Okay. So yesterday I talked about the decluttering process and how that's going. This morning I spent an hour pouring over blog I found via my sweet daughter-in-law, called 100 Days of Real Food. Basically, it talks about eliminating all processed foods from your family's diet. Extreme, right? Or is it? When I think about the last 13 weeks--the amount of time I've been working the South Beach diet--I realized we have been eating very little of processed foods. You know why? Because they're not on the SB plan. You know why? Because they're not good for you! That was a proverbial "face-palm" moment for me!
This subject seems to be bombarding me on a regular basis lately. I read a post just yesterday from Keeper of the Home (my decluttering source) about "The Well-Planned Breakfast". In that post she talks about how the cereal industry has essentially packaged junk food and placed it on the grocery store shelves as nutritious and healthy. And I know that's not the case with every kind of cereal, but it probably is more often than not. In her post she goes on to give lots of great ideas for easy, truly healthy breakfasts.
I digress . . . back to the real food blog. I'm both a little fascinated and a little afraid of this kind of challenge. Because processed foods have been a part of my eating -- and cooking -- for a long time. So again I go back to the last 13 weeks ... where most of what I've been serving/eating is whole foods ... and I don't feel like I've suffered or done without and I've lost over 33 pounds (which, if you do the math, averages to just over 2.5 pounds per week -- not too shabby). I feel good, I feel nourished (I'm obviously energized, or I wouldn't be so bent on this decluttering thing) . . . maybe there's something to this. Haha ... ya' think?!
Lisa, the blog owner, has done a very good job of defining real food, providing recipes and resources, sharing her kitchen essentials (appliances, gadgets, cookbooks, etc.), essential items for her pantry, refrigerator and freezer, some terrific, practical real food tips, and even some free meal plans -- she has four available, two that target spring and summer, where fresh produce is readily available. Her meal plans are practical for on-the-go families and budget-friendly, too. She's got a 100-day pledge ... but for those who are a little intimidated by that idea (like me!), she's also got 100 days of mini-pledges and, for us really slow starters (like me!), she's got a short 10-day pledge ... something to allow you to get your feet wet and decide if the whole thing is for you, without having to make a three month pledge! Some food for thought, so to speak.
Anyway, all that said ... how about my favorite Chicken Salad Recipe? I've made it several times this summer and it fits nicely into the whole foods category -- and it's a yummy, summer comfort food!
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 stalk celery, diced
1 dill pickle, finely chopped
3/4 cup diced apple
3/4 cup green grapes, cut in quarters
1/4 cup scallions, very finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 walnuts, almonds, or pecans, coarsely chopped
dash of nutmeg
dash of celery seed
1/3 cup of mayonnaise (just enough to bind it all together)
Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on lettuce or in a tomato bowl on between two slices of whole grain bread. Yummy! Bon appetite!
Linking up today with Living Well Wednesdays!
And, if you've hung in with me this far, here's a happy tip -- Connie at Quilting by the River is having a marvelous "batik surprise giveaway" -- you *definitely* want to check it out!!
I'm headed over to Ellie's house to play! Yay for me!!
:)
