Last week, a friend of mine walked me through our local food co-op and pointed out some basic but healthy staples I could try in my quest to eat healthier. My goals were relatively low considering how poorly we’d been eating and how difficult it was to get my kids to eat anything besides white bread and mac-n-cheese. My friend introduced me to Rudi’s 14 grain bread, whole wheat pancake mix, organic tortillas, and bulk pinto beans (she gave me a simple recipe), hummus, Armenian cucumbers (LOVE these). Of course, I also stocked up on standard fruit and vegetables, and when I got home I announced to my three boys (ages 12, 10, and 7) and husband that things were going to change for our own good.
It’s a week later, and I’m shocked by how well things have gone. Shocked. The bread is fabulous! The kids don’t complain about it. Last night, I made pizzas with organic cornbread pizza crusts, olive oil, garlic, fresh mozzarella and basil, and Roma tomatoes. And my kids loved it! Granted, they still complain at times, especially about broccoli, but I’m so proud of them for being such good sports. And I’m definitely feeling better about what I’m feeding them.
We’re not completely reformed. There’s plenty in our house that would probably make my nutritionist friend shudder, but now that I’ve made some small, painless changes, I’m looking forward to making more.
Tonight, I’m making some candy with a recipe I got from my friend Tawny Weber. The stuff is addictive!! But hey, life’s all about balance.
There are very few things you can’t have too much of. Except maybe…books?
Have you ever gone into something with low expectations and been fabulously surprised?
Virna, I’m changing my eating, too! It’s expensive and hard to shop. I live in a rural area, and we don’t have a lot of choices. I’m doing it anyway – for the most part.
I know it’s all in my mind, but I already feel healthier and more energetic. And remember, dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants. I eat a lot of antioxidants.
Thanks for the chocolate reminder, Edie, and congrats on eating healthier!
Hi Virna,
I come from decades of healthy living. From the extreme of grinding my own grains for bread, to making fruit leather from the fruit off my own trees and making gallons of yogurt from milk. Nowadays life is a whole lot less of that but…still it’s black breads, tons of veggies, and my Cherry tree is overwhelming full of ripe black cherries. The kids just handed me a list, home made Black Forest cake, fresh cherry cheesecake, home made cherry jam…the list goes on. I have 3 sons and a daughter. ALL of them appreciate good food
Dale Mayer`s last blog was …A good day and a bad day!
Dale, How wonderful for you & yours kids that you were raised eating healthy! And I love that they ask for homemade cake and jam, etc… YUM!
What was the simple receipe??? Please share!! Raw broccoli salad… head of broccoli, sunflower seeds, 3/4 cup of may, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar or substitute, crumbled bacon … Chop the flowerettes of the broccoli [I usually buy just the heads not all that stem stuff], dump in large bowl… mix up the 1/3 sugar [or substitute], 3/4 cup of mayo [which I only used about 2/3 of mayo & fill up the rest w/ greek yogurt] and cider vinegar.. pour over cut broccoli, add in bacon & sunflower seeds — mix and store in fridge… you can also add in some nice chopped sweet onion.
Yummy, Cate S. Thanks so much!!!
Here’s the pinto bean recipe:
1 lb dry pinto beans soaked overnight in cold water, rinsed and drained; 1/2 med. white onion, 1 head garlic (halves cross wise) 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 Tbs course sale, 2 tsps paprika, 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper.
Combine soaked beans, onion, garlic, oregano & cumin in a heavy quart pot and cover with water by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are tender, adding more water if needed to keep beans covered, 1 to 1.5 hours. Remove onion and garlic from pot, discard. Ladle out cooking liquid until liquid covers beans by 1/4 inch. Add salt, paprika, and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash beans into a coarse puree. If seem runny, put back on stove and bring to a boil until reach desired consistency.
I’m telling you, Body by Vi!
I’m gonna give it a try, K!!
Great Post Virna. A few years ago I started cooking everything from scratch when my youngest was diagnosed with food allergies. My husband lost 20 pounds, I lost 10 and we ate much healthier. But as life got busier and my son had no reactions we slipped into the eathing out and easy to prepare foods. We still read labels and choose organic mac and cheese over the other kind. I do sort of miss cooking healthier and especially homemade bread.
You’ve inspired me to plan on cooking more this upcoming school year. I know I can pull it off, even with my oldest starting high school and football and band. Sure I can.
Oooh, homemade bread. Yummy! You do so many things well, Kristina! Thanks for stopping by!!
Virna,
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Way to go on making changes for your health and that of your family!!! It’s hard to do. We’re trying, too — little things like more veggies and less sugar — but it all helps
Virna, good for you for making the changes. And really, small steps work just as well as big steps, sometimes better, because the change isn’t so stark.
I love baking and cooking, and while I still allow some of the ‘bad’ stuff through, I try to keep the fruit and veges high on the list and if we eat biscuits or cakes, they’re home made. I love my own ruby grapefruit marmalade. Can’t get enough of it.