A Touchy Subject ~ Part II

Hello & happy Friday & can you believe Christmas is in a week??!!! How did that even happen??? I’m ready-ish. Just a few more little things to buy (which i’m sure will turn into a lot of little things), and a few more cookies to bake. I have my work holiday party later today at a fancy restaurant that I could never afford to eat at otherwise, so that’s pretty exciting. And if we get a little break from the rain this weekend, I’m hoping to check out a couple of Christmas events.

OK, now onto a more serious note. You can check out A Touchy Subject ~ Part I if you want to get up to speed, as this post is a continuation from that.

I should probably mention how this all started. I was in grade 9 at the time. One night I made myself a bowl of ice cream with hot chocolate powder and Rice Krispies sprinkled on top. It was really good, so I decided to have another. A little while later, I went to have a shower but before I got in, I took a look in the mirror and for the first time, I saw a bunch of flab that seemed to have appeared overnight. I basically felt like a giant cow and I couldn’t believe I had let that happen to myself. And then I thought about the 2 bowls of ice cream I had just eaten and decided that it just couldn’t stay in my body. So, it didn’t. I remember thinking, “well that was easy.” And there you go. From that point on, for way too long, a vicious cycle had begun. In my mind, it was win-win. I could eat whatever I wanted but not get fat because I would simply get rid of the food.  And when I ate, I ate. Anything and everything in sight. I went back and forth between that and not eating anything at all and the weight just came flying off. I started to feel weak and sick, but it just didn’t matter.

It didn’t take long for friends and family to start commenting on my weight loss. Compliments quickly turned into concern, which was an even bigger compliment to me. One day, I went to the mall with my boyfriend at the time and I fit into a pair of size 1 pants. I was elated. My boyfriend basically said that I looked sick and gross, and as sad as it is, that made me happy.

It’s hard to believe that my body put up with that phase of my life. For a solid year at high school, my lunches consisted of a small bag of gummy bears and a can of diet coke. And nope, no breakfast to start my days. Even worse, I smoked cigarettes throughout high school and used them to curb my appetite on a very regular basis. I was consuming roughly 500 calories a day, sometimes less, which is way too low. Dangerously low. And those calories usually didn’t include an ounce of nutritional sustenance. But guess what? I was wearing size 2 jeans! Worth it, right? Not one little bit.

I had a part time job that I usually went to right after school which was great because I could get away with not eating dinner. I might have a few carrot sticks or rice cakes, maybe a plain bagel on a good day. If I happened to be at home, I’d sit down and eat dinner with my parents. Lots of dinner. Then I would sneak off after…and you know the rest.

I remember being at a friends party one night when I was about 15. Her parents ordered KFC for everyone and WOW did it ever smell delicious. Of course there was no way in hell I was going to let myself have any of the chicken, but I did give in and have one of the small little dinner rolls that came with it. I was SO mad at myself after. Seriously, just livid. I felt like a complete failure that had absolutely no self-control. When things like that happened, I would tell myself “ok, well tomorrow you have to make up for it,” and I’d basically eat nothing.

The farther I get in my nutrition program, the more I realize how lucky I am. There are so many health consequences that can result from eating disorders, both short and long-term, which for the most part, I was able to avoid. I deprived my body of the vital nutrition that it needed to keep me going, yet somehow it still didn’t fail me. I call that a miracle.

Thank you for tuning into Part II. As I mentioned before, writing about my disordered eating journey isn’t easy, but it’s good for me and I think it’s something that I really needed to do at some point, even all these years later. It’s helping me understand now what I couldn’t understand back then. A healing process that was a little delayed.

Have a great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon!

 

 

Weekend Things

For those of you who tuned into A Touchy Subject ~ Part I last week, you might agree that it wasn’t the most upbeat post. But, much like everyday life, it can’t all be rainbows and butterflies because that’s just not real. I plan on continuing to post on the topic every week or so because there’s a LOT to tell. And like I mentioned in the post, I know people out there can relate. I follow certain blogs strictly for that purpose; I feel like I can somehow relate to the author.

And also, thank you for tuning in, if you did. Every word was straight from the heart and 100% honest. Or better yet, Real Talk.

OK, onto some Weekend Talk. On Friday Ryland and I went to the happiest place on earth (IMO), Trader Joe’s. I LOVE that store and basically everything in it. So I bought basically everything in it…even though the Canadian dollar has seen better days :/. But their prices are low so I figure I still beat the system. If not there, then I still saved on gas!

But either way, I bought tons of my favorites, these being one of them:

Have you tried these??? If not, you just have to. They’re crunchy, delicious, basically guilt-free and just the best snack ever. Ryland and I ate the whole bag in one sitting and patted ourselves on the back after for eating so much green ;).

I also bought some stone ground tortillas and whipped this up:

I spread some garlic tomato sauce on the tortilla, sprinkled it with oregano and shredded Havarti cheese, and topped it with spinach and red onions. It went into the toaster oven at 375° for about 8 minutes and was consumed in half that time. I gave the kiddo some, positive that he’d peel off the spinach, but nope! It was a good  lunch. So good that this happened:

He’s literally asleep here. What a guy.

I baked some cookies too because ‘Tis the Season. I went with my favorite, Cake Batter Cookies. Not only because they’re delicious, but I’ll admit it, they’re SO easy to make.

I brought a bunch to a Christmas party on Saturday night and one of my friend’s called it “the perfect cookie.” I’ll take it ;). I’ve made these the last few years and always follow this recipe. Warning – don’t go to this website unless you’re prepared to drool heavily. Sally is a baking goddess.

What else can I tell you…well I won’t talk about how it was windy and rainy and miserable out for most of the weekend because that’s just depressing. We watched a couple more overly cheesy Christmas movies and as mentioned before, we went to a Christmas party at our friend’s house. An Ugly Sweater Party to be exact. It was really fun, especially because there were lots of kiddies there in ugly sweaters too. Ryland stayed up wayyyyy past his bedtime but he was just the cutest little party animal. He was pretty worn out on Sunday and spent some quality time catching up with his beloved elephant blankie.

Ok…I’ve talked your ear off enough today. I’ll see you in a few!

Creamy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

I don’t know about where you are, but it rained and rained and rained all weekend here in Vancouver. But it also warmed up a little, so that’s a plus.

There were a few different outdoor Christmas events that we wanted to check out, but they just wouldn’t have been all that fun in the downpour, especially with a toddler. It was more of a stay-inside-and-read kinda weekend.

It was also an oatmeal-for-breakfast kinda weekend, and I put together a pretty delicious and extra healthy pot on Saturday and Sunday morning. It was full of apples, cinnamon, and creamy vanilla yogurt. It was like having dessert for breakfast, but with zero guilt. Win win. I love oatmeal, I think that’s because it reminds me of my childhood.

Creamy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal ~ 2 servings

Ingredients

• 300 ml cold water in a small saucepan with lid
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cups quick oats
• 2 small apples, diced into small pieces
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt

Directions

1. Bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan covered with a lid.
2. Add oats, apples, and raisins to boiling water, stir, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
3. Mix in yogurt and sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. Enjoy!

Well of course I need to talk about why this bowl of oat-y deliciousness is so good for you. Lets start with the oats:

• lower bad cholesterol > reduces risk of cardiovascular disease
• control blood pressure
• high in antioxidants
• high in soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, which strengthens the immune system, making it better equipped to fight bacterial infections
• beta-glucan also stabilizes blood sugar and reduces the risk of Type II diabetes
• great alternative to those with a gluten allergy (as long as the oats are certified GF)
• play a role in preventing childhood asthma

The list goes on, but you get the idea. Oats are basically EXTREMELY good for you.

And so are apples.

• rich in flavanols which help to reduce to risk of certain cancers
• high in soluble fiber > reduces cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar
• detoxifies lives
• boosts immune system
• high in antioxidants, some of which play a role in the prevention of cataracts
• chewing on apples increase the production of saliva which reduces tooth decay

And so on and so on.

Yogurt is full of calcium and probiotics*, and cinnamon not only adds a delicious, warm flavor, but it is also an excellent blood sugar stabilizer.

Ryland loves oatmeal, which is great. Duncan…I’m working on it.

In case you’re wondering, there are only 18 days left until Christmas. Can you believe it??? I’m currently watching a super cheesy Christmas movie. The cheesier the better :D.

Have a great day!

*Not all yogurts have probiotics. It will generally say somewhere on the container whether or not they’ve been added in.

 

 

Yams, Brussel Sprouts &…Christmas!!!

How are you on this frosty Monday?? Not frozen, I hope. It was freezing but super sunny all weekend. Perfect winter weather in my books.

I’ve talked about my love of Brussel sprouts before, but lately it’s turned into more of an obsession. Of all things, hey? But roasted with some olive oil & sea salt…YUM. I love yams too. The nutritional value of both is way up there, so lots of bonus points right there.Yams are full of the antioxidants beta carotene and Vitamin C, both of which tell the cancer-loving free radicals to beat it. They’re a great source of potassium which works to prevent high blood pressure, and they’re also high in fibre and complex carbs which equals good digestion and stable blood sugar. Loooots of other benefits that i’ll tell you about at some point.

Brussel sprouts are loaded with fibre and antioxidants as well, but that’s not all. They’re rich in a compound called isothiocyanates which not only fight, but possibly even prevent certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. They’re high in lots of other vitamins and minerals that make our bodies very happy :D.

My love for these healthy eats made this happen:

It was on the side of some roasted chicken, which wasn’t really all that picture worthy. But this really does make a fantastic side dish, especially during the holiday season.

Roasted & Sea Salted Brussel Sprouts & Yams ~ serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

• 4-5 small to medium sized yams
• 2 cups Brussel sprouts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.
3. Wash yams and dice into bite size pieces.
4. Wash Brussel sprouts.
5. In a large bowl, toss together yams, Brussel sprouts olive oil, and as little or as much sea salt as you desire. I ground about 1 tsp into my bowl.
6. Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
7. Dig in!

My parents are doing a turkey for Christmas so I think i’ll add this to the side. My dad and Duncan will turn their noses up at the Brussel sprouts…more for me!

I put up all of our Christmas stuff over the weekend, basically because it’s never too early for that, in my opinion. As long as it’s after Remembrance Day of course.

Our tree is small, and sadly not real, but it’s a good size for our condo. And as much as I love real trees, I don’t mind not having to sweep up pine needles every 3 minutes. Nothing beats the smell of them though. NOTHING.

I also got a ton of Christmas shopping done on Black Friday at some outlets. The deals weren’t that great, but i’m about 80% done which is kind of a relief. I looked at the calendar and I don’t even think i’ll have time to sit down between now and Santa’s visit from the North Pole ;).

On Wednesday i’m going to tell you about some fluffy, light chocolatey Chocolate Carrot (but you can’t taste the carrot) Mini Muffins that I whipped up. I hope you’ll be back for that :). Have a great day!

Cheesy Brown Rice & Black Bean Loaf

Hi!

Happy Monday :D. We had the most perfect November weather over here. Cold but not too cold and extra sunny! We deserved it though. The week leading up to it was pretty gross.

I basically have a river in my backyard with a path beside it that you can walk along for as long as you feel like walking. You might come across the odd black bear, but they generally won’t even give you the time of day. When we moved to the neighborhood almost 5 years ago, I just about died when I saw a bear up close for the first time, right by my house. Neighbors kept saying “don’t worry, they’re harmless,” and so far that’s proven to be true. But at the same time, they’re wild animals and us humans need to respect that and be cautious. Better safe than sorry!

My “backyard”

On Saturday we walked along the river for awhile and then headed over to a local high school that was hosting their annual Winter Market. There were tons of really crafty, cool, yummy goodies. I easily could’ve spent way too much money because I’m such a sucker for things like that, but I managed to walk out with my wallet still intact. I bought Ryland the Charlie Brown Christmas Story but the best part is that it’s a handmade quilt book. He buries his face in it and my heart explodes, as per usual with everything he does. I won’t deny that I’m an obsessed Mom. We also had some chocolate covered pretzels. Had to support the bake sale!!

OK, so back to the title of this post, the purpose of this post. I usually try to make something on Sundays that Ryland and I can take to work/daycare for lunch throughout the week. I also try to make sure that whatever I come up with has a good balance of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Since I’m not a huge meat eater, I rely on beans and eggs quite often to get my protein and iron intake. Beans are also high in fibre, and we all know how important that is! I also love brown rice which is a plus because it’s full of fiber, antioxidants and slow-releasing sugars, which promote stable blood sugar. And last but not least, cheesy goodness. A little more protein, a good does of calcium, and of course, YUM.

OK…so it doesn’t look all that appetizing, but the lighting was bad and I used my cell phone. It turned out to be pretty tasty though, promise!

Cheesy Brown Rice & Black Bean Loaf

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (melted) or olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° and grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan
2. In a large bowl, mix together rice, beans, and taco seasoning
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and coconut oil or olive oil. Pour into large bowl and mix all ingredients well.
4. Gradually add shredded cheese to bowl, mixing gently.
5. Pour into loaf pan, pressing down gently until level.
6. Bake 40-45 minutes.
7. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing.

I would say this is good in the fridge for 3 days max so I recommend freezing any that might not get eaten within that time. I had a slice for dinner last night and topped it with chopped green onions and hot sauce (because I’m addicted, I admit it). My fingers are crossed that Ryland gobbles it up at daycare today! Duncan turned his nose up at the brown rice but that’s fine. He can stick to white rice covered in MSG-filled soy sauce! I have a LOT of work to do on that guy :/.

Time to get to it. Have a great day!