coat, salt and pepper and roast on top rack of oven at 400 degrees until tender and fairly brown, about 20 minutes. (How to trim brussels sprouts)
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and cook until it begins to brown. Add chopped onion and cook until tender 6-8 minutes. Turn heat down to low.
• Zest your lemon, set zest aside (How to zest a lemon I use a grater with small holes)
• In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, juice from half the lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. (The lemon will make the cheese quite tart, add salt a little at a time by taste to offset the tartness)
• Add roasted brussels sprouts to skillet.
• Add cooked pasta to skillet.
• Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil to coat pasta in skillet.
• Plate your pasta, serve with a dollop of lemony ricotta, and sprinkle lemon zest over pasta and ricotta.

Thinking "Outside of the Box" Inside of the Kitchen

Grayson, Zeke and I have spent the past 5 weeks with my parents in their "off-grid" home in the magnificent Ozark mountains. A couple of weeks ago I wrote in my first "off-grid" post that dad and mom have been treating us to some great food here in the Ozarks, not only in their own kitchen, but also out and about the mountains and city. One of my (and Zeke's) favorite stops has been a local bakery that leaves you speechless as you walk in to bright displays of beautiful cakes, cookies, doughnuts, petite fours, cupcakes, and even a great coffee bar! Well, okay--it left me speechless. Zeke, on the other hand, let out a great, loud squeal and ran full-speed toward the display of brightly-iced cookies. The first time we stopped, I asked him to pick out what cookie he would like. I must have mistaken the direction of his finger point, because when I asked the worker behind the display for a chocolate chip, and she began to pull back the tray, he made his frantic displeasure known. I quickly asked instead for one of the bright M&M cookies on the next tray over. This sufficed and made for one happy little boy!

My choice of birthday cake from the bakery:  Raspberry Chocolate Ganache!

Zeke's choice of treat for my birthday

Before we embarked on this grand adventure, I found myself wondering what exactly cooking would look like without electricity or running water. My mind flashed back to images of growing up, sitting around a camp fire roasting hot dogs, or cooking boxed mac n cheese over our small propane camp stove. Although nostalgic, and fitting for a camp setting, I was a little less than enthusiastic about "camp cooking" for five weeks.

I found that my expectations of my parent's kitchen were a little low. It took me a couple days of careful observation of how they run the kitchen, but by week two I found myself capable of lending a hand washing dishes and preparing a meal from time to time. It turns out that my parent's kitchen is fully capable of cooking a meal much like we would at home. Although I have realized that I would most definitely need running water of some sort to continue the standard of cooking to which I've set myself. Other than that small detail, cooking "off-the-grid" is not difficult in the least!

One thing I've come to respect about my parent's way of life is their resourcefulness. They have set themselves up a very comfortable and convenient life, proving you can do so without the help of the electrical grid and water line. How this looks in the kitchen can be seen in my mom's cupboard full of her own canned meats, and the meals she conjures up with what's on hand. They are a bit of a drive from the nearest grocery store, and quite a drive from the nearest city with, what I could consider, an adequate grocery store. This would be one of my biggest challenges, as the bulk of our groceries at home are fresh produce, which must be bought every few days in order to keep fresh ingredients on hand. My mom has proven herself extremely resourceful in feeding all five of us with what's already in the house. I will admit that a few of her meals I held some great skepticism over as she set them on the table. However, with the exception of just one meal, I have been quite impressed by both the creativity and taste of what she's come up with.  (we won't go into the details of the re-hydrated potato, canned ham and cheese powder sauce "potato au' gratin"...)

My parent's resourcefulness is one trait that I like to believe has been ingrained into me, by their example, while growing up. Dad and mom always put a great emphasis on problem solving. I can see now how resourcefulness is a vital key in problem solving. Often times in order to solve a problem, you need a certain tool. If you don't have that tool, you must consider all that you do have on hand, and find a way to use that which you do have to solve your problem. This take creativity and ingenuity, as well as "thinking outside the box", which is something my dad always taught us and encouraged us to do.

Resourcefulness looks a little different in my kitchen back home. I do have running water, electricity, and several adequate grocery stores (stocked with an array of fresh produce), within 5 miles. When Grayson and I began this journey of wholesome eating last year, one of our goals was to waste less, in other words, to be resourceful with the money we have and the food we buy with it. I was concerned that increasing our intake of fresh produce would also increase our waste. That is, after all, one excuse some people use for not eating fresh produce:  they end up throwing so much away! I find this excuse pathetic, to be blunt. If you learn to properly cook vegetables how you and your family enjoy them, you will be eager to fix them up and enjoy them before they spoil. If you set a grocery budget and are conscious of your spending, you'll use what you buy in order to get the most of your money. Along with that, if you are buying quality produce, you'll respect the product itself (think Farmer's Market), and be careful to not let any of those great ingredients end up in the trash can.

I was very surprised by how little we waste with our new way of eating. In fact, we waste even less than before we began a diet rich in fresh produce! This is due mostly to the reasons listed above. We respect the ingredients. We are conscious of our spending and stewardship of money. And, apart from the occasional "flop" meal, we thoroughly enjoy what we are cooking with all of this produce! How have we practically avoided and reduced food waste? For one, we are intentional about what we buy. I usually plan about half of our dinners for the week, so I know what I need when I'm at the store. I only buy what I need for those meals. One trick I have found is to utilize the self-serve salad bars that are popping up in many markets. If I need, for instance, just a handful of cherry tomatoes, I'll grab them from the salad line, that way I can get exactly the amount we need, and none goes to waste. I've actually found I can buy our organic spinach, which we go through a lot of, by weight at the salad bar for half the price than pre-packaged!

Along with meal planning, there must also be room for flexibility and creativity. I only plan half of our dinners because I like to leave room for coming up with meals when inspiration strikes. When at the market, and particularly at the farmers market, if I find something that simply appeals to me on attraction, I'll usually grab it knowing it will inspire some meal throughout the week. This inevitably leads to "unclaimed" produce in the house which I have the responsibility then of utilizing in a creative, delicious meal. Often times I'll take stock of what produce I have on hand in the morning, and consult the internet for a recipe, or combination of recipes, to inspire dinner for that evening.

In short, try planning about half your meals and creating a shopping list accordingly. If you only need one tomato, buy only one tomato. It's not against the rules to break apart those pretty "on-the-vine" tomato clusters! Beyond your planned meals, leave room for some spontaneous meals, and keep staple items (whole grains such as rice, couscous, and barley) on hand. Buy some exciting produce you know you'll be eager to use along with those on-hand staple items in your pantry.

This orzo skillet with corn, cherry tomatoes, and green onions is one of the first meals I attempted while cooking off-grid. Of course, once I had prepared the meal, I did realize that cooking this meal off-grid, with the exception of unlimited water, is just as easy as cooking it at home. This recipe originally comes from Everyday Food magazine (my favorite culinary magazine). I adjusted the vegetables called for in the recipe. I also swapped out the called-for shrimp for grilled chicken. It's a very versatile, simple, and delicious side dish to serve on it's own, or alongside any protein.

Orzo Skillet with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes and Green Onions 

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
   (or grape tomatoes, halved)
2 cups frozen corn
1 bunch green onions, chopped and divided in half
sea salt and pepper
3/4 pound dry orzo
3 1/4 cups all-natural or organic chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in top position. In a large broilerproof skillet (I used cast iron), heat olive oil over medium. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add tomatoes and half of green onions; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, 6 minutes. Add orzo, corn, and broth and bring to a simmer. Cover with tinfoil, transfer to oven, and bake until liquid is mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with remaining green onions.

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