March Madness

And so our busy March comes to a close. It was a good, fun, sort of stressful month. First of all, how did the Paleo thing go? Not too bad actually. It wasn't something that we could keep up with 100% while traveling, but we did really well up until then. Even now we are sticking to a non-processed diet as much as possible. We have just added some beans, rice, and a bit of dairy back into our diet. Here are some things we DID learn:

• Eat more raw food. This is the most natural state it can be in! Of course I'm talking about fruits and vegetables here, not raw meat. I'm not looking for that caveman of a diet!
• Eat ALL of the animal. Especially the bones and organs. I'm not sure why this has turned into such a negative thing here in America; they utilize the whole animal everywhere else in the world. We are missing out on a lot of the good stuff for our bodies because we turn up our noses to things like liver and bone marrow. I am guilty of this myself. I was surprised when I visited Brazil several years ago to discover that chicken hearts and bone marrow actually tasted pretty good! And it's good for you! So we are definitely broadening our horizons on the recipes (and these parts of the animal are usually dirt cheap, so that's a plus!).
• Cook with non-refined oils. This includes REAL butter, lard, coconut oil... even bacon grease. I used to cook with all olive oil and canola oil because the food industry told me these were the best. Olive oil is okay, but canola is not as good as you think. Most of those oils, canola and vegetable, are HIGHLY processed and are like shooting plastic into your bloodstream. This is what makes all that fried food from fast-food joints so icky for your health.
• Eat more probiotics. Like sauerkraut, pickled veggies, and fermented stuff (fermented grapes, anyone?). I have made an effort to try and like sauerkraut so many times... I even made some homemade last month and I still couldn't choke it down. Pickled veggies on the other hand, bring it on! I am SOOO excited to get our garden started because I am ready to pickle me some beets and cucumbers and okra... yum yummy!
• Eat LESS gluten. This has been one of the biggest take aways for me. Just seeing how much gluten is in our diets... I was shocked when I sat down and really looked at ingredients. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was literally in every single meal and snack they we used to eat. The wheat industry is banking, y'all. Seriously. We have no gluten intolerances (that we know of) in our household, so Jeff and I have decided not to completely nix gluten from our diet entirely. At least not at this time. I did find a new bread, however, that is supposed to be easier for your body to digest: sprouted grains bread. We are buying the Food for Life brand and it is really yummy.
• Use more natural sweeteners. Instead of refined white sugar, try honey and pure maple syrup instead. As a baker myself, I was surprised to find some absolutely delicious recipes on the Paleo diet that satisfied my sweet tooth (even Jeff's!). And the best part is that you can eat them without feeling guilty! You also won't feel bloated and like you are about to explode after stuffing your face with all that sugar and flour that is in regular desserts. Paleo brownies are oh, so yummy. Who knew, right?
  
• Start the day off healthy. What is the first thing you put into your body in the morning? Coffee? A doughnut? A bagel? Stop it. Take the time to grab something that your body actually needs. Like water (you didn't get any all night), protein (to fuel your day), and fresh fruit (the right kind of sugar). You will feel great throughout the day. Trust me when I say that I am the last person who wants to get up and make a fancy home-cooked breakfast. I hate mornings. Some quick breakfasts I tried out were quiches and casseroles, all full of protein and even veggies! Also, muffins made at the beginning of the week can last all week as a quick grab-and-go breakfast. There are plenty of flourless, sugarless recipes for these out there. And they are actually really good! Confession: Bennett and I would snack on these all day when I had some sitting around.

Beef Lettuce Boats

So, those are the changes we are going to make in our diet. We can't afford to eat all grass-fed beef, organic produce, and free roam eggs. I wish we could, but just not possible. We are doing the best we can though by sticking to a budget. Sure, we could save a lot of money by living on tuna casserole and Hamburger Helper meals, but I would not be taking care of my family as I feel I should.

Paleo Pizza

How did our bodies react to the diet? Great! Jeff dropped over ten pounds just like that. I think I dropped a few pounds, but I'm not even sure what my weight was before because that wasn't really a goal of mine. I did, however, feel... I guess lighter is the word. Not like I was dropping weight, but like I wasn't feeling all that bloat that you get after eating. That comes from all the gluten in our diets. Even through my "monthly dues," I felt great! My skin started to clear and I actually slept a little better. Jeff said that he felt healthier and like he had more energy. Of course he was bragging about the weight loss and sucking in his gut looking at himself in the mirror. Haha.

making bone broth

That was our diet adventure in a nut shell. I did okay on it when I went to Houston to visit my family for Spring Break. My biggest cheat was helping my mom and sister eat a GIANT corn dog at the rodeo. Totally worth it.

In Houston, we took Bennett to the Children's Museum, did a little shopping, and went to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Bennett was THE most adorable little cowboy there. He absolutely LOVED the petting zoo. He was in heaven. Even when we walked around looking at the steer and hogs that were going to show, he wanted so badly to go in and pet them! When he gets old enough, we are totally going to let him do the mutton bustin' if he wants to!

ready for his first rodeo!

first petting zoo!

Jeff spent a week in Africa with a team from our church this month. They worked with an orphanage there and had a blast! He was exhausted when he got home, but it sounds like it was a great time. He is already planning next year's trip. I would love to have gone. I didn't feel comfortable leaving Bennett this time, but maybe next year?? We'll see! Jeff is also taking the youth group to Haiti next year to help out at an orphanage there. My plan, so far, is to go with them. We are really looking forward to it.

I'm leaving out a ton of other things, but that's the main happenings of our month! Here are a few more firsts for Bennett in March:

first black eye

first haircut

first passport photo